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- CCS (7)
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- Steel (7)
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- Strain sensor (6)
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- Structural health monitoring (5)
- CO2-storage (4)
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- Fibre optic sensors (4)
Laser thermal shock experiments - performance and evaluation on the basis of advanced ceramics
(2011)
The thermal shock behaviour in air and vacuum of three different advanced ceramics is investigated by introducing a new testing method. This thermal shock testing system permits the reproducible setting of defined temperature profiles in thin disks. In order to perform heating - up thermal shock experiments under reproducible conditions and to measure the transient temperature fields, a laser beam is directed spirally across the surface of the specimen. In this process, the specimen is heated up faster than the temperature gradient is compensated by thermal conductivity. Resulting temperature fields were recorded space and time resolved. Based on the knowledge of the local temperature distribution at the moment of failure, the critical fracture stress can be calculated. The scatter of thermal shock strength is quantitatively determined for the tested ceramics by using a improved statistical method.
Three new offset Delta11B isotope reference materials for environmental boron isotope studies
(2011)
The isotopic composition of boron is a well established tool in various areas of Science and industry. Boron isotope compositions are typically reported as 5nB values which indicate the isotopic difference of a sample relative to the isotope reference material NIST SRM 951.
A significant drawback of all of the available boron isotope reference materials is that none of them covers a natural boron isotope composition apart from NIST SRM 951. To fill this gap of required 5UB reference materials three new solution boric acid reference materials were produced, which cover 6096o of the natural boron isotope Variation (-20 to 40%oo B) of about 100%o. The new reference materials are certified for their B values and are commercially available through European Reference Materials® (http://wwrv.enn-cmi.org). The newly produced and certified boron isotope reference materials will allow straightforward method Validation and quality control of boron isotope data.
Wear tests are often used in engine development in order to characterize the functional profile of surfaces interacting with lubricants. This paper proposes a new test procedure to determine Stribeck-type curves for the tribosystem piston ring/cylinder liner involving test pieces prepared from engine components. The Variation of the friction coefficient with sliding speed depends on the structure and Constitution of the base oil, the viscosity index, the surface topography of the liner and ring, and the friction modifiers used. Novel organic friction modifiers of low molecular mass not only reduce the friction coefficients under mixed / boundary lubrication, but also in the fluid film regime. In addition, the influence of surface roughness on the wettability of surfaces can be significant for both static and dynamic wetting. For this reason, the interaction of the lubricant with the surfaces was also investigated to enable a correlation between the surface properties of the liquid and solid phases and the tribological behavior.
Different types of lasers are used nowadays for a number of technological Solutions, Modem high power solid-state lasers with high brightness of Radiation like Fiber or disc lasers find ever more applications in welding technology. Apart from the replacement of the CC>2-iasers traditionaHy used fcr these purposes, they provide new technological possibilities of metal treatment, such as using industrial robots and remote welding with high power laser radiation. The possibility of flexible optical fiber delivery of the radiation to any point gives a great technological advantage and permits welding processes to be realized with complicated weld seam geomelries and different positions using a minimum of additional fixtures. The short wavelength of the high power solid state lasers (1.07 ’m) causes another advantage. The coefflcient of inverse 170
Bremsstrahlung absorption from free electrons in plasma for such radiation is about 100 times lower than for the COi-iaser radiation. Owing to this fact, using the solid state lasers allows it to avoid a negative influence of the welding plume.
However, a short wavelength can lead to another kind of laser Radiation attenuation, which is connected with the formation of a cloud consisting of small metal particles that absorb and scatter laser radiation. This cloud arises due to the condensation of hot metal vapor by flying out from the deep Penetration channel and broadening in relatively cold atmosphere over the metal Surface.
Some theoretical and experimental approaches were made in advance in Order to estimate the influence of the Condensed particles on laser radiation and welding quality.
In this paper a systematic study including the determination of the Cloud size and its dynamical characteristics is presented. The results were obtained within the scope of the first stage of the metal vapor condensation process Investigation during welding with high power fiber lasers.
Dealing with first corrosion screening experiments to predict the reliability and safety of Germanys first Carbon Capture and Storage site in the northern Bassin of Germany, northwest of the Capital Berlin, laboratory experiments have been established to simulate the particular conditions at T=60 °C, highly saline aquifer water similar to 'Stuttgart Aquifer', but only at ambient pressure. With mounting 2 independent full 2-grade titanium autoclave systems (running up to 250 bar and 300 °C) pressures up to p=100 bar are possible. In 2010 a specific corrosion chamber of 2-grade titanium working up to 100 °C, flowing aqui fer water with different gas mixtures was designed to fit to a high cycle fatigue testing machine. Long term fatigue experiments simulating fatigue crack growth under corrosive environments will soon start. These experiments may not only help engineering a CCS site, but results can be used to improve the maintenance of geothermal energy production sites, especially moved parts such as pumps and shafts.
The CCS technique involves the compression of emission gasses in deep geological layers. To guarantee the safety of the site, CO2-corrosion of the injection pipe steels has to be given special attention when engineering CCS-sites. To get to know the corrosion behaviour samples of the heat treated steel 1.72252CrMo4, used for casing, and the stainless injection-pipe steel 1.4034 X46Cr13 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in a CC 2-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to possible geological on-shore CCS-sites in the northern German Basin. The isothermal corrosion behaviour obtained by mass gain of the steels in the gas phase, the liquid phase and the intermediate phase gives surface corrosion rates around 0.1 to 0.8 mm/year at ambient pressure and much lower about 0.02 to 0.2 mm/year at 100 bar where the CO 2 is in its supercritical state. Severe pit corrosion with pit heights around 4.5 mm are only located on the 42CrMo4 steel. Main phase of the continuous complicated multi-layered carbonate/oxide structure is siderite FeCO 3 in both types of steel.
The presently active standards on Computed Radiography (CR) need a major revision. It was observed by many users that the image quality for class B of EN 14784-2 is not achievable under the same exposure conditions as used for film exposure. A mathematical model was developed and tested, which allows the calculation of the image quality, proven by image quality indicators (IQI), depending on the fixed pattern noise and the efficiency of the used imaging plate (IP) scanner system. All tested IP scanner systems provide a fixed correlation between the measured signal/noise ratio (SNR) and the grey values in the digital images. The maximum achievable SNRmax depends on the fixed pattern noise of the plate (high dose limit). Depending on the exposure dose an optimum visibility of IQIs can be predicted by calculation and measured considering the attenuation coefficient for calculation of the contrast/noise ratio (CNR). The diameter of the just visible wire is proportional to 1/sqrt(CNR). The optimum tube voltage for best visibility of IQIs and maximum CNR depend on the exposure dose. The optimum tube voltage for best visibility is achieved only at exposures with high dose. A dose dependant optimal tube voltage was not observed for film radiography.
Instrumented measurements on radioactive waste disposal containers during experimental drop testing
(2011)
In context with disposal container safety assessment of containers for radioactive waste the German Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) performed numerous drop tests in the last years. The tests were accompanied by extensive and various measurement techniques especially by instrumented measurements with strain gages and accelerometers. The instrumentation of a specimen is an important tool to evaluate its mechanical behavior during impact. Test results as deceleration-time and strain-time functions constitute a main basis for the validation of assumptions in the safety analysis and for the evaluation of calculations based on finite-element methods. Strain gauges are useful to determine the time dependent magnitude of any deformation and the associated stresses. Accelerometers are widely used for the measuring of motion i.e. speed or the displacement of the rigid cask body, vibration and shock events. In addition high-speed video technique can be used to visualize and analyze the kinematical impact scenario by motion analysis. The paper describes some selected aspects on instrumented measurements and motion analysis in context with low level radioactive waste (LLW) container drop testing
The failure of laminates usually is initiated by the failure of the plies with the maximum transverse stresses. The failure of those plies generally reduces the load carrying capability of the laminate, even though they carry only a small part of the external load. The analysis of failure under off-axis stresses accordingly is essential for the prediction of the strength of laminates. This is taken into account in the "mechanisms based failure criteria" e.g. by Puck. Most of these inter fiber failure criteria are not based on the micromechanics of the failure process but on prescribed stress interaction functions. The failure of plies under transverse loading obviously is governed by the bond strength between fiber and matrix fiber. The interfacial debonding was studied e.g. by Paris et al. and Corea et al.. The bond strength between fiber and matrix usually is measured by using micromechanical tests e.g. pull-out, push-out or fragmentation tests. Stress analyses as well as fracture mechanical analyses show that the interfacial failure over a large range is dominated by shear stresses (Kim and Mai, Pisanova et al, Marotzke and Qiao). The stress distribution arising in those experiments however differs from the stresses acting in a lamina under transverse loading. In transverse failure of a lamina, radial stresses as well as shear stresses are dominating the failure process of the interface. In addition longitudinal shear stresses are present. Experimental work concerning off-axis loading of single fibers was done e.g. by Tandon and Kim and by Ogihara and Koyanagi. They studied the influence of the fiber alignment by using a specimen in form of a cruciform with skew wings.
The extremely low acoustic impedance of polypropylene ferroelectret combined with its piezoelectric properties makes this material suitable for construction of aircoupled ultrasonic transducers for non-destructive testing. For the fabrication of transducers with a stable quality, the reproducibility of their key parameters is of interest.
The reproducibility was evaluated by means of (i) impedance spectroscopy and (ii) pulse-echo measurements. (i) Impedance spectroscopy was applied to identify the resonance frequency, the coupling factor and the acoustic impedance of several nominally identical transducers. (ii) Pulse-echo measurements yielded the signal form of these transducers.
