Joint Samples Research Articles

Shared lung and joint T cell repertoire in early rheumatoid arthritis driven by cigarette smoking

ObjectivesSmoking has been associated with an increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in individuals carrying shared epitope (SE) HLA-DRB1 alleles. Yet, little is known about the regional and systemic...

Targeting long non-coding RNA H19 in Subchondral Bone Osteocytes Alleviates Cartilage Degradation in Osteoarthritis.

Emerging evidence suggests long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 is associated with osteoarthritis (OA) pathology. However, how H19 contributes to OA has not been reported. This study aims to investigate the biological function of H19 in OA subchondral bone remodeling and OA progression. Clinical joint samples and OA animal models induced by medial meniscus destabilization (DMM) surgery were used to verify the causal relationship between osteocyte H19 and OA subchondral bone and cartilage changes. MLO-Y4 osteocyte cells subjected to fluid shear stress were used to verify the mechanism underlying H19-mediated mechano-response. Finally, the antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) against H19 was delivered to mice knee joints by magnetic metal-organic framework (MMOF) nanoparticles in order to develop a site-specific delivery method for targeting osteocyte H19 for OA treatment. Both clinical OA subchondral bone and wildtype mice with DMM-induced OA exhibit aberrant higher subchondral bone mass with more H19 expressing osteocytes. On the contrary, osteocyte-specific deletion of H19 mice is less vulnerable to DMM-induced OA phenotype. In MLO-Y4 cells, H19-mediated osteocyte mechano-response through PI3K/AKT/GSK3 signals activation by EZH2-induced H3K27me3 regulation on PP2A inhibition. Targeted inhibition of H19 (using ASO-loaded MMOF) substantially alleviates subchondral bone remodeling and OA phenotype. In summary, our results provide new evidence that the elevated H19 expression in osteocytes may contribute to aberrant subchondral bone remodeling and OA progression. H19 appears to be required for the osteocyte response to mechanical stimulation, and targeting H19 represents a new promising approach for OA treatment.

Corrosion mapping of intermetallic in a dissimilar weldment using in-situ alternating current scanning electrochemical microscopy

In the present work, in-situ corrosion activity mapping across explosively welded 304 L SS-Zr-4 dissimilar joint interfaces was performed using intermittent contact alternating current-scanning electrochemical microscopy (IC-AC-SECM). Two weld joint samples, one with a regular interface and another with an irregular interface, were examined for their local surface activities at an open circuit potential in tap water without using a redox mediator. The SEM micrographs showed the formation of intermetallics at localized regions of the irregular interface weld sample but not in the regular interface sample. The 304 L SS regions of the welds were relatively anodic, with current and impedance magnitude values of 270 ± 20 nA and 380 ± 20 kΩ respectively, when compared to the Zr-4 regions with the corresponding values of 160 ± 20 nA and 630 ± 20 kΩ, due to galvanic coupling effect. The IC-AC-SECM technique enabled the in-situ determination of corrosion activity of localized intermetallic region within the weldment. The current and impedance magnitude values of the intermetallic region were ∼ 240 nA and ∼ 450 kΩ, respectively, showing only a slightly lesser anodic activity as compared to the 304 L SS base metal. The results obtained from the IC-AC-SECM mapping showed a good correlation with the EDS elemental mapping of the dissimilar weldment with intermetallic. The findings indicate the effectiveness of the IC-AC-SECM technique for the in-situ localized corrosion mapping of dissimilar weld joints, showcasing its potential for various applications in assessing weld integrity.

Evaluation of Tensile Strength of Dissimilar Metals SS 316-pure Zn Joining by Friction Welding Method

Welding of dissimilar metals has always been a challenge in industrial applications. In this study, the joining of SS 316 and 99.9% pure zinc by continuous drive friction welding has been carried out. The welding process is carried out with parameters such as rotation speed, friction pressure, forging pressure, and burn length being kept constant for all weld joint samples. This friction time is selected through the process parameter approach carried out on aluminium alloy material. The experimental results were analysed by tensile test and microstructure using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to characterise the microstructure. Tensile test results from friction welding with variations in friction time from 30 to 80 seconds obtained a higher tensile strength of the joint in the 30 to 50 seconds friction time range. In this experiment, the maximum joint tensile strength is obtained at 53.93 MPa, and the maximum modulus elasticity of 128.60 GPa at 35 seconds of friction. Solid-state welding makes it possible to join SS 316 and pure zinc, which is difficult to join in conventional fusion welding methods.

