Roughness Profile Research Articles

Introduction and application of a drive-by damage detection methodology for bridges using variational mode decomposition

In this research, the variational mode decomposition (VMD) method is used for the drive-by health monitoring of bridges. Firstly, the problem of a half-trailer tractor moving over a bridge is formulated. Next, a Finite Element (FE) code is developed and verified against modal analysis results where complete agreement is found. The vehicle's output signals are decomposed through VMD and then analyzed to identify and precisely locate damage in the bridge structure. The range of applicability of this technique is examined from different perspectives by including various road classes, damage severity and location, and noise. The results prove the robustness and reliability of using VMD for drive-by damage detection. The method outcomes indicate that through the VMD method, cracks with a depth of 10% to 20% of the beam height can be detected even in the case of a rough road profile. A comparison of the results of the VMD and the well-known empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method has also been conducted. This comparison reveals that by implementing the VMD, precise damage locations can be determined, whereas the EMD fails to detect any damage under the conditions considered in this study. The effects of noise and moving vehicle speed are also investigated in the research, and it is found that processing the output signals using VMD can yield reliable estimates of the damage location(s).

The Laser Scanner Technique: A Tool for Determining Shear Strength Parameters of Rock Mass Discontinuities

When evaluating the shear strength of rock mass discontinuities, certain challenges arise due to the difficulty in quantifying the roughness characteristics of surfaces and the strength of asperities. Recent research has focused on enhancing techniques for assessing these characteristics and exploring the application of laser scanning to aid in evaluating discontinuity features. The analysis of reflectivity values (I) obtained through a laser scanner survey presents an efficient method for assessing mechanical characteristics, such as joint compressive strength (JCS). Reflectivity measurements demonstrate correlations with Schmidt hammer rebound values (r). The laser scanner technique would enable the measurement of JCS without the direct application of the Schmidt hammer on rocks in areas where rebound values (r) measurements are unavailable. The use of a laser scanner allows for the acquisition of high-precision geometrical information concerning the 3D roughness and anisotropy of rock surfaces. In this study, an innovative technique was introduced that utilizes laser scanner data from six previous experimental surveys conducted on rock formations in Southern Italy. This technique facilitates the evaluation of roughness profiles, considering potential variations along kinematically admissible sliding directions, allowing for the estimation of the Joint Roughness Coefficient (JRC). This new methodology aids in evaluating the parameters of Barton’s equation to determine the strength characteristics of rock mass discontinuities.

Development of a hybrid model to estimate surface roughness of 3D printed parts

The research aims to develop a hybrid model to estimate the surface roughness of 3D printed parts, considering the significant process parameters and measurement uncertainties inherent in additive manufacturing (AM). The methodology involves a Taguchi L-27 orthogonal array design of experiments (DOE) to identify significant factors. This is followed by a deep dive analysis of the roughness profile and the modelling of the measurement process uncertainties. The ANOVA tests reveal that build orientation and layer height are critical contributors to surface roughness. However, it was evident from the experimental analysis that the layer height and build orientation shares a complex relation on surface roughness. The two novelties of this paper are: one, the development of a hybrid model of surface roughness by mathematically quantifying the staircase (step and stack) and corner geometry effects of the part geometry. Two, strengthening the model’s surface roughness prediction accuracy by incorporating the stylus flight and probe reachability measurement uncertainty functions. The final mathematical function was validated with multiple experimental data as well as literature data. The results show that the proposed model is robust to estimate the surface finish accurately at build orientations in the full range of 0–90 degree. The statistical analysis shows that the proposed model is capable of accurately predicting about 90 % variations in the data at different layer heights and build orientations. The proposed model is useful to accurately predict the surface finish of 3D printed parts, a priori, during the part design or before printing, thereby improving the surface quality of the AM parts.

A Microscopy Evaluation of Emergence Profile Surfaces of Dental Custom CAD-CAM Implant Abutments and Dental Implant Stock Abutments.

