Increase In Relative Density Research Articles

Plasticity tuning of thermal conductivity between nanoparticles

We study the effects of uniaxial pressure on the thermal conductivity between two nanoparticles using atomistic simulation. While the system is compressed, we analyze the evolution of contact area, the relative density, and the dislocation density. Lattice thermal conductivity is calculated by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations at several stages of the compression. Despite the increment of dislocation defects, thermal conductivity increases with pressure due to the increase in relative density and contact radius. The behavior of the contact radius is compared with the Johnson–Kendall–Roberts (JKR) model. While there is good agreement at low strain, after significant plasticity, signaled by the emission of dislocations from the contact region, the discrepancy with JKR grows larger with the dislocation density. The results for thermal conductivity show good agreement with previous studies at zero strain, and a theoretical model is used to accurately explain its behavior vs strain-dependent contact radius. Both the Kapitza resistance and thermal resistance decrease with strain but with very different evolution. Simulations of a bulk sample under uniaxial strain were also carried out, allowing for a clear distinction between the role of compressive stress, which increases the conductivity, vs the role of dislocations, which decrease the conductivity. For the NP system, there is the additional role of contact area, which increases with stress and also modifies conductivity. An analytical model with a single free parameter allows for a description of all these effects and matches both our bulk and NP simulation results.

Synthesis of La2Ti2O7 nanoscale powder and ceramics based on it by sol-gel and spark plasma sintering

The application of ceramics as matrices for the immobilization of radionuclides for the purpose of their safe long-term disposal or beneficial use is being studied with an emphasis on phase stability, structural integrity, hydrolytic stability, etc. In this work, a combined approach was investigated, based on the sol-gel citrate synthesis of nanosized La2Ti2O7 powder and its subsequent spark plasma sintering to produce dense ceramics. The phase composition and structure of the nanosized La2Ti2O7 powder and ceramic samples based on it, obtained in the temperature range of 900–1300 °C, were studied by XRD and SEM. It has been shown that the powder synthesis conditions ensure the formation of nanosized crystalline La2Ti2O7 grains, whose consolidation under spark plasma heating conditions proceeds with a change in the phase composition from single-phase La2Ti2O7 of monoclinic structure to orthorhombic with an admixture of LaTiO3 at temperatures above 1200 °C. It was revealed that the change in the ceramic structure is accompanied by the formation of non-porous and defect-free monolithic samples. It was determined that such a change leads to an increase in relative density (81.3–95.7%) and compressive strength (78–566 MPa) of the ceramic samples. However, the hydrolytic stability of the ceramics decreases, as indicated by an increase in the leaching rate of La3+ from 10–7 to 10–5 g/cm2·day. The obtained results are useful for the systematic study of materials suitable for immobilization technologies of radioactive waste in ceramics.

Evaluation of compression behaviour of 316L SS Gyroid and Diamond structures using SLM process – Experimental programme under static and dynamic compression loadings

The relative comparison in terms of energy absorption efficiency for a set of 4 structures made of various Triply Periodic Minimal Surfaces (TPMS) topologies is experimentally investigated. These TPMS structures are printed by Selective Laser Melting AM process using 316L SS. The study is carried out in consideration of the effect of parameters such as relative density, compressive loading directions and loading rates, number of unit cells for Diamond and Gyroids TPMS both declined for Sheet and Skeletal topologies. The objective is to quantify their structural responses in terms of apparent stress and strain, dynamic enhancement and Specific Energy Absorbed (SEA) and to evaluate their structural integrity in terms of collapse stability. The results reveal that the Sheet pattern of TPMS structures with its constant wall thickness and uniform geometry exhibits better energy absorption capabilities than the Skeletal pattern. The Diamond family shows greater interest rather than the Gyroid family only in the case of the Sheet pattern. The increase in relative density from 20 to 30% is characterized by improved manufacturing quality, an increase in energy absorption capacity and more homogeneous progressive deformations during compression. On the whole, the set of TPMS geometries exhibits energy absorption capacities prior to those of other conventional cellular materials currently used for impact engineering applications. Finally, in a first approach, an original design methodology using charts can be developed to establish a link between the energy absorption capabilities and the design geometric parameters of TPMS structures.

