Engineering Commons^™

Acuta Enews December 1978, Vol. 7, No. 12

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

POTPOURRI

1979 ACUTA CONFERENCE ACTIVITIES QUESTIONNAIRE

MOUTH OF THE SOUTH

PARTY LINE

MOTOROLA

Energy Fact Sheet: Residential Solar Heating, Blaine F. Parker, Larry W. Turner

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

Heating a residence and the domestic water supply with solar energy is technically feasible in Kentucky. However, it is not feasible to provide 100 percent of the heat requirements. Some backup system is needed for continuous heat during cloudy weather and the cold part of winter. Both passive and active solar heating systems are technically feasible.

Principal Angle, Principal Azimuth, And Principal-Angle Ellipsometry Of Film-Substrate Systems, R. M.A. Azzam, A.-R. M. Zaghloul

Electrical Engineering Faculty Publications

When the film thickness is considered as a parameter, a system composed of a transparent film on an absorbing substrate (in a transparent ambient) is characterized by a range of principal angle ø¯_min ≤ ø¯ ≤ ø¯_max over which the associated principal azimuth ψ¯ varies between 0° and 90° (i.e., 0° ≤ ψ¯ ≤ 90°) and the reflection phase difference Δ assumes either one of the two values: +π/2 or −π/2. We determine the principal angle ø¯(d) and principal azimuth ψ¯(d) as functions of film thickness d for the vacuum-SiO₂-Si system at …

Propagation Of Partially Polarized Light Through Anisotropic Media With Or Without Depolarization: A Differential 4 × 4 Matrix Calculus, R. M.A. Azzam

Electrical Engineering Faculty Publications

We extend the scope of the Mueller calculus to parallel that established by Jones for his calculus. We find that the Stokes vector S of a light beam that propagates through a linear depolarizing anisotropic medium obeys the first-order linear differential equation dS/dz = mS, where z is the distance traveled along the direction of propagation and m is a 4 × 4 real matrix that summarizes the optical properties of the medium which influence the Stokes vector. We determine the differential matrix m for eight basic types of optical behavior, find its form for the most general anisotropic nondepolarizing …

Deck-Reinforced Slab Systems, Max L. Porter, C. E. Ekberg Jr.

CCFSS Library (1939 - present)

No abstract provided.

Low-Void Concrete Mixtures, Assaf S. Rahal, James H. Havens

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The purpose of this study was to modify concrete mix-design formulas to supplant all water over and above that needed for hydration with a non-evaporable liquid material and(or) a super-water-reducer or plasticizer -- thus producing a low-void concrete. A water-cement ratio of 0.244 - 0.30 was presumed minimal for hydration of the cement. Several polymeric materials, asphalts, oils, and superplasticizers were used. Success was achieved with two latexes, one epoxy, and several superplasticizers. The use of these materials in concrete resulted in improved strength, reduction of air voids and permeability, and enhancement of resistance to corrosive chloride salts.

Acoustic Emission Monitoring Of Weldments, Theodore Hopwood Ii, James H. Havens

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Weld tests were performed on low-carbon and high-strength, low-alloy steel weldments. The weldments were monitored with an acoustic emission detector during both the 'in-process' and the 'in-cooling' phases of the welding operation. Artificial defects were induced in several of the welds to promote cracking. Some high-strength weldments were designed to produce welds subject to high restraint.

Nondestructive and destructive evaluation of the completed weldments revealed that high acoustic emission activity 'in-cooling' could be correlated with embedded defects and cold-cracking. Copious emission activity was also detected from unflawed weldments. Acoustic emissions were detected in high-strength steel weldments for periods up to …

Large Cylindrical Bale Transporter, Larry G. Wells

Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Faculty Patents

The present application is directed to a transporter for transporting large cylindrical bales which includes a mast assembly adapted to be directly attached to a standard three-point hitch of a tractor. The transporter unit includes a two-wheel type trailer and a bale engaging assembly which is rotatably mounted upon the axle of the wheel assembly so that a load positioned on the bale engaging means may be rotated upwardly to support the load directly on the wheels of the transporter. By pivotally attaching the transporter to the mast assembly, the present invention may readily support the entire transporter above the …

Test 1297: Case 2290 Powershift Diesel, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURE General Tractors are tested at the University of Nebraska according to the Agricultural Tractor Test Code approved by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers or official Nebraska test procedure. The manufacturer selects the tractor to be tested and certifies that it is a stock model. Each tractor is equipped with the common power consuming accessories such as power steering, power lift pump, generator, etc., if available. Power consuming accessories may be disconnected only when the means for disconnecting can be reached from the operating station. An official representative of …

Test 1296: Case 2290 Manual Diesel 8-Speed, Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

Nebraska Tractor Tests

EXPLANATION OF THE TEST PROCEDURE General Tractors are tested at the University of Nebraska according to the Agricultural Tractor Test Code approved by the American Society of Agricultural Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers or official Nebraska test procedure. The manufacturer selects the tractor to be tested and certifies that it is a stock model. Each tractor is equipped with the common power consuming accessories such as power steering, power lift pump, generator, etc., if available. Power consuming accessories may be disconnected only when the means for disconnecting can be reached from the operating station. An official representative of …