Recently, due to the high demand for dental implants, the use of dental implant stock abutments has increased significantly, especially dental custom CAD/CAM implant abutments milled by dental technicians in their laboratories. The purpose of this study is to analyze the surface quality of the emergence profile of dental custom CAD/CAM implant abutments made by a non-industrial milling machine, compared to original and compatible dental implant stock abutments made by industrial machines. Thirty dental implant abutments were divided into six study lots. Lot 1 (control group): original dental implant stock abutments-industrial machined; lot 2 (study group): compatible dental implant stock abutments-industrial machined; lots 3, 4, 5, and 6 (study groups): compatible custom CAD/CAM dental implant abutments-non-industrial milled with hyperDENT CAM software and Paragon Tools. The Nikon SMZ745T stereomicroscope was used to analyze the emergence profile surface of each dental implant abutment. The structure of the analyzed surfaces did not show significant differences between original and compatible abutments that were industrially machined. As for the customized dental implant abutments, the greatest similarity with the original was obtained for lot 6, and a significant statistical difference was obtained for lot 4. Stepover and Feed Rate parameters of the milling process influenced the surface roughness of the emergence profile for the customized dental implant abutments. The digital technology of non-industrial milling compatible custom CAD/CAM dental implant abutments is reliable and within the correct milling parameters.

Operational uptime and other measures of performance of an open car park in fire

192 coupled wind and fire CFD simulations were performed using ANSYS Fluent to study the wind and fire interaction in an open car park. The natural ventilation was insufficient for removal of smoke and heat for the majority of investigated fires. Blockage effect was observed for wind directions parallel to the open walls, which resulted in reduced smoke removal and higher smoke temperatures. With known probabilities of all the investigated wind speed and directions, we have estimated the percentage of time in which fire outcomes are acceptable. This value was coined as the car park operational uptime, and was 84.9 %–92.8 % in relation to the fire with HRR = 1.4 MW; 36.5 %–56.1 % at 4.0 MW; 34.1 %–54.4 % at 6.0 MW and 12.13–25.5 % at 8.8 MW. In 6.22 % of wind cases, the velocity inside the car park exceeded 3.0 m/s, which could potentially contribute to the growth of the fire. Limitations of the study include the assumed wind probability distribution relevant to the Warsaw region, the single location of the fire used in the assessment and the implicit modelling of topography and architecture through an introduced wind profile and terrain roughness model.

Exploration of heat transfer and entropy generation in an irregular wall cavity filled with Al2O3-water nanofluid

This study investigates 2-D natural convection heat transfer within an irregular wall cavity filled with nanofluid, employing a computational approach. The rough profile of the cavity surface is generated using the Weierstrass-Mandelbrot (W-M) function, and various parameters such as Rayleigh number ( 10 3 ≤ Ra ≤ 10 6 ), Knudsen number ( 0 ≤ Kn ≤ 1.5 ), solid volume fraction ( 0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0.15 ), and amplitude of the irregular rough wall ( 0 ≤ A 1 ≤ 0.1 ) are varied. The nanofluid consists of water as the base fluid and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles. Heat transfer characteristics are analyzed using the Nusselt number (Nu), while entropy generation is quantified to optimize thermal system efficiency. Grid sensitivity analysis and validation against existing literature are conducted to ensure the accuracy of the numerical methodology. Notably, the study demonstrates that increasing the slip velocity at the cavity wall enhances convection within the cavity, leading to a substantial increase in Nu. At Ra = 106, the Nu increases by 53.52% when Kn changes from 0 to 1. Furthermore, the study highlights the significant influence of nanoparticle volume fraction on Nu, showing that as the volume fraction increases, Nu also increases, indicating improved convective heat transfer performance. The Nu for a cavity with an amplitude of 0.1 is roughly 2.5 times higher compared to a smooth-walled cavity at Ra = 106. Increased surface irregularity enhanced turbulence intensity and mixing, leading to stronger convective currents. The novelty of this study lies in examining natural convection in irregular shaped cavities with wall-slip conditions, which are common in practical applications such as solar collectors, microelectronic devices, energy storage units, industrial furnaces, etc. This study offers valuable insights into the thermal behavior of rough enclosures filled with nanofluids, which will facilitate the optimization of heat transfer systems to minimize energy losses.

