bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
California Bearing Ratio of a Sub-Base Material Modified With Tire Buffings and Cement Addition
Authors: Cabalar A. F. , Karabash Z.
Published: October 2014

Proper management of waste tires is a major environmental problem in many regions of the world. Instead of disposal in landfills, waste tires can be used in some engineering applications, thereby reducing their potential impact on the environment. The goal of this study was to assess the use of crushed rock mixed with tire buffings (a by-product of re-treading tires) and cement as sub-base materials for road construction. We prepared various mixtures of crushed rock containing 0, 5, 10, and 15 % tire buffings and 0, 1, 3, and 5 % cement by weight, and determined their California Bearing Ratio (CBR) values at different water contents. The performance of the sub-base gravel was investigated with the inclusion of tire buffings only, cement only, and tire buffings and cement together. The test results indicate that the CBR value of sub-base material decreases with the addition of tire buffings with no cement, and increases with the addition of cement with no tire buffings. In certain cases, small amounts of cement additions to the gravel with tire buffings increase the CBR values of the sub-base gravel, and thereby may result in a substantial decrease in design thickness of a pavement. The CBR values of the specimens with 3 % cement and 5 % tire buffings, 5 % cement and 5, 10, and 15 % tire buffings were found to be greater than the CBR value of the clean sub-base gravel.
Selection of Tightened–Normal–Tightened Variable Sampling Scheme Indexed by Crossover Point
Authors: Senthilkumar D. , Esha Raffie B.
Published: October 2014

The tightened–normal–tightened (TNT) attribute sampling scheme was devised by Calvin. This paper introduces a design methodology for TNT variable sampling schemes indexed by an entry parameter called the crossover point. A method of designing the plan based on given values of the crossover point pc and the relative slope hc is provided. A table provides plans for a given set of entry parameters, namely, pc and hc.
Asphalt Mixture Design and Thermology Experiments on Heat-Resistant Surfaces in Permafrost Regions
Authors: Zhong Yongqiang , Ma Tao , Huang Xiaoming
Published: October 2014

To reduce the permafrost thaw-induced damage to asphalt pavement caused by heat absorption in permafrost regions, a material with low thermal conductivity was introduced into the asphalt mixture. This altered the thermal conductivity of the aggregate and thereby reduced that of the asphalt mixture. First, the optimal asphalt–aggregate ratio for the asphalt mixture was determined. Then, the material composition of the asphalt mixture was designed to form a heat-resistant surface without changing the AC-13 aggregate gradation. Thermal tests were performed with a Thermal Conductivity Instruments (TCI) thermal property analyzer on asphalt concrete specimens, prepared by adding primary mineral vermiculite (abbreviated hereafter as ZS, from Chinese) in different mass percentages of 0 %, 4 %, 6 %, 8 %, and 10 %. Test results showed that the thermal conductivity decreases exponentially with increasing percentage of ZS mass. These tests on asphalt concrete specimens indicate that the thermal conductivity drops by up to 46.27 % for 10 % ZS. At a depth of 4 cm below the surface of a heat-resistant pavement, the temperature can be reduced by at most 1.8°C, compared to observations at the same depth in an ordinary pavement. These results show encouraging prospects for application in permafrost regions.
3-D FEM Simulation and Analysis on the Best Range of Lift-off Values in MFL Testing
Authors: Wu Dehui , Zhang Zhongyuan , Liu Zhenliang , Xia Xiaohao
Published: October 2014

In order to avoid oil and gas leakage or explosion due to corrosion defects or cracks in pipelines or tanks, it is very important to test the pipelines and tanks in service. In this study, a three-dimensional (3-D) finite element method (FEM) simulation model of the magnetic flux leakage (MFL) field was established. The MFL signals were simulated and analyzed in connection with different defects and lift-off values, considering the condition of the mechanical vibration and electromagnetic noise. The best range of lift-off values can be determined from the results of simulation and analysis. This is a very effective method for improving measurement accuracy in practical MFL testing. It also provides a reference for the optimization of testing mechanical structures in the MFL technique.
Round-robin Analysis of Standard Data Sets for Fracture Toughness Evaluation in ASTM E1820
Authors: Link Richard E.
Published: October 2014

A set of standard data sets from typical fracture toughness tests was used in an analytical round-robin to determine whether the proposed data sets were suitable for use as adjuncts to ASTM E1820-09, “Standard Test Method for the Measurement of Fracture Toughness.” Four laboratories participated in the round-robin and submitted analyses of all of the data sets. The results showed good agreement among the laboratories on the individual J-integral calculations and crack size estimates. However, small differences in the estimated crack extension during the tests led to large uncertainty in the calculated fracture toughness of up to 20 % of the mean value of the fracture toughness from all of the laboratories for the data set. A synthesized test record that eliminated the nonlinear behavior commonly observed in unloading compliance test records was developed and distributed to the participants. There was excellent agreement among the results from all participants for the synthesized data set. The standard data sets were determined to be suitable for validating analysis programs for calculating fracture toughness in accordance with ASTM E1820. The uncertainty in the calculated fracture toughness could be reduced by prescribing in the test method exactly which data points in an unload are to be used for estimating the crack length, rather than letting the user decide which data points to include.
Automatic Measurement of Fabric Crease Recovery by Image Sequence Analysis
Authors: Wang Lei , Liu Jianli , Pan Ruru , Liu Jihong , Gao Weidong
Published: October 2014