University Programs In Air Pollution Control: Review And Outlook, August T. Rossano, Harold M. Cota

Civil and Environmental Engineering

From the inception of the National Air Pollution Control program, the U. S. Congress has been mindful of the need and importance of adequate manpower. The challenging technical problems which lie ahead in enforcement, monitoring, testing and research can be effectively dealt with only by individuals with specialized knowledge, skills and experience. In this paper the authors look at undergraduate and graduate training that is being carried out, employment opportunities and the way these may change in the future. A recently completed survey of college level air pollution training in the United States and Canada is included in the report.

Acuta Enews November 1978, Vol. 7, No. 11

ACUTA Newsletters

In This Issue

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

PARTY LINE

MOUTH OF THE SOUTH

HELP WANTED

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS

VIRGINIA VIEW

BITS & PIECES

Energy In Agriculture: Grassland Renovation--Conserves Oil And Energy And Increases Returns From Grass Fields, Edward M. Smith, Larry W. Turner

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

Fifty-four percent (1.2 billion acres) of land area in the 48 continental United States consists of grasslands, shrublands and open forests. For the most part, there is no alternative use of these land resources in production of food for man other than by way of ruminant animals. Sixty-nine percent (835 million acres) of these land resources is being utilized by grazing animals and forms the basis for a livestock industry which represents 43% of all agricultural receipts in the United States.

Energy In The Home: Energy Usage In Agricultural Production, John N. Walker

Agricultural Engineering Energy Series

Agriculture, even in its most primitive state, includes activities related to the collection and storage of solar energy in a form that can be used to sustain life. Energy must be expended in terms of human labor, animal labor, and fossil energy used for products and machinery utilized by agriculture. Because fossil energy is in short supply, many people are concerned, and rightfully so, about the effect that restricted energy availability will have upon agriculture production.

Consequences Of Light Reflection At The Interface Between Two Transparent Media Such That The Angle Of Refraction Is 45°, R. M.A. Azzam

Electrical Engineering Faculty Publications

The reflection of light at the interface between two transparent, homogeneous and optically isotropic media such that the angle of refraction is 45° has the following interesting consequences: (i) the interface relfectivity for the parallel (p) polarization is the square of that for the perpendicular (s) polarization; (ii) the angular deviation of the propagation direction upon refraction is equal to the polarization (or ellipsometric) angle ψ and (iii) the complex reflection coefficient for the ppolarization is stationary, in both magnitude and phase, with respect to small charges of the (refractive and/or absorptive) optical properties of …

Analysis Of Weekday, Weekend, And Holiday Accident Frequencies, Jerry G. Pigman, Rolands L. Rizenbergs, Donald R. Herd

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

On rural roads, the largest number of accidents have occurred on Saturdays, Fridays, and Sundays, respectively. Tuesdays generally had the lowest number of accidents. The highest accident rates for two-lane roads were on Sundays and Saturdays, and the rates for expressways (interstates and toll roads) were the highest on Sundays. Accident rates on weekends were substantially higher than on weekdays. Rates of fatal and all accidents were lower during holiday periods than during weekends not involving holidays. Holiday periods had fewer accidents per day than weekends but had more accidents per day than weekdays. Traffic during holidays, however, was significantly …

Design System For Asphaltic Concrete Overlays, Herbert F. Southgate, Gary W. Sharpe, Robert C. Deen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

A method of designing asphaltic concrete overlays has been developed from (1) Kentucky's theoretical design curves, (2) an estimate of future traffic and the associated fatigue (five procedures are presented according to types of information available), (3) strength of subgrade on subject project (laboratory CBR tests or results of dynamic in-place tests such as the Road Rater), and (4) present condition of the existing pavement (from dynamic in-place tests, roughness measurements, or present serviceability index). Deterioration has been expressed as reduced or effective thicknesses of new-quality materials producing the same measured dynamic deflections. The total thickness required for the future …

Pavement Evaluation Using Dynamic Deflections, Gary W. Sharpe, Herbert F. Southgate, Robert C. Deen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

Dynamic test deflections have been duplicated by elastic theory using the Chevron N-layered computer program. Dynamic surface deflections obtained using the Road Rater have been used in conjunction with elastic theory to analyze pavement behavior. A procedure has been developed to use field measured Road Rater deflections to estimate the elastic moduli of the foundation material and to determine the equivalent thicknesses of new material which approximate the behavior of the structure. The estimated moduli and (or) equivalent thicknesses may be used as inputs to design overlay thicknesses. An analysis of the deflections of the first three sensors of the …

Priority Programming For Highway Reconstruction, Charles V. Zegeer, Rolands L. Rizenbergs

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

An adequacy-rating procedure was developed for use in priority programming for highway reconstruction. The procedure makes use of 15 roadway and traffic elements to rate highway sections in urban and rural areas based on 100 points. Condition elements (35 points) include a subjective rating of highway foundation, pavement surface, drainage, and maintenance economy. Safety elements (35 points) are stopping sight distance, highway alignment, skid resistance, accident experience, and traffic control devices. Service elements (30 points) include shoulder width, passing opportunity, rideability, surface width, volume/capacity ratio, and average speed.

