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1 – 10 of 53FOR most of the uses to which timber is put, reasonably good resistance to impact is an advantage; for many uses, such as aircraft construction, sports goods, or tool handles, it…
Abstract
FOR most of the uses to which timber is put, reasonably good resistance to impact is an advantage; for many uses, such as aircraft construction, sports goods, or tool handles, it is an overriding requisite. Its measurement is, therefore, an important part of the routine testing of timber. Since conditions of service as regards this property are seldom, if ever, known with exactitude, and since, moreover, the size and shape of the member receiving the impact bear an important but undefined relationship to its resistance, the laboratory tests for the property are essentially empirical. The resulting figures from such tests in themselves mean little; they cannot be translated into design figures as are, for instance, modulus of elasticity or maximum compressive strength; and their value lies almost entirely in their use for comparisons. As with most empirical tests, one of the essentials is that the character of the test, i.e. test‐piece and testing conditions, shall be rigidly defined and adhered to. Unfortunately there are in more or less common use in the various timber testing laboratories several different methods of measuring impact resistance and the lack of a universal standard impact test is a serious drawback to the usefulness of the results, since one of the greatest advantages of the standardized test, viz., the interchange‐ability of results between one laboratory and another, is at once nullified. It is hoped that when circumstances permit the interested research institutions will take up the study of impact testing and agree upon a uniform standard test.
COMPRESSED laminated (“ improved ”) wood is generally counted among the hardening laminated plastics; it is built up from a large number of very thin veneers (0.0–1.005 in.) which…
Abstract
COMPRESSED laminated (“ improved ”) wood is generally counted among the hardening laminated plastics; it is built up from a large number of very thin veneers (0.0–1.005 in.) which are arranged with parallel grain directions. With the use of thermosetting synthetic resins, the veneers are highly compressed between hot platens. The adhesive, normally of the Bakelite type, is also a strengthening agent, or, with material of high resin content and high density, the wood may be considered as more or less a carrier for the resin, the latter being in this case the main strength‐producing agent.
Colin Whittle and Lorraine Whitmarsh
In this chapter, we draw on social science theoretical and empirical literatures to discuss the factors that influence buying and using an electric vehicle (EV), as well as how…
Abstract
In this chapter, we draw on social science theoretical and empirical literatures to discuss the factors that influence buying and using an electric vehicle (EV), as well as how adopting an EV can impact on other travel choices or broader sustainability behaviours. We provide an overview of theories of technology adoption, which expose the interplay of individual, technological, and societal factors that dictate how rapidly a technology will spread throughout society. From the empirical literature, we show that far from being a purely economic or pragmatic decision, choosing an EV is also deeply grounded in social, moral and personality factors, such as self-presentation, norms and values, and appetite for risking the novel. Furthermore, since running an EV is not the same as running an internal combustion engine vehicle (ICEV), we explore how adopters adjust their behaviour to the technology, and also how EV ownership may trigger or undermine broader shifts in lifestyle required to achieve climate change and other sustainability goals. We therefore provide a critical reflection on the drivers, barriers, and behavioural implications of choosing an EV.
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