PULTRUSION OF POLYBENZOXAZINE RESIN MATRIX Z-PIN

The pultrusion of the polybenzoxazine resin matrix Z-pin is studied, because the Z-pin technology is an efficient reinforcement method for composites. Based on the curing characteristics acquired by differential scanning calorimeter（DSC） analysis, the suitable mould temperature for pultrusion is researched with the visual inspection and the Z-pin short beam shear test. The pull-out test is designed to evaluate the post oven temperature that can affect the combination between Z-pins and laminates. And then, the appropriate temperature for the post oven is obtained. Finally, micro photos are used to inspect the defects in Z-pins. The results show that when the resin is heated to 70°C, Z-pin pultrusion demands for viscosity are satisfied, and the shelf-life is about 4 h. With the mould temperature increasing to 140°C, the Z-pin short beam shear strength rises correspondingly and the cross section profile is the best. When the post oven temperature declines, the combination between Z-pins and laminates becomes stronger. However, pores appear in Z-pins unless the oven temperature increases to 200°C. Therefore, the optimum post oven temperature should be set at 200°C.

Comparative Study on Various Strength Parameters of Structural Elements Made from Cross-Laminated Timber

Cross laminated timber(CLT)is an innovative and environment friendly engineered timber product with superior structural performance.CLT offers strong resistance against both in-plane and out-of-plane loading.Hence,it is widely used as floors,roofs or wall elements.Considerable experimental research on CLT under various loading conditions has been done in the recent past.This article presents a comprehensive review of various design methods to determine basic mechanical properties such as tension,compression and rolling shear strength of CLT with primary focus on Norway spruce.All relevant experimental data available from existing literature were collated and consequently been used to evaluate the performance of various methods to design CLT structures.The comparison revealed that different methods show considerable variance in predicting the capacity of CLT panels due to the variation in timber species,which affects the corresponding mechanical properties of the lamella.In addition to species,rolling shear properties can also vary considerably depending on the type of experimental technique used for testing.A predictive model has also been proposed to correlate rolling shear strength obtained from shear analogy method to that obtained using planar shear.

Performance of U-tube Solar Water Heaters Facing Different Directions

System performance of solar water heaters depends upon collector and storage tank designs, solar radiation intensity and ambient temperature, amongst others. Evacuated glass tube collectors with U-tubes inside are less prone to leakages than the all-glass or the heat pipe types. U-tube solar water heaters suspended on walls and balconies could help overcome present day roof space restriction and increasing apartment-style housing. As such, their performance would depend upon its orientation when mounted in a vertical position. This paper reports the results of outdoor tests conducted on natural convection U-tube solar water heaters oriented towards different directions. Long and short term test procedures were employed to allow us to compare their performances as if they were tested simultaneously side-by-side.