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The lunar rover's wheels produce substantial dust emission during movement, presenting safety concerns for astronauts and potential equipment wear. Replicating the dust emission behavior in the low-gravity environment on Earth is challenging. This study proposes a numerical approach to analyze the dust emission distribution of an elastic wire mesh wheel over lunar terrain. The analysis considers adhesion and electrostatic forces within a Discrete Element Method (DEM) model of lunar dust. Then a Multi-Flexible Body Dynamics (MFBD) model of a flexible wire mesh wheel was developed. A virtual single-wheel soil bin experiment was conducted to examine dust emission features under various motion conditions and on rough terrain. Additionally, alternative structures of dust fender were designed to effectively suppress dust, and the effects of the structural features on dust emission were further explored. This comprehensive study provides a valuable reference for simulation and dust-control technologies related to elastic lunar wheels, offering insights that contribute to the effective management of dust emissions from lunar rover wheels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presentation of a constitutive model could help researchers to predict the mechanical behavior of a material, which also contributes to the further generalization of the material. This paper is to explore the tensile constitutive model of engineered cementitious composites (ECCs) reinforced by high-strength steel wire mesh based on experiments and numerical simulations. DIANA was used to simulate the tensile process of the specimens, and experiments were carried out to validate the numerical model. The effect of the ECCs' tensile strength, reinforcement ratio and specimen size were considered during the specimen design process. The results showed that most of the errors of the simulated values compared to the experimental results were within 5%, which proved that the numerical model was quite accurate. The proposed constitutive model revealed the different roles played by ECCs and high-strength steel wires at different stress stages, and the calculation results were in high agreement with the simulation results, indicating the effectiveness of the constitutive model. The study in this paper could provide an important reference for the popularization and application of ECCs reinforced by high-strength steel wire mesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The removal of unwanted droplets in thermal separation units is often accomplished using knitted wire meshes. Alongside the separation efficiency, the pressure drop plays a crucial role for the design of these demisters. Wire meshes have been subject to limited investigations, and correlations for predicting the pressure drop, both with or without loading (referred to as dry pressure drop), have not yet been validated. To address this gap, experimental analyses of porosity and dry pressure drop were conducted over a wide range of wire mesh parameters and intake gas velocities. An empirical correlation was developed from these experimental results and further data from the literature. This correlation enables prediction of the pressure drop with a mean deviation of ±20 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experimental programme was designed to test 24 square columns (200 mm side and 1000 mm length) with different numbers of layers (one, two, three, four and five) of auxetic steel wire mesh (ASWM) as a substitute for stirrup reinforcement within the middle region of the column height. The effect of thermal shock was also assessed, with the tested columns divided into two sets of 12 damaged specimens and 12 undamaged specimens. Sufficient ties were provided at the column ends to prevent premature failure. The ASWM layers provided the columns with the required lateral confinement depending on the number of applied layers (NASWM) and the concrete compressive strength. Thermal shock was found to reduce the concrete compressive strength, thus degrading the column's performance in terms of ductility, strength and stiffness. The number of ASWM layers used significantly improved the ductility, energy absorption, and column axial capacity, but this improvement was limited to NASWM = 4 or 5, while the stiffness increased for all values of NASWM. The average enhancement in the column's axial capacity was 15% for the intact specimens, but this was reduced to approximately 10% under the effect of thermal shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the challenges of high experimental costs, complexity, and time consumption associated with pre-mixed combustible gas deflagration experiments under semi-open space obstacle conditions, a rapid temporal prediction method for flame propagation velocity based on Ranger-GRU neural networks is proposed. The deflagration experiment data are employed as the training dataset for the neural network, with the coefficient of determination (R2) and mean squared error (MSE) used as evaluation metrics to assess the predictive performance of the network. First, 108 sets of pre-mixed methane gas deflagration experiments were conducted, varying obstacle parameters to investigate methane deflagration mechanisms under different conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that obstacle-to-ignition source distance, obstacle shape, obstacle length, obstacle quantity, and thick and fine wire mesh obstacles all significantly influence flame propagation velocity. Subsequently, the GRU neural network was trained, and different activation functions (Sigmoid, Relu, PReLU) and optimizers (Lookahead, RAdam, Adam, Ranger) were incorporated into the backpropagation updating process of the network. The training results show that the Ranger-GRU neural network based on the PReLU activation function achieves the highest mean R2 value of 0.96 and the lowest mean MSE value of 7.16759. Therefore, the Ranger-GRU neural network with PReLU activation function can be a viable rapid prediction method for flame propagation velocity in pre-mixed methane gas deflagration experiments under semi-open space obstacle conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil extraction is shifting towards high-temperature and high-pressure environments, which leads to the deterioration of the rubber material used in packer rubber cylinders, ultimately resulting in sealing failure. Hence, we propose enhancing the configuration of the rubber cylinder by incorporating a composite material consisting of metal and rubber. Additionally, we suggest integrating springs at the shoulders to fabricate a spring-embedded shoulder protection packer rubber cylinder. ABAQUS 2023 software was employed to simulate the packer setting process, investigating the variations in compression distance between a conventional packer rubber cylinder and a spring-embedded shoulder protection packer rubber cylinder. The results showed that at 25 °C and 177 °C, the compression distance of the fully seated spring-embedded shoulder protection packer rubber cylinder