Pull-Out Capability of a 3D Printed Threadless Suture Anchor with Rectangular Cross-Section: A Biomechanical Study

Suture anchor fixation is a common method for securing bone and soft tissue in the body, with proven applications in the hip, elbow, hand, knee and foot. A critical limiting factor of suture anchors is the pull-out strength, particularly in suboptimal bone. This study introduces a novel 3D printed threadless suture anchor with a rectangular cross-section. The titanium anchor was designed with surface fenestration and a porous central core to improve bone ingrowth. The aim of this study was to compare the pull-out properties of the novel threadless anchor with a traditional circular threaded suture anchor. The anchors were inserted into a 0.24 g/cm3 synthetic cancellous bone block at angles of 90° and 135° to the surface. The sutures were pulled at 180° (parallel) to the surface under a static pull test (anchor pullout) and cyclic load test using a tensile testing machine. Under the static load, the greatest pullout strength was seen with the novel threadless anchor inserted at 90° (mean, 105.6 N; standard deviation [SD], 3.5 N). The weakest pullout strength was seen with the threaded anchor inserted at 90° (mean, 87.9 N; SD, 4.1 N). In the cyclic load test, all six of the threaded anchors with a 90° insertion angle pulled out after 18 cycles (70 N). All of the threadless anchors inserted at 90° survived the cyclic test (90 N). In conclusion, the novel threadless suture anchor with rectangular cross-section and traditional threaded suture anchor had similar pullout survivorship when inserted at either 90° or 135°. In addition, the 3D printed threadless anchor has the potential for good bone integration to improve long-term stabilization.

Seawater Effect on Fatigue Behaviour of Notched Carbon/Epoxy Laminates

This paper studies the effect of seawater immersion on the fatigue behavior of notched carbon/epoxy laminates. Rectangular cross-section specimens with a central hole were immersed in natural and artificial seawater for different immersion times (0, 30 and 60 days), being the water absorption rate evaluated over time. After that, fatigue tests were performed under uniaxial cyclic loading using a stress ratio equal to 0.1. After the tests, the optical microscopy technique allowed the examination of the failure micro-mechanisms at the fracture surfaces. The results showed that saturation appeared before 30 days of immersion and that water absorption rates were similar for natural and artificial seawater. The S–N curves showed that the seawater immersion affects the fatigue strength, but there were no relevant effects associated with the type of seawater. Moreover, it was also clear that fatigue life was similar for long lives, close to 1 million cycles, regardless of the immersion time or the type of seawater. On the contrary, for short lives, near 10 thousand cycles, the stress amplitude of dry laminates was 1.2 higher than those immersed in seawater. The failure mechanisms were similar for all conditions, evidencing the fracture of axially aligned fibres and longitudinal delamination between layers.

COOLING PERFORMANCE OF ADDITIVELY MANUFACTURED PIN FINS IN STACKED MICROCHANNELS FOR THE INSIDE-OUT CERAMIC TURBINE SHROUD-COOLING RING

The Inside-out ceramic turbine (ICT), a novel microturbine rotor architecture, has an air-cooled ring which keeps its composite rotating structural shroud within operating temperature. The cooling ring must achieve a significant radial temperature gradient with a minimal amount of cooling. The cooling ring is made through additive manufacturing, which opens the design space to tailored cooling geometries. Additively manufactured pin fin heat transfer enhancers are explored in this work to assess whether they hold any significant performance benefit over current rectangular cross-section open channels. Experimental friction factors and Nusselt numbers were determined for small, densely-packed pin fins over an asymmetrical thermal load. Results indicate that pressure loss is similar to what can be expected for additively manufactured pin fins, whereas heat transfer is lower due to the extremely tight streamwise pin spacing, in both in-line and staggered pin configurations. A design study presented in this paper suggests that pin fins are beneficial to an ICT for reducing cooling mass flow rate up to 40 %, against an increase in cooling ring mass of roughly 50%.

