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The Porous Continuum method with local thermal non-equilibrium state and the P 1 approximation is adopted to analyse the potentialities of using staggered stack wire meshes in double, gradual-porosity air absorbers in the axial direction. A parametric study with 300 cases, is performed considering meshes with different geometrical properties and layer thickness ratios in order to achieve greater efficiency than that offered by single-porosity metallic volumetric absorbers. The parametric study considers three different arrangements: gradually decreasing porosity, absorbers with two different layers of similar porosity and gradually increasing porosity within the air flow. The study identifies 10 configurations exceeding 90% thermal efficiency at usual working conditions. Finally, the three best configurations of the parametric analysis are experimentally tested at a small-scale laboratory test-bed and the numerical method is validated successfully in three-dimensional simulations to account for the heterogeneous solar flux profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium composites are inevitable in the manufacture of aircraft structural elements owing to less weight, superior corrosion resistance and higher specific properties. These composites reduce the weight of the aircraft, improve the fuel efficiency and enhance the maintenance duration. This study proposes the development of dissimilar grade aluminium (aluminium 1100-aluminium 5052) composites with different reinforcement’s viz., stainless steel wire-mesh, silicon carbide (SiC) powders and SiC powder interspersed wire-mesh, by explosive cladding technique. Wire-mesh enhances the friction and restricts the movement of flyer plate to craft a defect free clad, while SiC particles form a band on the interface. Highest strength is obtained when SiC powder interspersed wire mesh is employed as reinforcement. The dissimilar aluminium explosive clad with SiC particle reinforcement results in lower strength, which is higher than that of the weaker parent alloy and that of the conventional dissimilar aluminium explosive clads without any reinforcement.

ABSTRACT This study assessed the use of novel, locally made, protective culture cylinders as a means of improving pearl oyster Pteria penguin performance and standardizing culture methods used by mabe [...]

Flexible systems anchored to the ground are low visual impact alternatives to be used in slope protection. With the aim of reducing their installation time and costs the mechanical union between layers of membranes is proposed to be done in warehouses instead of independent installations on site. The most appropriate component selection and linking method is selected using multi-criteria decision analysis, specifically using AHP, WASPAS and TOPSIS techniques. The criteria considered in order to take the decision are cost of materials, ease of sewing, transport and installation of the system, biodegradability of the secondary mat and its hydroseeding retention capacity that stimulates the revegetation. Due to the uncertainty on the data of biodegradability, four scenarios were analysed. The results indicate that the most suitable secondary membrane in all cases is the coconut fibre mesh and should be connected to the main membrane using a cable tie machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been extensively used to modify the structural response of masonry brick walls. The promising advantages of FRP composites are easy application, lightweight, and very high tensile strength. However, FRP composites are very expensive, and their availability is an issue, especially in developing countries. The use of bricks is widespread in developing countries due to their low price and easy availability. Recent earthquakes and research results have demonstrated the vulnerability of existing masonry structures. In this study, we aimed to investigate the use of low-cost and readily available strengthening materials, i.e., cement-sand mortar and wire mesh, to enhance the flexural capacity of cement-clay interlocking brick (CCIB) masonry walls. The proposed strengthening materials were applied in different configurations and thicknesses. The experimental results indicated that using CS mortar and wire mesh is promising to enhance the flexural capacity of CCIB masonry walls. The flexural capacity and energy absorption capacity of the CCIB masonry wall (strengthened with 20 mm thick CS mortar and three layers of wire mesh) were 87% and 46% higher than the reference CCIB masonry wall. The results of this study can be used to improve the performance of masonry structures against earthquakes in the developing regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increased interest in the inherent fire resistance of organic insulators, various precast concrete insulation panels have been developed. However, precast concrete insulation panels still have structural and fire resistance problems resulting from a low composite action and unclosed cross-sectional details. To improve composite action and fire resistance, this study proposes the closed cross-sectional details of insulator panels with lightweight aggregate concrete, insulation material, and wire mesh. The objective of this study is to examine the flexural–shear performance of precast lightweight concrete panels with closed cross-sectional details developed for exterior cladding with high insulation capacity. Six full-sized insulation panels were tested under two-point top loadings. The main investigated test parameters to vary the moment–shear ratio of the insulation panels were the amount of the shear reinforcement and shear span–effective depth ratio. Test results indicate that the insulation panels with moment–shear ratios of 2.60 or higher were governed by shear, indicating that the longitudinal bars remained in an elastic state until the peak load of the insulation panels was reached. Thus, an increase in the moment–shear ratio of the insulation panels led to more brittle failure characteristics. Meanwhile, the insulation panels governed by flexure exhibited plastic flow performance in the applied load–deflection curve and well-distributed cracks. In particular, the maximal flexural moments of insulation panels with moment–shear ratios of 0.75 or less were higher than those calculated from the equations specified in ACI 318-19, indicating that the composite action was fully exerted. Overall, the developed insulation panels with cross-sectional details must be designed to a have moment–shear ratio of 0.75 or less to fulfil the ductile response under extreme lateral loads and exert full composite action.