Crease recovery is one of the most important performance properties of fabric that needs to be evaluated frequently for quality improvement and product development. It is often measured by tracking changes in crease angle of a folded specimen in a certain period of time. This paper presents a new automated crease recovery testing system and the trial tests on fabrics with different fiber materials, different weave structures, and different folding methods. The system was designed to record and measure changes of the crease angle in the entire recovery process by using image sequence analysis techniques. Thus, both instantaneous and stable recoveries of the crease angle can be quantified. The system also fully automates the folding, pressing, reading, and other operations on the specimen so that human interferences can be avoided. It was found that the fiber content of a fabric is a determinant factor for crease recovery performance and the weave structure can affect this performance to some extent. Crease recovery also varies with the way of folding the specimen. The recoveries of fabrics with different fiber materials tend to stabilize in different durations, proving the universal testing time set in the current standard test methods is unsuitable for some fabrics.
Evaluation of the Morphological, Electrical, and Mechanical Properties of Silver Nanopastes
Authors: Durairaj R. , Namasivayam S. , Zhen Xiong Chen , Mannan Samjid H. , Ashayer Roya
Published: October 2014

This study investigated the sintering behavior of silver nanopastes at 150°C, 180°C, and 210°C. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were dispersed to form ink pastes with 70 wt. % and 80 wt. % silver. The morphology of the sintered silver nanopastes was studied via transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction analyses. Electrical characterization, thermal/humidity aging, and mechanical testing were also performed. Silver nanoparticles were prepared via a chemical reduction method. TEM images revealed particle sizes ranging from 10 nm to 20 nm. Results showed that electrical conductivity could be achieved at 150°C. When the sintered silver nanoparticles were subjected to 1000 h of 85°C/85 % relative humidity testing, a stable resistivity was achieved at a sintering temperature no lower than 210°C. These results showed that a stable network of sintered silver nanoparticles with good mechanical properties could be achieved at 210°C.
Evaluation of Sports Center Performance Using a Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Model
Authors: Wang Chen-Yang
Published: October 2014

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the performance of sports centers using the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP). Our empirical results provide two main insights: first, sports center business management strategies comprise six dimensions and 23 indexes; second, the FAHP analysis shows that the six dimensions are (in order of priority) service prices, site conditions, operations management, traffic conditions, sports products, and staff quality. This study uses the FAHP along with mathematical computing to provide sports center managers with a reliable decision-making reference, and to assist them in formulating the most effective business strategy.
Identification of Failure Mechanism Consistency for NBR Accelerated Test
Authors: Tang Qingyun , He Jingjing , Fang Xiaotong , Zhang Weifang
Published: October 2014

A consistent failure mechanism is a precondition for accelerated tests, and the accurate identification of the catastrophe point at which the failure mechanism transforms remains a longstanding challenge in accelerated tests. In this study, an independently designed test apparatus was adopted to monitor the variation in the compressive stress of nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) samples at different temperatures. The deformation of the samples was controlled as a constant so the variation of the stress could be correlated with the mechanical properties of the NBR. In addition, thermal analysis and infrared spectroscopic analysis were conducted for NBR samples without applying external stresses (e.g., free state) at various elevated temperatures. Samples stored at room temperature for two years were also tested and analyzed to provide a baseline. The results indicate that the stress relaxation mechanism for NBR aged at 80°C differs from that for samples aged at 90°C. The dominating aging mechanism for NBR samples stored at room temperature and accelerated at 80°C is free radical oxidation. The main mechanism under 90°C was found to be chain scission. After combining the changes in macroperformance and microstructure, we concluded that the change in aging mechanism occurred between 80°C and 90°C.
Inverse Modeling Applied for Material Characterization of Powder Materials
Authors: Andersson Daniel C. , Lindskog Per , Larsson Per-Lennart
Published: October 2014

An investigation is performed concerning the applicability of inverse procedures, using optimization and simple experiments, for characterization of WC/Co powder materials. The numerical procedure is combined with uniaxial die-compaction experiments using an instrumented die, which allows direct measurement of the distribution of radial stress during the experiments. Finite-element (FE) methods and an advanced constitutive description of powder materials are relied upon to model the compaction experiment. Optimization using a surrogate model is used to determine some of the parameters in the constitutive description. These parameters in the material model are said to be found (with some accuracy) if the output from the FE simulation is similar to the experimental data. It is found that even though a complete constitutive description of the powder materials investigated cannot be achieved using this approach, many important material parameters can be determined with good accuracy.
Experimental Analysis of the Influence of Toe Angle in Relation to Tire Pressure in the Measurement of Brake Forces at Spanish Ministry of Transport Test Facilities
Authors: Senabre C. , Velasco E. , Valero S.
Published: October 2014

