The Dependence of Ultrasonic Velocity in Ultra-Low Expansion Glass on Temperature

The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is an important property of ultra-low expansion (ULE) glass, and the ultrasonic velocity method has shown excellent performance for the nondestructive measurement of CTE in large ULE glass. In this method, the accurate acquisition of the ultrasonic velocity in ULE glass is necessary. Herein, we present a correlation method to determine the ultrasonic TOF in ULE glass and to further obtain the ultrasonic longitudinal wave velocity (cL) indirectly. The performance of this method was verified by simulations. Considering the dependence of cL on temperature (T), we carried out the derivation of the analytical model between cL and T. Based on reasonable constant assumptions in the physical sense, a cL–T exponential model was produced, and some experimental results support this model. Additional experiments were carried out to validate the accuracy of the cL–T exponential model. The studies we conducted indicate that the cL–T exponential model can reliably predict the ultrasonic velocity in ULE glass at different temperatures, providing a means for the nondestructive CTE measurement of large ULE glass at a specified temperature.

Numerical modeling of anisotropic properties of a solid by particle dynamics method

A method is proposed for the numerical simulation of acoustic processes in solids based on the particle dynamics approach for describing the anisotropic properties of a solid. It is proposed to consider a solid body in the form of an array of particles located in a cubic body-centered crystal lattice. To set the anisotropic properties of a solid, it is proposed to use its own proportionality force to shift coefficient for each direction. Based on the results of numerical simulation, the dependence of the longitudinal wave velocity on the direction is shown.

Variations on Reservoir Parameters of Oil Shale Deposits under Periodic Freeze-Thaw Cycles: Laboratory Tests

As one of the most important unconventional hydrocarbon resources, the oil shale has been extracted with a frozen wall to successfully increase the shale oil production and reduce environmental pollution, which results from the harmful liquids in the in situ conversion processing of oil shale. Thereby, the strength and permeability of the frozen wall are extremely critical to reduce the harmful chemicals leaching into the groundwater. However, the permeability and strength of the frozen wall can be influenced by periodic freeze-thaw cycles. In order to investigate the damage and deterioration characteristics of oil shale samples after various periodic freeze-thaw cycles, the oil shale samples were periodically frozen and thawed as many as 48 times, after which the sample mass, stress-strain, freeze-thaw coefficient, uniaxial compressive strength, elastic modulus, and longitudinal wave velocity of the oil shale samples were separately measured. According to the measured results, the number of freeze-thaw cycles greatly influenced the physical and mechanical properties of oil shale samples. The uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus of the oil shale samples were changed with maximum variation rates of 64% and 65%, respectively. Meanwhile, the freeze-thaw coefficient of measured oil shale samples exponentially decreased with the increased number of freeze-thaw cycles, whereas the longitudinal wave velocity of tested samples ranged from 1602 m/s to 2464 m/s as a result of the new micropores inside the oil shale sample. Research results have enormous significance to the efficient and safe in situ exploitation of oil shale deposits.

An Experimental Study on Mechanical Properties for the Static and Dynamic Compression of Concrete Eroded by Sulfate Solution

The mechanical properties of the static and dynamic compression of concrete eroded by a 15% sodium sulfate solution were explored with a 70-mm-diameter true triaxial static-dynamic comprehensive loading test system, and an analysis of the weakening mechanisms for the degree of macroscopic damage and microscopic surface changes of eroded concrete were conducted in combination with damage testing based on relevant acoustic characteristics and SEM scanning. The experience obtained in this paper is used to analyze and solve the problem that the bearing capacity of concrete buildings is weakened due to the decrease in durability under the special conditions of sulfate erosion. The results showed that, in a short time, the properties of concrete corroded by sulfate solution were improved to a certain extent due to continuous hydration. When the corrosion time was prolonged, the internal concrete structure was destroyed after it was eroded by sulfate, and its dynamic and static strength, deformability, and energy absorption were reduced to differing degrees, thus greatly inhibiting the overall mechanical performance of concrete; the dynamic compressive strength changed with strain that exhibited a significant strain rate effect; and, under the influence of sulfate erosion and hydration, the longitudinal wave velocity increased first and then decreased. The longitudinal wave velocity was slower than that of concrete under normal environment and distilled water immersion condition. SEM and acoustic wave analysis indicated that the internal concrete structure was destroyed after it was eroded by sulfate, and its dynamic and static strength, deformability, and energy absorption were reduced to differing degrees, thus greatly inhibiting the overall mechanical performance of concrete.

