Mining-Induced Stress Control by Advanced Hydraulic Fracking under a Thick Hard Roof for Top Coal Caving Method: A Case Study in the Shendong Mining Area, China

Fully mechanized top-coal caving mining with high mining height, hard roofs and strong mining pressure are popular in the Shendong mining area, China. The occurrence of dynamic disasters, such as rock burst, coal and gas outburst, mine earthquakes and goaf hurricanes during the coal exploitation process under hard roof conditions, pose a threat to the safe production of mines. In this study, the characteristics of overburden fracture in fully mechanized top-coal caving with a hard roof and high mining height are studied, and the technology of advanced weakening by hard roof staged fracturing was proposed. The results show that the hard roof strata collapse in the form of large “cantilever beams”, and it is easy to release huge impact kinetic energy, forming impact disasters. After the implementation of advanced hydraulic fracturing, the periodic weighting length decreases by 32.16%, and the length of overhang is reasonably and effectively controlled. Ellipsoidal fracture networks in the mining direction of the vertical working face, horizontal fracture networks perpendicular to the direction of the working face, and near-linear fracture planes dominated by vertical fractures were observed, with the accumulated energy greatly reduced. The effectiveness of innovation technology is validated, and stress transfer, dissipation and dynamic roof disasters were effectively controlled.

Pendulum-based measurements reveal impact dynamics at the scale of a trap-jaw ant

Small organisms can produce powerful, sub-millisecond impacts by moving tiny structures at high accelerations. We developed and validated a pendulum device to measure the impact energetics of microgram-sized trap-jaw ant mandibles accelerated against targets at 105 m s−2. Trap-jaw ants (Odontomachus brunneus; 19 individuals; 212 strikes) were suspended on one pendulum and struck swappable targets that were either attached to an opposing pendulum or fixed in place. Mean post-impact kinetic energy (energy from strike converted to pendulum motion) was higher with a stiff target (21.0-21.5 µJ) than a compliant target (6.4-6.5 µJ). Target mobility had relatively little influence on energy transfer. Mean contact duration of strikes against stiff targets was shorter (3.9-4.5 ms) than against compliant targets (6.2-7.9 ms). Shorter contact duration was correlated with higher post-impact kinetic energy. These findings contextualize and provide an energetic explanation for the diverse, natural uses of trap-jaw ant strikes such as impaling prey, launching away threats, and performing mandible-powered jumps. The strong effect of target material on energetic exchange suggests material interactions as an avenue for tuning performance of small, high acceleration impacts. Our device offers a foundation for novel research into the ecomechanics and evolution of tiny biological impacts and their application in synthetic systems.

Effects of the DART (NASA) mission collision on the structure and spin state of the secondary of the Near-Earth asteroid (65803) Didymos binary system.

<p>AIDA (Asteroid Impact & Deflection Assessment) is an international collaboration between NASA and ESA which involves both DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test, NASA) and Hera (ESA) missions. The target is an asteroid of approximately 160 m in size, namely the secondary of the binary Near-Earth Asteroid (65803) Didymos. Little is known about the shape of the satellite, with a moderately elongated shape (b/a<1.2) compatible with available ground-based estimations. In this work we investigate the possible reaction of the target to the DART collision to be performed in 2022, under the assumption that it is a gravitational aggregate produced in the formation of the binary system. The very structure of the target is unknown, therefore we model it by (1) mono- and multi-dispersed distributions of spherical basic elements and by (2) considering irregular components. We perform numerical simulations of the collision event by using a discrete-element N-body numerical code (PKDGRAV-SSDEM). We do not perform simulations of the shattering phase, we instead concentrate on the effect of the collision on the target, after the shattering phase implying material damage (melting, vaporization, heating and deformation), is over. Therefore, our synthetic projectile carries the same nominal momentum as the DART mission does, but it delivers to the target only the kinetic energy expected to survive once the shattering (non-elastic) phase has dissipated most of the impact kinetic energy. We account for different centre- and off-centre- possible impact geometry compatible with DART nominal impact angle with respect to the target orbital plane.</p> <p>Here we report on results obtained so far on the effects of the DART impact on the structure of the Didymos satellite, including changes in its spin period and direction of the direction of the spin axis, as well as change of shape.</p> <p>Moreover, we look at the velocity field of surface particles to infer if any motion is expected away from the impact point and regolith particles can be ejected from locations far from it.</p> <p>Such predictions may be of interest in the study of the post-impact dynamics of the system –that will be determined by the Hera mission measurements. This, in turn will help in the interpretation of the results of the outcome of the DART impact mission, including the determination of the momentum multiplication (beta) factor.</p> <p> </p>

Impact of a Multiple Pendulum with a Non-Linear Contact Force

This article presents a method to solve the impact of a kinematic chain in terms of a non-linear contact force. The nonlinear contact force has different expressions for elastic compression, elasto-plastic compression, and elastic restitution. Lagrange equations of motion are used to obtain the non-linear equations of motion with friction for the collision period. The kinetic energy during the impact is compared with the pre-impact kinetic energy. During the impact of a double pendulum the kinetic energy of the non-impacting link is increasing and the total kinetic energy of the impacting link is decreasing.

