Mechanical performance degradation investigation on FRP reinforced concrete based on neural network design method.

To predict the effect of chemical-freezing coupling erosion on the properties of four kinds of FRP-reinforced concrete. Rapid freeze-thaw tests were conducted. The mass loss rate, relative dynamic elastic modulus, compressive strength, and flexural capacity were tested to investigate the Mechanical Performance of specimens. The compression specimens are cylindrical specimens wrapped with FRP, and the flexural specimens are pasted with FRP prismatic specimens on the pre-cracked side. A database was built based on 45 groups of experimental test results, and the prediction effect of the BP neural network and CNN model on compressive strength and flexural capacity was compared, respectively. The results showed that CNN did a better job. Finally, the maximum number of freeze-thaw cycles of different FRP-reinforced specimens was predicted based on the CNN model with mass loss rate and relative dynamic modulus as the evaluation criteria. This method can provide a new perspective for predicting the durability of FRP-reinforced concrete.

Investigation on damage evolution mechanism of various FRP strengthened concrete subjected to chemical-freeze-thaw coupling erosion.

The corrosion resistance of FRP-reinforced ordinary concrete members under the combined action of harsh environments (i.e., alkaline or acidic solutions, salt solutions) and freeze-thaw cycles is still unclear. To study the mechanical and apparent deterioration of carbon/basalt/glass/aramid fiber cloth reinforced concrete under chemical and freeze-thaw coupling. Plain concrete blocks and FRP-bonded concrete blocks were fabricated. The tensile properties of the FRP sheet and epoxy resin sheet before and after chemical freezing, the compressive strength of the FRP reinforced test block, and the bending capacity of the prismatic test block pasted with FRP on the prefabricated crack side were tested. The deterioration mechanism of the test block was analyzed through the change of surface photos. Based on the experimental data, the Lam-Teng constitutive model of concrete reinforced by alkali-freeze coupling FRP is modified. The results indicate that, in terms of apparent properties, with the increase in the duration of chemical freeze-thaw erosion, the surface of epoxy resin sheets exhibits an increase in pores, along with the emergence of small cracks and wrinkles. The texture of FRP sheets becomes blurred, and cracks and wrinkles appear on the surface. In terms of failure modes, as the number of chemical coupling erosion cycles increases, the location of failure in epoxy resin sheets becomes uncertain, and the failure plane tilts towards the direction of the applied load. The failure mode of FRP sheets remains unchanged. However, the bonding strength between FRP sheets and concrete decreases, resulting in a weakened reinforcement effect. In terms of mechanical properties, FRP sheets undergo the most severe degradation in the coupled environment of acid freeze-thaw cycles. Among them, GFRP experiences the largest degradation in tensile strength, reaching up to 30.17%. In terms of tensile performance, the sheets rank from highest to lowest as follows: CFRP, BFRP, AFRP, and GFRP.As the duration of chemical freeze-coupled erosion increases, the loss rate of compressive strength for specimens bonded with CFRP is the smallest (9.62% in salt freeze-thaw environment), while the loss rate of bearing capacity is higher for specimens reinforced with GFRP (33.8% in acid freeze-thaw environment). In contrast, the loss rate of bearing capacity is lower for specimens reinforced with CFRP (13.6% in salt freeze-thaw environment), but still higher for specimens reinforced with GFRP (25.8% in acid freeze-thaw environment).

YOLOv8-MPEB small target detection algorithm based on UAV images.