was reduced by 3% compared to the traditional packer rubber, Mises stress was reduced by 14%, and the sealing performance evaluation coefficient K of the rubber cylinder was increased by 2% to 10%.The stress in the spring-embedded shoulder protection packer rubber cylinder is primarily concentrated between the spring and the wire mesh, effectively ensuring the performance of the rubber cylinder and mitigating any potential decrease in sealing performance caused by internal stress concentration. The spring-embedded protective rubber cylinder will not experience shoulder protrusion during the sealing process. The incorporation of a spring-embedded shoulder protection mechanism in the packer rubber cylinder enhances the contact stress between the rubber cylinder and casing tube, mitigates stress concentration within the rubber cylinder, resolves shoulder protrusion issues, and ultimately improves both sealing performance and service life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights This study evaluates the sliding wear behavior of hybrid composites made of epoxy reinforced with alternating layers of flax fiber mats and steel wire mesh. The aim is to enhance the wear resistance of flax fiber‐epoxy composites by incorporating steel wire mesh. Specifically, three composite types are produced by varying their stacking sequences using the simple hand layup technique. Dry sliding wear tests are performed on a pin‐on‐disc test rig under different conditions according to ASTM G99 standard. Taguchi analysis is performed using an L25 orthogonal array and it reveals that sliding velocity is the most critical factor, followed by normal load, in affecting the wear rate of the steel‐flax‐epoxy hybrid composite. Subsequently, a steady‐state wear analysis shows that sliding velocity and normal load increase the specific wear rate (SWR), while steel reinforcement decreases it. ANOVA results indicate that sliding velocity significantly impacts wear rates to the extent of 69.47% for flax‐epoxy composite and more than 70% for flax‐steel‐epoxy composites. Additionally, electron microscopy is used to study the worn surfaces of the composites to determine the wear mechanisms. Successful fabrication of flax‐steel wire mesh reinforced hybrid composites. Wear behavior of multi‐layer composites with different stacking sequence. Use of statistical technique for the prediction of wear rate. Wear mechanisms are identified using electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThere are serious wax deposition problems in Yueman block of Tarim Oilfield. It was found that the sediments in Yueman block were mainly composed of high-carbon paraffin, and the carbon number of paraffin was mainly concentrated in C25–C70, of which n-alkanes accounted for 77.14%. A set of evaluation methods (wire mesh filtration method) were created for the deblocking evaluation of high-carbon paraffin deposits. An effective blocking remover formula E4 (150# petroleum ether: 40# dearomatic hydrocarbon solvent (D40): 180# solvent oil (S180) = 3: 1: 1) for high carbon paraffin deposits was developed. Under the condition of a wax ratio of 1: 15 and reaction at 30 °C for 4h, the plugging removal rate (dissolution and dispersion rate of deposit in solvent) can reach 86 %. And it has good universality for other high carbon paraffin sediments, and the deblocking rate can reach more than 80 %. Through the particle size distribution test, it was found that the effect of reaction conditions on the particle size distribution of the deposit was as follows: solvent dosage, reaction temperature, and reaction time. With the enhancement of these conditions, the particle size distribution of organic deposits gradually decreases and the degree of aggregation decreases. From the microscopic analysis, it can be seen that the blocking remover E4 effectively dissolves and strongly disperses the deposit, prevents the aggregation and bonding of the deposit particles, makes the dissolved deposit unable to continue to participate in the agglomeration, and stables dispersion in the solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The list of standard abbreviations for JDS is available at adsa.org/jds-abbreviations-24. Nonstandard abbreviations are available in the Notes. The meltdown test is an efficient tool widely and commonly used to characterize structural changes in frozen desserts resulting from different ingredients and processing conditions. The meltdown is commonly determined by a gravimetric test, and it is used to obtain the onset (M on), rate (M rate), and maximum (M Max) meltdown. However, these parameters are calculated ambiguously due to inconsistencies in the methodology. This work aims to model the meltdown curves (weight vs. time) of different commercial frozen dessert samples (36 commercial samples). Samples of commercial frozen desserts (40–60 g) was placed on a 304 stainless wire cloth (1.50 mm opening size and 52% open area) suspended ∼15 cm above an analytical balance, and the dripped portion of the melted sample was continuously recorded throughout the duration of the test. The meltdown test was conducted at room temperature. Each meltdown test generated between 3,000 to 4,000 data points and was modeled using 4 equations: the logistic model, the Gompertz model, the Richard model, and the Hill model. All the meltdown curves were sigmoidal in shape, regardless of the type of frozen dessert. The experimental meltdown curves were adequately represented by the logistic model, judging by several criteria (R 2 = 0.999, R A d j 2 = 0.999, Akaike information criterion = 6,582, and F -value = 1.88 × 106). Thus, the logistic model was shown to be an effective tool for predicting the meltdown curves of frozen desserts, and it can be used to unambiguously define M on , M rate , and M Max. Moreover, a dimensionless response (meltdown behavior, M Be) that combines M on , M rate , and M Max was developed and used for mapping the meltdown of different commercial frozen desserts. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an experimental investigation of the use of composite polymer mortar (CPM) and steel strands wire mesh (SSWM) to strengthen reinforced concrete (RC) beams in shear. In order to maximize the shear resistance of the steel strands, a new type of anchor device called wedge‐shaped steel plate hoops (WSSPHs) was developed. And the study aimed to examine the effect of shear‐to‐span ratio and prestressing level on the mechanical properties of the beams. A total of nine beams were constructed and tested under four‐point bending monotonic load, comprising three control beams and six strengthened beams. The study analyzed the damage modes, load‐deflection curves, strength, stiffness, and ductility of the beams. The test results indicated that (1) the mechanical properties of the strengthened beams were improved, with the shear capacity improving by 38.47%–71.37% after strengthening. (2) It was observed that SSWM could be utilized more effectively in high shear‐to‐span ratio beams among the strengthened beams with the same prestressing level. (3) Additionally, the larger