Tensile strength of flexor tendon repair using barbed suture material in a dynamic ex vivo model. The purpose of this study was to compare two sutures; a knotted polydioxane with a knotless barbed in a 4-strand Kirchmayr-Kessler suture technique. Human flexor digitorum tendons were separated into four groups. Group 1 - polydioxane; Group 2 - barbed suture; Group 3 and 4 - same as group 1 and 2 with an additional peripheral running suture. In each group the repaired tendons were subjected to linear and cyclical loads. No difference in maximum tensile strength after linear and cyclical force could be detected between the knotted polydioxane suture and the knotless barbed suture. On linear force tests an additional circumferential repair increased the maximum tensile strength of both sutures. Cyclical force loading did not lead to a reduction of maximum strength. Following linear and cyclical loading the 4-strand barbed suture achieved maximum tensile strengths comparable to the 4-strand repair using the polydioxane suture. Barbed suture repair may offer the advantage of knotless suture techniques. / In einem ex vivo Modell wurde die Stabilität verschiedener Beugesehnennähte mit unterschiedlichen Nahtmaterialien und -methoden verglichen. Darunter eine knotenlose Technik mit Nahtmaterial mit Widerhaken. Des weiteren wurde der Stabilitätsvorteil durch eine zusätzliche Feinadaptionsnaht getestet. Angelehnt an eine frühe postoperative aktive Nachbehandlung wurde auch ein dynamisches Testmodell mit zyklischer Vorbelastung angewendet.

The gluing of unseasoned wood, called green gluing, is a relatively new sawmill process, implying a radically changed order of material flow in the production of value-added wood-based products. It facilitates the enhancement of raw material recovery and value yield by integrating defect elimination and gluing already before kiln drying. The present study evaluates green glued adhesive bonds in flatwise glued beams and finger joints. The main part of this work deals with green gluing using a moisture curing polyurethane adhesive (PUR). Standardised test methods and specially designed, small scale, specimens were used for the determination of the strength, fracture energy and the ductility of both dry- and green glued bonds in tension and in shear. Using the small scale specimens it was possible to capture the complete stress versus deformation curves, including also their unloading part. An optical system for deformation measurement was used for the analysis of bond behaviour. The influence of moisture content during curing and temperature after curing on the adhesive chemical composition and on the mechanical properties was investigated. Furthermore, the moisture transport through the adhesive bond during curing was tested. Finally, microscopy studies were performed for analysis of bond morphology and fracture. The results show that two significant factors influence the shear strength of green glued bonds: wood density and adhesive spread rate. Bonds which fulfil the requirements according to EN 386 could be obtained within a wide range of process parameters. The small specimen tests showed that green glued PUR bonds can reach the same strength and fracture energy, both in shear and in tension, as dry glued bonds with the same adhesive amount. The local material properties of the bonds could be determined, thanks to the failure in the tests taking place within the adhesive bond itself and not in the wood. Following process factors were shown to cause lower bond strength: a) a low adhesive spread rate, b) high pressure and c) short pressing time in combination with low wood density and high moisture content. Moreover, the heat treatment of the cured PUR adhesive during drying influenced the chemical composition of the adhesive, providing for higher strength, stiffness and Tg of the adhesive, caused by an increased amount of highly ordered bidentate urea.

No description available.