Quantifying particulate matter emission rates from naturally ventilated dairy buildings by considering roof opening contributions

Roof openings are typically fitted to naturally ventilated dairy building (NVDB) for better ventilation but their impact on air pollutant emission calculations has not been fully considered. Particulate matter (PM) emission rate (ER) for NVDB rely on the total ventilation rate (VR), outdoor PM concentration and average indoor PM concentration sampled either under the roof (Roof Sampling) or in the cubicle area (Cubicle Sampling), which may show large deviations due to its spatiotemporal variation of PM concentrations and complex airflow patterns. This study utilised a novel ER calculation method (Joint Sampling) that computes the respective emission from the roof and sidewall openings by matching each outlet's VR and PM concentration. By year-round field measurements of PM2.5 and the total suspended particulates (TSP), results showed that annual average ERs of PM2.5 and TSP were 10.8 mg h−1 cow−1 and 45.7 mg h−1 cow−1 for Roof Sampling, 12.7 mg h−1 cow−1 and 40.7 mg h−1 cow−1 for Cubicle Sampling, and 11.7 mg h−1 cow−1 and 45.9 mg h−1 cow−1 for Joint Sampling. Considering the Joint Sampling results were relatively true, Roof Sampling exhibited a maximum underestimate of PM2.5 emissions of 20.8% when sidewall curtains were fully opened, whilst Cubicle Sampling demonstrated a maximum overestimate of TSP of 10.2% when the aperture was closed. Using Joint Sampling, the roof opening contributed 39.3% and 24.4% of the annual PM2.5 and TSP emissions. When sidewall openings are partially or fully closed, the Joint Sampling calculation is preferable to estimate the ER of PM.

Enhancing aspect category detection in imbalanced online reviews: An integrated approach using Select-SMOTE and LightGBM

Aspect category detection (ACD) is a pivotal subtask within the field of sentiment analysis in natural language processing, aiming to identify implicit aspect category information in online review texts. In real-world scenarios of online review category detection tasks, data imbalance often arises, leading to skewed distributions among distinct review categories. This phenomenon poses substantial challenges for accurately recognizing minority categories through modeling. To address this, we propose a method for detecting imbalanced aspect categories by combining the selective synthetic over-sampling (Select-SMOTE) algorithm with the light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM). Our approach commences with text data representation through features, followed by a strategy involving joint sample partitioning and boundary optimization within the feature space to generate minority class samples. This partitioning strategy aligns generated data more closely with the original distribution, while the boundary optimization module enhances classification performance by eliminating samples near boundaries. Subsequently, the balanced dataset is input to the LGB model, enabling the extraction of aspect category information through parameter optimization and class weight assignment. Finally, our method is evaluated using the SemEval and SentiHood datasets and compared with prevailing sampling methods and classification models. Empirical results manifestly demonstrate the method’s superiority across diverse metrics, reflecting robustness and effective mitigation of imbalanced data challenges in ACD.

A Numerical Study of the Mechanical Behavior of Jointed Soft Rocks under Triaxial Loading Using a Bonded Particle Model.

