Design of a bimodal self-burying robot
Subterranean exploration so far has primarily been performed with the assistance and involvement of human beings. As more ground is broken and more layers are explored, the need for a robotic solution to make digging both easier and safer becomes greater. The applications of a self-burying robot extend from mining and military applications to humanitarian applications. This paper elucidates design principles that form the foundation for self burying robots. In this paper, a bimodal robot is described which is capable of travelling above-ground in one mode and capable of burying itself in the other mode. The variables that affect digging are examined, as well as the design decisions made in order to optimize the resources available to the robot. Finally, future work in the area of self-burying robots is discussed.
Research on a Forestation Hole Digging Robot
In order to save time of digging hole when trees are planted, a robot that has six degrees of freedom is developed. In this paper the structure and function of a forestation hole digging robot is introduced and analyzed. At the same time, by the experiment it can be proved that the efficiency of the robot is very high and the ground surface destroyed by the robot is very small. The maximum diameter of the digging hole is 0.55m, a seedling tree can be planted in the hole. Furthermore, it is also very useful to eradicate stumps in forest area.
Physical Ageing of the Research Reactor Core Structural Materials Due to Neutron Irradiation Exposure: a Review
A research reactor (RR) is a  nuclear reactor that has function to generate and utilize neutron flux and radiation ionization for  research purposes and industrial applications. More than 60% of current operating RRs have  been operated for 30 years or more. As the time passes, the functional capabilities of structures,  systems and components (SSCs) of those RRs deteriorate by physical ageing, which can be  caused by neutron irradiation exposure such as irradiation induced dislocation and  microstructural changes. To extend the lifetime and/or to avoid unplanned outages, ageing on  the safety related SSCs of RRs need to be properly managed. An ageing management is a  strategy to engineer, operate, maintenance, and control SSC degradation within acceptable limits. The purpose of this study is to review physical ageing of the core structural materials of  the RRs caused by neutron irradiation exposure. In order to achieve this objective, a wide range  of literatures are reviewed. Comprehensive discussions on irradiation behaviors are limited only  on reactor vessel and core support structure materials made from zirconium and beryllium as  well as their alloys, which are widely used in RRs. It is found that the stability of the mechanical  properties of zirconium and beryllium as well as their alloys was mostly affected by the neutron  fluences and temperatures.