Modelling the effects of nanomaterial addition on the permeability of the compacted clay soil using machine learning based flow resistance analysis

Impermeable base layers that are made of materials with low permeability, such as clay soil, are necessary to prevent leachate in landfills from harming the environment. However, over time, the permeability of the clay soil changes. Therefore, to reduce and minimize the risk, the permeability-related characteristics of the base layers must be improved. Thus, this study aims to serve this purpose by experimentally investigating the effects of nanomaterial addition (aluminum oxide, iron oxide) into kaolin samples. The obtained samples are prepared by applying standard compaction, and the permeability of the soil sample is experimentally investigated by passing leachate from the reactors, in which these samples are placed. Therefore, Flow Resistance (FR) analysis is conducted and the obtained results show that the Al additives are more successful than the Fe additive in reducing leachate permeability. Besides, the concentration values of some polluting parameters (Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), and Total Phosphorus (TP)) at the inlet and outlet of the reactors are analyzed. Three different models (Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Support Vector Machine (SVM)) are applied to the data obtained from the experimental study. The results have shown that polluting parameters produce high FR regression similarity rates (>75%), TKN, TP, and COD features are highly correlated with the FR value (>60%) and the most successful method is found to be the SVM model

Nonlinear behaviour of epoxy and epoxy-based nanocomposites: an integrated experimental and computational analysis

The focus of this study is on the nonlinear mechanical properties of epoxy and epoxy-based nanocomposites, exploring frequency and strain amplitude dependency. Nanocomposite samples of epoxy are reinforced with fumed silica (FS), halloysite nanotubes (HNT) and Albipox 1000 rubber (Evonik) nanoparticles. Considering these particles have different geometries and stiffnesses, they are expected to have significantly different influences on the mechanics of the resulting composite. To enhance the reliability of the results and to reveal the impact of nanofillers on the mechanics of the material more distinctly, the manufacturing process is designed to be the same for all the specimens within the same material groups to eliminate the effects of the manufacturing process. The comprehensive characterization process consists of Fourier-Transform InfraRed Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The DMA tests are designed so that the material properties are measured depending on the vibration frequency and strain amplitude. Finally, the characterized nonlinear dynamic properties of these nanocomposites are used as the input material properties into a numerical model. In this simulation, a cantilever beam with representative nonlinear material properties, for these nanocomposites, is created, as example and its forced response is plotted under the same levels of excitation in the frequency domain. Key effects of the different nanofillers are identified using the resonance behavior, primarily focusing on the stiffness and damping of the epoxy-based nanocomposites. These experimental and numerical procedures followed show the significant impact of the nanoparticle reinforcements on the nonlinear nature of these epoxy-based composites

Characterisation and mechanical modelling of polyacrylonitrile-based nanocomposite membranes reinforced with silica nanoparticles

In this study, neat polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and fumed silica (FS)-doped PAN membranes (0.1, 0.5 and 1 wt% doped PAN/FS) are prepared using the phase inversion method and are characterised extensively. According to the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, the addition of FS to the neat PAN membrane and the added amount changed the stresses in the membrane structure. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) results show that the addition of FS increased the porosity of the membrane. The water content of all fabricated membranes varied between 50% and 88.8%, their porosity ranged between 62.1% and 90%, and the average pore size ranged between 20.1 and 21.8 nm. While the neat PAN membrane’s pure water flux is 299.8 L/m2 h, it increased by 26% with the addition of 0.5 wt% FS. Furthermore, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA) techniques are used to investigate the membranes’ thermal properties. Finally, the mechanical characterisation of manufactured membranes is performed experimentally with tensile testing under dry and wet conditions. To be able to provide further explanation to the explored mechanics of the membranes, numerical methods, namely the finite element method and Mori–Tanaka mean-field homogenisation are performed. The mechanical characterisation results show that FS reinforcement increases the membrane rigidity and wet membranes exhibit more compliant behaviour compared to dry membranes

Halloysite nanotube-enhanced polyacrylonitrile ultrafiltration membranes: fabrication, characterization, and performance evaluation

This research focuses on the production and characterization of pristine polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as well as halloysite nanotube (HNT)-doped PAN ultrafiltration (UF) membranes via the phase inversion technique. Membranes containing 0.1, 0.5, and 1% wt HNT in 16% wt PAN are fabricated, and their chemical compositions are examined using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is utilized to characterize the membranes’ surface and cross-sectional morphologies. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is employed to assess the roughness of the PAN/HNT membrane. Thermal characterization is conducted using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), while contact angle and water content measurements reveal the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties. The pure water flux (PWF) performance of the porous UF water filtration membranes is evaluated at 3 bar, with porosity and mean pore size calculations. The iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiencies of PAN/HNT membranes from dam water are examined, and the surfaces of fouled membranes are investigated by using SEM post-treatment. Mechanical characterization encompasses tensile testing, the Mori–Tanaka homogenization approach, and finite element analysis. The findings offer valuable insights into the impact of HNT doping on PAN membrane characteristics and performance, which will inform future membrane development initiatives

