Experimental Research On Fatigue Property Of Steel Rubber Vibration Isolator For Offshore Jacket Platform In Cold Environment

Jacket platform is the most widely used offshore platform. Steel rubber vibration isolator and damping isolation system are often used to reduce or isolate the ice-induced and seismic-induced vibrations. The previous experimental and theoretical studies concern mostly with dynamic properties, vibration isolation schemes and vibration-reduction effectiveness analysis. In this paper, the experiments on steel rubber vibration isolator were carried out to investigate the compressive properties and fatigue properties in different low temperature conditions. The results may provide some guidelines for design of steel rubber vibration isolator for offshore platform in a cold environment, and for maintenance and replacement of steel rubber vibration isolator, and also for fatigue life assessment of the steel rubber vibration isolator. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear Dynamic Responses of Tension Leg Platform with Slack-Taut Tether

The slack-taut state of tether is a particular Averse circumstance, which may influence the normal operation stale of tension leg platform (TLP). The dynamic responses of TLP with slack-taut tether are studied with consideration of several nonlinear factors introduced by large amplitude motions. The time histories of stresses of tethers of a typical TLP in slack-taut state are given. In addition, the sensitivities of slack to stiffness and mass are investigated by varying file stiffness of tether and mass of TLP. It is found that slack is sensitive to the mass of TLP. The critical culled surfaces (over which indicates the slack) for the increase of mass are obtained.

A numerical model for predicting the jump of lift force on an oscillating cylinder

The fluid force coefficients on a transversely oscillating cylinder are calculated by applying two- dimensional large eddy simulation method. Considering the ‘‘jump’’ phenomenon of the amplitude of lift coefficient is harmful to the security of the submarine slender structures, the characteristics of this ‘‘jump’’ are dissertated concretely. By comparing with experiment results, we establish a numerical model for predicting the jump of lift force on an oscillating cylinder, providing consultation for revising the hydrodynamic parameters and checking the fatigue life scale design of submarine slender cylindrical structures.

Interaction between single molecules of Mac-1 and ICAM-1 in living cells: An atomic force microscopy study

The interaction between integrin macrophage differentiation antigen associated with complement three receptor function (Mac-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which is controlled tightly by the ligand-binding activity of Mac-1, is central to the regulation of neutrophil adhesion in host defense. Several "inside-out" signals and extracellular metal ions or antibodies have been found to activate Mac-1, resulting in an increased adhesiveness of Mac-1 to its ligands. However, the molecular basis for Mac-1 activation is not well understood yet. In this work, we have carried out a single-molecule study of Mac-1/ICAM-1 interaction force in living cells by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Our results showed that the binding probability and adhesion force of Mac-1 with ICAM-1 increased upon Mac-1 activation. Moreover, by comparing the dynamic force spectra of different Mac-1 mutants, we expected that Mac-1 activation is governed by the downward movement of its alpha 7 helix. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Femtosecond laser pulse irradiation of Sb-rich AgInSbTe films: Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy investigations

The single-layer and multilayer Sb-rich AgInSbTe films were irradiated by a single femtosecond laser pulse with the duration of 120 fs. The morphological feature resulting from the laser irradiation have been investigated by scanning electron microscopy and atom force microscopy. For the single-layer film, the center of the irradiated spot is a dark depression and the border is a bright protrusion; however, for the multilayer film, the center morphology changes from a depression to a protrusion as the energy increases. The crystallization threshold fluence of the single-layer and the multilayer films is 46.36 mJ/cm(2), 63.74 mJ/cm(2), respectively.

Gradient force pattern, focal shift, and focal switch in an apodized optical system

In this paper, the evolution of the gradient force pattern, focal shift, and focal switch induced by a three-portion pure phase-shifting apodizer is numerically investigated in detail. The results show that the proposed apodizer may induce tunable gradient force on the particles in the focal region, focal shift, and focal switch. By adjusting the geometrical parameters of the phase-shifting apodizer, multiple traps may occur with changeable distance between them, and the shape of the optical trap also evolves evidently. More interestingly, for certain geometrical parameters of the proposed apodizer, by changing the phase shift of inner annular portion, the considerable focal shift may occur with focal switch accompanying, which is discussed to show that this kind of apodizer may be a very promising method of transporting trapped particles. © 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Comment on: Computation of the optical trapping force using an FDTD based technique

In this comment, problems associated with an oversimplified FDTD based model used for trapping force calculation in recent papers "Computation of the optical trapping force using an FDTD based technique" [Opt. Express 13, 3707 (2005)], and "Rigorous time domain simulation of momentum transfer between light and microscopic particles in optical trapping" [Opt. Express 12, 2220 (2004)] are discussed. A more rigorous model using in Poynting vector is also presented.

