Composite Element Research Articles

Eurasian Arctic Rifted Margin Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element

The Eurasian Arctic Rifted Margin (EARM) spans a poorly studied transition region between the Eurasian continental shelf and the deep-water Nansen Basin. It is a conjugate margin to the Lomonosov Ridge, as both domains were united before the opening of the oceanic Eurasia Basin. The EARM is considered as a Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element (CTSE) consisting of two individual tectono-sedimentary elements (TSEs): (1) an undefined group of poorly known pre-rift Mesozoic and Paleozoic sedimentary successions; and (2) Late Cretaceous–Paleocene synrift strata. The latter are bounded by a c. 56 Ma break-up unconformity and are overlain by the Eurasia Basin prograded margin TSE, which is not included in EARM. In the absence of drilled wells, we utilize multichannel seismic reflection (MCS) data for seismic stratigraphic correlations with nearby, better-explored, areas. The EARM CTSE is subdivided into three along-strike segments (from west to east): Svalbard–Barents Sea, the North Kara Sea and the Taimyr–Laptev Sea. Across-strike, the EARM CTSE is composed of a proximal zone of stretched crust characterized by normal faulting and a relatively narrow distal transition zone that may contain unroofed serpentinized mantle. The lack of drilled wells makes it challenging to evaluate the petroleum potential of the CTSE, although some indications of a working petroleum system presence exist.

The Symbolic Transformation of Real Images in Designing Magazine Covers

The symbolic transformation of real images in designing magazine covers is achieved through the technical processes employed by the designer for rhetorical purposes, which contribute to the intellectual processing by transforming a real image into a symbol that encapsulates its underlying meaning. This results in the creation of new elements and meanings for the image through fresh ideas in content, thus ensuring continuity and coherence in the magazine cover. Based on this, the researcher identified the research problem with the following question: What is the symbolic transformation of real images in designing magazine covers? The researcher defined the research objective as uncovering the symbolic transformation of real images in designing magazine covers. The most important findings reached by the researchers include the following: The symbolic transformation of real images is manifested through design processes by their ability to manipulate and distort, exaggerate, introduce unfamiliarity, integrate, and combine various stylistic features in their clear digital artistic effects in terms of size and eye-catching form. From the cover image, a message is conveyed to the recipient, addressing them and emphasizing through it that the main form of the cover has managed to leave a literal impact on the recipient by symbolizing the figure being referred to. This is also intended to directly clarify the impact of the form on the recipient, in order to convey the idea. As for the most important conclusions reached by the researcher in light of the research results, they are as follows: The symbolic transformation of real images dominates the magazine cover through design processes, utilizing manipulation, distortion, exaggeration, unfamiliarity, integration, composition, and diverse stylistic elements in its clear digital artistic effects, which have been referred to new meanings. The aim is to directly elucidate the impact of the form on the recipient to convey the idea.

Various Morphologies of Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4) and Their Effect on the Thermomechanical Properties of Thermoset Epoxy Resin Composites.

This research aims to highlight the importance of diverse forms of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) as strengthening elements in epoxy composites. It explores the influence of three different forms of g-C3N4 and their concentrations on the mechanical properties of the epoxy composites. Various characterization techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), were utilized to comprehend the effects of g-C3N4 morphology and particle size on the physical and chemical characteristics of epoxy resin. Mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, strain, modulus, and fracture toughness, were determined for the composite samples. SEM analysis was performed to examine crack morphology in samples with different reinforcements. Findings indicate that optimal mechanical properties were achieved with a 0.5 wt% bulk g-C3N4 filler, enhancing tensile strength by 14%. SEM micrographs of fracture surfaces revealed a transition from brittle to rough morphology, suggesting increased toughness in the composites. While the TGA results showed no significant impact on degradation temperature, dynamic mechanical analysis demonstrated a 17% increase in glass transition temperature. Furthermore, the improvement in thermal breakdown up to 600 °C was attributed to reinforced covalent bonds between carbon and nitrogen, supported by FTIR results.