High-temperature tensile and wear behaviour of microalloyed medium carbon steel

Purpose - To provide new observations about dynamic strain ageing in medium carbon microalloyed steels which are used for automotive applications. Design/methodology/approach - The present work aims to provide theoretical and practical information to industries or researchers who maybe interested in the effects of dynamic strain ageing on mechanical properties of microalloyed steel. The sources are sorted into sections: introduction, experimental procedure, results and discussion, conclusion. Findings - Microalloyed medium carbon steel was susceptible to dynamic strain ageing where serrated flow is observed at temperatures between 200 and 350°C. In this temperature regime, ultimate tensile strength and proof stress exhibit maximum values, however, elongation to fracture showed a decrease until 250°C, after which it increased. Above 350°C, a sharp decrease in tensile strength and proof stress were observed. Abrasive wear resistance of the microalloyed medium carbon steel was also increased at temperatures between 200 and 350°C due to dynamic strain ageing. Research limitations/implications - A search of the literature indicated that although there is considerable volume of information related to dynamic strain ageing in mild steel or in low-carbon steel no extensive investigation has been made of dynamic strain ageing in microalloyed steel due to the ease with which nitrogen is combined AlN, VN, NbN, etc. which perhaps increase its implications. Practical implications - A very useful source of information for industries using or planning to produce microalloyed steels. Originality/value - This paper fulfils an identified resource need and offers practical help to the industries. © Emerald Group publishing Limited

Cladding of high Mn steel on low C steel by explosive welding

High Mn steel containing about 16% Mn was cladded to a low C steel by explosive welding. The experimental results showed that the bonding interface has a wavy morphology; the welding interface has the characteristics of both sharp transition and local melted zones between 2 metals. Hardness increased near the welding interface due to excess plastic deformation in the explosion area and phase transformation from ? (f.c.c.) to ? (b.c.c.)

The effect of heat treatment on high temperature mechanical properties of microalloyed medium carbon steel

In the present work, high temperature tensile properties and abrasive wear performance of a microalloyed medium carbon steel has been examined. Tensile and abrasive wear testing were carried out on as-received and heat treated specimens. The research has shown that microalloyed medium carbon steel was susceptible to dynamic strain ageing due to interaction of mobile dislocations and solid atoms, such as carbon and/or nitrogen. The interaction between dislocations and solid atoms at 200-300 °C changes the work hardening rate and contributes to dynamic strain ageing. These interactions also increased abrasive wear resistance of the microalloyed medium carbon steel at 300 °C. Therefore, the inference can be drawn that dynamic strain ageing caused an improvement on abrasion resistance. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.The authors thank Professor Hüseyin Çimenog^lu for his valuable guidance and assistance in the wear tests. Experimental assistance of Dr. Selçuk Aktürk is greatly acknowledged. They also acknowledge with gratitude the financial support of Zonguldak Karaelmas University, Institute of Science, and the Project and Science Research Commission for their suppor

Investigation of explosive welding parameters and their effects on microhardness and shear strength

The aim of this study was to investigate the strength of explosive welded metals with the same chemical compositions. Different welding interfaces (straight, wavy and continuous solidified-melted) were used with changing explosive welding parameters [stand-off distance ( s ), explosive loading ( R ) and anvils]. Joined metals were investigated under heat-treated and untreated conditions. Results on the microstructure, microhardness, tensile shear strength and bending tests are reported. According to the experimental results, the effect of the anvil on the explosive welding process was only the joining or not-joining performance. It was shown that the bonding interface changed from a straight to a wavy structure when the explosive loading and stand-off distance were increased. For wavy interfaces, when the explosive loading was increased the wavy length and amplitude increased. Results of tensile shear and bending tests showed that heat-treated specimens have more strength than untreated samples. According to tensile shear test results, straight and wavy interfaces had similar strength. In addition, in bending tests of untreated specimens it was shown that the bending zone had some cracks. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Tensile shear and microstructural properties of resistance spot-welded low-carbon Mn-Ni dual-phase steels

Tensile shear, microstructural properties of resistance spot-welded dual-phase steels having different martensite volume fractions (MVF) of 14, 17, 19 and 25% are investigated. These steels are produced from low-carbon Mn-Ni steel by air and water quenching after intercritical annealing. Joining of these steels by the resistance-spot welding method is carried out at three different welding times (10, 15, 20 cycles) while welding pressure and peak welding current are kept constant. Microstructures of the welded samples are evaluated. The tensile-shear load bearing capacity of joined samples is also determined. The experimental results show that increasing MVF increases the tensile-shear load bearing capacity at constant welding time. The weld nugget diameter is found to be extended with increasing welding cycle so the tensile-shear capacity is increased