scholarly journals Experimental Investigation on Environmentally Sustainable Cement Composites Based on Wheat Straw and Perlite

Materials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Andrea Petrella ◽  
Sabino De De Gisi ◽  
Milvia Elena Di Di Clemente ◽  
Francesco Todaro ◽  
Ubaldo Ayr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wheat Straw ◽  
Thermal Insulation ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Fibre Length ◽  
Acoustic Absorption ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Impact Compression ◽  
Complete Replacement ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
The Impact

Environmentally sustainable cement mortars containing wheat straw (Southern Italy, Apulia region) of different length and dosage and perlite beads as aggregates were prepared and characterised by rheological, thermal, acoustic, mechanical, optical and microstructural tests. A complete replacement of the conventional sand was carried out. Composites with bare straw (S), perlite (P), and with a mixture of inorganic and organic aggregates (P/S), were characterised and compared with the properties of conventional sand mortar. It was observed that the straw fresh composites showed a decrease in workability with fibre length decrease and with increase in straw volume, while the conglomerates with bare perlite, and with the aggregate mixture, showed similar consistency to the control. The thermal insulation of the straw mortars was extremely high compared to the sand reference (85–90%), as was the acoustic absorption, especially in the 500–1000 Hz range. These results were attributed to the high porosity of these composites and showed enhancement of these properties with decrease in straw length and increase in straw volume. The bare perlite sample showed the lowest thermal insulation and acoustic absorption, being less porous than the former composites, while intermediate values were obtained with the P/S samples. The mechanical performance of the straw composites increased with length of the fibres and decreased with fibre dosage. The addition of expanded perlite to the mixture produced mortars with an improvement in mechanical strength and negligible modification of thermal properties. Straw mortars showed discrete cracks after failure, without separation of the two parts of the specimens, due to the aggregate tensile strength which influenced the impact compression tests. Preliminary observations of the stability of the mortars showed that, more than one year from preparation, the conglomerates did not show detectable signs of degradation.

scholarly journals Influence of Fibre Length on Properties of Glass-Fibre Reinforced Bark Particleboards

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-415
Author(s):  
Zoltan Pásztory ◽  
Zoltan Börcsök ◽  
Dimitrios Tsalagkas
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Insulation ◽  
Glass Fibre ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Fibre Length ◽  
Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽  
Modulus Of Rupture ◽  
Conductivity Measurements ◽  
Bending Properties ◽  
Glass Fibres ◽  
Glass Fibre Reinforced

This study was carried out to assess the feasibility of glass fibres of various lengths (12 mm, 18 mm, 24 mm and 30 mm) as reinforcement on the mechanical performance of bark particleboards intended for thermal insulation. To evaluate their efficiency, the results of fibre reinforced particleboards at mass of 3wt% concentration were compared with plain bark based boards. Thermal, physical and mechanical properties (modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and internal bond) were determined on unreinforced and reinforced specimens. In general, the results of the thermal conductivity measurements indicated that the bark panels could potentially be used as feedstock for thermal insulation panels. However, the glass fibres lengths had a direct adverse effect on the mechanical behaviour of the bark particleboard, instead of providing synergistic reinforcement. Furthermore, the static bending properties, mainly the modulus of rupture, gradually decreased with increasing lengths of glass fibre.

Microstructural and Mechanical Behaviour Evaluation of Mg-Al-Zn Alloy Friction Stir Welded Joint

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 8150-8159
Author(s):  
Kulwant Singh ◽  
Gurbhinder Singh ◽  
Harmeet Singh
Keyword(s):  
Heat Treatment ◽  
Friction Stir Welding ◽  
Magnesium Alloys ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Fuel Efficiency ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Grain Structure ◽  
Tensile Fracture ◽  
Friction Stir ◽  
The Impact

The weight reduction concept is most effective to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from vehicles, which also improves fuel efficiency. Amongst lightweight materials, magnesium alloys are attractive to the automotive sector as a structural material. Welding feasibility of magnesium alloys acts as an influential role in its usage for lightweight prospects. Friction stir welding (FSW) is an appropriate technique as compared to other welding techniques to join magnesium alloys. Field of friction stir welding is emerging in the current scenario. The friction stir welding technique has been selected to weld AZ91 magnesium alloys in the current research work. The microstructure and mechanical characteristics of the produced FSW butt joints have been investigated. Further, the influence of post welding heat treatment (at 260 °C for 1 h) on these properties has also been examined. Post welding heat treatment (PWHT) resulted in the improvement of the grain structure of weld zones which affected the mechanical performance of the joints. After heat treatment, the tensile strength and elongation of the joint increased by 12.6 % and 31.9 % respectively. It is proven that after PWHT, the microhardness of the stir zone reduced and a comparatively smoothened microhardness profile of the FSW joint obtained. No considerable variation in the location of the tensile fracture was witnessed after PWHT. The results show that the impact toughness of the weld joints further decreases after post welding heat treatment.

