This paper deals with the effect of lamination on the failure strength and fracture pattern of Upper Red Formation sandstones in southwest of Qom, Iran using Brazilian and point load tests. For this purpose, six blocks were taken from a part of this formation and have been drilled at different directions of lamination planes such as 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°.Although, the selected sandstones are seems similar but, the carried out test results and their failure patternsare different. The tensile strength, point load index and failure patterns in different inclination angles were determined for this group of sandstones. Also, the transitional angle of failurehas been determined for Brazilian and point load tests. The test results clearly indicated that failure strength and fractures pattern of laminated sandstones is a function of lamination inclination angle. Also, the results show there is a good correlation between strength and failure pattern of this group of sandstones under Brazilian and point load test conditions.

This article analyzes the results of load tests on 30 real size rammed aggregate piers (RAPs) used in the construction projects of various states in America, between 2001 and 2007. These piers were mostly tested in cohesive soils, including CL and ML. The Navg-values of the Standard Penetration Test of these soils were between 3 and 30. In this research, the parameters of pier diameter, pier length, pier slenderness ratio, soil elasticity modulus, pier elasticity modulus, design limit pier top settlement and stress and pier stiffness modulus were considered. The pier diameters were 0.60, 0.75 and 0.90 m, and their length was between 1.8 and 5.1 m. The piers slenderness ratio (length to diameter) was between 2.4 and 31.7 MPa. Test results reveal that when the pier length or slenderness ratio is increased, the average top settlement changes little and shows a constant trend. More precisely, the minimum and maximum settlement values were 6.5 mm and 16.1 mm, respectively, and the average settlement was 11.35 mm. The results of in situ load tests on 12 RAPs in ML soil on small scale piers, in Iran, in 2011, similarly showed that the minimum and maximum settlements were 7.2 mm and 13.1 mm, respectively, and the average settlement was 10.35 mm. The small-scale pier diameters were 0.185-0.105 m, and the pier lengths were 0.35-1.5 m. Based on these results, it seems that the average pier top settlement value could provide a suitable basis for estimating the piers stiffness modulus and preliminary designing of single RAPs. Based on the parameters affecting the estimation of pier top settlement and regression of results, an equation was achieved in this research which showed good agreement between calculated and measured results. This equation is based on pier slenderness ratio (Lt=DP) between 2.3 and 6.7, and the ratio of pier elastic modulus to matrix soil modulus (EP =ES) between 5 and 88.

In this investigation, the impact of confining pressure on the tensile strength obtained by point load test (PLT) is examined by particle flow code in two dimensions. In this regard, at first, a numerical model is calibrated using the Brazilian experimental test results. The tensile strength of the model material is equal to 2. 5 MPa. Secondly, PLT is performed on the numerical models with dimension of 15 cm × 50 cm. The rectangular models are tested by PLT under the presence of the confining pressure. The loading rate is 0. 001 mm/min, confining that the pressure is changed with the 13 different values of 0 MPa, 0. 002 MPa, 1MPa, 1. 5 MPa, 2 MPa, 2. 5 MPa, 3MPa, 3. 5 MPa, 4 MPa, 5MPa, 6 MPa, 9 MPa, and 11 MPa. The results obtained show that the vertical tensile crack develops through the model under a low confining pressure, while several shear bands are developed in the models under a high confining pressure. The number of shear cracks is augmented by augmenting the confining pressure. Is(50) is the augment by augmenting the confining pressure. Also a new criterion is rendered in order to determine Is(50) based on the confining pressure.

Background: Laceration around the joints may penetrate the synovial membrane barrier and contaminate the joint. Determining the penetration of the synovial membrane is important to the diagnosis. Saline load test has been used in the past to diagnosis penetrating joint injuries but the efficacy and safety of the test have not been determined. This study was designed to evaluate accuracy and safety of this procedure in penetrating periarticular injuries. Material and Methods: Between April 2002 till March 2003, 100 cases of Periarticular injuries to large joints with possibility of intra articular extension were studied. Clinical examination performed to determine the possibility of penetrating into the points. Then saline load test was performed by injecting appropriate qualities of saline into the joint, depending into the size of joint, watching for extravasations of saline with joint at rest and passive motion. Two weeks later patients examined in out patient clinic for evidence of any complications related to the test.Results: the ratio of male to female was 19:1; the mean age at the time of injury was 27.4. Eighty two percent of injuries were due to road traffic accident, the knee was involved in 68% of cases. In 47 patients saline load test was positive. In 38% of them the result of clinical examination had predicted that the joint space might not be open to exterior. In 28% of 53 patients in whom saline load test was negative clinical prediction had indicated an open joint injury. Overall, the result of saline load test had changed the treatment planned on the basis of clinical prediction in 33% of patients. There was no complication related to the procedure.Conclusion: decision making to operate or not the basis of clinical examination is risky and can have dangerous consequences. Saline load test is a safe and reliable method for diagnosis of intraarticular penetration of penetrating lacerations.

