Experimental research on influence mechanism of loading rates on rock pressure stimulated currents

The study of pressure stimulated current(PSC)changes of rocks is significant to monitor dynamic disasters in mines and rock masses.The existing studies focus on change laws and mechanism of currents generated under the loading of rocks.An electrical and mechanics test system was established in this paper to explore the impacts of loading rates on PSCs.The results indicated that PSC curves of different rocks had different change laws under low/high loading rates.When the loading rate was relatively low,PSC curves firstly changed gently and then increased exponentially.Under high loading rates,PSC curves experienced the rapid increase stage,gentle increase stage and sudden change stage.The compressive strength could greatly affect the peak PSC in case of rock failure.The loading rate was a key factor in average PSC.Under low loading rates,the variations of PSCs conformed to the damage charge model of fracture mechanics,while they did not at the fracture moment.Under high loading rates,the PSCs at low stress didn’t fit the model due to the stress impact effects.The experimental results could provide theoretical basis for the influence of loading rates on PSCs.

Effects of loading rate on root pullout performance of two plants in the eastern Loess Plateau,China

Root pullout performance of plants is an important mechanical basis for soil reinforcement by plant roots in the semi-arid areas.Studies have shown that it is affected by plant factors(species,ages,root geometry,etc.)and soil factors(soil types,soil moisture,soil bulk densities,etc.).However,the effects of loading rates on root pullout performance are not well studied.To explore the mechanical interactions under different loading rates,we conducted pullout tests on Medicago sativa L.and Hippophae rhamnoides L.roots under five loading rates,i.e.,5,50,100,150,and 200 mm/min.In addition,tensile tests were conducted on the roots in diameters of 0.5-2.0 mm to compare the relationship between root tensile properties and root pullout properties.Results showed that two root failure modes,slippage and breakage,were observed during root pullout tests.All M.sativa roots were pulled out,while 72.2%of H.rhamnoides roots were broken.The maximum fracture diameter and fracture root length of H.rhamnoides were 1.22 mm and 7.44 cm under 100 mm/min loading rate,respectively.Root displacement values were 4.63%(±0.43%)and 8.91%(±0.52%)of the total root length for M.sativa and H.rhamnoides,respectively.The values of maximum pullout force were 14.6(±0.7)and 17.7(±1.8)N under 100 mm/min for M.sativa and H.rhamnoides,respectively.Values of the maximum pullout strength for M.sativa and H.rhamnoides were 38.38(±5.48)MPa under 150 mm/min and 12.47(±1.43)MPa under 100 mm/min,respectively.Root-soil friction coefficient under 100 mm/min was significantly larger than those under other loading rates for both the two species.Values of the maximum root pullout energy for M.sativa and H.rhamnoides were 87.83(±21.55)mm•N under 100 mm/min and 173.53(±38.53)mm•N under 200 mm/min,respectively.Root pullout force was significantly related to root diameter(P<0.01).Peak root pullout force was significantly affected by loading rates when the effect of root diameter was included(P<0.01),and vice versa.Except for the failure mode and peak pullout force,other pullout parameters,including root pullout strength,root displacement,root-soil friction coefficient,and root pullout energy were not significantly affected by loading rates(P>0.05).Root pullout strength was greater than root tensile strength for the two species.The results suggested that there was no need to deliberately control loading rate in root pullout tests in the semi-arid soil,and root pullout force and pullout strength could be better parameters for root reinforcement model compared with root tensile strength as root pullout force and pullout strength could more realistically reflect the working state of roots in the semi-arid soil.

