Performance of masonry buildings during the 20 and 27 December 2007 Bala (Ankara) earthquakes in Turkey

This paper evaluates the performance of masonry buildings during the 20 and 27 December 2007 Bala (Ankara) earthquakes. Bala is a township located 50 km southeast from Ankara city in Turkey. The majority of the buildings in the affected region are built in masonry. Most of masonry buildings were formed with random or coursed stone and mud brick walls without any reinforcement. Many of these buildings were damaged or had collapsed. The cracking and failure patterns of the buildings are examined and interpreted according to current provisions for earthquake resistance of masonry structures. The damages are due to several reasons such as poor construction quality and poor workmanship of the buildings. In addition to these reasons, the two earthquakes hit the buildings within seven days, causing progressive damage

Designing surgical clothing and drapes according to the new technical standards

Hospitals will continue to be the largest consumers of disposables, because of the diverse range of procedures they provide. Favourable growth is forecast for nonwovens. Increasing concern over contamination and nosocomial infections will boost the demand for consumables and disposables surgical gowns and drapes. But, until now neither the manufacturers nor the end users of surgical gowns and drapes could agree on standards. So, a mandatory European standard is being developed to establish basic requirements and test methods for disposable and reusable materials used for surgical gowns and drapes. Once this standard has been adopted, the continued use of cotton textiles and conventional cotton-polyester mixed textiles will become questionable.(undefined

Cotton in the new millennium: advances, economics, perceptions and problems

Cotton is the most significant natural fibre and has been a preferred choice of the textile industry and consumers since the industrial revolution began. The share of man-made fibres, both regenerated and synthetic fibres, has grown considerably in recent times but cotton production has also been on the rise and accounts for about half of the fibres used for apparel and textile goods. To cotton’s advantage, the premium attached to the presence of cotton fibre and the general positive consumer perception is well established, however, compared to commodity man-made fibres and high performance fibres, cotton has limitations in terms of its mechanical properties but can help to overcome moisture management issues that arise with performance apparel during active wear. This issue of Textile Progress aims to: i. Report on advances in cotton cultivation and processing as well as improvements to conventional cotton cultivation and ginning. The processing of cotton in the textile industry from fibre to finished fabric, cotton and its blends, and their applications in technical textiles are also covered. ii. Explore the economic impact of cotton in different parts of the world including an overview of global cotton trade. iii. Examine the environmental perception of cotton fibre and efforts in organic and genetically-modified (GM) cotton production. The topic of naturally-coloured cotton, post-consumer waste is covered and the environmental impacts of cotton cultivation and processing are discussed. Hazardous effects of cultivation, such as the extensive use of pesticides, insecticides and irrigation with fresh water, and consequences of the use of GM cotton and cotton fibres in general on the climate are summarised and the effects of cotton processing on workers are addressed. The potential hazards during cotton cultivation, processing and use are also included. iv. Examine how the properties of cotton textiles can be enhanced, for example, by improving wrinkle recovery and reducing the flammability of cotton fibre

Analysis of Polymeric Braided Tubular Structures Intended for Medical Applications

In this study, monofilament tubular braided structures were fabricated and their performances were analyzed. The braided tubes are in three-dimensional form, made of polyester monofilaments intended for use in medical applications. This type of structure, called a stent, is used to open clogged arteries and veins by exerting radial forces. The radial force of a braided tube basically depends on three variables: braid angle, helical length, and braid diameter. The mandrel diameter influences the axial and radial forces obtained from the braid tube. In order to assure a stable structure, the braided fabrics were heat-set. Analysis of variances showed that heat-setting temperatures and heat-setting times of braided fabrics exhibited no significant effects in the range in which the tests were performed. © 2009, SAGE Publications. All rights reserved