SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF IMPORTANT CHINESE WOODS

In this paper,the physical and mechanical properties of important Chinese woodswere studied by using the methods of variable analysis, regression analysis,correlation analysis,principle component analysis and so on systematically.The results showed synthetical characteristicof the physical and mechanical properties of Chinese woods.Some opinions of former authors wererevised and some new laws were discovered.That is helpful to study of the physical and mechanicalproperties of woods.

Study on the Structural Characteristics and Physical and Mechanical Properties of Phoebe bournei Thinning Wood

The artificial afforestation of precious Phoebe bournei has been carried out in China.During the cultivation process,thinning wood will be produced.The properties of thinning wood might vary greatly with matured wood and require evaluation for better utilization.The objective of the present study aims to determine the wood structure,fiber morphology,and physical and mechanical properties of the Phoebe bournei thinning wood to help us understand the wood properties and improve its utility value.Three 14-year-old Phoebe bournei were cut from Jindong Forestry Farm of Hunan Province,China.The wood structure and fiber morphology were observed and analyzed with a light microscope and scanning electron microscope.The physical and mechanical properties were tested according to the Chinese national standards.The results showed as follows:(1)The Phoebe bournei thinning wood has a beautiful wood figure and fine texture,whereas the heartwood has not yet formed.(2)It is a diffuse-porous hardwood with small and less pores as well as fine wood rays.(3)The wood fiber is medium length and extremely thin wall thickness.(4)It is low in density and has excellent dimensionally stability.(5)The wood mechanical properties belong to the low to medium class and the comprehensive strength of wood belongs to the medium-strength class.It is concluded that Phoebe bournei thinning wood is suitable for wood carving,handicraft,high-end furniture,and decorative furniture parts.

STUDIES ON PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF DAHURIAN LARCH-WOOD OF TWO WOOD COLOURS

Dahurian larch growing in Daxing’an Mountains can be divided into two types according to the wood colour: one is red, the other is white. Based on the national standard of the "Testing methods for physical &mechanical properties of wood", the parameters of wood colour and physico-mechanical properties of the above two different woods were tested and analyzed.The result showed that the colour rational phenetic parameters, physico-mechanical properties and work abilities of thc two woods were quite different, combincd with the other morphological characteristics, they belong to intraspccific two different types of Dahurian larch. The white wood is superior to the red one as a valuable timber tree. Because the cocfficients of shrinkage, hardness and colour of both are different, they were mixed working in the past, inevitably there have been various defects in working. In order to overcome these defects, we propose that the departments of wood production, salesmen and consumers should use them differently according to their individual character.

Effects of site conditions on growth and wood properties of Populus×euramericana cv.'74/76'

The growth and wood properties of 240 individual Populus×euramericana cv.’74/76’(hereafter poplar 107)trees planted in Hebei Plain,China was evaluated.Mean annual increments in height,breast height diameter and volume,as well as cellulose,hemicellulose and lignin contents,shrinkage,density,bending strength and modulus of elasticity in the heart wood and sap wood.Environmental factors influencing growth and wood properties were analyzed using correlation and stepwise regres sion.The results show that the coefficients of variation(CVs)of growth traits ranged from 10.6 to 22.4%.The CVs of the chemical properties of heartwood ranged from 4.3 to 30.2%,and for sap wood from 3.2 to 27.5%.The CVs of the physical and mechanical properties of heartwood ranged from 8.6 to 31.7%,and for sapwood from 6.4 to 29.9%.The results of one-way ANOVA showed that there were significant differences in growth traits and wood properties among sites.Soil pH,total and available phosphorus,total potassium,and soil organic matter were key soil factors affecting growth and wood properties of poplar 107,whereas mean annual ground temperatures and precipitation were the main climatic factors.To better cultivate poplar 107,area with less annual rainfall,slightly higher temperature and soil pH value close to neutral should be selected.

Influence of Plastic and Coconut Shell (Cocos nucifera L.) on the Physico-Mechanical Properties of the 8/6 Composite Rafter