In this study, we describe the development of a shell model-based macro-scale approach for a stainless steel 304 wire mesh using Hill's yield criterion and elasto-plastic material behaviors. The constants for orthotropic elastic-material response and the parameters for non-linear behavior were determined from experimental tests. For validation and comparison, the results obtained using this macro-scale model were compared with the experimental data obtained from drop-tower impact tests and the simulation results from a meso-scale model. The comparison highlighted that the macro-scale model of the wire mesh is more suitable for large-size simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wire mesh flooding point measurements at low surface tension < 10 mN m−1 were conducted using a refrigerant as model fluid. A new method for the calculation of wire mesh capacity was developed based on experimental data from literature and data from this study. In comparison to the well‐known and widely adapted K‐value method given in the Gas Processors Suppliers Association (GPSA) Engineering Databook and various other sources, the new method yields 3–38 % reduced wire mesh cross sections for fluid systems at pressures above 20 bar(a) while retaining an inherent safety margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promising nature of proton exchange membrane fuel cell stacks in energy conversion has sparked the need to improve the cell components for improved performance, durability, sustainability, and cost competitiveness. This work presents the pros and cons of different flow field designs concluded from an open-cathode short stack, composed of three cells. The flow fields consist of 3D fine mesh, fine wire mesh, metal foam, and conventional straight channels. The results presented in this study show that the fine wire mesh gives better performance, both when integrated, and not integrated with straight channels. It is followed by the 3D fine mesh, straight channels, and metal foam. The different performance improvements are caused by the various flow fields influencing flow rate, current conductivity, and temperature increment. Water management seems to be a significant factor in the performance variation. This is presented by the IV curves, which show a dramatic discrepancy over the concentration loss region. The straight channels integrated with fine wire mesh cell have the highest degradation rate at a constant voltage of 1.7 V, even though it reached a constant value after 1.4 h of operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice and snow shedding events on cable-supported bridges around the world have become more frequent in recent years. Although they pose a risk to bridge users and lead to lengthy bridge closures, the research so far has focused mainly on the development of various countermeasures and the aerodynamic behaviour of cables with ice or snow accretions. In this paper, a wind tunnel investigation aimed at simulating atmospheric conditions to reproduce natural accretion and shedding of ice and snow from different bridge cable surfaces is presented. The experimental investigation was carried out at two different climatic wind tunnel facilities and involved the use of two different solar simulators to simulate the effect of solar radiation on the melting and shedding process. It was found that both the colour of the cable surface and the surface modifications had a significant influence on the melting and shedding of ice and snow. Whilst the cable colour affected the heating rate of the cable surface and governed the shedding rate of smooth cable sections, the use of surface modifications such as steel wire mesh was more effective in retaining the accretions for longer and breaking them into smaller pieces. The analysis further revealed how the non-uniform heat transfer distribution around the cables affects the surface temperatures at specific locations and how much solar irradiance is approximately transmitted through the accretions onto the cable surface. These findings improve the fundamental understanding of ice shedding from bridge cables and demonstrate the performance benefits of cable surface modifications in terms of risk mitigation for bridge users. • Ice shedding was studied in two different wind tunnels with solar simulators. • Ice and snow melting rate increased on darker bridge cable sheaths. • Surface modifications impact ice shedding performance more than sheath colour. • Wire mesh on bridge cables can reduce ice shedding risk significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the shielding effectiveness (SE) prediction of the periodic aperture array on an infinite conductor plane against a plane electromagnetic wave with its wavelength much larger than the size of a unit cell of the array. Especially, the existing analytical expressions of SE are combined to cover the entire range of the aperture rate, which is defined as the ratio of the side length of the aperture to that of the unit cell. The combination is carried out by bridging the small aperture model and the wire mesh model. Then, a multi-stage model based on the piecewise function of the aperture rate is presented to calculate the SE for any aperture rate. The model is also extended to consider different wave polarization and incident angles. The results of the model are in good agreement with those from the full-wave simulation. The applicability of the model to a different thickness and aperture shape is discussed. In addition, the upper-limit frequency at which the model is no longer applicable is also analyzed.

Sandwich beams are preferable for aerostructure and marine structures due to their high mechanical strength, durability, stiffness, and fatigue resistance. This paper presents a study on the flexural behavior of sandwich beams made of self-compacting concrete comprising a polystyrene inner core with wire mesh reinforcement. The effect of the design parameters such as the inner core area, percentage of tension reinforcement, and wire mesh on the moment carrying capacity and failure modes of sandwich beams was analyzed. Ten beams were cast and tested to failure with simply supported end conditions and they were classified into three different groups. The longitudinal section of the inner core area was varied by 0% (control beam), 25%, 50%, and 75% of the gross area. The tension reinforcement ratio varied between 0.6 and 1.5%. In addition, the effect of the wire mesh in shear and flexural resistance was studied. The load-carrying capacity of sandwich beams increased with flexural reinforcement. In addition, the welded wire mesh improved the sandwich beams’ flexural and shear performance. The conventional expressions for the moment of resistance were valid for sandwich beams, whereas the shear strength expressions overestimated the capacity; therefore, modifications were suggested. The refined models had a significant agreement with the experimental results.