Mechanical Behavior of Frozen Porous Sandstone under Uniaxial Compression

The influence of low temperature on longitudinal wave velocity, uniaxial compression strength, tensile strength, peak strain, secant modulus, and acoustic emission characteristics of yellow sandstones was studied. The results show that the secant modulus increases with decreasing temperature when the axial strain is less than 0.6%, and a contrary influence performs for the subsequent stage due to the fracture of the pore ice. With the decrease in temperature, the uniaxial compression strength first increases and then remains at a relatively constant value of 34.44 MPa at about -40°C while the temperature ranges from -40°C to -70°C. The tensile strength shows an approximate linear increment as the temperature. The peak strain gradually increases with temperature in a three-stage piecewise linear form, and the increasing rate gradually decreases with the decreasing temperature. The phase transformation from liquid water at a temperature of 20°C to solid ice at a temperature of -3°C significantly increases the longitudinal wave velocity from 1.55 km/s to 3.36 km/s. When the temperature is lower than -10°C, the longitudinal wave velocity approximately increases linearly at a rate of 2.67 × 10 − 3 km / s · ° C − 1 with decreasing temperature.

Experimental Investigation of the Static and Dynamic Compression Characteristics of Limestone Based on Its Initial Damage

In the current work a new equation for initial damage assessment of limestone based on plane strain theory is proposed. Detailed investigations of the static and dynamic characteristics of limestone with different initial damage degree, using longitudinal wave speed, and static-dynamic compression tests are performed. This study investigated the static and dynamic characteristics of limestone with different initial damage degree, using longitudinal wave speed, and static-dynamic compression tests. Experimental results show that the degree of initial damage decreases with increasing longitudinal wave speed, which reaches the minimum when the longitudinal wave speed is approximately 6000 m/s, and the smaller the longitudinal wave velocity, the greater the degree of initial damage. The static and dynamic compressive strengths of limestone increase with the longitudinal wave velocity and strain rate, but the elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio do not change significantly. Finally, based on the experimental results, the definitions of damage threshold value and strain softening are proposed, which further verify the influence of strain rate and initial damage on rock compression characteristics. The present study sheds light on the importance of initial damage for the mechanical state of rock in underground engineering.

Phase Relations of Earth’s Core-Forming Materials

Recent updates on phase relations of Earth’s core-forming materials, Fe alloys, as a function of pressure (P), temperature (T), and composition (X) are reviewed for the Fe, Fe-Ni, Fe-O, Fe-Si, Fe-S, Fe-C, Fe-H, Fe-Ni-Si, and Fe-Si-O systems. Thermodynamic models for these systems are highlighted where available, starting with 1 bar to high-P-T conditions. For the Fe and binary systems, the longitudinal wave velocity and density of liquid alloys are discussed and compared with the seismological observations on Earth’s outer core. This review may serve as a guide for future research on the planetary cores.

Fluid-like elastic response of superionic NH3 in Uranus and Neptune

Nondipolar magnetic fields exhibited at Uranus and Neptune may be derived from a unique geometry of their icy mantle with a thin convective layer on top of a stratified nonconvective layer. The presence of superionic H2O and NH3 has been thought as an explanation to stabilize such nonconvective regions. However, a lack of experimental data on the physical properties of those superionic phases has prevented the clarification of this matter. Here, our Brillouin measurements for NH3 show a two-stage reduction in longitudinal wave velocity (Vp) by ∼9% and ∼20% relative to the molecular solid in the temperature range of 1,500 K and 2,000 K above 47 GPa. While the first Vp reduction observed at the boundary to the superionic α phase was most likely due to the onset of the hydrogen diffusion, the further one was likely attributed to the transition to another superionic phase, denoted γ phase, exhibiting the higher diffusivity. The reduction rate of Vp in the superionic γ phase, comparable to that of the liquid, implies that this phase elastically behaves almost like a liquid. Our measurements show that superionic NH3 becomes convective and cannot contribute to the internal stratification.