Currently, the International Committee of Vehicle Inspection (CITA) requires that the status of brakes be checked at Ministry of Transport (MOT) stations. Article 14 of CITA Law No. 29237 states that “the driver of the vehicle must present the vehicle to an MOT station with the right tire pressure.” Unfortunately, in the 2009 MOT Procedure Manual, a procedure for checking tire angles in brake tests at MOT stations is not indicated. In this paper, we present an investigation of the influence of toe angle (the symmetric angle that each wheel makes with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, also known as tracking or convergence) in relation to the inflation pressure of tires on the measurements of brake force tests at MOT facilities.
Slip Prediction Accuracy and Bias of the SATRA STM 603 Whole Shoe Tester
Authors: Blanchette Mark G. , Powers Christopher M.
Published: October 2014

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the ability of the SATRA STM 603 whole shoe tester to predict slip potential using EN ISO 13287 test parameters. A secondary purpose was to determine whether altering EN ISO 13287 test parameters improves slip prediction accuracy and assessment bias. The utilized coefficient of friction and kinematic data were recorded for 34 healthy adults. Each subject ambulated across water-contaminated porcelain tile, and the slip outcomes were recorded. Available friction testing was performed with the SATRA STM 603 using EN ISO 13287 test parameters and 44 permutations of EN ISO 13287 test parameters that varied with respect to normal force, sliding velocity, and shoe contact angle. Results revealed that the EN ISO 13287 model exhibited positive coefficient-of-friction assessment bias (0.132) and predicted only 35 % of slip events. Modifying EN ISO 13287 test parameters decreased assessment bias (0.000) and increased slip prediction accuracy to 74 % of slip events.
Influence of Rejuvenators on the Physical Properties of RAP Binders
Authors: Huang Shin-Che , Qin Qian , Grimes Will R. , Pauli Adam Troy , Glaser Ron
Published: October 2014

An experimental study was conducted to characterize the physical properties of rejuvenated RAP binders at low, intermediate, and high temperatures via dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurements. A dynamic shear rheometer was used to conduct frequency sweeps at temperatures ranging from −20°C to 80°C in increments of 20°C. The effect of rejuvenators on the thermal behavior of highly aged asphalt binders was also studied by temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC). Both DSR and DSC indicate that the interaction between rejuvenators and asphalt binders has different softening effects on RAP binders. Of the four concentrations used in this study, 10 wt. % of rejuvenator appears to be the optimum. 30 wt. % of rejuvenator onto highly aged binder results in material softer than the original RTFO-aged asphalt binders. Rheological results suggest that vegetable oil base and maltene base rejuvenators provide similar flow property improvement for highly aged binders. The DSC results indicate that vegetable-oil-based rejuvenator improves thermal behavior the most as compared to the other two rejuvenators. The results obtained from rheological testing agree with the results from DSC.
Studies of Absorption in Sanitary Protective Gloves
Authors: Fraga F. , Rodríguez-Núñez E. , Díaz de Freijo S. , Martínez-Ageitos J. M. , Suárez-Pereiro F.
Published: October 2014

In this article, we calculated the mass saturation and the diffusion coefficient of the polymeric systems used in protective gloves for distilled water and artificial sweat. It can be seen that the absorption is greater when the gloves are immersed in distilled water, particularly for nitrile and neoprene gloves. This happens because the crystals formed with artificial sweat are positioned on the surface of the glove's pores to partly prevent liquid absorption. A differential scanning calorimeter was used to determine the glass transition temperature for amorphous polymer, nitrile gloves, vinyl gloves, exploration latex gloves and surgical latex gloves, and the melting temperature for semi-crystalline neoprene gloves. The plasticizing results obtained for immersion of distilled water were similar to those of immersion in artificial sweat. UV-visible spectrometry can be applied to an indirect technique to test the glove's permeability. The results show that in the case of the nitrile, vinyl, exploration latex, and surgical latex, a migration of the indicator through the glove takes place. In contrast, no migration happens in the case of the neoprene. In nitrile gloves and vinyl gloves, a greater migration is observed. This could indicate a greater permeability of this type of glove. In the case of surgical latex and exploration latex, a migration with a relatively small value is observed. Using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), we observed the structural modifications that polymers undergo during their exposure to artificial sweat. The surgical latex immersed in artificial sweat shows the size increase in the pores, while the corresponding nitrile gloves do not vary. This fact could be related to the results obtained in the study of absorption that showed that surgical latex gloves had greater plasticizing.
Performance Characteristics Comparisons of Various Asphalt Mixture Technologies
Authors: Xiao Feipeng , Amirkhanian Serji , Wang Hainian , Wang Hao
Published: October 2014