Target detection in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) aerial images has gained significance within UAV application scenarios. However, UAV aerial images present challenges, including large-scale changes, small target sizes, complex scenes, and variable external factors, resulting in missed or false detections. This study proposes an algorithm for small target detection in UAV images based on an enhanced YOLOv8 model termed YOLOv8-MPEB. Firstly, the Cross Stage Partial Darknet53 (CSPDarknet53) backbone network is substituted with the lightweight MobileNetV3 backbone network, consequently reducing model parameters and computational complexity, while also enhancing inference speed. Secondly, a dedicated small target detection layer is intricately designed to optimize feature extraction for multi-scale targets. Thirdly, the integration of the Efficient Multi-Scale Attention (EMA) mechanism within the Convolution to Feature (C2f) module aims to enhance the extraction of vital features and suppress superfluous ones. Lastly, the utilization of a bidirectional feature pyramid network (BiFPN) in the Neck segment serves to ameliorate detection errors stemming from scale variations and complex scenes, thereby augmenting model generalization. The study provides a thorough examination by conducting ablation experiments and comparing the results with alternative algorithms to substantiate the enhanced effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, with a particular focus on detection performance. The experimental outcomes illustrate that with a parameter count of 7.39 M and a model size of 14.5 MB, the algorithm attains a mean Average Precision (mAP) of 91.9 % on the custom-made helmet and reflective clothing dataset. In comparison to standard YOLOv8 models, this algorithm elevates average accuracy by 2.2 percentage points, reduces model parameters by 34 %, and diminishes model size by 32 %. It outperforms other prevalent detection algorithms in terms of accuracy and speed.

Preparation and Performance of Bitumen Modified by Melt-Blown Fabric of Waste Mask Based on Grey Relational and Radar Chart Analysis.

To effectively utilize waste mask materials in road engineering and minimize resource waste, the melt-blown fabric (MBF) of waste masks was utilized to modify the virgin bitumen. The preparation process of MBF-modified bitumen was investigated, and the physical and rheological properties of bitumen were measured. Subsequently, the blending mechanism during preparation and the dispersion morphology of the modifier were explored. Finally, the pavement performance of the mixture was investigated, and a radar chart analysis was performed to quantitatively assess the effects of MBF modification. Results suggested that the recommended preparation process of shear time, shear rate, and shear temperature was 170 °C, 4000 r/min, and 15 min, respectively. MBF enhanced the high-temperature stability of the binder and weakened the temperature susceptibility. The modification was primarily a physical process. No network structure and agglomeration formed in the bitumen after modification. The addition of MBF significantly improved the resistance of the asphalt mixture to a high-temperature deformation and water damage but harmed its low-temperature crack resistance. The comprehensive assessment results of 0% (f1), 1% (f2), 3% (f3), and 5% (f4) MBF to improve the properties of the mixture were in the following order: f3>f4>f2>f1, where the impact of 3% MBF was the most significant, followed by 5% and 1% MBF.

Research Progress on Fiber-Reinforced Recycled Brick Aggregate Concrete: A Review.

The addition of fibers to strengthen recycled concrete can strengthen the inherent deficits and deficiencies of concrete containing recycled aggregates to some extent and enlarge the concrete's application range. In order to further promote the development and application of fiber-reinforced brick aggregate recycled concrete, the research results regarding its mechanical properties are reviewed in this paper. The effect of the content of broken brick on the mechanical properties of recycled concrete and the effects of different categories and contents of fiber on the basic mechanical properties of recycled concrete are analyzed. The problems to be solved in research on the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced recycled brick aggregate concrete are presented, and the related research suggestions and prospects are summarized. This review provides a reference for further research in this field and the popularization and application of fiber-reinforced recycled concrete.

Durability Performance Investigation for Engineering Fiber Cementitious Composites (ECC): Review.

Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC) is currently receiving more and more attention due to its excellent tensile strain hardening and multiple cracking properties. However, due to the high material cost of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber and quartz sand, its widespread promotion and application in the market are limited. Therefore, scholars at home and abroad have conducted many active studies on improving ECC. This paper summarizes the development history and research status of ECC materials, summarizes the current domestic and foreign researchers' improvement methods for ECC materials, and classifies the improvement methods into three categories: the type of fiber variation, the water-binder ratio variation and adding mineral admixtures, the influences of the above three factors on the mechanical properties and durability of ECC, such as compressive and flexural resistance, are described in detail, and the mechanism of action is explained. Furthermore, this paper introduces the most common uniaxial compression and uniaxial tension constitutive models of ECC. They are briefly classified and evaluated, hoping to help readers' numerical simulation analysis. Finally, some suggestions for ECC research, such as the proportion of water binders and the application of composite fibers, require further research.

Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Ultra-High-Performance Polyethylene-Fiber-Reinforced Recycled-Brick-Aggregate Concrete.

The utilization of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene fibers (UHMWPEFs) to enhance recycled-brick-aggregate concrete represents an efficacious approach for ameliorating the concrete's performance. This investigation addresses the influences of recycled-brick aggregates (RAs) and UHMWPEFs on the concrete's slump, shrinkage, flexural strength, resistance to chloride-ion ingress, and freeze-thaw durability. The mechanisms through which UHMWPEFs ameliorate the performance of the recycled-brick-aggregate concrete were elucidated at both the micro and macroscopic levels. The findings underscore that the three-dimensional network structure established by the UHMWPEFs, while resulting in a reduction in the concrete slump, substantially enhances the concrete's mechanical properties and durability. A regression model for the multifaceted performance of the UHMWPEF-reinforced recycled-brick-aggregate concrete (F-RAC) was formulated by employing response-surface methodology, and the model's reliability was confirmed through variance analysis. The interactive effects of the RA and UHMWPEFs on the concrete were analyzed through a combined approach involving response-surface analysis and contour plots. Subsequently, a multiobjective optimization was conducted for the F-RAC performance, yielding the optimal proportions of RA and UHMWPEFs. It was determined that the optimal performance across the dimensions of the shrinkage resistance, flexural strength, chloride-ion resistance, and freeze-thaw durability of the F-RAC could be simultaneously achieved when the substitution rate of the RA was 14.02% and the admixture of the UHMWPEFs was 1.13%.

The Stabilizing Effect of Carboxymethyl Cellulose on Foamed Concrete.

Foam concrete is widely used for its excellent properties, such as light weight, heat insulation, fire resistance, and sound insulation. The stability of foam is the main factor that affects the mechanical performance of foam concrete. The experiments are designed from two perspectives: the foam's stability performance and the foam concrete's modification effect. The effects on foam volume, foam half-life, foam bleeding rate, and foam pore size were investigated based on different concentrations of foam stabilizer CMC (0%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%). A combination of macroscopic testing and microscopic analysis, a comparative study of dry density, water absorption test, mechanical property test, and pore structure analysis were conducted after using the modified foam for foam concrete. It is shown that the addition of CMC has an enhanced effect on foam stability. Foaming volume, water secretion rate, and average pore size showed a decreasing trend with the increase of CMC admixture, while the foam half-life displayed an increasing trend. In addition, adding CMC reduces the dry density and improves water absorption and compressive strength. The pore structure development of foam concrete has a noticeable improvement effect, and the optimal amount of admixture is 0.4%. Research results provide a reference for applying thickening foam stabilizer CMC in foam concrete.

Road Performance Investigation on Fiber-Reinforced Recycled Cement Base Material.

The characteristics of the materials used in early buildings in China have led to a large proportion of discarded red bricks among the construction waste generated by demolishing abandoned buildings. The application of red brick aggregate with a particle size ≤5 mm and red brick powder with particle size 0.125~0.75 mm (referred to as recycled brick powder) was studied in this study after the crushing of waste red brick in road structures. The research results will provide a theoretical basis for the whole-grain recycling of waste red brick aggregate. The aggregate of red brick with a particle size smaller than 2 mm was mixed with different amounts of cement soil and fiber to prepare a cement-stable binder for the sub-base material. The recycled brick powder of 0.125~0.75 mm was used to replace the quartz sand with different substitution rates. As pavement materials, different amounts of fiber were used to prepare fiber-reinforced recycled-brick-powder cementitious composites. The optimal mixing ratio of the two materials was evaluated from the mechanical properties. The results showed that the optimal mixing ratio of the cement-stable binder was as follows: waste-red-brick-aggregate content was 50%, cement content was 4%, and fiber content was 0.2%. The optimum ratio of fiber-reinforced recycled-brick-powder cementitious composites was determined to be as follows: the replacement rate of recycled brick powder is 25%, and the content of PVA fiber is 1%. The regression analysis was used to fit the equations between the fiber content and the 7d unconfined compressive strength and the tensile strength of the cement-stabilized binder for different red-brick-aggregate admixtures at 4% cement content. A scanning electron microscope was used to observe the failure modes of the fiber. The influence of failure modes, such as pulling out, fracture, and plastic deformation, on the mechanical properties was expounded.