Mechanisms affecting microwave dielectric properties of Li2Mg2TiO5 ceramics based on lithium excess

Herein, the feasibility was assessed through first principles, and the effect of lithium excess on both the structure and dielectric properties of Li(1+x)2Mg2TiO5 (0.000 ≤ x ≤ 0.200) ceramics was investigated by solid-phase reaction method. An appropriate excess of lithium can moderately inhibit the volatilization of lithium and reduce the production of the secondary phase MgTi2O4, though it cannot completely inhibit its production. Li(1+0.050)2Mg2TiO5 exhibits the best dielectric properties with εr =14.55, Q × f =127,393 GHz (@9.6 GHz), and τf = −19.91 ppm/°C. The influence of non-inherent factors on the dielectric properties is dominant, with the increase in relative density to 93.53 % and the growth in average grain size to 28.67 μm contributing to the reduction of dielectric loss. The decrease in εr is due to the decrease in secondary phase content. Results from bond ionicity and Raman wavenumber variations in the intrinsic factors show that the intrinsic factors have little effect on the εr. Whereas, the increase in lattice energy as well as the decrease in FWHM contribute to the decrease in dielectric loss. In addition, a proper excess of lithium helps to increase the bonding energy thereby optimizing the temperature stability. The optimized Li(1+0.050)2Mg2TiO5 has great potential for application in microwave communications.

The effect of relative density, granularity and size of geogrid apertures on the shear strength of the soil/geogrid interface

The increasing use of geogrid in various geotechnical projects has made the evaluation of the shear behavior of soil reinforced with geogrid become particularly important. In this article, a series of large-scale direct shear tests have been performed on sand and gravel samples reinforced with geogrid. The purpose of the experiments was to investigate the impact of the geogrid mesh size and the relative density of the samples on the shear strength coefficient of the interface between soil and geogrid. In this study, 5 geogrids with different mesh sizes and one type of geotextile were used. According to the results, the average shear strength coefficient of sand and gravel samples reinforced with geogrid for different normal stresses and different relative densities was obtained between 0.72 and 0.94. As the relative density increases, the interface shear strength coefficient decreases, this means that the denser the sand, the more the shear strength of the sand/geogrid interface decreases. Based on the results, it was found that the contribution of particle interlocking in the shear resistance of the sand/geogrid interface is particularly important, so that the shear resistance coefficient of the interface increases with the increase in the size of the geogrid mesh.

Study on forming process and performance of nano-La2O3 reinforced tungsten-based composites by selective laser melting

In this study, La2O3 nanoparticles were incorporated into a tungsten (W) matrix to enhance the microstructure and properties of pure W. The selective laser melting (SLM) process for W-2wt% La2O3 was optimized, and the influence of SLM processing parameters on the relative density and internal defects of the samples was examined. Challenges such as uneven powder layering and layer-by-layer thickening during the SLM process were addressed by incorporating a homogeneous material support formed with low laser energy density beneath the sample. This approach widened the process window for sample formation, resulting in a 2.38 % increase in the average relative density of supported samples compared to unsupported ones.With optimized parameters of 240W laser power, 200 mm/s scanning speed, and 80 μm hatch spacing, the sample achieved a relative density of 98.32 % with minimal internal pores, though some microcracks remained. Further investigation revealed that surface roughness decreased with increasing laser power and scanning speed. High laser power combined with low scanning speed yielded good surface quality. Under conditions of high relative density (over 96 %), samples processed with low laser power and high scanning speed (200W, 200 mm/s) exhibited fine and uniform grain morphology, few internal defects, and excellent mechanical properties, with a microhardness of 474HV and a compressive strength of 2237 MPa.