prestressing level was found to change the design damage mode of the test beams, with RB‐2.5‐0.5 failing in bending. Finally, a model was proposed to predict the shear capacity of the test beams based on the specification GB 50011‐2010. The model considered the effect of the initial prestressing of the steel strands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drain pipe wrapped in steel wire mesh serves a dual purpose of drainage and reinforcement in tailings pond projects. The self-filtering layer that develops upstream of the steel wire mesh influences the reinforcement characteristics of the drainage pipe. This study first conducts interfacial shearing experiments to explore the impact of the self-filtering layer on the shearing properties between tailings and the steel wire mesh. An exponential interface constitutive model is then proposed to delineate the shear stress–displacement relationship. Finally, through finite element simulations, the study assesses the effect of the self-filtering layer on the load-bearing behavior of the drain pipe, considering the interactive dynamics between the tailings and the steel wire mesh. The results reveal that the interfacial shear strength, across varying median particle sizes of the self-filtering layer, adheres to Mohr–Coulomb strength theory. Specifically, as the median particle size of the self-filtering layer increases, interfacial cohesion diminishes while the friction coefficient rises. The initial shear stiffness demonstrates a linear increase with the median particle size. With the presence of the self-filtering layer, the pull-out resistance of the drainage pipe can be enhanced by up to 26%. Moreover, the self-filtering layer significantly affects the distribution of negative skin friction. This research enhances the safety assessment of tailings ponds by providing crucial insights and solutions, emphasizing the influence of the self-filtering layer on the bearing behavior of the drain pipe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the effectiveness of partially wrapping stainless-steel wire mesh (SSWM) on the compression behavior of concrete cylinders. The study aims to understand the behavior of partially SSWM-confined concrete and investigate the axial compressive strength and strain behavior of both the wrapped and unwrapped regions of the concrete cylinder. The study proposes an effective confinement coefficient for estimating the compressive strength of partially SSWM-confined concrete. Additionally, the article includes a list of references related to the compressive behavior of concrete confined by various materials and reinforcement methods. The calculations provided in the document show that SSWM can increase the compressive strength of concrete by 18.38%. [Extracted from the article]

Chronic utilization of woody vegetation by African savanna elephants may transform woodland vegetation to open savanna and threaten the extirpation of targeted species. This situation has arisen in Gonarezhou National Park (GNP), Zimbabwe, where a large elephant population (>2 km−2) threatens the persistence of the long‐lived baobab (Adansonia digitata) tree, through elevated mortality levels. This study investigated whether complete or partial refugia from elephant utilization existed for baobabs, and whether protection of trees by management, using wire netting or log‐ or rock‐packs around a tree base, had been effective. A total of 563 baobabs were sampled across northern GNP. Elephants had debarked 99% of trees to some degree, and gouged holes in the stem of 22% of trees. The probability, and severity, of debarking and gouging decreased with increasing distance to permanent water, increasing slope, and the amount of boulder cover. Slope gradient had the greatest effect on elephant impact, with trees located on steep slopes being less affected by elephants than those on flat ground. Distance to water had an effect despite the farthest tree, at 9 km from water, being within the 15 km foraging range of bull elephants. Large boulders partly protected trees even on gentle terrain. None of these factors provided a complete refuge from elephant impact within GNP, but, individually and collectively, provided a partial refuge at current elephant densities. Protection measures doubled tree survival over approximately 5 years, with fencing wire wrapped around baobab stems proving to be the most effective method. Assessment of the future security of baobabs in GNP requires knowledge of their distribution and that of the refugia provided by distance from permanent water, slope, and boulder cover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, ten shear walls were experimentally tested to examine behaviour of ferrocement hollow shear walls subjected to axial and lateral loads. Ferrocement mortar (FM) was used to build eight walls, while normal concrete (NC) was used to build two controls. Walls were lateral reinforced using conventional stirrups, two layers of welded wire mesh (WWM), and expanded steel mesh (ESM). Two specimens lacked lateral reinforcement except for one transverse web in the center of the inner hole. Two symmetric groups of five walls each were created by dividing the walls. While the other group was loaded laterally, one group was loaded axially. In each group, the load–displacement relationship, maximum load and associated displacement, stiffness, ductility, and failure mechanism of FM and NC walls were compared. The results showed that FM walls provided with ESM and WWM had ultimate axial loads that were, respectively, 36% and 19% higher than NC control walls. Ultimate lateral loads and related ultimate drifts of FM walls reinforced with two layers of WWM and ESM were, respectively, 68% and 39%, 96% and 43.5%, larger than control NC wall. For lateral loads greater than those applied to the NC control wall, stiffness increase ratios for FM walls ranged from 2.5% to 89.5%, and for axial loads, they ranged from 20% to 150.5%. The ductility of FM walls increased when compared to NC walls by 58.5% and 158.8% for axial and lateral loading, respectively, when two layers of WWM were utilized to lateral reinforce FM walls. When two layers of ESM were applied to laterally reinforce FM walls in comparison to an NC wall, this increased the walls' ductility under axial and lateral loads by 110.5% and 214.7%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous medium models are commonly used in Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to simulate flow through permeable screens of various types. However, the setup of these models is often limited to replicating a pressure drop in cases where fluid inflow is orthogonal to the screen. In this work, a porous medium formulation that employs a non-diagonal Forchheimer tensor is presented. This formulation is capable of reproducing both the pressure drop and flow deflection under varying inflow angles for complex screen geometries. A general method to determine the porous model coefficients valid for both diagonal and non-diagonal Forchheimer tensors is proposed. The coefficients are calculated using a nonlinear least-squares