The mechanical properties of concrete pavement were studied under the various frost-salt conditions using Capillary Suction of De-icing Chemicals and Freeze-thaw Test Method (CDF method). The test results show that: with the increasing of freeze-thaw cycles, concrete surface damage has a tendency to accelerate. The concrete which is in a 5% concentration chloride snow-thawing agent solution has...

We consider the 4d compact U(1) theory with Wilson action and characterize its phase diagram using the notion of electromagnetic flux, instead of the more usual magnetic monopole. Taking inspiration from the flux picture, we consider the helicity modulus (h.m.) for this theory, and show that it is an order parameter for the confinement deconfinement phase transition. We extend the definition of...

A simple globular-shaped liquid ~octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, OMCTS! was placed between two rigid mica plates at variable spacings comparable to the size of this molecule and the linear shear viscoelasticity of the confined interfacial film was measured. Strong monotonic increase of the shear relaxation time, elastic modulus, and effective viscosity were observed as the spacing was decreased b...

The mechanical properties of sputter-deposited HfO2 and HfxSi1-xO2 films were studied as a function of composition using nanoindentation. The elastic modulus and hardness were measured at room temperature for as-deposited films of varying Hf content and for films subjected to annealing at 1000 C. The elastic modulus and hardness of as-deposited films were found to increase monotonically with in...

Article history: Received: 14.3.2013. Received in revised form: 23.12.2013. Accepted: 23.12.2013. This paper presents the microstructure, hardness and elastic modulus of Sn58Bi, Sn57Bi1Ag and Ag nanopowders reinforced Sn58Bi composite solders. Microstructural observations reveal that the Ag nanopowders reinforced Sn58Bi composite solders have smaller grains of Ag3Sn and a more uniform Ag3Sn dis...

Quintessential inflation is studied using a string modulus as the inflaton– quintessence field. It is assumed that the modulus crosses an enhanced symmetry point (ESP) in field space. Particle production at the ESP temporarily traps the modulus resulting in a period of inflation. After reheating, the modulus freezes due to cosmological friction at a large value, such that its scalar potential i...

Nano-scratch and nano-indentation were used to determine hardness, elastic modulus, adhesion, friction and wear resistance of chromium oxide coatings in air and in water. The friction coefficient is higher in water, compared to air, and it increases with the applied normal load, although there are no obvious differences in hardness and elastic modulus in air vs. water. A higher normal load incr...

Despite the obvious advantages of anaerobic sludge digestion viz. sludge reduction and sustainable management, it has some drawbacks. In particular, anaerobic digestion produces a complex and unknown residue sludge which is difficult to treat and to dewater. Because dewatering mainly involves rheological solid characteristics, this paper focuses on the similarities between these residues with o...

The elastic modulus of two-dimensional random fibre networks is determined for structures in which, the degree of cross-linking is varied. The relationship between the network parameters – fibre axial and bending stiffness, fibre density and degree of cross-linking – and the overall elastic modulus is discussed and presented in terms of a master curve. It is shown that master curves for sparsel...

[1] We provide a quantitative explanation of the patterns commonly observed during the collision of two floating ice sheets (ice floes): simple rafting, finger rafting, or the formation of a pressure ridge. In particular, we analyze the equilibrium configurations of the ice in each of the two types of rafting and show that these are only possible if the ice thickness is below a threshold value ...