On the dynamics of mechanical milling in a vibratory mill

The dynamics of mechanical milling in a vibratory mill have been studied by means of mechanical vibration, shock measurements, computer simulation and microstructural evolution measurements. Two distinct modes of ball motion during milling, periodic and chaotic vibration, were observed. Mill operation in the regime of periodic vibration, in which each collision provides a constant energy input to milled powders, enabled a quantitative description of the effect of process parameters on system dynamics. An investigation of the effect of process parameters on microstructural development in an austenitic stainless steel showed that the impact force associated with collision events is an important process parameter for characterizing microstructural evolution. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.

Sintering of maraging steel with phosphorous additions

The aim Of this study was to develop a steel powder system for rapid tooling applications. The properties required are rapid densification, dimensional precision. high mechanical strength and corrosion resistance. To this end. the densification and microstructural development of a loose packed 200 grade maraging steel powder sintered with ferrophosphorous additions was examined. Liquid initially formed from a reaction of the Fe3P and carbon, which was a residue of the polymeric binder used to shape the powder compact. This liquid caused a burst of sintering which ceased as the liquid dissipated. On further heating, a phosphorous rich supersolidus liquid appeared at triple points and grain boundaries leading to rapid densification and a sintered density of 98%.

Microstructural evolution of the Serido Belt, NE-Brazil: the effect of two tectonic events on development of c-axis preferred orientation in quartz

The polyphase evolution of the Serido Belt (NE-Brazil) includes D, crust formation at 2.3-2.1 Ga, D-2 thrust tectonics at 1.9 Ga and crustal reworking by D-3 strike-slip shear zones at 600 Ma. Microstructural investigations within mylonites associated with D-2 and D-3 events were used to constrain the tectono-thermal evolution of the belt. D-2 shear zones commenced at deeper crustal levels and high amphibolite facies conditions (600-650 degreesC) through grain boundary migration, subgrain rotation and operation of quartz Q-prism slip. Continued shearing and exhumation of the terrain forced the re-equilibration of high-T fabrics and the switching of slip systems from (c)-prism to positive and negative (a)-rhombs. During D-3, enhancement of ductility by dissipation of heat that came from syn-D-3 granites developed wide belts of amphibolite facies mylonites. Continued shearing, uplift and cooling of the region induced D-3 shear zones to act in ductile-brittle regimes, marked by fracturing and development of thinner belts of greenschist facies mylonites. During this event, switching from (a)-prism to a basal slip indicates a thermal path from 600 to 350 degreesC. Therefore, microstructures and quartz c-axis fabrics in polydeformed rocks from the Serido Belt preserve the record of two major events, which includes contrasting deformation mechanisms and thermal paths. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phase and microstructural evolution during the heat treatment of Sm-Ca-alpha-sialon ceramics

The phase and microstructural evolution of multi-cation Sm-Ca-alpha-sialon ceramics was investigated. Six samples were prepared, ranging from a pure Sm-sialon to a pure Ca-sialon, with calcium replacing samarium in 20 eq% increments, thus maintaining an equivalent design composition in all samples. After pressureless sintering at 1820 degreesC for 2 It, all samples were subsequently heat treated up to 192 h at 1450 and 1300 degreesC. The amount of grain boundary glass in the samples after sintering was observed to decrease with increasing calcium levels. A M-ss' or M-ss',-gehlenite solid solution was observed to form during the 1450 degreesC heat treatment of all Sm-containing samples, and this phase forms in clusters in the high-Sm samples. The thermal stability of the alpha-sialon phase was improved in the multi-cation systems. Heat treatment at 1300 degreesC produces SmAlO3 in the high-Sm samples, a M-ss',-gehlenite solid solution in the high-Ca samples, and a Sm-Ca-apatite phase in some intermediate samples. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Precipitation hardening of Cu-Fe-Cr alloys - Part II - Microstructural characterisation

This research is part of a project whose scope was to investigate the engineering properties of new non-commercial alloy formulations based on the Cu rich corner of the Cu-Fe-Cr ternary system with the primary aim of exploring the development of a new cost-effective high-strength, high-conductivity copper alloy. Promising properties have been measured for the following alloys: Cu-0.7wt%Cr-0.3wt%Fe and Cu-0.7wt%Cr-2.0wt%Fe. This paper reports on the microstructural characterisation of these alloys and discusses the mechanical and electrical properties of these alloys in terms of their microstructure, particularly the formation of precipitates. These alloys have evinced properties that warrant further investigation. Cost modelling has shown that Cu-0.7wt%Cr-0.3wt%Fe is approximately 25% cheaper to produce than commercial Cu-1%Cr. It has also been shown to be more cost efficient on a yield stress and % IACS per dollar basis. The reason for the cost saving is that the Cu-0.7%Cr-0.3%Fe alloy can be made with low carbon ferro-chrome additions as the source of chromium rather than the more expensive Cu-Cr master-alloy. For applications in which cost is one of the primary materials selection criteria, it is envisaged that there would be numerous applications in both cast and wrought form, where the Cu-0.7%Cr-0.3%Fe alloy would be more suitable than Cu-1%Cr. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Development of the student placement evaluation form: A tool for assessing student fieldwork performance

Evaluation of students undertaking fieldwork education placements is a critical process in the health professions. As training programs and practice evolve, systems for assessing students need to be reviewed and updated constantly. In 1995, staff of the occupational therapy training program at the University of Queensland, Australia decided to develop a new tool for assessing student fieldwork performance. Using an action research methodology, a team developed the Student Placement Evaluation Form, a flexible and comprehensive criterion-referenced evaluation tool. The present paper examines action research as an appropriate methodology for considering real-life organisational problems in a systematic and participatory manner. The action research cycles undertaken, including preliminary information gathering, tool development, trial stages and current use of the tool, are detailed in the report. Current and future development of the tool is also described.

