Magneto optical rib waveguide with low refractive index

The phase matching condition is an important requirement for magneto-optical waveguide devices. In this work, the design rules that must be imposed on the geometry and the index of magneto optical rib waveguides to make them behave as phase matched rib waveguides have been simulated. Using film mode matching method, the results show that operation in phase matching is possible under certain circumstances with selected index and geometries. We simulated the performance of such devices and we determined the waveguide dimensions (height, width, and etching depth) and the index that satisfy the phase matching conditions

Preservation of York Minster historic limestone by hydrophobic surface coatings

Magnesian limestone is a key construction component of many historic buildings that is under constant attack from environmental pollutants notably by oxides of sulfur via acid rain, particulate matter sulfate and gaseous SO 2 emissions. Hydrophobic surface coatings offer a potential route to protect existing stonework in cultural heritage sites, however, many available coatings act by blocking the stone microstructure, preventing it from 'breathing' and promoting mould growth and salt efflorescence. Here we report on a conformal surface modification method using self-assembled monolayers of naturally sourced free fatty acids combined with sub-monolayer fluorinated alkyl silanes to generate hydrophobic (HP) and super hydrophobic (SHP) coatings on calcite. We demonstrate the efficacy of these HP and SHP surface coatings for increasing limestone resistance to sulfation, and thus retarding gypsum formation under SO/H O and model acid rain environments. SHP treatment of 19th century stone from York Minster suppresses sulfuric acid permeation

Numerical model of miscible grout propagation in deformable saturated porous media.

In an attempt to describe the basic phenomenon of grout propagation, a continuous model of miscible fluid displacement in deformable saturated porous media is proposed. In order to exhibit the relevance of the hydromechanical coupling during the mass transport, the model encompasses equations of mass transport and the equilibrium equation of the porous medium as a whole. The basic field variables consist in solid displacement vector, fluid pressure and grout concentration. The mathematical formulation results in a highly coupled and non linear system, the solution of which requires specific numerical techniques. The dis-placement - pressure - concentration formulation is discretized in space by application of the weighted resi-dual method. The whole system is then integrated in time by means of the - method. In order to validate our approach, a numerical comparison is done with existing results obtained with a no-deformable porous me-dium model

Behavior of pre-cracked deep beams with composite materials repairs

International audienceThe study covers the behavior of reinforced concrete deep beams loaded under 4-point bending, failed by shear and repaired using bonding glass fiber reinforced plastics fabrics (GFRP) patches. Two rehabilitation methods have been used to highlight the influence of the composite on the ultimate strength of the beams and their failure modes. In the first series of trials the work has been focused on the reinforcement/rehabilitation of the beam by following the continuous configuration of the FRP fabric. The patch with a U-shape did not provide satisfactory results because this reinforcement strategy does not allow to increase the ultimate strength or to avoid the abrupt shear failure mode. A second methodology of rehabilitation/reinforcement has been developed in the form of SCR (Strips of Critical Region), in which the composite materials reinforcements are positioned to band the inclined cracks (shear) caused by the shear force. The results obtained by using this method lead a superior out come in terms of ultimate strength and change of the failure mode from abrupt shearing to ductile bending