Rate of Fen-Peat Soil Subsidence Near Drainage Ditches (Central Poland)

This study analyzed design depths (to), post-subsidence depths (t), shallowing magnitudes (d = to − t) and ratio values (d/t) of 12 drainage ditches in a fragment of the drained Solec fen-peat (central Poland) over a period of 47 years between 1967 and 2014. A significant decrease of the designed depth of the ditches to was shown, from the average designed value of 0.97 m to their average depth after subsidence, t = 0.71 m. The ratio (d/t) of 0.41, which is associated with the degree of organic matter decomposition, indicated medium degree of peat decomposition. The average values of bank and bottom subsidence of the ditches during the analyzed period, 1967–2014, were 0.43 m and 0.17 m, respectively. The values of the average annual rate of land surface subsidence in the vicinity of the ditches were varied and within the range of 0.09 cm year−1 to 1.70 cm year−1, with an average of 0.92 cm year−1. Two linear empirical equations were proposed to calculate the amount of subsidence and the average annual rate of subsidence of peat soil surface near the drainage ditch route, based on the knowledge of the initial thickness of the peat deposit. The results of calculations using the equations proposed by the authors were compared with calculations of the same parameters using 10 equations published in the literature. The results obtained using the proposed equations were mostly larger than those calculated with literature-published equations.

SELECTED PROPERTIES OF COMPREGNATED WOOD USING LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT PHENOL FORMALDEHYDE AND SUCCINIC ANHYDRIDE

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of impregnating materials (low molecular weight phenol formaldehyde or LmwPF and succinic anhydride or SA), their concentrations (5and 10%), and compression ratios (20 and 40% from initial thickness)on improvement of specific gravity (SG) and dimensional stability on nyatoh, sepetir, and pisang putih wood; and then compared them to control and densified wood. The results showed that SG and dimensional stability of compregnated wood were affected by all parameters studied. Higher compression ratio and concentration will result in a greater improvement.In general, SG and dimensional stability of compregnated wood were better than the control.SG of LmwPF-and SA-compregnated wood increased by 10.69‒22.31% and 6.96‒23.09%, respectively. Utilization of LmwPF and SA has significantly reduced the spring-back, butthe latter is better. Thecompression-set recovery after compregnation was 18.34‒33.99%, while after densification was 47.86‒71.49%.

Strain State in Metal Sheet Axisymmetric Stretching with Variable Initial Thickness: Numerical and Experimental Results

This work presents a finite element model to analyze the distribution of the strains due to an axisymmetric stretching of a metal sheet. The sheet is characterized by a variable initial thickness. The resulting strain state is compared with that of a sheet with a constant initial thickness. The results of the present study allow asserting that the distribution of strains in the sheet can be controlled by setting opportunely the trend of the sheet initial thickness. In this way, it is possible to see that, starting from a sheet with variable initial thickness, a lighter final product is obtained, whose final thickness distribution is more uniform than that of the product obtained from a classic stretching process that requires a sheet with constant initial thickness. Encouraging results from an experimental activity carried out on an AA6060 aluminum alloy sheet, whose trend of initial thicknesses was prepared by removing material from a commercial sheet with a constant thickness, allow us to note the good agreement with what was theoretically highlighted.

Comparative Study of PVDF Sheets and Their Sensitivity to Mechanical Vibrations: The Role of Dimensions, Molecular Weight, Stretching and Poling

This paper is focused on the comparative study of the vibration sensing capabilities of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) sheets. The main parameters such as molecular weight, initial sample thickness, stretching and poling were systematically applied, and their impact on sensing behavior was examined. The mechanical properties of prepared sheets were investigated via tensile testing on the samples with various initial thicknesses. The transformation of the α-phase to the electro-active β-phase was analyzed using FTIR after applying stretching and poling procedures as crucial post-processing techniques. As a complementary method, the XRD was applied, and it confirmed the crystallinity data resulting from the FTIR analysis. The highest degree of phase transformation was found in the PVDF sheet with a moderate molecular weight (Mw of 275 kDa) after being subjected to the highest axial elongation (500%); in this case, the β-phase content reached approximately 90%. Finally, the vibration sensing capability was systematically determined, and all the mentioned processing/molecular parameters were taken into consideration. The whole range of the elongations (from 50 to 500%) applied on the PVDF sheets with an Mw of 180 and 275 kDa and an initial thickness of 0.5 mm appeared to be sufficient for vibration sensing purposes, showing a d33 piezoelectric charge coefficient from 7 pC N−1 to 9.9 pC N−1. In terms of the d33, the PVDF sheets were suitable regardless of their Mw only after applying the elongation of 500%. Among all the investigated samples, those with an initial thickness of 1.0 mm did not seem to be suitable for vibration sensing purposes.