Features of the genesis of manganese ores of the Kvirila deposit, Georgia (according to the data carbon and oxygen isotope composition and rare earth elements geochemistry)

Features of the genesis of manganese ores of the Kvirila deposit, Georgia (according to the data carbon and oxygen isotope composition and rare earth elements geochemistry)

Jan Mayen Microcontinent Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element and Jan Mayen Prograded Margin Tectono-Sedimentary Element, Greenland Sea

The Jan Mayen Micro-Continent (JMMC) is the result of two Cainozoic phases of continental breakup, and subsequent seafloor spreading. The first established a spreading ridge system consisting of the Reykjanes, Ægir, and Mohn spreading ridges between Norway and Greenland in early Eocene. The second phase established the Kolbeinsey Ridge in Oligocene/Miocene separating the JMMC form Greenland. Two major stratigraphic elements are established accordingly, the Jan Mayen Micro-Continent Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element (JMMC CTSE) for the Middle Devonian to Miocene succession, and the Jan Mayen Prograded Margin Tectono-Sedimentary Element (JMPM TSE) for the Miocene to Holocene succession. OBS refraction data show that the JMMC is underlain by a generally thickened crust. Plate reconstructions show that this crust most likely is a remnant of continental crust rifted off East Greenland, and thereby, consist of rocks that correlates with the Late Palaeozoic and Mesozoic strata stratigraphy of the conjugate margins of East Greenland and Norway known to be hydrocarbon. The arrival of the Iceland hot spot and the breakup magmatism greatly influenced the historic and current heat flow. Published maturation models and play analysis, show that there is a potential for oil and gas in the Jan Mayen Ridge within the JMMC.

Influence of polymer types on the performance of piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite arrays based on 1–3 type structure

Piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite array elements based on a 1–3 structure are widely used in high-frequency transducers. This study selected three commonly used polymers (epoxy resin, silicone rubber, and polyurethane) to prepare three types of piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite array elements. These elements were tested using a concentric ring sampling scheme from the inside to the outside and analyzed through finite element simulation to explain the performance differences in piezoelectric ceramic/polymer composite arrays. The test results demonstrate that compared to composite arrays made with piezoelectric ceramic and epoxy resin or polyurethane, piezoelectric ceramic/silicone rubber composite arrays exhibit superior resonance characteristics and consistency. The resonance frequency fluctuation is within 6 kHz, with a maximum deviation factor of 1.22 %, and an average effective electromechanical coupling factor of up to 0.69. The experimental results also show significant performance differences between edge and non-edge elements, suggesting that in practical applications, edge elements of the array can be set as dummy elements to ensure array consistency.

A Disc-Shaped Composite Ceramic Active Element with Multipass and Multichannel Pumping

A Disc-Shaped Composite Ceramic Active Element with Multipass and Multichannel Pumping

Birefringent optical fibers to decouple thermo-mechanical effects on FBG sensors

Optical fiber Bragg (FBG) sensors are gaining importance in structural health monitoring (SHM) systems due to their compact size and ability to be embedded into the lamination sequences of composite material elements. A significant challenge, widely discussed in the literature, concerns the decoupling of thermomechanical measurements made through these sensors. This work aims to solve this problem using birefringent optical fibers instead of conventional ones. The distinctive characteristics of birefringent fibers allow an FBG sensor, written in such fibers, to present not a single peak but two distinct peaks, each with different responses to changes in strain and temperature. This is due to the different refractive index distribution in the fiber core section, which allows for two axes on which the light signal propagates at different speeds. This property offers a significant advantage: by having two independent equations associated with the two peaks, it is possible to decouple the thermomechanical measurements using only the fiber itself, without the need to introduce additional components to achieve mechanical decoupling (capillaries with through or interrupted fiber). This would ensure that strain and temperature are measured at the same point. In the first phase of the work, an FBG sensor on a birefringent fiber was characterized and subsequently calibrated. Therefore, a dedicated experimental set-up was created to conduct thermal, mechanical, and thermomechanical characterization tests, in order to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of decoupling. In a second step, such sensor was embedded within a sample of composite material (unidirectional glass fibers), which was subsequently subjected to the same characterization tests conducted on the single fiber. The results highlight the ability of this new transducer to decouple the thermal effect from the mechanical effect, allowing this new technology to overcome the problems of FBG sensors made of standard fibers.

Piezoresistive properties for soft structures using hybrid CCB/CNT-based natural rubber latex composites

This study explores the development of flexible sensors for soft structures. Conductive carbon black (CCB) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) were incorporated into a natural rubber (NR) matrix using glutaraldehyde (GA) as a curing system. The sensor properties of latex-NR composites with 20 phr of CCB, including variations of CNT content (0.5 to 3 phr), were examined. Increasing CNT content beyond 0.5 phr decreased tensile strength and elongation at break, but improved sensitivity and gauge factor (GF). Additionally, applying a voltage over 5 V caused a joule heating of the latex-NR composite strip elements. When integrated onto a soft tendon-based TPU bending actuator, higher CNT content reduced electrical signal drift during cyclic bending, enhancing long-term monitoring. This research highlights the potential of CCB/CNT-based latex-NR composites for soft structure applications, including soft robotics and health monitoring.