Enhancement of sintering and mechanical properties of alumina-rich Al2O3-MgO-CaO refractory composite by doping La2O3

Ceramics or refractories prepared in the Al2O3-rich corner of the Al2O3-MgO-CaO system show excellent high-temperature mechanical properties and chemical stability because of the presence of spinel (MgAl2O4) and calcium hexaluminate (CaAl12O19). However, the densification of these two crystals usually requires high firing temperatures due to their poor sinterability. To address this issue, La2O3-doped MgAl2O4-CaAl4O7-CaAl12O19 refractory composites were designed, and the influence of the doping level on the densification, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the composite was investigated. It was found that the doped La3+ was predominantly dissolved in the CA6 grains by replacing Ca2+, forming uniform solid solutions regardless of doping concentration. This reaction significantly accelerates ion diffusion and CA2 grain growth. Besides, it reduces the aspect ratio of CA6 crystals, weakening the negative effect of the elongated grains on mass transfer and sintering. As a result, the relative density increases from 79.5 % to 95.1 % after sintering at 1600 °C with doping only 0.5 wt% La2O3 into the composite, producing a uniform and dense microstructure with regular angular grains. The above effects result in a significant improvement in flexural strength and fracture toughness (increasing by 61 % and 57 %, respectively). Moreover, the La2O3-doped refractory composite achieves a decline of the high-temperature creep rate by one order of magnitude at 1600 °C.

Hybrid artificial neural network models for bearing capacity evaluation of a strip footing on sand based on Bolton failure criterion

This paper employs the Bolton failure criterion, incorporating strength-dilatancy relationships, to analyze the bearing capacity factor of a strip footing on dense sand. Utilizing finite element limit analysis (FELA) based on the lower and upper bound theorems, the study presents the results as average bound solutions. By using the Bolton model, the b parameter is first calibrated and found that it should be about 3.50 to align the ultimate bearing capacity (qu) from FELA to have a good agreement with that from experimental test results from previous studies. The influence of parameters relevant to the Bolton failure criterion is analysed, showing that an increase in relative density (DR) significantly affects the variation in the bearing capacity factor (Nγ) at higher Q values, while lower Q values inhibit dilatancy due to soil crushing. The width of the strip footing (B) has a decreasing effect on Nγ at higher Q values, and the unit weight (γ) changes minimally impact Nγ within the range of 16–22 kN/m3. Additionally, an increase in the critical state friction angle (ϕcv) consistently increases Nγ, highlighting its direct correlation with soil shear strength. A hybrid artificial neural network (ANN) model integrates machine learning with four optimization algorithms: Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA), Ant Lion Optimization (ALO), Teaching Learning Based Optimization (TLBO), and New Self-Organizing Hierarchical Particle Swarm Optimizer with Jumping Time-Varying Acceleration Coefficients (NHPSO-JTVAC). Comparative rank analysis of hybrid ANN models based on the selection of the optimal number of hidden neurons demonstrates that the ANN-TLBO model excels in predicting the bearing capacity factor, achieving a score of 48. This conclusion is corroborated by an error heatmap matrix, which indicates a minimized percentage of error relative to other hybrid ANN models. Importance analysis identifies particle crushing strength (Q) as the most significant factor influencing the bearing capacity factor (Nγ).

Phase Transformation and Mechanical Optimization of Eggshell-Derived Hydroxyapatite across a Wide Sintering Temperature Range.

Calcium phosphate, particularly hydroxyapatite (HA), bears a close resemblance to human bones, rendering it a prevalent material in biomedical applications. This study focuses on the successful preparation of HA using a precipitation method with eggshell as a raw material. Subsequently, the HA powder was press-formed and sintered at various temperatures to investigate the impact of sintering temperature on the mechanical properties, including hardness, compressive strength, and fracture toughness, of the sintered HA samples (E-HA). Statistical analyses, including one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post-hoc test, were conducted to determine significant differences in these properties at different sintering temperatures. Experimental findings revealed that as the sintering temperature increased, HA partially transformed into β-TCP between 800 and 1300 °C, with α-TCP observed at 1400 °C. The elimination of pores led to an increase in relative density, with a maximum relative density of 94.5% achieved at 1200 and 1300 °C. E-HA sintered at 1200 °C exhibited the highest hardness (5.08 GPa), compressive strength (255.79 MPa), and fracture toughness (1.21 MPa·m0.5). However, at 1400 °C, a slight decrease in apparent density (2.90 g/cm3) was noted due to the presence of α-TCP, along with significant grain growth. This study's objective is clearly aligned with the study design, incorporating detailed statistical analyses to validate the findings. Furthermore, bacterial culture experiments were conducted using sintered E-HA, Chem-HA (HA synthesized from reagent-grade calcium carbonate), and Comm-HA (commercial HA). Streptococcus mutans was cultured on the surfaces of sintered E-HA, Chem-HA, and Comm-HA samples for 20 h. After culturing, the OD values for all samples were below 0.2, indicating significant antibacterial efficacy. The comparable OD values and bacterial counts (p > 0.05) suggest that the source of HA does not impact its antibacterial properties. This underscores the potential of eggshell-derived HA as an effective material for biomedical applications.