In order to master the strength and deformation characteristics, including the macro-micro failure mechanism of soft rock samples with penetrating joints under triaxial loading, a series of numerical triaxial tests have been carried out. The strength and deformation characteristics, failure modes, crack propagation, distribution of force chains, and the influences of joint dip angles and confining pressures have been analyzed and compared with the laboratory test results. The results show that (1) the residual strength ratio of jointed rock samples generally increases first and then decreases with the increase in joint dip angles under the same confining pressure and reaches the maximum value around 23-24°. Poisson's ratio increases with the increase in the confining pressure or the joint dip angle. The elastic modulus increases with the increase in the confining pressure and decreases with the increase in the joint dip angle. (2) The jointed rock samples with different joint dip angles compact with relatively small volumetric strains and then dilate up to failure with relatively large volume expansions. Lower confining pressure and smaller dip angles will lead to a more pronounced dilation phenomenon and less obvious volume shrinkage rules. (3) The low-angle jointed rock samples all exhibit the X-type shear failure. The jointed rock samples with a joint dip angle of 45° exhibit hybrid failure with both slippage and shearing, which are controlled by both the matrix and the joint. (4) The change in the number of cracks includes three stages: the slow crack initiation stage, rapid growth stage, and crack coalescence stage. The total number of shear or tensile cracks all decrease with an increase in the joint dip angles, with the number of tensile cracks being approximately twice that of shear cracks. The tension cracks are mostly horizontal, and the shear cracks are mostly vertical. (5) The number of force chains shows a decreasing trend after the cracks begin to grow. The jointed rock samples for the intact, 15° and 30° cases all form a main force chain during the failure process, while there is no main force chain for the 45° case.

Study on Thermal Cycling Reliability of Epoxy-Enhanced SAC305 Solder Joint.

In this work, epoxy was added into commercial Sn-3.0Ag-0.5Cu (SAC305) solder paste to enhance the thermal cycling reliability of the joint. The microstructure and fracture surface were observed using a scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM/EDS), and a shear test was performed on the thermally cycled joint samples. The results indicated that during the thermal cycling test, the epoxy protective layer on the surface of the epoxy-enhanced SAC305 solder joint could significantly alleviate the thermal stress caused by coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch, resulting in fewer structural defects. The interfacial compound of the original SAC305 solder joints gradually coarsened due to the accelerated atomic diffusion, but epoxy-enhanced SAC305 solder joints demonstrated a thinner interfacial layer and a smaller IMC grain size. Due to the reduced stress concentration and the additional mechanical support provided by the cured epoxy layer, epoxy-enhanced SAC305 solder joints displayed superior shear performance compared to the original joint during the thermal cycling test. After 1000 thermal cycles, Cu-Sn IMC regions were observed on the fracture surfaces of the original SAC305 solder joint, exhibiting brittle fracture characteristics. However, the fracture of the SAC305 solder joint with 8 wt.% epoxy remained within the solder bulk and exhibited a ductile fracture mode. This work indicates that epoxy-enhanced SAC305 solder pastes display high thermal cycling reliability and could meet the design needs of advanced packaging technology for high-performance electronic packaging materials.

RESEARCH ON THE DESTRUCTION PROCESSES OF WELDED JOINTS UNDER CONDITIONS OF DETACHMENT OF THE VERTICAL STEEL TANK BODY FROM THE BOTTOM DURING A FIRE

The study presents a comprehensive analysis of welded joints by applying advanced mathematical modelling and experimental research methods. The primary objective was to develop and validate a methodology for mathematical modelling of the behaviour of welded joints under mechanical loading, as well as to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approaches in predicting their strength and durability. Based on the research results, we can draw the following conclusions. The authors obtained the results of welded joint samples and analysed the corresponding curves of the dependence of force factors on their deformations. The study showed that the destruction of welded joints occurs mainly along the weld seam, where the strength is lower than in the base material of the rods. It is consistent with the practical data of the experiment, which confirms that the weld is the weakest link in the structure. The article substantiated a set of provisions and assumptions for implementing mathematical modelling of the behaviour of samples of welded joints imitating welded joints in a reservoir for petroleum products under mechanical tensile tests. The test results justified the mathematical models of the steel material of welded joints of petroleum product tanks and obtained numerical parameters of the mechanical properties of steel of welded joints. Yield strength is in the range of 240–300 MPa, the modulus of elasticity is 190–240 GPa, the hardening modulus is 18–20 GPa, and the ultimate plastic deformation is 0.00334. Based on a complex of well-founded mathematical models of welded joints, we carried out calculations regarding the numerical study of the behaviour of welded joints under the conditions of their mechanical tests. We compared the obtained results with the results of experimental tests and, based on this comparative analysis, established that they were adequate since the Fisher criterion did not exceed the tabular value and the relative error did not surpass 12%. The findings of this research offer valuable insights and practical recommendations for improving the design and evaluation of welded structures, enhancing their performance and safety in engineering applications.