Investigates of substrate mingling ratio and organic loading rate of KOH pretreated corn stover and pig manure in batch and semi-continuous system:Anaerobic digestion performance and microbial characteristics

The effects of substrate mingling ratio(SMR)(1:1,1:2,1:3,3:1,and 2:1)and organic loading rate(OLR)(50-90 g total solids per liter per day)on anaerobic co-digestion performance and microbial characteristics were investigated for pig manure(PM)and pretreated/untreated corn stover in batch and semicontinuous anaerobic digestion(AD)system.The results showed that SMR and pretreatment affected co-digestion performance.The maximum cumulative methane yield of 428.5 ml·g^(-1)(based on volatile solids(VS))was obtained for PCP13,which was 35.7%and 40.0%higher than that of CSU and PM.In the first 5 days,the maximum methane yield improvement rate was 378.1%for PCP13.The daily methane yield per gram VS of PCP13 was 11.4%-18.5%higher than that of PC_(U)13.Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1,DMER64,and Bacteroides and Methanosaeta,Methanobacterium,and Methanospirillum had higher relative abundance at the genus level.Therefore,SMR and OLR are important factor affecting the AD process,and OLR can affect methane production through volatile fatty acids.

Mixed-mode fracture behavior in deep shale reservoirs under different loading rates and temperatures

In the last years,shale gas has gradually substituted oil and coal as the main sources of energy in the world.Compared with shallow shale gas reservoirs,deep shale is characterized by low permeability,low porosity,strong heterogeneity,and strong anisotropy.In the process of multi-cluster fracturing of horizontal wells,the whole deformation process and destruction modes are significantly influenced by loading rates.In this investigation,the servo press was used to carry out semi-circular bend(SCB)mixedmode fracture experiments in deep shales(130,160,190℃)with prefabricated fractures under different loading rates(0.02,0.05,0.1,0.2 mm/min).The fracture propagation process was monitored using acoustic emission.The deformation characteristics,displacementeload curve,and acoustic emission parameters of shale under different loading rates were studied during the mixed-mode fracture propagation.Our results showed that during the deformation and fracture of the specimen,the acoustic emission energy and charge significantly increased near the stress peak,showing at this point the most intense acoustic emission activity.With the increase in loading rate,the fracture peak load of the deep shale specimen also increased.However,the maximum displacement decreased to different extents.With the increase in temperature,the effective fracture toughness of the deep shale gradually decreased.Also,the maximum displacement decreased.Under different loading rates,the deformation of the prefabricated cracks showed a nonlinear slow growthelinear growth trend.The slope of the linear growth stage increased with the increase in loading rate.In addition,as the loading rate increased,an increase in tension failure and a decrease in shear failure were observed.Moreover,the control chart showing the relationship between tension and the shear failure under different temperatures and loading rates was determined.

Effects of water intrusion and loading rate on mechanical properties of and crack propagation in coal–rock combinations

Tackling the problems of underground water storage in collieries in arid regions requires knowledge of the effect of water intrusion and loading rate on the mechanical properties of and crack development in coal–rock combinations. Fifty-four coal–rock combinations were prepared and split equally into groups containing different moisture contents(dry, natural moisture and saturated) to conduct acoustic emission testing under uniaxial compression with loading rates ranging from 0.1 mm/min to 0.6 mm/min. The results show that the peak stress and strength-softening modulus, elastic modulus, strain-softening modulus, and post-peak modulus partly decrease with increasing moisture content and loading rate. In contrast, peak strain increases with increasing moisture content and fluctuates with rising loading rate. More significantly, the relationship between stiffness and stress, combined with accumulated counts of acoustic emission, can be used to precisely predict all phases of crack propagation. This is helpful in studying the impact of moisture content and loading rate on crack propagation and accurately calculating mechanical properties. We also determined that the stress thresholds of crack closure, crack initiation, and crack damage do not vary with changes of moisture content and loading rate, constituting 15.22%, 32.20%, and 80.98% of peak stress, respectively. These outcomes assist in developing approaches to water storage in coal mines, determining the necessary width of waterproof coal–rock pillars, and methods of supporting water-enriched roadways, while also advances understanding the mechanical properties of coal–rock combinations and laws of crack propagation.