The variation of the signal amplitude measured with pulseecho technique was about 10 dB. A part of this variation Comes from the deposition of transducer electrodes and another part from local variations of ferroelectret properties. The variation of the signal amplitude was caused by the observed variation of the coupling factor, which was also about 10 dB. The variation of the acoustic impedance was only about 1 dB, thus having no effect on the variation of the signal amplitude.
These results indicate that the variability can be reduced by improving the control of electrode deposition and by optimizing the production technology affecting the reproducibility of material properties.
Within the framework of the G8 partnership, the German Ministry of Economics and Technology has been realizing a 300 EUR million project of the storage of decommissioned Russian nuclear submarines based on a German-Russian agreement. The main parts of the project are the construction of the long-term storage facility as well as a radioactive waste storage facility at Sayda Bay. Long-term interim storage facility for this particular case has a period of about 70 years. The Energiewerke Nord GmbH (EWN) under the technical controlling of BAM carried out the project management. Foremost in this presentation is the finalization of the long-term storage facility for nuclear submarine compartments and the planning and realization of the radioactive waste storage building with special emphases of the parts carried out by BAM. Because BAM staff cannot stay permanently on site, a random inspection of different topics was the bases for the activities of BAM. The key aspects of activities are the long-term storage of the nuclear compartments, maintenance building, the decommissioning of the compartments and the transportation of the very heavy weight compartments (1600 metric tons). Details relating of the progress of the construction work as well as information about technical recommendations will also be briefly illustrated. Within this scope, problems and difficulties during the construction of the storage facility as well as logistical challenges including transportation of the reactor compartments will also be discussed.
The present contribution highlights recent trends in investigating hydrogen diffusion and cracking in steel welds. For such studies, supermartensitic stainless steels (SMSS) have exemplarily been selected. These materials have been used for offshore and marine constructions for about two decades now. They present a versatility of improved properties such as high strength to thickness ratio, good weldability and good corrosion resistance. However, as shown by respective failure cases, SMSS welds might become prone to hydrogen assisted cracking and the degradation phenomena are more easily to investigate due to the nearly homogeneous martensitic microstructure than in other materials. Generally, it has to be distinguished between cracking that occurs during or shortly after fabrication welding, or during subsequent operation of SMSS components. In order to achieve crack avoidance during fabrication and service, conclusive test sequences have to be applied, ranging from field tests at real components and full scale tests investigating the materials behavior under real service conditions to basic and small scale tests, such as tensile and corrosion tests, oriented more towards a materials ranking. Considerable testing of SMSS welds has been carried out and the present paper particularly summarizes spotlights on 1:1 scale component testing of welded tubulars, slow strain rate testing and basic tests oriented to elucidate the hydrogen behavior and degradation in SMSS weld microstructures. Also, permeation tests, hydrogen dependent degradation of mechanical properties and thermal desorption spectroscopy are adressed. As a specific item, first results of lately conducted investigations for tracking hydrogen movement in such weld microstructures by using high energy synchrotron radiation are elucidated.
Micro gears are applied in an increasing quantity in many applications. Therefore, precise measurements are of growing importance to ensure their quality. This contribution describes the measurement of gears of a micro planetary gear set with a tactile probe, a tactile-optical probe, an optical sensor, and computed tomography (CT). For the tactile measurements, a high precision piezoresistive microprobe was used. A so-called fiber probe was applied for tactile-optical measurements. This probe applies image processing to determine the position of the tactile probing element. For all tactile and tactile-optical measurements, single point probing was used. The optical measurements were carried out with an imaging sensor based on focus variation. Due to limited accessibility, on some gears not all regions could be measured by the optical sensor and the tactile-optical probe. In contrast to this, with CT the whole part could be measured with high point density. We used a micro-CT system and carried out measurements with Synchrotron-CT. All the sensors used deliver measurement data in Cartesian coordinates. It is a challenge to transfer these data into coordinates in which gear parameters are defined. For this, special attention must be paid to the determination of the gear axis and to the orientation of the teeth. The applied procedures are detailed for different micro gears. The comparison between data of different measurements was carried out successfully. The deviations between the CT data and the tactile or tactile-optical data lie in the range of only a few micrometers.
To improve the adhesives used for restoring stained glass windows, various adhesives were tested and modified. Stained glass windows often show gaps that are too wide to be glued with conventional adhesives, and complementing the gap with spare glass is very time-consuming.
To solve this problem, a filler with improved adhesive strength was developed to bridge wider gaps and cracks. The new filler combines glass adhesives with specially treated glass powder.
Three different glass adhesives were selected and mixed with the specially treated glass powder. The adhesive – glass powder mixture developed was then subjected to accelerated aging and analysed with Fourier transform infrared analysis, scanning electron microscopy, colourimetry, and bending and tensile tests. The results were excellent and the mixture was subsequently used to restore glass windows from four 19th-century churches and chapels. The restoration process was described in conjunction with the advantages of using this approach.
This new adhesive – glass powder mixture provides an adhesive process that can be adapted to the special needs of any object being restored and thus provides a ready answer to the specific damage of each object.
When engineering a Carbon Capture and Storage site (CCS) local corrosion (pitting) of the injection pipe steel may become an issue when emission gasses from oxyfuel power plants are compressed into deep geological layers. This highly corrosive environment arises when the flue gasses, mainly composed of CO2 , are injected into saline aquifer water. Immediately carbonic acid is formed causing corrosive attack of the injection steels. The influence of heat treatment on the local corrosion resistance was demonstrated in laboratory experiments at 60 °C and ambient pressure for three steels X46Cr13 (1.4034), X20Cr13 (1.4021) and X5CrNiCuNb16-4 (1.4543) under a similar liquid corrosive environment as found at a geological onshore CCS-site in the Northern German Bassin.
The CCS technique involves the compression of emission gasses in deep geological layers. To guarantee the safety of the site, CC>2-corrosion of the injection pipe steels has to be given special attention when engineering CCS-sites. To get to know the corrosion behaviour samples of the heat treated Steel 1.72252CrMo4, used for casing, and the stainless injection-pipe Steel 1.4034 X46Crl3 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in a CC>2-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to possible geological onshore CCS-sites in the northern German Basin. The isothermal corrosion behaviour obtained by mass gain of the steels in the gas phase, the liquid phase and the intermediate phase gives surface corrosion rates around 0.1 to 0.8 mm/year at ambient pressure and much lower about 0.02 to 0.2 mm/year at 100 bar where the CO2 is in its supercritical state. Severe pit corrosion with pit heights around 4.5 mm are only located on the 42CrMo4 Steel. Main phase of the continuous complicated multi-layered carbonate/oxide structure is siderite FeCCh in both types of Steel.
The CCS technique involves the compression of emission gasses in deep geological layers. To guarantee the safety of the site, C02-corrosion of the injection pipe steels has to be given special attention when engineering CCSsites. To get to know the corrosion behaviour samples of the heat treated Steel 1.72252CrMo4, used for casing, and the stainless injection-pipe Steel 1.4034 X46Cr 13 were kept at T=60 °C and ambient pressure as well as p=100 bar for 700 h - 8000 h in a C02-saturated synthetic aquifer environment similar to possible geological on-shore CCS-sites in the northern German Basin. The isothermal corrosion behaviour obtained by mass gain of the steels in the gas phase, the liquid phase and the intermediate phase gives surface corrosion rates around 0.1 to 0.8 mm/year at ambient pressure and much lower about 0.02 to 0.2 mm/year at 100 bar where the C02 is in its supercritical state. Severe pit corrosion with pit heights around 4.5 mm are only located on the 42CrMo4 Steel. Main phase of the continuous complicated multi-layered carbonate/oxide structure is siderite FeCO} in both types of Steel.
Using a new database on Standards in China, we estimate the impact of voluntaiy and mandatory Standards - either harmonized to international norms or purely domestic — on Chinese food exports. The data covers seven Chinese products over the period 1992-2008. We find that Standards have a positive effect on China's export performance, as the benefits to Standardization in terms of reducing potential Information asymmetiy and signaling enhance food safety and quality in foreign markets seem to surpass compliance costs. Our estimation results Show that the positive effect of Chinese Standards is larger when they are harmonized to international measures. The results suggest that there are clear benefits to China’s Steps to base their domestic Standards and regulations on international measures.
In this paper, we explore the relationship between firms' approaches to open innovation and their decision to participate in Standardization alliances. Based on micro data of Dutch Companies surveyed in the Forth Community Innovation Survey we show that the importance of extemal knowledge is positively correlated with participation in Standardization. This suggests that firms aim to access the knowledge of other Companies and stakeholders in Order to increase their own knowledge base. The analysis also shows that firms cooperating with different actors are more likely to join Standardization. Due to the positive relationships with incoming knowledge spillovers and forms of Cooperation, we conclude that Standardization represents a specific form of collaborative knowledge-sharing and knowledge-creating strategy. In addition, we are able to show that absorptive capacity measured via Companies’ research intensity is promoting the involvement in Standardization. Besides the focus on knowledge and Cooperation variables, we explore the traditionally considered factors for alliances Formation and show that firm size, export activities and patent protection are positively correlated with participation in Standardization.
Influence of the main laser welding parameters on process stability and resulting weld quality were investigated. Effects of weld edge preparation on the weld appearance and quality were considered. The obtained welded joints were subjected to radiographic tests for detection of internal imperfections. Metallurgical characterisation of the samples regarding the resulting phase composition and hardness was conducted. Tensile and potentiodynamic tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical and corrosion properties. The results provide an insight into the advantages and limitations of the laser welding process for joining high-manganese alloyed stainless steels. Conditions for the production of defect-free and corrosion-resistant welds having good mechanical properties could be determined.
