Acceptance criteria of defects in undersea pipeline using internal inspection

The purpose of this paper is to establish acceptance criteria for interpretation of the internal inspection results of undersea pipelines. There are no specific rules or guidelines for the acceptance criteria of existing pipelines using a certain internal inspection method. Acceptable criteria were established with a case study of a 609.6 mm (24 in.) diameter, concrete weight coated pipeline delivers fuel oil to a thermal power plant, Ghana. Parameters to be considered in the uncertainties of flaw sizing include the crack length, depth, orientation of the flaw, whether or not the flaw is surface breaking, and number of flaws. Fitness-for-services of other pipelines can be determined using the established criteria in this study. The method of inspection also affects the acceptance criteria. Imposing limitations at or beyond the limits of detection capability would obviously be counter-productive.     

Computer modelling of hydrogen defects in the clinopyroxenes diopside and jadeite

Atomistic computer simulation techniques have been employed to model mechanisms of hydrogen incorporation in the clinopyroxenes diopside and jadeite. Calculation of solution reaction energies for the pure phases indicates that hydrogen is most easily incorporated via the formation of [V_Si(OH)₄] ^x hydrogarnet type defects. When components of the two phases are mixed, then solution energies can become exothermic. The substitution of Al for Si in diopside and of Mg or Ca for Al in jadeite, provides favourable routes for hydrogen incorporation, with exothermic values of solution energy. Thus the amount of water present in these minerals in the Earth’s upper mantle will vary with composition. Simulation of IR frequencies associated with O–H stretching at specific defect clusters has also been carried out. An analysis of hydrogen–oxygen bond lengths gives good agreement, although comparison of experimental and calculated IR frequencies are problematic. This is partly due to the complexity of experimental spectra, but may also be due in part to deficiencies in the ability of the model to accurately describe the O–H stretching frequency.     

Electrons in feldspar I: on the wavefunction of electrons trapped at simple lattice defects

 The purpose of this article is to make an initial consideration of the physical properties of electrons trapped at classic hydrogenic lattice defects in feldspar. We are particularly interested to determine the radial extent of the electron wavefunctions in the ground and excited states. It is shown that for NaAlSi₃O₈, the ground-state wavefunction is expected to be confined well within a single lattice unit cell, but the first excited state is far more extensive, being spread over several unit cells. This aspect is of direct relevance to understanding the nature of various luminescence processes in the materials. Under low-energy optical stimulation (hν∼ 1.4 eV), luminescence can be a competitive process between direct electron-hole tunnelling recombination (with the charge still trapped at the defect sites), and free-to-bound recombination (after the excited state electron accesses the conduction band). We show that analysis of the thermal behaviour of the luminescence can be used to separate the two processes. Received: 6 March 2001 / Accepted: 6 September 2001     

Identification and valuation of paramagnetic radicals in natural dolomites as an indicator of geological events

 Geological sedimentary dolomite samples from the Superior Proterozoic are studied using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The complex spectra in the g=2.0 region is composed of Mn²⁺ lines and signals due to crystallization and radiation-induced defects. Measurements in microwave frequencies of 9.5 GHz (X-band) and 35 GHz (Q-band), and thermal and/or radiation treatments allowed identification of seven paramagnetic radicals in the g=2.0 region: (1) isotropic organic radical; (2) axial SO₂ ⁻; (3) axial PO₂ ⁰ or PO₂ ²⁻; (4) isotropic CO₂ ⁻; (5) axial CO₂ ⁻; (6) axial CO₃ ³⁻; (7) isotropic unknown line. The use of these paramagnetic centres as indicators of geological events is discussed. Received: 18 March 2002 / Accepted: 3 October 2002     

饱和砂岩滞弹性弛豫衰减机理的探索

本文采用从法国引进的Metravib热机械分析仪用正弦波加载方式,首次对四种不同孔隙度的饱和砂岩的衰减进行了实验研究,在5~400 Hz的频率,-50 ℃~100 ℃的温度范围获得衰减的热弛豫规律,由此求得它们的激活能和原子振动频率,其激活能和弛豫时间是处在原子和电子的激活能和弛豫时间之间.可见,在饱和岩石的晶粒间界缺陷处参与扩散的是原子、电子.并得出随孔隙度增大,衰减强度和激活能增大,原子的振动速率加快,弛豫时间缩短.在交变应力作用下,由多种矿物晶体胶结而成的饱和砂岩是一种多晶、多相的固体,由于内部结构复杂,损伤、缺陷广布,弛豫衰减是普遍存在的.饱和砂岩中存在的晶界、相界等许多缺陷,以及缺陷间的相互作用,比如饱和岩石中的饱和液体与岩石骨架之间的作用等等都可以产生弛豫衰减峰,弛豫过程还受晶界上原子扩散所控制.由于饱和岩石中的种种缺陷、相界等等导致上述矿物颗粒或晶界之间的多重弛豫,才使弛豫衰减峰变宽,分布宽度增大.用饱和砂岩中特有的饱和液体及砂岩内部结构的复杂性解释了饱和砂岩的衰减机理,很自然地将其宏观衰减特征与微细观结构紧紧联在一起.衰减及其机理的研究既具有科学意义,对地球物理勘探又具有实用价值.     

Assessment of identifiable defect size in a drilled shaft using sonic echo method: Numerical simulation

The purpose of this paper is to study the capabilities of the sonic echo method in assessing the location of defects and the minimum possible detectable defect size in a drilled shaft. Three-dimensional axisymmetric finite element models were performed to investigate the effects of the defect size, defect depth-to-shaft diameter ratio, and shaft-to-soil stiffness ratio on the response of the sonic echo test. According to the results from the numerical simulations, a useful formula for defect size assessment in a shaft based on the sonic echo method is proposed, considering these factors simultaneously. Furthermore, a formula for predicting the detectable length-to-diameter ratio of a shaft was also recommended which correlates with the shaft-to-soil stiffness ratio and it varies from 10 to 32.     

Structural and thermodynamic properties of water related defects in α-quartz

We have investigated the atomic geometries and thermodynamic properties of water related defects in α-quartz using first-principles calculation. We confirm that the (OH)₄ group is thermodynamically most stable and aggregates to form platelets in the form of microcracks with hydrolysed surfaces. We also examine other forms of defects which can be accessible out of equilibrium at high temperature. Finally, we discuss the consequences of our results for the hydrolytic weakening of α-quartz.     

振动沉管灌注桩无损检测综合分析研究

振动沉管灌注桩是建筑工程中常见桩选择之一，沉管桩随着土层较大变化易受到挤压而倾斜。沉管桩桩身缺陷可根据采得波形及结合实际情况分析。在无法确定其为何种缺陷时，可以采用开挖探查的方式，直接观察桩身的缺陷。同时可用高应变测试方法，得到基桩的极限承载力。