Application of subsurface wastewater infiltration system to on-site treatment of domestic sewage under high hydraulic loading rate

In order to enhance the hydraulic loading rate （HLR） of a subsurface wastewater infiltration system （SWIS） used in treating domestic sewage, the intermittent operation mode was employed in the SWIS. The results show that the intermittent operation mode contributes to the improvement of the HLR and the pollutant removal rate. When the wetting-drying ratio （RwD） was 1.0, the pollutant removal rate increased by （13.6 ± 0.3）% for NH3-N, （20.7 ± 1.1）% for TN, （18.6± 0.4）% for TP, （12.2 ± 0.5）% for BOD, （10.1 ± 0.3）% for COD, and （36.2 ± 1.2）% for SS, compared with pollutant removal rates under the continuous operation mode. The pollutant removal rate declined with the increase of the HLR. The effluent quality met The Reuse of Urban Recycling Water - Water Quality Standard for Scenic Environment Use （GB/T 18921-2002） even when the HLR was as high as 10 cm/d. Hydraulic conductivity, oxidation reduction potential （ORP）, the quantity of nitrifying bacteria, and the pollutant removal rate of NH3-N increased with the decrease of the RWD. For the pollutant removal rates of TP, BOD, and COD, there were no significant difference （p 〈 0.05） under different RwDS. The suggested RWD was 1.0. Relative contribution of the pretreatment and SWlS to the pollutant removal was examined, and more than 80% removal of NH3-N, TN, TP, COD, and BOD occurred in the SWIS.

Dynamic strength of rock with single planar joint under various loading rates at various angles of loads applied

Intact rock-like specimens and specimens that include a single, smooth planar joint at various angles are prepared for split Hopkinson pressure bar（SHPB） testing. A buffer pad between the striker bar and the incident bar of an SHPB apparatus is used to absorb some of the shock energy. This can generate loading rates of 20.2-4627.3 GPa/s, enabling dynamic peak stresses/strengths and associated failure patterns of the specimens to be investigated. The effects of the loading rate and angle of load applied on the dynamic peak stresses/strengths of the specimens are examined. Relevant experimental results demonstrate that the failure pattern of each specimen can be classified as four types： Type A, integrated with or without tiny flake-off; Type B, slide failure; Type C, fracture failure; and Type D, crushing failure. The dynamic peak stresses/strengths of the specimens that have similar failure patterns increase linearly with the loading rate, yielding high correlations that are evident on semi-logarithmic plots. The slope of the failure envelope is the smallest for slide failure, followed by crushing failure, and that of fracture failure is the largest. The magnitude of the plot slope of the dynamic peak stress against the loading rate for the specimens that are still integrated after testing is between that of slide failure and crushing failure. The angle of application has a limited effect on the dynamic peak stresses/strengths of the specimens regardless of the failure pattern, but it affects the bounds of the loading rates that yield each failure pattern, and thus influences the dynamic responses of the single jointed specimen. Slide failure occurs at the lowest loading rate of any failure, but can only occur in single jointed specimen that allows sliding.Crushing failure is typically associated with the largest loading rate, and fracture failure may occur when the loading rate is between the boundaries for slide failure and crushing failure.

Characterization of Loading Rate Effects on the Interactions Between Crack Growth and Inclusions in Cementitious Material

The microcapsule-enabled cementitious material is an appealing building material and it has been attracting increasing research interest.By considering microcapsules as dissimilar inclusions in the material,this paper employs the discrete element method(DEM)to study the effects of loading rates on the fracturing behavior of cementitious specimens containing the inclusion and the crack.The numerical model was first developed and validated based on experimental results.It is then used to systematically study the initiation,the propagation and the coalescence of cracks in inclusion-enabled cementitious materials.The study reveals that the crack propagation speed,the first crack initiation stress,the coalescence stress,the compressive strength and the ultimate strain increase with the loading rate.The initiation position,the propagation direction,the cracking length and the type of the initiated cracks are influenced by the loading rates.Two new crack coalescence patterns are observed.It is easier to cause the coalescence between the circular void and a propagating crack at a slow loading rate than at a fast loading rate.

INFLUENCE OF LOADING RATE ON DYNAMIC FRACTURE BEHAVIOR OF FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITES

The effect of loading rate on the dynamic fracture properties and the failure mechanisms of glass fiber-reinforced composite materials under mode I fracture is studied. Dynamic reflective caustic experiments are carried out for two loading rates. By measuring the characteristic dimensions of the shadow spots during the caustic experiments, the dynamic SIFs are calculated for different loading rates. The experimental results indicate that the dynamic fracture toughness Kid increases remarkably with increasing loading rate, and the crack grows faster under the high-velocity impact. Moreover, by examining the crack growth routes and the fracture surfaces, it is shown that the loading rate also greatly affects the failure mechanisms at micro-scale.