Design and numerical analysis of perforated plate lattice structures

The plate lattice structure, a novel mechanical metamaterial, surpasses traditional truss lattice structures in stiffness and strength. However, its closed-walled topology poses challenges for manufacturing using powder or liquid-based additive manufacturing methods. This study addresses this issue by focusing on designing manufacturable plate lattice structures with various perforations. Through numerical simulations, we conducted a parametric study to investigate how different perforations influence the stiffness, isotropy, strength, and buckling resistance of the plate lattice structures. The results demonstrate that perforated plate lattice structures maintain higher stiffness compared to the traditional stretching-dominated octet truss lattice. The degree of stiffness deterioration is dependent on the geometry of the perforations. While plate lattice structures exhibit high stiffness at an extremely low relative density of 0.009, their strength is limited by premature elastic buckling. In contrast, at this relative density, the octet truss lattice demonstrates much greater strength. Interestingly, the introduction of perforations improves the plate lattices’ buckling resistance as compared to the unperforated design. With an increase in relative density, the plate lattices’ yielding mechanism shifts from elastic buckling-dominated to material plasticity-dominated. Moreover, when compared to other lattice structures in literature, it becomes evident that perforated plate lattice structures exhibit superior stiffness and strength, underscoring their considerable potential. The perforated lattices designed in this study contribute to the advancement of infill structures applicable in additive manufacturing and expanding the current state of the art in this field.

Investigation of the Effect of Relative Density on the Dynamic Modulus and Damping Ratio for Coarse Grained Soil

As the critical dynamic parameters for soil, an extensive examination of the dynamic elastic modulus Ed and damping ratio λ in coarse-grained soil is of significant theoretical and practical importance. Currently, there is a scarcity of experimental equipment and methods for measuring the dynamic elastic modulus and damping ratio of coarse-grained soils. Moreover, studies examining the influence of relative density on these parameters in coarse-grained soils are largely absent. To investigate the behavior of the dynamic elastic modulus and damping ratio in coarse-grained soil under varying relative densities, a number of dynamic triaxial tests were conducted on a specific coarse-grained soil using the DYNTTS type dynamic triaxial test apparatus. The findings reveal that, under various gradations, the Ed of coarse-grained soils exhibits a decreasing trend with increasing dynamic strain, a trend that intensifies with higher relative densities. Additionally, as relative density increases, the degradation rate of the dynamic shear modulus ratio Gd/Gdmax to dynamic shear strain γd curve escalates. The maximum dynamic shear modulus Gdmax rises with increasing relative density Dr, displaying a linear relationship between Gdmax and Dr. Furthermore, both the increasing rate of λ to γd curve and the maximum damping ratio λmax progressively diminish with the escalation of relative density Dr. Notably, the maximum damping ratio has a power function relationship with the relative density.

Physio-mechanical and tribological characterisation of sintered aluminium 7068 modified with NiTiFeAlCu high-entropy-alloy for engineering applications

