Heat and strain measurements at the crack tip of filled rubber under cyclic loadings using full-field techniques

International audienceThis study aims at characterizing heat sources during the deformation of the crack tip zone in carbon black filled Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR). For this purpose, the thermomechanical response of cracked specimens was investigated using coupled full thermal and kinematic field measurements and a suitable motion compensation technique. The kinematic analysis enabled us to define the zone of influence of the crack and to measure the maximum stretch ratio level. The maximum stretch ratio level at the crack tip is higher than that measured at specimen failure during uniaxial tensile tests, which can be explained by considering the maximum chain extensibility. The calorimetric analysis shows that the high heat source gradient zone is very much more confined than the high temperature gradient zone. The heat sources at the crack tip remain positive and small during unloading, which indicates that mechanical dissipation is high and confined to the crack tip. This result highlights that the material behaves very differently in the crack tip zone compared to homogeneous tests. This proves that it not possible to predict the behavior of the crack tip zone from homogeneous tests. Moreover, it is observed that the mechanical dissipation decreases with the number of first cycles, which highlights the fact that the material is increasingly accommodated. This study provides the first accurate measurement of heat sources at the crack tip of rubber, constituting a new experimental tool in the fracture mechanics of rubber

Passenger transmission and productiveness of transit lines with high loads

Deterministic transit capacity analysis applies to planning, design and operational management of urban transit systems. The Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (1) and Vuchic (2, 3) enable transit performance to be quantified and assessed using transit capacity and productive capacity. This paper further defines important productive performance measures of an individual transit service and transit line. Transit work (p-km) captures the transit task performed over distance. Passenger transmission (p-km/h) captures the passenger task delivered by service at speed. Transit productiveness (p-km/h) captures transit work performed over time. These measures are useful to operators in understanding their services’ or systems’ capabilities and passenger quality of service. This paper accounts for variability in utilized demand by passengers along a line and high passenger load conditions where passenger pass-up delay occurs. A hypothetical case study of an individual bus service’s operation demonstrates the usefulness of passenger transmission in comparing existing and growth scenarios. A hypothetical case study of a bus line’s operation during a peak hour window demonstrates the theory’s usefulness in examining the contribution of individual services to line productive performance. Scenarios may be assessed using this theory to benchmark or compare lines and segments, conditions, or consider improvements

Comparative demography and diversity of small mammals in precordilleran temperate rainforests of Southern Chile

Small mammals were studied in two southern Chilean temperate rainforests in the precordillean Andes during 2 low-rainfall years following the 1982 El Niño event. Forests had somewhat different levels of canopy, shrub, and herbaceous cover, and species richness of trees but most of the same plants. Most captures were of four sigmodontine rodents, Akodon olivaceus, Abrothrix longipilis, Abrothrix sanborni, and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus; five other species and a putative hybrid were recorded. Maximum numbers were in January-July (late summer to winter) and lower numbers in August-December (late winter to early summer). All species had seasonal reproduction in September-April (spring to autumn). A. olivaceus and A. longipilis generally were long-lived, whereas survival rates were low for O. longicaudatus. Responses after the 1982 El Niño were small, and some populations increased during 1984. Populations of A. olivaceus fluctuated more than those of A. longipilis; those of A. sanborni were low and O. longicaudatus was sporadic and irruptive. Lower-elevational Chilean and precordilleran Argentine forests have similar species composition, but differences in demography and dominance of the former by more widespread, omnivorous A. olivaceus, animalivorous-fungivorous Abrothrix, and granivorous O. longicaudatus. Opportunities for immigration may explain greater homogeneity of populations of small mammals in Chilean rainforests relative to Argentine ones. Although responses to El Niño and subsequent droughts were weak, flowering episodes of bamboo (Chusquea) can have strong effects due to increased availability of food

Voltage dip generator for testing wind turbines connected to electrical networks

This paper describes a new voltage dip generator that allows the shape of the time profile of the voltage generated to be configured. The use of this device as a tool to test the fault ride-through capability of wind turbines connected to the electricity grid can provide some remarkable benefits: First, this system offers the possibility of adapting the main features of the time–voltage profile generated (dip depth, dip duration, the ramp slope during the recovery process after clearing fault, etc.) to the specific requirements set forth by the grid operation codes, in accordance with different network electrical systems standards. Second, another remarkable ability of this system is to provide sinusoidal voltage and current wave forms during the overall testing process without the presence of harmonic components. This is made possible by the absence of electronic converters. Finally, the paper includes results and a discussion on the experimental data obtained with the use of a reduced size laboratory prototype that was constructed to validate the operating features of this new device

Development and extended operation of a high power radiation loaded heat pipe

A high temperature, high power molybdenum-lithium heat pipe has been fabricated and tested at 1500 K for 1700 hours with radiant heat rejection. Power throughput during the test was approximately 14 kW, corresponding to an axial flux density of 11 kW/cm/sup 2/ for the 1.59 cm diameter heat pipe. Radial flux density was 70 W/cm/sup 2/ over an evaporator length of 40.0 cm. Condenser length was approximately 150 cm with radiant heat rejection from the condenser to a coaxial water cooled radiation calorimeter. A plasma sprayed, high emissivity coating was used on the condenser surface to increase the radiant heat rejection during the tests. The heat pipe was operated for 514 hours at steady state conditions before being damaged during a planned shutdown for test equipment maintenance. The damage was repaired and the initial 1000 hour test period completed without further incident. After physical examination of the heat pipe at 1000 hours the test was resumed and the heat pipe operated at the same conditions for an additional 700 hours before conclusion of this test phase