Today, building is a complicated commercial process characterised by legalised agreements between all participants. For commercial building projects, all materials and constructions have to conform to building standards and regulations. Material properties must be reproducible in standardised test procedures. This also applies for the control of the quality of production of earth building materials and constructions. Building conservation is a part of this process. Generally, national building standards have to reflect the current situation of building materials / construction systems of that country for which they have been developed.
new burner concept for peroxy-fuels is proposed. The performance of the proposed peroxy-fuel burner is predicted with the help of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. It is found that peroxy-fuel burner not only requires considerable less amount of fuel for the same output/power but also at the same time the overall size of the processing unit can be reduced. As peroxy-fuels contain oxygen atoms within the molecule itself a similar to oxy-fuel combustion environment is created without even supplying pure oxygen. CFD simulations also support the above facts and demonstrate the existence of less favorable conditions to form NOx.
Determining scatter ratios at high energies (> ~ 1MeV) presents challenges not immediately obvious from measurements at conventional X-ray energies. This includes reduced attenuation even in heavy elements as well as a stronger forward bias of scattering. In order to check the reliability of different measurement setups with regard to material thicknesses, distances, and collimation, attenuation and scattering were separately simulated using a Monte Carlo model. The simulation results help in understanding the sources of radiation scattered into the detection area, thereby aiding in eliminating undesired contributions.
Biocompatible materials such as titanium are regularly applied in oral surgery. Titanium-based implants for the replacement of missing teeth demand a high mechanical precision in order to minimize micro-bacterial leakage, especially when two-piece concepts are used. Synchrotron-based hard x-ray radiography, unlike conventional laboratory radiography, allows high spatial resolution in combination with high contrast even when micro-sized features in such highly attenuating objects are visualized. Therefore, micro-gap formation at interfaces in two-piece dental implants with the sample under different mechanical loads can be studied. We show the existence of micro-gaps in implants with conical connections and study the mechanical behavior of the mating zone of conical implants during loading. The micro-gap is a potential source of implant failure, i.e., bacterial leakage, which can be a stimulus for an inflammatory process.
This contribution describes a computationally efficient ray tracing algorithm for evaluating transducer generated ultrasonic wave fields in anisotropic materials such as austenitic cladded and austenitic weld components. According to this algorithm, ray paths are traced during its propagation through various layers of the material and at each Interface the problem of reflection and transmission is solved. The presented algorithm evaluates the transducer generated ultrasonic fields accurately by taking in to account the directivity, divergence, density of rays, phase relations as well as transmission coefficients. The ray tracing algorithm is able to calculate the ultrasonic wave fields generated by a point source as well as a finite dimension transducer. The simulation results are compared quantitatively with the results obtained from Elastodynamic Finite Integration Technique (EFIT) on several configurations generally occuring in the ultrasonic non destructive testing of anisotropic materials. The excellent agreement between both models confirms the validity of the presented ray tracing algorithm. Finally, the ray tracing model results are also validated by means of experiments.
Cathodic protection (CP) is a common method for rehabilitation of reinforced concrete structures suffering from Chloride induced corrosion. A sufficient protection of the corroding rebar can be ensured by use of several protection criteria. The use of these assessment criteria, in particular the so called 100 mV-criterion, can lead to erroneous resuits for certain unconventional arrangements of rebar and cp anode.
Therefore a joint research project of the Institute for Building Materials Research, RWTH-Aachen University, Germany, (ibac) and the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing, Berlin, Germany, (BAM) has been set up to determine the applicability of CP under arbitrary geometrical conditions. A special focus was set on the applicability of surface applied anode Systems for protection of the reinforcement of structures opposite to the accessible side (e.g. outer side of tunnel Shell, Bridge deck protected from inside a box girder) In this paper, the impact of the time dependent changes of the Polarisation behaviour of the rebar on the current and potential distribution is shown by means of parametric studies using the FEM method.
Monitoring of corrosion protection in reinforced concrete structures using an integrated pH optode
(2011)
Corrosion in steel-reinforced concrete structures is a critical issue. Corrosion appears if the pH value of the concrete matrix decreases due to deterioration of the Calcium hydroxide layer on the Steel surface. The safest Information about potential danger of Steel corrosion is the knowledge of the pH value of concrete. The paper presents a Tiber optic pH sensor for long-term monitoring of the pH value of reinforced concrete structures at risk from corrosion. The sensor probe is small (about 8 mm in diameter), can be embedded into the concrete matrix and observe changes in pH over years. Several sensor probes can be staggered to detect the progression of pH decrease. The pH values can be resolved with 0.1 to 0.2 pH value in the ränge between 12.0 and 9.5. The structure of the pH measurement System, longterm test results and the design to achieve stable probes will be explained. Experienee from test applications of pH sensors embedded in grouted anchors and in concrete components for a cooling tower will be presented.
Sensitive partial discharge (PD) measurements on HV/EHV cable systems are usually based on electrical or electromagnetic PD detection. Unfortunately, interferences may significantly reduce sensitivity, especially in on-site after-installation testing and, even more, in on-line PD monitoring. This paper deals with optical PD detection, which is absolutely immune to any kind of electromagnetic interference. Optical PD detection necessarily requires transparent or translucent insulation systems to be applicable. Stress cone elements for HV/EHV cable accessories meet the requirements for optical PD detection, if made from transparent silicone elastomers.
Fiber optic strain sensors are increasingly used and sensor Systems are provided with specifications. Even if the performance is well specified, the strain characteristics of the sensor, strain transfer factor, mechanical stability under thermal influences, the performance of applied strain sensors can seriously differ from virgin sensor’s the performance. Therefore the contribution considers validation issues to come to reliable strain measurements and how to validate strain measurements of applied sensors. A new validation facility will be presented.
Technical textiles with embedded distributed fiber optic sensors have been developed for the purposes of structural health monitoring in geotechnical and civil engineering. The distributed fiber optic sensors are based on Brillouin Scattering in silica optical fibers and OTDR in polymer optical fibers. Such “smart” technical textiles can be used for reinforcement of geotechnical and masonry structures and the embedded fiber optic sensors can provide information about the condition of the structures and detect the presence of any damages and destructions in real time.
Thus, structural health monitoring of critical geotechnical and civil infrastructures can be realized. The paper highlights the results achieved in this innovative field in the framework of several German and European projects.
The paper presents numerical methods to detect and classify defects and inhomogeneities by means of active thermography. The objective is to determine the wall thickness of structure elements with an inaccessible back wall, for example, of pipes or Containers. As test specimens we used approximately 2 cm thick PVC samples with spatial variations in the back wall geometry. Flash lamps provided the heating. To know the thickness of the wall, we used two inversion methods and compared the results achieved. One is an iterative echo defect shape method and already tested on Steel test specimens with good reconstruction results. The second one is the Levenberg-Marquardt method, applied here to thermographic data for non-destructive testing. Since data capturing using active thermography and the presented numerical methods can easily be automated, the combination of these two procedures is a promising approach providing a broad area of application.
Reinforced concrete piles are used in case of structures that are constructed on soft ground to transfer the loads into deeper strata with sufficient bearing capacity. In order to determine the pile’s behavior and possible damage, static and dynamic pile tests are carried out. Dynamic measurements taken from the pile head can show the bearing behavior and structural integrity by using the theory of wave propagation. In order to receive more precise information about the pile features, now, a string of sensors is embedded at different levels of the pile. A fiber optic strain wave sensor, based on the extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometer (EFPI), has already been developed and tested in full-scale field tests by Schallert (2010). It was possible to detect the introduced deformation caused by the static load and the dilatational wave during dynamic loading. Although the full-scale tests were successful, the engineering design of the sensor body left room - from the economical point of view - to be optimized. After laboratory tests with the optimized sensor, a cast-in-situ bored pile has been built at the BAM Test Site Technical Safety in Horstwalde, South of Berlin. Additionally to the EFPI sensors, fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors, temperature sensors and resistance strain gauge (RSG) sensors are embedded in order to compare the signals with each other. In this paper, the modified sensor and the Setup of the cast-in-situ bored pile along with results of dynamic tests are shown.
Structural health monitoring of wind turbine blades by strain measurement and vibration analysis
(2011)
Wind turbine blades have to withstand a high number of load cycles in mostly hard weather conditions over 20 years. In a research project BAM and several partners have designed, evaluated and tested a condition monitoring system for all parts of a wind turbine. At a rotorblade with a length of 58 m fibre bragg grating sensors were applied for in-service strain measurement. Additionally a complex test rig was designed to enable real biaxial loading conditions at a representative test rotor blade to simulate the mechanical loading conditions in the lab. In this test blade with a length of 8 m also fibre bragg grating sensors were implemented to determine their influences for the structure and the condition monitoring system. Vibration measurements were carried out at different test phases. The results were compared with finite element strain and modal analysis.
Integration of magnetic functional components in LTCC Circuit boards calls for co-firing of dielectric and ferrite tapes. Ni-Cu-Zn ferrites with permeability of p=900 were developed which can be fully densified at the Standard LTCC sintering temperature of 900 °C. Successful co-firing of this ferrite with dielectric tapes requires the adaptation of the shrinkage behavior of the materials as well as the thermal expansion during the cooling period - especially in the temperature range below the transformation point of the glassy phase of the dielectric tape. To match these preconditions, a new dielectric LTCC material with steep sintering curve and high thermal expansion coefficient was designed. Sintered multilayer composed of Ni-Cu-Zn ferrite and tailored dielectric tapes are free of cracks and possess no open porosity. No significant interdiffusion between the ferrite and dielectric tapes was found by EDX measurements. Compared to pure ferrite laminates the permeability of co-sintered Ni-Cu-Zn ferrite layers is drastically reduced to 400, i.e. a decrease of more than 50 %.
