Joint Resistance Research Articles

A Generalized Model of HTS-HTS Joint Resistance for Superconducting Magnets

A Generalized Model of HTS-HTS Joint Resistance for Superconducting Magnets

Experiment Research of Superconducting Joint Resistance in Large-Scale HTS Magnet

Experiment Research of Superconducting Joint Resistance in Large-Scale HTS Magnet

Enhancement of pin‐bearing behavior of pultruded FRP profiles by multi‐directional fiber architecture design

AbstractThe low resistance of bolted joints in pultruded unidirectional (UD) fiber‐reinforced polymer (FRP) profiles limits the load grade of truss bridges due to shear damage along UD fibers. To address this issue, this study proposes multi‐directional (MD) fiber architecture in FRP profiles to improve the ultimate bearing strength of bolted joints. The digital image correlation shows that the addition of off‐axis fibers in MD FRP profiles prevents shear failure in the UD FRP profile. As a result, the ultimate bearing strengths of MD FRP profiles are enhanced attributed to “off‐axis fiber tie action”. Micro‐computed tomography shows that fiber damage in MD FRP profiles emerged from outer plies, including fiber breakage in 90° and ±45° fibers and fiber kinking in 0° and ±45° fibers. The off‐axis fibers break due to tension when resisting the bearing load in MD FRP profiles. The fiber kinking indicated strength contribution from 0° to ±45° fibers. The fiber breakage and fiber kinking in each ply are dominant in bearing failure instead of delamination, which increases the bearing strength of the pultruded MD FRP profiles. These findings facilitate controlling damage evolution in the pultruded MD FRP profiles and designing high‐resistance bolted joints.Highlights Multi‐directional fibers improved bearing strengths of FRP profiles by 28.5%–33%. Off‐axis fibers bent under pin‐bearing, forming a tie action until breakage. Fiber breakage and kinking in each ply contributed to the bearing failure. Strain localization and redistribution were observed using DIC.

Experimental studies of critical currents and joint resistance of HTS twisted stack slotted-core cables

Experimental studies of critical currents and joint resistance of HTS twisted stack slotted-core cables

Exploration of the triceps surae muscle in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy using instrumented measurements of stiffness and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging for muscle architecture

BackgroundMusculoskeletal alterations causing reduced range of motion of the ankle joint are common in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Objective measurements of passive joint resistance and three-dimensional skeletal muscle volume and muscle architecture can lead to a comprehensive understanding of which factors influence joint range of motion.Research questionTo investigate the relation between the passive dorsiflexion of the ankle joint, biomechanical contributing factors to the passive joint resistance, and muscular architectural properties of the triceps surae muscle in children with CP.MethodsIn this cross-sectional observational study, 14 children with spastic CP (bilateral: 5, unilateral: 9, Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level I:11, II:3) naïve to intramuscular tone reducing treatment, and 14 TD children were included. The passive dorsiflexion of the ankle was measured with a goniometer. Passive joint resistance and related parameters were estimated based on a biomechanical model and measurements using a motorized device, the Neuroflexor. Three-dimensional muscle architecture was quantified with diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI).ResultsIn the CP group, the median [min, max] passive dorsiflexion was decreased in the most affected leg (MAL) compared to the less affected leg (LAL) (2.5° [-25°, 20°] vs. 12.5° [5°, 30°], p = 0.001). The stiffness coefficient (Nm/rad) in the MAL was significantly higher in children with CP compared to TD children (7.10 [3.39, 62.00] vs. 2.82 [1.24, 10.46], p = 0.015). Muscle architecture properties did not differ between CP and TD, except for pennation angle in the medial gastrocnemius (MG) of the MAL (CP 17.64° (2.29) vs. TD 21.46° (3.20), p = 0.017). The stiffness coefficient, in the MAL, correlated negatively to passive dorsiflexion (rs=-0.638) and pennation angle in medial gastrocnemius (rs=-0.964), and the non-linear coefficient (Non-linear 1) correlated negatively to the fascicle length of the medial gastrocnemius (rs=-0.857).ConclusionThis study shows that stiffness of the plantarflexors is related to decreased passive dorsiflexion of the ankle and muscle structure of the MG in high-functioning children with spastic CP. Assessments of how dynamic components as well as microscopic muscle alterations contribute to joint stiffness in the plantarflexors in individuals with CP are warranted.Trial registrationRetrospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05447299. Observational study. Study start: 2019-01-15, register date: 2022-07-01.

