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Heavy Duty Riveted Bridge Deck AASHTO H20 Loading and Fatigue Testing: Long Service Life Explored

Heavy Duty Riveted Bridge Deck Grating has been field proven to provide long service life for heavily loaded bridges. Examples presented include riveted steel decks that are in almost new condition after over 15 years in service and others that are still in good condition after nearly 60 years of service with no evidence of significant damage or deterioration. This is in stark contrast to the service life exhibited by some welded type bridge decks. This paper begins to examine the fatigue resistance of heavy duty riveted style bridge decks. The results from static load and fatigue cycle testing of riveted grating under AASHTO H20 loading with a 30% impact factor are presented. The testing conducted during 2009 and 2010 at the University of Akron Civil Engineering Lab has examined the static behavior of the riveted grating and has included fatigue testing of full-scale decks to well over 1 million cycles. The extra heavy load levels and worst case load location were used to accelerate the testing, and show where cracks might originate. The results also provide insight into the best methods for attachment of the riveted grating to the support structure.

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CNC Machining: From Punch Cards to Precise, Identical Parts Fast!

Do you remember your parents talking about their experience with computers in school? My dad would always refer to ‘punch cards’ that had to be manually inserted into the computer to get the desired results. He says that it wasn’t until he was in college that he started using these punch cards to create simple accounting programs, and this was in the year 1977. The farthest back I can remember is to that one computer in the back of my second grade classroom and the big floppy disks (actual flexible floppy, not the hard disks yet) we inserted for some reason that’s a bit blurry to me now, probably some sort of ‘game’ to help us learn addition and subtraction. I was in second grade in 1989-1990, and the demise of punch cards wasn’t so long ago if you think about it. They were in common use through the mid-1970s; this decade marked the beginning of CNC machining and various computer numerical controlled devices.

What’s Cooking with Grey Iron Castings

In an age of the latest and greatest in cooking technology, many chefs are making a surprising switch to one of the oldest cooking materials in the books. Cast iron pots, pans, skillets, kettles and more are often preferred to new specially formulated instruments in professional kitchens. Often more economical in the long run, durable cast iron cookware even add an extra something to every dish they help prepare. Chefs, food critics and researchers alike have long noted the benefits of this versatile material in the arenas of both health and taste. The advantages do not end at the dinner table, however, as is evidenced by the continued use of grey iron castings in the industrial sector for an ever expanding line of products.

The Benefits and Disadvantages of Outsource Manufacturing

Many companies worldwide, large and small, rely on a business model called contract manufacturing, better known as outsourcing. The concept is simple-two companies divide the manufacturing and sales/marketing aspects of a business. One is a hiring firm, who comes up with the product specifications and brand. They then sign a contract with a contract manufacturer, the firm that produces and packages the components and products. In short, it’s a business agreement made to save time and money, as well as streamline the manufacturing process and provide a better made product. Here’s an example: A soft drink company has come up with a new recipe. They have it made by an established soda processing plant, who deals with buying the ingredients and managing the labor while they focus on branding the soda and making commercials and ads to sell it.

Wire Rope: A Rock Climber’s Best Friend

For the past year, my younger brother has been backpacking around New Zealand, sleeping in a tent, working on farms and climbing mountains. From the pictures I’ve seen, it’s been an amazing adventure in one of the most naturally beautiful places on Earth. The older sister in me, though, is always a little bit worried. I imagine him scaling the sides of steep rock formations or climbing his way to the top of Mount Cook, and I realize how much more of a thrill seeker he is than me. While I would prefer he take up a more relaxing outdoor sport like fishing, the fact that he’s well equipped for belaying allows my mind to rest easy. Instead of relying on a good grip and foot holding, most rock climbers these days use an effective system consisting of a harness, pulley and belay loop, which are all attached to a sturdy climbing rope. Belaying ensures the climbers won’t fall very far in case they slip off a rock.

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