ABSTRACT Metal particles are gaining attention as reinforcement in metal matrix composites owing to their ductility as compared with ceramic particles, which are inherently brittle. High-entropy-alloy (HEA) particles belong to this category based on their high strength, ductility, and thermal stability. Aluminium-7068 is a new aerospace alloy in the 7000 series that possesses higher strength than aluminium-7075, yet very few studies have considered reinforcement with high-entropy alloy particles. For strength improvement, NiTiFeAlCu (HEA) powder was introduced into the aluminium-7068 matrix at 0, 4, 8, and 12 wt. % at 500 °C via vacuum sintering. The microstructure depicted dispersed particles in the matrix with a linear reduction in porosity as the HEA dosage increased. Consequently, there was a linear increase in density and relative density. 4–12 wt.% HEA engendered linear improvements in yield and ultimate tensile strength, elastic modulus, and hardness; meanwhile, elongation was a progressive decline. The outcome of this study shows that HEA particles in AA-7068 resulted in an improvement of the tensile and hardness properties. The particle addition was observed to reduce the composite’s friction coefficient and wear rate. This report revealed that the performance of AA-7068 can be improved up to 12 wt. % NiTiFeAlCu HEA addition.

Hydrogel-chitosan and polylactic acid-polycaprolactone bioengineered scaffolds for reconstruction of mandibular defects: a preclinical in vivo study with assessment of translationally relevant aspects.

Background: Reconstruction of mandibular bone defects is a surgical challenge, and microvascular reconstruction is the current gold standard. The field of tissue bioengineering has been providing an increasing number of alternative strategies for bone reconstruction. Methods: In this preclinical study, the performance of two bioengineered scaffolds, a hydrogel made of polyethylene glycol-chitosan (HyCh) and a hybrid core-shell combination of poly (L-lactic acid)/poly ( -caprolactone) and HyCh (PLA-PCL-HyCh), seeded with different concentrations of human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs), has been explored in non-critical size mandibular defects in a rabbit model. The bone regenerative properties of the bioengineered scaffolds were analyzed by in vivo radiological examinations and ex vivo radiological, histomorphological, and immunohistochemical analyses. Results: The relative density increase (RDI) was significantly more pronounced in defects where a scaffold was placed, particularly if seeded with hMSCs. The immunohistochemical profile showed significantly higher expression of both VEGF-A and osteopontin in defects reconstructed with scaffolds. Native microarchitectural characteristics were not demonstrated in any experimental group. Conclusion: Herein, we demonstrate that bone regeneration can be boosted by scaffold- and seeded scaffold-reconstruction, achieving, respectively, 50% and 70% restoration of presurgical bone density in 120days, compared to 40% restoration seen in spontaneous regeneration. Although optimization of the regenerative performance is needed, these results will help to establish a baseline reference for future experiments.

Achieving superior compressive strength-ductility synergy in a novel ODS-CrFeNi/AlCrFeNi heterostructured high-entropy composite

A novel high-entropy heterostructured composite (ODS-CrFeNi/AlCrFeNi) was fabricated by powder metallurgy method. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites with various sintering temperatures (950 °C to 1100 °C) and various addition amounts (0% to 20%) of FCC-structured reinforcing phase (ODS-CrFeNi) were investigated. The results revealed a reduction in porosity and an increase in relative density, reaching up to 99% with increasing sintering temperature. The optimal sintering temperature is 1100 °C. In the composites with the addition of 5% and 10% ODS-CrFeNi reinforced phases, spinodal decomposition (SD), forming BCC and B2 phases, takes place both in the matrix and in the reinforcing phase. As the reinforcing phase content is increased to 15% and 20%, SD occurs exclusively in the matrix while is suppressed in the reinforcing phase. The reinforcing phase consists of hard BCC structured Cr rich phases and soft FCC-structured FeNi phases, forming a gradient network structure. The composite with 15% reinforcing phase exhibits high hardness of 841 HV and compressive yield strength, ultimate strength and strain of 6960 MPa, 7690 MPa and 15.5%, respectively, which are 2.5, 2.7 and 1.9 times higher than those of the reference alloys (without reinforcing phase). The excellent strength-ductility synergy originates from the unique gradient network structure formed in the reinforcing phase, i.e. complex heterogeneous structure, which results in hetero-deformation induced (HDI) strengthening for higher strength and HDI strain hardening for higher ductility.