To investigate the origin of this permeability reduction, Ni-Cu-Zn ferrite laminates were sintered separately, and in combination with alumina release tapes or dielectric tapes, respectively. SEM and EDX analysis of co-fired laminates reveal differences in the ferrite grain growth behavior. Ferrite laminates with homogeneous microstructure and grain size up to 50 pm exhibit large permeability. However, growth of ferrite grains does not take place near the interface between ferrite and release or dielectric tapes. There is a strong correlation between high permeability and volume fraction of large ferrite grains. Regions of fine and coarse grains inside the ferrite layers show different bismuth concentration; the Bi-content is larger in regions of fine ferrite grains.
Fatigue testing in the VHCF ränge requires testing machines with increased frequencies. However, application of energy-saving resonance testing leads to a linkage between test frequency and specimen Parameters. The frequency ränge and the available forces of the testing machine are limiting possible specimen dimensions.
Electrodynamic shakers combine test frequencies up to 4000 Hz with forces in the kN range. Thus, a relatively wide range of tests is possible which allows studying the influence of specimen size on VHCF behaviour.
Electrodynamic shakers as well as the respective Computer control Systems and Vibration measurement techniques are well established in scientific and technical applications. We present results of a first study of VHCF testing on electrodynamic shakers conducted at BAM. Test frequency, specimen size and stress levels have been varied. One goal is to balance the needs of materials testing with the Standard test Systems of environmental Simulation to provide a powerful and flexible tool for very high cycle fatigue testing. Further investigation to optimize the technique is required.
In the approval procedure of transport packages for radioactive materials, the mechanical and thermal safety assessment is carried out in Germany by competent authority BAM. In recent years BAM was involved in several licensing procedures of new spent fuel and HLW package designs, where the cask body was made of Ductile Cast Iron (DCI). According to IAEA regulations package designs have to fulfill requirements for specific conditions of transport. Type B(U) packages must withstand the defined accident conditions of transport. The temperature range from -40°C up to the operational temperature has to be considered. For the cask material DCI, it is necessary to determine the brittle fracture behavior. The German guideline BAM-GGR 007 defines requirements for the fracture mechanics of DCI. Due to complex structure of the cask body and the dynamic loading a fracture mechanical assessment in an analytical kind is not always possible. Experience of recent design approval procedures show that the application of numerical calculations are applicable to determine the fracture mechanical load in the cask body. At the first step a numerical analysis has to be done to identify the loading state at the whole cask body. Secondly an analysis of a detail of the cask body is made considering the displacement boundary conditions of the global model. An artificial flaw is considered in this detailed model to calculate the fracture mechanical loading state. The finite element mesh was strongly refined in the area of flaw. The size of the artificial flaw is characterized by the ultrasonic inspection used for the quality assurance of the package. The applicant developed additional analysis tools for calculation of stress intensity factor and/or J-Integral. The assessment approach by BAM led to the decision to develop own tools to the possibility for independent check of the results.
The paper describes the authority assessment approach for the DCI fracture mechanics analysis. The validation procedure incl. the development of own tools is explained. BAM developed a post-processor called JINFEM to determine the fracture mechanical loads. The regulatory 1 m puncture bar drop test is used to give an example of the assessment procedure.
Further miniaturization of electronic packaging calls for integration of magnetic functional components into LTCC modules. For integration of magnetic function into LTCC, low fired MnZn- and NiCuZn-ferrites which can be fully densified at the standard LTCC sintering temperature of 900°C were developed. To co-fire these ferrite tapes with dielectric tapes the sintering shrinkage and the coefficient of thermal expansion of ferrite and dielectric tapes must be matched. For each ferrite material a new LTCC dielectric material was designed. The embedded ferrite tapes into new LTCC dielectric tapes can be sufficiently densified during co-firing at 900°C without any cracking. Compared to separately sintered ferrites the permeability of embedded ferrite tapes is reduced. For embedded NiCuZn ferrites permeabilities between 230 and 570 (at 2 MHz) according to the thickness of the embedded ferrite layer were measured. For embedded MnZn ferrites a permeability of 300 was measured.
Manufacturing of CIGSe thin film solar modules involves typically one laser structuring step (P1) and two mechanical structuring steps (P2 and P3) for serial interconnection. In our approach, complete laser structuring is successfully demonstrated by application of short nanosecond laser pulses (<10 ns) with a single, visible wavelength of 532 nm. The P1 and the P3 trenches are scribed by induced and direct ablation, respectively. For the P2 scribe, the thermal input of the ns laser pulses is used to transform the CIGSe absorber layer locally into a highly conductive compound to provide proper electrical interconnection. These findings promise further simplification and flexibility to thin film solar cell production.
Structuring of thin-film photovoltaic modules requires basic knowledge of the laser – thin-film interaction in order to adapt the accessible laser parameters, like wavelength, power, repetition rate and scribing speed whilst taking into account the specific material properties of the layer. We have studied the nanosecond laserablation behavior of corresponding layers (i) of silicon based thin-film solar cells with a-Si/µc-Si tandem absorber type and (ii) of back contact and absorber layer of CIGSe solar cells. The respective ablation threshold fluences were determined as integrative parameters describing the specific laser – material interaction. For the threshold determination we used two different methods and developed a new analytical approach taking into account scribing through the glass substrate as it is preferred for most structuring processes. This was done by analyzing the thin film ablation results by means of optical microscopy, profilometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Moreover, we determined the incubation coefficient of the regarded material layers which allows us to predict quantitatively the influence of the spot overlap on the scribing threshold.
Towards an industrial laser doping process for the selective emitter using phosphoric acid as dopant
(2011)
Different laser supported approaches have already been realized, proving the great potential of laserdoped selective emitters (LDSE). However, it is challenging to establish a low-cost process by using pulsed laser tools. So far a single-step process only leads to satisfying results utilizing cw-lasers. In this paper we have examined a two-step process to produce laser-doped selective emitters on multicrystalline textured standard silicon photovoltaic wafers (90-Ω/sq-Emitter, SiN-antireflection coating (ARC)). The precise ARC removal by near-infrared fs-laser pulses (30 fs, 800 nm), and the doping of uncoated silicon wafers by ns-laser pulses (8 ns, 532 nm) were systematically investigated. In the fs-experiment, optimum conditions for ARC removal were identified. In the nsexperiments under suitable conditions (melting regime), the phosphorous concentration underneath the wafer surface was significantly increased and the sheet resistance was reduced by nearly a factor of two. Moreover, electrical measurements on fired metallization fingers deposited on the laser processed wafers showed low contact resistances. Hence, wafer conditioning with combined fs-laser- and ns-laser-processes are expected to be a promising technology for producing selective emitters.
The selective emitter is a well-known technology for producing highly doped areas under the metallization grid to improve the solar cell performance. In this work, the influence of laser irradiation on phosphoric acid coated multicrystalline silicon PV-wafers on the wafer surface structure, the phosphorous depth distribution and the electrical contact resistance within the laser treated area as well as the electrical series resistance of laserprocessed solar cells was evaluated. Different laser processing settings were tested including pulsed and continuous wave (cw) laser sources (515 nm, 532 nm, 1064 nm wavelength). Complementary numerical simulations using the finite element method (FEM) were conducted to explain the impact of the laser parameters on the melting behavior (melt duration and geometry). It was found that the melt duration is a key parameter for a successful laser Doping process. Our simulations at a laser wavelengths of 515 nm reveal that low-repetition rate (<500 kHz) laser pulses of 300 ns duration generate a melt duration of ~0.35 µs, whereas upon scanning cw-laser radiation at 532 nm prolongates the melt duration by at least one order of magnitude. Experimentally, the widely used ns-laser pulses did not lead to satisfying laser irradiation results. In contrast, cw-laser radiation and scan velocities of less than 2 m/s led to suitable laser doping featuring low electrical resistances in the laser treated areas.
Use of higher-alloyed metallic materials and duplex steels for transport tanks of dangerous goods
(2011)
Compatibility evaluations of selected metallic materials under the influence of dangerous goods are published in the BAM-List - Requirements for Tanks for the Transport of Dangerous Goods” as basis for substance-related prototype approvals for tank Containers designed for the carriage of dangerous goods.
There is a request of the tank manufacturing industry and transportation Companies to incorporate additional materials into the BAM-List, especially corrosion-resistant materials because of the large number of corrosive dangerous goods. One solution to solve corrosion Problems is to line the tank with a polymer, an alternative solution is the application of high-alloyed stainless steels and nickel-based alloys as there are 1.4529 (XINiCrMoCu 25-20-7, alloy 926), 1.4562 (X1NiCrMoCu32-28-7, alloy 31) and 2.4605 (NiCr23Mo16AI, alloy 59).
There is an interest to use cost-efficient steels with high strength values and concomitant adequate corrosion resistance such as duplex steel 1.4362 (X2CrNiN23-4).
This steel grade was originally developed as a substitute for the austenitic grades 1.4404 (X2CrNiMo17-12-2) and 1.4571 (X6CrNiMoTi17-12-2). Due to the lower content of the alloy elements nickel and molybdenum this duplex steel is a cost-efficient alternative to molybdenum containing austenite.
