The fracture and fatigue properties of cast irons used for trunk mains in the water industry
In order to assess the remaining life of cast iron assets in the water sector, an understanding of their fracture and fatigue characteristics is necessary. The present work is concerned with the toughness and Paris crack growth behaviour of cast iron materials with a range of micro-structures, taken from trunk mains currently in service. When considered with other data from the literature, the results from the present study enable the range of fatigue crack growth behaviour likely to be seen in service to be quantified. The role of microstructure in fracture and fatigue behaviour is discussed. Calculations of fatigue life based on integration of the Paris law are then carried out and compared with previously published data for samples from cast iron distribution mains. The results from these investigations support the development of asset management tools for use in the water industry.
Infrastructure Asset Management What does NDE need to achieve for cast iron pipe networks ?
Alexander Rainer MEng Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK Tobias F. Capell PhD Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK Nic Clay-Michael Clay-Michael Ltd, Reading, UK Michael Demetriou MEng Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK Timothy S. Evans PhD Innovation, Thames Water Utilities Ltd, Reading, UK
InTlP — a proposed infrared detector material
In1−xTlxP is proposed as a promising material for infrared detectors. A number of key optical and structural properties are studied within local density‐functional theory. In1−xTlxP at x=0.67 and In1−xTlxAs at x=0.15 are estimated to have a gap of 0.1 eV. Their binding energies are larger than that of InSb, and they are found to form stable zinc‐blende alloys for all x. In1−xTlxP nearly lattice matches to InP, and offers the potential to integrate detector array and read‐out circuit.