Tracking the thickness of the A68 Iceberg using CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2

<p>The A68 iceberg calved from the Larsen C ice shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula in July 2017 and has since been drifting northwards towards South Georgia. Originally covering an area of 5664 sq km, A68A's extent has been reduced to 2606 sq km (as of 23 December 2020) following the detachment of multiple smaller bergs. Using Satellite Altimetry data from CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2, we measure the thickness of the A68 iceberg. We use CryoSat-2 data acquired in the year before A68's calving from the Larsen C Ice Shelf in 2017 to create an initial thickness map. Following its calving, both CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 tracks are geocoded onto the iceberg using imagery from MODIS and Sentinel-1. Comparing these measurements to the initial thickness allows us to track changes in A68's thickness. The thickness map reveals the presence of multiple 30m deep channels oriented along its narrow side, forming lines of weakness along which the iceberg shattered into multiple large fragments in December 2020. At the time of calving, its average thickness was 232m with a maximum thickness of 285m. Repeated measurements from satellite altimetry show the iceberg has thinned by an average of 32m, a thinning rate of 2.5cm per day. Combined with changes in area, we estimate that the iceberg has lost 64% of its original volume, or 941 cubic kilometres, representing a significant input of freshwater to the surrounding ocean. </p>

A Modified M-K Method for Accurate Prediction of FLC of Aluminum Alloy

Forming limit curve (FLC) is an important failure criterion for sheet metals in sheet metal forming, while the M-K model is widely used for the prediction of the FLC. In the M-K model, such prediction is greatly influenced by the initial thickness imperfection factor and material properties, from which the original M-K model’s theoretical derivation is proposed as a solution to the above mentioned issue in this paper. Then the relationship between the M-K model and Keeler’s empirical formula is then studied, from which a new method to predict FLC is proposed that combines the M-K model with Keeler’s empirical formula according to the previous analyses. It turns out that this new method can simplify the calculation procedure. Finally, the experimental results of two kinds of aluminum alloys, AA6016 and AA5182, have verified the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Effect of Asymmetric Accumulative Roll-Bonding process on the Microstructure and Strength Evolution of the AA1050/AZ31/AA1050 Multilayered Composite Materials

This paper aimed to propose the fabrication of light, Al/Mg/Al multilayered composite. Initially prepared three-layered feedstock was subjected to deformation during four rolling cycles (passes) using the conventional and modified accumulative roll bonding (ARB) processes at 400 °C, thanks to which 24-layered composite materials were produced. The modification of the ARB process was based on the application of the rotational speed asymmetry (asymmetric accumulative roll bonding, AARB). It was adopted that the initial thickness of the composite stack amounted to 3 mm (1 mm for each composite). The rolling was done in the laboratory duo D150 rolling mill with the application of the roll rotational speed asymmetry and symmetry av = 1.0 (ARB) and av = 1.25 and 1.5 (AARB). In this manuscript, it was proved that introducing the asymmetry into the ARB process for the tested Al/Mg/Al composite has an impact on the activation of additional shear bands, which results in higher fragmentation of the structure in comparison to the symmetrical process. Due to the application of the AARB, the reduction of the grain size by 17% was obtained, in comparison to the conventional ARB. Not to mention that at the same time there was an increase in strength of the fabricated multilayered composite.

Influence of Viscous Dissipation on the Exiting Sheet Thickness in the Calendering of Newtonian Fluids

In this work we treat theoretically the calendering process of Newtonian fluids with finite sheet initial thickness, taking into account that the viscosity of the fluid is a welldefined function of the temperature. We predict the influence of the temperature-dependent viscosity on the exiting sheet thickness in the calendering process. The mass, momentum and energy balance equations, based on the lubrication theory, were nondimensionalized and solved for the velocity, pressure and temperature fields by using perturbation and numerical techniques, where the exiting sheet thickness represents an eigenvalue of the mathematical problem. The numerical results show that the inclusion of temperature-dependent viscosity effect reduces about 20% the leave-off distance in comparison with the case of temperature-independent viscosity.

Comparative analysis of bone volume in the anterior region in patients with protrusion and normal tooth inclination based on CBCT

The introduction of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) methods allow to most accurately visualize the bone structures of the maxillofacial region, which enables the specialist to obtain a detailed 3D model of the jaws and teeth with a fairly high resolution. This article provides the use of computed beam tomography method in orthodontic practice to analyze the initial thickness of bone tissue at various levels of the root length of the frontal group of teeth during their retrusion and protrusion. The calculation results allow us to draw conclusions about the volume of bone tissue and the possibility of orthodontic manipulations. The results of the study significantly improve the diagnosis and planning of orthodontic treatment for pathology in the frontal jaw.