The influence of shield gases on the surface condition of laser treated concrete

This work aims to elucidate the effects of using O2, Ar and He shield gasses during the treatment of the ordinary Portland cement (OPC) surface of concrete with a high power diode laser (HPDL). The findings showed a marked difference existed in the surface condition of the concrete after HPDL treatment depending on the shield gas used. The use of O2 as the shield gas was seen to result in glazes with far fewer microcracks and porosities than those generated with either Ar or He shield gases. Such differences were found to be due to the smaller O2 gas molecules dissolving molecularly into the open structure of the HPDL generated glaze on the OPC surface of concrete and react with the glass network to increase the fluidity of the melt. This in turn was also seen to affect the cooling rate and therefore the tendency to generate microcracks

Equivalence theory for density estimation, Poisson processes and Gaussian white noise with drift

This paper establishes the global asymptotic equivalence between a Poisson process with variable intensity and white noise with drift under sharp smoothness conditions on the unknown function. This equivalence is also extended to density estimation models by Poissonization. The asymptotic equivalences are established by constructing explicit equivalence mappings. The impact of such asymptotic equivalence results is that an investigation in one of these nonparametric models automatically yields asymptotically analogous results in the other models.Comment: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/009053604000000012 in the Annals of Statistics (http://www.imstat.org/aos/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Asymptotic Equivalence of Nonparametric Regression and White Noise

The principal result is that, under conditions, to any nonparametric regression problem there corresponds an asymptotically equivalent sequence of white noise with drift problems, and conversely. This asymptotic equivalence is in a global and uniform sense. Any normalized risk function attainable in one problem is asymptotically attainable in the other, with the difference in normalized risks converging to zero uniformly over the entire parameter space. The results are constructive. A recipe is provided for producing these asymptotically equivalent procedures. Some implications and generalizations of the principal result are also discussed

Information Inequality Bounds on the Minimax Risk (With an Application to Nonparametric Regression)

This paper compares three methods for producing lower bounds on the minimax risk under quadratic loss. The first uses the bounds from Brown and Gajek. The second method also uses the information inequality and results in bounds which are always at least as good as those from the first method. The third method is the hardest-linear-family method described by Donoho and Liu. These methods are applied in four examples, the last of which relates to a frequently considered problem in nonparametric regression

A Constrained Risk Inequality With Applications to Nonparametric Functional Estimation

A general constrained minimum risk inequality is derived. Given two densities fθ and f0 we find a lower bound for the risk at the point θ given an upper bound for the risk at the point 0. The inequality sheds new light on superefficient estimators in the normal location problem and also on an adaptive estimation problem arising in nonparametric functional estimation

Superefficiency in Nonparametric Function Estimation

Fixed parameter asymptotic statements are often used in the context of nonparametric curve estimation problems (e.g., nonparametric density or regression estimation). In this context several forms of superefficiency can occur. In contrast to what can happen in regular parametric problems, here every parameter point (e.g., unknown density or regression function) can be a point of superefficiency. We begin with an example which shows how fixed parameter asymptotic statements have often appeared in the study of adaptive kernel estimators, and how superefficiency can occur in this context. We then carry out a more systematic study of such fixed parameter statements. It is shown in four general settings how the degree of superefficiency attainable depends on the structural assumptions in each case

The development and characteristics of a hand-held high power diode laser-based industrial tile grout removal and single-stage sealing system

As the field of laser materials processing becomes ever more diverse, the high power diode laser (HPDL) is now being regarded by many as the most applicable tool. The commercialisation of an industrial epoxy grout removal and single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing process is examined through the development of a hand-held HPDL device in this work. Further, an appraisal of the potential hazards associated with the use of the HPDL in an industrial environment and the solutions implemented to ensure that the system complies with the relevant safety standards are given. The paper describes the characteristics and feasibility of the industrial epoxy grout removal process. A minimum power density of approximately 3 kW/cm2 was found to exist, whilst the minimum interaction time, below which there was no removal of epoxy tile grout, was found to be approximately 0.5 s. The maximum theoretical removal rate that may be achievable was calculated as being 65.98 mm2/s for a circular 2 mm diameter beam with a power density of 3 kW/cm2 and a traverse speed of 42 mm/s. In addition, the characteristics of the single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing are outlined. The single-stage ceramic tile grout sealing process yielded crack and porosity free seals which were produced in normal atmospheric conditions. Tiles were successfully sealed with power densities as low as 550 W/cm2 and at rates of up to 420 mm/min. In terms of mechanical, physical and chemical characteristics, the single-stage ceramic tile grout was found to be far superior to the conventional epoxy tile grout and, in many instances, matched and occasionally surpassed that of the ceramic tiles themselves