A multiscale 3D finite element analysis of fluid/solute transport in mechanically loaded bone

The transport of fluid, nutrients, and signaling molecules in the bone lacunar-canalicular system （LCS） is critical for osteocyte survival and function. We have applied the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching （FRAP） approach to quantify load-induced fluid and solute transport in the LCS in situ, but the measurements were limited to cortical regions 30-50 μm underneath the periosteum due to the constrains of laser penetration. With this work, we aimed to expand our understanding of load-induced fluid and solute transport in both trabecular and cortical bone using a multiscaled image-based finite element analysis （FEA） approach. An intact murine tibia was first re-constructed from microCT images into a three-dimensional （3D） linear elastic FEA model, and the matrix deformations at various locations were calculated under axial loading. A segment of the above 3D model was then imported to the biphasic poroelasticity analysis platform （FEBio） to predict load-induced fluid pressure fields, and interstitial solute/fluid flows through LCS in both cortical and trabecular regions. Further, secondary flow effects such as the shear stress and/or drag force acting on osteocytes, the presumed mechano-sensors in bone, were derived using the previously developed ultrastructural model of Brinkman flow in the canaliculi. The material properties assumed in the FEA models were validated against previously obtained strain and FRAP transport data measured on the cortical cortex. Our results demonstrated the feasibility of this computational approach in estimating the fluid flux in the LCS and the cellular stimulation forces （shear and drag forces） for osteocytes in any cortical and trabecular bone locations, allowing further studies of how the activation of osteocytes correlates with in vivo functional bone formation. The study provides a promising platform to reveal potential cellular mechanisms underlying the anabolic power of exercises and physical activities in treating patients with skeletal deficiencies.

Analysis of seasonal position variation for selected GNSS sites in Poland using loading modelling and GRACE data

In this study we compared weekly GNSS position time series with modelled values of crustal deformations on the basis of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment （GRACE） data. The Global Navigation Satellite Systems （GNSS） time series were taken from homogeneously reprocessed global network solutions within the International GNSS Service （IGS） Reprucessing 1 project and from regional solutions performed by Warsaw University of Technology （WUT） European Permanent Network （EPN） Local Analysis Center （LAC） within the EPN reprocessing project. Eight GNSS sites from the territory of Poland with observation timespans between 2.5 and 13 years were selected for this study. The Total Water Equivalent （TWE） estimation from GRACE data was used to compute deformations using the Green＇s function formalism. High frequency components were removed from GRACE data to avoid aliasing problems. Since GRACE observes mainly the mass transport in continental storage of water, we also compared GRACE deformations and the GNSS position time series, with the deformations computed on the basis of a hydrosphere model. We used the output of Water GAP Hydrology Model （WGHM） to compute deformations in the same manner as for the GRACE data. The WGHM gave slightly larger amplitudes than GNSS and GRACE. The atmospheric non-tidal loading effect was removed from GNSS position time series before comparing them with modelled deformations. The results confirmed that the major part of observed seasonal variations for GNSS vertical components can be attributed to the hy- drosphere loading. The results for these components agree very well both in the amplitude and phase. The decrease in standard deviation of the residual GNSS position time series for vertical components corrected for the hydrosphere loading reached maximally 36% and occurred for all but one stations for both global and regional solutions. For horizontal components the amplitudes are about three times smaller than for vertical components therefore the comparison is much more complicated and the conclusions are ambiguous.

Predicting Net Cross-Shore Total Load Transport: A Phase-Averaging, Quasi-Steady Approach Incorporating Undertow Contribution

Wave shapes that induce velocity skewness and acceleration asymmetry are usually responsible for onshore sediment transport, whereas undertow and bottom slope effect normally contribute to offshore sediment transport. By incorporating these counteracting driving forces in a phase-averaged manner, the theoretically-based quasi-steady formula of Wang （2007） is modified to predict the magnitude and direction of net cross-shore total load transport under the coaction of wave and current. The predictions show an excellent agreement with the measurement data on medium and fine sand collected by Dohmen-Janssen and Hanes （2002） and Schretlen （2012） in a full-scale wave flume at the Coastal Research Centre in Hannover, Germany. The modified formula can predict the net onshore transport of fine sand in sheet flows. In particular, it can predict the net offshore transport of medium sand in rippled beds through enlarged bed roughness, as well as the net offshore transport of fine-to-coarse sand in sheet flows with the aid of a new criterion to judge the occurrence of net offshore transport.

The Effect of Grain Properties for Artificial Bedload Supply

The German Armed Forces University in Munich has conducted experiments in a laboratory flume to determine the influence of roundness on bed load transport.The investigations were assigned by the German Federal Institute of Hydrology (BIG),with a focus on incipient motion,transport velocity and the depth of mixing into the riverbed. The results of the experiments show that the transport velocity of angular graim is lower and the critical shear stress for incipient motion is slightly higher than of well-ro...

