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Go to Editorial ManagerIndividuals with special needs who use lower limb prostheses (artificial devices designed to replace missing body parts) have specific sociocultural requirements that have driven the development of prosthetic feet. This study conducted a biomechanical analysis of three types of prosthetic feet (SACH, single-axis, and multi-axis) by comparing their biomechanical properties using ground reaction forces and an F-socket. The goal is to enhance prosthetic technology and improve the user experience for below-knee amputees by examining how different foot types affect stresses in below-knee prosthetic limbs during daily activities. The patient case study involves a 28-year-old man weighing 71 kg, who underwent a below-knee amputation of his left limb due to injuries sustained during battles with ISIS. Ground reaction force (GRF) testing is crucial for determining the forces exerted on a patient's feet while walking. Additionally, the Interface Pressure test was performed to measure the pressure between the remaining lower limb and the below-knee prosthetic socket using a pressure sensor. The healthy foot (right leg) served as the reference for comparison. The results of this study on GRF and knee force for various prosthetic feet provide valuable insights into their performance during gait analysis. The multi-axis foot demonstrated superior capabilities, potentially enhancing user mobility and quality of life. Furthermore, the F-socket test indicated that the multi-axis foot offers the best balance of pressure distribution, dynamic performance, and comfort, making it well-suited for adapting to different surfaces necessary for an active lifestyle.
Al20rA l10l bronzing systems were produced using a one-stage actively brazed technique based on Cu-Ti, Cu-Zr, and Ag-Cu-Ti alloys. Single and double butt joints were used for micro-structural and mechanical properties studies respectively. The joints that were brazed by using Cu-Zr filler-metal alloys (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% Zr weight percent) have shown low shear strengths at the 2rO2 interface. Higher shear strength was obtained by using Cu-Ti filler-metal alloys (2%, 4%, 6, and 8% Ti weight percent), and eutectic (Ag-26%C u-4% Ti). As judged by the phases Conned at the interface, Cu2 (AlTi)4O is more effective to wet and both alumina to alumina.
In this investigation, the bond stresses between the reinforcement and concrete was studied by using non-material interface elements that are able to produce the bond stresses for the reinforced concrete beam gradually loaded from zero to failure. Depending on (Jawad) program, which is a non-linear analysis program of plain and reinforced concrete beams through a discrete-crack approach by using the finite element method. The stiffness matrix derivation of the interface element and the way of non-linear treatment were explained. The distribution of bond stress drawings along the steel reinforcement for different values of loading was achieved before and after cracking.
In the present research, a Matlab program with a graphical user interface (GUI) has been established for studying the performance of a solar tower power plant (STPP). The program gives the ability for predicting the performance of STPP for different tower dimensions, ambient operating conditions and locations. The program is based on the solution of a mathematical model derived from the heat and mass balance for the tower components. The GUI program inputs are; tower dimensions, solar radiation, ambient temperature, pressure, wind velocity, turbine efficiency, emissivity and absorptivity for collector and ground and thermal conductivity and thickness for ground. However, the GUI program outputs are; temperature and pressure differences across the collector and tower, velocity in the tower, density of air in collector outlet, mass flowrate of air, efficiency for collector and tower, the overall efficiency and output power of STPP. The effect of the geometrical dimensions of STPP and some climatic variables on the plant performance was also studied. The results show that the output power increases with increasing the collector diameter, chimney diameter and solar radiation by an increasing of 0.282 kW/m, 0.204 kW/m and 0.046 kW/(W/m2) respectively.
In this study, a new approach for the torsional vibration analysis of rotor systems using Holzer and Matlab techniques, by developing a graphical user interface (GUI), has been introduced. The objective of the work is to show the usefulness and power of Matlab GUI in investigating and analyzing the effects of torsional vibration on rotor systems. Also to carry out an analysis using the developed GUI to simulate three different rotor configurations such as 2-Rotor, 3-Rotor, and 5-Rotor systems. Illustrated problems in the field of analysis of torsional vibration are carried out. The results show that the developed GUI is very useful for engineers, designers, and analysts of torsional vibration problems in rotor systems.
This paper presents the effect of fiber orientation angle on the stress intensity factor SIF for carbon epoxy composite plates with single-edge, center, and inclined cracks of varying lengths under tensile load. The stress intensity factor and shape factor were calculated individually for each case, with nine different fiber orientation angles computed using the extended finite element method XFEM concepts. It is found the stress intensity factor increases with increasing crack lengths while the shape factor decreases. In the case of single edge cracks, the SIF increases in the average value reached (173 %) for composite plates with different fiber orientation angles, while in the case of the center crack, the average value of SIF reaches (81 %). It was observed in this study that the increases in stress intensity factor and the decreases in the shape factor with different crack lengths were more stable in the composite plate with a fiber orientation angle of 75°. The higher values of SIF at an angle of 75° are because of the high probability of fiber slippage at 75° due to induced shear stresses in addition to the tensile stresses at the fiber-matrix interface. As a result, the crack tip has a high-stress intensity factor.