Modeling and identification of clamping contact stiffness

The dynamics of thin-walled parts are highly affected by the clamping conditions. Clamping stiffness is a function of c lamping force and surface roughness profiles of the clamp and part. Since the surface profiles cannot be altered, estimating clamping stiffness as a function of the clamping force is essential to simulate vibrations of the machined thin-walled parts. This paper presents the modeling of clamping stiffness as a function of the applied clamping force and material properties. Surface profile parameters are estimated from the identified contact stiffnesses evaluated using the Finite Element (FE) model. The contact stiffnesses are either predicted directly from the proposed mechanics model of the part or estimated from the Fractal surface parameters. It is shown that an average clamping stiffness can be predicted from the Fractal surface parameters, or directly and more accurately from the static model of the clamped part.

Reconstruction of rough surfaces from a single receiver at grazing angle

AbstractThis article develops a method for recovering a one‐dimensional rough surface profile from scattered wave field, using a single receiver and repeated measurements when the surface is moving with respect to source and receiver. This extends a previously introduced marching method utilizing low grazing angles, and addresses the key issue of the requirement for many simultaneous receivers. The algorithm recovers the surface height below the receiver point step‐by‐step as the surface is moved, using the parabolic wave integral equations. Numerical examples of reconstructed surfaces demonstrate that the method is robust in both Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions, and with respect to different roughness characteristics and measurement noise.

Characterization of Micro-Threaded Stem Taper Surfaces of Cementless Hip Endoprostheses.

We investigated micro-threaded stem taper surface and its impact on premature failures, aseptic loosening, and infection in cementless hip endoprostheses. Our study focused on the fretting, and crevice corrosion of micro-threaded tapers, as well as the characterization of the microstructure and surface properties of two new and three retrieved Zweymüller stem tapers. The retrieved samples were selected and examined based on the head-stem taper interface being the sole source of modularity with a metallic component, specifically between the Ti alloy taper stem and the ceramic head. To determine the surface chemistry and microstructures of both new and retrieved hip endoprostheses stem taper titanium alloy, scanning -electron microscopy (SEM) was employed for morphological and microstructural analyses. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) was utilized for characterizing chemical element distribution, and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) was used for phase analysis. The roughness of the micro-threated stem tapers from different manufacturers was investigated using an optical profilometer, with standard roughness parameters Ra (average surface roughness) and Rz (mean peak to valley height of the roughness profile) being measured. Electrochemical studies revealed no fretting corrosion in retrieved stem tapers with ceramic heads. Consequently, three retrieved tapers and two new ones for comparison underwent potentiodynamic measurements in Hank's solution to determine the corrosion rate of new and retrieved stem taper surfaces. The results showed a low corrosion rate for both new and prematurely failed retrieved samples due to aseptic loosening. However, the corrosion rate was higher in infected and low-grade infected tapers. In conclusion, our study suggests that using ceramic heads reduces taper corrosion and subsequently decreases the incidence of premature failures in total hip arthroplasty.

Impact of Dynamic Wheel Loading on Flexible Pavement Responses for Non-Free Rolling Conditions

Since 2000, pavement design methodologies have transitioned from empirical to mechanistic-empirical procedures. However, the complexities of loading patterns, contact stress distribution, material characterization, vehicle maneuvering, and dynamic load amplification are still not fully considered, despite their significant effect on pavement performance. In this study, state-of-the-art numerical models were used to investigate the changes in critical pavement responses derived from the combined effect of roughness-induced dynamic loading and vehicle maneuvering. A decoupled vehicle–tire–pavement interaction approach composed of a random process to generate artificial road roughness profiles, a mechanical full truck model, and three-dimensional finite element tire and flexible pavement models allow the prediction of the impact of road roughness on vehicle dynamics. In addition, the study quantifies the effect of dynamic loading on contact stresses, and consequently, on pavement critical responses. Because of the expected increase in axle weight from truck electrification, overweight scenarios were also considered. Changes in load history and distribution of strain fields were assessed for two typical pavement structures (thin and thick). The combined effect of roughness-induced dynamic loading and vehicle maneuvering greatly altered the critical pavement responses associated with bottom-up fatigue cracking, near-surface cracking, and rutting. Under the most adverse conditions, the critical tensile strains at the bottom of the asphalt concrete increased up to 125%, the shear strain increased up to 100%, and the compressive strain escalated to 120% when compared with the reference cases. Higher temperatures exacerbated the impact of dynamic wheel loading and vehicle maneuvering.