Enhancing microwave dielectric properties of Li4NbO4F for LTCC applications through tantalum ion doping

The atomic scale variation of tantalum ion doped Li4NbO4F ceramics is initially predicted through first principle calculations. Subsequently, Li4Nb(1-x)TaxO4F (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.10) ceramics are prepared using the solid phase reaction method. After sintering at 875 °C for 4 h, the Li4Nb0.96Ta0.04O4F ceramics exhibit optimum dielectric properties: εr = 14.73 ± 0.19, Q × f = 83,439 ± 2810 GHz (@9.31 GHz, improved by 41 %), τf = - 28.33 ± 1.36 ppm/°C. Both the increase in relative density from 95.9 ± 0.32 % to 96.2 ± 0.34 % and the increase in grain size from 14.9 μm to 15.6 μm are non-intrinsic factors that contribute to the optimization of the dielectric properties. Instead, the internal factors suggest that the primary cause of the gradual decrease in εr is the redshift of the Raman wave number. The reduction in dielectric loss is attributable to the weakening of damping behavior, as well as the increase in lattice energy and electron cloud density. Finally, promising potential of Li4Nb0.96Ta0.04O4F ceramics for low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) applications is indicated by their favourable chemical compatibility with Ag electrodes.

Physical, structural and mechanical characterization of Fe-10wt. %Ni-5wt. %Cu alloys manufactured by powder metallurgy (P/M) technology

Abstract Porosity of alloys produced by powder metallurgy remarkably reduces their strength. This study characterizes the effect of addition of 10wt%Ni and 5wt%Cu particles to Fe powder performing an Iron base alloy using P/M technique. The microstructure of the alloy was investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The relative density of the alloy fabricated at different parameters was investigated. Microstructural characterization of the alloy shows a low porosity and existence of spheroid oxide particles. Also EDS elemental analysis reveals a uniform distribution of Ni and Cu within the Fe matrix. In addition, the results reveal that the relative density and hardness increase with increasing the fabrication parameters; pressure and sintering temperature when the time is kept constant and their maximum values were obtained when that alloy fabricated at compaction pressure 700 MPa and sintering temperature 1200°C for 90 min.

Radiological properties of nano-hydroxyapatite compared to natural equine hydroxyapatite quantified using dual-energy CT and high-field MR

In equine medicine, assisted bone regeneration, including use of biomaterial substitutes like hydroxyapatite (HAP), is crucial for addressing bone defects. To follow-up on the outcome of HAP-based bone defect treatment, the advancement in quantified diagnostic imaging protocols is needed. This study aimed to quantify and compare the radiological properties of the HAP graft and natural equine bone using Magnetic Resonance (MR) and Computed Tomography (CT), both Single (SECT) and Dual Energy (DECT). SECT and DECT, allow for the differentiation of three HAP grain sizes, by progressive increase in relative density (RD). SECT, DECT, and MR enable the differentiation between natural cortical bone and synthetic HAP graft by augmentation in Effective Z and material density (MD) in HAP/Water, Calcium/Water, and Water/Calcium reconstructions, alongside the reduction in T2 relaxation time. The proposed quantification provided valuable radiological insights into the composition of HAP grafts, which may be useful in follow-up bone defect treatment.

Severity of topsoil compaction controls the impact of skid trails on soil ecological processes

Abstract Skid trails are a major management‐induced disturbance in temperate forest ecosystems with considerable impact on soil ecological processes that are so far poorly understood. In German forests, skid trails comprise 10%–20% of the forest area that is potentially affected by soil compaction through heavy machinery. We systematically investigated the influence of skid trails on physical, chemical and microbiological soil parameters at 84 paired plots across four Central European forest types. In low mountain forests with steeper topography, skid trails had more drastic effects than in lowland forests. Skid trails in low mountain areas showed a decrease in the C to N ratio of microbial biomass (MBC/MBN), as well as increased microbial (MBC/SOC) and enzyme activities leading to faster carbon turnover (lower C/N, EOC/EN) and increased CO2 losses (CO2/SOC) from the soil. The overall effects of the skid trails in lowland forests were small. On base‐poor soils, we found an increase in the MBC/MBN ratio, while skid trails in base‐rich lowland soils showed a reduction in CO2/SOC, suggesting a proportional increase in soil carbon storage. Regardless of region‐specific effects, the relative increase in the bulk density of the fine soil was identified as a ‘golden trait’ that determined the effects of skid trails on many soil parameters, as shown by negative correlations with SOC, N, MBC, MBN, MBP, MBC/SOC and CO2/SOC and positive ones with the activities of certain hydrolytic enzymes. Synthesis and applications: Our data clearly showed that carbon conversion processes and soil respiration leading to significant carbon and nutrient losses increased significantly on skid trails in low mountain regions with relatively steep slopes, which was in sharp contrast to lowland sites. The strong context dependence of our findings suggests that the mapping of soil conditions in terms of slope, substrate and moisture with high spatial resolution is mandatory to assess the vulnerability of sites to soil compaction by heavy machinery. Based on such vulnerability analysis, negative impacts can be minimised through the designation of permanently fixed skid trails, technical adaptation of vehicles (e.g. wide base tyres) as well as careful planning and timing of management operations that should be restricted to dry weather and soil moisture conditions or periods of frost.