A laboratory investigation was carried out to study the effects of various compaction technologies on moisture susceptibility, rutting resistance, and fatigue characteristics of various asphalt mixtures. The methodologies used in this study included three technologies such as common hot mix asphalt (HMA), warm mix (WMA), and half-warm mix asphalt (HWMA) technologies. In addition, in terms of WMA and HWMA mixtures, a foaming technology was used to produce the samples. The experimental design for WMA and HWMA included one aggregate moisture contents (∼0.5 % by weight of the dry mass of the aggregate), three lime contents (0 %, 1 % and 2 % lime by weight of dry aggregate), and 2 % foaming water content. For HMA, 1 % lime content and completely dried aggregate were used. Three aggregate sources (designated as A, B, and C) and one PG 64-22 binder were used in this study. A total of 9 Superpave mix designs and 21 mixtures were completed. A total of 84 indirect tensile strength (ITS) samples, 126 asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) samples, and 30 fatigue beams were tested in this research. The major properties such as gyration number, ITS, tensile strength ratio (TSR), rut depth, deformation, toughness, as well as fatigue life were measured and computed for all mixtures. The test results indicated that various compaction technologies would slightly affect the Superpave mix design and obviously have an influence on gyration number, ITS values, rut depth, flow, toughness, and fatigue life of various mixtures regardless of aggregate source and lime content. In addition, the aggregate source significantly affected the ITS and rutting resistance in this study.
Ionic Conductivity of a Carbonate–Ion Conductor
Authors: Liu Tao , Lin Li , Yu Jingkun
Published: October 2014

A systematic investigation on ionic conductivity of a carbonate–ion conductor has been reported. La0.8Sr0.2Ga0.83Mg0.17O2.815 (LSGM), LiKCO3 (MC), and LiNiO2 were prepared by solid–state reaction, respectively. A dual–phase LSGM and MC were mixed LSGM–MC. The effect of temperature on impedance spectra and effective ionic conductivity of LSGM–MC was investigated. The effect of electrode materials on impedance spectra was also investigated. The results showed that there was no solid reaction between LSGM, MC, and LiNiO2. As the physical state of MC transformed from solid state to liquid state, ionic conductivity of the carbonate–ion conductor was dependent on temperature. There was a significant difference for MC in three temperature range: t ≤ 460°C, 460°C < t < 486°C, and t ≥ 486°C. DTA analysis showed that temperatures of melting and solidification agree with those of ionic conductivity. Compared with Ag and LSGM–MC–LiNiO2, Au is a better cathode material.
An Improved Short-Beam Method for Measuring Multiple Constitutive Properties for Composites
Authors: Carpentier Paige , Makeev Andrew , Liu Liu , Shonkwiler Brian
Published: October 2014

The short beam shear (SBS) test method combined with digital image correlation (DIC) deformation measurement is used in this work to study constitutive properties of the IM7/8552 carbon/epoxy composite material system. Dependence of the shear stress approximation on the SBS specimen span-to-thickness (s/t) ratio has been investigated. A stress model developed in a previous study is expanded to account for this dependency. In addition, the effect of nonzero transverse normal stresses on a simple closed-form approximation for tensile and compressive axial moduli has been assessed. Results from the expanded closed-form solution verify that transverse normal stress has little influence on the measurement of the axial moduli. Also, the SBS test setup has been refined as a result of the sensitivity of the measured axial strain distribution to the specimen alignment in the test fixture. The test results obtained in this work are compared with previously published results to demonstrate the ability of a single unidirectional SBS test to capture multiple constitutive properties including axial tensile and compressive moduli, the nonlinear shear stress–strain response in the plane of loading, and to show that measured material properties do not depend on the test specimen size.
Optimal Control of the Machine Repair Problem with Removable Repairman Subject to Working Breakdowns
Authors: Yen Tseng-Chang , Wu Haitao , Wang Kuo-Hsiung , Chou Wen-Kuang
Published: October 2014

This paper deals with a single removable repairman in the machine repair problem with warm standbys and working breakdowns. We assume that the repairman can be subject to working breakdowns only when there is at least one failed machine in the system. Applying the matrix-analytic method, we develop the steady-state probabilities of the number of failed machines in the system as well as several system-performance measures. We construct a cost model to compute the optimal threshold N, and the joint optimal values for the fast and slow service rates simultaneously by a two-stage optimization method whose effectiveness is proved by numerical results. Moreover, we also analyze the sensitivity with numerical illustrations based on different system parameter values.
Estimating Process Capability Index Cp with Various Sample Types: A Practical Implementation
Authors: Wu C. H. , Pearn W. L.
Published: October 2014

