Evaluation of rutting and low-temperature cracking resistancesof warm-mix recycled asphalt bindersunder the secondary aging condition

The rutting and low-temperature resistances of warm-mix recycled asphalt binders under the secondary aging condition were measured by the dynamic shear rheometer test and bending beam rheometer test.Effects of different types of warm-mix asphalt(WMA)technologies and additives were evaluated.Aging and improvement mechanisms were investigated by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy test.It is found that recycled binders after the secondary aging are more resistant to rutting and less resistant to low-temperature cracking.The two warm-mix asphalt technologies have opposite effects.Using the Sasobit WMA significantly improves the rutting resistance and reduces the low temperature resistance for the recycled binders due to its morphological change at different temperatures.The rutting factor values of recycled asphalt binders with the Sasobit additive increase by 4.6 to 5.6 times.However,using the Evotherm WMA causes the deterioration of the rutting resistance due to the structural lubrication effect.The rutting factor values of recycled asphalt binders with the Evotherm additive show the reduction of 52%to 62%.It is recommended to add the styrene butadiene rubber latex or crumb rubber powder into the warm-mix recycled asphalt binders to simultaneously improve the rutting and low-temperature cracking resistances.

Numerical manifold method for thermo-mechanical coupling simulation of fractured rock mass

As a calculation method based on the Galerkin variation,the numerical manifold method(NMM)adopts a double covering system,which can easily deal with discontinuous deformation problems and has a high calculation accuracy.Aiming at the thermo-mechanical(TM)coupling problem of fractured rock masses,this study uses the NMM to simulate the processes of crack initiation and propagation in a rock mass under the influence of temperature field,deduces related system equations,and proposes a penalty function method to deal with boundary conditions.Numerical examples are employed to confirm the effectiveness and high accuracy of this method.By the thermal stress analysis of a thick-walled cylinder(TWC),the simulation of cracking in the TWC under heating and cooling conditions,and the simulation of thermal cracking of the SwedishÄspöPillar Stability Experiment(APSE)rock column,the thermal stress,and TM coupling are obtained.The numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the test data and other numerical results,thus verifying the effectiveness of the NMM in dealing with thermal stress and crack propagation problems of fractured rock masses.

Low-temperature Denitration Mechanism of NH_(3)-SCR over Fe/AC Catalyst

To study the modification mechanism of activated carbon(AC)by Fe and the low-temperature NH_(3)-selective catalytic reduction(SCR)denitration mechanism of Fe/AC catalysts,Fe/AC catalysts were prepared using coconut shell AC activated by nitric acid as the support and iron oxide as the active component.The crystal structure,surface morphology,pore structure,functional groups and valence states of the active components of Fe/AC catalysts were characterised by X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,nitrogen adsorption and desorption,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,respectively.The effect of Fe loading and calcination temperature on the low-temperature denitration of NH_(3)-SCR over Fe/AC catalysts was studied using NH_(3)as the reducing gas at low temperature(150℃).The results show that the iron oxide on the Fe/AC catalyst is spherical and uniformly dispersed on the surface of AC,thereby improving the crystallisation performance and increasing the number of active sites and specific surface area on AC in contact with the reaction gas.Hence,a rapid NH_(3)-SCR reaction was realised.When the roasting temperature remains constant,the iron oxide crystals formed by increasing the amount of loading can enter the AC pore structure and accumulate to form more micropores.When the roasting temperature is raised from 400 to 500℃,the iron oxide is mainly transformed fromα-Fe_(2)O_(3)toγ-Fe_(2)O_(3),which improves the iron oxide dispersion and increases its denitration active site,allowing gas adsorption.When the Fe loading amount is 10%,and the roasting temperature is 500℃,the NO removal rate of the Fe/AC catalyst can reach 95%.According to the study,the low-temperature NH_(3)-SCR mechanism of Fe/AC catalyst is proposed,in which the redox reaction between Fe~(2+)and Fe~(3+)will facilitate the formation of reactive oxygen vacancies,which increases the amount of oxygen adsorption on the surface,especially the increase in surface acid sites,and promotes and adsorbs more reaction gases(NH_(3),O_(2),NO).The transformation from the standard SCR reaction to the fast SCR reaction is accelerated.

