Instrumented oscillographic study on impact toughness of an axle steel DZ2 with different tempering temperatures

Compared with the conventional Charpy impact test method,the oscillographic impact test can help in the behavioral analysis of materials during the fracture process.In this study,the trade-off relationship between the strength and toughness of a DZ2 axle steel at various tempering temperatures and the cause of the improvement in impact toughness was evaluated.The tempering process dramatically influenced carbide precipitation behavior,which resulted in different aspect ratios of carbides.Impact toughness improved along with the rise in tempering temperature mainly due to the increase in energy required in impact crack propagation.The characteristics of the impact crack propagation process were studied through a comprehensive analysis of stress distribution,oscilloscopic impact statistics,fracture morphology,and carbide morphology.The poor impact toughness of low-tempering-temperature specimens was attributed to the increased number of stress concentration points caused by carbide morphology in the small plastic zone during the propagation process,which resulted in a mixed distribution of brittle and ductile fractures on the fracture surface.

Performance of identical rockbolts tested on four dynamic testing rigs employing the direct impact method

Impact drop tests are routinely used to examine the dynamic performance of rockbolts.Numerous impact tests have been carried out in the past decades on independently designed,constructed and operated testing rigs.Each laboratory has developed testing procedures;thus,the results are often reported in different ways by various laboratories.The inconsistency in testing procedures and reporting formats presents a challenge when comparing results from different laboratories.A series of impact tests of identical rockbolts was carried out using the direct impact method(i.e.the mass free-fall method)on the rigs in four laboratories in different countries.The purpose of these tests was to investigate the level of consistency in the results from the four rigs.Each rig demonstrated a high level of repeatability,but differences existed between the various rigs.The differences would suggest that there is noticeable equipment-dependent bias when test results obtained from different laboratories are compared.It was also observed that the energy dissipated for the plastic displacement of the bolt was smaller than the impact energy in the tests.The average impact load(AIL)and the ultimate plastic displacement(D)of the bolt describe the ultimate dynamic performance of the bolt.In the case where the bolt does not rupture,the specific plastic energy(SPE)is an appropriate parameter in describing the impact performance of the bolt.Two other relevant parameters are the first peak load(FPL)and the initial stiffness(K)of the bolt sample.The information from this test series will guide the formulation of standardised testing procedures for dynamic impact tests of rockbolts.

Influence of unsupported sleepers on the dynamic stability of ballasted bed based on wheelset impact tests

The unsupported sleeper can change the load characteristics of ballast particles and thus affect the dynamic stability of a ballasted bed.In this work,a laboratory test was constructed on a ballasted track containing unsupported sleepers.The ballasted track was excited by a wheelset,and the influence of unsupported sleepers on the dynamic stability of a ballasted bed was studied.The results show that the main frequency of the sleeper vibration appeared at 670 Hz,and the first-order rigid vibration mode at the frequency of 101 Hz had a significant effect on the condition without the unsupported sleeper.When the sleepers were continuously unsupported,the vibration damping effect of ballasted bed within the frequency range of 0–450 Hz was better than that at higher frequencies.Within the frequency range of 70–250 Hz,the vibration damping effect of the ballasted bed with unsupported sleepers was better than that without the unsupported sleeper.Owing to the excitation from the wheelset impact,the lateral resistance of the ballasted bed with unsupported sleepers whose hanging heights were 30,60,and 90 mm increased by 37.43%,12.25%,and 18.23%,respectively,while the lateral resistance of the ballasted bed without the unsupported sleeper remained basically unchanged.The unsupported sleeper could increase the difference in the quality of the ballasted bed between two adjacent sleepers.In addition,test results show that the hanging height of the unsupported sleeper had little effect on the lateral resistance of a ballasted bed without external excitation,but had an obvious effect on the rate of change of the lateral resistance of a ballasted bed and the acceleration amplitude of the sleeper vibration under the wheelset impact.

Dynamic fracture toughness of TA15ELI alloy studied by instrumented impact test

The dynamic fracture toughness of TA15ELI alloy with two types of microstructures was studied by instrumented impact test.Charpy specimens with both the 0.2 mm U-notch and the a/W = 0.2 pre-crack were adopted to compare notch sensitivity in the two microstructures.The result shows that the specimen with Widmanst？tten microstructure exhibits a better dynamic fracture toughness and lower notch sensitivity than that with lath-like microstructure.Fracture surfaces in the case of the two microstructures are analyzed to have a ductile and brittle mixed feature under dynamic loading.The fracture surface of lath-like microstructure is composed of dimples and tear ridges,while that of Widmanst？tten microstructure is covered with rough block-like facets and dimples and tear ridges.The α phase boundaries and α/β interfaces act as locations for void nucleation and crack arrest and deviation.The decrease in width of α phase lamellae leads to the increase in the amount of boundaries and interfaces,which causes the increase in the consumption of impact energy and results in the improvement in dynamic fracture toughness.