Frost resistance investigation of fiber reinforced recycled brick aggregate cementitious materials.

In order to solve the problem of environmental pollution caused by construction waste, one typical waste of red bricks was selected as raw material in recycled concrete. This study presented recycled concrete by substituting some natural aggregates with treated red brick aggregates to study and analyze the degradation law mechanism of recycled brick aggregates concrete in the cold region. A total of fifteen categories of specimens and three experimental parameters were considered, which included numbers of freeze-thaw cycles (0, 50, and 100), steel fiber admixtures (0, 1, and 2%), and brick aggregate substitution rates (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100%), respectively. The quick freeze-thaw test method was selected to investigate recycled concrete's degradation mass loss rate and relative dynamic elastic modulus under various freeze-thaw cycles. The digital microscope and SEM were used to observe the internal microstructural changes in the specimens under different freeze-thaw times. In addition, the specimens' microscopic damage morphology and damage mechanism were analyzed. Finally, the flexural strength of the frost-damaged specimens was tested to analyze the mechanical deterioration of the recycled concrete, and the numerical model corresponding to steel fiber dosing and recycled aggregate replacement rate was presented. The gray correlation analysis was used to quantify the influence of each experimental variable on the corresponding experimental indexes under various freeze-thaw cycles. Results showed that the specimen's mass decreased after freeze-thaw cycles, and the highest mass loss was found for the specimens with 50 and 75% brick substitution rates. In addition, the specimens showed the best relative dynamic modulus and the maximum flexural strength when the steel fiber doping was 1%. The numerical model agreed with experimental data and effectively predicted the specimens' mass loss rate, relative dynamic modulus, and flexural strength after freeze-thaw cycles. The gray correlation analysis showed that the steel fiber contents had a maximum correlation with the flexural strength, the brick substitution rates for the relative dynamic modulus, and mass loss controls the freeze-thaw cycles.

Performance of Building Solid Waste Powder in Cement Cementitious Material: A Review.

Recycled powder (RP) is a by-product of preparing recycled aggregates from construction waste through debris removal, step-by-step crushing, screening, and mechanical strengthening. It is a fine powder with a particle size of less than 75 µm. Reasonable use of RP can increase the utilization rate of construction waste and reduce dust pollution. This study introduces the current research status of RP. It describes the source of RP; the activation mode of activity; the effect on several aspects, such as early performance and mechanical properties of cement-based materials; and its mechanism of action in light of the research and development. Moreover, the linear regression analysis method was used to obtain the mathematical model between the content of RP and the performance of cement-based materials. The correlation degree between the content of RP and the performance of cement-based materials was obtained based on the gray relation analysis method. It was concluded that the change of the content of RP had the most significant influence on the compressive strength of foamed concrete over 28 d. Finally, some feasible suggestions and prospects for RP are provided.

Grey Correlation Analysis of the Durability of Steel Fiber-Reinforced Concrete under Environmental Action.

The interface performance of steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) is a critical factor in determining mechanical properties and durability. The degradation of the concrete matrix and micro-structure interface is caused by environmental erosion, which shortens the service life of the structure design. Considering different volume contents of steel fiber (0%, 1%, 2%), the failure mechanism of SFRC under different environmental erosion conditions was studied through a laboratory test scheme. A total of six environmental factors are selected, including water, sodium chloride solution, sodium sulfate solution, dilute sulfuric acid solution, sodium hydroxide solution, and a freeze-thaw cycle. When subjected to different erosion concentrations and periods, micro-structure and axial bearing capacity deterioration laws are compared and analyzed. A durability equation related to fiber mixture ratio and strength is presented based on the experimental data and the numerical simulation method. The influence of different environments on steel fiber-reinforced concrete is analyzed, and the grey correlation degree of axial compressive strength is analyzed. The experimental results show that steel fiber can effectively improve the concrete axial bearing capacity, but different responses are observed under the various erosion conditions. A freeze-thaw cycle environment has the most significant impact on the axial compressive strength of concrete, followed by the sulfuric acid environment, and other environments have a weaker impact. The research results will provide a theoretical basis for predicting the performance deterioration of SFRC concerning other erosion conditions and periods.