Evaluation method of cracking resistance of lightweight aggregate concrete

The cracking behavior of lightweight aggregate concrete(LWAC) was investigated by mechanical analysis, SEM and cracking-resistant test where a shrinkage-restrained ring with a clapboard was used. The relationship between the ceramsite type and the cracking resistance of LWAC was built up and compared with that of normal-weight coarse aggregate concrete(NWAC). A new method was proposed to evaluate the cracking resistance of concrete, where the concepts of cracking coefficient ζt(t) and the evaluation index Acr(t) were proposed, and the development of micro-cracks and damage accumulation were recognized. For the concrete with an ascending cracking coefficient curve, the larger Acr(t) is, the lower cracking resistance of concrete is. For the concrete with a descending cracking coefficient curve, the larger Acr(t) is, the stronger the cracking resistance of concrete is. The evaluation results show that in the case of that all the three types of coarse aggregates in concrete are pre-soaked for 24 h, NWAC has the lowest cracking resistance, followed by the LWAC with lower water absorption capacity ceramsite and the LWAC with higher water absorption capacity ceramsite has the strongest cracking resistance. The proposed method has obvious advantages over the cracking age method, because it can evaluate the cracking behavior of concrete even if the concrete has not an observable crack.

Simulation of three-dimensional tension-induced cracks based on cracking potential function-incorporated extended finite element method

In the finite element method,the numerical simulation of three-dimensional crack propagation is relatively rare,and it is often realized by commercial programs.In addition to the geometric complexity,the determination of the cracking direction constitutes a great challenge.In most cases,the local stress state provides the fundamental criterion to judge the presence of cracks and the direction of crack propagation.However,in the case of three-dimensional analysis,the coordination relationship between grid elements due to occurrence of cracks becomes a difficult problem for this method.In this paper,based on the extended finite element method,the stress-related function field is introduced into the calculation domain,and then the boundary value problem of the function is solved.Subsequently,the envelope surface of all propagation directions can be obtained at one time.At last,the possible surface can be selected as the direction of crack development.Based on the aforementioned procedure,such method greatly reduces the programming complexity of tracking the crack propagation.As a suitable method for simulating tension-induced failure,it can simulate multiple cracks simultaneously.

Low temperature cracking behavior of asphalt binders and mixtures: A review

Low temperature cracking(LTC)distress on pavement seriously affects road life.This paper finished a literature review of the research on the mechanism of LTC of asphalt composites(asphalt composites refers to asphalt binder and asphalt mixture in this article),test methods,factors contributing to LTC,measures to prevent and control the distress,and prediction of LTC in asphalt pavements.The following conclusions were obtained:the cracking mechanism of asphalt mixtures needs to be further revealed by means of simulation at the micro level,the BBR and 4 mm plate test(by DSR)methods are currently optimal,and a correlation between asphalt and asphalt mixture evaluation indexes needs to be established.Sensitivity analyses are needed for the factors affecting LTC of asphalt mixtures.It is necessary to calculate the contribution of each factor to the LTC of asphalt mixtures.The aim is to propose targeted improvement measures for the most unfavourable factors,as well as to carry out research and development of key materials for anti-cracking.Measures for the prevention and control of LTC of asphalt pavement are analyzed and discussed.Existing researches on the prediction of LTC of asphalt pavements is discussed.It is necessary to analyse the mechanical response of asphalt pavement,the damage process and the sensitivity of anti-cracking parameters on the basis of considering the complex geometrical characteristics and material properties of asphalt pavement materials.Finally,the mechanism of LTC,evaluation methods,factors influencing LTC,and remedial measures for asphalt composites were summarized,and future research prospects were suggested.This paper provides theoretical support for the further solution of LTC distress of asphalt pavement,which is effective on the improvement of pavement life.

Cracking Propagation of Hardening Concrete Based on the Extended Finite Element Method

Self-deformation cracking is the cracking caused by thermal deformation, autogenous volume deformation or shrinkage deformation. In this paper, an extended finite element calculation method was deduced for concrete crack propagation under a constant hydration and hardening condition during the construction period, and a corresponding programming code was developed. The experimental investigation shows that initial crack propagation caused by self-deformation loads can be analyzed by this program. This improved algorithm was a preliminary application of the XFEM to the problem of the concrete self-deformation cracking during the hydration and hardening period. However, room for improvement exists for this algorithm in terms of matching calculation programs with mass concrete temperature fields containing cooling pipes and the influence of creep or damage on crack propagation.