Multi-Pass Laser Polishing of As-Built Directed Energy Deposition Surfaces

Abstract Laser polishing (LP) provides a fast and efficient way of remelting part surfaces manufactured by additive manufacturing to alter both their geometric as well as physical properties. Depending on the laser parameters, remelted surfaces with different properties are achieved, with a majority exhibiting lower surface roughness compared to the original surface. In this study, a high-power continuous fiber laser is used to polish Inconel 718 (IN718) surfaces produced by depositing a single layer of clads on a steel substrate by the powder-blown directed energy deposition (DED) process. Polishing was performed under different sets of parameters, namely, laser power, beam diameter, feed rate or feed, hatch spacing, and the number of polishing passes. Their effects on the surface roughness profiles and the microstructural properties of the sample cross section were analyzed after one and two polishing passes. Optical microscopic images of the sample's cross sections show the presence of supersaturated γ phase particles, γ′+γ″ precipitates, Laves phases, and δ phase needles. The combined effect of high-temperature gradients and lower solidification rates in certain regions within the cross section results in undercooled regions and pseudo-heat treatment of unmelted regions close to the undercooled regions. These results are corroborated by indenting the various regions of the IN718 sample cross section with a pyramidal diamond indenter in the form of a grid, resulting in different micro-hardness values due to different densities of precipitate and phase transformed δ particles.

Study on the sealing performance of high-pressure flanges by a magnetic measurement method of bolt axial force

Under high-pressure conditions, flange sealing often fails due to inadequate bolt pre-tension, leading to unstable pressurization or leakage. Assessing the integrity of high-pressure flange sealing presents challenges, constrained by operational conditions, complex equipment integration, and associated costs. This study introduces a method to evaluate flange sealing using magnetic measurements of bolt axial forces. A novel device developed using the magnetoelastic method efficiently and conveniently measures these forces under various internal pressures. The results show a linear relationship between magnetic signals and bolt axial forces at nominal pressures, whereas excessively high pressures cause anomalous changes in magnetic signals, indicative of bolt plastic deformation. Finite element simulation analyzed the changes in bolt axial force and gasket contact stress due to internal pressures, leading to an empirical formula that correlates these variables under varying pressures. The study also explored the impact of uneven pre-tensioning and gasket material on sealing contact stress. A sealing contact surface model, established based on actual roughness profile parameters, enabled the simulation and formulation of an exponential relationship between contact stress and sealing clearance. This foundation facilitated the creation of a leakage prediction model that incorporates bolt axial force parameters, thus enabling a quantitative assessment of flange sealing performance. This research provides a practical approach to evaluating the sealing performance of operational high-pressure flanges.

Transient numerical investigation on thermochemical erosion of C/C nozzles in hybrid rocket motors

Nozzle erosion is a vital important issue that impacts the performance of hybrid rocket motors. Serious nozzle erosion may significantly decrease the combustion chamber pressure and thrust, which increases the difficulty in designing flight control systems. This paper aims to reveal erosion mechanism systematically. In this paper, transient numerical simulations of thermochemical erosion in hybrid rocket motors are conducted, and combustion flow and thermochemical erosion are coupled calculated. The numerical computation of combustion flow is based on the chemical reactions of propellants and regression rate model, and that of thermochemical erosion is based on the surface reactions between oxidizing species and carbon. The movement of burning surface and nozzle inner surface is simulated through dynamic mesh method. The hybrid rocket motor adopts 90% hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene. Distributions of flow field parameters and fuel regression rate are given. The spatial developing process of nozzle surface is presented, and it is found that the roughness of nozzle profile increases with time. The nozzle wall temperature and wall pressure decline with time. Erosion by different species is calculated. OH and H2O make a major contribution to the nozzle thermochemical erosion, while nozzle erosion contributed by CO2 and O2 are quite low. Time-varying characteristics of the erosion rate are unveiled. At the first 1.5 s, the total erosion rate remains almost constant, and then it reduces over time.