Durability Investigation on CFRP Strengthened Cementitious Materials in Cold Region.

Epoxy resin, CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer) sheet, and concrete flexural specimens are selected to study the durability of carbon fiber strengthened cementitious materials in a cold region. Two exposure environments, chloride immersion and salt-freeze coupling, are set up, and the mechanical deterioration is discussed utilizing a microscopic observation mechanical test and finite element analysis. The damage to the epoxy resin, CFRP sheet, and concrete exerts a more severe performance degradation in the salt-freeze coupling environment when compared with the chlorine salt immersion environment. The freeze-thaw action destroys the bonding surface of CFRP and concrete based on the microscope observation. The flexural strength of the specimens strengthened with CFRP is 3.6 times higher than that of the specimens without CFRP, while the degradation rate is only 50%. These observations show that the strengthened CFRP effectively improves the cementitious material's flexural performance in the cold region. The finite element model of epoxy and CFRP subjected to chloride immersion and salt-freeze coupling environment is established. The degradation formula of bond performance between CFRP and concrete is proposed. In addition, the flexural mechanical numerical model is established with and without CFRP strengthened concrete, respectively. Research results provide a technical reference for applying CFRP reinforced cementitious materials in a cold region.

Sulfate erosion investigation on FRP-confined concrete in cold region.

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) confined concrete is regarded as an innovative and economical approach for structural repairation. Two typical materials [carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) and glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP)] are selected in this study to investigate the concrete strengthen effect in a severe environment. The resist ability of FRP-confined concrete is discussed when subjected to coupled erosion between sulfate erosion and freeze-thaw cycles. Electron microscopy examines concrete's surface and interior degradation during coupled erosion. The corrosion degree and principle of sodium sulfate are analyzed using pH, SEM electron microscope, and EDS energy spectrum. The axial compressive strength test is used to evaluate the reinforcement of the FRP-confined concrete column, and the stress-strain relationship for various FRP-confined techniques in a coupled erosion environment is obtained. The error analysis is performed to calibrate the experimental test result using four existed prediction models. All observations indicate that the deterioration process of FRP-confined concrete is complicated and dynamic under coupled effect. Sodium sulfate initially increases the initial strength of concrete. However, subsequent freeze-thaw cycles may aggravate concrete fractures, while sodium sulfate further degrades the strength of concrete through the cracking development. A precise numerical model is presented to simulate the stress-strain relationship, which is critical for the design and life cycle assessment of FRP-confined concrete.

Mechanical Investigation on Fiber-Doped Cementitious Materials.

Cementitious materials can be reinforced by adding different fibers. However, the effect of different fiber reinforcements on the mechanical properties of cement-based materials remains to be further studied. This paper studies the influencing factors of different fiber cement-based materials by combining experimental and theoretical methods. The tests used carbon fiber, glass fiber, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber-reinforced cement-based materials. The addition ratios of fibers are 0%, 0.5%, and 1% by volume respectively. The compressive strength, bending strength, and drying shrinkage are studied for 3 to 28 d. The relationship between bending strength, compressive strength, dosage, and shrinkage is analyzed. The test results show that carbon fiber cement-based materials' bending, and compressive strength increase the fastest, followed by glass and PVA fibers. The presented mathematical model accurately predicted the strength of the three fiber cement-based materials at different curing times. Compared to glass fiber and PVA fiber, carbon fiber shrinks less. It can be shown that the fiber significantly affects the early strength change of the fiber cement-based material by changing the shrinkage size of the fiber-cement-based material. The bending strength of carbon fiber, glass fiber, and PVA fiber increases with the increase of fiber volume fraction. On the other hand, the compressive strength increases and then decreases. Mechanical tests show that carbon fiber has the best reinforcement effect. The number of fibers, center spacing, and ultimate tensile length are all important factors that affect the strength of different fiber cement-based materials. Moreover, applied ABAQUS software established compression and bending finite element models of fiber-cement composites. It can predict the mechanical performance concerning fiber cement-based materials' different types and volume fractions.