In this paper, the authors aim to propose the use of waste plastics as a binder in a coconut shell reinforcement for the development of an 8/6 size composite rafter to replace the natural 8/6 size backbone in construction. Following a study into the choice of the best proportions, a total of 30 size 8/6 composite rafters with different proportions of 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40% and 50% plastic content were developed. All the 8/6 composite rafters were subjected to mechanical (3-point bending strength and Monnin hardness) and physical (bulk density and water absorption) characterization analyses. The results show that flexural strength increases from 27.56 MPa to 33.30 MPa for proportions ranging from 20% to 35% plastic content. Above 35% plastic, the strength drops to 19.60 MPa for a 50% plastic content. Similarly, the Monnin hardness drops from 9 mm to 5 mm when the plastic content varies from 20 to 50%. As for the results of the physical characterisation, the values obtained for apparent density vary from 0.89 to 1 for proportions varying from 20% to 35% plastic content and drop to 0.94 for 50% plastic content. As for water absorption, values drop from 6.82% to 2.45% when the plastic content increases from 20% to 50%. These mechanical strengths stabilise at 35% plastic content. The development of an 8/6 chevron composite material based on plastic and coconut shell could therefore be a way of recovering waste and solving the problem of deforestation.

Effect of molasses binder on the physical and mechanical properties

Molasses was used as an alternative binder to the bentonite binder. The change in moisture absorption by pellets prepared with different iron ores and different molasses contents were investigated. Iron ore properties exerted the major effect on pellet behavior and final pellet quality. The absorbed moisture content of pellets prepared without binder, bentonite-added pellets, and molasses-added pellets were in the range of 7.72%–9.95%, 9.62%–10.84%, and 6.14%-6.69%, respectively. The wet pellet compressive strength of molasses-added pellets(43–230 N/pellet) was superior to that of bentonite-added pellets(9.47–11.92 N/pellet). The compressive strength of dried molasses-modified pellets increased to 222–394 N/pellet, which is currently the highest value achieved for dried pellets.

Review of the influence of freeze-thaw cycles on the physical and mechanical properties of soil

Seasonally frozen soil is a four-phase material and its physical-mechanical properties are more complex compared to the unfrozen soil. Its physical properties changes during the freeze-thaw process; repeated fieeze-thaw cycles change the characteristics of soil, which can render the soil from an unstable state to a new dynamic equilibrium state. The freezing process changes the structttre coupled between the soil particle arrangements, which will change the mechanical properties of the soil. The method of significance and interaction between different fac tors should be considered to measure the influence on the propties of soil under freeze-thaw cycles.

Effects of Polypropylene Fibers on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Recycled Aggregate Concrete

The viability of using polypropylene fibers(PPF) in concrete was largely studied. Yet, few of the existing research studies investigated the effects of PPF on the properties of concrete containing recycled concrete aggregate(RCA). Mixes with different RCA replacement ratios and different PPF content were designed and tested. The test results showed that the addition of PPF did not change significantly the compressive strength and the density of the concrete, but slightly decreased its modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio. The drop in the splitting tensile strength and the flexural strength due to RCA inclusions was to a large extent compensated by the PPF addition. The water absorption decreased and the percent voids increased with increased PPF addition. Correlations between the RCA content, the PPF content and the properties of concrete were studied. Useful regression models were proposed to predict the properties of concrete in relevant ranges of RCA and PPF content.

Effects of sintering atmosphere on the physical and mechanical properties of modified BOF slag glass

This study proposes an efficient way to utilize all the chemical components of the basic oxygen fttrnace （BOF） slag to prepare high value-added glass-ceramics. A molten modified BOF slag was converted from the melting BOF slag by reducing it and separating out iron component in it, and the modified BOF slag was then quenched in water to form glasses with different basicities. The glasses were subsequently sintered in the temperature range of 600-1000℃ in air or nitrogen atmosphere for 1 h. The effects of different atmospheres on the physical and mechanical properties of sintered samples were studied by using differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and by conducting experiment on evaluating the sintering shrinkage, water absorption and bulk density. It is found that the kinetics of the sintering process is significantly affected by sintering atmosphere. In particular, compared with sintering in air atmosphere, sintering in N2 atmosphere promotes the synergistic growth of pyroxene and melilite crystalline phases, which can contribute to better mechanical properties and denser microstructure.

Deformation fixation, mechanical properties and chemical analysis of compressed Populus cathayana wood pretreated by glycerin

In order to find an effective and environmentally friendly method to fix compressive deformation of wood, we determined or measured the recovery ratio, surface hardness, modulus of elasticity （MOE） and the modulus of rupture （MOR） of poplar （Populus cathayana Rehd.） samples pretreated by 40-60% glycerin solutions and then compressed at 160℃ for 10-120 min. We analyzed the data statistically by using two-factor analysis of variance. The chemical compositions of thermal treated wood were also analyzed and compared with untreated control samples. The results showed that the compressive deformation of wood can be properly fixed by glycerin pretreatment. The recovery ratio of compressed wood decreased with prolonging compression time and increasing concent-ration of the glycerin solution. However, the mechanical properties of compressed wood decreased after a long time of compression. The optimal fixation of compressive deformation is to pretreat the wood by a solution of 50% glycerin and compression at 160℃ for 60 min. The analysis of chemical composition showed that glycerin displayed an accelerating effect on degradation of hemicelluloses and lignin during heat-treatment, which explains the main reason of the effect of acceleration of glycerin on deformation fixation of compressed wood.