Investigation on effects of nano-reinforcement on the mechanical properties, fatigue, and microstructural analysis of dissimilar AA6061- Mg AZ31B weld joints

Weld joints have been subject to substantial improvement in mechanical durability and wear resistance in recent years. This research work challenge can be answered by incorporating nano-materials into the weld zone. Mechanical and metallurgical aspects of friction stir welded (FSW) butt joints made of AA6061 aluminum and Mg AZ31B alloys have been examined in this work, both with and without the use of naturally derived biochar nanoparticles. The biochar particle was extracted from rice husk. Throughout the whole weld joint manufacturing process, a tool with a rotational speed of 1400 rpm, a welding speed of 40 mm min−1, and a tapered pin profiled tool were employed. During the joint fabrication process, the constant axial load of 7 kN, plunge depth of 0.2 mm, and constant dwell time of 0.3 s were also maintained. In order to improve the mechanical attributes of the weld joints, different wt% of biochar such as 1%, 2%, and 3%, were applied at the interface region of the weld joints. The experimental results revealed that the percentage of reinforced nano-materials plays a significant effect in improving the weld joint qualities. The testing results of reinforced friction stir-welded joint qualities were compared to those of simple friction stir welded joints made without and with adding the nanoparticles. The best results were obtained when 2 wt% of biochar particles was added to the weld interface region. The presence of biochar nano-particles, in addition to their contribution to increased grain refinement in the weld nugget region, was also seen in the region. It was discovered that the event distribution of particles at the nugget zone significantly enhanced the mechanical and wear resistance qualities of the weld joints that were manufactured. The optical microscope was used to analyze the microstructures in the weld nugget region, and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was utilized to examine the fracture analysis of the tensile samples. The presence of 2 wt% biochar particles in the weld nugget region resulted in a considerable increase in the mechanical characteristics of the weld connections. The ultimate tensile strength, hardness, and yield strength of the weld nugget results 197 MPa, 173 HV, 163 MPa. Overall, when compared to the qualities of the base material and plain weld joints. The mechanical properties and wear resistance of the weld joints have improved significantly. When biochar particles were used as reinforcement particles during the fabrication phase of the joint, a mechanism for pinning was observed in the weld microstructure.

Development of a high current density, high temperature superconducting cable for pulsed magnets

Abstract A low AC loss Rare Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) cable, based on the VIPER cable technology has been developed by Commonwealth Fusion Systems for use in high field, REBCO based tokamaks. The new cable is composed of partitioned and transposed copper ‘petals’ shaped to fit together in a circular pattern with each petal containing a REBCO tape stack and insulated from each other to reduce AC losses. A stainless steel jacket adds mechanical robustness—also serving as a vessel for solder impregnation—while a tube runs through the middle for cooling purposes. Additionally, fiber optic sensors are placed under the tape stacks for quench detection. To qualify this design, a series of experiments were conducted as part of the SPARC tokamak Central Solenoid Model Coil program—to retire the risks associated with full scale, fast ramping, high flux HTS Central Solenoid (CS) and Poloidal Field (PF) coils for tokamak fusion power plants and net energy demonstrators. These risk study and risk reduction experiments include (1) AC loss measurement and model validation in the range of ~5 T/s, (2) an IxB electromagnetic loading of over 850 kN/m at the cable level and up to 300 kN/m at the stack level, (3) a transverse compression resilience of over 350 MPa, (4) manufacturability at tokamak relevant speeds and scales, (5) cable to cable joint performance, (6) fiber optic based quench detection speed, accuracy, and feasibility, and (7) overall winding pack integration and magnet assembly. The result is a cable technology, now referred to as PIT VIPER, with AC losses that measure fifteen times lower (at ~5 T/s) than its predecessor technology; a 2% or lower degradation of critical current (Ic) at high IxB electromagnetic loads; no detectable Ic degradation up to 570 MPa of transverse compression on the cable unit cell; end to end magnet manufacturing, consistently producing Ic values within 7% of the model prediction; cable to cable joint resistances at 20 K on the order of ~15 nΩ; and fast, functional quench detection capabilities that do not involve voltage taps. This cable technology will be tested comprehensively in a Central Solenoid Model Coil to prove its readiness for compact, high field tokamak operation.

