Search Results (13)

Piezoelectric transducers are commonly used in acoustic well logging. However, the low frequency and narrow range of the acoustic waves limit the achievable detection accuracy. In addition, the low amplitude of the waves causes useful information to be easily masked by noise during detection, which affects the accuracy of geological identification and makes it difficult to detect formations tens of meters away. This paper proposes a microporous liquid–electric transmission transducer, in which the microporous electrode structure generates a powerful shock wave through a high-energy instantaneous discharge. First, a model of the liquid–electric microporous transmitting transducer was constructed by combining simulations with numerical calculations, and its electro-acoustic characteristics were analyzed. Then, based on the survey requirements, two innovative optimization schemes for the microporous electrode structure were proposed, namely a triangular pyramid microporous electrode structure and a rectangular microporous electrode structure, and their performances were compared. The results show that the newly optimized triangular pyramid microporous electrode liquid–electric transducer generates acoustic waves with higher amplitude and a wider frequency range than conventional piezoelectric transducers and other microporous structures. It maintains high energy while achieving high frequencies, enabling detection at distances of up to hundreds of meters and the precise characterization of small geological bodies. This has significant implications for applications in marine exploration, land exploration, clean energy, and new energy fields. Full article

Electromagnetic tethers of hundreds or thousands of meters have been proposed for maneuvring spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit, and in particular, for post-mission disposals. The debate on tether survivability to debris impact is still influencing further advances in the implementation of such technology because of the large area they expose to the debris environment; thin tape geometries have been proposed instead of round ones to increase the survivability to hypervelocity impacts. In this context, this paper introduces a new Ballistic Limit Equation (BLE) for thin tape tethers, derived from experimental results, numerical simulations, and literature data. The resulting equation is non-monotonic with respect to impact angle, presenting a minimum depending on the debris velocity and size; for high obliquities, the debris fragmentation triggered by shock waves propagating into the material reduces the damage. This feature allows to set a minimum particle diameter for risk assessment, excluding a significant part of the debris flux. The proposed BLE confirms the performance of thin tape tethers, with respect to round wires, due to their better ballistic response as well as their reduced cross-section at high-obliquity impacts. Full article

We investigated the immediate molecular consequences of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) using a novel proteomics approach. We simulated TBIs using an innovative laboratory apparatus that employed a 5.1 kg dummy head that held neuronal cells and generated a ≤4000 g-force acceleration upon impact. A Proteome Integral Solubility Alteration (PISA) assay was then employed to monitor protein solubility changes in a system-wide manner. Dynamic impacts led to both a reduction in neuron viability and massive solubility changes in the proteome. The affected proteins mapped not only to the expected pathways, such as those of cell adhesion, collagen, and laminin structures, as well as the response to stress, but also to other dense protein networks, such as immune response, complement, and coagulation cascades. The cellular effects were found to be mainly due to the shockwave rather than the g-force acceleration. Soft materials could reduce the impact’s severity only until they were fully compressed. This study shows a way of developing a proteome-based meter for measuring irreversible shockwave-induced cell damage and provides a resource for identifying protein biomarkers of TBIs and potential drug targets for the development of products aimed at primary prevention and intervention. Full article

