Micromechanics of composite laminate compression failure

The Dugdale analysis for metals loaded in tension was adapted to model the failure of notched composite laminates loaded in compression. Compression testing details, MTS alignment verification, and equipment needs were resolved. Thus far, only 2 ductile material systems, HST7 and F155, were selected for study. A Wild M8 Zoom Stereomicroscope and necessary attachments for video taping and 35 mm pictures were purchased. Currently, this compression test system is fully operational. A specimen is loaded in compression, and load vs shear-crippling zone size is monitored and recorded. Data from initial compression tests indicate that the Dugdale model does not accurately predict the load vs damage zone size relationship of notched composite specimens loaded in compression

The holding company concept applied to multiple automobile dealerships

Ownership and operation of more than one automobile dealership and the resulting possible financial rewards have been made difficult to attain in recent years. This difficulty has been especially harmful to those dealers in areas of population which are considerably less dense than the metropolitan areas. These smaller dealers cannot amass the large sales and profit potential available to the dealers in the metropolitan areas. It can then be to their benefit to develop some arrangement in which they can circumvent the problems and obstacles which have arisen to block a multiple dealership operation. This report will deal with these problems and suggest a possible solution to them. The situation dealt with will be limited to a small business application. It will be pointed toward the ownership of several dealerships which would not be located in metropolitan areas. Further it will be limited to General Motors Corporation dealerships although it could be applied to others. The problems which will be covered include those requirements and regulations imposed by General Motors and those problems which particularly affect the small business entityBusiness Administratio

Effects of white-tailed deer herbivory on upland plant communities in the Piedmont of South Carolina

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is an important game species and the largest native herbivore in South Carolina. Intense deer herbivory can result in browse lines, reduced regeneration of tree species, and the extirpation of plant species. The impact of white-tailed deer has been studied throughout much of its northern range, but there has been little long-term research into the impact of deer on forests communities in the Southeast. This study measures impacts of deer herbivory 13 years after clearcutting upland hardwood stands in the Clemson Experimental Forest by comparing forest and plant communities inside and outside exclosures. An initial study conducted in 2005, 1 year after the clearcut, concluded that deer density had no impact on these communities. To determine the long-term impacts of herbivory, the plots were resurveyed 13 years later. Regeneration of seedling, sapling and overstory oaks was unimpacted by deer herbivory (p=.61, p=.58, p=.45). In fact, the plots outside the exclosures had a higher population of 4in DBH oaks compared to the plots inside enclosures (p=0.09). There was significantly higher plant species richness outside the exclosures compared to inside (p=0.08). Shannon’s diversity index was not statistically different between treatments (p\u3e0.1). Both treatments had a similar number of invasive species (p=0.81). Exclosures had 5,000 more Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) per acre compared to outside the exclosure. There was significantly higher vine regeneration inside the exclosures (

Exploring and Measuring the Benefits of Hunting

The purpose of this study was to develop a survey instrument to measure the psychological benefits related to hunting. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs was used as a theoretical framework which includes five levels: Physiological, Safety, Love/Belonging, Self-Esteem and Self-Actualization. Simple yes/no questions were developed to measure physiological and safety levels while existing scales were used to measure love/belonging and self-esteem. However, it was necessary to develop a scale to measure self-actualization. A pilot study was conducted to develop a scale to measure self-actualization. The 44-question survey was mailed to South Carolina (SC) resident hunting license holders (n = 300; 28% response rate). We developed a reliable scale to measure Awe experiences, representing self-actualization (S-B χ2 = 409.31; CFI = 0.956; RMSEA = 0.05). A second survey was conducted to develop the full model measuring Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs that incorporated the scale for measuring self-actualization along with measures for the four remaining levels. The survey was administered by mail to SC resident hunting license holders (n = 995; 20% response rate) and online to participants of the Quality Deer Management Association’s Deer Steward program (n = 871; 46.5% response rate). The survey contained 51 measures of hunter needs and 10 sociodemographic questions. A valid and reliable instrument was developed, the Benefits of Hunting Assessment Scale (BoHAS), to gauge benefits received through hunting (S-B χ2 = 1998.1; CFI = 0.953; RMSEA = 0.057; Rho = 0.975; α = 0.965). The final model included one higher order factor, BoHAS, 3 primary sub-factors (Love/Belonging, Self-Esteem and Self-Actualization, as measured by Awe) and 6 sub-factors of Awe. There were no difference in the BoHAS scores by gender (B = 0.01732; β = 0.01268; Z = 0.08814; p = 0.2). This finding implies that women and men receive the same benefits through hunting

First-Order Altitude Effects on the Cruise Efficiency of Subsonic Transport Aircraft

Aircraft fuel efficiency is a function of many different parameters, including characteristics of the engines, characteristics of the airframe, and the conditions under which the aircraft is operated. For a given vehicle, the airframe and engine characteristics are for the most part fixed quantities and efficiency is primarily a function of operational conditions. One important influence on cruise efficiency is cruise altitude. Various future scenarios have been postulated for cruise altitude, from the freedom to fly at optimum altitudes to altitude restrictions imposed for environmental reasons. This report provides background on the fundamental relationships determining aircraft cruise efficiency and examines the sensitivity of efficiency to cruise altitude. Analytical models of two current aircraft designs are used to derive quantitative results. Efficiency penalties are found to be generally less than 1% when within roughly 2000 ft of the optimum cruise altitude. Even the restrictive scenario of constant altitude cruise is found to result in a modest fuel consumption penalty if the fixed altitude is in an appropriate range

Contraception in Wildlife Management: Reality or Illusion?

Nuisance wildlife in areas where hunting is not an accepted practice and declining public support of lethal control measures have prompted research on contraceptives as a way to manage population levels. However, complex legal. biological, economic, and ethical issues should be addressed before such techniques are tested even on small, isolated populations. Regulatory authority by State and Federal agencies must define protocols for using contraceptive materials in wild populations. Registration of wildlife contraceptives either as pesticides or vaccines will likely be necessary. Health-related issues include harmful effects on target species, nontarget species and humans who may consume carcasses. Models for evaluating population impacts and genetics are needed. Cost-effectiveness itself and who will pay these costs must both be considered. Disruption of behavioral mechanisms and resulting population impacts raise ethical considerations. Contraception may have application with limited, isolated or confined populations, but its eventual use on free-ranging wildlife populations is questionable