An improved outer pipe method for expansive pressure measurement of static cracking agents

Static cracking agent(SCA)is actively investigated as an alternative to explosive blasting for rock breakage due to its immense expansion property.SCA can eliminate the negative effects of shock,noise and harmful gases encountered in explosive blasting processes.Accurate measurement and deep understanding of the expansive properties of SCAs are important in their industrial application.An improved outer pipe method(OPM),termed the upper end surface method(UESM),is proposed in this paper to overcome the shortcomings of the OPM in the expansive pressure measurement of SCAs.Numerical simulation is used to proof the concept and a mathematical model established to relate the internal pressure and the radial strains at different positions in the upper end surface method test equipment.The new equipment is calibrated using oil pressure and strain measurements.The calibrated equipment is then used to measure the expansion pressure of SCA at three different water contents to proof its potential.The differences in the measurements with OPM and UESM at three different moisture contents are less than 4%.The experimental results confirm the accuracy and applicability of the more user friendly and less expensive UESM in the measurement of the expansive pressures of SCAs.

Cracking analysis of fracture mechanics by the finite element method of lines(FEMOL)

The Finite Element Method of Lines （FEMOL） is a semi-analytic approach and takes a position between FEM and analytic methods. First, FEMOL in Fracture Mechanics is presented in detail. Then, the method is applied to a set of examples such as edge-crack plate, the central-crack plate, the plate with cracks emanating from a hole under tensile or under combination loads of tensile and bending. Their dimensionless stress distribution, the stress intensify factor （SIF） and crack opening displacement （COD） are obtained, and comparison with known solutions by other methods are reported. It is found that a good accuracy is achieved by FEMOL. The method is successfully modified to remarkably increase the accuracy and reduce convergence difficulties. So it is a very useful and new tool in studying fracture mechanics problems.

Multiscale Study on Low Temperature Crack Resistance Mechanism of Steel Slag Asphalt Mixture

The objective of this paper was to study low temperature crack resistance mechanism of steel slag asphalt mixture(SAM).Thermal stress restrained specimen test(TSRST)and three-point bending test were carried out to evaluate the low-temperature crack resistance of SAM and basalt asphalt mixture(BAM).Based on the digital image correlation technique(DIC),the strain field distribution and crack propagation of SAM were analyzed from the microscopic point of view,and a new index,crack length factor(C),was proposed to evaluate the crack resistance of the asphalt mixture.The crystal phase composition and microstructure of steel slag aggregate(SA)and basalt aggregate(BA)were studied by X-ray diffraction(XRD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)to explore the low-temperature crack resistance mechanism of SAM.Results show that the low-temperature crack resistance of SAM is better than that of BAM;SAM has good integrity and persistent elastic deformation,and its bending failure mode is a hysteretic quasi-brittle failure;The SA surface is evenly distributed with pores and has surface roughness.SA has the composition phase of alkaline aggregate-calcite(CaCO3),so it has good adhesion to asphalt,which reveals the mechanism of excellent low-temperature crack resistance of SAM.

A phase-field model for simulating the propagation behavior of mixed-mode cracks during the hydraulic fracturing process in fractured reservoirs

A novel phase-field model for the propagation of mixed-mode hydraulic fractures,characterized by the formation of mixed-mode fractures due to the interactions between fluids and solids,is proposed.In this model,the driving force for the phase field consists of both tensile and shear components,with the fluid contribution primarily manifesting in the tension driving force.The displacement and pressure are solved simultaneously by an implicit method.The numerical solution's iterative format is established by the finite element discretization and Newton-Raphson(NR)iterative methods.The correctness of the model is verified through the uniaxial compression physical experiments on fluid-pressurized rocks,and the limitations of the hydraulic fracture expansion phase-field model,which only considers mode I fractures,are revealed.In addition,the influence of matrix mode II fracture toughness value,natural fracture mode II toughness value,and fracturing fluid injection rate on the hydraulic fracture propagation in porous media with natural fractures is studied.