In this study, white thermal control coatings were produced on a 6061 Al alloy using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The coatings were mainly formed by incorporating K₂ZrF₆. The phase composition, microstructure, thickness, and roughness of the coatings were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), a surface roughness tester, and an eddy current thickness meter, respectively. The solar absorbance and infrared emissivity of the PEO coatings were measured using a UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometer and FTIR spectrometer, respectively. The addition of K₂ZrF₆ to the trisodium phosphate electrolyte was found to significantly enhance the thickness of the white PEO coating on the Al alloy, with the coating thickness increasing in proportion to the concentration of K₂ZrF₆. Meanwhile, the surface roughness was observed to stabilize at a certain level as the K₂ZrF₆ concentration increased. At the same time, the addition of K₂ZrF₆ altered the growth mechanism of the coating. In the absence of K₂ZrF₆ in the electrolyte, the PEO coating on the Al alloy surface predominantly developed outwards. However, with the introduction of K₂ZrF₆, the coating’s growth mode transitioned to a combination of outward and inward growth, with the proportion of inward growth progressively increasing in proportion to the concentration of K₂ZrF₆. The addition of K₂ZrF₆ substantially enhanced the adhesion of the coating to the substrate and endowed it with exceptional thermal shock resistance, as the inward growth of the coating was facilitated by the presence of K₂ZrF₆. In addition, the phase composition of the aluminum alloy PEO coating in the electrolyte containing K₂ZrF₆ was dominated by tetragonal zirconia (t-ZrO₂) and monoclinic zirconia (m-ZrO₂). With the increase in K₂ZrF₆ concentration, the L* value of the coating increased from 71.69 to 90.53. Moreover, the coating absorbance α decreased, while the emissivity ε increased. Notably, at a K₂ZrF₆ concentration of 15 g/L, the coating exhibited the lowest absorbance (0.16) and the highest emissivity (0.72), which are attributed to the enhanced roughness resulting from the substantial increase in coating thickness caused by the addition of K₂ZrF₆, as well as the presence of ZrO₂ with higher emissivity within the coating. Full article

The large-amplitude fluctuations of ultrasound in high-energy ultrasonic stress relieving cause the crystal grains or lattices in the high residual stress zone to vibrate or creep alternately. This triggers secondary effects such as ultrasonic softening and dislocation movement. The sound field also produces periodic shock waves or intermittent shock waves, which form local pressure gradients at the wave front. These pressure gradients cause local heating of the grain boundary, accelerating material softening and promoting slip between grains, ultimately resulting in residual stress elimination. This technique was applied to detect the welding residual stress of the upper chord of the main truss of Sanguantang Bridge by using an ultrasonic stress meter. After the measurement, it was found that the welding residual stress in some areas was too large, and the welding residual stress needed to be eliminated. The welding seam was re-inspected after the residual stress relief operation was completed. The test results showed a maximum reduction rate of 63.91% and an average overall reduction rate ranging from 24.52% to 37.23%. The reduction effect is more significant in areas with higher welding residual stress. Full article

To study the influence of laser shock peening on the electrochemical corrosion resistance of welded 316L stainless steel joints, welded 316L stainless steel joints are treated with different laser shock peening treatments (i.e., one, two, and three times). Our analysis employs electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), an X-ray stress meter, and electrochemical corrosion tests to observe and analyze the microstructure, structural composition, residual stress, and corrosion resistance in different areas of the surface of 316L before and after the laser shock peening. The results show that the residual stress distribution of the welded joints is optimized after laser shock peening, with a maximum residual compressive stress near the matrix of 171 MPa. When the number of laser shock peening treatments is two, the corrosion current reaches a minimum of 9.684×10⁻⁷ A/cm², and optimal pitting resistance is obtained. However, when the number of laser shock peening treatments is further increased to three, the corrosion current increase and the pitting resistance decreases. In summary, the electrochemical corrosion resistance of the welded joints effectively improves after laser shock peening, but its performance begins to decline after three repeated shocks, which is related to the combined effects of stress change and microstructure phase transformation. Full article

Hyper-velocity impact (HVI) caused by a collision between orbital debris and spacecraft exists widely in outer space, and it poses a threat to spacecraft. This paper proposes a probabilistic hyperbola method based on Lamb waves analysis to detect and locate the impact in stiffened aluminum (Al) plates. A hybrid model using finite element analysis (FEA) and smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) was developed to gain an insight into characteristics of HVI-induced acoustic emission (AE) and shock wave propagation. In addition, an experimental validation was carried out with a two-stage light gas gun, giving an aluminum projectile a velocity of several kilometers per second. Then a quantitative agreement is obtained between numerical and experimental results, demonstrating the correctness of the hybrid model and facilitating the explanation of received AE signals in experiments. Signal analysis shows that the shock wave quickly converts to a Lamb wave as it propagates from the HVI spot, and the zeroth-order symmetric wave mode (S0) dominates wave signal energy. The S0 wave is dispersive and shows a wide frequency range, with dominant magnitudes below 500 kHz. Finally, the HVI experiment results obtained with a light gas gun showed that the average location error could be less than 1 cm with only four sensors for a 1-square-meter stiffened metal plate. Full article