Aseismic performances of constrained damping lining structures made of rubber-sand-concrete

Flexible damping technology considering aseismic materials and aseismic structures seems be a good solution for engineering structures.In this study,a constrained damping structure for underground tunnel lining,using a rubber-sand-concrete(RSC)as the aseismic material,is proposed.The aseismic performances of constrained damping structure were investigated by a series of hammer impact tests.The damping layer thickness and shape effects on the aseismic performance such as effective duration and acceleration amplitude of time-domain analysis,composite loss factor and damping ratio of the transfer function analysis,and total vibration level of octave spectrum analysis were discussed.The hammer impact tests revealed that the relationship between the aseismic performance and damping layer thickness was not linear,and that the hollow damping layer had a better aseismic performance than the flat damping layer one.The aseismic performances of constrained damping structure under different seismicity magnitudes and geological conditions were investigated.The effects of the peak ground acceleration(PGA)and tunnel overburden depth on the aseismic performances such as the maximum principal stress and equivalent plastic strain(PEEQ)were discussed.The numerical results show the constrained damping structure proposed in this paper has a good aseismic performance,with PGA in the range(0.2-1.2)g and tunnel overburden depth in the range of 0-300 m.

Experimental study on the size effect on the equation of state of concretes under shock loading

Adopting the classical theory of hydrocodes,the constitutive relations of concretes are separated into an equation of state(EoS)which describes the volumetric behavior of concrete material and a strength model which depicts the shear properties of concrete.The experiments on the EoS of concrete is always challenging due to the technical difficulties and equipment limitations,especially for the specimen size effect on the EoS.Although some researchers investigate the shock properties of concretes by fly-plate impact tests,the specimens used in their tests are usually in one size.In this paper,the fly-plate impact tests on concrete specimens with different sizes are performed to investigate the size effect on the shock properties of concrete materials.The mechanical background of the size effect on the shock properties are revealed,which is related to the lateral rarefaction effect and the deviatoric stress produced in the specimen.According to the tests results,the modified EoS considering the size effect on the shock properties of concrete are proposed,which the bulk modulus of concrete is unpredicted by up to 20% if size effects are not accounted for.

Effect of hot rolling on the microstructure and impact absorbed energy of the strip steel by CSP

The microstructures and impact absorbed energies at various temperatures were investigated for steel strips hot rolled to thickness reductions of 95.5%, 96.0%, 96.5%, 97.0%, and 97.5%. Results indicate that grain refinement can be realized with an increase in hot rolling reduction. Besides, finer precipitates can be achieved with an increase in hot rolling reduction from 95.5%to 97.0%. The impact absorbed energy decreases with a decrease in testing temperature for steel strips hot rolled to 95.5%, 96.0%, and 96.5%reductions in thickness. However, in the case of steel strips hot rolled to 97.0%and 97.5%reductions in thickness, the impact absorbed energy remained almost constant with a decrease in testing temperature.

Entangled relationship:Chinese parents’involvement in young learners’English tests

Young learners’English(YLE)tests have become increasingly prevalent among and important to Chinese English learners and their parents.In China,parents are actively involved in their children’s education and test-taking decisions,and their participation has given rise to a series of social impacts.Although parent involvement has received increasing public and academic attention in newspaper and scholarly articles,there exists no thorough analysis of current research on parents’roles in young learners’test-taking.To address this gap,we systemically analyzed Chinese newspaper articles and academic articles between 2011 and 2021 to elicit Chinese parents’roles in YLE test-taking.Our thematic analysis of the literature identifies the ways in which parents influence their children’s test-taking experiences,and how the tests affect this influence.Specifically,our results elicit 1)parents’engagement in YLE testing;2)parents’understanding of the intended uses of YLE tests;3)parents’perception and consequences of their involvement in YLE testing;and 4)parents’backgrounds.This analysis reveals the popularity of YLE tests among young learners and their parents in China and public concern over test-related issues.It also broadens our understanding of YLE testing impact and suggests future potential research directions.

