Efficacy of PZT Sensors Network Different Configurations in Damage Detection of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Prisms under Repeated Loading.

Real-time structural health monitoring (SHM) and accurate diagnosis of imminent damage are critical to ensure the structural safety of conventional reinforced concrete (RC) and fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) structures. Implementations of a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) sensor network in the critical areas of structural members can identify the damage level. This study uses a recently developed PZT-enabled Electro-Mechanical Impedance (EMI)-based, real-time, wireless, and portable SHM and damage detection system in prismatic specimens subjected to flexural repeated loading plain concrete (PC) and FRC.

Mesophase Behavior of Molecules Containing Three Benzene Rings Connected via Imines and Ester Linkages.

Ten new compounds based on the methineazo-azomethine (CH=N-N=CH) and ester linking groups were prepared and investigated for their mesophase behavior and optical stability, and liquid crystals of 4-substituted phenyl methineazo-azomethine phenyl 4-alkoxybenzoates, , were investigated. An alkoxy group with a length between 8 and 12 carbons is attached to the phenyl eater wing, while the other terminal ring is substituted in its 4-position with one of the polar NO, F, Cl, CHO, and N(CH) groups. The molecular structures of the newly prepared compounds were verified by using H NMR, C NMR, and elemental analysis.

A Deep Learning Approach for Autonomous Compression Damage Identification in Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Using Piezoelectric Lead Zirconate Titanate Transducers.

Effective damage identification is paramount to evaluating safety conditions and preventing catastrophic failures of concrete structures. Although various methods have been introduced in the literature, developing robust and reliable structural health monitoring (SHM) procedures remains an open research challenge. This study proposes a new approach utilizing a 1-D convolution neural network to identify the formation of cracks from the raw electromechanical impedance (EMI) signature of externally bonded piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers.

First mesomorphic and DFT characterizations for 3- (or 4-) -alkanoyloxy benzoic acids and their optical applications.

New liquid crystalline hydrogen bonded 3- (or 4)--alkanoyloxy benzoic acids were synthesized and probed theoretically and experimentally. The molecular structures of these compounds were elucidated by proton NMR, carbon-13 NMR and elemental analyses. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the thermal and mesomorphic properties of all the symmetrical dimers that bearing identical alkanoyloxy chains.

Assessment of performance of the regional climate model (RegCM4.6) to simulate winter rainfall in the north of Morocco: The case of Tangier-Tétouan-Al-Hociema Region.

We examine the performance of the regional climate model RegCM v4.6 to simulate spatial variability of precipitation in the northwestern region of Morocco during the winter of 2009-2010. Simulations cover 24 months from 2009 to 2010 with 30 km as a horizontal grid.