Effective elastic properties of novel aperiodic monotile-based lattice metamaterials

Two-dimensional aperiodic lattices emerge as remarkably isotropic metamaterials with potentially unconventional mechanical behavior. This study investigates numerically estimating the effective elastic properties, as a function of relative density, of novel two-dimensional aperiodic lattice metamaterials derived from the recently discovered aperiodic monotiles, known as the “Hat,” “Turtle,” and “Spectre” tiles. Furthermore, several classes of the Hat-based lattices; namely Hexagon (H), Triangle (T), Parallelogram (P), and Fan (F), are also investigated. The results show that these aperiodic lattices have isotropic elastic properties independent of relative density. The Hat-based and Turtle lattices exhibit larger elastic moduli, gradually converging to the Spectre-based lattices as relative density increases. A distinctive feature of the Hat-based lattices is their directional auxetic behaviour with an anisotropic Poisson’s ratio, whereas the Turtle lattices show an auxetic behaviour only at lower relative densities. Despite anisotropic Poisson’s ratios, the current aperiodic lattices maintain elastic isotropy, offering a unique blend of anisotropic auxetic behavior and isotropic elastic moduli. This study contributes to a better understanding of the elastic properties of aperiodic monotile lattice metamaterials and their potential for engineering their mechanical behavior for certain applications.

Risk assessment of soil compaction due to machinery traffic used in infield transportation of sugarcane during mechanized harvesting

Soil stress imposed by tire-soil contact from transshipment vehicles used in mechanized sugarcane harvesting results in increase in the degree of compactness. In this study we aimed to: (i) estimate the magnitude and propagation of vertical stress into soil caused by sugarcane transshipment wheeling; and (ii) assess the risk and occurrence of soil compaction in an Oxisol of southeastern Brazil. Three tractor-trailers with a carrying capacity of 10, 21, and 30 Mg, and an autonomous truck-trailer with a carrying capacity of 20 Mg were evaluated as field traffic treatments. For each treatment, magnitude and distribution of vertical soil stress (σz) and soil strength (precompression stress, σp) were predicted by modeling estimation and risk of compaction was assessed by σp/σz relationship. The occurrence of soil compaction was evaluated based on measured changes in the bulk density and macroporosity (equivalent pore diameter > 50 μm) up to 0.70 m deep after wheeling. Estimates indicated that the autonomous truck applied stresses that reached 595 kPa at the soil surface beneath the centerline of the tire, imposing the greatest risk of compaction up to a depth of 0.35 m depth. The stresses at the soil surface beneath the centerline from the tractor-towed trailer tires ranged from 275 to 279 kPa, imposing a risk of compaction that did not exceed 0.29 m depth. All assessed transshipment configurations promoted soil compaction, detected by increases in the soil bulk density and decreases in the macroporosity, even at greater depths where risk prediction had not alerted to the soil compaction. The most significant impact on soil compaction was observed for the autonomous truck-trailer and the tractor-towed trailer with a carrying capacity of 30 Mg, also affecting subsoil, as evidenced by a relative increase in soil bulk density of 5 % and 7 % in the 0.30−0.50 m and 0.50−0.70 m layers, respectively, and a relative reduction in macroporosity of 40 % and 50 % in these same soil layers.