optimisation based on an analytical solution of a special case of the Navier–Stokes equations. The applicability of the proposed method is evaluated in four different scenarios supplemented by local CFD simulations of permeable screens: wire mesh, perforated screens, air louvers, and expanded mesh panels. The practical application of this method is demonstrated in the modelling of windbreaks and permeable double-skin facades, which typically employ the aforementioned types of porous screens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe Textile Reinforced Engineering Cementitious Composite (TRECC) is a cementitious composite material reinforced with short polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) or polyethylene (PE) fibers, possessing exceptional ductility. This unique attribute enhances the utilization of the textile grid’s strength and significantly improves the load-bearing and deformation capabilities of ECC members reinforced with textile grids. In this study, the effects of fiber textile grids and steel wire mesh on the tensile properties of ECC were investigated. The test results showed that the carbon textile grid significantly improved the peak strength of specimens. On the other hand, the glass textile grid significantly improved the ultimate strain of specimens. The carbon combined with glass textile grids can integrate effectively the advantages of both carbon and glass textile grids. When compared with single textile grids, the combination uses of steel wire mesh and fiber textile grids resulted in a significant improvement in ultimate strain and post-peak energy absorption values. Finally, based on the test data, this study proposed the peak strength calculation of TRECC and provided the stress–strain expressions of the initial non-linear strain hardening phase and the tensile softening phase and a related analytical model to describe the stress–strain behavior of TRECC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to derive a quality factor for the evaluation of an enclosure with a metallic wire mesh. The electrical characteristics of the metal mesh surface can be determined through equivalent surface impedance conversion; thus, an enclosure was manufactured after analyzing the scattering parameters of the metallic wire mesh surface. The quality factor of the enclosure can be derived simply by measuring a single standard antenna bonded by 1-port. To verify the effectiveness of the 1-port time domain quality factor derivation method, a numerical simulation was performed using the Finite Integration Technique (FIT) of commercially available software CST Microwave Studio. The verified quality-factor derivation method was applied to an enclosure with a metallic wire mesh surface. A quality factor measurement experiment was performed for the case in which one side of the enclosure was in the opening surface, one side of the enclosure was a metallic wire mesh surface, and all the surfaces of the enclosure were closed with metal. Based on the measurements, the quality factor in the case of Open was the lowest at 26.82 dB, followed by 32.24 dB for the case of Mesh and 32.51 dB for the case of Closed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In our investigation, we subjected eleven reinforced concrete beams to a four-point bending system to explore the impact of varying fibre and ferrocement contents on their structural behaviour. These beams, measuring 1.7 m in length, featured a rectangular cross-section with dimensions of 150 mm by 300 mm. Our study focused on three key variables: steel fibre content (at levels of 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%), glass fibre content (also at 0.5%, 1%, and 1.5%), and ferrocement content (evaluated with one or two layers of welded or expanded wire mesh). Our findings revealed that incorporating fibres with minimal shear reinforcement significantly enhanced the beams' performance. Specifically: The specimen reinforced with 1.5% steel fibres exhibited the highest ultimate failure load, surpassing the control beam by an impressive 41.87%. The 0.5% glass fibre specimen experienced the least deflection at the ultimate load compared to the control beam. The 1.5% glass fibre specimen demonstrated superior energy absorption compared to the control specimen. Notably, using two layers of welded wire mesh proved most effective in enhancing the ultimate failure load when compared to both the control specimen and other ferrocement-strengthened beams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber/metal hybrid composites are perceived as superior materials for applications in machine tools because of their enhanced machinability, lightweight nature, and vibration-damping capabilities. The application of AWJM to hybrid composites introduces challenges, including kerf convergence ratio and surface irregularity issues throughout the machining process. This study is all about the AWJM of a Kevlar fiber/SS wire mesh epoxy composite with silicon carbide filler particles and garnet as the abrasive material. The study aims to investigate the effects of varying machining conditions, such as cutting velocity, abrasive performance rate, and nozzle tip distance, and to determine the most effective machining parameters using TOPSIS technique. To achieve this, a total of 27 different experimental trials were conducted, and two key attributes, namely kerf convergence ratio and surface irregularity, were recorded. This approach empowers all-encompassing evaluation and comparison of diverse machining parameter combinations, thus expediting the selection of the most fitting parameters to attain desired machining outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to significantly improve the mechanical properties of conventional rigid lattice structures under repeatable large deformations. A novel hybrid material is proposed based on the concept of interpenetrating composite materials. The material utilizes a woven TC4 orthogonal spiral wire mesh as the skeleton and PU elastomer (OSWM-PU) as the matrix. The uniaxial tensile tests demonstrate that OSWM-PU possesses the excellent load-bearing capacity, allowing for large deformations (≥60%) while maintaining partial integrity even after matrix fracture. Optical measurements and simulation analysis reveal that Poisson's ratio can be adjusted within a certain range by manipulating the microscopic parameters (p, d) of the longitudinal helical filaments. Cyclic tensile experiments further demonstrate that OSWM-PU exhibits exceptional energy absorption performance, multiple energy dissipation modes, and a more pronounced Mullins effect. The stress relaxation experiment reveals the significant influence of the volume fraction of the skeleton on long-term loading conditions. The orthogonal spiral wire skeleton exhibits a superior hooking effect without dividing the matrix, enabling OSWM-PU to possess enhanced collaborative deformation capability and inherent designability in the orthogonal direction. These characteristics make it highly promising for applications in various robot joints and as flexible aircraft