The Boundary Element Method for Ordinary State-Based Peridynamics

The peridynamics(PD),as a promising nonlocal continuum mechanics theory,shines in solving discontinuous problems.Up to now,various numerical methods,such as the peridynamic mesh-free particlemethod(PD-MPM),peridynamic finite element method(PD-FEM),and peridynamic boundary element method(PD-BEM),have been proposed.PD-BEM,in particular,outperforms other methods by eliminating spurious boundary softening,efficiently handling infinite problems,and ensuring high computational accuracy.However,the existing PD-BEM is constructed exclusively for bond-based peridynamics(BBPD)with fixed Poisson’s ratio,limiting its applicability to crack propagation problems and scenarios involving infinite or semi-infinite problems.In this paper,we address these limitations by introducing the boundary element method(BEM)for ordinary state-based peridynamics(OSPD-BEM).Additionally,we present a crack propagationmodel embeddedwithin the framework ofOSPD-BEM to simulate crack propagations.To validate the effectiveness of OSPD-BEM,we conduct four numerical examples:deformation under uniaxial loading,crack initiation in a double-notched specimen,wedge-splitting test,and threepoint bending test.The results demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of OSPD-BEM,highlighting its capability to successfully eliminate spurious boundary softening phenomena under varying Poisson’s ratios.Moreover,OSPDBEMsignificantly reduces computational time and exhibits greater consistencywith experimental results compared to PD-MPM.

DETERMINATION OF CLOSURE EFFECT IN FATIGUE CRACKING BY MEANS OF COMPLIANCE TECHNIQUE AND NUMERICAL METHOD

The crack tip strain gauge method in the compliance technique was used to determine the opening load of notched crack of axle steel,and the nonlinear finite element ADINA program, to which the cyclic stress-strain curve of axle steel was applied,was used to analyze the stress-strain field ahead of the crack tip and the opening load of notched crack.The results of both the compliance technique and the numerical method were in good agreement.In this pa- per,the concept of the sensitive point is proposed and the key to the determination of the crack opening load in the experiment is to place a strain gauge at sensitive point.It is certified by both experimental and numerical methods that the sensitive point has the best linear relation- ship character and the value of strain is much greater.

Nonlinear simulation of arch dam cracking with mixed finite element method

This paper proposes a new, simple and efficient method for nonlinear simulation of arch dam cracking from the construction period to the operation period, which takes into account the arch dam construction process and temperature loads. In the calculation mesh, the contact surface of pair nodes is located at places on the arch dam where cracking is possible. A new effective iterative method, the mixed finite element method for friction-contact problems, is improved and used for nonlinear simulation of the cracking process. The forces acting on the structure are divided into two parts： external forces and contact forces. The displacement of the structure is chosen as the basic variable and the nodal contact force in the possible contact region of the local coordinate system is chosen as the iterative variable, so that the nonlinear iterative process is only limited within the possible contact surface and is much more economical. This method was used to simulate the cracking process of the Shuanghe Arch Dam in Southwest China. In order to prove the validity and accuracy of this method and to study the effect of thermal stress on arch dam cracking, three schemes were designed for calculation. Numerical results agree with actual measured data, proving that it is feasible to use this method to simulate the entire process of nonlinear arch dam cracking.

A new method--the inverse strain method(ISM)for preventing welding hot cracking of high strength aluminium alloy LY12CZ

In this paper a new method for preventing welding hot cracking—the inverse strain method(ISM)is developed on the principle of welding mechan- ics.Effectiveness and feasiblity of method in preventing welding hot cracking of high strength aluminum alloy LY12CZ by synchronous rolling during welding (SRDW)along both sides of the weld at a suitable distance behind the welding arc are examined.Experimental resulte indicate that welding hot cracking of LY12CY can be effectively prevented and the mechanical properties of welded joint can also be improved by the method.It is an important new solution for preventing hot cracking in welding of sheet metal.