The research study focuses on different strengthening techniques for timber concrete composites (TCC) using different types of wire and wire mesh integrated with a layer of epoxy on a timber core embedded in concrete using experimental and analytical procedure. The impact of TCC on axial compression performance, modulus of elasticity, failure mode and post failure behavior and ductility were compared to reference concrete specimens. Different types of wire and wire mesh used in strengthening of the timber core, timber core size and reinforcement in the concrete cylinder were all parameters considered in this study. Timing of application of the epoxy on the wire strengthened timber core was very important. For structural applications, where the weight reduction and ductility as well as post failure endurance are essential, the development of this composite is recommended. The ratio of the ductility index to the weight is discussed. The light weight of the timber composite, and the increased ductility were noted in this study. An equation to estimate the axial compression capacity of the strengthened timber concrete composite was developed in this study. This study will pave the way for further applications for timber concrete composite aiming at reducing dead weight of concrete and the reducing the amount of concrete and steel in construction.

This paper concerns a method and a test set-up to measure the permeability of plates of metal foams and sets of wire meshes used to control flows in fluid filters and other flow systems designed to yield constant velocity distributions over large cross sections of flows. The method is based on permeability considerations using the Ergun equation to describe the pressure losses of packages of mono-dispersed spheres. One correlation is suggested for the permeability k over the entire range of mean velocities U0. A suitable measuring set-up was designed, built and used to measure the permeability of plates of metallic foams and sets of wire meshes. The specific objective of the present investigation was to provide permeability data for combined sets of wire meshes with flow properties that are mainly characterized by the wire meshes with the smallest mesh size. A method of data presentation is suggested that clearly illustrates the ranges of laminar and turbulent flows through the wire meshes. The results are compared with those for technical porous plates. The suggested presentation of the results indicates that the general features of the flows through porous plates of metal foams and wire meshes are the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ever-increasing computational power of the electronic devices accompanies a greater power dissipation. Understanding and optimization of the heat rejection systems are thus vital to ensure effective thermal management of electronic devices in an often highly confined space. This paper reports the design, development, and results of an experimental investigation of a fast responding and passive heat-rejecting copper–water-based miniature loop heat pipe (mLHP) system. The designed mLHP has a square flat-faced evaporator of 20 mm length with opposite replenishment, four extended surfaces with vapor space, a liquid reservoir or compensation chamber, fin- and tube-type condenser, and different diameter transport lines. Capillary pumping action was ensured by a composite of 100PPI copper mesh with 37% porosity and absorbent wool of 20 µm average pore size. Wick hydration was safeguarded by a 67% filling ratio of mLHP at a cold state. A decrease in thermal resistance and an increase in heat transfer coefficient for evaporation were observed. The thermal resistance of the evaporator and mLHP was 0.109–0.396 °C/W and 0.132–0.644 °C/W with an uncertainty of 3.749% and 3.744%, respectively. The heat transfer coefficient for evaporation achieved during experimentation was 6.313–23.00 kW/m2K with 0.345% uncertainty. No reverse flow of vapors and evaporator dry-out was detected. The maximum temperature sustained was 108 °C against the 205 W heat load with a 4.5-min start-up duration. These results reveal the suitability of the designed miniature loop heat pipe for the heat dissipation of electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of sustainable, low-cost, green and efficient oil–water separation materials is an attractive and challenging work. Oil/water separation process has been achieved by a variety of materials with special wettability, but most materials require complex instruments or involve toxic and corrosive chemicals, which might lead to some potential economic and environmental issues. Our work proposed here is a novel super-hydrophilic, underwater super-oleophobic cellulose hydrogel-coated mesh (CHCM) which produced by deep eutectic solvent, aimed for efficient gravity-driven oil/water separation. Based on this pre-wet CHCM, the separation efficiency of various oil–water mixtures was above 98.0%, and the results also showed that CHCM has good recyclability and durability, even after 20 cycles, the separation efficiency also maintained at 98.5%. Impressively, the prepared CHCM also exhibited good salt resistance; it can separate a high efficiency pump oil mixture from a saturated aqueous NaCl solution. Through XPS analysis of CHCM, the oil–water separation mechanism is due to the large number of super-hydrophilic groups on its surface. This simple, green, and efficient method overcomes an important barrier to the safe separation of oil–water mixtures and provides insights into the design of advanced materials for practical oil–water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traveling wave thermoacoustic-Stirling heat engine is a unique device that is used to convert heat energy to acoustic work. In this article, the thermoacoustic engine is modeled, manufactured and tested. The cyclic analysis is used to carry out the numerical analysis based on the Stirling cycle of the engine. This analysis has considered for study the physical property and characteristics of the regenerator matrix. The traveling acoustic wave produced from the prototype is measured using an audio-speaker as a linear alternator for extracting electrical power from acoustic power. The size and geometry of the regenerator mesh is defines the thermal penetration depth, pressure drop due to it, dead volume across the matrix and acoustic power produced. Hence, there is a need to optimize the mesh size for a given mesh material to maximize the power generated from the engine. The engine has tested with five combinations of mesh sizes. The results of the numerical analysis has shown that 50.1 W power is produced and the tested engine has developed 44.9 W electric-power with the thermal efficiency of 8.3% respectively for 304 wire mesh of SS having mesh size of 60 strands/inch. The results obtained from the numerical analysis and the experiments performed are presented in this paper.