Philipp Hoffmann Untersuchung zur Fixierung von Knorpelgewebe mittels laserinduzierter Koagulation Aus der Chirurgischen Tierklinik der Veterinärmedizinische Fakultät der Universität Leipzig, angefertigt im Forschungszentrum für Medizintechnik und Biotechnologie GmbH, Bad Langensalza Eingereicht im Januar 2012 97 Seiten, 59 Abbildungen, 9 Tabellen, 318 Literaturangaben 10 Seiten Anhang Schlüsselwörter: Laser, Löten, Knorpelgewebe, Zugfestigkeit, thermische Schäden Gelenkerkrankungen zählen zu den häufigsten Ursachen von Bewegungseinschränkungen in der Human- und Veterinärmedizin. Neben der konservativen Therapie gibt es zahlreiche chirurgische Therapieansätze, unter denen die verschiedenen Verfahren der autologen Chondrozytenimplantation (ACI) vermehrt in den Fokus gerückt sind. Als unbefriedigend stellt sich aktuell die Fixierung der Implantate bzw. Transplantate dar. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, zunächst in vitro, unter Nutzung von Gelenkknorpelgewebe aus Kadavermaterial (Schwein, Rind), ein Verfahren einzuarbeiten, mit dem es möglich ist, durch laserinduzierte Koagulation eines Lötmittels eine Verbindung zwischen zwei Knorpelfragmenten bei einer möglichst geringen Gewebeschädigung herzustellen. Als Lötmittel war ein geeignetes Chromophoren-Protein-Gemisch (CPG) herzustellen, welches so auf die Wellenlänge des zur Verfügung stehenden Lasers angepasst wurde, dass die Herstellung von Lötverbindungen möglich war. Die mechanische Festigkeit der Lötverbindungen wurde in verschiedenen Studien zur Optimierung der Lötmittelzusammensetzung und der Lasereinstellungen durch die Bestimmung der Zugkraft geprüft. Ebenso wurden Untersuchungen zum Auftreten thermischer Schäden am Gewebe durch das lasergestützte Löten vorgenommen. Ausgehend von der Untersuchung der Absorptionseigenschaften verschiedener Chromophore und Proteine wurden verschiedene, auf die Wellenlänge des Lasers (810 nm Diodenlaser) abgestimmte, CPG unter Verwendung des Farbstoffes Indocyaningrün (ICG), welcher in dem in der Humanmedizin zugelassenen Diagnostikum ICG-Pulsion® (PULSION Medical Systems AG, München) enthalten ist, und bovinem Serumalbumin (BSA) hergestellt. Knorpelgewebe absorbiert die Strahlung des Diodenlasers (810 nm) kaum (μa ≈ 0 bis 0,02 cm-1). Das Lötmittel (ICG + BSA), dessen Absorptionsmaximum mit 790 nm nah an der Emissionswellenlänge des Lasers liegt, absorbiert hingegen in diesem Wellenlängenbereich gut. Dadurch kann eine direkte Schädigung des Knorpelgewebes durch die Absorption der Laserstrahlung vermieden werden. In den Studien wurden drei Lötmittel mit unterschiedlichen Anteilen an ICG (1 %, 0,25 % und 0,025 %) bei einem BSA-Gehalt von 60 % verwendet. Die Lötmittel mit 0,025 % und 0,25 % ICG wurden zur Prüfung der Zugfestigkeit der gelöteten Verbindung in Abhängigkeit von der Leistungsdichte und der Expositionszeit untersucht. Das Lötmittel mit 0,025 % ICG wurde in den Untersuchungen zur Abhängigkeit der Zugfestigkeit von der Tierspezies, der Entnahmestelle des Knorpelgewebes und der Lötmitteldicke genutzt. Einflüsse der Lagerung des Lötmittels und der Anzahl an Lötmittelpunkten auf die Zugfestigkeit wurden mit dem Lötmittel mit 0,25 % ICG untersucht. Zusätzlich war zu prüfen ob durch ein Knorpelgewebefragment hindurch das CPG zu koagulieren ist. Zur Untersuchung thermisch bedingter Schäden wurden zum einen Temperaturmessungen an der Oberfläche des Knorpelgewebes, im Bereich des Lötmittels und in verschiedenen Tiefen unterhalb des Lötmittels durchgeführt. Zum anderen erfolgten histologische Untersuchungen der Knorpelgewebeproben nach Laseranwendung. Es ist möglich, mittels laserinduzierter Koagulation eines CPG eine Verbindung von Knorpelgewebe vom Schwein und Rind herzustellen. Mit Steigerung der Leistungsdichte und Verlängerung der Expositionszeit kommt es zur Erhöhung der Zugfestigkeit. Die Zugfestigkeiten waren bei Koagulation des CPG durch das Knorpelfragment hindurch niedriger als die Zugfestigkeiten mit aufgelegtem Lötmittel. Unter Laseranwendung kommt es zu einem steilen Ansteigen der Temperatur im Lötmittel bis zum Erreichen einer Höchsttemperatur. Die Steilheit des Temperaturanstieges und die sich einstellenden Temperaturen nehmen mit Erhöhung des im Lötmittel enthaltenen ICG-Gehaltes und der am Laser eingestellten Leistung zu. Die Temperaturerhöhung ist jedoch weitgehend auf das Lötmittel und dessen Randbereiche begrenzt. Die histologischen Untersuchungen verdeutlichten, dass die Laserbestrahlung von Knorpelgewebe mittels Diodenlaser (810 nm) nur eine sehr geringe Schädigung verursacht. Unter Verwendung eines Lötmittels kommt es durch die vom Lötmittel absorbierte Energie zu Schäden am umliegenden Knorpelgewebe. Diese Schädigung ist auf Randbereiche des Lötmittels begrenzt und nimmt mit steigender Leistung und Expositionszeit zu. Bei einer Leistungsdichte von (5,09 W/cm2) konnte eine Verbindung zwischen zwei Knorpelfragmenten erzielt werden, die bei einer Zugkraft von 13,3 N/cm2 nachgibt