Development of a physical and genetic map of the virulent Wolbachia strain wMelPop

We report here the construction of a physical and genetic map of the virulent Wolbachia strain, wMelPop. This map was determined by ordering 28 chromosome fragments that resulted from digestion with the restriction endonucleases FseI, ApaI, SmaI, and AscI and were resolved by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Southern hybridization was done with 53 Wolbachia-specific genes as probes in order to determine the relative positions of these restriction fragments and use them to serve as markers. Comparison of the resulting map with the whole genome sequence of the closely related benign Wolbachia strain, wMel, shows that the two genomes are largely conserved in gene organization with the exception of a single inversion in the chromosome.

Workgroup emotional intelligence: Scale development and relationship to team process effectiveness and goal focus

Over the last decade, ambitious claims have been made in the management literature about the contribution of emotional intelligence to success and performance. Writers in this genre have predicted that individuals with high emotional intelligence perform better in all aspects of management. This paper outlines the development of a new emotional intelligence measure, the Workgroup Emotional Intelligence Profile, Version 3 (WEIP-3), which was designed specifically to profile the emotional intelligence of individuals in work teams. We applied the scale in a study of the link between emotional intelligence and two measures of team performance: team process effectiveness and team goal focus. The results suggest that the average level of emotional intelligence of team members, as measured by the WEIP-3, is reflected in the initial performance of teams. In our study, low emotional intelligence teams initially performed at a lower level than the high emotional intelligence teams. Over time, however, teams with low average emotional intelligence raised their performance to match that of teams with high emotional intelligence.

Flirting with Spirituality within Community Development Practice

In this paper Peter will consider some contemporary discourses of spirituality, the potential dangers of some spirituality, and then discuss how spirituality can contribute to an ‘enchanted’ framework of community development.

Personal Reflexive Instruments for Monitoring Engineering Development (PRIMED) Project

This was an early pre-Catalyst collaboration about developing reflexivity in student engineers. It was funded by (then) CUTSD.

Closing the gap in curriculum development leadership

“Closing the gap in curriculum development leadership” is a Carrick-funded University of Queensland project which is designed to address two related gaps in current knowledge and in existing professional development programs for academic staff. The first gap is in our knowledge of curriculum and pedagogical issues as they arise in relation to multi-year sequences of study, such as majors in generalist degrees, or core programs in more structured degrees. While there is considerable knowledge of curriculum and pedagogy at the course or individual unit of study level (e.g. Philosophy I), there is very little properly conceptualised, empirically informed knowledge about student learning (and teaching) over, say, a three-year major sequence in a traditional Arts or Sciences subject. The Carrick-funded project aims to (begin to) fill this gap through bottom-up curriculum development projects across the range of UQ’s offerings. The second gap is in our professional development programs and, indeed, in our recognition and support for the people who are in charge of such multi-year sequences of study. The major convener or program coordinator is not as well supported, in Australian and overseas professional development programs, as the lecturer in charge of a single course (or unit of study). Nor is her work likely to be taken account of in workload calculations or for the purposes of promotion and career advancement more generally. The Carrick-funded project aims to fill this gap by developing, in consultation with crucial stakeholders, amendments to existing university policies and practices. The attached documents provide a useful introduction to the project. For more information, please contact Fred D’Agostino at f.dagostino@uq.edu.au.

A Step-by-Step Approach to Transit Oriented Development Project Delivery

A major challenge in successfully implementing transit-oriented development (TOD) is having a robust process that ensures effective appraisal, initiation and delivery of multi-stakeholder TOD projects. A step-by step project development process can assist in the methodic design, evaluation, and initiation of TOD projects. Successful TOD requires attention to transit, mixed-use development and public space. Brisbane, Australia provides a case-study where recent planning policies and infrastructure documents have laid a foundation for TOD, but where barriers lie in precinct level planning and project implementation. In this context and perhaps in others, the research effort needs to shift toward identification of appropriate project processes and strategies. This paper presents the outcomes of research conducted to date. Drawing on the mainstream approach to project development and financial evaluation for property projects, key steps for potential use in successful delivery of TOD projects have been identified, including: establish the framework; location selection; precinct context review; preliminary precinct design; the initial financial viability study; the decision stage; establishment of project structure; land acquisition; development application; and project delivery. The appropriateness of this mainstream development and appraisal process will be tested through stakeholder research, and the proposed process will then be refined for adoption in TOD projects. It is suggested that the criteria for successful TOD should be broadened beyond financial concerns in order to deliver public sector support for project initiation.

Reconceptualising social sustainability in urban development

Although the social dimension is often cited as the third leg of triple bottom line sustainability, there is at present general agreement on the difficulty of saying just what social sustainability is and how it can be related to enivironmental sustainability. This paper proposes that a sociotechnical understanding of the relationship beween human behaviour and technical developments provides a way of making the social dimension accessible to engineers, designers and developers. We draw on early work in master planned urban developments to show how a sociotechnical model, married to a life cycle assessment approach can help us understand and design for effective and efficient implementation of sustainability systems