Rod length influence in torque measurement of SPT-T test

Since Ranzini suggested supplementing the SPT test with measurement of the torque required to turn the split spoon sampler after driving, many Brazilian engineers have been using this in the design of pile foundations. This paper presents a study of the rod length influence in the torque measurement. A theoretical study of material resistance considering torsion and bending in a thin wall tubular steel shaft was performed. It makes possible to conclude that the shearing tension caused by the proper weight represents less than 1% of the shearing tension caused by the turning moment. In addition, an experimental study was done with electric torquemeters fixed in a horizontal rod system. The tests were being carried out to analyze rods of one meter to twenty meters in length and the measurements were collected at the ends of each rod length verifying the efficiency data. As a result, it is possible to verify that the torque difference through rod length is lower than minimum scales of mechanical torquemeters that are used on practical engineering. Also a fact to be considered is a big torque loss for values under 20 N.m of applied torque. This way, the SPT-T is not adequate to low consistency soil. Copyright ASCE 2007.

Determination of soil properties from standard penetration test complemented by torque measurement (SPT-T)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Sistema eletro-eletrônico para medição direta de torque em dispositivos girantes utilizando extensômetros de resistência elétrica

Neste trabalho propõe-se um sistema para medição de torque em dispositivos girantes, que utiliza extensômetros de resistência elétrica colados nos próprios elementos constituintes do arranjo mecânico sob análise. Um conjunto de circuitos eletrônicos foi especialmente desenvolvido para o sensoreamento das pequenas deformações que ocorrem nos disposotivos girantes. O sistema opera sem contato eletro-mecânico entre a parte estacionária e a parte girante. Para tanto desenvolveu-se também uma metodologia de projeto e construção de transformadores rotativos que são utilizados para transferência da energia que alimenta os circuitos eletrônicos solidários ao elemento mecânico instrumentado. Também foi necessário utilizar um transmissor em freqüência modulada do sinal elétrico proporcional ao torque medido. Uma análise comparativa, dos resultados obtidos entre os sistemas existentes e aqueles alcançados com a técnica proposta neste trabalho, demonstra sua aplicabilidade em diversas situações práticas.

Desenvolvimento e avaliação de padrão de torque para calibração de torquímetros em três faixas de medição

The continuous development of instruments and equipment used as tools or torque measurement in the industry is demanding more accurate techniques in the use of this kind instrumentation, including development of metrological characteristics in torque measurement. The same happens with the needs in calibration services. There is a diversity of methods of hand torque tools in the market with different measuring range but without complaining with technical standards in terms of requirements of quality and reliability. However, actually there is no choice of a torque measuring standard that fulfils, with low cost, the needs for the calibration of hand torque tools in a large number of ranges. The objective of this thesis is to show the development and evaluation of a torque measuring standard device with a conception to allow the calibration of hand torque tools with three levels of torque with an single instrument, promoting reduction of costs and time in the calibration, also offering reliability for the evaluation of torque measuring instrument. To attend the demand in the calibration of hand torque tools it is necessary that the calibration laboratories have a big collection of torque measuring standards, to fulfills the needs of the costumer, what is very costly. The development of this type of torque measuring standard revealed a viable technique and economically making possible the calibration of hand torque tools in different nominal ranges through a single measurement system versatile, efficient and of easy operation

Intraoperative Mechanical Measurement of Bone Quality With the DensiProbe.

Reduced bone stock can result in fractures that mostly occur in the spine, distal radius, and proximal femur. In case of operative treatment, osteoporosis is associated with an increased failure rate. To estimate implant anchorage, mechanical methods seem to be promising to measure bone strength intraoperatively. It has been shown that the mechanical peak torque correlates with the local bone mineral density and screw failure load in hip, hindfoot, humerus, and spine in vitro. One device to measure mechanical peak torque is the DensiProbe (AO Research Institute, Davos, Switzerland). The device has shown its effectiveness in mechanical peak torque measurement in mechanical testing setups for the use in hip, hindfoot, and spine. In all studies, the correlation of mechanical torque measurement and local bone mineral density and screw failure load could be shown. It allows the surgeon to judge local bone strength intraoperatively directly at the region of interest and gives valuable information if additional augmentation is needed. We summarize methods of this new technique, its advantages and limitations, and give an overview of actual and possible future applications.