und bei der die Schädigungen des Knorpelgewebes minimal sind. Die vorliegenden Untersuchungen haben gezeigt, dass es möglich ist, Knorpelfragmente mittels laserinduzierter Koagulation eines CPGs miteinander zu fixieren. / Philipp Hoffmann Investigation for the fixation of articular cartilage tissue using laser-induced coagulation From the Large Animal Clinic for Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, prepared at Research Centre of Medical Technology and Biotechnology GmbH, Bad Langensalza Submitted in January 2012 97 Pages, 59 figures, 9 tables, 318 references, 10 pages appendices Keywords: laser, soldering, cartilage tissue, tensile strength, thermal damage Joint diseases are among the most common causes of restricted movement of patients in the human and veterinary medicine. In addition to the conservative therapy, there are numerous surgical therapies, under which the various methods of autologous chondrocyteimplantation, have moved increasingly into the focus of scientific and clinical interest. As problematic and unsatisfactory is currently the fixation of the implants. The aim of this study was, first in vitro, taking advantage of articular cartilage tissue from cadaver material (pig, cattle) to incorporate a process by which it is possible to produce by laser-induced coagulation of solder a connection between two cartilage fragments with the smallest possible tissue damage. As solder was a suitable chromophore-protein-mixture (CPG) to establish which it was adapted to the wavelength of the laser is available, that the production of solder joints was possible. The mechanical strength of solder joints has been examined in several studies to optimize the laser settings and the solder ingredients by determining the tensile strength. Likewise, studies on the occurrence of thermal damage to the tissues were made by the laser-assisted soldering. Based on the study of the absorption properties of various chromophores and proteins the wavelength of the laser (810 nm diode laser) was tuned, and different CPG using the dye indocyanine green (ICG), which is within the acceptable in human medicine ICG-Pulsion ® (Pulsion Medical Systems AG, Munich) is included, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were prepared. Articular cartilage tissue absorbs the radiation of the diode laser (810 nm) hardly (uA ≈ 0 to 0.02 cm–1). The solder (ICG + BSA), whose absorption maximum at 790 nm is close to the emission wavelength of the laser is absorbed. This can be avoided direct damage to the cartilage tissue through the absorption of laser radiation. In the studies, three solders were used with different proportions of ICG (1 %, 0.25 % and 0.025 %) at a content of 60 % BSA. The solder with 0.025 % and 0.25 % ICG were studied to test the tensile strength of the soldered connection as a function of power density and exposure time. The solder containing 0.025 % ICG was used in the investigations of the dependence of tensile strength of the animal species, the donor site of the cartilage and the solder thickness. Influences of storage the solder and the number of solder dots on the tensile strength were investigated with the solder with 0.25 % ICG. In addition it was to examine if it is possible to coagulate the CPG through an articular cartilage fragment. To investigate thermally induced damage to temperature measurements were performed on the surface of the cartilage tissue in the area of the solder and at various depths below the solder. Secondly, histological examinations were made of the articular cartilage after laser application. It is possible to produce by laser-induced coagulation of a CPG an articular cartilage bonding of pig and cattle. With increasing power density and lengthening the exposure time leads to the increase in tensile strength. The tensile strengths were measured with coagulation of the CPG passed through the cartilage fragment is lower than the tensile strengths with applied solder. Under laser application leads to a steep rise in temperature in the solder to reach a maximum temperature. The rate of temperature rise increases with increasing the solder contained in ICG content and on the laser power set. The temperature rise is limited largely to the solder and its peripheral areas. The histological examinations showed that the laser irradiation of cartilage tissue using diode laser (810 nm) only a very little damage caused. Using a solder it comes through the energy absorbed by the solder and damage to the surrounding articular cartilage tissue. This damage is limited to border areas and the flux increases with increasing power and exposure time. At a power density of (5.09 W/cm2) was a connection between two cartilage fragments are obtained, which yields at a tensile force of 13.3 N/cm2 and where the damage to the cartilage tissue is minimal. The present studies have shown that it is possible cartilage fragments by laser-inducedcoagulation of a CPG to fix each other.