This study presents a modified approach for analyzing torsional vibrations in rotor systems using an enhanced Holzer method integrated with MATLAB-based techniques through the development of a graphical user interface (GUI). The primary objective is to demonstrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach and GUI in evaluating torsional vibration behavior in well-known rotor configurations, including two-, three-, and five-rotor systems. Classic torsional vibration problems were examined using the developed tools, and the results verified the accuracy and practicality of the method. The findings indicate that the modified approach and MATLAB GUI provide efficient, reliable, and user-friendly solutions for engineers, designers, and vibration analysts in studying and addressing torsional vibration issues in rotor systems.
The conjugate natural convection-conduction heat transfer in a domain composed of nanofluids filled porous cavity heated by a vertical solid wall is studied under steady-state conditions. The vertical left wall of the solid is kept isothermal at hot temperature Th. The vertical right wall of the solid is in contact with the nanofluid saturated porous medium contained in the cavity. The right vertical wall of the cavity is kept isothermally at the lower temperature Tc. The upper and lower horizontal walls are kept adiabatic. The governing equations of the heat transfer in the solid wall and heat and nanofluid flow, based on the Darcy model, in the nanofluid-saturated porous medium together with the derived relation of the interface temperature are solved numerically using the over-successive relaxation finite- difference method. A temperature independent nanofluids properties model is adopted. The investigated parameters are the nanoparticles volume fraction (0-0.2), Rayleigh number Ra (10-1000), solid wall to base-fluid saturated porous medium thermal conductivity ratio kwf (0.1, 1, 10), and the solid wall thickness D (0.05-0.5). The results are presented in the conventional form; contours of streamlines and isotherms and the average Nusselt number. At a very low Rayleigh number Ra=10, an enhancement in heat transfer within the porous cavity with is observed. Otherwise, the heat transfer may be unchanged or deteriorated with depending on the wall thickness D and the conductivity ratio kwf.
Dynamic behavior of pipe conveying fluid at different cross section is investigated. Three kinds of supports are used, which are flexible, simply and rigid supports. The type effect of support on vibration characteristics and dynamic specification are studied. Also, the effect of some design parameters such as pipe material and Reynold numbers are investigated. The governing equations of motion for this system are derived using the finite element method which depends on beam theory. A finite element software (ANSYA-11) is presented to find first three eigenvalue (natural frequency) and eigenvector (mode shape) for pipe system in modal analysis. Velocity and pressure distribution are evaluated in a single phase fluid flow. A coupled field fluid-structure analysis was then performed by transferring fluid forces, solid displacements, and velocity across the fluid-structure interface. Finally the effective stresses (Von mises stress) in piping system are predicted in static analysis at various Reynold numbers, pipe material and pipe supports.
In recent decades, the need for strengthening and repairing reinforced concrete structures has increasingly arisen. One common method is the use of concrete jackets. Slurry Infiltrated Fiber Concrete (SIFCON), a newly developed material, offers superior mechanical properties, making it a preferred choice for strengthening and repairing concrete structures. However, there is limited understanding of its bonding performance when used as an overlay on a Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) substrate. This study conducted a direct Shear Test (DST) to evaluate the bond performance using reinforced NSC cubes externally bonded with SIFCON jackets subjected to direct shear. Eighteen reinforced cubes were strengthened with various bonding systems to investigate how different factors affect the bond performance between the NSC substrate and SIFCON overlay. The parameters studied included surface preparation methods, binder types, jacket configurations, bonding conditions (fresh overlay on hardened substrate and hardened overlay on hardened substrate), dowel placement, and bonding mechanisms. The results show that using bonding agents significantly improved bond strength, with epoxy proving more effective than latex. Specimens prepared by chipping showed better bonding performance compared to those prepared through diamond cutting. Chipping increased bond strength by 8.91% to 13.84% over diamond cutting in the case of fresh SIFCON overlay on hardened substrate. Using dowels in the bonding systems also improved bond performance by 10.89% to 16.97%. Applying jackets to three sides instead of two increased the ultimate failure load by 31.76% when dowels were used in both the two-sided and three-sided strengthened samples, and by 35.45% in the absence of dowels in both types of strengthened specimens. The cast-in-situ specimens demonstrated superiority over those strengthened with precast jacket layers.