Synergistic Li6PS5Cl@Li3OCl composite electrolyte for high-performance all-solid-state lithium batteries

Li6PS5Cl is a highly wanted sulfide-solid-electrolyte (SSE) for developing all-solid-state lithium batteries, due to its high ionic conductivity, good processability and abundant compositional elements. However, its cyclability is poor because of harmful side reactions at the Li6PS5Cl/Li interface and growth of lithium dendrites inside Li6PS5Cl phase. Herein, we report a simple interface-engineering remedy to boost the electrochemical performance of Li6PS5Cl, by coating its surface with a Li-compatible electrolyte Li3OCl having low electronic conductivity. The obtained Li6PS5Cl@Li3OCl core@shell structure exhibits a synergistic effect. Consequently, compared with the bare Li6PS5Cl, this composite electrolyte exhibits great performance improvements: 1) In Li|electrolyte|Li symmetric cells, the critical current density at 30 °C gets increased from 0.6 mA cm−2 to 1.6 mA cm−2, and the lifetime gets prolonged from 320 h to 1400 h at the cycling current of 0.2 mA cm−2 or from 10 h to 900 h at the cycling current of 0.5 mA cm−2; 2) In Li|electrolyte|NCM721 full cells running at 30 °C, the cycling capacity at 0.2 C (or 0.5 C) gets enhanced by 20% (or from unfeasible to be feasible) for 100 cycles and the rate capability reaches up to 2 C from 0.2 C; and in full cells running at 60 °C, the cycling capacity is increased by 7% at 0.2 C and the rate capability is enhanced to 3.0 C from 0.5 C. The experimental studies and theoretical computations show that the performance enhancements are due to the confined electron penetration and suppressed lithium dendrites growth at the Li6PS5Cl@Li3OCl interface.

Modelling of Steel Concrete Composite Elements Cross-Sections with Adhesive Connections

Abstract Nowadays, complex steel-concrete composite structures are widely used, which combine the advantages and eliminate the disadvantages of similar metal and rein-forced concrete structures. With the help of the LIRALAND software complex (automated design system), which is effectively used in the scientific and practical field of the construction industry of Ukraine, the article presents the study of composite cross-sections taking into account the modern experience of foreign specialists. Numerical modelling with the help of the “Section Designer” software module of “LIRA-SAPR” makes it possible to reliably assess the performance of structural elements, taking into account changes in a significant number of studied parameters.

A COMPOSITIONAL EXPLORATION OF THE HORROR ELEMENTS IN THE SHINING, DRACULA AND THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE: A COMPARATIVE STUDY

The horror genre has captivated audiences across various media, eliciting a range of emotions through its skillful manipulation of compositional elements. This research paper explores the intricate tapestry of narrative structure, character development, atmospheric construction, and thematic exploration that shape the horror experience. By employing a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative textual and visual analysis with quantitative data on audience responses, this study delves into the intricate dynamics of intermedial adaptation. Through a comprehensive examination of renowned literary horror works and their cinematic counterparts, including "The Shining" by Stephen King, "Dracula" by Bram Stoker, and "The Haunting of Hill House" by Shirley Jackson, this research unveils the creative strategies employed by writers and filmmakers to evoke fear, suspense, and thrill. The quantitative analysis provides empirical evidence of audience engagement and emotional resonance, while the qualitative exploration unravels the nuanced compositional elements and adaptation techniques. By synthesizing these complementary perspectives, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the horror experience across media platforms, offering valuable insights for artists, scholars, and audiences alike. Ultimately, this research underscores the enduring cultural significance of horror narratives and their potential to provoke meaningful discourse while captivating generations to come.

상업공간의 재생 유형별 실내구성과 디자인 요소에 대한 연구 - 대형 카페 중심으로 -

상업공간의 재생 유형별 실내구성과 디자인 요소에 대한 연구 - 대형 카페 중심으로 -

Energy Absorption and Failure Modes of Different Composite Open-Section Crush Elements under Axial Crushing Loading.

