ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS OF THE COPPER METALLURGY IN LOWER SILESIA

Many traces of copper metallurgy, such as slag and other copper melts, can be found in the area of Lower Silesia. The research programme, which assesses the exact location and detailed inventory of the sites connected with mining and copper smelting in the area of three historical regions of its exploitation, as well as testing of the collected material is implemented by the Copper Museum in Legnica, in collaboration with the Faculty of Foundry, at the University of Science and Technology. The tested material mainly consists of copper slag with different content of copper melts, being a semi product. The copper metallurgy remains, discovered during the research, undergo specialistic analyses, which will help better characterise the findings as well as contribute to documenting metallurgical processes in the historical bloomeries in Lower Silesia, and moreover to prepare further research in this field.  The material coming from the area of Miedzianka, being the oldest and the longest working exploitation centre of copper ores and pollymetalic ores, is of special significance for the research. Mining activity in the area of Miedzianka took place as early as the beginning of the 14th century, the first record from 1311 (Cuprifodina in montubus) is the oldest information concerning copper mining in Poland

THE INFLUENCE OF SELECTED ALLOYING ELEMENTS ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE, SELECTED MECHANICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF BRASSES

The research aimed at assessing the influence of alloying elements, such as aluminium, silicon, nickel as well as lead and bismuth on the chosen alloys of Cu-Zn. Microstructures were examined with the help of optical and scanning microscopy with X-ray microanalysis. The properties of the received alloys were determined with regard to changes in the chosen mechanical parameters, namely  Rm, A5, HB, also, machinability changes were assessed as well as proclivity to hot  fracturing  of Cu-Zn alloys with additives of lead and bismuth. The results indicate the possibility of obtaining, within the alloys analysed, very high mechanical properties: Rm up to 700 MPa, hardness within the range of 130 – 180 HB and A5 from 3 to 30 %. Also, in the case of the researched alloys, the machining and hot fracturing results  look promising

COMPUTER MODELING FOR THE VISUALIZATION AND GEOMETRIC RECONSTRUCTION OF ARTEFACTS FROM THE CASTING WORKSHOP IN GRZYBIANY

The casting workshop in Grzybiany is one of the most important archaeological sites in regards to casting technology from the Bronze and Early Iron Ages. During the “Grzybiany. Osada nadjeziorna z epoki brązu i żelaza” [Grzybiany. Lakeside settlement from the Bronze and Early Iron Ages] research, the structure of casting moulds was analyzed as well as the chemical composition and microstructure of one of the more-interesting metal artefacts found within the workshop. Basedon this, geometric visualization was performed with the help of computer-modeling methods. For scientific, experimental, and educational purposes, reconstruction of a zoomorphic pendant was performed using the lost-wax method. Wax models injected into a matrix were used, along with fired ceramic (gypsum) moulds and a specially prepared modeling alloy that corresponds to the original material. In this way, a true replica of the original was obtained: technologically, structurally and chemically.Studies of production technology of the casting workshop dated back to the Bronze and Early Iron Age help to increase the knowledge of the mould-preparing technology and the alloys used. Modern tools and computer programs aid in the research of old technologies and help disseminatethe results

Dwie bransolety ze starszego okresu epoki brązu z kujawskiej części Torunia i Brudzynia na Pałukach w świetle badań archeologicznych i archeometalurgicznych

The article presents two metal bracelets found separately but both associated with the manufacturing phase of the early Bronze Age. The lack of data on the original contexts for the finding of both features significantly limits the scope of their cultural interpretation. Therefore, the features might have come from grave goods, treasures, or they could simply have been lost.The artefact found in Toruń (Kujawy part) is from the artillery training area, although it shows analogies in its manufacturing style to features representing the Tumulus culture (proto-Lusatian); it was in fact found in a settlement of the Trzciniec culture, where such funerary artefacts are only sporadically listed as part of metal treasure hoards. On the other hand, the feature found in Brudzyń, in the district of Żnin, suggests a fairly large number of close similarities with the funerary treasures and grave goods found in the Kujawy, Wielkopolska (Greater Poland) and Śląsk (Silesia) regions. The feature was found in the zone where the influences of the Tumulus culture and the Trzciniec culture once overlapped. The results of archaeo-metallurgical expert appraisal indicate that both features represent body ornamentation but can be associated with separate  metallurgical traditions. While there is no doubt that the bracelet from Brudzyń is a bronze product made in a workshop following the south-western style of Tumulus culture, the feature from Toruń might be an example of a local (“Trzciniec”) product, though having the aesthetic features characteristic of Tumulus metal artwork. Based on the results of the archaeo-metallurgical analysis for the artefact from Brudzyń, a virtual model of the process of pouring metal into a casting mould was produced.W artykule zaprezentowano dwie luźno znalezione bransolety metalowe, obie łączone z fazą wytwórczości starszego okresu epoki brązu. Artefakt z Torunia, mimo, że znajduje analogie w wytwórczości kultury mogiłowej, to jednak został znaleziony w przestrzeni środowiska osadniczego kultury trzcinieckiej, w którym tego rodzaju ozdoby południowo-zachodniej proweniencji notowane są sporadycznie. Z kolei wyrób z Brudzynia, znaleziony w strefie zazębiającego się osadnictwa kultur mogiłowej i trzcinieckiej, to okaz mający bliskie i dość liczne analogie w skarbach i wyposażeniu grobów Kujaw, Wielkopolski i Śląska. Wyniki ekspertyzy archeometalurgicznej, wskazują, że prezentowane okazy można wiązać z technologicznie różnymi tradycjami wytwórczości brązowniczej. O ile raczej nie ma wątpliwości, że bransoleta z Brudzynia jest kolejnym wyrobem powstałym w warsztacie „mogiłowym”, o tyle ta z Torunia może być przykładem lokalnego („trzcinieckiego”) produktu mającego cechy stylistyki mogiłowej