scholarly journals Lightweight Cement Conglomerates Based on End-of-Life Tire Rubber: Effect of the Grain Size, Dosage and Addition of Perlite on the Physical and Mechanical Properties

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
Andrea Petrella ◽  
Michele Notarnicola
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Compression Tests ◽  
Tire Rubber ◽  
Impact Compression ◽  
Weight Percentage ◽  
Deep Groove ◽  
Mechanical Strengths ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Thermal Conductivities

Lightweight cement mortars containing end-of-life tire rubber (TR) as aggregate were prepared and characterized by rheological, thermal, mechanical, microstructural, and wetting tests. The mixtures were obtained after total replacement of the conventional sand aggregate with untreated TR with different grain sizes (0–2 mm and 2–4 mm) and distributions (25%, 32%, and 40% by weight). The mortars showed lower thermal conductivities (≈90%) with respect to the sand reference due to the differences in the conductivities of the two phases associated with the low density of the aggregates and, to a minor extent, to the lack of adhesion of tire to the cement paste (evidenced by microstructural detection). In this respect, a decrease of the thermal conductivities was observed with the increase of the TR weight percentage together with a decrease of fluidity of the fresh mixture and a decrease of the mechanical strengths. The addition of expanded perlite (P, 0–1 mm grain size) to the mixture allowed us to obtain mortars with an improvement of the mechanical strengths and negligible modification of the thermal properties. Moreover, in this case, a decrease of the thermal conductivities was observed with the increase of the P/TR dosage together with a decrease of fluidity and of the mechanical strengths. TR mortars showed discrete cracks after failure without separation of the two parts of the specimens, and similar results were observed in the case of the perlite/TR samples thanks to the rubber particles bridging the crack faces. The super-elastic properties of the specimens were also observed in the impact compression tests in which the best performances of the tire and P/TR composites were evidenced by a deep groove before complete failure. Moreover, these mortars showed very low water penetration through the surface and also through the bulk of the samples thanks to the hydrophobic nature of the end-of-life aggregate, which makes these environmentally sustainable materials suitable for indoor and outdoor elements.

Static and dynamic response of sandwich beams with lattice and pantographic cores

2021 ◽  
pp. 109963622110338
Author(s):  
Yury Solyaev ◽  
Arseniy Babaytsev ◽  
Anastasia Ustenko ◽  
Andrey Ripetskiy ◽  
Alexander Volkov
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Lattice Structure ◽  
Unit Length ◽  
Experimental Tests ◽  
Plane Geometry ◽  
Sandwich Beams ◽  
Static Tests ◽  
Three Point Bending ◽  
The Core ◽  
The Impact

Mechanical performance of 3d-printed polyamide sandwich beams with different type of the lattice cores is investigated. Four variants of the beams are considered, which differ in the type of connections between the elements in the lattice structure of the core. We consider the pantographic-type lattices formed by the two families of inclined beams placed with small offset and connected by stiff joints (variant 1), by hinges (variant 2) and made without joints (variant 3). The fourth type of the core has the standard plane geometry formed by the intersected beams lying in the same plane (variant 4). Experimental tests were performed for the localized indentation loading according to the three-point bending scheme with small span-to-thickness ratio. From the experiments we found that the plane geometry of variant 4 has the highest rigidity and the highest load bearing capacity in the static tests. However, other three variants of the pantographic-type cores (1–3) demonstrate the better performance under the impact loading. The impact strength of such structures are in 3.5–5 times higher than those one of variant 4 with almost the same mass per unit length. This result is validated by using numerical simulations and explained by the decrease of the stress concentration and the stress state triaxiality and also by the delocalization effects that arise in the pantographic-type cores.