Process precision index Cp has been used widely in the manufacturing industry for measuring process potential and precision. In practice, sample data with various types such as one single random sample, multiple random samples, control chart samples, and samples with gauge measurement errors may be employed to estimate the Cp index for evaluating the process potential capability. If the process is perfectly centered in the specification range, the percentage of process non-conforming (%NC) can be expressed by Cp index. In this paper, a review for estimating and testing of Cp index is presented. Some efficient MATLAB programs and illustrative examples are also provided for each type of sample data.
In-Situ Field Measurements and Numerical Model Identification of a Multi-Span Steel Railway Bridge
Authors: Caglayan Ozden , Ozakgul Kadir , Tezer Ovunc , Piroglu Filiz
Published: October 2014

In this paper, in situ field measurements and analytical model verification studies of a railway bridge that spans Karakaya Dam Lake between the cities of Malatya and Elazig in Turkey are presented. The bridge consists of 29 simply-supported steel trusses, each having a 64 m span length, giving a total bridge length of 2029.60 m. To understand the actual behaviour of the bridge, static and dynamic tests on the bridge spans were performed. The bridge was instrumented with strain-gauges mounted on the surface of the bridge members, accelerometers placed on the piers, abutments, and truss members and an optical laser based displacement sensor located at mid-span. Then, a three-dimensional finite element model of the bridge was generated using commercially available finite element analysis software using frame elements, a thick shell, and spring and rigid bar elements. The initial numerical model was calibrated using an optimization procedure based on automatically adjusting the spring constants and rigid bar rigidities with the help of MATLAB. Finally, the validity of the calibrated FE model was examined by the vertical displacement measurements.
Microstructure and Unsaturated Geotechnical Properties of Net-like Red Soils in Xuancheng, China
Authors: Wang Mingwu , Xu Peng , Li Jian , Qin Shuai
Published: October 2014

This study aimed at proper characterization of the microstructure and unsaturated properties of undisturbed red soil with white net-like veins from the Chenshan laterite section in Xuancheng City, China. The chemical composition and micromorphology of the white veins and red matrix were studied using a scanning electron microscope, an energy dispersive spectrometer, and digital image processing. Then a series of soil–water characteristic curves (SWCCs) and shear strength experiments were performed on undisturbed net-like red soils using triaxial stress path testing, and empirical expressions commonly adopted for geotechnical engineering applications were used to represent measured SWCCs. A detailed comparison of microstructures in undisturbed soils and on failure planes was undertaken. The results showed that the white veins and red matrix clearly appeared as distinct features at both macro and micro levels. More quartz amassed in the white vein, and more intense depletion of Fe oxide occurred in the red matrix. Measured SWCCs at drying and wetting behaved with hydraulic hysteresis. Change in the axial strain did not match that in the volumetric strain. The stress-strain curve obtained from the unsaturated triaxial shearing test showed the characteristic of strain softening; the peak deviator stress increased with increments of the confining pressure and suction. Pores less than 5 μm2 in size were much more common on the shear failure plane than in the undisturbed soil, whereas pores larger than 50 μm2 were fewer. The major axial angle of soil pores showed a dominant orientation after shearing. In addition, the roundness and fractal dimension of pore outlines on the shear failure plane were greater than those in the undisturbed soil. These results reveal that microstructure and suction play important roles in the unsaturated mechanical behaviors of net-like red soil.
Calculation of the Maximum Bending Strain: Machine and Specimen Components and Their Orientation Angles With “Vector Method”
Authors: Yifei Gao , Xinbang Liang , Lei Bao
Published: October 2014

“Vector method” was used in the calculation of the maximum bending strain (machine and specimen components) for circular and rectangular cross-section specimens under axial loading and bending. This method satisfactorily solved the orientation angle calculation problem for rectangular cross-section specimens (including thick and thin rectangular cross-section) caused by the testing machine component and the specimen component under the maximum bending strain, which is not solved in the ASTM E1012-12 and ISO 23788.
Hybrid Model for Evaluating Services in New Service Development
Authors: Yeh Ching-Chiang
Published: October 2014

The successful introduction and acceleration of new service development is important for obtaining a competitive advantage in many countries. However, selecting the right service to be adopted and developed is a challenging task. The aim of this study is to build a service evaluation model to evaluate various nationally available services for new service development based on a hybrid model. First, the interpretive structural modeling method is used to deal with the interrelationships among various criteria and sub-criteria. Then, the analytic network process method is employed to evaluate the weights and find the most appropriate service for development. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed method, Taiwan's service industry is used as an illustrative case. The results show that the model can be applied to decision making regarding the evaluation and selection of an available service for new service development (NSD), which may be helpful for service policy decision makers.
Characteristic Point of the Relatively Quiet Period for Limestone Failure Under Uniaxial Compression
Authors: Wang Chun-Lai , Lu Hui , Wang Fu-Li , Zuo Jian-Ping , An Ze-Yang , Bao Tian-Cai , Liu Lu , Lu Zhi-Jiang , Li Wei-Qiang , Luo Ming
Published: October 2014