Optimisation of Car Park Designs

The problem presented by ARUP to the UK Study Group 2014 was to investigate methods for maximising the number of car parking spaces that can be placed within a car park. This is particularly important for basement car parks in residential apartment blocks or offices where parking spaces command a high value. Currently the job of allocating spaces is done manually and is very time intensive. The Study Group working on this problem split into teams examining different aspects of the car park design process There were three approaches taken. These approaches include a so-called "tile-and-trim" method in which an optimal layout of cars from an `infinite car park' are overlaid onto the actual car park domain; adjustments are then made to accommodate access from one lane to the next. A second approach seeks to develop an algorithm for optimising the road within a car park on the assumption that car parking spaces should fill the space and that any space needs to be adjacent to the network. A third similar approach focused on schemes for assessing the potential capacity of a small selection of specified road networks within the car park to assist the architect in selecting the optimal road network(s). The problem is a variant of the "bin packing" problem, well known in computer science. It is further complicated by the fact that two different classes of item need to be packed (roads and cars), with both local (immediate access to a road) and global (connectivity of the road network) constraints. Bin-packing is known to be NP-hard, and hence the problem at hand has at least this level of computational complexity. None of the approaches produced a complete solution to the problem posed. Indeed, it was quickly determined by the group that this was a very hard problem (a view reinforced by the many different possible approaches considered) requiring far longer than a week to really make significant progress. All approaches rely to differing degrees on optimisation algorithms which are inherently unreliable unless designed specifically for the intended purpose. It is also not clear whether a relatively simple automated computer algorithm will be able to "beat the eye of the architect"; additional sophistication may be required due to subtle constraints. Apart from determining that the problem is hard, positive outcomes have included: Determining that parking perpendicular to the road in long aisles provides the most efficient packing of cars. Provision of code which "tiles and trims" from an infinite car park onto the given car park with interactive feedback on the number of cars in the packing. Provision of code for optimal packing in a parallel-walled car park. Methods for optimising a road within a given domain based on developing cost functions ensuring that cars fill the car park and have access to the road. Provision of code for optimising a single road in a given (square) space. Description of methods for assessing the capacity of a car park for a set of given road network in order to select optimal road networks. Some ideas for developing possible solutions further

Analysis of trace element in intervertebral disc by Atomic Absorption Spectrometry techniques in degenerative disc disease in the Polish population

Objective Although trace elements are regarded crucial and their content has been determined in number of tissue there are only few papers addressing this problem in intervertebral disc in humans. Most of the trace elements are important substrates of enzymes influencing metabolism and senescence process. Others are markers of environmental pollution. Therefore the aim of the research was to analyzed of the trace element content in the intervertebral disc, which may be a vital argument recognizing the background of degenerative changes to be the effect of the environment or metabolic factors. Material and Methods Material consist of 18 intervertebral disc from 15 patients, acquired in surgical procedure of due to the degenerative disease with Atomic Absorption Spectrometry content of Al, Cd, Co, Pb, Cu, Ni, Mo, Mg, Zn was evaluated. Results Only 4 of the trace elements were detected in all samples. The correlation analysis showed significant positive age correlation with Al and negative in case of Co. Among elements significant positive correlation was observed between Al/Pb, Co/Mo, Al/Mg, Al/Zn Pb/Zn and Mg/Zn. Negative correlation was observed in Al/Co, Cd/Mg, Co/Mg, Mo/Mg, Co/Zn and Mo/Zn. Conclusions This study is the first to our knowledge that profiles the elements in intervertebral disc in patients with degenerative changes. We have confirmed significant differences between the trace element contents in intervertebral disc and other tissue. It can be ground for further investigation

Wpływ starzenia laboratoryjnego na zachowanie odporności na graffiti dla systemów malarskich stosowanych w taborze szynowym