In order to study the energy absorption characteristics of the open-section thin-walled composite structures with different cross-sections, axial compression tests were carried out at loading speeds of 0.01 m/s, 0.1 m/s, and 1 m/s. Finite element models were built to predict the crushing response and energy absorption behaviors of these open-section structures. The effects of the cross-section's shape, cross-section aspect ratio, trigger mechanism, and loading speed on the energy absorption characteristics of the composite structures were analyzed. The results show that the average crushing loads of the hat-shaped and Ω-shaped open-section structures are 14.1% and 14.6% higher than those of C-shaped open-section structures, and the specific energy absorption (SEA) values are 14.3% and 14.8% higher than that of C-shaped open-section structures, respectively. For the C-shaped open-section structures, a 45° chamfer trigger is more effective in reducing the initial peak load, while a 15° steeple trigger is more appropriate for the hat-shaped open-section structures. The average crushing loads and SEA of C-shaped, hat-shaped, and Ω-shaped open-section structures are reduced when the loading speed is increased from 0.01 m/s to 1 m/s. The increase in loading speed leads to the splashing of debris and thus reduces the loading area and material utilization of open-section structures, leading to a decrease in energy absorption efficiency.

PERFORMANCE AS A COMMUNICATIVE STRATEGY OF MODERN DRAMA

Emphasized demonstrativeness, which is embodied and manifested in various spheres of human life, is a performance. Accordingly, a performative text is a self-representative text actualized in the process of communication precisely through action, a way of thinking, a director’s vision, and acting. The visual component of the text is defined as a constituent component of the poetics of the work, a gender-genre marker, according to the elements of the external composition. The usual classical image of a dramatic text in modern Ukrainian playwrights takes on the features of epic genres, which represent a different type and way of thinking, combining the narrator and the character in one person. Performance as a communicative strategy of modern Ukrainian drama is ensured by the transition to the narrative non-linearity of the character-narrative organization of the dialogue, the retrospective organization of the action, and the construction of the monologue based on associations of events, intimate-personal connections and perceptions, where the monologue is the real action of the character. The demonstrativeness and creolized nature of such text gives us the right to define such texts as “action art”.

Parametric Design of an Advanced Multi-Axial Energy-Storing-and-Releasing Ankle–Foot Prosthesis

The ankle joint is pivotal in prosthetic feet, especially in Energy-Storing-and-Releasing feet, favoured by individuals with moderate to high mobility (K3/K4) due to their energy efficiency and simple construction. ESR feet, mainly designed for sagittal-plane motion, often exhibit high stiffness in other planes, leading to difficulties in adapting to varied ground conditions, potentially causing discomfort or pain. This study aims to present a systematic methodology for modifying the ankle joint’s stiffness properties across its three motion planes, tailored to individual user preferences, and to decouple the sagittal-plane behaviour from the frontal and transverse ones. To integrate the multi-axial ankle inside the MyFlex-η, the designing of experiments using finite element analysis was conducted to explore the impact of geometric parameters on the joint’s properties with respect to design constraints and to reach the defined stiffness targets on the three ankle’s motion planes. A prototype of the multi-axial ankle joint was then manufactured and tested under FEA-derived load conditions to validate the final configuration chosen. Composite elastic elements and complementary parts of the MyFlex-η, incorporating the multi-axial ankle joint, were developed, and the prosthesis was biomechanically tested according to lower limb prosthesis ISO standards and guidelines from literature and the American Orthotic and Prosthetic Association (AOPA). Experimental tests showed strong alignment with numerical predictions. Moreover, implementing the multi-axial ankle significantly increased frontal-plane compliance by 414% with respect to the same prosthesis with only one degree of freedom on the sagittal plane without affecting the main plane of locomotion performance.

Evaluating and Comparing Human Perceptions of Streets in Two Megacities by Integrating Street-View Images, Deep Learning, and Space Syntax

Street quality plays a crucial role in promoting urban development. There is still no consensus on how to quantify human street quality perception on a large scale or explore the relationship between street quality and street composition elements. This study investigates a new approach for evaluating and comparing street quality perception and accessibility in Shanghai and Chengdu, two megacities with distinct geographic characteristics, using street-view images, deep learning, and space syntax. The result indicates significant differences in street quality perception between Shanghai and Chengdu. In Chengdu, there is a curvilinear distribution of the highest positive perceptions along the riverfront space and a radioactive spatial distribution of the highest negative perceptions along the ring road and main roads. Shanghai displays a fragmented cross-aggregation and polycentric distribution of the streets with the highest positive and negative perceptions. Thus, it is reasonable to hypothesize that street quality perception closely correlates with the urban planning and construction process of streets. Moreover, we used multiple linear regression to explain the relationship between street quality perception and street elements. The results show that buildings in Shanghai and trees, pavement, and grass in Chengdu were positively associated with positive perceptions. Walls in both Shanghai and Chengdu show a consistent positive correlation with negative perceptions and a consistent negative correlation with other positive perceptions, and are most likely to contribute to the perception of low street quality. Ceilings were positively associated with negative perceptions in Shanghai but are not the major street elements in Chengdu, while the grass is the opposite of the above results. Our research can provide a cost-effective and rapid solution for large-scale, highly detailed urban street quality perception assessments to inform human-scale urban planning.

