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In this thesis the static and fatigue characteristics of glass filament wound plastic pipes and joints are examined by experiments and numerical analysis. A hydraulic fatigue test rig, capable of exerting static or cyclic pressures of up to 70 MPa, was designed and built to enable pressure tests to be carried out on glass reinforced epoxy and glass reinforced vinyl ester composite pipes incorporating various joints. Static weepage and burst tests were performed on tubular specimens with and without rubber liners to determine their weepage and burst strengths under internal hydraulic pressure and to investigate the influence of the joints. Fatigue weepage tests were performed to determine the fatigue life and failure modes of glass fibre/epoxy and glass fibre/vinyl ester pipes and joints. For each material system, three types of specimen were tested. These were plain pipes, pipes with coupler-bonded joints (or laminate joints in the case of vinyl ester resin based pipes) and pipes with spigot/socket bonded joints. All specimens were commercial products with nominal diameters of two inches (50 mm). A family of curves showing pressure versus life was obtained. It was observed that weepage mostly occurred close to the pipe joints when pipes were subjected to internal pressure. Optical microscopy was used to investigate the damage initiation and propagation mechanisms in the specimens after testing. Finally, two-dimensional and three-dimensional finite element analyses were carried out to calculate the stress and strain distributions, to predict the strength, to interpret the experimental results and to examine the failure modes of the specimens. Ply-by-ply stress analysis and the Tsai-Wu failure criterion were employed for the strength prediction.

Perchloroethene and trichloroethene are among the most persistent groundwater pollutants, and Dehalococcoides is the only known species that can degrade these compounds completely to non-toxic ethene. Characterization of the reductive dehalogenase (RDase) enzymes responsible for dechlorination is important to understanding this process. A series of dechlorination assays were performed with whole cell suspensions and cell-free extracts of three Dehalococcoides-containing mixed microbial consortia to compare dechlorination kinetics and to characterize co-contaminant inhibition. Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters Vmax and Km, as well as non-competitive inhibition coefficients for 1,1,1-trichloroethane and 1,1-dichloroethane inhibitors are reported. Secondly, blue native gel electrophoresis was developed as a method to isolate active protein complexes containing RDases. Thirdly, sources of variability in the isotopic fractionation of vinyl chloride to ethene reaction step were examined using cell-free extracts and whole-cell suspensions. Understanding the function and range of RDases are goals towards the successful application of Dehalococcoides-containing cultures to remediate contaminated sites.

Perchloroethene and trichloroethene are among the most persistent groundwater pollutants, and Dehalococcoides is the only known species that can degrade these compounds completely to non-toxic ethene. Characterization of the reductive dehalogenase (RDase) enzymes responsible for dechlorination is important to understanding this process. A series of dechlorination assays were performed with whole cell suspensions and cell-free extracts of three Dehalococcoides-containing mixed microbial consortia to compare dechlorination kinetics and to characterize co-contaminant inhibition. Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters Vmax and Km, as well as non-competitive inhibition coefficients for 1,1,1-trichloroethane and 1,1-dichloroethane inhibitors are reported. Secondly, blue native gel electrophoresis was developed as a method to isolate active protein complexes containing RDases. Thirdly, sources of variability in the isotopic fractionation of vinyl chloride to ethene reaction step were examined using cell-free extracts and whole-cell suspensions. Understanding the function and range of RDases are goals towards the successful application of Dehalococcoides-containing cultures to remediate contaminated sites.

[Abstract]: With the increasing use of fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites in civil engineering structures, there is a growing realisation of the need to develop newstructural systems which can utilise the unique characteristics of these materials in a more efficient and economical manner. In many instances this will require thedevelopment of new materials tailored to address the unique performance and economic parameters of mainstream construction. Over recent years, researchers at the University of Southern Queensland have pioneeredthe use of a new type of particulate filled polymer core material which greatly improves the robustness and cost effectiveness of FRP structural systems. These compositematerials are composed of small hollow spherical fillers (microspheres) in a thermosetting polymer matrix. Initial research into these materials, including theirfeasibility in prototype structural elements, have shown these materials to have major potential for widespread application in structural composite systems.One of the most promising classes of these materials investigated to date are vinyl ester / cenosphere composites, which utilise cenospheres derived from fly ash in a vinyl ester matrix. Previously reported studies into these materials have been restricted to initialsurveys of material behaviour which sought to identify key parameters in achieving desired performance outcomes in the composite. This dissertation presents the first in-depth investigation of these materials specifically as a core material option for civil infrastructure applications. The particular focus of this work is on the relationship of the vinyl ester matrix to the characteristics of the resultingcomposite. Several key matrix parameters were identified and assessed as to their influence on cure characteristics, fabrication operations, mechanical properties and theretention of such properties under elevated service temperatures. The outcomes of this work have significantly improved the understanding of matrix influences on the behaviour of these composite systems and have been drawn together to provide a number of recommendations on the application of this new technology to new structural systems.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Chemistry)--Vanderbilt University, Dec. 2007. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1983. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 228-230).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Drexel University, 2005. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 274-281).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2000. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41, 81, 130, 183, 270, 315, 336).