scholarly journals Smoothing additive manufactured parts using ns-pulsed laser radiation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Kuisat ◽  
Fernando Lasagni ◽  
Andrés Fabián Lasagni
Keyword(s):  
Surface Roughness ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Pulsed Laser ◽  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Laser Source ◽  
Pulsed Laser Radiation ◽  
Current State ◽  
The Impact

AbstractIt is well known that the surface topography of a part can affect its mechanical performance, which is typical in additive manufacturing. In this context, we report about the surface modification of additive manufactured components made of Titanium 64 (Ti64) and Scalmalloy®, using a pulsed laser, with the aim of reducing their surface roughness. In our experiments, a nanosecond-pulsed infrared laser source with variable pulse durations between 8 and 200 ns was applied. The impact of varying a large number of parameters on the surface quality of the smoothed areas was investigated. The results demonstrated a reduction of surface roughness Sa by more than 80% for Titanium 64 and by 65% for Scalmalloy® samples. This allows to extend the applicability of additive manufactured components beyond the current state of the art and break new ground for the application in various industrial applications such as in aerospace.

scholarly journals Energy Performance Assessment of Innovative Building Solutions Coming from Construction and Demolition Waste Materials

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1226
Author(s):  
Beatriz Fraga-De Cal ◽  
Antonio Garrido-Marijuan ◽  
Olaia Eguiarte ◽  
Beñat Arregi ◽  
Ander Romero-Amorrortu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Insulation ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Flow Analysis ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Construction And Demolition Waste ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Demolition Waste ◽  
The Impact

Prefabricated solutions incorporating thermal insulation are increasingly adopted as an energy conservation measure for building renovation. The InnoWEE European project developed three technologies from Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) materials through a manufacturing process that supports the circular economy strategy of the European Union. Two of them consisted of geopolymer panels incorporated into an External Thermal Insulation Composite System (ETICS) and a ventilated façade. This study evaluates their thermal performance by means of monitoring data from three pilot case studies in Greece, Italy, and Romania, and calibrated building simulation models enabling the reliable prediction of energy savings in different climates and use scenarios. Results showed a reduction in energy demand for all demo buildings, with annual energy savings up to 25% after placing the novel insulation solutions. However, savings are highly dependent on weather conditions since the panels affect cooling and heating loads differently. Finally, a parametric assessment is performed to assess the impact of insulation thickness through an energy performance prediction and a cash flow analysis.

scholarly journals Review of the relationship between aggregates geology and Los Angeles and micro-Deval tests

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 1963-1980
Author(s):  
Solomon Adomako ◽  
Christian John Engelsen ◽  
Rein Terje Thorstensen ◽  
Diego Maria Barbieri
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Crystal Size ◽  
Grain Shape ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Construction Material ◽  
Engineering Properties ◽  
Coarse Grained ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

AbstractRock aggregates constitute the enormous volume of inert construction material used around the globe. The petrologic description as igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic types establishes the intrinsic formation pattern of the parent rock. The engineering properties of these rocks vary due to the differences in the transformation process (e.g. hydrothermal deposits) and weathering effect. The two most common mechanical tests used to investigate the performance of aggregates are the Los Angeles (LA) and micro-Deval (MD) tests. This study reviewed the geological parameters (including mineralogy, grain and crystal size, grain shape, and porosity) and the relationship to Los Angeles and micro-Deval tests. It was found that high content of primary minerals in rocks (e.g. quartz and feldspar) is a significant parameter for performance evaluation. Traces of secondary and accessory minerals also affect the performance of rocks, although in many cases it is based on the percentage. Furthermore, some studies showed that the effect of mineralogic composition on mechanical strength is not sufficient to draw final conclusions of mechanical performance; therefore, the impact of other textural characteristics should be considered. The disposition of grain size and crystal size (e.g. as result of lithification) showed that rocks composed of fine-grain textural composition of ≤ 1 mm enhanced fragmentation and wear resistance than medium and coarse grained (≥ 1 mm). The effect of grain shape was based on convex and concave shapes and flat and elongated apexes of tested samples. The equidimensional form descriptor of rocks somehow improved resistance to impact from LA than highly flat and elongated particles. Lastly, the distribution of pore space investigated by means of the saturation method mostly showed moderate (R = 0.50) to strong (R = 0.90) and positive correlations to LA and MD tests.

scholarly journals The Impact of Environmental Sustainability Labels on Willingness-to-Pay for Foods: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Discrete Choice Experiments

