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By Jan Law

Problems of oil recovery are attacked from the approaches dictated by the two strikingly dissimilar complexes that comprise an oil reservoir—the fluid complex and the interstitial complex. Knowledge of the fluid complex, due to labors in the fields of fluid mechanics and physical chemistry, has far outdistanced knowledge of the interstitial characteristics of the sand complex. This paper is concerned with the latter and applies the technique of statistics to petrographic facts—namely, porosity and permeability—dealing with what might be called petrometry. Statisticians have long worked within the problem of reconstruction of a universe oi variables by means of samples that comprise a small percentage of the universe from which the samples were drawn. Core-analysis data comply with the requisite of random sampling as stipulated by theoretical statistics. A basic concept of statistics employs t.he following substitution: 1. The results of sampling are arranged as a frequency distribution. 2. The observed frequency distribution is compared with a mathematically precise distribution. 3. If a sufficiently good agreement is found between the two, the precise distribution is substituted in all subsequent operations involving characteristics of the sampled material. This mathematically precise distribution is also known as the normal curve, curve of error, the probability, the Gaussian, and the bell-shaped curve and is describable with but two figures. Further, these two figures, the arithmetic average and the standard deviation, are subject to mathematical manipulation. This paper demonstrates that, in some cases in the Dominguez field of Southern California, if sufficient core-analysis samples are taken over not too great a thickness of sediments, the resultant permeability and porosity assemblages give satisfactory agreement with ilormal curves. It is shown that the indications are strong that oil wells wherein a satisfactory agreement is found are predictable as to productivity. Since the predictions are made by employing the laws of chance that are operative within sedimentation, it follows that the mechanism by which the predictions were made is a basic concept of reservoir mechanics. Therefore, tentative examples are given of the application of normal curves to the solution of problems of primary and secondary recovery. Nature of Permeability Frequency Distributions Core-analysis data are made available as a tabulated depth vs. permeability profile. The nature of the distribution of permeability values within a given strati-graphic interval may be approximated from an array constructed with samples plotted in the order of their appearance with depth (accession number) against their permeability value in millidarcys. A wide variation in the nature of the distribution of K (permeability) values for

Jan 1, 1944

By Campbell Osborn

FROM the viewpoint of practical economic engineering the main value in studies of demand and supply lies in the information they give concerning the next movement of price. The title of this discussion is too comprehensive for detailed analysis and it will, therefore, be narrowed to the question of price measurement. The oil operator is interested primarily in net profits. Prices, costs and production determine them. Production is here used in its broadest sense. It includes refining and marketing. It is an operating problem. Prices and costs are economic considerations. Though costs are an important element of prices and profits, the subject is too large to be treated in a brief paper of this sort. In the long run, costs govern prices, but for the purpose of gaging prices in the immediate future the relationship of current demand and supply are more significant. Operating, expansion, retrenchment, sales and storage policies of oil companies are largely influenced by the feeling of executives concerning this relationship. The stockholders of companies whose executives are wrong may suffer. Investors who err in their judgment may likewise lose. On the other hand, oil companies and investors who appraise these factors correctly and move accordingly will profit. It is an important subject worthy of careful consideration.

Jan 1, 1928

By James J. Scott

INTRODUCTION This paper presents the basic principles which must be followed to create a truly inherently safe mining system. The need to relate the support mechanism to be employed to the ground reaction curve and basic rock mechanics principles will be pointed out. The support system must function in concert with the deformations that are inherent in the selected mining system. Following the support selection, the mechanics for installing support must be developed. This is best done through a cooperative effort between mine engineers, mine operators, safety personnel, equipment sup- pliers, and government inspectors both state and federal. Accident statistics, near miss statistics, review of equipment used by others, geologic features, etc. will necessarily have to be studied. The goal of equipment development and selection should be to develop inherent safety by removing the miner from the hazard area or by providing absolute protection for the miner if he must work in close proximity to the potential fall of ground. The role of good productivity in reducing the numbers of men exposed to hazards is emphasized as a good safety measure ROCK MECHANICS PRINCIPLES A thorough understanding of the ground reaction curve surrounding openings to be created is essential in the