A Novel Mechano-Synthesized Zeolitic Tetrazolate Framework for a High-Performance Triboelectric Nanogenerator and Self-Powered Selective Neurochemical Detection.

Designing a high-performing triboelectric novel material with eco-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective synthesis is the future of material research in triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG). We report a mechanochemical ball mill synthesis of a zeolitic tetrazolate framework (ZTF-8) that is isostructural with the well-known zeolitic imidazolate framework ZIF-8. ZTF-8 is extremely stable in water, 0.1 M aqueous acid/base solutions for 75 days at 25 °C, and boiling water (100 °C) for 7 days. Kelvin probe force microscopy and molecular electrostatic surface potential computational analysis exhibited that ZTF-8 has a very high positive surface potential. Atomic force microscopy and three-dimensional digital microscopy studies reveal the high roughness profile in the ZTF-8 film. The unique structure, exceptional acid/base stability, good dielectric property, and high roughness profile combined with the extremely electropositive nature of ZTF-8 make it a suitable candidate as a polymer-free triboelectric positive material in TENG with outstanding performance (power density of 720 mW/m2). High triboelectric output was further validated using the COMSOL Multiphysics simulation tool. Simple mechanical hand tapping of the ZTF-based TENG (ZTF-TENG) device generates high electric output, which was practically used to power numerous low-powered devices like tally counter, clinical thermometer, and digital clock and also illuminates 125 light-emitting diodes. In addition, the efficiency of ZTF-TENG was utilized as a self-powered device for a selective dopamine (DA) sensor with good sensitivity (377.76 mV/μM/cm2), wide range linearity (5-120 μM), and excellent limit of detection (0.42 μM).

Nanostructuring, fractal characterization and wettability of ion irradiated Au thin films and their thickness effect

This study proposes a method for modifying the wettability of Au thin films of thicknesses 5 nm and 10 nm on Si substrates using 8 keV Ne ion beam irradiation at different fluences, thereby enabling surface wettability adjustment at the nano-scale and its thickness dependence. This advancement would be highly beneficial for applications such as high-resolution printing and nano-biotechnology. The contact angle of the irradiated region for the 5 nm thin film changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic with increasing ion dosage, whereas for the 10 nm thin film, it changed from hydrophilic to hydrophobic under the same conditions. Fractal analysis was performed on pristine and ion beam modified surfaces to investigate the underlying nano-structuring process, with reported values for average roughness (Ra), Hurst exponent (H), fractal dimension (Df), contact angle (CA), and wettability at different ion dosages. Atomic Force Microscopy and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy were used to examine surface roughness and depth profile. The process of sputtering becomes crucial when the ion range approaches the thickness of thin films, with the sputter yield showing dependence on the thickness of thin films at different ion fluence levels. Monte Carlo simulations SRIM/TRIM and TRIDYN were used for comparison with the experimental results, with TRIDYN taking into account dynamic changes in the target's morphology and composition.

Effect of Thermal Cycling or Simulated Gastric Acid on the Surface Characteristics of Dental Ceramic Materials

(1) Background: The presence of various dental ceramic materials with different chemical compositions complicates clinicians’ decision making, especially in cases with a highly acidic environment appearing in patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease or other eating disorders. Thermal alterations in the oral cavity can also affect surface structure and roughness, resulting in variations in both degradation mechanisms and/or bacteria adhesion. The aim of the present in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of thermal cycling and exposure to simulated gastric acid on the surface roughness of different ceramics; (2) Methods: Five groups of different ceramics were utilized, and twenty specimens were fabricated for each group. Specimens were either thermocycled for 10,000 cycles in distilled water or immersed in simulated gastric acid for 91 h. The evaluation of surface roughness was performed with optical profilometry, while scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy were also performed; (4) Conclusions: Based on the combination of the surface roughness profile and structural integrity, zirconia specimens presented the smallest changes after immersion in simulated gastric acid followed by lithium disilicate materials. Zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramic presented the most notable changes in microstructure and roughness after both treatments.