Effects of water saturation and loading rate on direct shear tests of andesite

For estimating the long-term stability of underground framework,it is vital to learn the mechanical and rheological characteristics of rock in multiple water saturation conditions.However,the majority of previous studies explored the rheological properties of rock in air-dried and water saturated conditions,as well as the water effects on compressive and tensile strengths.In this study,andesite was subjected to direct shear tests under five water saturation conditions,which were controlled by varying the wetting and drying time.The tests were conducted at alternating displacement rates under three vertical stresses.The results reveal that the shear strength decreases exponentially as water saturation increases,and that the increase in shear strength with a tenfold increase in displacement rate is nearly constant for each of the vertical stresses.Based on the findings of the shear tests in this study and the compression and tension tests in previous studies,the influences of both water saturation and loading rate on the Hoek-Brown failure criterion for the andesite was examined.These results indicate that the brittleness index of the andesite,which is defined as the ratio of uniaxial compressive strength to tensile strength,is independent of both water saturation and loading rate and that the influences of the water saturation dependence and the loading rate dependence of the failure criterion can be converted between each other.

Effect of Loading Rate on Lateral Pile-Soil Interaction in Sand Considering Partially Drained Condition

Reliable assessment of the lateral pile–soil interaction is of pronounced importance for the design of mono-pile foundations of offshore wind turbines. As the offshore engineering moves to deeper waters, the diameter of monopiles is getting larger, usually about 5 m and could be up to 8 m, which may lead to partially drained behaviors of sand in the vicinity of the pile and thus imply limitations of conventional design methods in which fully drained conditions were assumed. To shed light on this issue, a fully-coupled finite element model was established using an in-house developed finite element code DBLEAVES, incorporating a cyclic mobility constitutive model that is capable of describing the instantaneous contractive and dilative response of sands simultaneously. Triaxial and centrifuge model tests were conducted to calibrate the constitutive model and validate the pile–soil interaction model respectively. This is followed by a parametric study primarily focusing on the effects of loading rates. The initial stiffness of the p–y curve was found to increase with the loading rate whilst the bearing capacity showed the inverse,and the mechanism behind this phenomenon is examined in detail. Then an explicit model was developed to evaluate the development of excess pore pressure in the pile front upon lateral loading, and an upper boundary of normalized loading rate was identified to distinguish fully and partially drained conditions.

Effects of Loading Rate on Flexural-tension Properties and Uniaxial Compressive Strength of Micro-surfacing Mixture

The major objective of this research was to discuss the effects of loading rate on the flexural-tension properties and uniaxial compressive strength of micro-surfacing mixture using three-point bending test and uniaxial compressive test respectively. As a preventive maintenance surface treatment on asphalt pavement, micro-surfacing was formed on the basis of the ISSA recommendation of an optimum micro-surfacing design. Tests were conducted over a wide range of temperature to investigate the difference of properties from low loading rate to a relatively high loading rate. Three-point bending test was used to study the flexural strength, strain and modulus of micro-surfacing mixture, and uniaxial compressive test was carried out to obtain the relationship between strength and the loading rate as well as temperature. The experimental results showed that flexural strength at high loading rate was larger than that at low loading rate. The flexural strength difference between low and high loading rate enlarged when the temperature rose. The flexural strain at high loading rate increased compared with results of the low loading rate. Results of the flexural modulus revealed that micro-surfacing mixture exhibited better anti-cracking characteristic at low temperature when given a relatively low loading rate. Results of uniaxial compressive test revealed that the strength difference of micro-surfacing among different loading rates increased with the increase of temperature. The logarithm relationship between the strength and loading rate over a wide range of temperature was obtained to compare the experimental and predicted values, which resulting in a reasonable consistency.

