Low Compressibility Research Articles

High-pressure synthesis of rhenium carbide Re3C under megabar compression

The rhenium carbide Re3C was predicted to be stable under high pressure and expected to have high hardness and low compressibility. In this study, we realise the synthesis of Re3C at megabar pressures of 105(3) and 140(5) GPa in laser-heated diamond anvil cells and characterise its structure using synchrotron single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of Re3C has the monoclinic space group C2/m and is built of CRe7 capped octahedra. Our combined ab initio calculations and quantitative topological analysis support experimental structural data and further deepen the understanding of the chemical bonding in the newly synthesized compound.

Reproducible Superinsulation Materials: Organosilica-Based Hybrid Aerogels with Flexibility Control

In this study, we report highly crosslinked hybrid aerogels with an organic backbone based on vinylmethyldimethoxysilane (VMDMS) with tuneable properties. For an improved and highly reproducible synthesis, a prepolymer based on 2,4,6,8-tetramethyl-2,4,6,8-tetravinylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4V4) and VMDMS as monomers was prepared and purified. Di-tert-butylperoxide (DTBP) concentrations of 1 mol% initiate the radical polymerization of the mentioned monomers to achieve high yields of polymers. After purification, the obtained viscous polyorganosilane precursor could be reproducibly crosslinked with dimethyldimethoxysilane (DMDMS) or methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) to form gels in benzylic alcohol (BzOH), water (H2O) and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH). Whereas freeze-drying these silica-based hybrid aerogels led to high thermal conductivity (>20 mW m−1K−1) and very fragile materials, useful aerogels were obtained via solvent exchange and supercritical drying with CO2. The DMDMS-based aerogels exhibit enhanced compressibility (31% at 7 kPa) and low thermal conductivity (16.5 mW m−1K−1) with densities around (0.111 g cm−3). The use of MTMS results in aerogels with lower compressibility (21% at 7 kPa) and higher density (0.124 g cm−3) but excellent insulating properties (14.8 mW m−1K−1).

A novel cocrystal approach celecoxib with piperine: Simultaneously enhance dissolution rate and compressibility

Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), exhibits analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties similar to piperine, the secondary metabolite of Piper nigrum L. Unfortunately, celecoxib has a low compressibility and low dissolution rate in aqueous medium. This study aimed to prepare a cocrystal of celecoxib and piperine to enhance the dissolution rate and compressibility properties of celecoxib. The cocrystal was synthesized using the seeding method and thoroughly characterized using Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectrophotometry, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The complete change in PXRD, decrease in melting point in DSC measurements, and shift in the NH stretching band in the FT-IR spectrum suggested the formation of cocrystals phase. Single-crystal XRD confirmed the formation of an equimolar ratio of cocrystals of celecoxib and piperine. The intrinsic dissolution test was conducted to confirm the impact on the cocrystal to dissolution, and it showed a slight increase compared to intact celecoxib. To assess the physico-mechanical properties, the cocrystal powders were compressed into tablets with varying forces. The results demonstrated a significant improvement in compressibility compared with intact celecoxib owing to the slip plane in the crystal lattice of the cocrystal. In conclusion, our novel celecoxib-piperine cocrystal exhibited distinct physicochemical characteristics compared to intact celecoxib, showing enhanced dissolution rate and compressibility.

A crude, cold-pressed oil from elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) seeds: Comprehensive approach to properties and characterization using HPLC, DSC, and multispectroscopic methods

The physicochemical characterization of fresh, undiluted, cold-pressed oil from elderberry seeds (EO) is presented. The results showed EO's uniqueness for the 93 % presence of essential fatty acids, including linoleic n-6 (41 %), α-linolenic n-3 (38 %), and oleic n-9 (13 %) acids with favorable ratios for human nutrition, n-3/n-6 = 0.93. A γ-tocopherol is the dominant tocopherol (96 %), with a concentration of 20.62 mg/100 g, indicating low oil oxidative stability. DSC heating and cooling traces determined the thermal properties. These results also revealed the presence of metastable triacylglycerol (TAG) structures composed of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The presence of characteristic groups for fatty acids and TAGs in EO was confirmed by FTIR-ATR spectra. For the first time, Langmuir monolayer studies on EO revealed its low compressibility, indicating its low emulsifiability, and the presence of minor components of EO, including tocopherols, phenolic acids, polyphenols, flavonoids, and carotenoids, was determined using UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence excitation-emission matrix (EEM) along with the chemometric method.