No description available.

The objectives of the research are to establish the process of obtaining regenerated fibers and films from wood pulp and bagasse pulp with the ionic liquid 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Chloride (BMIMCl) as a solvent; to study the impacts on tensile strength of different spinning parameters; to find the optimal spinning condition, and to obtain regenerated cellulose products with flame retardant properties. Solutions were obtained by dissolving cellulose (wood/bagasse) pulp into the BMIMCl. The solutions were extruded in a dry-jet and wet-spinning method using water as a coagulation bath. The obtained fibers were tested to evaluate the properties such as tensile strength, thermal property, thermal mechanical property, crystal order, and ionic liquid residue in obtained fiber. The orthogonal experiments were designed to find out the strongest affective variable and the optimal condition of the spinning process. The regenerated cellulose films with melamine resin or zinc oxide were obtained. Their flame retardant properties were tested. Cellulose fiber with melamine resin was also obtained. Thermo-gravimetric analyzer (TGA) was used to measure the thermal properties of obtained products, and to calculate their activation energies. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to determine the thermal mechanical properties of obtained fibers. Wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) was used to measure the degree of crystallinity and degree of crystal orientation. The tensile strength was tested by a tensile machine. To evaluate the quantity of ionic liquid residue in the regenerated fibers, the instrumental methods of FT-IR and Mass Spectrometry were applied. Research results indicated increases in the degree of crystallinity and storage modulus under a higher fiber drawing speed. Both regenerated bagasse fibers and regenerated wood fibers had similar thermal properties. However, the regenerated bagasse fibers showed a higher degree of crystallinity and a higher tenacity than the regenerated wood fibers obtained under the same condition. The study also revealed water treatment would be helpful for eliminating the ionic residue in regenerated fibers. It was also found the concentration of cellulose in the BMIMCl solution affected the tensile strength of regenerated fiber mostly. Certain amount of melamine or zinc oxide nanoparticles contained in the cellulose matrix could improve the flame retardant property effectively. / text

Asphalt mixtures or asphalt concrete are used to pave about 93% of about 2.6 million miles paved roads and highways in the US. Asphalt concrete is a composite of aggregates and asphalt binder; asphalt binder works as a glue to bind the aggregate particles. The mechanical response of the asphalt binder is dependent on the time/rate of loading, temperature and age. An asphalt concrete mixture inherits most of these characteristics from the asphalt binder. Also the asphalt binder plays a critical role in providing the asphalt concrete the ability to resist tensile stresses and relaxing thermally induced stresses that can lead to fatigue and low temperature cracking, respectively. Hence, it is very important (but not sufficient) to ensure that asphalt binders used in the production of asphalt concrete are inherently resistant to cracking, rutting and other distresses that a pavement may undergo. Current binder specification (AASHTO M-320) to evaluate its fatigue cracking is based on the stiffness of the binder and not on its tensile strength. Also, measurements following current specifications are made on test specimens subjected to a uniaxial mode of loading that does not produce the same stress state in the binder as in the case of asphalt concrete. Another challenge in being able to produce binders with inherently superior performing characteristics is the fact that the asphalt binders produced in a refinery do not have a consistent chemical composition. The chemical composition of asphalt binder depends on the source and refining process of crude oil. There is a need to better quantify the tensile strength of asphalt binder and understand the relationship between the chemical composition of asphalt binders and its mechanical properties. The knowledge from this study can be used to engineer asphalt binders that have superior performance characteristics. The objective of this research was to quantify the tensile strength of asphalt binder, develop a metric for the tensile strength and identify the relationship between chemical composition and mechanical properties of asphalt binder. Laboratory tests were performed on binders of different grades using a poker chip geometry to simulate confined state by varying the film thickness, rate of loading and modes of loading. The chemical properties of asphalt binder were studied based on SARA fractionation. The findings from this research showed that the modified correspondence principles can unify and explain the rate and mode dependency of asphalt binder. This study also quantified the relationship between chemical composition, and rheological and mechanical properties of asphalt binder. Finally, a composite model was developed based on the individual properties of chemical fractions which could predict the dynamic modulus of the asphaltenes doped and resins doped binder. / text