Improved activity of Ni-Mo/SiO_(2) bimetallic catalyst synthesized via sol-gel method for methylcyclohexane cracking

To improve the cracking behavior of hydrocarbon,Ni-Mo/SiO_(2) bimetallic catalysts were synthesized by different preparation methods(sol-gel,co-impregnation and single-impregnation) and added the additives(citric acid,polyethylene glycol and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) based on the most suitable method above.The cracking reaction of methylcyclohexane under supercritical conditions was performed as the probe reaction to estimate the catalytic performance,and the properties of Ni-Mo/SiO_(2) catalyst were characterized by N_(2) absorption-desorption,XRD,XPS,H_(2)-TPR,NH_(3)-TPD,in-situ IR of NH_(3) desorption,HRTEM and STEM-mapping so as to study the structure-activity relationship.The catalyst synthesized via sol-gel method showed the best conversion and heat sink,being 81.8% and 3.81 MJ/kg,which was closely related to strong mutual effect between active components and SiO_(2) as well as strong acid sites.Besides,the introduction of additives by sol-gel method has an affirmative influence on properties of Ni-Mo/SiO_(2) catalysts,being that the acidity(more L and B acid sites) was modulated and organic groups interact with metal to suppress the aggregation of metal species(Ni and Mo),thereby enhancing the catalytic activity.At 750℃,the conversion(89.3%) as well as heat sink(3.99 MJ/kg) of MCH cracking obtained an optimum over Ni-Mo/SiO_(2) catalyst with addition of citric acid.

Thermal Stresses and Cracks During the Growth of Large-sized Sapphire with SAPMAC Method

The finite-element method has been used to study the thermal stress distribution in large-sized sapphire crystals grown with the sapphire growth technique with micro-pulling and shoulder-expanding at cooled center （SAPMAC） method. A critical defect model has been established to explain the growth and propagation of cracks during the sapphire growing process. It is demonstrated that the stress field depends on the growth rate, the ambient temperature and the crystallizing direction. High stresses always exist near the growth interfaces, at the shoulder-expanding locations, the tailing locations and the sites where the diameters undergo sharp changes. The maximum stresses always occur at the interface of seeds and crystals. Cracks often form in the critical defect region and spread in the m-planes and a-planes under applied tensile stresses during crystal growth. The experimental results have verified that with the improved system of crystal growth and well-controlled techniques, the large-sized sapphire crystals of high quality can be grown due to absence of cracks.

Cryo-Cracking方法及其在焊接接头蠕变断裂失效分析中的应用

介绍了 Cryo- Cracking方法及其在分析和评定高温下长期服役的焊管焊接接头蠕变失效中的应用特点。这种方法使用的试样易于截取 ,制样工艺过程简单 ,对制样者的技艺无特殊要求 ,不易产生因试样的制备而引起的误解。通过扫描电镜断口形貌的分析 ,结合金相定量分析方法 ,从分析断口的二维图象获得的数据 ,可以定量地反映在役构件蠕变失效的程度。实践表明 ,Cryo- Cracking方法是一种简单实用的焊接接头蠕变失效分析方法。

Reflective cracking viscoelastic response of asphalt concrete under dynamic vehicle loading

In order to investigate the mechanical response of reflective cracking in asphalt concrete pavement under dynamic vehicle loading, a finite element model is established in ABAQUS. The viscoelastic behavior is described by a prony series which is calculated through nonlinear fitting to the creep test data obtained in the laboratory. Based on the viscoelastic theory, the time-temperature equivalence principle, fracture mechanics and the dynamic finite element method, both the Jintegral and the mix-mode stress intensity factor are utilized as fracture evaluation parameters, and a half-sine dynamic loading is used to simulate the vehicle loading. Finally, the mechanical response of the pavement reflective cracking is analyzed under different vehicle speeds, different environmental conditions and various damping factors. The results indicate that increasing either the vehicle speed or the structure damping factor decreases the maximum values of fracture parameters, while the structure temperature has little effect on the fracture parameters. Due to the fact that the vehicle speed can be enhanced by improving the road traffic conditions, and the pavement damping factor can become greater by modifying the components of materials, the development of reflective cracking can be delayed and the asphalt pavement service life can be effectively extended through both of these ways.

METHOD TO CALCULATE BENDING CENTER AND STRESS INTENSITY FACTORS OF CRACKED CYLINDER UNDER SAINT_VENANT BENDING

Using the single crack solution and the regular solution of plane harmonic function, the problem of Saint_Venant bending of a cracked cylinder by a transverse force was reduced to solving two sets of integral equations and its general solution was then obtained. Based on the obtained solution, a method to calculate the bending center and the stress intensity factors of the cracked cylinger whose cross_section is not thin_walled, but of small torsion rigidity is proposed. Some numerical examples are given.