The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of variation of polypropylene fibres ranging from 0.1% to 0.4% along with 0.8% steel fibres on the behaviour of fibrous concrete. The mechanical properties of the concrete such as compressive and tensile strength have been investigated. The result shows that addition of polypropylene fibre has a little effect on the compressive strength,...

Fourier Transform Near Infrared Raman Spectroscopy has been used to monitor the molecular changes of collagen in a tendon subjected to strain. In the Raman spectrum of the unstrained tendon, some protein bands, mainly assigned to collagen, can be observed: amide I (1666 cm-1) and III (1266 and 1248 cm-1) vibrational modes and skeletal (C-C) stretching vibrations (816 and 940 cm-1). The position...

The experimental realization and an algorithm for analysing the pressure dependence of the molecular order parameter of specific structural moieties in (bio)macromolecular fibres are described. By employing a diamond anvil cell (DAC) the polarization-dependent IR-transmission and in parallel, using an integrated microscope, the macroscopic orientation of the fibres is determined. This enables o...

Despite the crucial role of extracellular matrix (ECM) in directing cell fate in healthy and diseased tissues--particularly in development, wound healing, tissue regeneration and cancer--the mechanisms that direct the assembly and regulate hierarchical architectures of ECM are poorly understood. Collagen I matrix assembly in vivo requires active fibronectin (Fn) fibrillogenesis by cells. Here w...

Longitudinal function of the left ventricle is governed by the subendocardial myocardial fibres, whereas radial function is due mainly to contraction of circumferential fibres, localised in the subepicardial layer of the myocardium. In patients with diabetes or hypertension the subendocardial fibres are more likely to be affected by microvascular ischaemia. This can be caused by structural chan...

A novel technique to generate three-dimensional Euclidean weavings, composed of close-packed, periodic arrays of one-dimensional fibres, is described. Some of these weavings are shown to dilate by simple shape changes of the constituent fibres (such as fibre straightening). The free volume within a chiral cubic example of a dilatant weaving, the ideal conformation of the G(129) weaving related ...

X-ray computed tomography (CT) techniques have been used to evaluate a structural index of high performance metal matrix composites (MMC). Beside of classical features like the determination of number of fibres and eccentricity of fibre bundles an order parameter can be defined and demonstrated for the SiC fibre arrangement in Ti-MMC, which can be used to assess these materials. The samples for...