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2677
Author(s):  
Anastasios Bastounis ◽  
John Buckell ◽  
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce ◽  
Brian Cook ◽  
Sarah King ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Purchasing Power Parity ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Choice Experiments ◽  
Discrete Choice Experiments ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
The Impact

Food production is a major contributor to environmental damage. More environmentally sustainable foods could incur higher costs for consumers. In this review, we explore whether consumers are willing to pay (WTP) more for foods with environmental sustainability labels (‘ecolabels’). Six electronic databases were searched for experiments on consumers’ willingness to pay for ecolabelled food. Monetary values were converted to Purchasing Power Parity dollars and adjusted for country-specific inflation. Studies were meta-analysed and effect sizes with confidence intervals were calculated for the whole sample and for pre-specified subgroups defined as meat-dairy, seafood, and fruits-vegetables-nuts. Meta-regressions tested the role of label attributes and demographic characteristics on participants’ WTP. Forty-three discrete choice experiments (DCEs) with 41,777 participants were eligible for inclusion. Thirty-five DCEs (n = 35,725) had usable data for the meta-analysis. Participants were willing to pay a premium of 3.79 PPP$/kg (95%CI 2.7, 4.89, p ≤ 0.001) for ecolabelled foods. WTP was higher for organic labels compared to other labels. Women and people with lower levels of education expressed higher WTP. Ecolabels may increase consumers’ willingness to pay more for environmentally sustainable products and could be part of a strategy to encourage a transition to more sustainable diets.

Effect of toughened polyamide-coated carbon fiber fabric on the mechanical performance and fracture toughness of CFRP

2021 ◽  
pp. 002199832199945
Author(s):  
Jong H Eun ◽  
Bo K Choi ◽  
Sun M Sung ◽  
Min S Kim ◽  
Joon S Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Properties ◽  
Fracture Toughness ◽  
Photoelectron Spectroscopy ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Epoxy Composites ◽  
Scanning Calorimetry ◽  
Internal Damage ◽  
Impact Tests ◽  
Flexural Tests ◽  
The Impact

In this study, carbon/epoxy composites were manufactured by coating with a polyamide at different weight percentages (5 wt.%, 10 wt.%, 15 wt.%, and 20 wt.%) to improve their impact resistance and fracture toughness. The chemical reaction between the polyamide and epoxy resin were examined by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The mechanical properties and fracture toughness of the carbon/epoxy composites were analyzed. The mechanical properties of the carbon/epoxy composites, such as transverse flexural tests, longitudinal flexural tests, and impact tests, were investigated. After the impact tests, an ultrasonic C-scan was performed to reveal the internal damage area. The interlaminar fracture toughness of the carbon/epoxy composites was measured using a mode I test. The critical energy release rates were increased by 77% compared to the virgin carbon/epoxy composites. The surface morphology of the fractured surface was observed. The toughening mechanism of the carbon/epoxy composites was suggested based on the confirmed experimental data.

scholarly journals Braided composite stent for peripheral vascular applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 1137-1146
Author(s):  
Qingli Zheng ◽  
Pengfei Dong ◽  
Zhiqiang Li ◽  
Ying Lv ◽  
Meiwen An ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Surface Coverage ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Wire Diameter ◽  
Orthogonal Experimental Design ◽  
Braided Composite ◽  
Nitinol Wire ◽  
Radial Strength ◽  
Braiding Angle ◽  
The Impact

AbstractBraided composite stent (BCS), woven with nitinol wires and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) strips, provides a hybrid design of stent. The mechanical performance of this novel stent has not been fully investigated yet. In this work, the influence of five main design factors (number of nitinol wires, braiding angle, diameter of nitinol wire, thickness and stiffness of the PET strip) on the surface coverage, radial strength, and flexibility of the BCS were systematically studied using computational models. The orthogonal experimental design was adopted to quantitatively analyze the sensitivity of multiple factors using the minimal number of study cases. Results have shown that the nitinol wire diameter and the braiding angle are two most important factors determining the mechanical performance of the BCS. A larger nitinol wire diameter led to a larger radial strength and less flexibility of the BCS. A larger braiding angle could provide a larger radial strength and better flexibility. In addition, the impact of the braiding angle decreased when the stent underwent a large deformation. At the same time, the impact of the PET strips increased due to the interaction with nitinol wires. Moreover, the number of PET strips played an important role in the surface coverage. This study could help understand the mechanical performance of BCS stent and provides guidance on the optimal design of the stent targeting less complications.

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