Search results for "Forensic engineering"

Elastic configurations of self-supported oxide membranes for fuel cells

2013

Abstract Ultra-thin oxide films are of interest in energy conversion technologies such as low temperature solid oxide fuel cells and permeation membranes. Understanding their thermo-mechanical stability is an important problem. Edge clamped, self-supported thin film membranes show hierarchical wrinkles; with the largest wavelengths in the center, while smaller ones arise near the clamped boundary; correspondingly the largest strains, with tensile stress comparable to the residual stress, are in the vicinity of the clamped boundary. Our results can be understood by simple scaling arguments and are valid for membranes in the post-buckling regime far from threshold. We confirm the validity of …

Evaluation of Subgrade Resilient Modulus Predictive Model for Use in Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide

2006

The characterization of unbound materials in the mechanistic–empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG), also known as the 2002 design guide, is reviewed, and this characterization is applied to Minnesota subgrades. The main emphasis is on the collection of k1-, k2-, and k3-parameters for Minnesota fine-grained soils and the procedure for the interpretation of the resilient modulus test to provide an input to the multilayer elastic theory (MLET) analysis (Level 2 input). This is an important aspect of adaptation of the MEPDG, because the guide recommends measurement of resilient moduli from laboratory testing, but the procedure does not specify how to interpret the test data to obtain an input …

A semi-empirical approach for predicting two-phase flow discharge through branches of various orientations connected to a horizontal main pipe

2010

Abstract The subdivision of two-phase flow in branching conduits consisting of a large horizontal main pipe with upward, downward, or lateral branches of reduced diameter is of great interest in various technological fields. For example, these conduits are important in light-water nuclear reactors (LWRs) in the case of a small break loss-of-coolant accident (SBLOCA) in a leg of the reactor's primary coolant loops, as well as for breaks or valve malfunctions in a large pipeline. In these kinds of circumstances, the relevant phenomenology often involves phase stratification coupled with possible liquid entrainment or gas pool-through phenomena. Therefore, these phenomena were studied in depth…

Sensitivity Analysis of the MASLWR Helical Coil Steam Generator Using TRACE

2011

Accurate simulation of transient system behavior of a nuclear power plant is the goal of systems code calculations, and the evaluation of a code's calculation accuracy is accomplished by assessment and validation against appropriate system data. These system data may be developed either from a running system prototype or from a scaled model test facility, and characterize the thermal hydraulic phenomena during both steady state and transient conditions. The identification and characterization of the relevant thermal hydraulic phenomena, and the assessment and validation of thermal hydraulic systems codes, has been the objective of multiple international research programs. The validation and…

Critical Factors in Opening Pharmaceutical Packages: a Usability Study among Healthcare Workers, Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Elderly Women

2013

A Laboratory for Biomechanical Analysis of the Traumatology of Ski Falls

2009

A method for measuring Darcian flow permeability of thin compressed fibre mats

2009

Radiation Shielding Study of Advanced Data and Power Management Systems (ADPMS) Housing Using Geant4

2008

The tendency to reduce the spacecraft mass covers nowadays all components of the spacecraft. One potential target is to reduce the mass of electronics and its housings. The use of composite materials, especially CFRP is a well known and vastly used approach to mass reduction. In cost reduction the use of standard (non-space qualified) electronics has increased. These commercial circuits and other components cannot tolerate as high radiation levels as space qualified components. Therefore the use of standard electronics components poses challenge in terms of the radiation protection capability of the ADPMS housings. The main goal of this study is to give an insight on the radiation shielding…

Occupational Safety and Health Risk Assessment in Engineered Nanoparticles Manufacturing Processes

2017

The engineered nanoparticles are more and more entering in Romanian working places, both in research laboratories and in manufacturing processes. Ever increasingly numerous evidence shows that this materials science revolution can generate significant health, safety and environmental hazards, in addition to the social, economic and ethical challenges involvedBased on the precautionary principle recommended be the European Union and a thorough literature review, this research is intended to introduce a framework for further development of an Occupational Health and Safety risk management foundation in this field of concern. Starting from a systematic approach in terms of occupational exposur…

Aircraft noise and premature birth

1978

Abstract Certain physiological effects suggest that there may be a relationship between premature birth and noise exposure. Vasoconstriction in the peripheric blood vessel system is one effect. Others would be augmentation of the adrenocorticotrophic hormone and a higher vegetative excitability during pregnancy. Animal experiments have demonstrated negative effects but there is little literature available as yet on the specific relationship between exposure to aircraft noise and negative effects on pregnancies. A study of this relationship was undertaken in an area near the airport at Dusseldorf, Germany. While no significant negative effects could be demonstrated, a tendency toward an incr…