A DISCUSSION ON CURRENTS AND SUSPENDED LOAD TRANSPORT IN SURF ZONE

In this paper, the distribution characteristics of the breaking wave current and suspended load transport in the surf zone are discussed in main. Based on the measured data of the waves, the form of breaking wave, the breaking wave current and the sediment concentration of suspended load in the offshore surf zone near Nouakchott, the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, the author has analized the law governing the distribution of longshore current and sediment concentration of suspended load by means of statistical method, and presented a calculation method for the longshore sediment transport in offshore surf zone.

Development of All-Weather and Real-Time Bottom-Mounted Monitor of Bed Load Quantity

Quantity of bed load is an important physical parameter in sediment transport research. Aiming at the difficulties in the bed load measurement, this paper develops a bottom-mounted monitor to measure the bed load transport rate by adopting the sedimentation pit method and resolving such key problems as weighing and desilting, which can achieve long-time, all-weather and real-time telemeasurement of the bed load transport rate of plain rivers, estuaries and coasts. Both laboratory and field tests show that this monitor is reasonable in design, stable in properties and convenient in measurement, and it can be used to monitor the bed load transport rate in practical projects.

Adaptive dynamic surface control for quadrotor-slung load transportation system with uncertainties

Quadrotors play a significant role in our lives and are transforming our lives.Transporting cable-suspended loads is an unavoidable quadrotor application trend and a hot research topic in the control field.Nonetheless,the load swing and unpredictability pose significant challenges to the quadrotor's stability.In this paper,an anti-swing controller with an inner-outer control strategy for the quadrotor-slung load transportation system is presented.To facilitate the controller design,the outer position dynamics are restructured in the form of cascades.Then,a virtual controller is created to force the underactuated states to the dynamic surface to ensure the position subsystem's stability.To improve robustness,an adaptive law is used to eliminate the effects of uncertain cable length.Lastly,a dynamic surface controller for the inner attitude subsystem is presented to drive the actual force to the virtual force.It is demonstrated that the control strategy can stabilize the quadrotor despite mass and cable length uncertainties.Comparative results are provided to demonstrate the efficacy and durability of the proposed method.

An experimental investigation into modeling solids friction for fluidized dense-phase pneumatic transport of powders

Results are presented of an ongoing investigation into modeling friction in fiuidized dense-phase pneumatic transport of bulk solids. Many popular modeling methods of the solids friction use the dimen- sionless solids loading ratio and Froude number. When evaluated under proper scale-up conditions of pipe diameter and length, many of these models have resulted in significant inaccuracy. A technique for modeling solids friction has been developed using a new combination of dimensionless numbers, volu- metric loading ratio and the ratio of particle free settling velocity to superficial conveying air velocity, to replace the solids loading ratio and Froude number. The models developed using the new formalism were evaluated for accuracy and stability under significant scale-up conditions for four different prod- ucts conveyed through four different test rigs （subject to diameter and length scale-up conditions）. The new model considerably improves predictions compared with those obtained using the existing model, especially in the dense-phase region. Whereas the latter yields absolute average relative errors varying between 10% and 86%, the former yielded results with errors from 4% to 20% for a wide range of scale-up conditions. This represents a more reliable and narrower range of prediction that is suitable for industrial scale-up requirements.

THE NONLINEAR CUSP-CATASTROPHE MODEL OF THE SEDIMENT TRANSPORT RATE

In the catastrophe theory of nonlinear science, the intensity of water flow Θ and the coefficient of non uniform sediment m are regarded as two bound variables, and the intensity of bed load transport Φ as the state variable in the motion of non uniform sediment in cusp catastrophe model. Based on the standard equation of the cusp catastrophe theory, the relation equation between the intensity of bed load transport Φ and the intensity of water flow Θ has been derived by used coordinate transform and topology transform. The equation of bed load transport rate was built on the cusp catastrophe theory of nonlinear science. The others are applied to verify this equation, that the results calculated by the cusp catastrophe equation agree well with the other equations. This indicates that the cusp catastrophe equation is reasonable, and the results fully reflect the characteristics of threshold motion and transport of non uniform sediment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the incipient motion and transport laws of non uniform sediment from the viewpoint of nonlinear science.

Mass transport in a thin layer of power-law fluid in an Eulerian coordinate system

The mass transport velocity in a thin layer of muddy fluid is studied theoretically. The mud motion is driven by a periodic pressure load on the free surface, and the mud is described by a power-law model. Based on the key assumptions of the shallowness and the small deformation, a perturbation analysis is conducted up to the second order to find the mean Eulerian velocity in an Eulerian coordinate system. The numerical iteration method is adopted to solve these non-linear equations of the leading order. From the numerical results, both the first-order flow fields and the second-order mass transport velocities are examined. The verifications are made by comparing the numerical results with experimental results in the literature, and a good agreement is confirmed.