W artykule opisano i zaprezentowano wpływ wybranych mechanizmów starzeniowych na systemy malarskie, stosowane obecnie w polskim kolejnictwie w kontekście zachowania swoich pierwotnych właściwości ochronnych przeciw graffiti. Badaniom poddano sześć systemów malarskich z różnym typem wykończenia, które miały właściwości antygraffiti, a określanymi cechami po serii wymalowań i zmyć środków graffiti (markery i spreje) były takie właściwości powierzchni systemu malarskiego jak połysk i barwa. Badane obiekty poddano sztucznemu, symulowanemu starzeniu z udziałem laboratoryjnego promieniowania słonecznego, w synergicznym połączeniu temperatury oraz wilgotności. Badania prowadzono zgodnie z normą PN-EN ISO 16474-2 oraz zgodnie z metodologią opracowaną w Instytucie Kolejnictwa, opisaną w DN 001/08/A2/16 pkt 4.1.8 z wykorzystaniem źródła promieniowania UV-C (widmo dyskretne). Badane próbki zostały również poddane innemu mechanizmowi starzenia przy udziale silnych warunków korozyjnych w postaci neutralnej mgły solnej według metodologii opisanej w PN-EN ISO 9227

Influence of Laboratory Ageing on the Preservation of Anti-graffiti Properties for Paint Systems Used in Rolling Stock

The article describes and presents the influence of selected ageing mechanisms of paint systems currently used in railways in Poland in the context of maintaining their original protective properties against graffiti. Six paint systems with different types of finish, which had anti-graffiti properties, were tested, and the characteristics of the surface of the paint system, such as gloss and colour, were determined after a series of painting and cleaning of graffiti (markers and sprays). The tested objects were subjected to artificial simulated ageing using laboratory solar radiation in a synergistic combination of temperature and humidity in accordance with PN-EN ISO 16474-2 and in accordance with the proprietary methodology described in DN 001/08/A2/16 section 4.1.8 using the UV-C radiation source (discrete spectrum). The tested samples were also subjected to a different type of ageing mechanism under strong corrosive conditions in the form of neutral salt spray according to the methodology described in PN-EN ISO 9227

Wpływ zwiększonej kontrolowanej dawki irradiancji na zmianę wybranych właściwości fizyko-chemicznych systemów malarskich stosowanych w taborze szynowym

W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki badań starzeniowych z udziałem laboratoryjnego promieniowania świetlnego pro-wadzonego według normy PN-EN ISO 16474-2 dla systemów malarskich stosowanych w taborze szynowym. Określono wpływ starzenia na takie właściwości powłoki jak: połysk, barwa oraz twardość z wykorzystaniem dwóch różnych nastaw irradiancji odpowiednio 60 W/m2 oraz 120 W/m2, mierzonych dla długości fali 300÷400 nm w odniesieniu do tych samych poziomów całkowitego napromienienia. Oprócz tego, w niniejszym artykule zamieszczono najważniejsze informacje dotyczące laboratoryjnych badań starzeniowych z symulacją światła słonecznego w połączeniu z udziałem temperatury i wilgoci, w tym deszczu, które zawarte są w znormalizowanych metodach badawczych ISO. Opisano także wpływ parametrów pogodowych, w szczególności wpływ zwiększonej dawki irradiancji promieniowania świetlnego na degradację wybranych właściwości fizyko-chemicznych powłok i możliwości przewidywanego postępu starzenia (zmiany wybranych właściwości). Otrzymane wyniki badań laboratoryjnych pozwalają na przyjęcie pewnych założeń dotyczących zwiększenia dawki irradiancji, a tym samym skrócenia czasu testu laboratoryjnego w kontekście oceny najbardziej pożądanych właściwości powłoki przy udziale starzeniowych testów laboratoryjnych

Infl uence of an Increased Controlled Dose of Irradiance on the Change of Selected Physicochemical Properties of Paint Systems Used in Rolling Stock

The article presents the results of ageing tests with the use of laboratory light radiation tested according to the EN ISO 16474-2 standard for painting systems used in rolling stock. Th e influence of aging on such properties as gloss, colour and hardness, was determined using two different irradiance settings of the order of 60 W/m2 and 120 W/m2 for the wavelength 300÷400 nm and the same levels of radiant exposure. In addition, this study describes the most important information about laboratory aging tests with simulation of sunlight, temperature, moisture including rain, which are included in ISO standardised test methods. The influence of weather parameters has been described, in particular the influence of an increased dose of irradiance on the degradation of selected physicochemical properties of coatings and the possibility of the predicted ageing progress (changes in selected properties). The obtained results of laboratory tests allow to make certain assumptions regarding the increase of the dose of irradiance and thus the shortening of the laboratory testing time in the context of the assessment of the most desirable properties of the coating for a given application with the use of laboratory ageing tests