Frost Resistance Investigation of Fiber-Doped Cementitious Composites.

Fibers used as reinforcement can increase the mechanical characteristics of engineering cementitious composites (ECC), but their frost resistance has received less attention. The mechanical properties of various fiber cementitious materials under the dual factors of freeze-thaw action and fiber dose are yet to be determined. This study examines the performance change patterns of cementitious composites, which contain carbon fiber, glass fiber, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber at 0%, 0.5%, and 1% volume admixture in freeze-thaw tests. Three fiber cement-based materials are selected to do the compression and bending testing, and ABAQUS finite element modeling is used to assess the performance of fiber cement-based composite materials. The microscopic observation results show that the dispersion of glass and PVA fibers is higher than that of carbon fibers. As a result, the mechanical characteristics of the fiber-doped cementitious composites increase dramatically after freeze-thaw with increasing dosage. The compression test results show the frost resistance of carbon fiber > PVA fiber > glass fiber. In addition, the bending test results show the frost resistance of carbon fiber > glass fiber > PVA fiber. The 3D surface plots of the strength changes are established to observe the mechanical property changes under the coupling effect of admixture and freeze-thaw times. ABAQUS modeling is used to predict the strength of the cementitious composites under various admixtures and freeze-thaw cycles. The bending strength numerical equation is presented, and the bending and compressive strengths of three different fiber-cement matrix materials are accurately predicted.

Durability Investigation of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Concrete under Salt-Freeze Coupling Effect.

In order to study the durability behavior of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer) reinforced concrete, three category specimens (plain, partially reinforced, and fully reinforced) were selected to investigate its performance variation concerning chlorine salt and salt-freeze coupled environment, which included the microscopic examination, the distribution of chloride ion concentration, and the compressive properties. By observing the microscopic of the specimens, the surface and cross-section corrosion deterioration was examined with increasing exposure time, and the physical behavior of CFRP and core concrete were discussed. The chloride ion diffusion test exerted that the chloride ion concentration in plain specimens is at least 200 times higher than that of fully reinforced specimens. Therefore, the effectiveness of CFRP reinforcement will be proved to effectively hinder the penetration of chloride ions into the core section. The formula of the time-dependent effect of concrete diffusivity with salt-freeze coupling effect was presented and its accuracy verified. A time-varying finite element model of chloride ion distribution was established by using ABAQUS software. It can be seen from the axial compression test that the strength loss rate of three categories of specimens was varied when subjected to the corrosion environment. Therefore, it is proved that CFRP reinforcement can effectively reduce the deterioration of the specimen's mechanical properties caused by the exposure environment. The research results can provide technical reference for applying the CFRP strengthened concrete in a severe salt-freeze environment.

Stable Perovskite Solar Cells with Bulk-Mixed Electron Transport Layer by Multifunctional Defect Passivation.