Ferrocement gained an increasing research effort in the last decades due to its low weight and different uses in the developing countries. Ferrocement elements can be used as roofing, flooring elements, or either framed structures. This research presents an experimental and analytical study of the structural behavior of Ferrocement frames. The main objective of the research is to study the effect of combined actions as shear, flexure and normal on the structural behavior of Ferrocement joints. An experimental program including thirty test specimens in form of box shaped panels was conducted. The panels were classified into three groups to draw out the necessary conclusions from the studied parameters. The included parameters are reinforcement schemes and corner reinforcement ratios. The effects of the selected parameters are presented in form of cracking, failure loads and load deflection comparisons. From the study, it is observed clearly that there is significant influence of reinforcement on the overall panels. As the amount of reinforcement increases, the action load increases indicating a higher section capacity to resist more load and delay cracking and yielding of reinforcement. Moreover, the location of the reinforcement helps in enhancing the behavior.

Aluminium composites are inevitable in the manufacture of aircraft structural elements owing to less weight, superior corrosion resistance and higher specific properties. These composites reduce the weight of the aircraft, improve the fuel efficiency and enhance the maintenance duration. This study proposes the development of dissimilar grade aluminium (aluminium 1100-aluminium 5052) composites with different reinforcement's viz., stainless steel wire-mesh, silicon carbide (SiC) powders and SiC powder interspersed wire-mesh, by explosive cladding technique. Wire-mesh enhances the friction and restricts the movement of flyer plate to craft a defect free clad, while SiC particles form a band on the interface. Highest strength is obtained when SiC powder interspersed wire mesh is employed as reinforcement. The dissimilar aluminium explosive clad with SiC particle reinforcement results in lower strength, which is higher than that of the weaker parent alloy and that of the conventional dissimilar aluminium explosive clads without any reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper characterizes the hydrodynamics of laminar flows through circular ducts equipped with plain square woven meshes/screens in their role as static mixers. The CFD model was used to investigate the effect of screen geometry, number of screens, inter-screen spacing, and operating conditions on the velocity and pressure fields. This work therefore presents an analysis of the velocity contours, streamlines, and profiles at various locations within the pipe in addition to the pressure profiles to obtain a better understanding of the complex behavior of the flow. The presence of screens normal to the flow was found to alter the fully developed parabolic profile and flatten it both upstream and downstream, hence simultaneously decelerating and accelerating regions in the cross-sectional area of the flow. Downstream of screens, the velocity profile was characterized by a sinusoidal shape that quickly decays, and vortices were observed under certain operating and design conditions. The study of the pressure field helped delineate the contribution of static and dynamic pressures in addition to identifying a minimum inter-screen distance if maximum pressure recovery is desired. Predictions of the pressure drop for various mesh geometries and under different operating conditions were validated using empirical correlations and the results reflected a very good accuracy with the maximum relative error falling within ± 7.3%. • 3D CFD simulations conducted to study the bounded laminar flow through wire mesh. • Pressure drop results were validated against published empirical correlations. • The flow was found three-dimensional near the wall while axial near the centerline. • The fully developed profile was drastically altered as it passes through the screen. • Different correlations for max/min velocities and pressure recovery were derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the electromagnetic shielding effectiveness results of the plain weave composite fabric and the analytical solution of metal mesh were investigated. The composite fabric made of cotton yarns twisted with 50 µm copper filaments was used in the experiment. As the fabric was weaved and stretched, it had square shaped apertures which had length of 1.2 mm. The electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of these fabrics was measured in the frequency range of 1.7–2.6 GHz via WR430 waveguide system. In order to model the shielding results of the aforementioned fabric, an analytical solution which facilitates to calculate shielding effectiveness of metal mesh, was taken into consideration. Due to the physical similarity between the fabric geometry and metal mesh structure, the values of fabric characteristics were substituted in analytical solution. A statistical approach showed that the measured SE results of plain weave composite fabric fitted in the analytical solution for metal mesh in 1.82–2.6 GHz frequency range with strength of 30–36 dB. Thus, depending on desired shielding efficiency the physical texture of shielding fabric can be determined analytically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a new application of microwave microscopy as a diagnostic of the painted lightning strike protection (LSP) mesh used in composite aircraft skins. A new flexible probe is presented. This probe can sweep over the surface of the composite skin and detect breaks in the LSP lying underneath. It is demonstrated that shielding of the probe feeding line leads to better balancing, and consequently highly improved immunity to the presence of nearby objects. With this new approach, it is possible to localize faults as small as one