Due to the limited number of corrosion test results with welded test samples of these high-alloyed materials and the duplex steel under the influence of corrosive dangerous goods a comprehensive test Programme was performed with these materials in Cooperation with ThyssenKrupp VDM and Deutsche Edelstahlwerke GmbH. It can be concluded from the test results that the superaustenitic steels 1.4529 and 1.4562 as well as the nickel-based alloy 2.4605 are a really good alternative as tank materials for the transport of dangerous goods in comparison to the lining of the tanks. The nickel-based alloy 2.4605 shows the best resistance and is suitable as material for tanks transporting all tested corrosive substances. One exception is the temperature limit during the transport of hydrochloric acid.
The superaustenit 1.4562 is a resistant material with a wide ränge of application. Exceptions for use are: ammonium bifluoride, brine, 34 % calcium Chloride solution, hydrochloric acid, perchloric acid, 90 % 2-chloropropionic acid, nitrating acid with nitric acid content > 50 % and molten monochloroacetic acid. The alloy is limited suitable for allyl Chloride, aluminum Chloride, copper (II) -Chloride and ferric Chloride. The superaustenit 1.4529 showed the lowest resistance compared to the other two materials. This steel is not resistant in hydrochloric acid, perchloric acid, sodium Chlorite and sodium hypochlorite. The application is limited in the concentration ränge of aqueous Solutions of aluminum Chloride, copper (II) Chloride and ferric Chloride. Due to the reduced alloying content of the duplex steel 1.4362 (X2CrNiN23-4) compared to the austenitic CrNiMo-steels, a lower resistance especially in acidic media like formic, acetic or sulfuric acid was observed. Within the more than 7.000 substances contained in the BAM-List there is a large amount of dangerous goods such as hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, ethers, esters, and inorganic alkaline substances which have a large transport volume and do not corrode the duplex steel 1.4362 (X2CrNiN23-4).
The test results are included in the actual 11th edition of the BAM-List and therefore available for the costumer.
Rubbers are often used for seal applications due to their special material properties and easy use. In many applications the material is exposed to low temperatures during Operation. Therefore it is important to know the material behavior at low temperatures to determine the temperature ränge that allows a Safe Operation of the seal, e.g. in storage and transport Containers for radioactive materials.
The seal function of an elastomer is limited in temperature by the rubber-glass transition during which the material properties change from rubber-like to stiff and glass-like. For a given application this correlation is not trivial and therefore needs an in-depth investigation under consideration of the physical properties and the
application conditions.
In this work different analytical methods are used to characterize the material behavior at low temperature in the ränge of the glass-rubber-transition and are compared with the quality of Operation of a component which is here defined by the detected leakage rate.
We present the status of our work on a tube shaped 3D deformation sensor based on continuously distributed fiber optic sensing. A sensor tube of very large diameter is used to ensure high sensitivity while the transportability and applicability are still comfortable due to our application strategy. The setup is designed to use different measurement techniques in the applied optical fibers including Brillouin based measurements and interferometric optical frequency domain measurements using an OBR 4400 from Luna Technologies.
Structural performances of earthen building materials. A comparison between different typologies
(2011)
Traditional construction techniques utilizing earthen materials are often seen as inferior compared to modern ways of building. Structural earthen elements are perceived as vulnerable towards environmental influences (moisture, frost) and in particular towards the load scenarios during earthquakes. In comparison to the recent advances in research on stone and brick masonry, knowledge on the structural performance of earthen building construction is limited and scattered. Consequently the confidence in the performance of these earthen buildings constructed in the traditional techniques during earthquakes is fairly low. The research presented here aims to make a comparison of mechanical behavior between different earth masonry material typologies, consisting of earth block masonry, rammed earth and cob. The paper has been developed in the framework of a larger research program called NIKER. BAM and other seventeen research partners from the Mediterrean area are jointly involved to develop and validate innovative materials and technologies for the systemic improvement of the seismic behavior of Cultural Heritage assets
Experimental investigation of the laser-plume interaction during high power fiber laser welding
(2011)
The effect of the well-known plasma absorption and refraction in CO2-laser metal welding plumes is in case of high power solid state laser welding negligibly small. By contrast, the diffraction effects of shorter wavelength laser radiation are considerable. According
to the results of preliminary studies, the fine condensed metal particles in the welding plume can lead to essential worsening of the laser beam quality.
This work is devoted to the investigation of the lasermatter interaction during up to 20 kW ytterbium fiber laser welding of thick mild steel plates. The plume attenuation of a probe 1.3 µm wavelength diode laser beam as well as of continuous radiation in 250-600 nm
wavelength range was measured during welding with and without Ar shielding gas supply. The measured results allow it to calculate average size and concentration of fine condensed metal particles in
different plume areas using the multi-wavelength method and the Mie scattering theory. The plume temperature, which determines the condensation conditions, was measured by means of Fe I atom
spectral line emission registration.
The obtained results can be also of interest for remote metal treatment with high-power fiber or disc lasers.
In connection with the use of chemically unstable gases (especially acetylene and ethylene oxide) accidents keep on happening - amongst them also quite serious ones. These gases are known to be chemically unstable. A chemically unstable sas is a flammable gas that is able to react exolosivelv even in the absence of air or oxveen. The investigation of accidents showed that the Chemical instability of flammable gases played an important role in the severity of accidents. Therefore, this hazardous property was included in the global harmonizatiön of the Classification of Chemicals. The Classification of chemically unstable flammable gases and mixtures is an amendment to Chapter 2.2 “Flammable gases” of the UN Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS), because most chemically unstable gases are flammable as well. The proposal to add them to the GHS originated from the experts of an informal working group of the UN Sub-Committee of Expert on the GHS (UNSCEGHS) headed by BAM, Germany. The UNSCEGHS has decided to include it in the Fourth Revised Edition of the GHS. The respective method for determining whether a gas is chemically unstable or not, is included in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria. This paper presents some experimental investigations of these gases, the test methods, examples of new classifications and results from CHEMSAFE
Cementitious materials, in particular concrete, are durable materials if prepared appropriately and the Service life of concrete structures is now often required to last 120 years or more. Concrete durability depends strongly on intrinsic (e.g. composition, porosity) and exterior factors (e.g. moisture condition and composition, frost cycles, load pattem). Deleterious actions leading to concrete degradation are often created by the environment. Extemal sulfate attack is one of the more spectacular damage scenarios for concrete structures caused by the ingress of sulfate ions into the pore System of the material and successive formation of expanding phases. Though in recent years well studied there are still many questions remaining conceming the mechanisms of sulfate attack. In particular over the last ten years, with the increased utilization of blended cements, new questions arose concerning the sulfate resistance of those binder Systems. In the presented study therefore a method was developed to analyze the changes of the phase composition within the micro structure due to sulfate attack. The analytical method was based on pX-Ray diffraction (pXRD) using Synchrotron radiation in Debye-Scherrer (transmission) geometry. The spatial resolution of the method is ca. 10 pm and allows the characterization of phase transformations in the wake of damaging processes in more detail compared to other techniques. Furthermore, the experimental setup provides the possibility for analyzing the phase assemblage of a given sample without destroying the micro structure. This is possible because the specimens for phase analysis consists of thick sections, which can be used for further microscopic analysis of the micro structure and micro chemistry (e.g. by SEM-EDX). Samples containing supplementary cementitious materials were measured in comparison and to reconstruct the influence of the degradation process in detail. Additionally, reaction ffonts within the samples were localized by micro x-ray fluorescence analysis (MXRF).
A three-dimensional laminar steady
state numerical model was used to investigate
the influence of an alternating current (ac)
magnetic field during high power laser beam
keyhole welding of 20 mm thick nonferromagnetic
aluminum. COMSOL
Multiphysics was used to calculate the threedimensional
heat transfer, fluid dynamics and
electromagnetic field equations. Most
important physical effects of the process were
taken into account: Thermo-capillary
(Marangoni) convection at the upper and lower
weld pool boundaries, natural convection due
to gravity and latent heat of solid-liquid phase
transition. It is shown that the gravity drop-out
associated with welding of thick plates due to
the hydrostatic pressure can be prevented by
the application of an ac magnetic field. The
application of an oscillating magnetic field of
70 mT was investigated to allow for singlepass
laser beam welding of thick aluminum
plates. The flow pattern in the molten zone and
the temperature distributions are significantly
changed.
The inelastic torsional response of an asymmetric-plan hospital building is studied. The response of the structure in the time domain as recorded by highly sensitive sensor network, integrated by a data acquisition system. The identification was performed using techniques of modal extraction in the frequency domain (frequency Domain decomposition). A calibration process was applied in order to identify a reliable structural model to be used for the seismic vulnerability assessment of the hospital building. In particular, a nonlinear static procedure accounting for mass distribution, higher modes contribution and mode-shapes correlation was proposed for the estimation of the seismic response of irregular buildings. Finally, the influence of lateral force distribution, node control during pushover and accidental eccentricity is investigated.
The paper addresses two case studies of structural monitoring and seismic assessment of medieval masonry Towers in Italy: the bell tower of Aversa and the bell tower of Capua. These monuments in the Campania region were monitored by means of full-scale environmental vibration testing. Measured responses were then used for modal identification. The procedure is based on a typical finite element model updating technique based on vibration test results. Parameters optimization is carried out by minimizing a weighted error criterion relative to the building’s modal properties. A satisfactory improvement on modal parameters is thus obtained, resulting in a close Agreement between the modal properties observed in dynamic tests and those calculated from numerical model. Seismic assessment is carried out with nonlinear static analysis of the tower under multimodal distributions of lateral loads.
Nonlinear analysis indicates the potential collapse mechanisms and evidences dangerous structural weakness which may play a role in the seismic vulnerability of the towers.