Jan 1, 1982

By R. W. Prouty

THE methods of sampling and ore estimating used at the Copper Queen Branch, Phelps Dodge Corpn., as applied to the Copper Queen mines at Bisbee, Ariz., fall into two divisions because of the difference in occurrence, manner of prospecting, and methods of mining: that for the underground operations and that for the Sacramento Hill steam-shovel operations. The orebodies of the Warren district may be divided into three classes: Replacements of limestone, replace-ments of porphyry, and replacements of contact breccia The first class is more or less intimately related to porphyry intrusions, although in badly fractured country this relationship may not be well shown. These orebodies are mainly oxide and carbonate ore and very irregular, both in size and outline, although usually roughly lenticular and following the bedding of the limestones. There is usually quite a sharp boundary between the ore and waste in the carbonate and oxide orebodies and sampling is not necessary to determine the limits of commercial ore. In the sulfide orebodies it is exceedingly difficult, without sampling, to deter-mine the boundary between commercial ore and the surrounding low-grade or barren pyrite. Calculations made a few years ago showed that these orebodies had an average thickness of 35 ft. As some of the ore-bodies have a thickness of from 100 to 300 ft., it can be seen that the smaller ones form a difficult problem both in prospecting and in estimating.

Jan 11, 1922

By D. W. Smith

The beta solid solution phases of the systems copper-zinc, copper-aluminum, copper-tin and silver-zinc are structurally analogous.' R. F. Mehl and 0. T. Marzke2 have shown that the a phase upon segregating from the 6 phase in the system copper-zinc takes the form of needles lying parallel to a [Ill] direction or some similar direction, such as [556], of the parent solid solution, and that the a phase upon segregating from the ß phase in the system copper-aluminum also takes the form of needles. By analogy they assume that in this case also the segregate needles lie parallel to the [ill] or [556] direction in the ß lattice. The purpose of this investigation is to determine whether the structures resulting from segregation of the a phases from the respective ß phases of the systems copper-tin and silver-zinc are analogous to those obtained by Mehl and Marzke in the systems copper-zinc and copper-aluminum. Segregation of the a Phase from the ß Phase in the Copper-tin System Preparation of the Alloy.—An alloy containing 74.92 per cent (by weight) of copper and the balance tin was chosen for this investigation. This alloy, as can be seen from a portion of the constitutional diagram, Fig. 1, of the system copper-tin by Hamasumi and Nishigori,3 with the proper heat treatment should segregate the « phase out of the a parent, solid solution phase. The alloy was prepared from high purity cathode copper (analyzing 99.98 per cent Cu) and Straits tin (analyzing 99.94

Jan 1, 1933

By Richard L. Stowe

Four NX-diameter holes were diamond-drilled in competent granite. Samples of the recovered core were used in laboratory tests. A borehole, plate-bearing device known as a Goodman jack was used to perform load deformation tests on the rock in the core hole. The majority of samples used in the laboratory tests were taken from depths in the hole at or within 5 ft of those at which the plate bearing tests were made. Borehole camera records, compressional and shear wave velocities, and densities were measured. Dynamic elastic constants were computed for the in-situ material, while comparative data (except camera records) were obtained in the laboratory. These data were examined to evaluate the significance of the in-situ modulus of deformation (Ed), the value computed from Goodman jack tests. Average test results show an excellent correlation between in-situ and laboratory data. The ratio of laboratory to field deformation modulus ranges from 9.82 to 7.21 for 3,000 and 9,000-psi stress levels, respectively. The dynamic modulus ratio, ED field/Ep lab, is 1.02; the compressional wave velocity ratio, V8 field/V8 lab, is 0.94; the shear wave velocity ratio, V, field/V, lab, is 1.12; and the density ratio, field [y/y] lab, is 0.95.

Jan 1, 1973

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. on all week-days, except holidays, from September 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining-maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be .of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be of service to the Library by forwarding copies of mining-reports, maps privately issued, and similar material, which will be classified, indexed, and made available to other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library, either by purchase or, personal solicitation as gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members while in the city will. use the Library freely, and assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 9, 1914

The Library of -the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. on all week-clays, except holidays, from September 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be of interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be of service to the Library by forwarding copies of mining reports, maps privately issued, and similar material, which will be classified, indexed, and made available to other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library; either by purchase or personal solicitation as, gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members while in the city will use the Library freely, and assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 11, 1914