cut strand under the paint. Also, this technique features the possibility to measure the paint thickness with a resolution on the order of micrometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to find a suitable method for determining the in-plane shear characteristics of a type of "cellular metal" plain-woven stainless steel wire mesh. That no ready-made standard test exists for investigating the in-plane shear properties of the wire mesh must be noted. Two types of in-plane shear test methods that are normally used for shear tests of textile structures, that is, the bias-extension test and the picture-frame test, were conducted and employed in this work. To determine whether they can provide a pure and uniform shear region during a test, the Digital Image Correlation (DIC) approach is used as an auxiliary measurement of strain distribution for both methods. Based on the comparison and analysis of results from those two tests, a picture-frame test with a corners cut-off sample was found to be a more suitable method than a bias-extension test for determining the shear properties of the wire mesh. However, the bias-extension test can provide a simple and reliable method for determining the lock-angle of a wire mesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dust explosion accidents frequently occur in dedusting pipes of wheat dust, causing huge casualties and property losses. In this paper, a vertical pipeline of combustion experimental platform was established to obtain the effects of working conditions and double-layer wire mesh parameters on wheat dust flame propagation. The results show that the double-layer wire mesh has an obvious suppression effect on the flame propagation of wheat dust. At the combination of the same mesh number, both the peak flame temperature and the maximum flame propagation velocity decreased with the increasing of the mesh number, and the flame quenching phenomenon occurs at 80 mesh. At the combination of different mesh numbers, the flame temperature at the upper-density and lower-sparseness combination is lower than that at the upper-sparseness and lower-density combination under all working conditions. The flame temperature difference (ΔT) gradually increases with the increasing of mesh number difference, and the maximum ΔT appears at the mesh difference of 40 mesh. As the separation distance increases, the flame temperature rises, and the suppression effect is best at the separation distance of 1 cm. The peak combustion pressure is negatively linear with the separation distance. Image 1 • Double-layer wire mesh has an obvious suppression effect on the flame propagation. • Upper density and lower sparseness have a better suppression effect than upper sparseness and lower density. • Flame temperature rises with the increasing of wire mesh separation distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement–clay Interlocking Hollow Brick Masonry (CCIHBM) walls are characterized by poor mechanical properties of bricks and mortar. Their performance is observed to be unsatisfactory under both gravity and seismic loads. There is an urgent need to develop sustainable, environmentally friendly, and low-cost strengthening materials to alter the structural behaviour of brick masonry walls in terms of strength and ductility. The results of an experimental investigation conducted on the diagonal compressive response of CCIHBM walls are presented in this study. In this experimental study, a total of six CCIHBM walls were constructed using cement–clay interlocking hollow bricks. One was tested as a control or reference wall, whereas the remaining walls were strengthened using cement mortar. In some walls, the cement mortar was also combined with the wire mesh. The research parameters included the type of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) (Type 1 and Type 2), thickness of cement mortar (10 mm and 20 mm), and layers of wire mesh (one and three layers). The experimental results indicate that control or unstrengthened CCIHBM walls failed in a very brittle manner at a very low ultimate load and deformation. The control CCIHBM wall, i.e., W-CON, failed at an ultimate load of 247 kN, and corresponding deflection was 1.8 mm. The strength and ductility of cement mortar and wire mesh-strengthened walls were found to be higher than the reference CCIHBM wall. For example, the ultimate load and deformation of cement-mortar-strengthened wall were found to be 143% and 233% higher than the control wall, respectively. Additionally, the ultimate failure modes of cement mortar and wire mesh strengthened were observed as ductile as compared to the brittle failure of reference wall or unstrengthened CCIHBM wall, which increased by 66% and 150% as compared with the control wall.

Electric field distribution analysis generated by ECCT in a human head model with or without brain cancer using wire mesh electrode has been conductedsuccessfully. The analysis of electric field distribution was done using simulation in a human head model with ECCT Apparel Helmet system type A which is three dimensional model. The electric field distribution was measured with and without a wire mesh electrode which was either passive or active using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.2 software and was then processed using MATLAB R2010a. The aim of the research was to assess the performance of wire mesh electrode in detecting electric field distribution. ECCT which is utilized in brain cancer therapy with input 10 V is able to produce an electric field with an average of 178.8 V/m. The input voltage influences electric field distribution whereas the signal frequency does not affect the electric field distribution. Wire mesh electrode which is either active or passive can measure the electric field distribution generated by ECCT that neither the active nor the passive wire mesh electrode changed the pattern of the electric field distribution and the change in the measured electric field value is not significant.