Whenever the preservation of original substance obtains priority in a restoration task, reprofiling techniques using repair mortars are a welcome solution. For ordinary concrete repair aesthetic aspects are of minor importance whereas for the restoration of natural stone elements they come to the fore. Especially for listed buildings and monuments, historico-cultural and aesthetical interests become the ruling Parameters for planning and execution of restoration tasks. Nevertheless the technical and constructive requirements have to be considered and deterioration processes have to be understood to ensure sustainability and durability of the repair task. Due o differences in the Chemical and mineralogical composition, natural stone provides a vast variety of texture and colour. Also the range of different mechanical and durability related properties is far wider than found with concrete for example. A research project dealing with the development of a modular repair mortar System for natural stone is currently set up at the BAM. To provide the conservator with the best possible options to match colour, texture and technical requirements, the System will be setup on a modular basis. Several different binder Systems on basis of cement, lime and sodium Silicate as well as polymer based Systems are planned, which can be combined with different aggregate compositions and different pigments. To evaluate the mortar performance, test procedures will be defined for tests on mortar samples and on composite specimens. In the paper the experimental Programme will be explained and first results will be presented and discussed.
The paper has been developed in the framework of a larger EC‐research program called NIKER, in which BAM and other seventeen research partners from the Mediterrean area are jointly involved. It aims to develop and validate innovative materials and technologies for the systemic improvement of the seismic behavior of Cultural Heritage assets. The death tolls brought about by recent catastrophes in
developing countries where many inhabitants lived in earthen dwellings (Gujarat, India 2001, Bam, Iran 2003 and Concepción, Chile 2010 Earthquakes, Tamil Nadu 2004 Tsunami) have brought about research studies aimed at improving earth construction in terms of strength, seismic resistance and speed of construction.
In comparison to the recent advances in research on stone and brick masonry, knowledge on the material properties and failure mechanisms of earthen Building construction is limited and scattered.
The research presented here by aims making a comparison of mechanical behaviour between different earth masonry material typologies, consisting of earth block masonry, rammed earth and cob.
It has been shown in fire tests that polypropylene fibres reduce or avoid explosive spalling of high performance concrete. In the critical temperature ränge up to 300 °C the permeability of HPC increases by using polypropylene fibre. Due to this the water vapour, which is the main reason for explosive spalling, can escape. There exist different theories in the literature conceming the micro structural mechanisms, which cause an increase in the permeability. Within the framework of an internal research project at BAM an innovative methodology was developed for experimental verifying of existing theories and to get new insights into this problem The methodology used is unique and has been undertaken here for the first time. This consists of the combination of acoustic emission and ultrasonic measurement during temperature loading and the non-destructive micro structural analysis of cooled down samples with the aid of micro X-ray computed tomography. For the validation of the nondestructive test methods scanning electron microscopic images of prepared samples were undertaken. The results show that due to the thermal decomposition of the polypropylene fibres micro canals emerge. These are connected due to a simultaneous micro cack formation.
We studied Brillouin gain spectrum characteristics in dispersion-shifted fibers having compound GeO2-doping compositions in the fiber core to realize simultaneous measurement of distributed strain and temperature. Due to various dopant concentration alongside the radius of tested nonzero dispersion-shifted fibers several multiple Brillouin scattering resonances were observed in the stimulated Brillouin spectra arose through backscattering on higher acoustic modes which propagated along the fiber axis. As a result of the varying acoustic velocities, the Brillouin resonance peaks featured different temperature coefficients which can be used to accomplish the simultaneous measurement of fiber strain and temperature. We presented our first measurement results for NZDS Fujikura and LEAF Corning fiber and discussed the superior sensory suitability of the former fiber types.
Monitoring of fire damage processes in concrete by pore pressure and acoustic emission measurements
(2011)
This paper presents the combined use of acoustic emission (AE), gas pore pressure and temperature measurements (PT). The simultaneous application of both techniques represents a new methodology in the context of fire spalling and contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms of fire spalling, particular with regard to the interaction of micro cracking and pore pressure evolution. The study presents fire tests on normal strength concrete specimens with and without reinforcement at ISO Standard fire and at hydrocarbon (HC) fire. Supported by AE-analysis, it can be shown that due to the higher heating rate of the HC-fire in comparison to the ISO Standard fire the damage processes inside the concrete during the exposure are increased combined with augmenting the concrete permeability. As a consequence lower pore pressures were measured. However, despite the lower pore pressures, explosive spalling was observed.
Mechanisms of degradation of concrete by external sufate ions under laboratory and field conditions
(2011)
The durability of concrete is a major challenge for the construction, which devotes one third to one half of its annual investment to building maintenance. The lack of fieid data regarding concrete durability, especially in the case of exposure to Sulfate ions (“sulfate attack”) makes it dijficult to determine the appropriate fest methods andperformance criteria. Additionally, the increased use of sustainable blends (cement with mineral admixtures, typically slag from the iron industiy) suffers from a lack of experience regarding their long-term performance. Most results for sulfate resistance are derived from accelerated laboratoiy tests xvhere performance criteria are based only on macroscopic properties, especially expansion. To fill this gap and better widerstand the mechanisms of sulfate attack under real conditions, a parallel study of laboratoiy micro-concrete and fieid concrete samples under sulfate exposure was undertaken, focussing on microstructural changes in addition to the conventional macroscopic characterisation.
Four exposure regimes were designed in the laboratoiy: full immersion (ponding), pH-control, semi-immersion and wet/diy cycles. Pure Portland blends and slag blends witli high level of slag replacement (70 wt.-%) were investigated.
The exposure regime has been found to play a major role in the damage process. In ponding conditions, the damage process takes place in three stages characterised by a first period of induction, followed by surface damage thatfinally extends to the bulle of the material. Paradoxically, the w/c-ratio does not seem to have much impact on the ionic transport phenomena but might be more decisive in the microstructure mechanical strength against local stresses. The slag blends, considered as sulfate resistant in ponding exposure, revealed badperformances under wet/diy cycles. This beliaviour was attributed to poor proper physical resistance of the slag hydrates against diying.
The fieid concretes selected for the comparison with the laboratoiy cases were partially buried in a sulfate-enriched soil in Argentina. A pure Portland blend and a slag blends with high level of slag replacement (80 wt.-%) were investigated. The submerged part of the samples could be compared to the laboratoiy ponding exposure, wliile the upper layer of the samples subjected to weathering could be compared to the laboratoiy wet/diy cycles exposure. The fieid obsen’ations tend to confirm the laboratoiy results and validate the fest settings.
It has been underlined that a direct relationship between damage (e.g.; cracking/expansion) andphase assemblage was not evident. However, the study highlights that sulfate combination with the hydrates of the cement (e.g.; C-S-H) and with those of the slag would play a rote in the initiation of the expansion, which would be attributed to a swelling of the hydrates or to the precipitation offine ettringite after the Saturation level in sulfate of the hydrates has been reached.
Rising Prices of nickel and molybdenum in the past few years have led to unprecedented interest in Substitution of leaner-content alloys for Standard 300-series austenitic stainless steels in a lot of applications. Due to the high prices of different alloying elements and to periodic large fluctuations that cause similar large fluctuations in the costs of using 300-series stainless steels; a lot of new materials entered the markets in Europe and also in the rest of the world. A big disadvantage consists in the fact that there are though corrosion results that, however, a direct comparison of the corrosion resistance of these new materials does not exist up to now or only incompletely. In this project comparative investigations were carried out and always one or several representatives of a material group were incorporated. These material groups are: Lean Duplex Stainless Steels, Manganese Alloyed Austenitic and Duplex Stainless Steels and Ferritic Stainless Steels. These materials were investigated in a lot of different test procedures and in different conditions focused on the application in civil engineering and common use. Beside the electrochemical investigations all materials were exposed in different surface States in the atmosphere, once in Coastal nearness and once in a city centre area. Other exposition tests with material Coupons where done in the atmosphere of indoor swimming pools and at the case of food processing machines were corrosion processes are caused by the cleaning procedure. First results are reported.
Sustainable evaluation - concept to assess the applicability of secondary aggregates in concrete
(2011)
Nowadays there are several applications of mineral recycling materials and residues. At present an assessment method for the use of secondary raw materials, which considers sustainability aspects, does not exist. In the framework of the German DAfStb/BMBF research project “Sustainable Building with Concrete” an assessment concept was developed. It includes the following four assessment steps: I. Basic considerations, II. Advantages for sustainable construction, III. Alternative paths for application, and IV. Sensitivity analysis. The concept was developed on the basis of recycled concrete aggregates, which are already used according to German standards.
Afterwards, it was applied and verified by the evaluation of the utilisation of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ashes (referred to MSWI bottom ashes).
Concrete technology was exposed to a rapid development during the last three decades. For the longest time in its history, concrete was considered as a three component System consisting of aggregates, which are bound by the hardened cement paste consisting of hydrated cement. Traditionally, the only way of adjusting the consistency of concrete was using well adjusted aggregates and grading curves and adding excess water to the concrete, accepting that the latter in return reduces strength and durability. During the last three decades, however, concrete has developed further from a three component System towards an (at least) five component system, since the use of mineral additions and Chemical admixtures has become state of the art. Both components are able to enhance the workability, the compactability, and the density of the microstructure with effects on strength, ductility and durability, while cement can be saved in parallel. Due to reasonable use of admixtures and additions, concrete can be designed to match mechanically high performance specifications. Traditionally, cement paste was considered the weakest component in concrete. Flowever, in modern concrete a good paste composition can yield highest performance, passing the role of the mechanical bottleneck towards the aggregates.