skin, offering excellent prospects for utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermodynamic efficiency of a wire mesh fixed matrix regenerative heat exchanger mainly depends on the regenerator's heating performance and losses. This paper aims to increase the effectiveness and decrease the pressure loss of static regenerators with wire mesh screens as packing geometry. The entropy generated for several combinations of mesh screens is calculated by using the entropy generation minimization method (EGM), and this method helps in finding the right combination with the minimum entropy generation. The study aims to minimize entropy generation by dividing the conventional uniform mesh regenerator pack length into multiple zones by accommodating different combinations of wire mesh screens. For the sample flow condition, it is observed that 3.94 × 103 W/K entropy is generated by uniform mesh, and from 68 hybrid mesh combinations, 80–120–200 generated 2.11 × 103 W/K. By balancing pressure loss and thermal efficiency, the potential of EGM-based optimization is underscored during this study, which improves the regenerator's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work investigates the effects of drilling parameters on hole quality, including delamination and circularity, produced in hybrid composite materials consisting of neat glass fibre (NG) and hybrid glass fibre/Al-wire mesh in two distinct sequences, the first one being with Al-mesh in the outermost layers (AG) and the other with Al-mesh in the central layer (GA). The operation's process parameters are feed rate (F = 20, 40, and 60 mm/min), spindle speed (N = 1000, 2000, and 3000 rpm), and drill point angle (Ɵ = 90°, 120°, and 135°). Taguchi's L9 orthogonal array is used for the study. The optimal levels and effects of the process parameters were determined. Gray relational analysis (GRA) was employed to examine the complicated interactions influencing the results and ANOVA was used to evaluate the influence of process parameters. The results indicated that for all specimens, push-out delamination was more severe than peel-up. Circularity is minimized by using N = 3000 rpm, F = 20 mm/min, and Ɵ = 90°. At speed (N) of 3000 rpm circularity reduces by 83.5% and 76.5% compared to 1000 or 2000 rpm, respectively. Compared to other specimens, AG-specimen produced minimal delamination and circularity by an average of 6% and17.38%. The results of the confirmation test and regression model provide good agreement between the experimental and predicted results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid composite materials have been widely used to advance the mechanical responses of fiber-reinforced composites by utilizing different types of fibers and fillers in a single polymeric matrix. This study incorporated three types of fibers: basalt woven fiber and steel (AISI304) wire meshes with densities of 100 and 200. These fibers were mixed with epoxy resin to generate plain composite laminates. Three fundamental mechanical tests (tensile, compression, and shear) were conducted according to the corresponding ASTM standards to characterize the steel wire mesh/basalt/epoxy FRP composites used as plain composite laminates. To investigate the flexural behavior of the hybrid laminates, various layer configurations and thickness ratios were examined using a design of experiments (DoE) matrix. Hybrid samples were chosen for flexural testing, and the same procedure was employed to develop a finite element (FE) model. Material properties from the initial mechanical testing procedure were integrated into plain and hybrid composite laminate simulations. The second FE model simulated the behavior of hybrid laminates under flexural loading; this was validated through experimental data. The results underwent statistical analysis, highlighting the optimal configuration of hybrid composite laminates in terms of flexural strength and modulus; we found an increase of up to 25% in comparison with the plain composites. This research provides insights into the potential improvements offered by hybrid composite laminates, generating numerical models for predicting various laminate configurations produced using hybrid steel wire mesh/basalt/epoxy FRP composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of high-strength steel wire mesh and polyurethane cement (HSSWM–PUC) has been identified as an effective approach for enhancing existing reinforced structures. This study comprehensively examined the flexural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) T-beams fortified with HSSWM–PUC composite material, proposing an accurate formula to calculate flexural capacity. This formula took into account various factors such as the strengthening ratio of HSSWM, laminate thickness, the type of bonding anchorage material, the presence of end anchorage, and the degree of initial damage. Flexural tests were conducted on one contrast beam and six reinforced beams within the scope of this research. Subsequent analyses revealed that the application of HSSWM–PUC significantly elevates the flexural capacity of both damaged and undamaged beams. This indicates that the load-bearing capacity correspondingly improves as the PUC thickness increases. With an increase in PUC thickness from 20 to 30 mm, the reinforced beam showed a 34% improvement in ultimate load and a 31.7% increase in yield load. Compared under similar parameters, beams strengthened with HSSWM–PUC showed a 43% higher cracking load than HSSWM–PM, especially with eight longitudinal high-strength steel wire ropes and a 20-mm-thick PUC layer. Additionally, using a U-shaped anchorage at the end provided a 20% advantage. A further merit of the HSSWM–PUC approach lies in its capability to both restrain the formation of concrete cracks and retard the progression of such defects, thereby fortifying the structural integrity. The observed failure mode was predominantly flexural, distinctly avoiding the common peeling failure witnessed between strengthening laminates and concrete. This suggests that HSSWM–PUC stands as a credible solution for amplifying the durability and lifespan of RC structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the interfacial bonding behavior between high toughness resin concrete with steel wire mesh (HTRCS) and concrete. A total of five sets of fifteen double shear specimens were tested for parameters including concrete strength and material properties of HTRCS composites. The test results showed that the failure mode of DS1 specimens was partial debonding and fracture, and the rest of the specimens were the fracture of HTRCS. The concrete strength and reinforcement ratios of HTRCS composites were positively correlated with interfacial adhesion properties. When the concrete strength was increased from C30 to C40 and C50, the ultimate load increased by 43.4% and 43.2%, respectively. The ultimate load capacity increased by 32.1%, with the reinforcement ratio of HTRCS composites increasing from 1.05% to 1.83%. Moreover, the bonding slip model and the bearing capacity formula for the interface between HTRCS composites and concrete were proposed, and the calculation values were in good agreement with the test values, with an average value of 0.978. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting with the premise that the choice of the optimal method for strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) structures is a complex task and that ferrocement strengthening is comparable to other advanced strengthening technologies due to its cost-effectiveness, ease of construction, and durability, this paper presents a comparative study of the flexural bearing capacity of RC beams strengthened with ferrocement strips applied by gluing. An overview of the life cycle assessment (LCA) based on embodied energy or CO2 is presented in the introduction, based on the existing literature review. The research includes tests of 15 RC beams of identical cross-sections (150/250 mm) and a span of 3000 mm. Strengthening was conducted by applying four types of ferrocement strips (different widths and wire mesh layers). Two factors were examined: the verification of the comprehensive FEM numerical model against the experimental results and the applicability of existing simplified calculation methods for sufficiently accurate results which could be used in regular practice. The results show that the failure forces obtained from numerical models and experimental models differ by no more than 3.94%. The increase in the bearing capacity of the strengthened models is up to 21.4%. The transformed area method for the cracked section showed good results when compared to the FEM and experimental models. The analytically calculated failure force is contingent upon the partial factor for variable action, which was explored within the 1.5–1.7 range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A constitutive model is developed to efficiently capture the nonlinear hysteretic properties of a new type of high-damping metal wire mesh (HDMWM). In the HDMWM, the metal wire mesh is woven with multi-strand twisted wires in a certain regularity. In the quasi-static test, six batches of metal wire mesh (MWM) and HDMWM specimens with different densities and varying number of strands are prepared and their mechanical properties are characterized by secant stiffness, energy consumption and loss factor. Results show that for the same density, the energy consumption and loss factor of HDMWM specimens are higher than MWM specimens by 10.69 ~ 22.83% and 44.19 ~ 48.44%, respectively. Additionally, HDMWM is found to have a higher damping level than MWM. A constitutive model is proposed that comprises a cantilever beam as the force analysis element where the change of the arc angle of the element mesh is similar to a normal distribution. The accuracy of the model is verified by error analysis, which shows that the relative percentage error between model results and test results is 0.97 ~ 12.13%. Therefore, the constitutive model can reflect the mechanical properties of HDMWM with reasonable accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transpiration cooling based on a porous structure has an ultra-high cooling efficiency, which is expected to be one solution to improve the cooling technology of aero-engine turbine blades. However, particulate impurities in the gas flow channel continue to deposit on the surface of turbine components, blocking cooling holes, which causes great harm to the cooling of turbine blades. In this study, a sintered metal mesh plate was selected as the transpiration cooling structure, and the evolution of particle deposition quality and deposition thickness on the transpiration cooling surface with time, as well as spatial distributions of particle deposition thickness at different times, were explored through experimental and simulation methods. The results showed that, with the increase in spray time, deposition quality and maximum deposition thickness of the transpiration cooling surface gradually increased. Along the main-stream direction, when spray time was short, deposition thickness was higher in a narrow range upstream of the experimental specimen. With the increase in spray time, deposition thickness gradually decreased along the direction of the transpiration cooling mainstream. In the spanwise direction, when spray time was very short, deposition thickness in the spanwise direction was more consistent and, after spray time increased further, the deposition thickness distribution began to tend to a "∩"-type distribution. It can be seen from the simulation results of the metal wire mesh particle deposition that particles were easily deposited on the windward side of the metal wire in the main-stream direction, which agreed with the experimental distribution characteristics of the metal wire mesh deposition. Moreover, the increase in blowing ratio reduced the deposition of particles on the wall of the metal wire mesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among many technical routes in solving the SCR (Selective Catalyst Reduction) deposition problem, a good mixer design can greatly improve the NO x conversion efficiency of the exhaust after-treatment system while avoiding urea deposition failures. This paper presents an anti-deposition mixer with novel conception which was optimized through CFD method, the more layers of wire mesh plates, the lower the evaporation efficiency is affected by the increase in injection volume. The new mixer with three layers of wire mesh plate shows better deposition resistance performance below 250℃through urea deposits boundary experiment, and it reduces the NO x emission value by 9.5% than conventional scheme under WHTC (Word Harmonized Transient Cycle) and WHSC (Word Harmonized Steady-state Cycle) test. By using the new mixer scheme in the after-treatment system, the problem of deposition under a variety of low emission temperature can be solved. • A new conception mixer make SCR system avoiding from urea deposition. • The new mixer scheme improve the engine emission limit of NO x by 9.5%. • The new mixer has excellent urea deposition resistance performance below 250 ℃. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerical and regression modelling of 21 undamaged, fire-damaged and repaired fire-damaged circular reinforced concrete (RC) columns was undertaken. The columns were exposed to temperatures of 300°C, 500°C and 900°C and tested for axial residual capacity. It was found that the concrete lost strength after exposure to a temperature of 300°C or above. Fire-damaged columns were then repaired using various composite confinement techniques. Strength was regained when carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) confinement was applied to the fire-damaged columns but it also increased the deformation and thus reduced the stiffness, which is undesirable. As an alternative, steel wire mesh, filled with cement–sand mortar and wrapped with CFRP was employed. A numerical model to predict the residual capacity of these columns was developed. The development of numerical techniques, including material properties, geometry, elements, loading, boundary conditions and contact algorithms for undamaged, fire-damaged and repaired fire-damaged columns is reviewed and summarised. Analytical equations were developed using linear, multiple and quadratic regression modelling. The results obtained using the proposed model and regression equations showed that these models offer a better alternative to experimental testing for the prediction of the post-fire performance of damaged and repaired RC columns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: On a global scale, about 20% of bird species nest in tree cavities, and many of these species will utilise artificial nestboxes. Homeowners often add nestboxes to gardens to provide new opportunities for enjoyment and engagement with nature. Nestbox schemes can also be used for conservation, especially in environments that have few natural cavities, such as open landscapes and woodlands with relatively young and even-aged trees, including plantations. However, tree-nesting birds using simple wooden nestboxes can be at risk from predators. A range of different strategies to reduce predation risk has been developed. These typically involve: (1) modifying the nestbox itself by, for example, adding a metal plate around the entrance hole to stop predators enlarging the hole or changing construction materials; (2) modifying the immediate surroundings of the nestbox, for example, by using barriers to prevent predator access; or (3) modifying nestbox placement. A common assumption is that such interventions provide a net benefit. However, this is not necessarily true as predator-proofing avian nestboxes often has hidden costs, such as changing nest temperature or humidity or making it harder for adult birds to feed their chicks. This review considers intervention effectiveness and the potential for hidden costs to make recommendations for practice. Nestboxes are commonly used to increase the number and quality of nest sites available to birds that usually use tree cavities and are considered an important conservation intervention. Although usually safer than natural cavities, birds nesting in simple, unmodified wooden nestboxes remain at risk of depredation. Accordingly, numerous design and placement modifications have been developed to 'predator-proof' nestboxes. These include: (1) adding metal plates around entrance holes to prevent enlargement; (2) affixing wire mesh to side panels; (3) deepening boxes to increase distance to nest cup; (4) creating external entrance 'tunnels' or internal wooden ledges; (5) using more robust construction materials; (6) developing photosensitive shutters to exclude nocturnal predators; (7) using baffles to block climbing mammals; and (8) regular replacement and relocation. However, the benefits and costs of these modifications are not always well understood. In this global review, we collate information on predator-proofing avian nestboxes designed for tree cavity-nesting birds to assess the efficacy of techniques for different predators (mammalian, avian, and reptilian) in different contexts. We critique the potential for modifications to have unintended consequences—including increasing nest building effort, altering microclimate, reducing provisioning rate, and elevating ectoparasite and microbial loads—to identify hidden costs. We conclude by highlighting remaining gaps in knowledge and providing guidance on optimal modifications in different contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industry is faced with the task of introducing novel products with significant added value due to the rising customer demand for ingredients derived from sustainable sources and organic processes. Lycopene, a red pigment with well-known antioxidant effects, is particularly abundant in watermelon. They are also a remarkable source of different nutrients, but because of a specific harvesting period, seasonal production in certain agro-climatic zones, watermelon fruit have a relatively short shelf life. Therefore, the fruits are processed into juice concentrates, which extends their shelf life, lowers the cost of transportation and storage, and makes the fruit available year-round, even when it is out of season. Evaporation is the typical process used for producing juice concentrates. The main drawbacks of various evaporators, however, include the increase in viscosity brought on by the concentration of the juice and the fouling of the heat transfer surface. In this study, concentration is achieved by stripping water from the juice by an unsaturated air stream, under a high centrifugal field in a rotating packed bed with wire mesh packing. The performance of the contactor is studied by varying the operating parameters (rotating speed, air flow rate, juice flow rate, and temperature). The highest concentration obtained in the study after two hours of operation is ~21.9 °Brix which is remarkable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unbonded steel-mesh-reinforced rubber bearings (USRBs) have been proposed as an alternative isolation bearing for small-to-medium-span highway bridges. It replaces the steel plate reinforcement of common unbonded laminated rubber bearings (ULNR) with special steel wire meshes, resulting in improved lateral properties and seismic performance. However, the impact of this novel steel wire mesh reinforcement on the ultimate compression capacity of USRB has not been studied. To this end, theoretical and experimental analysis of the ultimate compression capacity of USRBs were carried out. The closed-form analytical solution of the ultimate compression capacity of USRBs was derived from a simplified USRB model employing elasticity theory. A parametric study was conducted considering the geometric and material properties. Ultimate compression tests were conducted on 19 USRB specimens to further calibrate the analytical solution, considering the influence of the number of reinforcement layers. An efficient solution for USRBs' ultimate compression capacity was obtained via multilinear regression of the calibrated analytical results. The efficient solution can simplify the estimation of USRBs' ultimate compression capacity while maintaining the same accuracy as the calibrated solution. Based on the efficient solution, the design process of a USRB with a specific ultimate compression capacity was illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synergy inhibition of wire mesh and spray mist on syngas explosion was researched. The correspondence between the explosion parameters under success and failure conditions were analyzed, and its influence regular and inhibition mechanism were revealed. An evident difference appeared in the correspondence at different synergy results. Compared with the failure, the pressure of lower end only experienced an acceleration rise under the success condition although the propagation velocity of flame was slightly increased as it approached wire mesh. Corresponding pressure was also reduced. After passing through wire mesh, flame propagation was evidently accelerated due to the turbulence disturbance caused by wire mesh despite the strong endothermic effect of mist. The corresponding explosion