An FE-analysis of anisotropic creep damage and deformation in the single crystal SRR99 under multiaxial loads

Multidimensional stress–strain and damage analyses of engineering structural components with the help of numerical simulations are of great interest. These can only be done by using adequate material models and suitable numerical methods. Bertram and Olschewski (Computational modelling of anisotropic materials under creep conditions, Math. Modelling Sci. Comp. 5 (1995) 100–109; Anisotropic creep modeling of the single crystal superalloy SRR99, J. Comp. Mater. Sci. 5 (1996) 12–16), proposed a three-dimensional creep model for single crystals. An anisotropic creep damage model for single crystals was also suggested by Qi and Bertram (W. Qi, A. Bertram, Anisotropic creep damage modeling of single crystal superalloys, Tech. Mech. 17 (1997) 313–322; W. Qi, Modellierung der Kriechschadigung einkristalliner Superlegierungen in Hochtemperaturbereich, Ph.D. dissertation, Technical University Berlin, VDI Verlag, Düsseldorf, 1998; W. Qi, A. Bertram, Damage modeling of the single crystal superalloy SRR99 under monotonous creep, Comput. Mater. Sci. 13 (1998) 132–141). The coupled model has been used to predict the creep deformation and the lifetime of the single crystal SRR99 under uniaxial creep loads at 760°C. The purpose of this work is the application of the coupled model to the simulation of multiaxial creep behavior and damage development, and its dependence upon non-proportional loading paths of SRR99 at 760°C.     

Collaborative writing in multiple discourse contexts

Research in computer-supported writing has traditionally compared electronic communication with oral, face-to-face communication to identify the benefits and weaknesses of each, as if they entailed dichotomous choices. In this article, we challenge that view and argue instead that any form of communication and its educational usefulness is shaped by the situation in which it is used, the backgrounds and goals of the participants, the institutional and technological setup, and the intended purpose of the medium. Three modes of communication in one graduate course are examined — oral discussion, synchronous written discussion on a local area network, and asynchronous written postings on an email list set up for the class. It was found that patterns of participation, topic introduction, and topic development differed across the three communication modes, but that the three were interwoven with each other and embedded within the larger classroom context and forms of knowledge creation in the class. Thus, rather than examining different communication media separately, researchers interested in understanding computer-supported collaborative writing need to look at how different media are used to create a meta-medium, which is established by the discourse community involved.     

An EOQ inventory model with time-varying demand and Weibull deterioration with shortages

An inventory model is considered in which inventory is depleted not only by demand, but also by deterioration. Hence, in this paper, we derive the EOQ model for inventory of items that deteriorate at a Weibull-distributed rate, assuming the demand rate with a continuous function of time. Moreover, the proposed model cannot be solved directly in a closed form, thus we used the computer software IMSL MATH/LIBRARY (1989) to find the optimal reorder time. Further, we also find that the optimal procedure is independent from the form of the demand rate. Finally, we also assume that the holding cost is a continuous, non-negative and non-decreasing function of time in order to generalize the EOQ model. Moreover, four numerical examples and sensitivity analyses are provided to assess the solution procedure.     

Remote and in situ photogrammetric history of the Kidd Copper tailings site,Sudbury, Ontario

There is much concern regarding the genesis of acidic leachate by mine tailings and its potential impact on local water systems. Genesis of the leachate and its subsequent escape into the surrounding watershed is controlled by the primary distribution of facies within the tailings pond. Leachate generation and percolation is enhanced in high-sulphide coarse-grained sands, while percolation is restricted in fine-grained clays formed from bentonitic slimes. The Kidd Copper deposit, located on the South Range of the Sudbury Basin, was a typical offset dike nickel deposit, where mining took place between 1970 and 1990. Using a sequence of temporally separate aerial photographs dating from 1945 to 2002, it is possible to document the initial development of the mine, its closure and the subsequent degradation of the mine tailings waste that was produced during mining activity. Since the mine's closure, the resulting tailings deposit has progressively oxidized, generating acid-rich leachate. Leachate can escape from the tailings via surface run-off and subsurface flow. The spatial distribution of possible flow pathways was mapped using a combination of sub-centimetre-resolution real-time kinematic (RTK) GPS and individual, high-resolution, oriented photographs of subsurface pits. Lithologic mapping information of the Kidd Copper tailings deposit can provide an insight into the distribution of local aquifers and aquitards. Subsurface lithologic mapping was achieved using a combination of sub-centimetre-resolution RTK GPS and individual, high-resolution, oriented photographs of subsurface pits. The photograph of each pit provides lithologic information of a specific point in the tailings deposit, while the high-resolution GPS locates the individual photographs in three-dimensional (3D) geographic space. Combining these data allows us to identify continuous lithologic surfaces between pits, leading to the construction of a 3D model of the deposition of the tailings pond. Grain size and textural details extracted from the images of each lithology permit discrimination between aquifers and aquitards. The final geometric model could be used as input for estimating the hydrologic and chemical evolution of the tailings.     

Biorthogonal Loop-Subdivision Wavelets

We present a biorthogonal wavelet construction for Loop subdivision, based on the lifting scheme. Our wavelet transform uses scaling functions that are recursively defined by Loop subdivision for arbitrary manifold triangle meshes. We orthogonalize our wavelets with respect to local scaling functions. This way, the wavelet analysis computes locally a least squares fit when reducing the resolution and converting geometric detail into sparse wavelet coefficients. The contribution of our approach is local computation of both, wavelet analysis and synthesis in linear time. We provide numerical examples supporting the stability of our scheme.