Many African countries face serious problems associated with the rapid growth of urban Population and the resulting demand for affordable building materials. In search for appropriate Solutions to improve the Situation, the “LightSHIP” project was initiated, whose aims were to identify the required product specifications, to evaluate possible approaches and ultimately to develop new Building materials for East Africa. It was concluded that these materials should be produced in Africa mainiy from local raw materials; prefabricated, easily transportable construction elements are to be preferred. It is therefore reasonable to focus on artificial stones and partition boards. To be Independent of imported cement, it is suggested to make use of volcanic rocks, which are abundant in East African countries, for lime-pozzoian binders and geopolymers in the production of these construction elements. Future research activities should thus concentrate on assessment of the applicability of available volcanic rocks, the influence of their properties on the resulting binders and the design of appropriate binder-reinforcement-filler Systems.
The SPIN project
(2011)
Globally, cement and concrete experts are at the cutting-edge to sustainable, green, healthy but nonetheless high-performance concrete. In the present age, concrete is not yet well established in Africa, which öfters the unique opportunity to build up a cement and concrete market based on the highest available state of technology. As this industry needs high level expertise, a central issue in implementation of skilled technology is cross-linking research institutions and laboratories. It should not be neglected that concrete is a product with comparably low transport ranges, which means that an improved concrete market will mainly support the local economy without exceeding financial drains to the international market, thus fostering the fight against poverty, which is an urgent need in most African countries.
The SPIN project highlights recent developments in the field of cement and concrete research with impact on the local and global economy. Challenges, future developments and opportunities for the African construction industry are in the focus.
The SPIN project is funded by the European Commission (EC) and supported by the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States under the project body of the ACP Science and Technology Programme. SPIN is acronym for “Spearhead network for Innovative, Clean and Safe Cement and Concrete Technologies”. The project aims to cross-link experts with industry and policy making bodies, aiming to establish sustainable cement and concrete construction in Africa.
Combustion of peroxy-fuels
(2011)
The diffusion flames of organic peroxides exhibit quite different characteristics than hydrocarbons. What makes them interesting to study is their fast burning behaviour. As a result the flame temperature enhances and so does the thermal radiation. Due to all these they demand safe handling during processing. However, they can be utilised at several places in different industries where a fuel with fast burning, high temperature and intense radiation are desired. Some of the possibilities to use them as a main or supporting fuel in a wide range of industrial utilities are the major content of this paper.
The use of energetic materials as a main fuel in high temperature process
industries are not known to the scientific community as such. This paper
highlights some of the features and advantages of using organic peroxides
especially di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP) in high temperature process industries.
The feasibility of using DTBP as a main or supporting fuel in process industries
have also been justified with the help of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
simulations. For peroxides requirement of less fuel and air for the same amount
of heat flux has been shown. The resulted emission from the combustion of
DTBP is also discussed.
OEMs perceive diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings as part of a strategy for low frictional tribosystems. Especially the automotive industry anticipates a benefit in applying such coatings in association with the lightweight construction of mechanical parts, for instance in gears and engines. In previous investigations it was shown, that DLC, amorphous carbon (a-C) and tetragonal amorphous carbon (ta-C) coatings can be slip-rolling resistant at least up to ten million load cycles at Hertzian contact pressures P0max of 2.9 GPa lubricated by engine oil at 120°C, Further improvements in load carrying capacity up to P0mean of 2.62 GPa (FN= 5,000 N) were achieved with alternative, available Steel metallurgies as Substrates for thin film coatings. Additional factors, such as influences of the lubrication on the surface chemistry (additives and base oils), wear and friction behavior were investigated.
COMSOL Multiphysics® was used as a tool for the better understanding of the evolution of flow patterns during the induced ignition of gases. A simplified model was developed for the scope, by coupling the weakly compressible Navier Stokes module and the convection and conduction module. The current paper presents the results of the performed simulations.
Infrastructure is subject to continuous ageing. This has given life cycle management of infrastructure an increasing role. Reliable inspection and monitoring tools are therefore an increasing demand. A combination of different non-destructive test methods is often necessary to receive reliable results for material characterization,
flaw detection and the determination of component specific geometry parameters.
Regarding concrete structures thickness measurements are combined with flaw detection and additional information about reinforcement and tendon ducts is required.
Therefore, a multi-sensor measurement approach is necessary with a high degree of automation. Otherwise a time consuming succession of manual measurements has to be performed which would prevent practical applications. A modular control and data acquisition approach is described and the application of two different automated measurement devices is shown. The BetoScan system consists of a self-navigating
mobile robot. The system is especially designed for the investigation of reinforced concrete floors exposed to de-icing salts. The data acquisition of the OSSCAR system a multi-sensor scanner is similar to the robot approach. These different applications are based on a similar kernel allowing the modular use of different contact and noncontact sensors. The described general concept of multi-sensor data acquisition and data analysis presented here is not limited to the field of civil engineering applications.
For the last decades vibration based damage detection of engineering structures has become an important issue for maintenance operations on transport infrastructure. Research in vibration based structural damage detection has been rapidly expanding from classic modal parameter estimation to modern operational monitoring. Methodologies from control Engineering especially of aerospace applications have been adopted and converted for the application on civil structures. Here the difficulty is to regard to the specific environmental and operational influence to the structure under observation. A null space based damage detection algorithm is tested for its sensitivity to structural damage of a prestressed concrete road bridge. Specific techniques and extensions of the algorithm are used to overcome difficulties from the size of the structure which is associated with the number of recorded sensor channels as well as from the operational disturbances by a nearby construction site. It can be shown that for concrete bridges the proposed damage detection methodology is able to clearly indicate the presence of structural damage, if the damage leads to a significant change of the structural system. Small damage which do not result in a System change when not activated by loading, do not lead to a modification of the dynamic response behavior and for that cannot be detected with the proposed global monitoring method.
For the last decades vibration based identification of damage on civil Engineering structures has become an important issue for maintenance operations on transport infrastructure.
Research in that field has been rapidly expanding from classic modal Parameter estimation using measured excitation to modern operational monitoring. Here the difficulty is to regard to the specific environmental and operational influence to the structure under observation. In this paper, two methods accounting for statistical and/or operational uncertainties are applied to measurement data of a progressive damage test on a prestressed concrete bridge. On the base of covariance driven Stochastic Subspace Identification (SSI) an algorithm is developed to monitor and automatically compute confidence intervals of the obtained modal parameters. Furthermore, a null space based non-parametric damage detection method, utilizing a statistical χ2 type test is applied to the measurement data. It can be shown that for concrete bridges the proposed methodology is able to clearly indicate the presence of structural damage, if the damage leads to a change of the structural system.
Flame temperature (T), surface emissive power (SEP) of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) pool fires (d = 1 m, 6.1 m, 30 m) are investigated by CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulation and compared with experimental results.
Time averaged flame temperatures of T = 1320 K, T = 1298 K and T = 1281 K are obtained. Surface emissive power (SEP) of 55 kW=m2, 130 kW=m2 and 230 kW=m2 are predicted.
Most of the measurements of temperatures in large pool fires are indirect and present a number of complexities due to the interactions of convection, radiation and soot blockage. In the present work these influences for two organic peroxide [tert-butyl peroxybenzoate (TBPB) and tert-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate (TBPEH)] pool fires are analysed.
Thermocouple measured temperature in the clear flame zone i.e. combustion zone are found to be 250-400 K lower than from the thermographic measurements. The convective and radiative heat flux contributions from the fire on temperature measurements are discussed. CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) simulations have been performed for large pool fires and the predicted time averaged flame temperatures were found to be in qualitative agreement with
measurements due to the stoichiometric combustion model used in the present simulations.
For long-range measurements in geotechnical and industrial applications, distributed optical fiber sensors have become a tool of increasing importance throughout the past decade.
Classic deformation monitoring (performed by strain gauges etc.) and temperature monitoring (Pt100 and alike) deliver data from fixed, single spots of a structure; quasidistributed measurements (fiber bragg gratings) provide a Chain of discrete measurement points along a limited sensing length. In contrast, an opticai fiber connected to a device for distributed strain and temperature sensing (DTSS) will provide a continuous profile of strain and temperature - spatially resolved down to less than 1 m - over a ränge of several tens of kilometers.
In DTSS measurements, the nonlinear opticai effect of stimulated Brillouin Scattering (SBS) is employed: two light waves with a stable, tunable frequency offset are injected into opposite ends of the sensing fiber, where they will form a beat pattem, at which parts of the light will be scattered. By matching the frequency offset of the light waves to the propagation of acoustic fluctuation in the opticai fiber, a power transfer from one light wave to the other can be measured; since the acoustic propagation directly shifts with train and temperature of the fiber, these two quantities can be measured by tuning the light waves’ frequency offset.
How do application-related issues influence the reliability of fiber optic strain measurements?
(2011)
Fibre optic strain sensors are increasingly used and sensor systems are provided with specifications. Even if the performance is well specified, the strain characteristics of the sensor, strain transfer factor, mechanical stability under thermal influences, the performance of applied strain sensors can seriously differ from virgin sensor's the performance. The contribution will focus on issues that can deteriorate the sensor function or reduce the reliability of measurement results. Aspects are considered how to come to reliable strain measurements and how to validate strain measurements of applied sensors. Related to this topic, European activities like the recently started European COST TD1001 action, called (OfSeSa) will be presented.
Strain measurement in structures witli the purpose of long-term structurai health inonitoring must provide reliable inforination about the structure’s behavior over the whole period of use. The user must be sure that installed sensors are validated and work to the utmost satisfactiou. For this purpose, sensor Systems are tested using special facilities. Bccause it is not easy to characterize the strain transfer quality from the host structure into surface-applied strain sensors, a unique testing facility has been developed. Originally developed for fiber Bragg grating based sensors, the KALFOS facility (= calibration of fiber optic sensors) can also be used for electrical strain sensors.
