by Geeta Pokhrel  , Hongmei Gu  , Douglas J. Gardner  and Shane O'Neill

Received: 07 December 2021;  Published: 09 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2201003

This study is expanding the previous studies that were focused on the material properties and transportation costs of the two alternative feedstocks for manufacturing wood-plastic composites (WPCs): wood flour and pellets. Besides the material properties and cost analysis, life-cycle assessment (LCA) is equally important to assess the environmental impacts of these two alternative wood feedstocks to manufacture WPCs and gain the knowledge of influences from the manufacturing and transportation processes. The main g [...]

by Layachi Guelmine  and Hadda Hadjab

Received: 27 March 2021;  Published: 09 August 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2103033

The present study investigated the effect of reused rubber particles (RRP) on the deicer salt durability of ordinary concrete. Four mixtures were designed, a control concrete (CC) and three other rubber concretes obtained by partial substitution of natural dune sand aggregate with reused rubber particles with 0%, 3%, 6%, and 9% w/w. All studied concretes were subjected to the combined effect of freeze/thaw (56 and 120) cycles with the deicer salt solution of 3% NaCl. The results indicated that RRP improved the deic [...]

by Abolfath Askarian Khoob  , Mohammad Javad Ramezani  and Seyed Sina Mousavi

Received: 16 June 2022;  Published: 12 May 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2302021

This study intends to determine the behavior of glass laminate aluminum-reinforced epoxy (GLARE) and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) composites under a low-velocity impact test. Experimental tests and numerical simulations are considered for this investigation. All samples are made by the hand lay-up method. Moreover, specimens are produced with a 7075-T6 aluminium sheet with a 0.5 mm thickness, resin 3001, and E-glass fiber. The drop weight test performs the low-velocity impact at 6.7 J and 10 J impact energ [...]

by A. Guillermo Bracamonte

Received: 30 December 2022;  Published: 13 February 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2301008

In the present work we describe the most important quantum properties of graphene and derivatives recently published. We discuss how these properties were incorporated into varied hybrid materials such as substrates for specific tuning of matter to track varied quantum signals. Their potential applications were analyzed from nanomaterial and nanotechnology. In particular graphene, its derivatives and other carbon-based allotropes were chosen due to their special chemical structure and properties from the nanoscale [...]

by Pooam Khatri  , Kamalakanta Sahoo  , Richard Bergman  and Maureen Puettmann

Received: 18 June 2021;  Published: 15 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2104048

Raw materials for buildings and construction account for more than 35% of global primary energy use and nearly 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasized the drastic reduction in GHG emissions and thus, wood products with very low or negative carbon footprint materials can play an important role. In this study, a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was followed to quantify the environmental impacts of laminated strand lumber (LSL). The inven [...]

by Hazal Turasan  , Tahrima B. Rouf  , Tuncay Yilmaz  and Jozef L. Kokini

Received: 26 October 2022;  Published: 12 June 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2302023

Nanomaterials are now used in almost every field of science; as conductors and electrodes in electronics, as nanodelivery systems in health screenings and drug delivery, as nanofibrils in filtering and textile industry, as nanoparticles in biosensor fabrication for toxin and pathogen detection, and in packaging materials in the food industry. Synthetic materials and plastics accumulate in the environment causing increasing health concerns for their use in food and pharmaceutical products. Therefore, researchers now [...]

by Chang Gu  , Hongmei Gu  , Meng Gong  and Janet Blackadar

Received: 21 April 2022;  Published: 05 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203014

Mass timber products (MTPs) are being adopted in new building constructions and remodels in the last three decades, credited to their renewable and low carbon footprint characteristics. However, there are no mass timber manufacturers currently existing in Atlantic Canada. Extended distances of transporting MTPs to this region from other Canadian provinces may sacrifice the environmental benefits of using MTPs. This study was aimed to understand, via conducting a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA), the envir [...]

by Rohan R. Ravindranath  , Brian De La Franier  , Issaka Yougbare  , Jason E. Fish  and Michael Thompson

Received: 25 January 2020;  Published: 27 March 2020;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2001008

Coronary artery disease is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Coronary stents, tube-shaped medical implants that are placed in narrowed coronary arteries, have been used successfully in the management of this condition. However, re-narrowing (i.e. restenosis) of the artery can occur which is instigated by an immune response towards the implanted ‘foreign’ material. A new approach to prevent restenosis and reduce the stent-induced immune response has been proposed previously, which involve [...]

by Fathi M. Layas  , Vail Karakale  and Ramadan E. Suleiman

Received: 28 April 2023;  Published: 27 July 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2303029