Impacts of freezing and thermal treatments on dimensional and mechanical properties of wood flour-HDPE composite

Wood plastic composite （WPC） of wood flour （WF）, high density polyethylene （HDPE）, maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene （MAPE） and lubricant was prepared by extrusion, and then exposed to different temperatures to evaluate the effects of freezing and thermal treatment on its dimensional and mechanical properties. At elevated temperatures, WPC expanded rapidly initially, and then contracted slowly until reaching an equilibrium state. Treatment at 52°C and relative humidity of 50% for 16 days improved the mechanical properties of WPC： flexure, tensile strength, and izod unnotched impact strength increased by 8%, 10% and 15%, respectively. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction （XRD） tests showed that the degree of crystalization of HDPE in WPC declined with increasing treatment temperature.

Predicting uniaxial compressive strength of serpentinites through physical,dynamic and mechanical properties using neural networks

The uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)of intact rock is one of the most important parameters required and determined for rock mechanics studies in engineering projects.The limitations and difficulty of conducting tests on rocks,specifically on thinly bedded,highly fractured,highly porous and weak rocks,as well as the fact that these tests are destructive,expensive and time-consuming,lead to development of soft computing-based techniques.Application of artificial neural networks(ANNs)for predicting UCS has become an attractive alternative for geotechnical engineering scientists.In this study,an ANN was designed with the aim of indirectly predicting UCS through the serpentinization percentage,and physical,dynamic and mechanical characteristics of serpentinites.For this purpose,data obtained in earlier experimental work from central Greece were used.The ANN-based results were compared with the experimental ones and those obtained from previous analysis.The proposed ANN-based formula was found to be very efficient in predicting UCS values and the samples could be classified with simple physical,dynamic and mechanical tests,thus the expensive,difficult,time-consuming and destructive mechanical tests could be avoided.

Investigation of Different Washing Effects on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Cotton Knitted Garments

This paper deals with three types of washing (enzyme, softener, Silicone) effects on 100% cotton Single Jersey T-shirt, Slub Single Jersey T-shirt, Double Lacoste (5% Lycra) Polo shirt, Single jersey CVC (T-shirt) and PC single Jersey (T-shirt). Typical industrial washing procedures and techniques were followed and then physico-mechanical properties were analyzed under standard condition. It is observed that after washing, weight of each garments has increased from 5% to 36%;stitch length of the constituted fabric has decreased from 1% to 10% approximately;CPI has increased 23% for CVC fabric only for enzyme treatment and for other process it has a little bit or no wash effects. Same effects found for WPI except 100% cotton and Double Lacoste. Shrinkage property both for lengthwise and widthwise remains the same except CVC and Double Lacoste knitted garments and spirality has almost unchanged except 100% cotton and slub fabric. Both the dry and wet rubbing properties have improved after any types of wash except 100% cotton on Silicone wash. Water absorbency property has increased;pH of all the samples is under controlled and lies between 4.5 and 5.0. But there is no significant change of colorfastness to wash and stain after these washing treatments.

Effect of carbon nanotube on physical and mechanical properties of natural fiber/glass fiber/cement composites

The objective of this investigation was to introduce a cement-based composite of higher quality. For this purpose new hybrid nanocomposite from bagasse fiber,glass fiber and multi-wall carbon nanotubes（MWCNTs）were manufactured. The physical and mechanical properties of the manufactured composites were measured according to standard methods. The properties of the manufactured hybrid nanocomposites were dramatically better than traditional composites. Also all the reinforced composites with carbon nanotube, glass fiber or bagasse fiber exhibited better properties rather than neat cement.The results indicated that bagasse fiber proved suitable for substitution of glass fiber as a reinforcing agent in the cement composites. The hybrid nanocomposite containing10 % glass fiber, 10 % bagasse fiber and 1.5 % MWCNTs was selected as the best compound.