The brittleness of concrete has always been a safety and economic issue of great concern. The low tensile strength of concrete is the cause of its intrinsic brittle nature. This is critical considering the amount of concrete used for the construction of highways, buildings, and other facilities. The mechanical properties of concrete must be improved to provide upgraded construction. Crack resistant and durable concrete has always been a major goal for engineers. Many approaches have been tried to make concrete a better construction material. Fiber reinforcement is an approach which has been shown to improve the quality and durability of concrete. The focus of this research is to develop a mix design of fiber reinforced concrete and then test these materials for both compressive and tensile strength after casting into cubes. The effect of polyvinyl alcohol fibers on the mechanical properties of concrete was also studied. The impacts of moisture and the stress applied on the fibers were determined using Raman spectroscopy.

<p>Laboratory tests on microscale are reported in which amorphous silica grains were compressed in a liquid environment, namely in solutions with different silica ion concentrations for up to four weeks. Such an arrangement represents an idealized representation of two sand grains. The grain surfaces and asperities were examined in Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for fractures, silica polymer growth, and polymer strength. Single chains of silica polymers are found to have a failure pulling force of 330 - 450 nN. </p><p>A chain of observations are reported for the first time, using Pneumatic Grain Indenter and Grain Indenter-Puller apparatuses, confirming a long-existing hypothesis that a stressed contact with microcracks generates dissolved silica in the contact (asperity) vicinity, which eventually polymerizes, forming a structure between the grains on a timescale in the order of weeks. Such structure exhibits intergranular tensile force of 1 - 1.5 mN when aged in solutions containing silica ion concentrations of 200- to 500 ppm. Stress appears to accelerate the generation of silica polymers around stressed contact regions, so does mica-silica contacts. The magnitude of intergranular tensile force is 2 to 3 times greater than that of water capillary effect between grains.</p> / Dissertation

About half of the building stock in Turkey is masonry type and one fourth of the building stock is one-storey brick type masonry buildings. Especially the rural masonry houses are commonly constructed by their own residents without any engineering knowledge. Traditional masonry houses usually have heavy roofs which generate large lateral forces on walls during earthquakes. Readily available retrofitting techniques are mostly complicated and costly making it not feasible for uneducated poor residents to strengthen their own houses. The aim of this thesis is to develop a new alternative strengthening technique using scrap tires that is economic and easy to apply on the walls of one-story masonry houses. In order to investigate the usage of scrap tires for masonry wall post-tensioning, forty three scrap tire rings (STRs) from nine different brands and nine rim-rings direct tension experiments were conducted. The average tensile load capacities of STRs and rim-rings were found as 132.6 kN and 53 kN, respectively. Six strip walls (i.e., four brick- and two briquette-walls) strengthened by applying post-tensioning loads with STCs and hybrid system were tested in out-of-plane bending direction. The out-of-plane capacity of the brick and briquette walls increased up to about 9 times and 5 times with respect to their nominal capacities, respectively. Finally, two-full scale traditional masonries were tested by the tilting table. The capacity of strengthened house increased 75% with respect to the unstrengthened one. The results obtained form the conducted tests are highly promising and suggest that the method can be used as a low-cost and simple strengthening technique for seismically deficient single storey, masonry type houses.