In recent years, regional wars and terror activities have caused blast-loading effects on reinforced concrete buildings, resulting in catastrophic human and material damage. When a building is exposed to a blast load, a very high air pressure affects the building within a very short duration. To decide on the reconstruction or retrofit of a building exposed to blast loading, the behavior of the building under blast loading should be investigated. In this paper a case study of a RC building exposed to blast loading [...]

by Alireza Modir  , Arnaud Casterman  and Ibrahim Tansel

Received: 10 January 2023;  Published: 26 July 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2303028

The process of metal additive manufacturing (AM) involves creating strong, complex components by using fine metal powders. Extensive use of AM methods is expected in near future for the production of small and medium-sized batches of end-use products and tools. The ability to detect loads and defects would enable AM components to be used in critical applications and improve their value. In this study, the Surface Response to Excitation (SuRE) method was used to investigate wave propagation characteristics and load [...]

by Selvaraju Sivamani  , Rajoo Baskar  and Balasubramanian Lakshmi

Received: 29 April 2021;  Published: 14 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2103037

One of the crucial steps in the enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass is pretreatment. We investigated the applicability of a hybrid pretreatment method, This involved acid treatment followed by alkali before the production of fermentable sugars from cassava stem. The substrate was initially treated with acid (1% oxalic acid at 100 °C for 2 h), followed by treatment with a 10% NaOH–urea mixture (by mixing 5 g each of NaOH and urea in 100 mL of water) at 100 °C for 1 h. A cellulose recovery of 98.55% was obtained with the [...]

by Mohammed Mustafa  , Salman Pervaiz  and Ibrahim Deiab

Received: 23 February 2024;  Published: 18 June 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2402013

This paper investigates the effect of rake angle, α, cutting edge radius, r, and feed rate, f, on the cutting force and cutting zone temperature during orthogonal dry cutting of Ti6Al4V. A numerical model representative of the 2D orthogonal cutting process is developed using ABAQUS/Explicit software. Johnson-Cook, (JC) constitutive material model is used to describe material plasticity. JC damage model and energy-based fracture criterion are used to describe damage initiation and evolution. Using Minitab-19 softwar [...]

by William E Vargas  , Federico Muñoz-Rojas  , Esteban Avendaño  , Victoria Quirós-Cordero  and Marcela Hernández-Jiménez

Received: 30 July 2022;  Published: 12 October 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2204019

Spectrophotometry has been widely used to retrieve the dielectric function of a bulk iridium sample using an extended version of the Drude–Lorentz model. The parameters of the model are optimized using a spectral-projected-gradient-method-assisted acceptance-probability-controlled simulated annealing approach. Furthermore, optimized values of Drude parameters corresponding to the optical response of electrons and holes (scattering frequency of electrons, the ratio between scattering frequencies of holes and electro [...]

by Mayra De Grazia  , Cassandra Trottier  , Sergio R.A. Dantas  , Yathiraj Nagaraju  , Rouzbeh Ziapour  , Hian F. Macedo  and Leandro F.M. Sanchez

Received: 11 July 2022;  Published: 07 September 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203017

The ever-growing urgency to combat climate change has led the civil construction industry to develop and adopt sustainable construction materials and methods. The so-called recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) emerges as an alternative to decrease the carbon footprint of new concrete construction, the disposal of waste concrete, and the use of non-renewable natural resources such as cement and aggregates. RCA can be produced from crushing waste concrete; yet challenges remain when using RCA in concrete especially its [...]

by Dafni Foti  , Costas Passialis  , Elias Voulgaridis  and Stergios Adamopoulos

Received: 23 August 2022;  Published: 28 October 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2204022

Cellulosic fibrous mats were impregnated with various water-repellent formulations based on reclaimed polystyrene (5, 10, 15, and 20%), alkyd resin (5%), gum rosin (5%), and paraffin wax (0.5%). The mats were tested for their bursting strength and resistance to bending. They were also subjected to the ring crush test and short-span compression test. By increasing the concentration of total solid ingredients (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25.5%), the retention and grammage of the mats were increased, and all strength propertie [...]

by Pal S. Mangat  , Shahriar Abubakri  , Konstantinos Grigoriadis  and Vincenzo Starinieri

Received: 24 June 2021;  Published: 09 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2104040

Microwave curing of repair patches provides an energy efficient technique for rapid concrete repair. It has serious economic potential due to time and energy saving especially for repairs in cold weather which can cause work stoppages. However, the high temperatures resulting from the combination of microwave exposure and accelerated hydration of cementitious repair materials need to be investigated to prevent potential durability problems in concrete patch repairs. This paper investigates the time and magnitude of [...]