In view of the precursory characteristic point of limestone failure under uniaxial compression, the underlying mechanisms are not sufficiently clear. Experimental studies examining the acoustic emission (AE) characteristics of the complete limestone failure process have been carried out under uniaxial compression. The experimental results, including accumulative AE counts, the curve of stress and strain, AE rate and stress-time, AE energy rate and stress-time, AE amplitude-time, and AE frequency- time were obtained in detail. The experimental results clearly indicate that AE activities of the samples were generated during the entire process of uniaxial compression. However, the abnormal AE activities appeared in the late stage of the unstable crack propagation phase. These parameters, such as the AE rate, AE energy rate, AE amplitudes, and AE frequencies, were observed to decrease sharply after a relatively quiet period. However, the accumulative AE counts remained at nearly constant values. Stress passed through the quiet period quickly before the peak stress, where the AE activities were enhanced. The AE rate increased suddenly and AE energy rate rose rapidly when the stress reached the peak stress of the samples. As a consequence, the relatively quiet period could be used as the precursory information of rock failure, and the starting point of a relatively quiet period could be predicted as a precursory characteristic point of rock failure. The start point of the relatively quiet period was approximately located in the range of 88 to 98 % of the peak stress.
Radial Strain Behaviors and Stress State Interpretation of Soil Under Direct Simple Shear
Authors: Kang Xin , Cheng Yao , Ge Louis
Published: October 2014

Radial strain behaviors and stress state interpretation methods of silica sand consolidated at different K0 values under modified direct simple shear were investigated in this research. Consolidated drained triaxial compression test, direct shear box test, and wire reinforced direct simple shear tests were conducted and the test results were compared and linked with the modified direct simple shear tests. Based on the observed testing data, simple shear specimens with constant lateral stress exhibited relative small radial strain during shear, especially under small shear strains. After the peak shear resistance has mobilized, radial strain increased rigorously until the specimen failed. Confining pressure and K0 values were found to have great deal of influence on the simple shear radial change. Two different methods were adopted to interpret the stress conditions within the simple shear specimen and the “pure shear” method was found more appropriate in interpreting the stress state in the modified direct simple shear test.
Characterization of Dense-Graded Asphalt With the Cantabro Test
Authors: Doyle Jesse D. , Howard Isaac L.
Published: October 2014

Durability of dense-graded asphalt (DGA) is a key issue with regards to long term pavement performance. There is a need for a practical and implementable test to estimate these parameters. Previous research has suggested that the Cantabro abrasion loss test has potential for this application. Both the development of the Cantabro method and its conventional application to open-graded friction course (OGFC) mixtures are reviewed. A four component research approach was undertaken to evaluate suitability of the Cantabro test for DGA mixtures that included testing of 438 specimens from 69 different mixtures. First, sensitivity of the test was assessed using a large range of typical Mississippi DGA mixtures. Second, variability of the test was measured by evaluating data sets with thirty replicates. Third, the effects of oven conditioning protocols were measured. Fourth, the effects of varying reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) contents were measured for warm-mix asphalt (WMA). The overall recommendation from the research was that the Cantabro test be given serious consideration for use as a durability measurement tool for DGA mixtures.
Standardization of Oil Sorbent Performance Testing
Authors: Bazargan Alireza , Tan Jun , McKay Gordon
Published: October 2014

Millions of barrels of petroleum and its products are transported across the globe every day. The hazard of oil spills is a looming threat that can lead not only to the loss of valuable products, but also seriously damage the environment and ecosystems. There are various ways of combating oil spills one of which is the use of sorbents. The ASTM F716-09 and ASTM F726-12 standards have been developed for absorbent/adsorbent performance and uptake capacity testing. However, most researchers do not use the procedures proposed by the ASTM when reporting their findings. Currently, the majority of the manuscripts published on oil sorbent testing do not use any uniform standard. Herein, we argue that the ASTM standards have some shortcomings that make them unattractive for researchers to use. These problems are discussed and possible solutions are proposed for more homogeneous and accurate reporting of results.
Stochastic Forecasting of Life Expectancies Considering Multi-Maintenance Criteria and Localized Uncertainties in the Pavement-Deterioration Process
Authors: Han Daeseok , Lee Sang Hyuk
Published: October 2014

Understanding the deterioration characteristics of highway pavements is an essential factor for developing better maintenance strategies, as well as estimating mid- to long-term budget demands. In general, estimation results regarding life expectancy have often been represented with a constant in deterministic manners. However, in reality, these results do not correspond with real life spans because of the severe uncertainties in the pavement-deterioration process and various maintenance criteria. For these reasons, in this paper, the real life expectancy was assessed in a stochastic manner with the Bayesian Markov hazard model, which is suitable for estimating localized uncertainties in the progress of deterioration based on various deterioration indices. On the basis of this model, we have developed a new methodology that can determine the joint distribution of total maintenance demands by aggregating multiple deterioration processes using the concept of “safety-hazard zones.” In addition, we developed a method for disaggregating the joint distribution by maintenance types to mitigate the conventional problems associated with the probabilistic budget estimation approach. For our empirical study, we used data from the Korean national highways from 2007 to 2011 concerning pavement conditions, including crack, rut depth, and international roughness index (IRI). The results of this study are meaningful in that they establish the ideal conditions required for the Bayesian Markov hazard model to forecast the deterioration of pavement, allowing the incorporation of a practical viewpoint into an academic approach under the concept of asset management.
Understanding Component Requirements for Formulating High Performance Environmentally Acceptable Greases
Authors: Fish Gareth , Robinson Paul , McSkimming Natalie
Published: October 2014