One of the major challenges and contemporary research in the field of structural engineering is strengthening of existing structural elements using readily available materials in the market. Several investigations were conducted on strengthening of various structural components using traditional and advanced materials. Many researchers tried to enhance the reinforced concrete (RC) beams strength using steel plate, Glass and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (GFRP & CFRP). For the reason that high weight to the strength ratio and compatibility in strength between FRP composites and steel bars, steel plates and GFRP and CFRP composites are not used for strengthening works practically. Hence, in this present work the suitability of using wire mesh for the purpose of strengthening the RC flexural members is studied by conducting experimental works. New technique of strengthening system using wire mesh with a view to improve sectional properties and subsequently flexural strength of RC beams is adopted in this work. The results for experimental and theoretical analysis were compared and found that good correlation exists between them. The experimental results indicate that RC beams strengthened with steel wire mesh are easy technique for strengthening of existing flexural members.

The icing of helicopter rotor blades will lead to the destruction of its aerodynamic shape and seriously affect the flight quality. In order to improve the flexibility and fatigue resistance of helicopter rotor anti-icing system, the metal mesh braided with nickel alloy filaments is used as heating element, and the heating element is arranged in the blade in an extended way. Through the design, the diameter of wire and the size of mesh are determined. Combining with the existing composite material forming process, the electrical heating test pieces are prepared. The electrothermal performance test, mechanical property test and laboratory simulated deicing test of the prepared heating pad are carried out. The results show that the temperature rising speed of the heating pad is 2.5 ℃/s, the temperature uniformity in the plane is less than 2 ℃, and the simulated deicing effect in the laboratory is good.

Stainless steel wire mesh/bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) were synthesized as immobilized photocatalysts. The effects of conductive wire mesh substrate and calcination on the photocatalytic performance were investigated. The morphology, crystal structure, composition, and optical properties of hierarchical wire mesh/BiOBr photocatalyst were investigated. The degradation of 99% dye can be achieved within 50 min by S250 photocatalyst which was calcined at 250 °C. The recycled photocatalyst also shows good stability. The activity of the immobilized photocatalysts was enhanced by increasing the surface area (flower-like texture of BiOBr), facilitating separation of photogenerated charge carriers (good contact between BiOBr and conductive stainless steel wire mesh), and improving the crystal properties (facet effect, dominant (001) facets by calcination). This study provides a way to optimizing the activity of immobilized photocatalysts for the treatment of hazardous pollutants in wastewater. Unlabelled Image • BiOBr/stainless steel interface helps the separation of photogenerated carriers. • Calcined photocatalysts with dominant (001) facet have high activity (facet effect). • Flower-like BiOBr and wire-mesh substrate lead to the high surface area of the photocatalyst. • Lots of transport paths for dye molecules, large contact area, and BiOBr-stainless steel interface lead to high activity. • Degradation of 99% dye can be achieved within 50 min by S250 photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The eButton takes frontal images at 4s intervals throughout the day. A three-dimensional manually administered wire mesh procedure has been developed to quantify portion sizes from the two-dimensional images. The present paper reports a test of the inter-rater reliability and validity of use of the wire mesh procedure.Design: Seventeen foods of diverse shapes and sizes served on plates, bowls and cups were selected to rigorously test the portion assessment procedure. A dietitian not involved in inter-rater reliability assessment used standard cups to independently measure the quantities of foods to generate the 'true' value for a total of seventy-five 'served' and seventy-five smaller 'left' images with diverse portion sizes.Setting: The images appeared on the computer to which the digital wire meshes were applied.Subjects: Two dietitians and three engineers independently estimated portion size of the larger ('served') and smaller ('left') images for the same foods.Results: The engineers had higher reliability and validity than the dietitians. The dietitians had lower reliabilities and validities for the smaller more irregular images, but the engineers did not, suggesting training could overcome this limitation. The lower reliabilities and validities for foods served in bowls, compared with plates, suggest difficulties with the curved nature of the bowls.Conclusions: The wire mesh procedure is an important step forward in quantifying portion size, which has been subject to substantial self-report error. Improved training procedures are needed to overcome the identified problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An experimental work is presented to study the effect of the saline water medium on the performance of double acting solar still combined with tracked parabolic trough collector (TPTC). Three saline water mediums are considered in the basin: pure saline water, steel wire mesh, and sand saturated with saline water. The effect of these mediums on the freshwater productivity of modified solar still (solar still with TPTC) and the conventional solar still was studied. The study was carried out during cold climate (winter) and hot climate (summer) times. Additionally, a comparison of the performance of the desalination system at different saline water mediums between winter and summer was conducted. Moreover, a cost analysis of the system was presented. The findings reveal that using wire mesh and sand raises the daily yield freshwater by about 3.1% and 13.7% respectively in winter and about 3.4% and 14.1% respectively in summer for the modified system. Furthermore, using wire mesh and sand with saline water of the modified system enhance the system efficiency by 3.3% and 15.3% respectively in summer and 3.9% and 13.8% respectively in winter. The cost of the accumulated