Constructing Pavement Roughness of a Three-Dimensional Bridge in Abaqus for Vehicle Scanning Method

In this study, a procedure for constructing pavement roughness in a three-dimensional bridge subjected to a vehicle using Abaqus is proposed for numerical simulation of vehicle–bridge interaction problems. As the plug-in RufGen, a graphical user interface in Abaqus/CAE for surface interaction, creates a hexahedron with a rough surface and attaches it to the bridge deck, the resulting weight of a bridge model can be much larger than the original one. In the vehicle scanning method, it is essential to keep a finite element bridge model with an unchanged weight after imposing a rough surface on it in consideration of the roughness effect for bridge health monitoring. As such, the proposed procedure is aimed at resolving this issue, with the following two highlights: First, the Toeplitz matrix is introduced to generate a rough surface in three dimensions to ensure the randomness of roughness in the two perpendicular directions under a given roughness profile. Second, a shell-type rough pavement is established for directly using as the bridge pavement or attaching to the bridge deck, which minimizes weight increment in the bridge.

Research of Layer Thickness and Selected Thermoplastic Materials and their Influence on the Surface Roughness in the Process of Fused Deposition Modeling Technology

This paper focuses on the influence of layer thickness and five selected thermoplastic materials on the surface roughness of cuboidal sample in the process of manufacturing by Fused Deposition Modelling technology. The component, in this case, is a cuboidal specimen with the dimensions 15 mm by 15 mm by 30 mm. FDM or LPD/FFF is additive layer-based method of additive manufacturing, usually used for rapid prototyping of the prototypes and other fabricating applications which use thermoplastics materials. A geometric model is defined that takes into account the shape of the fibers of the material after application to define the theoretical roughness profile. The authors set four different layer thicknesses of the cuboid part: 0.29 mm, 0.19mm, 0.14 mm and 0.09 mm. In this experiment, authors also used five different thermoplastic filaments: ABS, ASA, HIPS, PCABS and PLA. The authors produced a total of 20 prints and the surface of each sample was measured three times in succession using a portable surface roughness tester Mitutoyo. SJ-210. The 3D printer used in the experiment was Zortrax M200. The surface roughness .in this paper is shown in .the .form of a scatter and bar graph.

Drive-by bridge mode shape identification using novel reference-based component scaling method

This article proposes a novel method, entitled Reference-based Component Scaling (RCS) method, for estimation of bridge mode shapes using vehicle scanning methods. The proposed method uses two instrumented vehicles to measure the accelerations on the bridge. While one vehicle remains stationary on a pre-determined location, the other one travels over the bridge with a constant speed both exciting the bridge and recording its response. The accelerations recorded on both vehicles are then processed using variational mode decomposition method and Hilbert transform to obtain their modal components. Leveraging its comprehensive framework that incorporates modal components derived from both vehicles, the RCS method effectively tackles the primary challenges encountered by vehicle scanning methods. These challenges include: i) shifting and shrinking effects of bridge damping on mode shapes, ii) distortions in modal components due to incomplete elimination of the roughness effect and iii) distortions in modal components caused by acceleration peaks during the vehicle´s transition from a rigid platform to the bridge. To this end, the RCS method addresses adverse effects of bridge damping without a priori knowledge of the modal damping ratios. To assess the accuracy of the proposed method, numerical analyses were carried out on three different bridges with different number of spans and boundary conditions. The effect of crucial parameters such as road roughness, bridge damping, uncertainties in measurements, and existing traffic on the accuracy of the proposed method was investigated. The results of the numerical study show that the RCS method stands alone in providing accurate estimates of mode shapes of bridges that are seated on elastic bearings, that have realistic damping ratios and relatively high road roughness profiles.

Analysis of roughness profiles of steel surfaces after electroerosion machining

Analysis of roughness profiles of steel surfaces after electroerosion machining