The effect of oxide scale on the corrosion resistance of SUS301L stainless steel welding joints

The effect of thermal oxidates on the corrosion of SUS301L stainless steel welded joint was investigated using electrochemical corrosion test and TEM microstructure observation. Activation dissolution behavior without passive region was found in the potentiodynamic polarization curves on the welding zone and heat affected zone. The activation corrosion is related to the preferential dissolution of the NiFe layer at the interface between chromium oxide and substrate. However, the passive region in the polarization curve reappears after the unstable NiFe dissolves in the salt-frog test. The passivation behavior due to microstructure evolution beneath the thermal oxide film was discussed during the corrosion process.

Influence of arc energy on the microstructure and corrosion behavior of ER2209 duplex stainless steel deposited on Q345B low-alloy steel by GMAW

In order to eliminate the complex effects of thermal cycling and the thermal effects of the next pass on multi-layer multi-pass welding of low-alloy steel and duplex stainless steel, ER2209 welding wire was single-layer single-pass deposited on the surface of Q345B hot-rolled plate by gas metal arc welding (GMAW). The microstructure and corrosion resistance of welded joints were studied by different arc energies. The results showed that the arc energy had a significant impact on the “tongue-shaped” morphology and the width of heat affect zone in the welded joint, which in turn affected the corrosion performance of the welded joints. Due to the least distribution of “tongue-shaped” morphology and minimum width of heat affected zone in the welded joint with arc energy of 0.645kJ/mm, it owned the best corrosion resistance. The weld metals of the welded joints were composed of ferrite and austenite phases. The ferrite phases were distributed along grain boundaries and intergranular. As the heat input increases, the distribution of ferrite phase along grain boundaries gradually decreased. The corrosion products and corrosion morphology of the welded joint were also investigated and the corrosion mechanism was discussed in detail. The research results of this article provide a theoretical basis for improving the corrosion performance of multi-layer multi-pass welded joints of low-alloy and duplex stainless dissimilar steels.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of butt-welded Ti/steel bimetallic sheet using various multi-principal filler wires

Ti/steel bimetallic sheets have attracted significant attention in various engineering fields. However, achieving high-quality welded joints of Ti/steel bimetallic sheet presents difficulties because of poor metallurgical compatibility and different thermal expansion coefficients between titanium and steel. In this study, four types of multi-principal filler wires with varying contents of Cu, Ni, and Ti elements were designed and manufactured to finish the welding of TA2/Q235 bimetallic sheets. The study investigated the effects of various filler wires on the hardness, tensile strength, corrosion resistance, and microstructure of the welded joints. An interesting finding is that the highest tensile strength of 327±6 MPa was achieved in the welded joint using FeCoNi2Ti0.5 filler wire, with a joint coefficient of ∼79.1 %. The highest hardness in the weld zones was achieved by using FeCoNiTi0.5 filler wire, while the lowest hardness was achieved using FeCoNiCu0.5 filler wire. Dendrite (DR), interdendritic (ID), and eutectic structures were consistently observed in these weld zones. The phases of the DR and ID were identified as Fe2Ti and FCC structures based on EBSD data. A high content of Ni in filler wires could reduce the size and content of the Fe2Ti phase in the weld zones of Ti/steel bimetallic sheets.

Effect of corrosion environments on the mechanical properties of friction stir welded aluminum alloy AA3003

The article presents an experimental study on the corrosion resistance of the 3003 Aluminium alloy Friction Stir Welded (FSW) joint in different working environments. Three types of corrosive media at different temperatures were tested to see how they affected the FSW joint mechanical properties. The media were sodium chloride, hydrogen chloride, and ethylene glycol. In parallel with the study of the effect of temperature, static tensile tests were carried out on specimens taken perpendicular to the welding direction. Also, micro-hardness profiles were used to determine the influence of the parameters studied on the various weld zones. Finally, the effect of the most aggressive corrosive medium, temperature, and the inclusion of ethylene glycol on the crack propagation resistance of an FSW joint were studied. Fatigue-propagation tests at constant stress amplitude were carried out to understand what affects the fatigue crack propagation of welded joints after corrosive attack. The results showed that uniform and pitting corrosion were combined to cause FSW joint surface degradation. Corrosion damage does not appear to alter yield strength and ultimate stress values. However, FSW joints show a significant degradation in mechanical properties with increasing temperature and with the aggressiveness of the corrosive medium. The inclusion of ethylene glycol was found to delay the rate of crack propagation during testing, leading to an improvement in the service life of pre-corroded FSW joints.