liter of freshwater is reduced by using sand and wire mesh. Highlights • Effect of saline water mediums on the performance of conventional and modified solar still was experimentally studied. • Modified solar still represents tracked parabolic trough collector (TPTC) coupled with solar still. • Using wire mesh and sand in the basin, increases the yield by about 3.4% and 14% for modified solar still. • The efficiency of conventional and modified solar still increases by using sand and wire mesh in the basin. • The cost of yield freshwater is decreased by using wire mesh and sand in the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based analysis of bacteria suffers from the lack of a standard SERS detection protocol (type of substrates, excitation frequencies, and sampling methodologies) that could be employed throughout laboratories to produce repeatable and valuable spectral information. In this work, we have examined several factors influencing the spectrum and signal enhancement during SERS studies conducted on both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial species: Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, respectively. These factors can be grouped into those which are related to the structure and types of plasmonic systems used during SERS measurements and those that are associated with the culturing conditions, types of culture media, and method of biological sample preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Double printing process using advanced screen & paste is demonstrated. • Practical difficulties with double printing process are discussed. • A significant improvement in Isc and FF was achieved using double printing process. • The process flow, results, QE and Ag paste laydown results are discussed. • A gain in cell efficiency was achieved at no additional cost. Abstract A double print technology using a front contact screen pattern of high precision ultra-fine line finger openings is demonstrated in this work. It has helped in achieving an absolute cell efficiency gain of over 0.25% compared to conventional single printing process. A suitable silver paste was applied to both single and double printing process resulting in improved results and a lower paste laydown for double printing process. This paper represents the work done after the double print process from trial phase reached a matured level with the correct selection of screen design and paste compatibility to work well with the selected screens. A significant improvement in short circuit current (Isc) of almost 90 mA was realized for double printed cells due to increased print aspect ratio and active area for light absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Highlights • 32 masonry wallets were tested under out-of-plane loading. • Both fly-ash and clay bricks of two different sizes were used. • Polypropylene (PP) band and steel wire mesh (WM) were used to strengthen the wallets. • Flexural strength, load-displacement behaviour, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity were discussed. • Both the strengthening techniques are effective in delaying the collapse of the structure. Abstract The collapse of the masonry wall occurs mainly due to inadequacy of load transferring mechanism of out-of-plane behaving wall during earthquake, and is the cause for huge loss of property and life of inhabitants. Hence, an experimental program was carried out to investigate the efficiency of masonry wall in flexural loading. Total 32 specimens were tested. Some specimens were unreinforced and others were reinforced. In India, both clay brick and fly-ash brick are commonly used to construct the masonry wallets. Hence, these walls, were tested under four-point loading method as per ASTM E518 -10 recommendations to investigate the influence of different brick composition in out-of-plane behaviour of wall. In addition, comparative study was also made between traditional full-size and half-scale bricks to check its suitability for the construction of scale-down models. Cost effective materials such as polypropylene (PP) band and steel wire mesh (WM) were used to strengthen these walls. The result shows that both the strengthening techniques are effective in delaying the collapse of the structure, also enhancing the flexural strength and ductility, and this paper presents these outcomes. This paper also presents the cracking load, load-displacement behaviour, stiffness and energy dissipation capacity. Finally, an analytical formulation has also been developed to validate the cracking load of the wall with experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Prestigious buildings are mainly characterized by the design and functionality of their cladding concept. The combination of closed and porous elements has become popular in recent years because it allows a concerted control of translucency and reflection by daylight and enables an illumination during night-time. In many cases, permeable wire meshes made of stainless steel are used for this aim and a wide variety of installation concepts exist. In order to determine realistic wind loads, the flow resistance of the mesh and its specific installation context has to be taken into account. In the present paper, fundamental investigations based on experiments in the boundary layer wind tunnel and measurements on-site are presented. These disclose the principal relations between mesh resistance and the integration thereof within the building skin, with respect to the characteristic load values. Based on these studies, load recommendations are formulated for buildings with single layer porous structures (like parking garages) as well as, for buildings with permeable cladding elements which have an offset to a closed inner façade. Highlights • Wind loading on permeable cladding elements depend on the installation context. • Wind tunnel tests have been performed to determine the aerodynamic parameter to allow for a realistic load modeling. • Recommendations are given, whereat the wind load considering the installation context is lower than for the free-standing case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ferrocement is a type of thin reinforcement concrete made of cement- sand mortar mixture with closely spaced of relatively small diameter wire meshes with or without bars of small diameter called skeletal bar. The purpose of the current study is to identify the behavior of the composite fibrocement and reinforced concrete beams. The main variables of the current study are the number of layers of wire mesh, the