This paper outlines the research and development of new additive packages and component technology and their interactions with environmentally acceptable base fluids and thickeners, which enables bio-based and eco-friendly grease products to achieve a high level of performance. Many current environmentally acceptable greases meeting the European Union (EU) Ecolabel criteria for lubricants suffer from relatively poor performance compared to synthetic greases of similar cost. A summary of the current EU Ecolabel criteria is detailed and the implications for grease formulators are discussed. Careful selection of the base fluid and thickener type is needed in order to meet the Ecolabel criteria and to provide an acceptable level of performance to the end user. A list of potential additives to be used was drawn up following a review of available current ecological and toxicological data. By combining the proper base fluid, thickener, and additive combinations, a grease formula capable of meeting ASTM D4950 GC–LB multi-purpose performance classification has been formulated. A further development was shown to pass the requirements of the ISO 12924:2010 “Lubricants, industrial oils and related products (Class L)–Family X (Greases)–Specification.”
Durability of Building and Construction Sealants and Adhesives: 5th Volume
Authors: Carbary Larry , Wolf Andreas T.
Published: October 2014

Description

These 17 papers were presented on June 25 and 26, 2014 at the Sheraton Hotel in Toronto Canada after the regular ASTM C24 meeting. The theme of this symposium was largely inspired by a comment made by a member: “Who cares about durability?”

The volume of construction sealants compared to the volume of common construction materials on a major project is extremely small, however the building does not perform properly without sealants.

Thus, the short answer to aforementioned question is: everyone should care. The durability of a building is directly related to that building’s sealants.

ASTM C24 has global influence on standards for building sealants used in commercial and multi-use buildings. ASTM C24 committee holds the US Technical Action Group (TAG) to ISO TC 59/SC 8 Building Sealants of which both editors are active participants. Developing and developed countries look to the building sealant standards written by the ASTM and ISO groups to accept as their own standards or make modifications from them.

This book is the fifth volume concentrating on building sealant durability on an international platform. With the collaboration and dedication of the members of C24 who write and maintain standards, the owners and architects responsible for the world’s iconic structures can be confident of the liquid applied sealant materials that make their buildings safe and comfortable.
SUBVERTING HOLLYWOOD FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Authors: Gates Racquel
Published: October 2014

This article examines the production of Watermelon Man (1970), director Melvin Van Peebles’s only Hollywood film. While the film is often overlooked in scholarly circles in favor of Van Peebles’s more famous Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971), Watermelon Man demonstrates that degree to which Van Peebles was able to produce a film that was aesthetically and narratively subversive in spite of the studio’s attempts to turn the film into a standard, mainstream comedy. Further, combining historical and theoretical approaches, including details about the film’s production from Van Peebles himself, the article contends that the film provides a link between the worlds of Hollywood and black independent film production. Finally, the article explores the ways that Van Peebles uses conventions of Hollywood filmmaking, including racial stereotypes, to criticize mainstream America’s own racism and Hollywood’s role in maintaining it.
Interrogating Moral and Quantification Discourses in Nutritional Knowledge
Authors: Biltekoff Charlotte , Mudry Jessica , Kimura Aya H. , Landecker Hannah , Guthman Julie
Published: October 2014

This conversation is part of a special issue on “Critical Nutrition” in which multiple authors weigh in on various themes related to the origins, character, and consequences of contemporary American nutrition discourses and practices, as well as how nutrition might be known and done differently. In this section authors focus on the hegemony of reductionism and quantification in modern-day nutritional knowledge by discussing the historical foundations and ethical dimensions, as well as the scientific absences, in this knowledge. Reviewing various challenges to the energy balance model, they all suggest that the promotion of good nutrition is far from simple. Some authors also discuss why various “invisible” nutrients and measures of good nutrition continue to hold so much sway in nutrition discourse.
“The Pleasures of Merely Circulating”
Authors: Gelmi Caroline
Published: October 2014

Caroline Gelmi, “‘The Pleasures of Merely Circulating’: Sappho and Early American Newspaper Poetry” (pp. 151–174)