This paper presents a new model of equivalent modulus derived from the Repeated Load CBR (RL-CBR) test without strain gauge. This model is an updated version of Araya et al. model (2011), the update consists of using the vertical strain as weighting factor instead of vertical displacement in the mean vertical and horizontal stresses calculation. The accuracy of equivalent modulus was improved by decreasing the relative error from 25% to 3%. The extra-large mold adopted by Araya et al. is used with a thickness of 8 mm instead of 14.5 mm. In experimental investigations, equivalent modulus may be calculated from experimental data and model parameters estimated by finite element (EF) simulation. There are five model parameters when the RL-CBR test is used, and three parameters when the strain gauge is not used. Model parameters are determined in two steps. First, the FE simulation of the RL-CBR test is conducted using various loading conditions (i.e., plunger penetration) and various quality ranges of unbound granular materials (UGM). In the second step, the non-linear multidimensional regression is accomplished to fit the equivalent modulus to Young’s modulus. The influence of FE analysis inputs is investigated to find the optimal inputs set that make the best compromise between the model accuracy and the calculation time consumption. The calculation of model parameters is carried out based on the optimal set data. Results from the new model and those from Araya et al. model are compared and have shown the improved accuracy of the developed model.

Background and Aim: Wingate test involves a 30 seconds maximal exercise on cycling ergometer while the load is selected according to the body weight. Beside the body weight, the load is also related to other parameters such as age and gender. Also other parameters such as level of fitness, body mass index smoking of the exercisers can be affecting in the load selection for the test. This study suggests an intelligent load selection method for Wingate test using artificial neural networks according to all the affective variables.Materials and Methods: In this study 30 male students of Isfahan university volunteered to perform Wingate anaerobic power test on cycling ergometer (Monark 894). Moreover, the Rapid miner software was used for prediction of optimal workload according to characteristic of subjects.Results: According to the data mining algorithms, the Height, weight, age, exercise, pelvic fat and abdominal fat indicated the greatest impact on prediction of optimal workload:.Conclusion: According to the results, neural network was able to predict the amount of load for both train and test data with %93 and %90 confidence limits, respectively. This network can be used to delicately determine the load for anyone.

Background and Aim: It is believed that a period of healing, approximately 3-4 months for mandible and 4-6 months for maxilla, are required to ensure osseointegration. Recently, a new method called Immediate loading of implants have been proposed. This method provides improved stability of the implant by the immediate support of an iterim prosthesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the success rate of the Immediate loading single OPILS dental implants.Materials and Methods: Thirty-nine patients, including 26 females and 13 males, at the minimum age of 18 and maximum age of 54 years old, received 48 OPILS dental implants. In this prospective study, all samples were non-smoking, without any systemic disease or psychological problem. In all cases, and acrylic prefabricated crown was placed immediately after implant surgery. The definitive metal-ceramic crown was placed 2.5 months later in mandible and 5.5 months later in maxillae. Lack of pain, pus, implant immobility and less than 1mm bone loss were criteria of success.Results: The oral hygiene of females were better than males, 26 women had plaque index (0) and 11 of them had plaque index (1) where as out of 13 male subjects, 4 had plaque index (0), 6 had plaque index (2) and (3) had plaque index (3). The mean vertical bone loss, on mesial and distal parts, were less than 1mm, with the min. of 0 and max. of 0.4mm and the average of 0.2mm. All implants pass the defined criteria of success.Conclusion: On the basis of this short-term study, in single tooth cases, OPILS implants of Neo-Dent system can be loaded immediately.