Study on Characteristics of Soil Profile Stability Indexes in Sakita

This research examines the suitability of soil as infrastructure which can help in the classification and identification of its properties for ideal engineering structures. Sakita, an area in Gesse III as a case study, is a virgin land, allocated for residential buildings. The need to investigate the soil profile in the report area prompted these studies as its physical properties are used for classifying its various engineering applications. These properties indicate qualitative behaviors of soil when subjected to various types of loads. Apart from physical/visual observation made of the soil, trial pits were dug to depths of 0.5m, 1.0m, 1.5m, 2.0m, and 2.5m respectively and disturbed soil samples were taken for tests. The disturbed soil samples obtained were analyzed for grading including mechanical sieve analysis, specific gravity, plastic limit, liquid limit, and bulk density tests. The resistances of the cone against penetration, compaction, consolidation, and permeability properties were also assessed. The detected geotechnical properties varied significantly with depth, except for specific gravity, which did not vary significantly at 0.5 m with depth. Soil samples from all pits consist mainly of poorly sorted gravel and sand with little fineness. They contain a medium- to coarse-grained fraction of sand on average above 85%. The puncture resistance obtained from the cone puncture test ranges from 100 knm2 to 950 knm2. The average safe bearing capacity estimated for the footing using a factor of safety of 3 at a depth of 1 m was not less than 473 km2 anywhere in the study area. The samples from the three locations generally have good compaction parameters, medium to high permeability, and low compressibility. The highest load-bearing capacity is associated with the lateralized basement ceiling. This means that the safety depth for placing infrastructure foundations in the prescribed research area (Sakita) is the depth where it meets the lateralized basement.

A novel test set up to study three-dimensional electrokinetic dewatering of dredged soil

The dredged soil obtained from maintenance activities of water bodies has emerged as a potential alternate fill material for infrastructure development. However, dredged soil requires stabilization due to high initial water content, low shear strength and high compressibility. Among several methods, stabilization of dredged soil by using electrokinetics is one of the effective ground improvement techniques that uses electric field to dewater and strengthen the soil. In this context, a series of experiments were conducted on dredged soil by using a combination of electrokinetic treatment with and without 6 kPa seating pressure (viz., low surcharge). A customized and patented electrokinetic dewatering (EKD) test set up was used for the three-dimensional electrokinetic treatment of soil. The potential difference (in the range of 6 V–48 V) within the soil was achieved by inserting stainless steel pipes of 21.4 mm outer diameter, 1.2 mm thickness, and 170 mm length. Two control tests (with and without seating pressure of 6 kPa) also were performed to understand the effectiveness of EKD. From the study, up to 1057% and 427% increase in dewatering was noted in EKD tests due to application of 24 V (optimum voltage noted in EKD tests) as compared to control tests, without and with seating pressure, respectively. Further, seating pressure with EKD resulted in effective control of crack formation in the dredged soil and uniform improvement in shear strength along the depth (up to 95 kPa). The combination of low surcharge with EKD, adopted in the study, is also expected to yield lower differential settlement, and hence better performance of geotechnical structures built on improved dredged soil. The novel 3-dimensional patented EKD test setup with Arduino-programmed automatic water pumping enables collecting and accurately measuring dewatered effluent volume, performing cone penetration tests on undisturbed soil, and collecting soil samples for determination of water content/physiochemical properties from different locations. Overall, the developed EKD setup can be utilized for evaluating the effectiveness and adopting real-time progress management for EKD or other ground improvement methods, and remediation of sludge, mine tailings, dredged sediments, and contaminated soils.