Characterization of optically driven fluid stress fields with optical tweezers

We present a controlled stress microviscometer with applications to complex fluids. It generates and measures microscopic fluid velocity fields, based on dual beam optical tweezers. This allows an investigation of bulk viscous properties and local inhomogeneities at the probe particle surface. The accuracy of the method is demonstrated in water. In a complex fluid model (hyaluronic acid), we observe a strong deviation of the flow field from classical behavior. Knowledge of the deviation together with an optical torque measurement is used to determine the bulk viscosity. Furthermore, we model the observed deviation and derive microscopic parameters.

Repeatability of maximal voluntary force and of surface EMG variables during voluntary isometric contraction of quadriceps muscles in healthy subjects

The repeatability of initial values and rate of change of EMG signal mean spectral frequency (MNF), average rectified values (ARV), muscle fiber conduction velocity (CV) and maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) was investigated in the vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles of both legs of nine healthy male subjects during voluntary, isometric contractions sustained for 50 s at 50% MVC. The values of MVC were recorded for both legs three times on each day and for three subsequent days, while the EMG signals have been recorded twice a day for three subsequent days. The degree of repeatability was investigated using the Fisher test based upon the ANalysis Of VAriance (ANOVA), the Standard Error of the Mean (SEM) and the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). Data collected showed a high level of repeatability of MVC measurement (normalized SEM from 1.1% to 6.4% of the mean). MNF and ARV initial values also showed a high level of repeatability (ICC > 70% for all muscles and legs except right VMO). At 50% MVC level no relevant pattern of fatigue was observed for the VMO and VL muscles, suggesting that other portions of the quadriceps might have contributed to the generated effort. These observations seem to suggest that in the investigation of muscles belonging to a multi-muscular group at submaximal level, the more selective electrically elicited contractions should be preferred to voluntary contractions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Langaton vääntömomentin mittausjärjestelmä

Diplomityössä suunnitellaan ja toteutetaan teollisuusympäristöön soveltuva langaton vääntömomentin mittausjärjestelmä. Langaton tiedonsiirto toteutetaan soveltaen Zigbee-radiotekniikkaan perustuvia XBee-moduuleja. Käyttökohteina sovellukselle ovat pyörivät akselit, joihin langallisen mittausjärjestelmän asentaminen on hankalaa tai mahdotonta. Työssä kuvataan järjestelmän toiminnallisuus, esitellään oleellisimmat järjestelmän rakenteeseen ja toimintaan liittyvät asiat, arvioidaan järjestelmän mittausepävarmuus sekä esitellään järjestelmällä saatuja mittaustuloksia. Lisäksi osaa mittaustuloksista verrataan referenssilaitteistolla saataviin tuloksiin.

Kylmätilojen kuljetinkäyttöjen energiatehokkuus

We study how conveyor drives in refrigerating rooms affect total energy costs. Studied conveyor drives are different types of gear motor drives. Energy efficiencies of the conveyor drives are determined by using direct torque measurement and energy costs of the conveyor drives are approximated from these results. From the measurement results and the approximated total costs it can be seen how the energy efficiency of a conveyor drive has a considerable influence on the total costs, especially, with large operating hours. An energy efficient conveyor drive can minimize the total energy costs by reducing the energy consumption of the conveyor motor while cooling costs in refrigerated rooms are also reduced.