Effects of Stacking Sequence and Impactor Diameter on Impact Damage of Glass Fiber Reinforced Aluminum Alloy Laminate

The methods of numerical simulation and test are combined to analyze the impact behavior of glass fiber reinforced aluminum alloy laminate(GLARE).A new failure criteria is proposed to obtain the impact failure of GLARE,and combined with material progressive damage method by writing code of LS-DYNA.Low velocity impact test of GLARE is employed to validate the feasibility of the finite element model established.The simulation results have been shown that progressive damage finite element model established is reliable.Through the application of the finite element model established,the delamination of GLARE evolution progress is simulated,various failure modes of GLARE during impact are obtained,and the effects of stacking sequence and impactor diameter on the impact damage of GLARE are obtained.

Optimal design and dynamic impact tests of removable bollards

Anti-ram bollard systems, which are installed around buildings and infrastructure, can prevent unauthorized vehicles from entering, maintain distance from vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices （VBIED） and reduce the corresponding damage. Compared with a fixed bollard system, a removable bollard system provides more flexibility as it can be removed when needed. This paper first proposes a new type of K4-rated removable anti-ram bollard system. To simulate the collision of a vehicle hitting the bollard system, a finite element model was then built and verified through comparison of numerical simulation results and existing experimental results. Based on the orthogonal design method, the factors influencing the safety and economy of this proposed system were examined and sorted according to their importance. An optimal design scheme was then produced. Finally, to validate the effectiveness of the proposed design scheme, four dynamic impact tests, including two front impact tests and two side impact tests, have been conducted according to BSI Specifications. The residual rotation angles of the specimen are smaller than 30~ and satisfy the requirements of the BSI Specification.

Tribological and Impact Fatigue Behaviors of Pure Titanium Treated by Plasma Ni Alloying

Ni modified layer is prepared on the surface of pure titanium by plasma surface alloying technique. Surface appearance, micro-structure morphology, composition distribution, phase structure and microhardness of Ni modified layer are analyzed. Tribological performance and fatigue behaviors of Ni modified layer of pure titanium are observed using Pin-on-disc tribometer and repeated impact test. The results indicate that the surface mean Ni concentration of Ni modified layer is nearly 18% which is composed of TiNi, Ti2Ni and Ti phase. The maximum surface microhardness of Ni modified layer is approximately 580 HV which is almost two-fold of the hardness of the substrate. The wear resistance of Ni modified layer is improved obviously. The wear mechanism of Ni modified layer shows slight abrasion wearing, while pure titanium is abrasion and adhesion wearing. Ni modified layer presents better impact fatigue strength.

Experimental testing of low-energy rockfall catch fence meshes

Flexible catch fences are widely used to protect infrastructure like railways, roads and buildings from rockfall damage. The wire meshes are the most critical components for catch fences as they dissipate most of the impact energy. Understanding their mechanical response is crucial for a catch fence design. This paper presents a new method for testing the wire meshes under rock impact. Wire meshes with different lengths can be used and the supporting cables can be readily installed in the tests. It is found that a smaller boulder causes more deformation localisation in the mesh. Longer mesh length makes the fence more flexible. Under the same impact condition, the longer mesh deforms more along the impact direction and shrinks more laterally. Supporting cables can reduce the lateral shrinkage of the mesh effectively. Most of the impact energy is dissipated by stretching of the wires.Wire breakage has not been observed.

Analysis of the Impact Resistance of Photovoltaic Panels Based on the Effective Thickness Method

Based on the recent development of renewable energy utilization technology,in addition to centralized photovol-taic power plants,distributed photovoltaic power generation systems represented by building-integrated photo-voltaic systems are frequently employed for power supply.Therefore,in the architectural design,the double-glass photovoltaic module used in the integrated photovoltaic building system puts forward a higher load-bearing capa-city requirement and the corresponding simplified method of carrying capacity check.This article focuses on the simplified method of checking the bearing capacity of the four-sided simply supported double-glass photovoltaic module.First,the principle of equivalent stiffness is used to calculate the effective thickness.Then,the rationality of this approach is verified by comparing the bending states of sandwich panels under different shear moduli.The double-glass photovoltaic module is equivalent to a single-layer board,and its effectiveness is verified by compar-ing the impact test results of the double-glass photovoltaic module with the results of the single-layer board.But the comparison with the test results shows that,from the perspective of architectural design,the effective thick-ness results in this paper can ensure that the building structure has sufficient bearing capacity,but the four-side simply supported boundary theory cannot fully reflect the calculation of the bearing capacity of the four-side clamped double-glass photovoltaic module.

