Study on the splitting by hot-air drying of Camellia oleifera fruit

In order to explore the feasibility of hot air splitting of Camellia oleifera fruit, the effect of hot air temperature on peel splitting, the moisture state and moisture migration in peel, the peel microstructure and the seed color were studied. The results showed that higher hot air temperature could accelerate the splitting rate, the optimum temperature for splitting C. oleifera fruit was 90–110 °C considering the seed quality. Page model was the most suitable for describing the drying kinetic characteristics of C. oleifera fruit. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) revealed the changing of the dehydration rate, the migration rate of bound water, immobilized water and free water in peel during hot air drying. The expansion of micro-channels in peel was conducive to moisture migration in the early splitting stage, but microstructure damaged in the late splitting stage accompanied by loose disorder of micro pores, serious shrinkage and deformation of peel.

Influence of Dynamic Load on Soil Moisture Field in the Process of Freeze-Thaw Cycles

Due to climate warming and large-scale engineering activities, the embankment engineering risk in the permafrost and seasonally frozen regions caused by water content change in the soil has become more and more serious. To study the moisture migration law in the embankment under the vehicle load action and periodic variation of temperature, a series of temperature-controlled model tests under the dynamic load condition were carried out, the dynamic load was imposed by an air hammer connecting a vibration plate, which was installed on the top surface of the soil, and the variation law of the temperature and moisture fields in the model was analyzed. The test results show that the moisture field in the soil sample changes obviously with the increasing freeze-thaw cycles under the no-load condition, especially after nine freeze-thaw cycles, two moisture accumulation areas appear in the range of 8–15 cm from the soil surface; the dynamic load has an inhibitory effect on the moisture migration within 5 cm below the vibration plate and has a promoting effect on the range of 10–30 cm below the vibration plate. With the increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles, three high-water content areas are gradually formed and approximately uniformly distributed within the 10–25 cm depth range of the soil, which has an important impact on the stability of the soil. The water content of the moisture accumulation areas during freezing is greater than that during thawing under the no-load condition, while the water content of the moisture accumulation areas during freezing is less than that during thawing under dynamic load. The research results can provide references for the embankment design and disease treatment in cold regions.

Explosive Spalling Behavior of Single-Sided Heated Concrete According to Compressive Strength and Heating Rate

In this study, the effects of heating rate and compressive strength on the spalling behavior of single-sided heated ring-restrained concrete with compressive strengths of 60 and 100 MPa were investigated. The vapor pressure and restrained stress inside the concrete were evaluated under fast- and slow-heating conditions. Regardless of the heating rate, the concrete vapor pressure and restrained stress increased as the temperature increased, and it was confirmed that spalling occurred in the 100-MPa concrete. Specifically, it was found that moisture migration and restrained stress inside the concrete varied depending on the heating rate. Under fast heating, moisture clogging and restrained stress occurred across the concrete surface, causing continuous surface spalling for the 100-MPa concrete. Under slow heating, moisture clogging occurred, and restrained stress continuously increased in the deep area of the concrete cross-section owing to the small internal temperature difference, resulting in explosive spalling for the 100-MPa concrete with a dense internal structure. Additionally, while the tensile strength of concrete is reduced by heating, stress in the heated surface direction is generated by restrained stress. The combination of stress in the heated concrete surface and the internal vapor pressure generates spalling. The experimental results confirm that heating rate has a significant influence on moisture migration and restrained stress occurrence inside concrete, which are important factors that determine the type of spalling.