Laptev Rift System Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Element, East Siberian Arctic

Abstract The Laptev Sea in the East Siberian Arctic is characterized by a system of extensional structures known as the Laptev Rift System (LRS), developed at the continental prolongation of an active divergent plate boundary - the Gakkel spreading ridge. The LRS hosts as much as 13–14 km of siliciclastic sedimentary strata of supposedly Late Cretaceous to Recent age. The strata accumulated atop of stretched and thinned continental crust that before the rifting onset was a complex tectonic juncture of Late Paleozoic/Early Mesozoic Taimyr and Late Mesozoic Verkhoyansk fold-and-thrust belts formed along the edges of the Siberian Palaeocontinent. In the context of this volume, the LRS is described as a composite tectono-sedimentary element that includes sedimentary rocks accumulated during pre-rift and syn-rift phases. The latter includes at least two syn-rift sedimentary cycles separated by a sedimentary succession formed during a stalled rift phase. In the absence of deep exploration wells, many aspects of the LRS geology and its petroleum prospects remain poorly constrained.

FE modeling to generate composite RVEs with high volume fractions and various shapes of inclusions

This work proposes a novel multi-step dynamic FE compression method to generate Representative Volume Elements (RVEs) of composites containing a variety of inclusions. This method is actualized through a sequential and four-stage procedure: (1) Sparse and periodic inclusions exhibiting a predefined orientation distribution are generated by implementing a modified random sequential adsorption algorithm, (2) Sparse inclusions undergo biaxial compression into the region of the targeted RVE via a dynamic FE analysis, (3) Periodic inclusions are compressed into the region utilizing a dynamic FE analysis with periodic boundary conditions, and (4) Positions and orientations of the compressed inclusions are extracted and the RVE in computer-aided design format is then generated. The proposed method confers advantages from four distinct perspectives: (1) applicability to various inclusion geometries, including ellipses, lobules, polygons, kidneys and stars, (2) ability to generate periodic RVEs of composites with high inclusion volume fractions (up to 80.0% for circular inclusions), (3) simple and straightforward numerical implementation without explicitly considering inclusion intersection check and (4) capacity to predefine inclusion orientation distribution. Statistical analyses utilizing multiple spatial descriptors, i.e., inclusion orientation angle, local volume fraction, Voronoi cell area, nearest-neighbor distance and orientation, second order intensity function, radial distribution function and two-point probability function, confirm randomness of inclusion distribution in the generated RVEs. The elastic properties and damage behaviors of composites via the FE homogenization method are predicted based on the generated RVEs and are compared with those of available experimental data, the literature and the mean-field homogenization models to demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed multi-step dynamic FE compression method.

High-resolution water temperature and salinity evolutions and associated drivers of the North Yellow Sea during the Late-Holocene

The mud deposit areas on continental shelf have developed in a relatively steady sedimentary condition with high sedimentation rates, thus rendering them ideal regions for exploring high-resolution paleo-sedimentary environment records. Since the sedimentary environment of the continental shelf is subject to the compound influence of multiple factors, the reconstruction of water salinity and temperature and comprehensive analysis of their response to global climate change remains challenging. Therefore, the present study characterized water salinity and temperature of the North Yellow Sea (NYS) using proxies, such as ratios of halogen elements of sediments and stable isotopic compositions of benthic foraminifera, and found the halogen elements of Cl in sediments was good proxy for water salinity. The evolutions of water salinity and temperature of the NYS for the past 3000 years were reconstructed, while the evolution stages and drivers of the sedimentary environment were explored. From approximately 3000 cal yr BP, the sea bottom salinity and temperature of the NYS were found to follow the same evolution trends predominantly consisting of the three stages: relatively low seawater salinity and temperature during 3000−2000 cal yr BP; relatively high seawater salinity and temperature during 2000−460 cal yr BP; and rapid changes of seawater salinity and temperature since 460 cal yr BP. The changes in seawater salinity and temperature of the NYS were largely driven by the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) as well as the influence of the Kuroshio Current. As the EAWM fluctuated, changes occurred in the flux of low temperature, low salinity coastal current water into the Yellow Sea, with concomitant changes in bottom temperature and salinity. Strengthening of the Kuroshio Current promoted the development of the Yellow Sea Warm Current, while the influx of warm, salty water into the Yellow Sea influenced the respective sea region. The abrupt global climate changes such as the “Little Ice Age” and the Medieval Warm Period first affected the East Asian monsoon, followed by the respective sea region.