BEHAVIOR OF OXYGEN IN DG^(TM) INVAR-Cu ALLOYS AND ITS EFFECTS ON MECHANICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

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Selected physical and chemical properties of mechanically extracted neem seed oil sourced as a preservative for ligno-cellulose in south-western Nigeria

Most of the seeds produced by neem （Azadirachta indica A. Juss） trees in Nigeria are currently underutilized. Hence, relevant literature provides only limited information conceming many of the seed oils from this country, especially where it concems the potential applications of these oils as preservatives for ligno-cellulose against bio-deterioration. Using standard procedures therefore, this study was carried out to evaluate and document selected physical and chemical properties of neem seed oil （NSO）, mechanically extracted using a cold press at 31.03 N-mm^-2 pressure and a room temperature of 25 ± 2℃. The results show that oil yield was 38.42% with a specific gravity of 0.91 ± 0.01. The amount of acid was 18.24 ± 1.31 mg KOH.g^-1 and that of iodine 93.12 ± 2.01 g-100 g^- 1, while saponification and peroxide values were 172.88 ± 2.06 and 1.42 ± 0.04 mg·g^-1 respectively. The implication of the values obtained, particularly those for the chemical properties, as they concern the potential application of NSO as a preservative for ligno-eellulose, is likely that it may be useful in this regard since the values may support some of the documented anti-microbial properties of the oil, although other physical and chemical properties that may affect this potential are recommended for investigations. Conclusions and other recommendations follow in line with the results of the study.

Effect of Waste Marble Powder on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Concrete

The emission of greenhouse gases from cement production is an obstacle for sustainable development of construction industry.The use of waste materials in constructions instead of cement could be a feasible solution to green construction.Waste marble powder with good cementing property can be used in concrete partially replace cement.In this research,the effects of using waste marble powder on the physical and mechanical properties of concrete have been studied.Three groups of particle size and five levels of replacement ratio(5%,10%,15%,20%,25%)for each group have been designed.During the different stage of hydration process,the microstructure,phase composition and thermal properties of marble-cement paste have been investigated,the influence of particle size of marble powder on these properties has been discussed.The compressive strength and stressstrain relation were tested for different series prepared by partially replacing cement at proportions of 5%–25%separately.From the data analysis,it was observed that the using of waste marble powder would affect the hydration products and further affect the mechanical properties of concrete,the addition of marble powder that partially replace the cement at particular proportions in concrete is feasible.

Mechanical Properties and Fire Retardancy of Wood Flour/High-Density Polyethylene Composites Reinforced with Continuous Honeycomb-Like Nano-SiO_(2)Network and Fire Retardant

The mechanical properties of wood flour/high-density polyethylene composites(WPC)were improved by adding a small amount of nano-SiO_(2)to obtain a network-structured WPC with a continuous honeycomb-like nano-SiO_(2)network.The wood flour was modified with a fire retardant(a mixture of sodium octabonate and amidine urea phosphate)to improve its fire retardancy.The flexural properties,creep resistance,thermal expansion,and fire retardancy of the WPC were compared to a control(WPCCTRL)without nano-SiO_(2)or fire retardant.The flexural strength and modulus of the WPC containing only 0.55 wt.%nano-SiO_(2)were 6.6%and 9.1%higher than the control,respectively,while the creep strain and thermal expansion rate at 90°C were 33.8%and 13.6%lower,respectively.The cone calorimetry tests revealed that the nano-SiO_(2)network physically shielded the WPC,giving it lower heat release and smoke production rates.The thermal expansion was further decreased by incorporating fire retardants into the WPC,which showed the lowest total heat release and total smoke production and the highest mass retention.This study demonstrates a facile procedure for producing WPC with desired performances by forming a continuous honeycomb-like network by adding a small amount of nanoparticles.

Physical and Mechanical Properties of Catalpa bungei Clones and Estimation of the Properties by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Air-dry density,modulus of rupture(MOR),modulus of elasticity(MOE),compressive strength parallel to grain,and hardness of Catalpa bungei clones were investigated in this study with feasibility of predicting these properties by near infrared(NIR)spectroscopy.The best candidate Luoqiu 3'has been selected from three clones based on wood physical and mechanical property indices.Lower values of wood physical and mechanical properties have been found in the corewood compared to the outerwood.There were significant positive correlations between the air-dry density and mechanical properties.Information from Cross section for air dry density,compressive strength parallel to grain,and hardness yielded prediction models with better effects,along with the best MOR and MOE modeling effects resulted from average sections'spectra collection.Multiplicative scatter correction(MSC)+Savitzky-Golay(S-G)smoothing method has been proved to be the most applicable way.In addition,the predictions from five point sampling method were slightly better than three point one.Overall,results suggest NIR spectroscopy was viable to predict the physical and mechanical properties of C bungei dones with methods developed in this study proved effective in preliminary screening.