by Daniel Foltuț  and Viorel-Aurel Șerban

Received: 30 June 2024;  Published: 04 November 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2404026

This review examines the latest developments in the study of how Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) elastomers behave in peripheral applications of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs), specifically on the cathodic side. The review highlights the crucial role of EPDM in maintaining the integrity and efficiency of PEMFCs in challenging conditions characterized by varying temperatures, humidity, and acidic environments. The study examines the impact of various additives and vulcanization procedures on EP [...]

by Spiros Koutandos

Received: 21 October 2023;  Published: 07 February 2024;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2401005

In this paper, we continue our previous work by discussing the consequences of curvature in spacetime caused by the presence of mass and the implications of this. We address the question raised by Dirac regarding the impact of a magnetic monopole on the quantum world. We discuss quantization concerning the solid angles observed, which may have a connection with a magnetic monopole.

by António A. L. Ferreira  , Pedro Delgado  , Helena Parauta  , Charles V. Löwenström  and Joana O. Almeida

Received: 30 September 2022;  Published: 11 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2301004

In the context of inspection and maintenance actions for beach walkways in the North of Portugal, some samples of wood used in their construction were collected – the Pinus sylvestris wood, widely applied in the country. The sustainability of the beach walkways over natural coastal areas is very dependent on their material durability. One of the main problems of the timber used to build those structures is its behavior under wet-drying cycles. For that reason, this work aimed to simulate the effects of weathering o [...]

by Mohammad Shanawar Khan  and Shohel Amin

Received: 15 May 2022;  Published: 04 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203013

This study examines the chemical compositions of eggshell powder (ESP) and lime as the soil stabilisers and compared with the compositions of cement and fly-ash to understand the optimal distribution of chemical stabilisers maximising the bearing capacity and structural integrity of subgrade soil. The different proportions of eggshell powder (ESP) (2%, 4%, 6% and 8% of total soil mass) were mixed with a fixed proportion of lime (6% of total soil mass) to analyse the optimum proportion of eggshell maximising the soi [...]

by Stephan John  , Svenja Rink  , Leandra Weidemann  , Katrin Huesker  and Wilhelm Niedermeier

Received: 21 April 2022;  Published: 15 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2202012

Combining dental ceramics with other prosthetic metallic restorations might release metal ions, thus affecting the oral tissues of the patients. In this study, we evaluated the electrochemical solubility of various dental ceramics in a galvanic experimental setup in vitro. Smooth and rough feldspathic and zirconium dioxide ceramics (at pH 5.5 and pH 3.0) were exposed to an electric field. Calcium, barium, and zirconium were selected as parameters to determine the solubility of both types of ceramic materials. Among [...]

by Joana Sousa

Received: 10 March 2022;  Published: 24 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2203015

Exposure to indoor pollutants may exert a significant effect on children health as they spend most of their time in enclosed environments. This research compared the association of biological concentrations with indoor characteristics and building materials in places where children spend significant time indoors. It was compared the results of two autonomous research projects conducted in Porto primary schools and households. Both the projects included a walkthrough inspection and biological measurements in indoor [...]

by Suman Roy

Received: 27 September 2022;  Published: 03 January 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2301001

Increased occurrence of dynamic loading on bridge piers caused by seismic, blast and vehicular impact incidences have been increasingly reported. Statistical data shows that while seismic and blast have received significant attention in the literature despite the frequency of occurrence of vehicular impact is remarkably higher. Unfortunately, pier damage caused by high velocity vehicle impact contemplates a little consideration. With the newer construction methods like accelerated bridge construction (ABC) and its [...]

by A. Guillermo Bracamonte

Received: 28 July 2023;  Published: 15 November 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2304034

This mini-review discussed the best-known chemical and synthetic methodologies used in the last years to modify carbon allotropes, with an interest in nanotechnology. In this perspective, chemistry with optoelectronics applications and recent trends within bio-applications focusing mainly on graphene and its derivatives were considered. So, the mini-review intended to focus on methodologies to add functional groups with varied reactivities, polymer chemistry, and nanoscale control. These methodologies provide insig [...]

by Sujeet Kumar Thakur  and Sambasivan Venkat Eswaran

Received: 17 June 2023;  Published: 01 September 2023;  doi: 10.21926/rpm.2303032

The Inert soil obtained from the Ghazipur Municipal Solid Waste landfill located in East Delhi, India has been used as the starting material for the work described in this paper. This mountain-like monster is often in the news for its bad smell, pollution of the groundwater in the area from its leachates, and the occasional fires in it endangering the lives of the people living nearby. Landfills produce many greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, CO, HCHO, H2S, and NH3) which are poisonous and cause environmental pollution in [...]