Electromagnetic-field-induced cohesive force enhancement in a metallic nanowire

We theoretically study the conducting electronic contribution to the cohesive force in a metallic nanowire irradiated under a transversely polarized external electromagnetic field at low temperatures and in the ballistic regime. In the framework of the free-electron model, we have obtained a time-dependent two-level electronic wavefunction by means of a unitary transformation. Using a thermodynamic statistical approach with this wavefunction, we have calculated the cohesive force in the nanowire. We show that the cohesive force can be divided into two components, one of which is independent of the electromagnetic field (static component), which is consistent with the existing results in the literature. The magnitude of the other component is proportional to the electromagnetic field strength. This extra component of the cohesive force is originally from the coherent coupling between the two lateral energy levels of the wire and the electromagnetic field.

Atomic-force-microscopy investigation of the formation and evolution of Ge islands on GexSi1-x strained layers

A constant amount of Ge was deposited on strained GexSi1-x layers of approximately the same thickness but with different alloy compositions, ranging from x = 0.06 to x = 0.19. From their atomic-force-microscopy images, we found that both the size and density of Ge islands increased with the Ge composition of the strained layer. By conservation of mass, this implies that these islands must incorporate material from the underlying strained layer. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(00)03529-4].

Analysis of atomic force microscopic results of InAs islands formed by molecular beam epitaxy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements of nanometer-sized islands formed by 2 monolayers of InAs by molecular beam epitaxy have been carried out and the scan line of individual islands was extracted from raw AFM data for investigation. It is found that the base widths of nanometer-sized islands obtained by AFM are not reliable due to the finite size and shape of the contacting probe. A simple model is proposed to analyze the deviation of the measured value From the real value of the base width of InAs islands. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of self-organized InAs/GaAs quantum dots under strain-induced and temperature-controlled nucleation mechanisms by atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy

Atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) has been used to study asymmetric bilayer InAs quantum dot (QD) structures grow by molecular-beam epitaxy on GaAs (001) substrates. The two InAs layers were separated by a 7-nm-thick GaAs spacer layer and were grown at different substrate temperature. We took advantage of the intrinsic nonuniformity of the molecular beams to grow the seed layer with an average InAs coverage of 2.0 ML. Then the seed layer thickness could be divided into three areas: below, around and above the critical thickness of the 2D-3D transition along the 11101 direction of the substrate. Correspondingly, the nucleation mechanisms of the upper InAs layer (UIL) could be also divided into three areas: temperature-controlled, competition between temperature-controlled and strain-induced, and strain-induced (template-controlled) nucleation. Small quantum dots (QDs) with a large density around 5 x 10(10) cm(-2) are found in the temperature-controlled nucleation area. The QD size distributions undergo a bimodal to a unimodal transition with decreasing QD densities in the strain-induced nucleation area, where the QD densities vary following that of the seed layer (templating effect). The optimum QD density with the UIL thickness fixed at 2.4 ML is shown to be around 1.5 x 10(10) cm(-2), for which the QD size distribution is unimodal and PL emission peaks at the longest wavelength. The QDs in the in-between area exhibit a broad size distribution with small QDs and strain-induced large QDs coexisting.

Response amplitude and hydrodynamic force for a buoy over a convex

A buoy as an offshore structure is often placed over a convex such as a caisson or a submerged island. The hydrodynamic fluid/solid interaction becomes more complex due to the convex compared with that on the flat. Both the buoy and the convex are idealized as vertical cylinders. Linear potential theory is used to investigate the response amplitude and the hydrodynamic force for a buoy over a convex due to diffraction and radiation in water of finite depth. These are derived from the total velocity potential. A set of theoretical added mass, damping coefficient, and exciting force expressions have been proposed. Analytical results of the response amplitude and hydrodynamic force are given. Finally, the numerical results show that the effect of the convex on the response amplitude and hydrodynamic force for the buoy is ignored if the size of the convex is relatively smaller.