Hot Spot in Materials with Structural Defects under High Shear Loading Rates

The response of three-dimensional sample of Al, containing vacancy complex, under shear loading was simulated. The molecular dynamics method was used and interaction between atoms was described on the base of pseudopotential theory Solitary waves were generated in the sample under mechanical loading. Their interaction with the vacancy complexes was shown to be able to initiate hot spot in that local region of the complexes. Some parameters of the hot spot as well as solitary waves were calculated. The initiation of the hot spot is accompanied with sufficient local structural relaxation.

EFFECT OF LOADING RATE AND TEMPERATURE ON DUCTILE-BRITTLE TRANSITION OF A CARBON STEEL

The dynamic fracture toughness of a mild steel has been studied at different loading rates and temperatures.The material exhibits a transition from tough to brittle fracture with the chang- ing loading rate alone.Analysis of the fracture process by the theory of thermal activation suggests that the fracture activation energy approximates to the bond energy of the{100}of a unit cell.The toughness can be resolved into two parts,J-(fd)=J_a+J_l,where J_a is the athermal part,being independent on temperature and loading rate,while J_l=(K/K_o)^(1/n)exp(Q_f/nkT),which controls the fracture process is temperature and load- ing rate dependent.The transition of fracture mechanism caused by both temperature and loading rate is associated with the thermal movement of atoms.

Influence of the Loading Protocol and Loading Rate on the Characteristics of Timber Nail Joints

Nail joints are one of the key components that control the lateral performance of light wood frame shear walls.In previous experimental studies,researchers have used different loading rates,which failed specimens from less than a minute to more than an hour,to study the characteristics of nail joints.Moreover,there have been different loading protocols used for testing of timber nail joints or shear walls.Although some efforts have been made to address this subject,it is still unclear how the loading protocol and loading rate may influence the performance of nail joints.In this study,a total of 96 nail joints tests were carried out under monotonic and reversed-cyclic loads at three different loading rates,and under three different loading protocols(ISO,CUREE and SPD).The results of the test revealed that the loading rate did not have a noticeable effect on the mechanical properties of nail joints,while the loading protocol did influence those properties.Especially,protocols with larger cumulative damage demands lead to lower ultimate displacement and ductility of nail joints.

Relation between Loading Rate and Fracture Velocity on Limestone

The relation between loading rate and fracture velocity is the key to determining the fracture toughness of rock mass under dynamic loading.While designing an optimal blast design for any limestone mines,understanding the relationship between blast detonation pressure and rock fragmentation can increase the energy utilisation in any limestone mine blast.The detonation pressure is directly related to dynamic loading rate and fracture velocity is directly related to stress wave propagation speed during blasting.This paper discusses the relationship between dynamic loading rate and fracture velocity for limestone samples.It was observed that crack propagation velocity increases with fracture toughness of rock samples.It may be concluded that as the dynamic loading increases,the fracture velocity increases.

Comparison of microwave- and thermal-assisted rock fragmentation methods at different temperatures and loading rates

Understanding the effects of microwave irradiation and thermal treatment on the dynamic compression and fragmentation properties of rocks is essential to quantify energy consumption in rock engineering.In this study,Fangshan granite(FG)specimens were exposed to microwave irradiation and heat treatment.The damage of FG specimens induced by these two methods was compared using X-ray CT scanning and ultrasonic wave method.The temperatures of FG after microwave irradiation and thermal treatment were effectively evaluated using a newly proposed technique.A novelty method for precisely determining the geometric features of fragments is developed to estimate the fragmentation energy.Thus,the dynamic uniaxial compressive strength(UCS),the dynamic fragmentation characteristics,and the fragmentation energy of FG after these two pretreatment methods can be reasonably compared.The noticeable distinction of loading rate effect on the dynamic UCS of FG between these two pretreatment methods is first observed.A relationship is established between the dynamic UCS and the damage induced by microwave irradiation and heat treatment.Moreover,fragmentation energy fan analysis is introduced to accurately compare the fragmentation properties of FG after two pretreatment methods in dynamic compression tests.