Senolytics Cocktail Dasatinib and Quercetin alleviate chondrocyte senescence and facet joint osteoarthritis in mice

Background contextLow back pain (LBP) is a pervasive issue, causing substantial economic burden and physical distress worldwide. Facet joint osteoarthritis (FJ OA) is believed to be a significant contributor to this problem. However, the precise role of chondrocyte senescence in FJ OA remains unclear, as does whether the clearance of chondrocyte senescence can alleviate the progression of FJ OA. PurposeThe goal of this study was to understand the potential of Dasatinib (D) and Quercetin (Q) as a treatment to clear chondrocyte senescence during the progression of FJ OA. Study designWe used a preclinical bipedal standing mice model with the administration of Dasatinib (D) (5 mg/kg) and Quercetin (Q) (50 mg/kg) after 10 weeks of bipedal standing. Materials and methodsHuman degenerative lumbar facet joint (LFJ) samples were obtained to investigate the relationship between chondrocyte cellular senescence and LFJ osteoarthritis (OA). Subsequently, we established an in vitro model of excessive mechanical stress on chondrocytes and an in vivo bipedal standing mice model to induce LFJ OA. IHC (immunohistochemistry) staining in vivo and SA-β-gal staining, qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis were applied to test the senolytic effect of the combination of Dasatinib (D) and Quercetin (Q). IHC staining and X-ray microscope were also performed to examine the contribution of D+Q to the anabolism in cartilage and subchondral bone recoupling. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis in vitro and IHC staining in vivo were conducted to assess the impact of D+Q on the regulation of the NF-κB pathway activation during chondrocyte senescence. ResultsWe observed that facet joint cartilage degeneration is associated with chondrocyte cellular senescence in both human and mouse degenerative samples. Following treatment with D+Q in vitro, cellular senescence was significantly reduced. Upon oral gavage administration of D+Q in the bipedal standing mice model, decreased cellular senescence and reversed chondrocyte anabolism were observed. Furthermore, administration of D+Q maintained subchondral bone remodeling homeostasis and potentially reversed the activation of the NF-κB pathway in chondrocytes of the lumbar facet joint. ConclusionsIn summary, our investigation unveiled a significant correlation between chondrocyte senescence and LFJOA. Treatment with the senolytic combination of D+Q in FJ OA yielded a notable reduction in chondrocyte senescence, along with a decrease in the release of SASP factors. Additionally, it facilitated the promotion of cartilage anabolism, maintenance of subchondral bone coupling, and amelioration of NF-κB pathway activation. Clinical significanceOur outcomes revealed that D+Q, the renowned combination used for senolytic treatment, alleviate the progression of LFJ OA. The utilization of D+Q as a senolytic demonstrates a novel and promising alternative for LFJ OA treatment.

Smooth joint motion planning for redundant fiber placement manipulator based on improved RRT*

In automated fiber placement (AFP), addressing the continuous motion planning challenge of redundant layup manipulators in complex environments, this paper proposes an offline redundancy optimization algorithm based on improved RRT* (Rapidly-exploring Random Trees). This algorithm maximizes the utilization of kinematic redundancy to derive smooth joint trajectories devoid of collisions and singularities. Firstly, the algorithm entails constructing a search map by eliminating joint configurations that violate constraints, and subsequently planning and optimizing the joint path by minimizing a multi-objective cost under the map constraint. Furthermore, several strategies are introduced to enhance RRT* for redundancy optimization. These strategies include a piecewise Gaussian sampling strategy (PGSS) to guide efficient tree growth within complex channels and enable joint sampling constrained by task coordinates. Additionally, the improved Steering and Local Optimization method are proposed to plan joint motion while considering intermediate task sequences. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated in handling complex motion planning scenarios, such as layup involving complex path curves or dense obstacles. Experimental results validate the algorithm's capability to find feasible collision-free and singularity-free paths in relevant scenarios, provided such paths exist. Moreover, trajectory smoothness is optimized with increasing iterations.