This essay examines how early national verse cultures Americanized the popular figure of Sappho. Newspaper parodies of fragment 31, which circulated widely in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, mocked English poet Ambrose Philips’s well-known translation of Sappho’s “Phainetai moi” ode in order to address concerns over the role of Englishness in the United States. The parodies achieved these political effects by allegorizing their own conditions of print circulation and deflating the cultural associations of fragment 31 and Philips’s translation with the lyric. In this way, these poems were able to address a number of political issues, from English imperialism in Ireland to the specter of English aristocracy in the U.S. federal government. This study of Sappho’s role as a figure for American print circulation in the early nineteenth century also offers a pre-history of the more familiar midcentury association of Sappho with the Poetess. As a figure for the Poetess, Sappho came to embody anxieties over female authors in the marketplace, representing concerns that the public circulation of the Poetess’ work and the promiscuous circulation of her body were one and the same. This essay tells the rich backstory to these more familiar concepts, tracing Sappho’s earlier entanglements with print circulation and the political and cultural functions she served.
Charity as Purchase
Authors: Goldfarb Nancy D.
Published: October 2014

Nancy D. Goldfarb, “Charity as Purchase: Buying Self-Approval in Melville’s ‘Bartleby, the Scrivener’” (pp. 233–261)

This essay examines Herman Melville’s “Bartleby, the Scrivener” (1853) in light of recent scholarship in philanthropic studies. Through the lawyer-narrator, Melville’s story discreetly challenges the representation of charity as a viable means of redistributing wealth and restoring balance to an unequal social structure. The narrator masterfully employs the rhetoric of charity to negotiate his role in Bartleby’s tragic outcome, generating a self-promoting narrative that deflects potential criticism. His charitable acts toward Bartleby do not fulfill Kenneth Boulding’s criterion for philanthropy as a “one-way transfer”; rather, they constitute an exchange. In return for his financial gifts, the lawyer assuages his guilt and cheaply purchases “a delicious self-approval.” The story demonstrates the extent to which the profit-oriented culture represented by Wall Street is antithetical to a sense of obligation for others. By neglecting his civic responsibility and excessively valuing money, the narrator finds himself incapable of a spiritual connection with Bartleby and, despairing of his ability to assist his employee, instead offers him charity. Once the lawyer begins to perceive Bartleby as useful, the potential of charity to express human fellowship transforms into a means to profit. “Bartleby” demonstrates how in late capitalism the needy cease to be seen as individual human beings and subjects of their own lives. Rather, they are seen as an occasion for a purchase, an opportunity to achieve one’s objectives by means of what are now tax-deductible donations.
Bigger, Better, Louder: The Prosperity Gospel's Impact on Contemporary Christian Worship
Authors: Bowler Kate , Reagan Wen
Published: October 2014

This article makes several claims about the relationship between praise and worship music and prosperity megachurches. First, it argues that the prosperity gospel has had a significant impact on contemporary worship music in America owing to its leadership in the twin rise of the megachurch and televangelism. Second, beginning in the 1990s, prosperity megachurches pioneered forms of worship music mimicking “arena rock” that capitalized on both the scale of their sanctuaries and the sophistication of their audio/visual production. The result was a progression toward music that would be a liturgy of timing, lighting, volume and performance designed for large venues. Finally, prosperity megachurches were ideally situated to benefit from this new music, both in the music industry and in their theology. Prosperity megachurches partnered with the expanding worship industry in the creation of new worship music, while the prosperity gospel theologically undergirded the affective power and performative pageantry of Christian arena rock, narrating worship music as a tool for releasing spiritual forces of prosperity. The result was a Sunday experience for the blessed that reinforced the celebration of God’s abundant blessings through music that was bigger, better, and louder.
“The Quiet Revival”: New Immigrants and the Transformation of Christianity in Greater Boston
Authors: Johnson Marilynn
Published: October 2014

In the years after 1965, a new wave of Asian, Latino, Caribbean, and African immigrants has transformed and revitalized the religious landscape of many U.S. cities. This essay explores the transformation of Christianity in greater Boston, where new immigrants replenished ailing congregations and infused them with new religious and social practices. This de-Europeanization of Christianity was not simply a result of transnational practices but resulted from a collaborative process between immigrants and native-born religious institutions. Both Catholic and Protestant churches experienced this immigrant-based revitalization, but evangelical Protestants have been particularly adept at partnering with newcomers to promote a “quiet revival” of urban Christianity.
¿Hubo “Retóricas Borromeas” Espanñlas?
Authors: López-Muñoz Manuel
Published: October 2014

This article argues that, contrary to Marc Fumaroli's claim in his classic work on sixteenth-century eloquence (1980), there does not exist in Spain such a thing as a group called “Borrhomaic Rhetorics”. Judging from Fumaroli's words, one might believe that Cardinal Charles Borromeo planned to produce a series of rhetorics in support of his ideas concerning the necessity of educating skillful preachers ready to spread the ideology of the Counter-Reformation all over Catholic Europe. However, the existence of such a plan cannot be ascertained from the available sources, nor can any clear results of it be established. Therefore, we should no longer talk about such a group.