casting time for the second layer ( Normal concrete) , and the effect of the presence or absence of the skeletal bars. The current study included the casting of two reference beams with a different reinforcing ratio (2φ8 mm), and (3φ8 mm). The study also included the casting of eight composite beams of fibrocement and reinforced concrete. The results show that the use of fibrocement layer, with (4,6,8) layers of wire meshes, skeletal bar, and the first casting period (1.5 hr) leads to increase the ultimate load by (17.142%, 21.42%,and 22.85%) also the cracking load increased by (31.57%, 47.36%,and 68.42%). The results show that the use of fibrocement layer, with (4,6,8) layers of wire meshes, skeletal bar , and the second casting period ( 24 hr) leads to increase the ultimate load by (32.85%, 40%,and 42.85%) also the cracking load increased by (36.84%, 84.21%,and 89.47%).When using the fibrocement layer containing on the skeletal bar the maximum load increased (6.96%, 17.64%) for the first and second casting, respectively, also for cracking load, it increased by (6.67%,16.12%) respectively, this is due to that the skeletal bar leads to increase reinforcement area and increase restriction in compared with ferrocement layer without the skeletal bar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Increasing efficiency of solar desalination necessitates fundamental understanding of local evaporation process. • We focus on the local evaporation dynamics of pure and saline water on wire meshes subjected to low heat fluxes. • Wire mesh properties and ambient conditions affecting the local evaporation efficiency is explored via experiments and modeling. • Role of thin-film evaporation and thermocapillary convection on evaporation dynamics for low heat fluxes is delineated. • Issues with evaporation of saline water and subsequent salt crystallization on wire meshes is highlighted. It is known that evaporation efficiency of novel solar thermal vapor generation/desalination systems can potentially increase by incorporating interfacial heat localization techniques utilizing porous wicks. The ensuing efficiency is a strong function of the geometric and thermal properties of the wicks and the ambient operating parameters. We investigate the role of these critical process parameters on the evaporation dynamics of pure and saline water from a single-layered wire mesh operating at low heat fluxes (1 kW/m2, 5 kW/m2and 10 kW/m2), which are typical for devices working on solar energy. Evaporation rates of water from stainless steel and nylon meshes are determined using non-invasive infra-red thermography and digital microscopy. A finite element based computational model is developed to understand local transient evaporation phenomenon at the microscale. Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation is used to solve the coupled transport equations on a deforming computational grid, incorporating the Fick's law of diffusion at the evaporating water-air interface. With increasing heat fluxes, there is a deviation from purely diffusion-based transport. Higher evaporation rates are observed in meshes with smaller wire diameter and higher thermal diffusivity. In addition, the decisive role of local thin capillary films is exemplified. Simulations also indicate the diminutive role of thermocapillary convection during evaporation at such low input heat fluxes. Finally, we also investigate the effect of mesh size on the nature of salt crystallization. The evolution of salt concentration gradient at the microscale is computed that complements the experimental observations. Optimal exploitation of heat localization technique for enhanced evaporation necessitates understanding of microscale mesh level local transport effects. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fast pyrolysis is commonly used in industrial reactors to convert waste tires into fine chemicals and fuels. However, current thermogravimetric analyzers are facing limitations that prevent the acquisition of kinetic information. To better understand the reaction kinetics, we designed a novel thermo-balance device that was capable of in-situ weight measurement during rapid heating. The results showed that the reaction rate substantially increased, with significant reductions in reaction time and apparent activation energy compared to slow pyrolysis. The change of reaction mechanism from the reaction order model to the nucleation and growth model was responsible for the increase in the degradation rate. Fast pyrolysis led to the generation of more trimers of isoprene as primary pyrolytic volatiles, which we further supported through density functional theory calculations. The findings suggested that fast pyrolysis has a higher chance of overcoming the high energy barrier to form trimers of isoprene. This comprehensive and in-depth understanding of fast pyrolysis kinetics and product distribution could reveal a more realistic process of waste pyrolysis, which benefited the industry. [Display omitted] • A novel thermal balance with wireless power enabled the in-situ mass measurement. • Kinetics of waste tire fast pyrolysis was analyzed to overcome the TGA limitation. • The extremely increased heating rate reduced the apparent activation energy. • High heating rates greatly reduced the occurrence of secondary reactions. • High heating rates favored the release of trimer isoprene from waste tire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wrapping technology is one of the effective ways of strengthening concrete elements. Several researchers reported the effectiveness of Glass fiber reinforced polymers and carbon fiber reinforced polymers for improving the strength of the concrete elements. Wrapping on three sides is one of the effective methods for strengthening the beams supporting slabs. Available literatures on the strength enhancement of “U” wrapped concrete elements subjected to torsional loads do not give a detailed insight, whereas this investigation is an attempt to address the issues with ferrocement “U” wrap. Ferrocement “U” wraps are preferred over FRPs because of its cost factor. The “U” wraps are found to provide better torque carrying capacity under all states of torsion while under reinforced members provide better toughness over other states of torsion. Similarly completely over reinforced beams provide more torque resisting capacity than the others. Increase of torsional capacity is more prominent in states of torsion while improvement in torsional strength with number of mesh layers in ferrocement “U” wrap is minimal.