Multifarious electron transport layers (ETLs), especially fullerene derivatives, have been applied in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (OIHP) devices owing to their superior optoelectronic properties. However, a PCBM Lewis acid molecule can only passivate the iodine-rich defect sites, which cannot solve the problem of uncoordinated Pb2+ and water oxygen erosion due to the high volatility of halide I- and the hydrophilicity of organic cation MA+. Herein, we introduce a Lewis base, TBA-Azo with an electron-donating Azo moiety, and hydrophobic long alkyl chains into the PCBM layer to form a multifunctional bulk-mixed electron transport layer (MBE). PCBM of MBE can combine with iodine-rich trap sites at the surface and grain boundaries of perovskite. TBA-Azo molecules of MBE can passivate uncoordinated Pb2+ by forming Lewis adducts and isolate water/oxygen at the perovskite surface with hydrophobic alkyl chains. It results in a decrease of trap densities with 1 order of magnitude, effectively inhibiting both bimolecular and trap-induced recombination and thus elongating the carrier lifetime. The passivation of MBE can effectively improve the open-circuit voltage from 1.05 to 1.10 V. Furthermore, three long carbon chain structures of TBA-Azo in MBE can improve the water-resistant ability of OIHP devices, which can maintain 90% of the original PCE after 500 h at the humidity of 50 ± 10%. We believe that the MBE with multifunctional defect passivation provides a strategy for simultaneously achieving high-performance and high-stability OIHP optoelectronic devices.

Mechanical Behavior Investigation of Reclaimed Asphalt Aggregate Concrete in a Cold Region.

Recycled construction and demolition (C&D) waste can reduce the rebuild cost, and is environmentally friendly when recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) aggregate constitutes the main part. This paper investigated the mechanical performance of RAP concrete, and the applicability of RAP in road base layers also was discussed. Several mechanical laboratory tests were selected, including the unconfined compressive-strength, splitting-strength, and compressive-resilience modulus tests. The RAP concrete had a good road performance in a cold region, which was proved by the temperature-shrinkage test, dry-shrinkage test, freeze-thaw-cycle test, and water-stability test. Based on various cement dosages from 3.5% to 5.5% in RAP concrete mix design, three RAP aggregate replacement ratios (30%, 40%, and 50%) were selected to study the variation of mechanical properties with increasing curing time, and the optimal aggregate substitute ratio was determined. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the inner-structure interface between the asphalt binder and cement stone. A numerical model is presented to simulate the RAP compressive strength with respect to the effect of multiple parameters. The research results can provide a technical reference for RAP use in the reconstruction and expansion of low-grade highway projects.

Effects of dietary supplementation of nucleotides from late gestation to lactation on the performance and oxidative stress status of sows and their offspring.

Increased metabolic burdens in breeding sows, which are induced by elevated systemic oxidative stress, could increase the need for nucleotides to repair lymphocyte DNA damage; however, de novo synthesis of nucleotides may be insufficient to cover this increased need. This study investigated the effects of dietary nucleotides on milk composition, oxidative stress status, and the reproductive and lactational performance of sows. Forty multiparous sows were assigned to 2 dietary treatments (Control group, and 1 g/kg Nucleotides group) based on a randomized complete block design using their BW at 85 d of gestation as a block. Sows from 2 groups were fed a restricted diet during gestation and ad libitum during lactation. The experiment lasted from 85 d of gestation to 21 d of lactation. The reproductive performance of sows and the growth performance of suckling piglets were measured. Oxidative stress parameters and milk components were also analysed. Data were analyzed using contrasts in the MIXED procedure of SAS. Sows in the Nucleotides group consumed more feed during the first week (P < 0.01) and from 1 to 21 d (P < 0.05) of lactation than those in Control group. Correspondingly, the litter weight gain of piglets showed a tendency to increase from cross-fostering to 9 d (P = 0.09) and from cross-fostering to 20 d (P = 0.10) in the Nucleotides group relative to the Control group. Additionally, the Nucleotides group was higher (P < 0.01) than the Control group in the concentrations of uridine 5'monophosphate, guanosine 5'monophosphate, inosine 5'monophosphate, adenosine 5'monophosphate and total nucleotides in milk. Furthermore, the Nucleotides group was higher (P < 0.01) than the Control group in the serum levels of total antioxidant capacity (P < 0.01) for sows at 109 d of gestation and glutathione peroxidase for weaning piglets, but lower at the levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (P < 0.05) in serum of weaning piglets. This study indicated that maternal dietary nucleotides could promote piglet growth, probably due to the higher lactational feed intake and higher concentration of nucleotides in the milk of sows, and lower oxidative stress for both sows and piglets.