Enhancing the Energy Absorption Characteristics of Multi-Cell Square Tubes under Lateral Impact

Thin-walled tubular components have been broadly utilized in energy absorption applications, to improve the crashworthiness of the structure and to mitigate the impact kinetic energy through progressive plastic buckling. The extensive usage of cylindrical tubes as impact energy attenuators is owing to their superior crashworthiness behaviour, easy fabrication, less cost, and light-weight efficacy. The current paper examines the lateral impact behaviour of thin-walled aluminum multi-cell square tubes of different configurations using numerical simulations. These non-linear impact simulations were performed on multi-cell square tubes using finite element ABAQUS/CAE explicit code. From the overall results obtained, the crashworthiness performance of multi-cell square tubes of various configurations were compared. Moreover, multi-cell square tube of first type were recognized as most prominent for better energy absorption. This type of tubes was found to be effective one to improve the lateral crashworthiness performance

The Influence of Sinusoidal Oscillating Water Flow on Sprinkler and Impact Kinetic Energy Intensities of Laterally-Moving Sprinkler Irrigation Systems

Laterally-moving sprinkler irrigation systems under low pressure experience problems including small spraying range, low uniformity, surface runoff, and low water utilization rate. To solve these problems, experiments were carried out on a laterally-moving sprinkler irrigation system using a Nelson D3000 sprinkler (Nelson Irrigation Co., Walla Walla, WA, USA) under low pressure, sinusoidal oscillating water flow. The sprinkler intensity and impact kinetic energy intensity distribution were investigated for sprinklers both static and in motion. The test data were used to calculate combined sprinkler intensity and impact kinetic energy intensity uniformity for different nozzle spacings, and were compared with constant water pressure test results. It was found that sinusoidal oscillating water flow can effectively increase spraying range, as well as reducing the peak value of the sprinkler intensity and impact kinetic energy intensity. Within an optimal range of amplitude and nozzle spacing, sinusoidal oscillating water flow significantly improves the combined sprinkler intensity, impact kinetic energy intensity uniformity, and the spraying quality of laterally-moving sprinkler irrigation systems under low pressure conditions. When the average water pressure is 100 kPa, the optimal range of amplitude of sinusoidal oscillating flow applied to the laterally-moving sprinkler irrigation system is 50–60 kPa. When the amplitude is 50 kPa, the optimal nozzle spacing is 3.5–4 m; when the amplitude is 60 kPa, the optimal nozzle spacing is 3.5–4.5 m. The related parameters can provide a reference for the application of sinusoidal oscillating water flow in laterally-moving sprinkler irrigation systems.

Effects of heat treatment on the microstructure and metallurgical properties of the explosively bonded 304 stainless steel—CK45 steel

In this research, the effects of heat treatment are studied on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the explosive bonding of 304 stainless steel plates and CK45 carbon steel with a constant explosive load and various standoff distances. The samples are heat treated in a furnace for 2-h and 4-h at 250℃ and 350℃. The results imply that by increasing the standoff distance from 4 to 5 mm, the impact kinetic energy increases and severe plastic deformation occurs in the bonding interface. The metallography results indicate the wave-vortex nature of the interface with the increase of standoff distance. In addition, heat treatment for 2 h at 350℃ leads to an increase in the thicknesses of intermetallic compounds in the interface. Also, the hardness decreases from 271 to 171 Vickers, and from 279 to 195 Vickers with 2 h of heat treatment at 350℃ in samples with standoff distances of 4 and 5 mm, respectively. Furthermore, the strengths of the samples decrease from 449 to 371 MPa, and from 510 to 433 MPa, respectively. Hardness and strength changes occur due to changes in the thickness of the intermetallic area and an increase in grain sizes.

Research on Impact Process of Lander Footpad against Simulant Lunar Soils

The safe landing of a Moon lander and the performance of the precise instruments it carries may be affected by too heavy impact on touchdown. Accordingly, landing characteristics have become an important research focus. Described in this paper are model tests carried out using simulated lunar soils of different relative densities (called “simulant” lunar soils below), with a scale reduction factor of 1/6 to consider the relative gravities of the Earth and Moon. In the model tests, the lander was simplified as an impact column with a saucer-shaped footpad with various impact landing masses and velocities. Based on the test results, the relationships between the footpad peak feature responses and impact kinetic energy have been analyzed. Numerical simulation analyses were also conducted to simulate the vertical impact process. A 3D dynamic finite element model was built for which the material parameters were obtained from laboratory test data. When compared with the model tests, the numerical model proved able to effectively simulate the dynamic characteristics of the axial forces, accelerations, and penetration depths of the impact column during landing. This numerical model can be further used as required for simulating oblique landing impacts.