Investigation of strain-softening behaviours and development of constitutive model of red clays in Guiyang, China

Red clay is widely used in engineering projects; it is characterized by high moisture content, high plasticity, large porosity, high strength and low compressibility. The engineering properties and deformation modelling of red clay in Guiyang differ significantly from those of ordinary soils. Consequently, it is essential to conduct a detailed study of the stress–strain relationship of red clay in order to obtain accurate engineering parameters. Hence, a series of unconsolidated undrained triaxial compression tests (UU) was conducted on red clay in Guiyang under different water contents and confining pressures. The test results show that the stress–strain curve of the clay undergoes three stages: elastic deformation, plastic yielding and stress reduction after failure. After reaching peak deviatoric stress, the deviatoric stress decreases gradually and stabilizes, showing noticeable strain-softening characteristics. The non-linear model from the Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute (NHRI) was introduced for fitting and obtaining relevant parameters. Then, based on the FLAC 3D platform, numerical simulation was carried out on a standard soil sample. The research results show that the calculated curve from the non-linear model fits the experimental curve quite well, and the numerical test curve also agrees with it. This indicates that the non-linear model from NHRI can effectively reflect the strain-softening behaviour of clay and is highly applicable to Guiyang red clay.

Influence of Anisotropic Consolidation on the Instability of Loose Granular Soils Under Undrained and Drained Loading

Previous studies, mostly experimental, have reported conflicting observations on the effect of the initial anisotropic consolidation stress ratio (η<sub>0</sub>) on the stress ratio at the onset of instability (η<sub>f</sub>) for drained and undrained loading that involve static liquefaction. They indicate that as η<sub>0</sub> increases, η<sub>f</sub> could decrease, increase, or remain invariant, albeit without providing potential mechanistic factors. In this study, the anisotropic critical state theory (ACST) is used to investigate potential factors, including compressibility, state, and fabric anisotropy, that can explain the influence of η<sub>0</sub> on η<sub>f</sub> under undrained and drained loading. The assessments consider numerical simulations with the ACST-based SANISAND-F model, insights from SANISAND-F based instability criteria, the instability surface concept, and available experimental observations. Our findings show that compressibility and fabric anisotropy (and its evolution) are key factors in explaining the influence of η<sub>0</sub> on η<sub>f</sub>. In particular, the results show that if fabric evolution is not substantial, an increase in η<sub>0</sub> decreases η<sub>f</sub> for materials with significant compressibility, whereas the effect of η<sub>0</sub> in low compressibility materials is minimal. On the other hand, for materials that promote fabric evolution, the results suggest that the effect of fabric changes counteract compressibility effects, potentially increasing η<sub>f</sub>.

Structural stability and adsorption behaviour of CO2-loaded pure silica CHA and ITW zeolites upon compression

The present study investigates the structural stability and adsorption behavior of ultrahigh CO2-loaded pure-silica zeolites chabazite (CHA) and ITQ-12 (ITW) under high pressure conditions. To analyze these properties, we have utilized in situ synchrotron-based X-ray powder diffraction techniques. Lattice indexation provides information of the filling process and, through Rietveld refinements and Fourier recycling methods, we have been able to (i) determine the location and amount of guest carbon dioxide molecules within the cavities of pure-SiO2 CHA zeolite and (ii) tentatively determine that within the channels of the porous pure-SiO2 ITW framework. The filling of the zeolite pores with CO2 molecules was found to have a positive impact on the structural stability of both CHA and ITW under compression, which do not undergo pressure-induced amorphization up to 12.2 GPa and 15.9 GPa, respectively. Interestingly, low compressibility takes place in CHA zeolite below 4 GPa during CO2 loading and a second-order phase transition occurs in CO2-filled ITW zeolite at 2.1 GPa. These results highlight the influence of CO2 adsorption on the compressibility behavior of these zeolites. Overall, our study provides detailed insights into the structural behavior of CO2-loaded CHA and ITW under high pressure and allows comparison with other pure silica zeolites described in the literature.