Property-Aware Relation Networks for Few-Shot Molecular Property Prediction.

Molecular property prediction plays a fundamental role in AI-aided drug discovery to identify candidate molecules, which is also essentially a few-shot problem due to lack of labeled data. In this paper, we propose Property-Aware Relation networks (PAR) to handle this problem. We first introduce a property-aware molecular encoder to transform the generic molecular embeddings to property-aware ones. Then, we design a query-dependent relation graph learning module to estimate molecular relation graph and refine molecular embeddings w.r.t. the target property. Thus, the facts that both property-related information and relationships among molecules change across different properties are utilized to better learn and propagate molecular embeddings. Generally, PAR can be regarded as a combination of metric-based and optimization-based few-shot learning method. We further extend PAR to Transferable PAR (T-PAR) to handle the distribution shift, which is common in drug discovery. The keys are joint sampling and relation graph learning schemes, which simultaneously learn molecular embeddings from both source and target domains. Extensive results on benchmark datasets show that PAR and T-PAR consistently outperform existing methods on few-shot and transferable few-shot molecular property prediction tasks, respectively. Besides, ablation and case studies are conducted to validate the rationality of our designs in PAR and T-PAR.

Needle arthroscopy in the surgical management of septic arthritis of the shoulder joint in neonates and infants

Septic arthritis in neonates and infants is a life-threatening condition which should be treated promptly to reduce morbidity and mortality. The chondrolytic effect of bacteria and proteolytic enzymes is well documented. Surgical management consists of repeated needle aspirations in one sitting, arthroscopic washout or arthrotomy for open washout. In very small children, it is difficult to perform arthroscopy using conventional endoscopes. Arthrotomies carry significant risks including iatrogenic injury to the key structures given the small size of patients. It can also leave unsightly scars and the approach to the joint can be challenging. We present two cases of shoulder septic arthritis managed successfully using needle arthroscopy. This technique involves a 1.9 mm Arthrex ‘NanoNeedle Scope’ (Naples, Fl, USA) in a 2.3 mm cannula. A second portal can be used for joint sampling, debridement and irrigation outflow. Both children recovered with no repeated washouts necessary and excellent clinical results at an average follow-up of one year.

A Non-destructive Evaluation of Microstructural Analysis in Sn-Ag-Cu Solder Joint by Synchrotron X-Ray Radiation Tomography

This paper demonstrates a non-destructive technique to evaluate the internal microstructure in the Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) solder joint through synchrotron X-ray radiation tomography. Synchrotron X-ray tomography is increasingly utilized for characterizing the internal microstructure of materials in 3D images. A 3D model is reconstructed from a set of 2D projection images taken from different angles and angular position during the sample rotation, thus it could provide a more comprehensive description of the microstructure of an alloy compared to 2D images. In this paper, it is successfully observed and evaluated the internal microstructure of a 900 μm solder joint sample. The key principles and methods of synchrotron X-ray tomography are briefly described. Examples of quantitative and qualitative assessments on the grain refinement effect of Mg addition to SAC35 solder joint are also presented in this paper.

Dynamic failure behaviour of sandstone with filling joints using the Brazilian disc method

Rock masses contain joints often filled with low-strength materials such as mud and gum. The instability mechanism of a filled jointed rock mass under dynamic loads is complex, posing challenges for disaster control. Splitting tests were conducted using a split Hopkinson pressure bar device and a high-speed camera to investigate the effects of weak-filling joints at various angles on the failure mechanism and mechanical properties of sandstone. The typical failure processes, splitting mechanical properties and fracture morphologies were analysed. The results indicated that as the joint angle increased from 0 to 90°, the crack coalescence pattern of the jointed sample under static and dynamic splitting loads evolved from complete separation along the bonding surfaces to shear–slippage failure along the direction of the joint angle and tensile–shear failure with a dominant zigzag track, ultimately leading to typical tensile failure. Under dynamic loads, filled joints reduced the brittleness of the samples, contrary to the behaviour observed under static loads. The peak load and displacement were proportional to the joint angle and impact gas pressure, respectively. The fracture surface morphology precisely reflected the macroscopic fracture mechanism at the microscopic scale.

