Zhongxing Wang

The elastic stage similarity law constitutes the key basis for developing the full-process similarity law. This study proposes an elastic stage dynamic similarity law for soil–pile shaking table tests, which enables the quantitative prediction of prototype responses, including pile head acceleration, pile head displacement and pile bending moment, from model test results, even when there are errors in the dynamic shear modulus of model soil. Shaking table tests are conducted on soil–pile interaction models with scale ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4 to validate the proposed similarity law. All back-calculated responses show errors of less than 5%. Numerical simulation comparison with the artificial mass similarity law proves significant advantage of the proposed similarity law.

This paper proposes a new vulcanization kinetic model for determining the degree of cure during the stages of induction, curing, and reversion, and applies this model to optimize the thick rubber vulcanization process. A comprehensive experimental program, including vulcanization characteristic tests, thermophysical properties tests, and temperature field measurements, was first conducted. Test results were then used to examine the suitability of the existing and the newly proposed vulcanization kinetic models. The new models have been found to provide more accurate and less scattered predictions of the degree of cure. A finite element (FE) model was developed and validated to accurately capture the temperature distribution during the vulcanization process of thick rubber. Then employed in a comprehensive parametric study to investigate the temperature field distributions over a wider variety of vulcanization conditions. A series of programs, on the basis of the embedded vulcanization kinetic model, was developed to automatically generate the mean values of the degree of cure and the departure of torque, together with the coefficients of variation of the degree of cure, to quantitatively characterize the overall vulcanization state of the thick rubber. Finally, the optimal vulcanization conditions of thick rubber are recommended based on the defined evaluation criteria.