Beyond Traditional Perovskites: Xenon's Influence on the Vibrational and Electronic Properties of K4Xe3O12

AbstractThe perovskite structure is one of the most fascinating configurations existing in nature, with its physical and chemical properties heavily influenced by the nature and oxidation states of cations, stoichiometry, and crystalline structure. Layered perovskite material K4Xe3O12, an interesting member of this family, possesses energetic properties that require detailed investigation. To establish the governing principles and quantify the observed behaviors, a detailed computational investigation is conducted into the electronic, vibrational, structural, and optical characteristics of K4Xe3O12, utilizing Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. The calculated elastic constants adhere to Born's criteria, affirming the mechanical stability of trigonal K4Xe3O12, with a bulk modulus (Bo) of ≈53.93 GPa. This low compressibility is intricately tied to its robust perovskite structure, featuring XeO6 octahedra sandwiched between XeO3 molecules. Precise determination of the valence‐conduction bandgap is crucial for understanding potential connections to the photodecomposition phenomenon. Using the Tran‐Blaha‐modified Becke‐Johnson (TB‐mB) potential alongside traditional generalized gradient approximation (GGA) approach, a bandgap of ≈1.32 eV is determined. Rapid fluctuations in optical properties also suggest a propensity for photodecomposition in the visible spectrum. The study provides critical insights into perovskite materials, especially those containing noble gas atoms, unveiling unique chemical and physical properties that open up new avenues for versatile applications across various fields.

Durability of Slag Based Geopolymer Stabilized Clay with High Moisture Condition

Clay soils, characterized by their cohesiveness and water retention capacity, exhibit low aeration and tend to swell when water is absorbed, leading to subsequent contraction. The moisture content significantly affects the properties of marine clay, resulting in low strength and high compressibility. Traditional stabilizers such as lime and cement have been extensively studied for their ability to enhance the compressive strength, reduce swelling potential, and improve the overall durability of the soil. These stabilizers offer numerous benefits in terms of soil properties and have been extensively researched. However,due to environmental concerned, geopolymer has been explored as an alternative replacement to the traditional stabilizer. In this research, stabilized clay soil using ground granulated blast furnace slag(GGBS) based geopolymer were prepared and tested for the compressive strength and durability characteristic. Different percentages of GGBS (10%, 20% and 30%) were used to stabilize the clay soil with different activator/binder ratio (0.5, 0.75 and 1.0) and initial moisture content (0.75wL, 1.0wL, and 1.25wL). Cement stabilized specimen were also prepared for comparison. Unconfined compression test and wet-dry cycle were performed to evaluate the compressive strength and durability of treated soil. It was found that the strength of treated sample decreased with increment of initial moisture content. Increasing the binder dose was necessary to achieve the strength requirements for high water content soils. Thus, it shows that the use of a GGBS based geopolymer binder for the purpose of stabilizing soft soil is an alternative that is both effective and environmentally friendly.

Extremely-Compressed SSDs with I/O Behavior Prediction

As the data volume continues to grow exponentially, there is an increasing demand for large storage system capacity. Data compression techniques effectively reduce the volume of written data, enhancing space efficiency. As a result, many modern SSDs have already incorporated data compression capabilities. However, data compression introduces additional processing overhead in critical I/O paths, potentially affecting system performance. Currently, most compression solutions in flash-based storage systems employ fixed compression algorithms for all incoming data without leveraging differences among various data access patterns. This leads to sub-optimal compression efficiency. This article proposes a data-type-aware Flash Translation Layer (DAFTL) scheme to maximize space efficiency without compromising system performance. First, we propose an I/O behavior prediction method to forecast future access on specific data. Then, DAFTL matches data types with distinct I/O behaviors to compression algorithms of varying intensities, achieving an optimal balance between performance and space efficiency. Specifically, it employs higher-intensity compression algorithms for less frequently accessed data to maximize space efficiency. For frequently accessed data, it utilizes lower-intensity but faster compression algorithms to maintain system performance. Finally, an improved compact compression method is proposed to effectively eliminate page fragmentation and further enhance space efficiency. Extensive evaluations using a variety of real-world workloads, as well as the workloads with real data we collected on our platforms, demonstrate that DAFTL achieves more data reductions than other approaches. When compared to the state-of-the-art compression schemes, DAFTL reduces the total number of pages written to the SSD by an average of 8%, 21.3%, and 25.6% for data with high, medium, and low compressibility, respectively. In the case of workloads with real data, DAFTL achieves an average reduction of 10.4% in the total number of pages written to SSD. Furthermore, DAFTL exhibits comparable or even improved read and write performance compared to other solutions.

A Simple Model for the Pauli Repulsion with Possible Utility in QM, MM and Chemical Education.

