The vertical counterforce loading device includes a concrete support member, four transfer components, four connection components, a vertical force transmission component and a load test soil layer. The concrete support member is formed by pouring and concreting below the load test soil layer. The four transfer components are divided into two groups to be symmetrically and parallelly anchored in the concrete support member. The vertical force transmission component includes a load plate, a jack, a primary beam and a secondary beam arranged in sequence from bottom to top. The load plate is installed on the load test soil layer. Two secondary beams are connected crosswise to both ends of the primary beam, where end portions of the secondary beams are respectively connected to second ends of the connection components through reinforcement components. The device can improve work efficiency, reduce construction costs and improve safety.

A method for real time crush testing of proppants including loading proppant into an apparatus comprising: a body with a chamber to accept a piston and proppant; a pressure piston; a pressure transducer located in the bottom of the chamber; and a displacement sensor; compressing the proppant with the pressure; calculating the amount of proppant material in the proppant pack; increasing pressure on the proppant pack until the sample is crushed; calculating proppant strength from at least the displacement sensor data. An apparatus includes a body with a chamber to accept a piston and proppant; a pressure piston; a pressure transducer located in the bottom of the chamber; and a displacement sensor.

A device and test method for characterizing granular materials for angle of repose, static and dynamic flow properties, and process parameter variables by means of defining a sample retention boundary. The device is composed of a funnel for dynamic testing, a retention ring for static testing, a base, and a test device having an upper surface set at one or more angles to determine conditions in which samples are retained. By varying the texture of the surface, flow characteristics and other process issues can be evaluated.

A method for determining the sticky point of powder samples includes introducing a sample into a first measuring part, placing a second measuring part above the first measuring part to delimit a sample chamber, using a motor to drive the measuring parts relative to one another, using a force application unit to exert a force on the sample normal to a rotational plane of the measuring parts, using a measuring unit to record a torque or shear stress of the sample between the measuring parts, using a temperature-control unit or oven to apply a temperature profile to the sample while measuring the torque or shear stress, and supplying recorded measured values of the torque or shear stress and the sample temperature at measuring points to an evaluation unit. The evaluation unit determines the sticky point from the measured values of the torque or shear stress and the temperature.

A device and method for preparing a solidified cohesionless soil specimen for triaxial test. The device includes a first vessel for storing a grout, a first peristaltic pump, a grouting pipe, a first electrode rod, a direct-current power supply, a first glass stopper, a PMMA pipe, a circumferential grouting cylinder, a first hoop sleevedly provided on the circumferential grouting cylinder, a second hoop sleevedly provided on the PMMA pipe, a return pipe, a second glass stopper, a second electrode rod, a liquid outlet pipe, a first water-stop clamp, a second water-stop clamp, a second vessel for collecting an exudate, and a second peristaltic pump.

A portable soil body in-situ shear test device includes: an active force system arranged externally, a passive shear system and an electromagnetic loading system arranged internally, and a ring knife system arranged at a bottom. Compared with the conventional in-situ soil shear strength test device and test method, the present invention is convenient to install and carry as well as simple to operate, and has strong applicability. The present invention is suitable for layered soils with large cross-plate shear test errors, and for soils with different consolidation degrees at various sites and various terrains. A test method adopting the device can simulate the shear strength of the soil mass under different overburden loads without disturbing the mechanical properties of the in-situ soil mass, which has high promotion value in the test of in-situ soil shear strength.

An impact sensor is mounted in a duct of a grain cleaning system above an upper sieve. The impact sensor has an upstream-facing impact-sensing surface with respect to a cleaning airstream, and is configured to transduce impact events and generate impact signals therefrom. An electronic control unit (ECU) is configured to generate control signals based upon a particle energy value that is determined from the impact signals. The control signals may serve to adjust various working units of a combine harvester including, by way of example, a cleaning fan and sieves.

A method of obtaining a sample of materials includes building a product through an additive manufacturing process. A capsule is formed with an internal chamber inside of the capsule. The capsule is formed during the building of the additive manufacturing product. A sample of powder is encapsulated inside the internal chamber as the capsule is built. The internal chamber is hermetically sealed from an exterior environment to retain the sample of powder in the internal chamber.

A coated nickel hydroxide powder that has a cobalt compound coating having improved uniformity and adhesion properties on the surface of particles thereof and is therefore suitable for a positive electrode active material of an alkaline secondary battery is obtained by coating the surface of nickel hydroxide particles with a cobalt compound, and has a transmittance ratio of 30% or higher as determined by (A−B.sub.max)/(B.sub.0−B.sub.max). The transmittance A (coated nickel hydroxide powder), the transmittance B.sub.0 (nickel hydroxide powder), or the transmittance B.sub.max (nickel hydroxide powder and cobalt compound containing cobalt in an amount corresponding to the amount of cobalt contained in the coating) can be determined by measuring the transmittance of a tubular transparent cell after shaking the tightly-closed transparent cell containing each powder for a certain time and then taking the contents out of the transparent cell.

A portable soil body in-situ shear test device includes four parts: an active force system forming arranged externally, a passive shear system and an electromagnetic loading system forming arranged internally, and a ring knife system arranged at a bottom. Compared with the conventional in-situ soil shear strength test device and test method, the present invention is convenient to install and carry as well as simple to operate, and has strong applicability. The present invention is suitable not only for layered soils with large cross-plate shear test errors, but also for soils with different consolidation degrees at various sites and various terrains. A test method adopting the device can simulate the shear strength of the soil mass under different overburden loads without disturbing the mechanical properties of the in-situ soil mass, which has high promotion value in the test of in-situ soil shear strength.