Technological progress demands accurate measurements of rapidly changing pressures. This, in turn, requires the use of dynamically calibrated pressure meters. The shock tube enables the dynamic characterization by applying an almost ideal pressure step change to the pressure sensor under calibration. This paper evaluates the effect of the dynamic response of a side-wall pressure measurement system on the detection of shock wave passage times over the side-wall pressure sensors installed along the shock tube. Furthermore, it evaluates this effect on the reference pressure step signal determined at the end-wall of the driven section using a time-of-flight method. To determine the errors in the detection of the shock front passage times over the centers of the side-wall sensors, a physical model for simulating the dynamic response of the complete measurement chain to the passage of the shock wave was developed. Due to the fact that the use of the physical model requires information about the effective diameter of the pressure sensor, special attention was paid to determining the effective diameter of the side-wall pressure sensors installed along the shock tube. The results show that the relative systematic errors in the pressure step amplitude at the end-wall of the shock tube due to the errors in the detection of the shock front passage times over the side-wall pressure sensors are less than 0.0003%. On the other hand, the systematic errors in the phase lag of the end-wall pressure signal in the calibration frequency range appropriate for high-frequency dynamic pressure applications are up to a few tens of degrees. Since the target phase measurement uncertainty of the pressure sensors used in high-frequency dynamic pressure applications is only a few degrees, the corrections for the systematic errors in the detection of the shock front passage times over the side-wall pressure sensors with the use of the developed physical dynamic model are, therefore, necessary when performing dynamic calibrations of pressure sensors with a shock tube. Full article

The mechanisms that control estuarine sediment transport are complicated due to the interaction between riverine flows, tidal currents, waves, and wave-driven currents. In the past decade, severe seabed erosion and shoreline retreat along the sandy coast of western Taiwan have raised concerns regarding the sustainability of coastal structures. In this study, ADCPs (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) and turbidity meters were deployed at the mouth of the Zengwen river to obtain the time series and the spatial distribution of flow velocities and turbidity during the base flow and flood conditions. A nearshore circulation model, SHORECIRC, has been adapted into a hybrid finite-difference/finite-volume, TVD (Total Variation Diminishing)-type scheme and coupled with the wave-spectrum model Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN). Conventional finite-difference schemes often produce unphysical oscillations when modeling coastal processes with abrupt bathymetric changes at river mouths. In contrast, the TVD-type finite volume scheme allows for robust treatment of discontinuities through the shock-capturing mechanism. The model reproduces water levels, waves, currents observed at the mouth of the Zengwen River reasonably well. The simulated residual sediment transport patterns demonstrate that the transport process at the river mouth is dominated by the interaction of the bathymetry and wave-induced currents when the riverine discharge was kept in reservoirs. The offshore residual transport causes erosion at the northern part of the river mouth, and the onshore residual transport causes accretion in the ebb tidal shoals around the center of the river mouth. The simulated morphological evolution displays significant changes on shallower deltas. The location with significant sea bed changes is consistent with the spot in which severe erosion occurred in recent years. Further analysis of morphological evolution is also discussed to identify the role of coastal structures, for example, the extension of the newly constructed groins near the river mouth. Full article

Many important physical phenomena are governed by intense mechanical shock and impulse. These can be used in material processing and manufacturing. Examples include the compaction or shearing of materials in ballistic, meteor, or other impacts, spallation in armor and impact to induce phase and residual stress changes. The traditional methods for measuring very high strain rate behavior usually include gas-guns that accelerate flyers up to km/s speeds over a distance of meters. The throughput of such experiments is usually limited to a few experiments per day and the equipment is usually large, requiring specialized laboratories. Here, a much more compact method based on the Vaporizing Foil Actuator (VFA) is used that can accelerate flyers to over 1 km/s over a few mm of travel is proposed for high throughput testing in a compact system. A system with this primary driver coupled with Photonic Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) is demonstrated to give insightful data in powder compaction allowing measurements of shock speed, spall testing giving fast and reasonable estimates of spall strength, and impact welding providing interface microstructure as a function of impact angle and speed. The essential features of the system are outlined, and it is noted that this approach can be extended to other dynamic tests as well. Full article