reaction rate was also increased. Pressures of two ends did not appear obvious change under the success condition, but the pressure of upper end was evidently reduced compared with the failure. Due to the combined effect of wire mesh disturbance and mist heat absorption, the velocity history showed a change of increasing firstly and then decreasing as the spray time increased after passing through wire mesh. The synergy inhibition was attributed to the combined physical and chemical effects, and was related to the syngas concentration and spray amount. [Display omitted] • Synergy effect of resistance/inhibition on protection of gas explosion was studied. • Correspondence between explosion parameter during success and failure was clarified. • Effects of mist amount and syngas concentration on explosion parameter were grasped. • Critical value of synergy effect for complete inhibition of explosion was proposed. • Effective engineering guidance was proposed and its synergy mechanism was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) method is often challenged by the presence of reinforced concrete (RC) in urban and industrial environments, because the embedded metallic wire mesh can severely distort the distribution of subsurface currents. We investigate one typical scenario in real applications, in which an RC floor overlays the natural topsoil or rock. Our synthetic forward simulations show that the embedded wire mesh behaves like a local good conductor in data of small source‐receiver separations and acts like an equal‐potential object that keeps the potential from decaying at large source‐receiver separations. Routine ERT inversions that ignore the RC cannot work properly because the thin and highly conductive wire mesh may be manifested as large uninterpretable low‐resistivity anomalies in the imaging results. Two remedies are adopted to improve the ERT resolution in such cases. First, we find a top layer with high conductivity in our model to adequately represent the wire mesh; then, we initiate the inversion with the top‐layer model as the starting and reference model. This warm‐start approach overcomes the difficulty of recovering the large conductivity contrast between metallic objects and regular earth materials. Second, underground electrodes are added to the survey array, so more information from depth can be obtained to fight against the dominance of current channelling in the wire mesh. Finally, our strategies are used to invert a real ERT dataset from an indoor manufacturing plant, where RC covers the entire floor of the building and electrodes are in contact with the soil through open holes in the floor. Our simulation and field data inversion verify our findings and demonstrate the effectiveness of our solutions in improving the resolution of ERT when the survey is carried out over RC floor in urban and industrial environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores the application of Wilson plot method, and its modifications, as an alternative approach for determining convective heat transfer coefficients in heat exchangers with complex geometries. For achieving the delicate balance, one needs to introduce heat transfer augmentation techniques in devices, which results in intricate geometries of heat exchanger. For such geometries of heat exchanger, correlations are not available to estimate convective heat transfer coefficients. The Wilson plot method provides a robust tool for deriving correlation equations based on experimental data. The paper discusses the implementation of the Wilson plot and modified Wilson plot methods to establish correlations for tube-in-tube type heat exchangers with wire mesh inserts, and results are obtained for both methods. It is found that modified Wilson plot method provides correlation with great accuracy in the range of 94 to 97%. Furthermore, the paper presents the development of a computational tool using VB.net, designed to facilitate the iterative calculations required for Wilson plot methods. The paper also describes a roadmap for the proficient application of Wilson plot method and its modification in heat exchanger analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a novel lightweight composite structure with notable mechanical resistance and thermal insulation characteristics in high‐temperature environments, the sandwich cylindrical shell with entangled metallic wire mesh (SCS‐EMWM) has been growing interest in industrial applications. This study focuses on investigating the thermo‐mechanical behavior of the SCS‐EMWM in high‐temperature environments. The static mechanical properties of entangled metal wire mesh (EMWM) are first characterized, and the macroscopic mechanical properties are identified using the Ogden–Mullins model. Subsequently, the deformation modes at different densities and temperatures are analyzed through theoretical and finite element methods. The radial compression test of SCS‐EMWM is performed to characterize its energy dissipation (ΔW), loss factor (η), and secant stiffness (K). The quasi‐static loading‐unloading results of the EMWM reveal a positive correlation between temperature, density, and the mechanical behavior. In addition, as the density and temperature increase, the peak load of SCS‐EMWM continuously increases from 20 to 200 N. Under high‐temperature conditions, the radial compression test of SCS‐EMWM reveals a significant concurrence between experimental and simulation results regarding load variations. Furthermore, in comparison to EMWM, the loss factor of SCS‐EMWM exhibits an approximate increase of 0.1 and shows a positive correlation with temperature, while it decreases with increasing density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of reactant and product mass transfer within fuel cells stands as a critical determinant for achieving optimal fuel-cell performance. With a specific focus on stationary applications, this study delves into the comprehensive examination of fuel-cell mass transfer properties, employing a sophisticated blend of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the innovative design of a double-layered wire mesh (DLWM) as a flow field and gas diffusion layer. The investigation notably contrasts a meticulously developed 3D fine mesh flow field with a numerical model of the integrated DLWM implemented on the cathode end of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Evaluations reveal that the 3D fine mesh experiences a notable threefold increase in pressure drop compared to the DLWM flow field, indicative of the enhanced efficiency achieved by the DLWM configuration. Oxygen distribution analyses further underscore the promising performance of both the 3D fine mesh and the proposed DLWM, with the DLWM showcasing additional improvements in water removal capabilities within the cell. Impressively, the DLWM attains a remarkable maximum current density of 2137.17 mA/cm2 at 0.55 V, indicative of its superior performance over the 3D fine mesh, while also demonstrating the potential for cost-effectiveness and scalability in mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]