• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.135-161
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• 2013

This work presents a test platform for the assessment and benchmarking of modern actuators which have been specifically developed for the new field and service robotics applications. This versatile platform has been designed for the comparative analysis of actuators of dissimilar technology and operating conditions. It combines a modular design to adapt to linear and rotational actuators of different sizes, shapes and functions, as well as those with different load capacities, power and displacement. This test platform emulates the kinematics of robotic joints while an adaptive antagonist-load actuator allows reproducing the variable dynamic loads that actuators used in real robotics applications will be subjected to. A data acquisition system is used for monitoring and analyzing test actuator performance. The test platform combines hardware and software in the loop to allow actuator performance characterization. The use of the proposed test platform is demonstrated through the characterization and benchmarking of three controllable impedance actuators recently being incorporated into modern robotics.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.221-230
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• 2016

This paper presents a preliminary study on the influence of laterite soil replacing conventional fine aggregates on the strength properties of GGBS-blended-concrete. For this purpose, GGBS-blended-concrete samples with 40% GGBS, 60% Portland cement (PC), and locally available laterite soil was used. Laterite soils at 0, 25, 50 and 75% by weight were used in trails to replace the conventional fine aggregates. A control mix using only PC, river sand, course aggregates and water served as bench mark in comparing the performance of the composite concrete mix. Test blocks including 60 cubes for compression test; 20 cylinders for split tensile test; and 20 beams for flexural strength test were prepared in the laboratory. Results showed decreasing trends in strength parameters with increasing laterite content in GGBS-blended-concrete. 25% and 50% laterite replacement showed convincing strength (with small decrease) after 28 day curing, which is about 87-90% and 72-85% respectively in comparison to that achieved by the control mix.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.95-108
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• 2013

Metal ions exist in seawater, groundwater and industrial wastewaters. These source waters can be recycled if their concentrations are reduced. A number of processes can be applied for this purpose. Liquid-liquid extraction is one of the promising methods. In this paper, experimental results are presented on the removal of Cr(VI) using Aliquat-336, a reactive carrier, in sunflower oil (a non-toxic solvent). The performance of this new system is compared with those of kerosene (a toxic solvent). The extent of removal of Cr(VI) from samples with high and low concentrations are presented. The process was upgraded to a bench-scale module that can selectively remove about 50-90% Cr(VI) from samples of groundwater. Thus this process can produce water within the acceptable range for recycling and for use in secondary purposes such as irrigation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.595-614
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• 2001

This paper studies the behaviour of a homogeneous cable in a horizontal rigid duct and loaded by an axial compressive force. This behaviour is characterized by spatial buckling modes, named sinusoidal and helical, due to friction and total or partial cable locking. The evaluation of critical buckling loads involved by drilling technology has been studied by many authors. This work presents a new formulation, taking the friction effects into account, for the transmission of the axial load during the postbuckling process. New analytical expressions of pitches in both buckling cases are also given. A life-sized bench is presented, which permits to study the laying of optical fiber cables by squeezing them into an underground duct. Finally, analytical solutions are compared with experimental tests and finite element simulations.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.329-348
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• 2019

The main objective of this experimental research was to investigate the Seismic performance of reinforced concrete frames infilled with perforated clay brick masonry wall of a type commonly used in Algeria. Four one story-one bay reinforced concrete infilled frames of half scale of an existing building were tested at the National Earthquake Engineering Research Center Laboratory, CGS, Algeria. The experiments were carried out under a combined constant vertical and reversed cyclic lateral loading simulating seismic action. This experimental program was performed in order to evaluate the effect and the contribution of the infill masonry wall on the lateral stiffness, strength, ductility and failure mode of the reinforced concrete frames. Numerical models were developed and calibrated using the experimental results to match the load-drift envelope curve of the considered specimens. These models were used as a bench mark to assess the effect of normalized axial load on the seismic performance of the RC frames with and without masonry panels. The main experimental and analytical results are presented in this paper.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.303-311
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• 2023