The Pauli repulsion is the intermolecular force responsible for the volume and low compressibility of condensed-phase matter at normal conditions. A simple model for this force is presented, wherein per-atom electron densities are represented as spherical charge distributions that are prevented from significantly overlapping. In the example of two noble gas atoms approaching one another beyond their van der Waals radii, the distance between the centers of the electronic charge distributions becomes larger than the distance between the nuclei, giving rise to an unfavorable electrostatic interaction. For the purpose of calculating this interaction, the model is further simplified by representing the per-atom electron density as a negative point charge, loosely inspired by the classical Drude oscillator. The dispersion interaction is simplified to an R-6 term, centered on the aforementioned point charges. Despite the gross simplicity of the resulting formalism, near-quantitative agreement with high-level QM interaction energies of noble gas dimers is achieved. Accordingly, the present model is thought to have utility in force fields, in post-HF and post-DFT dispersion corrections, and in chemical education.

Assessing the strength of deep-sea surface ultrasoft sediments with T-bar penetration: A machine learning approach

With the expansion of marine resource utilization, geological disaster prediction, and ecological protection in deep-sea regions, accurate identification of deep-sea engineering geological environments has become paramount, highlighting the significance of understanding the mechanical characteristics of deep-sea surface ultrasoft sediments (DSUSs). However, DSUSs typically exhibit low strength, high compressibility, and significant fluidity, making sampling for indoor strength testing a challenging task. On-site testing employing a T-bar penetrometer has become increasingly prominent for assessing DSUS strength, but the complexity of influencing parameters limits the application of this valuable method. This study utilizes a validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach to model the complete process of T-bar penetration into a DSUS. The aim is to understand the quantitative effects and corresponding mechanisms of various significant complex parameters, including the undrained shear strength, dimensionless penetration depth, rate effect, and interface contact condition, on the dimensionless penetration resistance coefficient. Additionally, a machine learning model based on the random forest algorithm is introduced to establish a multiparameter evaluation method for the dimensionless penetration resistance coefficient. The findings illuminate the intricate interactions and effective evaluation of these factors when evaluating DSUS strength using a T-bar penetrometer, addressing the above challenges in marine engineering geology and the environment.

Strength Characteristics of Bentonite Nano Clay Stabilized with Addition of Lime, Fly Ash, and Silica Fume for Soil Environmental Sustainability

The suboptimal engineering characteristics, including low tensile strength and significant compressibility volumetric changes, are the significant challenges faced during the construction of sub-structures in expansive Soil. The instability of the sub-structure leads to the settlement of the structure and compromises its safety and endurance. This paper explores how Bentonite nano clay (BNC) reacts with varying proportions of lime, Fly Ash, and silica fume. The ratios used for these additives were 2%, 4%, and 6%. The Compaction Characteristics and the stress-strain curve are analyzed. Incorporating silica fume into BNC leads to a decrease in both the liquid limit and the plasticity index. Concurrently, this addition increases the plastic limit of the clay. As the percentage of silica fume in the mixture rises, there is a corresponding decrease in the maximum dry unit weight and an increase in the optimum moisture content. Additionally, the introduction of silica fume contributes to an increase in the free swell but also it has an increase in the swelling pressure of clay. These results suggest that silica fume stabilization is an effective method for treating expansive clay.

Geotechnical issues of investigation of the technical condition of the structure on weak soils according to the boundary element method

The article considers the controversial issue of the need to take into account the increasing coefficient to the soil deformation modulus obtained on the basis of compression studies for the design of loess frozen soils. It is well known that weak soils can have low bearing capacity and high compressibility, which makes them difficult to construct and operate structures. It is known that in laboratory conditions, the modulus of soil deformation is usually determined by compaction with a static load without the possibility of lateral expansion in a rigid ring. The disadvantage of the compression device is the low accuracy of measurements, which is emphasised by many researchers due to the fact that the friction forces of the soil sample on the ring walls reduce, depending on the moisture content and soil type, the vertical pressure applied to the sample during the test. This leads to a false decrease in the actual value of the soil deformation modulus. To determine the reliability of the two approaches to determining the soil deformation modulus, the settlements of the foundations of grain storage silos on dangerous degraded loess soils were calculated by the numerical method of boundary element (MBE) using an elastic-plastic model, with and without taking into account the soil deformation modulus. It has been found that solving the problems of assessing the technical condition of a building is associated with geodetic and engineering-geological surveys and the analysis of these results, since the stress-strain state of the building-foundation system and the peculiarities of deformation of the soil base depend on them. After all, the problem of protecting a building from rolling is quite relevant. The design or reconstruction of structures on foundations with weak soils (with a deformation modulus E < 5 MPa) is also associated with the problem of ensuring that the calculated deformation values do not exceed their maximum permissible values for the experimental structure. The results of numerical studies are compared with the method of finite element (MFE) calculation and experiment.