Dynamic Fracture of Ti-5553 Alloy in Taylor Impact Test

The dynamic fracture behavior of a new near-beta Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr-1Fe（Ti-5553）alloy under a high strain rate loading was investigated systemically using the Taylor impact test,over the impact velocity ranging from156 ms-1 to 256 ms-1.An optical microscope（OM）and a scanning electron microscope（SEM）were used to characterize the microstructure evolution.The experimental results have demonstrated that the velocity from deformation to fracture is 256 ms-1 for the alloy with anα＋βduplex microstructure including more primaryαphase,while the velocity is 234 ms-1 for the alloy with a duplex microstructure including less primaryα phase.From the impact fracture morphologies,smooth and smeared surfaces and ductile dimple areas can be observed.The failure mode of the titanium alloy with both microstructures is adiabatic shear banding.According to the fracture analysis,the ductile fracture area with the dimple area in the alloy with much more primaryαphase were more than that with less primaryαphase.Compared to the duplex microstructure with less primaryα phase,Ti-5553 alloy with more primaryαphase exhibited a better capability to resist an adiabatic shear damage.

Dimensional analysis of the impact toughness test for synthetic diamond grits

The method,in which a few carats of diamond grits are placed inside a capsule together with a steel ball,shaken for a number of times,and the unbroken ratio of the grits is then used to evaluate the quality of the diamond,has been well established for many years.However,the unbroken percentage,in an equivalent view,represents the impact toughness of the grits and cannot reflect the value of the crushing energy.Most of the previous empirical formulas obtained from experiments by scholars cannot be applied to practical tests.In this paper,a dimensional analysis was applied to investigate the impact toughness experiment,and the dimensionless relationship has been built among those variables such as the toughness index,the impact time,the impact frequency and the crushing energy per unit area.According to the results of a large number of experiments with synthetic diamond grits of mesh size 45/50,the percentage of the broken grits H is proportional to the impact time T^（1.14） when the impact frequency is 2400 r/min,and the impact frequency f^（2.576） when the number of impacts is 2000.

Effect of PVA Fiber on the Dynamic and Static Mechanical Properties of Concrete under Freeze-thaw Cycles at Extremely Low Temperature(-70℃)

In order to study the effect of PVA fiber on the dynamic and static mechanical properties of low-temperature freeze-thaw concrete under the saturated surface dry state,different contents of PVA fiber were added to prepare concrete in this experiment.The concrete was subjected to compression,flexural and SHPB impact tests combined with scanning electron microscopy for microstructure analysis,after different times of freeze-thaw cycles in the temperature range of 20-70℃.The experimental results show that the compressive strength of the PVA fiber reinforced concrete first increases and then decreases after freeze and thaw cycles,and the compressive strength is positively correlated with the fiber content.The flexural strength gradually decreases with freeze-thaw cycles.The flexural strength of the concrete with 1.2 kg/m^(3) of PVA fiber presents the lowest strength loss after 45 freeze and thaw cycles,which is about 14%.The dynamic failure strength gradually decreases with the increase of freeze-thaw times,and the reduction amplitude decreases with the increase of PVA fiber content.The best impact resistance is achieved when the PVA fiber dosage is 1.2 kg/m^(3).

Dynamic response of UHMWPE plates under combined shock and fragment loading

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene(UHMWPE)fiber composite has been extensively used to construct lightweight protective structures against ballistic impacts,yet little is known about its performance when subjected to combined blast and fragment impacts.Built upon a recently developed laboratory-scale experimental technique to generate simulated combined loading through the impact of a fragment-foam composite projectile launched from a light gas gun,the dynamic responses of fullyclamped UHMWPE plates subjected to combined loading were characterized experimentally,with corresponding deformation and failure modes compared with those measured with simulated blast loading alone.Subsequently,to explore the underlying physical mechanisms,three-dimensional(3D)numerical simulations with the method of finite elements(FE)were systematically carried out.Numerical predictions compared favorably well with experimental measurements,thus validating the feasibility of the established FE model.Relative to the case of blast loading alone,combined blast and fragment loading led to larger maximum deflections of clamped UHMWPE plates.The position of the FSP in the foam sabot affected significantly the performance of a UHMWPE target,either enhancing or decreasing its ballistic resistance.When the blast loading and fragment impact arrived simultaneously at the target,its ballistic resistance was superior to that achieved when subjected to fragment impact alone,and benefited from the accelerated movement of the target due to simultaneous blast loading.