Chloride corrosion resistance of wet joints in manufactured sand reinforced concrete prepared in plateau environment

The durability of three types of wet joints in manufactured sand concrete prepared in simulated plateau environment was investigated. And the accelerated corrosion test on specimens in the chloride salt solution and the static tensile test on corroded steel bars in specimens were carried out by sequence. The durability of different types of specimens prepared in plateau environment was compared by analyzing the development of concrete cracks, the corrosion morphologies of internal steel bars, the degradation of mechanical properties of steel bars, and the concrete microstructure. The results demonstrate that the development of concrete cracks and the distribution of crack width are affected by wet joint. The nonlinearity of variation of average crack width with actual corrosion rate is enhanced by wet joint. The strength and elongation of steel bars in concrete decrease evidently by wet joint. The strength and elongation loss of steel bars after corrosion is effectively reduced by the punched treatment on joint interface. There is no clear superiority or inferiority pattern for the durability of wet joint specimens with untreated interface (UI) and chiseled interface (CI), and the durability of wet joint specimen with punched interface (PI) is better than that of UI and CI specimens.

Hybrid rehabilitation of 3D RC beam-column joints using UHP-HFRC and FRP wrapping: Experimental evaluation and theoretical analysis

Beam-column joints are crucial elements in reinforced concrete (RC) structures subjected to seismic loading, as they are vulnerable elements prone to significant damage during earthquakes. Due to extensive structural damage, various methods have been developed to strengthen beam-column joints. However, research on rehabilitation and repair methods has been limited, with most studies focusing on 2-D joints and overlooking the confinement effect of corner beams on the joint core. This study aims to investigate novel hybrid rehabilitation systems, including ultra-high performance hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete (UHP-HFRC) and fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) systems, alongside embedding reinforcement into heavily damaged 3-D beam-column joints subjected to pre-cyclic loading and subsequent cyclic loading. Parameters related to hysteresis response were obtained and discussed, such as ductility, lateral stiffness, dissipated energy, equivalent hysteresis damping, and pinching ratio of the tested specimens. The experimental findings revealed that utilizing an FRP and UHP-HFRC hybrid rehabilitation system enhanced ductility, dissipated energy, and lateral stiffness of heavily damaged joints by 25 %, 73 %, and 81 %, respectively, compared to the undamaged reference specimen. Additionally, a simplified design model was developed to predict the shear resistance of beam-column joints, incorporating principles of strut-and-tie. The theoretical design model was also validated against the experimental database, demonstrating a good accuracy with MV and COV of 0.97 and 13 %, respectively.

A full-bridge flux pump using two switches: numerical model and experimental prototype

Abstract High-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets are promising in high field applications. However, due to inevitable joint resistance and flux creep, HTS magnets still face challenges in maintaining field stability in their closed-loop operation. HTS flux pumps can charge closed HTS magnets wirelessly, thus allowing lower cryogenic loading and more flexible arrangements in HTS magnet systems. In this work, a full-bridge flux pump using two AC field-controlled switches is proposed, which can charge HTS magnets during whole cycles. Therefore, the charging speed of the proposed full-bridge flux pump is at least one time larger than half-bridge flux pumps. A numerical model and an experimental prototype are developed to verify the working principle of the proposed full-bridge flux pump. Simulation and experimental tests are carried out to investigate the working characteristics of the proposed flux pump. The proposed flux pump has huge potential in the application scenarios where high charging speed is required.

Regression prediction model for shear strength of cold joint in concrete

The shear resistance of cold joint in concrete is influenced by various design parameters. Traditional mechanical models typically consider only a limited number of parameters to predict the shear strength of cold joints. This research aims to explore the complex nonlinear relationship between design parameters and cold joint shear strength using statistical method and machine learning technology. The goal is to develop a more accurate, reliable, and engineering applicable regression model for predicting shear strength. A dataset of 546 Z-shaped shear specimens characterizing cold joint in concrete was constructed, involving a total of 16 variables that may affect shear performance. Correlation analysis and recursive elimination were adopted to eliminate correlated and insignificant variables based on their importance. Multiple linear regression (MLR), random forest regression (RFR), and support vector machine regression (SVR) prediction models for cold joint shear strength were established based on rigorously screened variables and comprehensively evaluated using multiple methods. It was found that the most significant factors influencing the shear strength of cold joints are concrete strength, interface shear key, product of interface reinforcement strength and its reinforcement ratio, normal stress, fiber length of new concrete, casting method of the new concrete, and product of the fiber length and its tensile strength of old concrete. The MLR, SVR, and RFR models all exhibited superior performance relative to traditional mechanics-based models with regard to shear strength prediction of cold joints. The RFR model is recommended for predicting the shear strength of cold joints due to its superior evaluation indexes in comparison to the MLR and SVR models, and variable sensitivity analysis shows that it does not yield common-sense errors.