Deterioration mechanisms of tuff with surface fractures under freeze–thaw cycles

In practical engineering, the development of surface cracks is one of the most important reasons for the destruction of the rock mass, and the development of complex morphology fractures on the rock mass surface significantly influences rock mass mechanics. This paper addresses the freeze–thaw damage issue in rock mass containing surface fractures in cold regions. Tuffs and a control group are selected as research samples, with the control group being prefabricated surface jointed specimens with an inclination angle of 70° and a fracture depth ratio d (crack depth) /t (sample width) of 0.26. The study analyzes the mass, wave velocity loss, macro-microcosmic fracture damage morphology, and mechanical properties of the two specimen groups through laboratory freeze–thaw cycle tests, uniaxial compression tests, and scanning electron microscopy examinations. The results show an overall decrease in mass, wave velocity, and uniaxial compressive strength as the cycle number increases, with the prefabricated jointed group samples showing more significant changes. However, the two specimen groups exhibit different macroscopic failure fracture states. In addition, scanning electron microscopy images illustrate that after freeze–thaw cycles, the large rock mass particles break into smaller fragments, resulting in looser particle arrangements and a transition from initial surface cementation to point contact., which weakens the compressive strength of the rock mass. The paper also explains the mechanism of the diminishing impact of freeze–thaw cycles on the strength of the rock mass after a certain number of cycles. The research outcomes hold significant reference value for engineering construction in cold regions.

An Accurate Recognition Method for Landslides Based on a Semi-Supervised Generative Adversarial Network: A Case Study in Lanzhou City

With the development of computer technology, landslide recognition based on machine learning methods has been widely applied in geological disaster management and research. However, in landslide identification, the problems of an insufficient number of samples and an imbalance of samples are often ignored; that is, landslide samples are much smaller than non-landslide samples. In order to solve this problem, taking the main urban area of Lanzhou City as an example, this paper proposes to construct a semi-supervised generated countermeasure network (SSGAN) model, which aims to achieve high performance with a limited number of labeled samples for precise landslide identification, and to help prevent and reduce the harm caused by disasters. In order to express the environmental characteristics of landslide development and the optical texture features of landslide occurrence, the study constructs three sets of samples to represent landslide features, including a landslide influencing factor sample set, a Sentinel-2A optical remote sensing sample set, a joint influencing factor and Sentinel-2A sample set. The three kinds of sample sets are transferred to SSGAN for training to form a comparative study. The results show that the joint sample set has excellent feature results in discriminator and generator. Through the experimental comparison, the model proposed in this paper is compared with the model without semi-supervised generated confrontation training. The experimental results show that the proposed method is better than the unsupervised adversarial learning model in terms of accuracy, F1 score, Kappa coefficient, and MIoU. A total of 160 landslides have been identified in the study area, with a total area of 10.328 km2, with an accuracy rate of 83%. Therefore, the generated results are accurate and reliable, and show that SSGAN can better distinguish landslides from non-landslides in an image, under the condition of obtaining a large number of unmarked environmental features; enhance the effect of landslide classification in complex geographical environment; and then put forward effective suggestions for the prevention and control of landslides and geological disasters in the main urban area of Lanzhou.