Some of the advantages of the new procedure include computerized analysis of …

Seatbelt Usage In Kentucky [Nov. 1978], Kenneth R. Agent, Michael Barclay, Robert C. Deen

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In this report, the effectiveness and usage of seatbelts in Kentucky and factors affecting usage are examined and identified. Data were obtained from three sources: field observations, accident reports, and a questionnaire.

Kentucky drivers and passengers were found to have lower seatbelt usage rates (slightly under 10 percent) than drivers and passengers in other states. The accident data showed that the chances of being killed or severely injured is greatly reduced by wearing a seatbelt. Seatbelts reduced the chance of being killed by a factor of six and the chance of being severely injured by a factor of two. Several …

Statewide Survey Of Skid Resistances Of Pavements [Nov. 1978], Rolands L. Rizenbergs, James L. Burchett

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

In 1969, a research-type, skid-test trailer was acquired, U.S. routes were surveyed in 1970 and 1971, and the interstate and toll-road systems were surveyed in 1971. The data were used for research purposes and have been reported. The interstate and toll-road systems were surveyed again for research purposes in 1974. Since October 1974, surveys have been performed under highway safety project grants (interaccounted to 108, subsection OSKID). Primary and principal secondary roads, involving 4,613 miles (7,427 km), were surveyed in 1975. A second skid tester, a survey-type, was acquired in April 1976; and survey-testing of major, rural collector roads continued …

New Trends In Building Design And Planning -- For The Age Of Energy Conservation, C. William Brubaker

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

In response to increasing energy costs, building design and planning are changing. Rational design can achieve many of the goals of energy conservation.

The Arizona Solar Tax Incentives Package, Donald E. Osborn

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The State of Arizona has enacted into law one of the nation's most comprehensive and consumer oriented set of tax incentives to encourage the use of solar energy devices. The development of these incentives and their required regulations and guidelines are covered.

Solar Technology Inventory For The Mid-American Region, L. Icerman, S. K. Parker

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

A mailed questionnaire and telephone contact procedure was developed to identify solar equipment manufacturers in the Mid-American Solar Energy Center (MASEC) region and to collect information required to characterize the solar equipment manufacturing industry. Special emphasis was placed on assembling data that are useful in evaluating the commercialization status of the solar energy industry from an equipment supplier viewpoint.

Generation For Maximum System Efficiency, Charles A. Gross

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

This paper presents a method for solving for the generation combination that supplies a specific load demand at maximum efficiency in a multigenerator power system. The method accounts for transmission losses using the B constant approach and generating losses using heat rate data. Results are presented for an example test system.

Energy Conservative Electric Lines-Now!, Paul F. Pugh, A. S. Yeranian

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

This paper describes the components of a new energy conservative cable system and new methods to service prove new products without disturbing the existing power system. Methods are presented for attaching a new cable design to an existing system for a trial installation. It describes how field splices and taps are easily made to extend the line without a shutdown or disturbance.

Maxwellian Concepts Of Magnetro-Electrodynamics And The Reality Of Med Energy Producing Devices, Tom Day

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

"We can scarcely avoid the inference that light consists in the transverse undulations of the same medium which is the cause of electric and magnetic phenomena."

The Role Of The Civex Process In The Nuclear Industry, Thomas E. Eaton, Joseph C. Carter

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The United States is committed to policies which would assure that the international, commercial nuclear industry cannot be exploited as a source of materials for nuclear weapons. The Civex process provides for a proliferation-resistant fast breeder reactor fuel cycle. Nevertheless, the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation involving the commercial nuclear industry is small compared to the risk associated with certain research facilities and military activities.

A Strategy For The Practical Utilization Of Thorium Fuel Cycles, Paul R. Kasten

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

There has been increasing interest in the utilization of thorium fuel cycles in nuclear power reactors for the past few years because of economic, fuel utilization, and pro- 1 iteration resistance factors. Also, it appears desirable to maintain the ratio of thermal reactors to fast reactors at a high value in the long term because of economic and proliferation resistance features. The analysis performed here concludes that the practical, early utilization of thorium fuel cycles in power reactors requires commercialization of HTGRs operating first on stowaway fuel cycles, followed by thorium fuel recycle. In the longer term, thorium utilization involves …

Toward A Methodology For Evaluation Of Solar Systems, William P. Moran, Gene E. Kouba, Bruce V. Ketcham

UMR-MEC Conference on Energy / UMR-DNR Conference on Energy

The shortcomings and inconsistences of the typical return-on-capital evaluation are detailed. Generalizations of evaluation objectives and performance measures and data gathering objectives are given.