Analysis of the possibilities to increase abrasion resistance of welded joints of Hardox Extreme steel

This paper presents a heat treatment process designed to enhance the abrasion resistance of welded joints of Hardox Extreme steel, which is known for its high hardness (>600 HBW) and tensile strength (>2000 MPa). Despite these properties, the steel's weldability, characterized by a Carbon Equivalent Value (CEV) of 0.70, limits its use in applications like mining machinery where welding is essential. The key challenge in welding martensitic boron steels, such as Hardox Extreme, is the reduction in hardness and abrasion resistance in the heat-affected zone, along with cold cracking due to increased hardenability. This study investigates the abrasion resistance and microstructural properties of welded joints made with submerged arc welding (SAW) under different heat treatment conditions. The developed process achieved a uniform tempered martensite microstructure across all welded zones, increased hardness to over 550 HV in the weld material zone and improved the relative abrasion resistance by 25 % compared to the as-welded state.

Investigation of the Influence of Aluminosilicate Adhesives Modified with Magnesite on the Strength Properties of Glued Wood Products

The work is devoted to the study of magnesite influence on the strength properties of glued wood products with aluminosilicate adhesive. It they shown that the introduction of magnesite in the composition of aluminosilicate glue in the amount from 0.5 to 1.5 % contributes to an increase in the shear strength along the fibres by 1.57 times compared to the normative requirement (not less than 4 MPa). It we found that the bending strength of glued wood on a toothed spike is 1.4 times higher than the normative (not less than 26 MPa). After fire tests, no destruction of the glue joint on the spike we observed, and the bending strength of the samples increases proportionally to the introduction of magnesite in the glue composition. Water resistance of glue joints on the toothed spike when the samples we kept for 48 hours at the temperature 20 °С is higher than the standard value and increases with the increase of magnesite content in the glue composition. After boiling at the temperature 100 °С for 3 hours the samples containing 1.5 % magnesite meet the normative requirements (3 MPa).

Investigating the Influence Mechanism of Different Shielding Gas Types on Arc Characteristics and Weld Quality in TA2 Laser–Arc Hybrid Welding

The effective welding of a 6 mm thick TA2 pure titanium medium-thickness plate was achieved by laser–arc hybrid welding (LAHW) with helium–argon mixed shielding gas. Conducted research on the influence of helium–argon mixed shielding gas on plasma and arc characteristics during welding, and its further impact on the microstructure, internal porosity defects, tensile properties, and corrosion resistance of welded joints was explored. The study demonstrated that under the shielding gas with 75% helium, the arc width narrowed significantly from 6.96 mm to 2.61 mm, achieving a 63% reduction, which enhanced the concentration of arc heat flux density. Achieved a well-formed weld with no surface spatter and significantly reduced the internal porosity rate from 3.02% to 0.47%, which is an 84% decrease. Tensile fractures are located in the base material, all exhibiting plastic failure. The corrosion resistance of the welded joint initially increased and then decreased with the increase of helium content in the shielding gas, peaking at 75% helium content.

An Electromagnetic-Thermal Modeling Method for the Joint Resistance of the CORC Cable

An Electromagnetic-Thermal Modeling Method for the Joint Resistance of the CORC Cable

Effects of CuO nanoparticles on SAC composite solder joints: Microstructural and DFT study

In this paper, novel application possibilities of CuO nanoparticles were investigated in SAC0307 solder alloy for composite soldering purposes. CuO nanoparticles in 0.25 and 0.5 wt% were mixed into the solder paste to produce composite solder joints. Solder joints were manufactured using standard surface mounting technology from different solder pastes. The solder joints were loaded in an 85 °C/85RH% temperature and humidity test for 4000 h. It was found that the CuO composite solder joints showed improved mechanical quality due to the microstructural refinement, which was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) analysis. On the other hand, the corrosion resistance of CuO joints decreased, as they suffered localized corrosion extensively, which produced longer and more Sn whiskers on their surface than on the reference SAC0307. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations proved that CuO can bond to Sn, but CuO is not chemically inert in the solder bulk. CuO can start a cyclic reaction with the dispersed Cu6Sn5 intermetallics, which produces SnO2 in the solder bulk, ultimately enhancing corrosion. Therefore, CuO nanoparticles are suggested to be applied only in non-corrosive environments, such as space applications.