Quantitative analysis of the protective performance of bicycle helmet with multidirection impact protection system in oblique impact tests

Purpose:The current study aimed to assess the protective performance of helmets equipped with multidirectional impact protection system(MIPS)under various oblique impact loads.Methods:Initially,a finite element model of a bicycle helmet with MIPS was developed based on thescanned geometric parameters of an actual bicycle helmet.Subsequently,the validity of model wasconfirmed using the KASK WG11 oblique impact test method.Three different impact angles(30°,45°,and 60°)and 2 varying impact speeds(5 m/s and 8 m/s)were employed in oblique tests to evaluateprotective performance of MIPS in helmets,focusing on injury assessment parameters such as peaklinear acceleration(PLA)and peak angular acceleration(PAA)of the head.Results:The results demonstrated that in all impact simulations,both assessment parameters werelower during impact for helmets equipped with MIPS compared to those without.The PAA wasconsistently lower in the MIPS helmet group,whereas the difference in PLA was not significant in the noMIPS helmet group.For instance,at an impact velocity of 8 m/s and a 30°inclined anvil,the MIPS helmetgroup exhibited a PAA of 3225 rad/s^(2) and a PLA of 281 g.In contrast,the no-MIPS helmet group displayeda PAA of 8243 rad/s^(2) and a PLA of 292 g.Generally,both PAA and PLA parameters decreased with theincrease of anvil angles.At a 60°anvil angles,PAA and PLA values were 664 rad/s^(2) and 20.7 g,respectively,reaching their minimum.Conclusion:The findings indicated that helmets incorporating MIPS offer enhanced protection againstvarious oblique impact loads.When assessing helmets for oblique impacts,the utilization of larger angleanvils and rear impacts might not adequately evaluate protective performance during an impact event.These findings will guide advancements in helmet design and the refinement of oblique impact testprotocols.

Effects of surface topography and specimen thickness on high-speed raindrop impact damage of CFRP laminates

Raindrop impact erosion has been observed since early days of aviation,and can be catastrophic for exposed materials during supersonic flight.A single impact waterjet apparatus is established for mimicking drop impacts at the velocities between 350 m/s and 620 m/s.Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer(CFRP)laminates with three different surface morphologies and specimen thicknesses are tested here.A central region with no visible damage has been noticed,surrounded by a"failure ring"with common damage patterns including resin removal,matrix cracking,fiber breakage and mass fiber loss.Asymmetric features are presented in the"failure ring"whose whole scope extends larger along the longitudinal direction than the transverse direction of the top layer.The mechanism of the resin removal is related to fiber-matrix debonding,and its onset and propagation can be facilitated by initial surface asperities with the shear action of the lateral jetting.In cases of multiple impact,good surface quality can slow down the evolution of resin removal and fiber exposure on the CFRP surface,reducing the erosion speed and delaying the occurrence of structural damages in the subsequent impacts.Rayleigh wave dominates the occurrence of matrix cracking on the CFRP surface,and subsequently,results in material loss and peeling of the top-layer because of lateral flow.With the increase of the specimen thickness,both the interlaminar and intralaminar failures decrease as the impact damage mechanism changes from plate bending stress to the reflection of stress waves.

Dynamic mechanical characteristics and application of constant resistance energy-absorbing supporting material

In deep underground engineering,rock burst and other dynamic disasters are prone to occur due to stress concentration and energy accumulation in surrounding rock.The control of dynamic disasters requires bolts and cables with high strength,high elongation,and high energy-absorbing capacity.Therefore,a constant resistance energy-absorbing(CREA)material is developed.In this study,the dynamic characteristics of the new material are obtained via the drop hammer tests and the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar(SHPB)tests of the new material and two common bolt(CB)materials widely used in the field.The test results of drop hammer test and SHPB test show that the percentage elongation of CREA material is more than 2.64 and 3.22 times those of the CB material,and the total impact energy acting on CREA material is more than 18.50 and 21.84 times,respectively,indicating that the new material has high elongation and high energy-absorbing capacity.Subsequently,the CREA bolts and cables using the new material are developed,which are applied in roadways with high stress and strong dynamic disturbance.The field monitoring results show that CREA bolts and cables can effectively control the surrounding rock deformation and ensure engineering safety.