Temporomandibular Joint Histology

Background: The temporomandibular joint plays a crucial role in daily oral functions like mastication. A comprehensive understanding of the histological components of these joints proves valuable in deciphering their intricate anatomical structures. Purpose of the study: This study aimed to compare the histochemical stains of hematoxylin-eosin and Goldner's trichrome applied to a temporomandibular joint sample using the Wistar Rat as a biomodel. Results: Complete sagittal slices of murine biomodel hemicranium were evaluated and the comprehensive histological technique involved various steps, including perfusion, post-fixation, decalcification, dehydration, clarification, inclusion, cutting, staining, and assembly. The temporomandibular joint specimens were stained using H&E and Goldner's trichrome. The histological description included structures such as the external auditory canal, mandibular fossa and condyle, pterygoid muscles, joint capsule, synovial membrane, articular disc, and articular surface. Special cell types like chondrocytes and synovial cells were also identified. Conclusion: Goldner's trichrome, an underutilized technique, exhibited superior chromatic richness in differentiating the cellular and tissue components of the temporomandibular joint. KEYWORDS: histology, joint capsule, synovial membrane, temporomandibular joint, temporomandibular joint disc, trichrome stain, Wistar rats.

An investigation on bending fatigue in a corrosive environment of dual-phase 1000 sheet steel RSW joints and damage model via experiment and numeric analysis

Fatigue, corrosion, and fatigue damage models are best addressed to improve and understand the service performance of materials, particularly automotive steel. This study is an attempt to experimentally and finite element investigates plain bending fatigue performance and damage model of DP 1000 sheet steel resistance spot welding (RSW) joints in 3% NaCl aqueous corrosive treatment. RSW applications were carried out using different weld currents. The joint samples were then subjected to optical image analysis, tensile shear, and fatigue tests (3% NaCl-aqueous and normal atmosphere). A proper damage model of RSW junctions was developed and corrected by numeric analysis. Besides, RSW nugget formation, tensile shear, and plain bending fatigue tests were also applied. Consequence, fatigue behavior, tensile load carrying capacity, and effective fracture behavior of resistance spot welded joint specimens were evaluated. Results showed that a corrosive environment negatively affected fatigue performance. With the developed model, it was observed that the fatigue life of the samples decreased by 30–35% in the fatigue tests performed in the corrosive environment. Experimental and numerical analysis results of plain bending were compatible.

Arrangement of Nondestructive Tests for Technical Inspection Process of Electrofusion Weld in Gas Polyethylene Pipe

Due to the reduction of operational costs, Non-corrosiveness, and ease of implementation, polyethylene pipes are a suitable replacement for steel pipes in gas distribution networks. Considering the irreversible events of gas leakage, effective and feasible non-destructive testing of electrofusion welding is an essential factor to avoid the hazards of gas leakage. To control the quality of welds, the nature of the electrofusion structure leads us to manufacture vacuum boxes, internal pressure devices, and Tapping Saddle Connector for testing polyethylene joint leakages. This article focuses on the sequence of these non-destructive tests to monitor the health of polyethylene electrofusion joint structures under gas network project implementation conditions. To examine the testing chain and the proposed sequence of non-destructive tests, the data gathering process was performed, and with respect to the sensitivity of the electrofusion weld to the operator's skill, welding process, and the condition of the pipe and fittings, in each case the influential factors to find the key parameters were evaluated. The results of laboratory tests in cases of short tests and long-life tests using artificial defects such as slow crack growth with defective samples of on-site joints and defects reported in projects were compared. To validate leak detection, leak location, and leak measurement, weld simulation with finite element and CFD software analysis conforming to real conditions was considered. The test sequence, acceptance criteria, and calibration method of the tools according to EN 1555 standard were argued for performing the final inspection steps. In this perspective, for each leak testing technique, the average type, pressure level, test duration, and finally the acceptance criteria were proposed. The main outcome is the technical specifications for electrofusion weld assessment and baseline risk- based inspection scheme in gas supply projects. In this regard, a database software based on the proposed ITP (Inspection and Testing Plan) has been developed, which is fundamental for monitoring the whole project from the first stage of polyethylene granule control, pipe and fitting manufacture, and gas injection to the final stage in network and commissioning. Operations to determine failure causes and suitability for performance assessment. Another proposed idea is standardizing the recent technical specifications internationally. This idea will be implemented when management realizes that non-destructive testing can lead to cost savings, protection of humans and the environment, and when codes and standards encompass such requirements.