Calibration ineasurements are referenced by unbinsed Digital Image Correlation (D1C) and Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometer (ESPI) methods. The strain transfer behavior can experimentally be analyzed and investigated under combined thermal and mechanical loading conditions and allows revealing wealuiesses in couimonly used attachment methodologies. The deformation of all members (particularly the coating/substrate - adhesive combination) in the sensing area is physically independently gained and recorded. Results achievcd allow precise description of the strain transfer function, Validation of the longterm strain sensor characteristics, matching of specific measurement requirements with environmental conditions, and, moreover, the verification of Standards for use of strain sensors.
Strain sensors embedded in or attached to structural components have to measure the real deformation of the structure over the whole period of use. The user must know how reliably installed sensors provide strain measurement results. For this purpose, test facilities or coupon tests are used. In order to characterize the strain transfer quality from the host structure into surface-applied strain sensors, a unique testing facility has been developed. This facility can be used both for fiber optic and resistance strain sensors. Originally developed for fiber Bragg grating based sensors, the KALFOS facility (=calibration of fiber optic sensors) uses Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometer (ESPI) as unbiased referencing methods. It is possible to determine experimentally the strain transfer mechanism under combined thermal and mechanical loading conditions. This experimental characterization method will reveal weaknesses in commonly used strain sensors, and the investigation of the material systems used for fiber optic and other strain sensors (particularly the coating/substrate - adhesive combination). The KALFOS facility allows matching of specific measurement requirements with environmental conditions.
Thin layers of textile reinforced concrete (TRC) can be used as strengthening for reinforced concrete (RC) slabs or beams to increase their foad-bearing capacity. The concrete matrix consists of a fine-grained concrete with a thickness of 8 to 15 mm. Information on the behaviour of strengthened structures subjected to fire is of particular inlerest for practical applications of this innovative construction method. A total of 7 RC slabs with Steel reinforcement were produced: 2 slabs were used as reference and 5 slabs were strengthened with three layers of textile reinforcement. Ultimate capacity of reference slabs and particular TRC strengthened slabs was determined from statie load results fom 4-point-bending tests.
Fire tests on these slabs were carried out with utilization fectors using a Standard temperature curve (ISO-834-1) for fire testing. Test loads varied between 0 % and 65 % ofuMmate load.
To detect temperatures during fire exposure thermocouples were arranged throughout the cross-section of the slabs. Depending on the utilization the slabs were exposed to fire for 30 minutes or for 60 minutes. In some cases bending fäilure occurred, in other cases the slabs survived. None of the specimens exhibited any visual damage or concrete spalling during fire exposure. Results of deformation measurements and residual strength measurements are presented. Even though mechanisms are not fifily understood, it is important to discuss the presumable reasons for the surprisingiy positive test results. It is presumed tbat the key mechanisms contributing to the outstanding fire resistance capability presented are: superior crack control of the TRC and load redistribution between textile and Steel reinforcement as well as the primary load transfer directly into the slabs.
Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) - due to its high hydrogen content - is used as neutron shielding material in casks for storage and transport of radioactive materials. Besides this, UHMW-PE - as a high-performance polymer - has been used for several years in medical technology due to its excellent slip and wear properties. Due to the special properties of UHMW-PE which result basically from its extreme chain lengths and its high degree of crystallinity, it is predestinated for the aforementioned applications.
In both cases, irradiation and its impact on the molecular structure of polyethylene play an important role. In the first case, irradiation exists as a by-product of inserting the radioactive material in the cask. Hence PE has to withstand any type of degradation affecting safety relevant aspects to be applicable for long term radiation shielding purposes for instance over a period of 40 years. In the second case irradiation is applied deliberately for purposes such as sterilization and crosslinking, leading to partial improvement of the mechanical properties (e.g. fracture toughness, crack propagation resistance, wear resistance) and better Chemical stability.
Specifically concerning their use in the field of medical technology, different types of UHMW-PE have been objects of numerous publications. It is generally accepted that two parallel and competitive processes, based on chain scission and reactions of Ccentered radicals and molecular fragments, occur in PE as a consequence of radiation: radical recombination accounts for crosslinking, together with some disproportionation, formation of low molecular weight fragments, and recrystallization. Furthermore, formation of oxygenated structures in the presence of traces of oxygen is an antagonist of the C-centered radicals. Radiation induced scission preferentially takes place in the amorphous phase and noncrystalline surface of the crystals. It is followed by folding of molecular fragments, crystallinity growth and increased perfection in the crystal lamellae [4, 5]. Chain scission results in shorter polymer molecules, fewer entanglements, and consequently, increased molecular mobility.
The scope of our investigation comprises an estimation of the radiation and thermal impact on the molecular and supra molecular structure of the two types of PE used for neutron shielding cask components. A further point which is worth to explore is to what extent these changes are detectable by thermo-analytical (TA) methods, such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermo Mechanical Analysis (TMA), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Thermogravimetry (TG). Additionally FT-IR and solubility measurements have been performed.
In our studies we focused on the UHMW-PE material GUR 4120 which was y irradiated at RT and compared to the untreated material.
Recent advances in the fabrication of diffractive X-ray optics have boosted hard X-ray microscopy into spatial resolutions of 30 nm and below. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of zone-doubled Fresnel zone plates for multi-keV photon energies (4-12 keV) with outermost zone widths down to 20 nm. However, the characterization of such elements is not straightforward using conventional methods such as knife edge scans on well-characterized test objects. To overcome this limitation, we have used ptychographic coherent diffractive imaging to characterize a 20 nm-wide X-ray focus produced by a zone-doubled Fresnel zone plate at a photon energy of 6.2 keV. An ordinary scanning transmission X-ray microscope was modified to acquire the ptychographic data from a strongly scattering test object. The ptychographic algorithms allowed for the reconstruction of the image of the test object as well as for the reconstruction of the focused hard X-ray beam waist, with high spatial resolution and dynamic range. This method yields a full description of the focusing performance of the Fresnel zone plate and we demonstrate the usefulness ptychographic coherent diffractive imaging for metrology and alignment of nanofocusing diffractive X-ray lenses.
Claddings of different nickel based alloys were generated on a mild Steel (S235JR) and a stainless steel type 304 by Cold Metal Transfer (CMT). This welding procedure possesses a low degree of mixing between the Substrate and cladding material. Thus it improves the corrosion behaviour of the claddings. The aim of our investigations was to examine the effect of the welding parameters: energy per unit length, shielding gas and finishing surface treatment on the pitting corrosion behaviour of the claddings.
However, under Standard test conditions nickel based alloys are often resistant to pitting corrosion. Moreover these test methods are inaccurate and require a large period of time resulting from the iterative progress to determine the critical pitting temperature (CPT). A potentiostatic test method was modified using a high concentrated CaCI2-solution and a conventional three electrode measuring cell. The pitting corrosion behaviour is calculated from current noise charges. During the test the course of corrosion is detected online by the evaluation of electrochemical noise Signals while a continuous increase of temperature by a defined heating rate is realised.
Thus a critical pitting temperature can be estimated by only one attempt. Furthermore the deviation of the measured CPT is very low compared to Standard tests using gravimetrical and microscopic evaluation. That enables to figure out the influence of the welding parameters in an exact way.
Nowadays there are several applications of mineral recycling materials and residues. At present an assessment method for the use of secondary raw materials, which considers sustainability aspects, does not exist. In the framework of the German DAfStb/BMBF research project 'Sustainable Building with Concrete' an assessment concept was developed. It includes the following four assessment steps: I. Basic considerations, II. Advantages for sustainable construction, III. Alternative paths for application, and IV. Sensitivity analysis. The concept was developed on the basis of recycled concrete aggregates, which are already used according to German standards. Afterwards, it was applied and verified by the evaluation of the utilisation of municipal solid waste incinerator bottom ashes.
Monitoring of PAH in aqueous samples - a comparison of different sample preparation techniques
(2011)
Repair mortars for the restoration and reprofiling of natural stone elements in cultural heritage
(2011)
For the protection of the world's cultural heritage the restoration of listed buildings and monuments is an important task. In many cases the need to repair and reprofile natural stone elements occurs. Repair mortars for such applications have to match historicocultural interests as well as durability related and constructive interests. Currently a research project dealing with the development and optimisation of such mortars is set up at the BAM. Special focus is laid on the possibility of a modular adaption to match a vast variety of stone properties. Besides the development and lab scale testing of the mortar system, an in-situ application will be planned and executed.
The present article gives an insight into the research project BEGLARES. Main topics are the restoration “Dalles de Verre” Windows and the development of repair mortars and techniques. This project is executed in cooperation between Glasmalerei Peters GmbH, the University of York, and the BAM Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing. It is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. The main mechanism of damage, Standards for protection and repair of concrete structures, and the development of repair mortar and special test specimens are presented.
This paper presents a sampling strategy for mobile gas sensors. Sampling points are selected using a modified artificial potential field (APF) approach, which balances multiple criteria to direct sensor measurements towards locations of high mean concentration, high concentration variance and areas for which the uncertainty about the gas distribution model is still large. By selecting in each step the most often suggested close-by measurement location, the proposed approach introduces a locality constraint that allows planning suitable paths for mobile gas sensors. Initial results in simulation and in real-world experiments with a gas-sensitive micro-drone demonstrate the suitability of the proposed sampling strategy for gas distribution mapping and its use for gas source localization.