A typical oleo-pneumatic shock-absorbing strut (classic traditional passive damper) in aircraft landing gear has a metering pin extending through the orifice, which can vary the orifice area with the compression and extension of the damper strut. Because the metering pin is designed in a single landing condition, the traditional passive damper cannot adjust its damping force in multiple landing conditions. Magnetorheological (MR) dampers have been receiving significant attention as an alternative to traditional passive dampers. An MR damper, which is a typical semi-active suspension system, can control the damping force created by MR fluid under the magnetic field. Thus, it can be controlled by electric current. This paper adopts a neural network controller trained by two different methods, which are genetic algorithm and policy gradient estimation, for aircraft landing gear with an MR damper that considers different landing scenarios. The controller learns from a large number of trials, and accordingly, the main advantage is that it runs autonomously without requiring system knowledge. Moreover, comparative numerical simulations are executed with a passive damper and adaptive hybrid controller under various aircraft masses and sink speeds for verifying the effectiveness of the proposed controller. The main simulation results show that the proposed controller exhibits comparable performance to the adaptive hybrid controller without any needs for the online estimation of landing conditions. Full article

Talala is an excellent example of triggered neo-tectonic seismicity between two dams during a monsoon. An earthquake of M_max 5.1 on 6 November 2007 at 21.16° N; 70.54° E, with a focal depth of 4.5 km and complete sequence, was first-time recorded on the latest broadband sensor. This found a dam/monsoon-induced earthquake preceded by 18 foreshocks of 2 ≤ M_w ≤ 4.8 within 9 h 11 minute, as well as smaller shocks that may not have been recorded because of sparse network coverage. After the deployment of local mobile observatories, aftershocks of M_w ≥ 1.0, which continued for months and subsided to background seismicity after four months, were recorded. The same kind of phenomena repeated, with M_max 5.0 on 20 October 2011 at 21.06° N; 70.50° E, focal depth 5.5 km, which implies that the potential to generate dam/monsoon-induced seismicity took nearly four years again. These phenomena continued and the sequence was recorded by a network of 10 broadband seismographs (three in the Talala area and seven at an epicentral distance of 30 to 300 km). Centroid Moment Tensor (CMT) solutions and spectral source parameters of mainshock and aftershocks are evaluated to understand the seismotectonic of the region. The CMT depicts a major strike-slip motion along East North East-West South West with a left-lateral plane at 4.5 km depth. This indicates a sympathetic fault extension of the Son-Narmada fault. The source parameters of 400 shocks of M_w 1.0 to 5.1 found seismic moment 10¹¹ to 10^16.5 N-m, source radii 120–850 meter, and a stress drop of 0.003 to 25.43 Mpa. The b-value, p-value, fractal dimension, and slip on estimated different faults. The comparison between Talala and Koyna dam-induced source parameters tries to establish a comparison of seismicity from different parts of the world. Full article

Scramjets have become a main focus of study for many researchers, due to their application as propulsive devices in hypersonic flight. This entails a detailed understanding of the fluid mechanics involved to be able to design and operate these engines with maximum efficiency even at their off-design conditions. It is the objective of the present cold-flow investigation to study and analyse experimentally the mechanics of the fluid structures encountered within a generic scramjet inlet at M = 5. Traditionally, researchers have to rely on stream-thrust analysis, which requires the complex setup of a mass flow meter, a force balance and a heat transducer in order to measure inlet-isolator performance. Alternatively, the pitot rake could be positioned at inlet-isolator exit plane, but this method is intrusive to the flow, and the number of pitot tubes is limited by the model size constraint. Thus, this urgent need for a better flow diagnostics method is addressed in this paper. Pressure-sensitive paint (PSP) has been applied to investigate the flow characteristics on the compression ramp, isolator surface and isolator sidewall. Numerous shock-shock interactions, corner and shoulder separation regions, as well as shock trains were captured by the luminescent system. The performance of the scramjet inlet-isolator has been shown to improve when operated in a modest angle of attack. Full article