Mechanical strength of wheat grain varieties influenced by moisture content and loading rate

Mechanical shear resistance of wheat grain is a significant concern for the designers and researchers related to the design of threshing,handling and processing machinery of the field crops.The grain mechanical properties directly affect the machine geometry and its operational parameters.The present study was carried out to determine the shear resistance of five wheat varieties(Locally names;TD-02,Sindhu-1105,Benazir,China and SKD-118)influenced by moisture content(16.7%,18.7%and 19.5%)and loading rate(3 mm/s,6 mm/s and 9 mm/s).However,some physio-dimensional properties(length,width,thickness,slenderness ratio,surface area and sphericity)were obtained at different moisture contents.The results showed that the shear resistance reduced by increasing the moisture content and loading rate.The average shear resistance decreased from 10.45 N to 3.74 N for 3-9 mm/s loading rate at moisture content of 16.7%to 19.5%.Thus,the maximum correlation(r=0.905)of shear resistance obtained at 16.7%,whereas minimum correlation(r=0.692)obtained at 19.5%.The shear resistance of wheat grain was highly significant(p<0.05)at 9 mm/s for 19.5%.Shear resistance decreased with an increase in the moisture content in the grain whereas deformation is increasing with the increase of moisture content.However,the maximum bulk density of wheat grain obtained at 19.5%for SKD-118,while the minimum obtained at 16.7%for TD-02.It is recommended that the design and modification of wheat grain processing equipment should be executed on the physio-mechanical properties of grain varieties.

Microbial community dynamics at high organic loading rates revealed by pyrosequencing during sugar refinery wastewater treatment in a UASB reactor

The performance and rnicrobial community structure in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor （UASB） treating sugar refinery wastewater were investigated. The chemical oxygen demand （COD） removal reached above 92.0% at organic loading rates （OLRs） of 12.0-54.0 kgCOD/（m^3· d）. The volatile lhtty acids （VFAs） in effluent were increased to 451.1 mg/L from 147.9 mg/L and the specific methane production rate improved by 1.2 2.2-1bid as the OLR increased. The evolution of microbial comnmnities in anaerobic sludge at three different OLRs was investigated using pyrosequencing. Operational taxonomic units （OTUs） at a 3% distance were 353,337 and 233 for OLRI2, OLR36 and OLR54, respectively. When the OLR was increased to 54.0 kgCOD/（m^3· d） from 12.0 kgCOD/ （m^3· d） by stepwise, the microbial community structure were changed significantly. Five genera （Bacteroides, Trichococcus, Cho,seobacterium, Longilinea and Aerococcus） were the dominant fermentative bacteria at the OLR 12-0 kgCOD/（m^3· d）. However, the sample of OLR36 was dominated by Lacmcoccus, Trichococcus, Anaer-arcus and Veillonella. At the last stage （OLR = 54.0 kgCOD/ （m^3· d）, the diversity and percentage of femlentative bacteria were markedly increased. Apart from fermentative bacteria, an obvious shift was observed in hydrogen-producing acetogens and non- acetotrophic methanogens as OLR increased. Svntrophohacter, Geobacter and Methanomethylovor- ans were the dominant hydrogen-producing acetogens and methylotrophic methanogens in the samples of OLRI2 and OLR36. When the OLR was increased to 54.0 kgCOD/（m^3· d）, the mare hydrogen-producing acetogens and hydrogenotrophic methanogens were substituted with Destd/bvi- brio and Methanospillum. However, the composition of acetotrophic methanogens （Methanosaeta） was relatively stable during the whole operation period of the UASB reactor.

Micromechanical study of loading rate effects between a hole and a crack

The interactions between defects are important in rocks.The micromechanical interactions between a circular hole and a pre-existing crack under uniaxial compression with different loading rates are investigated by the discrete element method(DEM).The crack initiation,crack propagation,and crack coalescence at different loading rates are studied.The loading rates influence the primary as well as secondary cracks.Both the primary and secondary cracks disturb the stress field and displacement field.The DEM simulation explains the initiation position of the primary and secondary cracks.The evolution of the displacement field and the stress field at different loading rates is analyzed.A new displacement field type is observed.The hole is easier to be broken by compression at higher loading rates while it tends to be broken by the coalescence crack at lower loading rates.The high loading rates lead to shielding effects of the hole on the pre-existing crack.