This study aimed to investigate the moment redistribution in continuous glass fiber reinforced polymer(GFRP)-concrete composite slabs caused by concrete cracking and steel bar yielding in the negative bending moment zone.An experimental bending moment redistribution test was conducted on continuous GFRP-concrete composite slabs,and a calculation method based on the conjugate beam method was proposed.The composite slabs were formed by combining GFRP profiles with a concrete layer and supported on steel beams to create two-span continuous composite slab specimens.Two methods,epoxy resin bonding,and stud connection,were used to connect the composite slabs with the steel beams.The experimental findings showed that the specimen connected with epoxy resin exhibited two moments redistribution phenomena during the loading process:concrete cracking and steel bar yielding at the internal support.In contrast,the composite slab connected with steel beams by studs exhibited only one-moment redistribution phenomenon throughout the loading process.As the concrete at the internal support cracked,the bending moment decreased in the internal support section and increased in the midspan section.When the steel bars yielded,the bending moment further decreased in the internal support section and increased in the mid-span section.Since GFRP profiles do not experience cracking,there was no significant decrease in the bending moment of the mid-span section.All test specimens experienced compressive failure of concrete at the mid-span section.Calculation results showed good agreement between the calculated and experimental values of bending moments in the mid-span section and internal support section.The proposed model can effectively predict the moment redistribution behavior of continuous GFRP-concrete composite slabs.
Fast Radio Bursts from far away galaxies have travelled through the IGM and provide a tool to study its composition. Presently there are 23 FRB’s whose host galaxies have been identified and the redshift found. This gives us the opportunity to test Dispersion Measure versus redshift predictions made by two models. The Macquart relation for an expanding Universe and the New Tired Light relationship in a static universe. In New Tired Light, redshifts are produced when a photon is absorbed and re-emitted by the electrons in the IGM which recoil on both occasions. Some of the energy of the photon has been transferred to the kinetic energy of the recoiling electron. The photon has less energy, a lower frequency and a longer wavelength. It has been redshifted. Since dispersion is due to an interaction between radio signals and these same electrons one would expect a direct relationship between DM and redshift in the New Tired light model. The relation is DM=(mec/2hre)ln(1+z)and contains no adjustable parameters—just a combination of universal constants related to the electron and photon. Notice that the relation is independent of the electron number density ne since a change in ne affects both the DM and redshift equally. A graph of DM versus ln(1 + z) will be a straight line of gradient (mec/2hre)and, using SI units, substituting for the constants gives 7.318 × 1025 m−2. Using the data from the 23 well localized FRB’s, with the weighting of the DM’s for expansion removed (so that the data corresponds to a static universe), a graph of DM versus ln(1 + z) has a gradient of 6.7 × 1025 m−2—9% below the predicted (mec/2hre). The Macquart relation involves highly processed data and adjustable parameters to allow for “dark energy” and “dark matter” (neither of which has yet been found) and can be reduced to DM = 850z (in units of pc∙cm−3). Using the data from this set of localized FRB’s gives a trendline with gradient 1.10 × 103 pc∙cm−3—almost 30% higher than that predicted in an expandin
Designing a rock reinforcement element requires knowledge of:geomechanical behaviour,interaction of the reinforcement element with rock mass and the element’s mechanistic response in static and dynamic environments.Using this knowledge the JTech bolt was developed and subjected to a thorough program to test,gather data and validate the bolt performance in varying domains.By conducting FE(finite element)modeling,the simulation reviews the JTech bolt design evaluating the effects of threadbar geometric variation,threadbar and nut engagement results under high stress,coating friction response and effects of thread tolerance extremes on the failure mode.These results determine safety factors,tolerances and quality management criteria.Once manufactured,in-situ system testing,laboratory and underground short encapsulation testing,resin mixing testing,double shear testing and dynamic testing at varying velocity and mass,determine the system’s capacity and effectiveness in static,quasi-static and dynamic mining environments.In this paper,the process and results are described.
The main objective of this research was to examine the suitability of aluminium alloy to design a piston of an internal combustion engine for improvement in weight and cost reduction. The piston was modelled using Autodesk Inventor 2017 software. The modelled piston was then imported into Ansys for further analysis. Static structural and thermal analysis were carried out on the pistons of the four different materials namely: Al 413 alloy, Al 384 alloy, Al 390 alloy and Al332 alloy to determine the total deformation, equivalent Von Mises stress, maximum shear stress, and the safety factor. The results of the study revealed that, aluminium 332 alloy piston deformed less compared to the deformations of aluminium 390 alloy piston, aluminium 384 alloy piston and aluminium 413 alloy piston. The induced Von Mises stresses in the pistons of the four different materials were found to be far lower than the yield strengths of all the materials. Hence, all the selected materials including the implementing material have equal properties to withstand the maximum gas load. All the selected materials were observed to have high thermal conductivity enough to be able to withstand the operating temperature in the engine cylinders.
Offei David InusahJacob Kwaku NkrumahVincent Akolbire Atindana