An analysis of the Poisson's ratios influence of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) based on Sander's shell theory is carried out. The effect of Poisson's ratio, boundary conditions and different armchairs SWCNTs is discussed and studied. The Galerkin's method is applied to get the eigen values in matrix form. The obtained results shows that, the decrease in ratios of Poisson, the frequency increases. Poisson's ratio directly measures the deformation in the material. A high Poisson's ratio denotes that the material exhibits large elastic deformation. Due to these deformation frequencies of carbon nanotubes increases. The frequency value increases with the increase of indices of single walled carbon nanotubes. The prescribe boundary conditions used are simply supported and clamped simply supported. The Timoshenko beam model is used to compare the results. The present method should serve as bench mark results for agreeing the results of other models, with slightly different value of the natural frequencies.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.271-279
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of maximum and endurance resistance exercises on total work, blood viscosity, and erythrocyte volume ratio. The study subjects were selected as 15 men in their twenties with 12 months or more of resistance exercise experience, and the bench press 1RM was measured before the experiment, and the experiment for each condition was cross-allocated at intervals of one week, and the maximum repetition was performed in 6 sets. As a result, the total amount of exercise showed that the muscular endurance strength was higher than that of the maximum muscular strength (p<.001), and the blood viscosity and erythrocyte volume ratio were higher after exercise than before (p<.01) regardless of the total exercise amount. In summary, it was found that blood viscosity was not affected by exercise intensity and amount of exercise, and increased with one-time resistance exercise. This is clinically significant in constructing a resistance exercise program, and it is considered to be a reference material in creating an exercise program for clinical patients related to vascular disease.

• Korean Journal of Exercise Nutrition
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2020

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of short-term creatine intake on muscle fatigue induced by resistance exercise in healthy adolescent men, i.e., lactic acid concentration and wrist and head tremor measured by an accelerometer. [Methods] Twelve healthy adolescent men who had no experience with creatine intake were included. The subjects were randomly assigned to the creatine group and the placebo group, followed by 5 days of creatine and placebo intake, and 5 times of 5 sets of leg press, leg extension, bench press, and arm curl exercises at 70% repetition maximum (RM). The lactic acid concentration before and after exercising, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and accelerometer-based wrist tremor and head tremor during exercise were measured. Subsequently, after 7 days to allow for creatine washout, the same exercise treatment and measurement were performed in each group after switching drug and placebo between the groups. [Results] The level of lactic acid before and after the acute resistance exercise trial was significantly lower in the creatine group than in the placebo group (P <0.05). The mean RPE during the resistance exercise was significantly lower in the creatine group than in the placebo group (P <0.05). There was no difference between the two groups in the mean wrist tremor during resistance exercise, but the mean head tremor values were significantly lower in the creatine group than in the placebo group in the arm curl, the last event of the exercise trials (P <0.05). [Conclusion] Short-term creatine intake reduces the blood fatigue factor increased by resistance exercise, and is thought to suppress fatigue, especially in the latter half of resistance exercise. Therefore, these findings indicate that short-term creatine intake can have an improved effect on anaerobic exercise performance.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2017

This paper represents a set of experimental tests on remediation of nickel-contaminated kaolin by Electrokinetic method. For this purpose, we conducted unenhanced and EDTA-enhanced Electrokinetic tests in one, three, and five days of treatment. In unenhanced tests, we used deionized water as an electrolyte in the anode and the cathode compartments. In the EDTA-enhance tests, we used ethylenediaaminetetra acetic acid 0.1 Molar in the cathode and sodium hydroxide 0.1 Molar in the anode. The average nickel removal for unenhanced tests after three and five days of treatment was 19 and 23 percent, respectively. High buffer capacity of the soil is responsible for low removal efficiency in the unenhanced tests, which maintained pH close to the initial amount that restrained nickel as an adsorbed or precipitated forms. The average nickel removal for EDTA-unenhanced tests after three and five days of treatment was 22 and 12 percent, respectively. Lower ionic mobility of EDTA-Ni complex in comparison with $Ni^{+2}$, which is the main transportation mechanism for this complex, could be responsible for less removal efficiency in EDTA-enhanced test.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.419-434
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• 2012

This paper presents a finite element (FE) model for predicting the nonlinear response and behavior of a reinforced concrete T-beam deficient in shear under cyclic loading. Cracking loads, failure loads, response hysteresis envelopes and crack patterns were used as bench mark for comparison between experimental and FE results. A parametric study was carried out to predict the optimum combination of the open and close crack shear transfer coefficients (${\beta}_t$ and ${\beta}_c$) of the constitutive material model for concrete. It is concluded that when both shear transfer coefficients are equal to 0.2 the FE results gave the best correlation with the experimental results. The results were also verified on a rectangular shear deficient beam (R-beam) tested under cyclic loading and it is concluded that the variation of section geometry has no effect on the optimum choice of the values of shear transfer coefficients of 0.2. In addition, a parametric study based on the variation of concrete compressive strength, was carried out on the T-beam and it is observed that the variation of concrete compressive strength has little effect on the deflection. Further conclusions and observations were also drawn.