Application of numerical modeling to assess the influence of the longitudinal slope in a road tunnel on the fire hazards spread

Рассмотрено влияние продольного уклона автодорожного тоннеля на распространение в нем опасных факторов пожара при возникновении загорания. Для оценки этого влияния использован полевой метод моделирования. Проведен анализ полученных результатов. Сделан вывод о том, что «классическое» понимание картины пожара, основывающееся на принципе «чем больше уклон тоннеля, тем быстрее происходит блокирование», при определенных условиях может не соответствовать действительности. При этом большое влияние на результат расчетов может оказывать постановка граничного условия постоянства давления. One of the important issues in the design and construction of tunnels is to ensure their fire safety. To take into account the characteristics of a particular object and make decision on its effective fire protection, it is necessary to study the influence of various factors on the dynamics of a possible fire. Conducting field tests in this case is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, one of the most effective methods in this case is numerical modeling. In this paper there is considered the issue of the influence of the longitudinal slope value of a road tunnel on the dangerous factors spread in case of fire. The assessment was carried out by simulating a fire in a model tunnel using the field method. A model tunnel of rectangular cross-section was chosen for conducting numerical experiments. The SOFIE software package was used to implement the model. To evaluate the results obtained there were created the fields of optical smoke density in the central longitudinal section at various time points. This dangerous fire factor is the determining factor because it reaches critical values most quickly. As a result of calculations in the work there was established the influence of the tunnel slope value on the fire hazards spread. It is found that the nature of fire hazards spread in a tunnel without a slope significantly differs from their propagation pattern in an inclined tunnel. If there is a slope, the blocking of tunnel sections (escape routes) up the slope during the first minutes of fire occurs much faster than down, so it is preferable to evacuate people in case of an emergency down the slope. Under certain conditions the principle “the greater the slope of the tunnel, the faster the blocking occurs” can be untrue. At the same time, the obtained result depends on the setting of the boundary condition of pressure constancy during the calculation and can differ from the real fire performance, however, in general, it is not an underestimation of fire danger and can be used in engineering calculations.

METHODS FOR CALCULATING RECTANGULAR SECTION BEAMS MADE OF WOOD AND CONCRETE

The research aimed to study methods for calculating wood-concrete beams of rectangular cross-section when testing building structures according to the ultimate limit state. The article focuses on the comparison of theoretical methods for calculating structures and considers several methods of fastening the samples of a typical wood-concrete beam. There were obtained experimental data of the ultimate limit state for each sample and carried out a comparative analysis of the most advantageous scheme of fastening the sample parts. The scientific novelty is in the development of an algorithm for calculating composite wood-concrete beams of rectangular cross-sections. As a result, numerical comparison of the values for calculating a typical wood-concrete beam using two of the methods under consideration was given, experimental studies were carried out, as well as a comparative analysis of the obtained theoretical and experimental results.

Thermal Resistance Model of a Flat Plate Solar Air Collector for Energy Efficiency Prediction

The temperature of a PV panel rises during operation which affects its power output. A PV panel is similar to a flat plate solar collector. This paper presents a simple theoretical heat transfer resistance model and a solution procedure to predict the absorber plate surface temperature of the solar collector. The model consisted of a rectangular cross-section steel duct placed inclined at an angle to the horizontal and exposed to solar radiation. The heat absorbed on the top surface of the plate is transmitted by conduction through the plate and heats the air in the duct. This creates a natural buoyancy effect which induces a natural convection air flow rate. A simple one-dimensional theoretical model of the solar collector with the thermal resistances of the various components is proposed. Simulated results of plate temperature and induced air flow velocity are presented.

Pengolahan Limbah Cair Rumah Sakit dengan Metode Lahan Basah Buatan (Constructed Wetland) dan Tanaman Air Typha latifolia

<p>Utilization of the aquatic plant Typha latifolia, in the treatment of hospital wastewater with the method of an artificial wetland system (constructed wetland), is expected to be able to treat the liquid waste of health care facilities. This study aims to determine the ability of the aquatic plant Typha latifolia in degrading the parameters contained in the wastewater of health facilities using the Artificial Wetland Method. Quasi-experimental research design. The measurement of liquid waste parameters (BOD, COD, TSS, Fatty Oil, and Ammonia) is carried out by taking samples at the inlet and outlet of each pot, then analyzed in the laboratory. The study reported an average influent BOD level of 66.2mg/L, an average effluent in a circular cross-sectional pot increased by 99.6mg/L, an influent COD level of 190.8mg/L, an effluent in a rectangular pot four decreased by an average of 31.6mg/L, the influent TSS parameter was 106mg/L, the average effluent in a circular cross-sectional pot was 283.6mg/L, the influent Oil &amp; Fat parameter averaged 1.2mg/L, average effluent 1.2mg/L, ammonia influent parameter 12mg/L, effluent 2.62mg/L. The rectangular cross-section has a good ability compared to other cross-sections in reducing hospital waste, namely; BOD=64%, COD=40%, TSS=48%, Ammonia=67%, Oil and Fat parameters did not decrease because the influent parameter levels were already below the Liquid Waste quality standard. The researcher concluded that the rectangular cross-sectional pot planted with Typha latifolia could reduce the wastewater parameters better than other cross-sectional types. </p>