SPT-T: test procedure and applications

Ranzini (1988) proposed the Standard Penetration Test with torque measurement (SPT-T) and some geotechnical engineers in Brazil have been using it since 1991. This paper presents the state of the art on SPT-T testing, emphasizing what is already established as common knowledge in Brazilian engineering practice, besides a suggestion for test procedure, including equipment and practical aspects. In addition, the study of the shape of the torque versus rotation-degree angle curve obtained by an electric torquemeter used in several SPT-T tests carried out on six experimental research sites in the southeast region of Brazil is discussed here. Four different methods to predict pile capacity based on SPT-T test results are briefly presented and a comparison with load tests carried out on different types of piles, on those six experimental research sites, is presented.

Theoretical and experimental evaluation of the influence of the length of drill rods in the SPT-T test

The influence of soil drill rod length on the N value in the SPT-T test has been studied extensively by Mello (1971), Schmertmann & Palacios (1979), Odebrecht et al. (2002) and Cavalcante (2002). This paper presents an analysis of the Standard Penetration Test supplemented with torque measurement (SPT-T). A theoretical study of the resistance of the rod material to torsion and bending indicated that the shear stress caused by the rod self-weight represents less than 1% of that caused by the torsional moment. An experimental study with electric torquemeters attached to a horizontal rod system, as well as two field tests in the vertical direction, were also carried out to compare and substantiate the results. The purpose of these tests was to analyze changes along the length of the rod in response to successive increments at 1-meter intervals. Torque measurements were taken at each increment of the length to ascertain the accuracy of the theoretical data. The difference between the applied torque and the measured torque at the end of rod system was lower than the minimum scale of mechanical torquemeters used in practice.

Automatização de um dinamômetro hidráulico para ensaios de motores de combustão interna

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Mecânica, 2015.

In vivo measurement of the effect of intra-abdominal pressure on the human spine

In humans, intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is elevated during many everyday activities. This experiment aimed to investigate the extent to which increased IAP-without concurrent activity of the abdominal or back extensor muscles-produces an extensor torque. With subjects positioned in side lying on a swivel table with its axis at L3, moments about this vertebral level were measured when IAP was transiently increased by electrical stimulation of the diaphragm via the phrenic nerve. There was no electromyographic activity in abdominal and back extensor muscles. When IAP was increased artificially to similar to 15% of the maximum IAP amplitude that could be generated voluntarily with the trunk positioned in flexion, a trunk extensor moment (similar to6 Nm) was recorded. The size of the effect was proportional to the increase in pressure. The extensor moment was consistent with that predicted from a model based on measurements of abdominal cross-sectional area and IAP moment arm. When IAP was momentarily increased while the trunk was flexed passively at a constant velocity, the external torque required to maintain the velocity was increased. These results provide the first in vivo data of the amplitude of extensor moment that is produced by increased IAP. Although the net effect of this extensor torque in functional tasks would be dependent on the muscles used to increase the IAP and their associated flexion torque, the data do provide evidence that IAP contributes, at least in part, to spinal stability. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reliability of electromyographic and torque measures during isometric axial rotation exertions of the trunk

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the between-days reliability of electromyographic (EMG) measurement of 6 bilateral trunk muscles and also the torque output in 3 planes during isometric right and left axial rotation at different exertion levels. Methods: Ten healthy subjects performed isometric right and left axial rotation at 100, 70, 50 and 30% maximum voluntary contractions in two testing sessions at least 7 days apart. EMG amplitude and frequency analyses of the recorded surface EMG signals were performed for rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, latissimus dorsi, iliocostalis lumborum and multifidus bilaterally. The primary torque in the transverse plane and the coupling torques in sagittal and coronal planes were measured. Results: For both EMG amplitude and frequency values, good (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.75-0.89) to excellent (ICC greater than or equal to 0.90) reliability was found in the 6 trunk muscles at different exertion levels during axial rotation. The reliability of both maximal isometric axial rotation torque and coupling torques in sagittal and coronal planes were found to be excellent (ICC greater than or equal to 0.93). Conclusions: Good to excellent reliability of EMG measures of trunk muscles and torque measurements during isometric axial rotation was demonstrated. This provides further confidence of using EMG and triaxial torque assessment as outcome measures in rehabilitation and in the evaluation of the human performance in the work place. (C) 2003 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.