Modelling anisotropic surface charge of kaolinite particles depending on pore water pH

This paper proposes a new, computationally efficient, approach to modelling the anisotropy of surface charge on kaolinite particles in particle-scale simulations. We represent each kaolinite particle as a flat ellipsoid and calculate the total interaction energy/force between two ellipsoids as a weighted sum of face-to-face, edge-to-edge, face-to-edge, and edge-to-face interactions. The weightings of these interactions are smooth functions of the relative orientations of the particles. This model was employed in coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of virtual samples under isotropic compression to investigate the influence of the pore water pH on microfabric formation and the mechanical behaviour of kaolinite. The simulations effectively captured the influence of pore water pH on microfabric formation and compressive behaviour, as previously reported in experimental research. The virtual sample with a pore water pH of 4 (acidic pore water) formed an aggregated and flocculated microfabric and exhibited higher compressibility during isotropic compression. In contrast, the virtual sample with a pore water pH of 8 (alkaline pore water) formed a dispersed and deflocculated microfabric and showed lower compressibility. The efficacy of the model is demonstrated here through coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, but it could also be implemented in a discrete element method code.

Study of design parameters for staged-filled slurry treated by prefabricated horizontal drains under vacuum preloading

The method of using Prefabricated Horizontal Drains (PHDs) placed in layers under vacuum preloading can significantly speed up consolidation of staged-filled soil slurry. The PHDs can settle with the soil slurry and maintain their shape/pattern and dewatering capacity largely in comparison with Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVDs). This study presents a field trial focused on treating dredged sediments using PHDs under vacuum preloading for land reclamation purposes. The staged filling involved in the field trial is analyzed using a finite strain consolidation model based on the piecewise-linear finite-difference method. Then, the effects of horizontal and vertical spacings of PHDs on settlement and vacuum consolidation rate are evaluated, considering various combinations of variables for staged-filled soil. It is found that for soils with low compressibility, the consolidation rate is primarily affected by the vertical spacing of PHD layers. For soils with higher compressibility, the consolidation rate is more significantly affected by the horizontal spacing of PHDs, and the final settlement after vacuum preloading is mainly influenced by the vertical spacing of PHD layers. This study provides practical recommendations for cost-effective design of horizontal and vertical spacings of PHDs in efficiently treating soil slurry with different compressibility and initial conditions.

Decomposition of the mechanical stress tensor: from the compressible Navier–Stokes equation to a turbulent potential flow model

We frame the mechanical stress tensor decomposition in a general procedure which involves the Helmholtz–Hodge decomposition. We highlight the impact of the mechanical stress tensor decomposition on the Navier–Stokes equation, with emphasis on the dissipation function. For fluids with low compressibility, we draw some insights on the Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations, and on the Reynolds stress tensor decomposition. We derive a turbulent potential flow model, and investigate the transition from viscous potential flow to turbulent potential flow. Under low Mach number approximation, we apply the turbulent potential flow model to one-dimensional propagation of large amplitude pressure waves in liquid-filled pipe.

Modeling of low Mach number unsteady turbulent pipe flows

AbstractUnder adiabatic conditions, and neglecting temperature variations due to entropy production, we present a set of Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations for fluids of low compressibility, i.e., fluids in the liquid state. In the low Mach number limit, we specialize the RANS equations to the one-dimensional unsteady pipe flow, and we deduce the dimensionless number that plays a predominant role in the flow behavior. We reduce the system of equations to a linear damped wave equation, and use its analytical solution to investigate the propagation of large amplitude pressure waves in liquid-filled pipes (water hammer phenomenon). We test the model reliability by comparing the analytical solution of the proposed model against experimental data available in the literature.