By J. Eric Belford

The Kidd Creek orebody is a massive base metal sulphide deposit with surface dimensions of 168 m by 670 m. The steeply dipping ore- body has been evaluated to a depth of 1 524 m. To date, the mining of the orebody has been divided into three stages. The first stage of mining was an open pit operation which supplied ore from 1966 until 1977 when a depth of 219 m was reached at the widest or north end of the orebody. The second stage of mining, called No.1 Mine, was the development of an underground mine to replace the pit and recover the ore from the floor of the pit to a depth of 792 m. Development of the underground mine started in 1969. Full production of 273 000 tonnes per month was attained in 1977. The third stage of mining called No.2 Mine, was initiated to accommodate a production expansion and included the development of a second underground mining operation to recover the ore from the bottom of No.1 Mine, i.e. the 2600 level; to a depth as yet undetermined but most likely the 4600 foot level. Development of the No.2 Mine began in 1974. Full production of 91 000 tonnes per month will be achieved in 1982. The choice of the 2800 level as the partition between the two underground mines was based on the following factors: The 2600 level is the lowest level which can conveniently be mined through the No.1 Mine crusher on the 2800 level. Development and trial stoping methods for mining at depth could be evaluated in the 2600 to 2800 block utilizing the existing hoisting facilities of No.1 Mine. Early development of the ore in the 2600 to 2800 block would provide additional mill feed sooner than could be achieved by developing from No.2 Shaft. The underground mining plan then is to mine from the pit floor down to the 2600 foot level and at the same time mine from the 2800 level down to at least the 4600 foot level. PLANNING The Kidd Creek operations are designed to follow a logical mining sequence. The grade of ore supplied to the concentrator is the result of following the mining plan. The philosophy of mining has been to mine downward in horizontal slices. In the case of No.1 Mine the slices are 122 m thick while in No.2 Mine the slices will be 183 m thick. The point of this approach is to mine the pillars immediately after creating them rather than allowing them to stand, deteriorate and generate uncontrollable situations. Two types of ore are handled separately to optimize recoverable values in concentrates. The 'A' type ore is a copper zinc ore with some silver and little lead. The 'C' type ore is a zinc silver ore with some lead and copper

Jan 1, 1981

A GREAT labor, surely, is that of the coppersmith, since his every work must be hewn from the mass of copper by force of the hammer. At the beginning, middle, and, end all his works are inconvenient pieces and unpleasant to handle. If the work is done on the forge with the fire, it is done in order to refine or compose it into masses again, for drawing these out while hot with the blows of some heavy hammer, or in order to put the works in a condition that allows them to be drawn out while cold and worked. In this he puts all his labor and industry. He who works at this art often makes use of large hammers, sometimes of small ones, and sometimes of those that have a long iron head and a short handle. With these he is obliged ever to proceed in one of these activities, either extending the work lengthwise, narrowing it, or widening it. This is achieved by the manner and direction of striking and therefore it is sometimes hammered on the inside, sometimes on the outside, sometimes with the peen, and sometimes with the flat head. For instance, when he wishes to close it up he strikes it on the outside with the peen, and if he wishes to widen it he strikes it on the inside with either the flat head or the peen. In this way he proceeds to shape it with constant patience, and to make all the vessels that he works graceful. This metal, as I have told you, is soft, flexible, and tenacious under the hammer. It yields with a certain toughness, provided, however, that it is fine and without admixture of a trace of tin or other metal. That craftsman is a good master of this art who best makes every desired work

Jan 1, 1942

W. A. SCHLESINGER,* Denver, Colo.-Two problems are of great interest to the radium manufacturer at the present tine: The first is to perfect a process, more efficient and more economical, which is capable of treating a greater variety of ores. . Practically all the radium now manufactured in the United States is extracted from carnotite ores and these vary a great deal according to their location. The amount of sulfates contained in the ore is of particular importance, and any straight acid-leaching method, such as developed by the Bureau of Mines, becomes prohibitive when the ore contains more than 0.5 per cent. of sulfates, as the sulfates go into solution and naturally precipitate the radium as insoluble radium sulfate. Since the amount of ore obtained from any one claim is usually comparatively small, it is necessary to work a number of claims in different localities, and a process, in order to be commercially satisfactory, should handle all of these ores. In other words, it would be entirely unprofitable for radium manufacturers to employ any process which cannot treat any but sulfate-free ores. He must deal with carnotite containing appreciable amounts of sulfates, and must be able to work this in with the other ores. Carbonaceous ores from certain sections in Utah; which are known to contain as pinch as 1.0 per cent. and more of volatile matters, are prone to a, nitric acid-leaching process. The second problem relates to the treatment of concentrates. There is no doubt that a very large amount of low-grade ore, containing less than 0.75 per cent. uranium oxide, is available. It has been demonstrated that these ores can be concentrated, but there is still room for research

Jan 11, 1918

By Reamy Joyce

Conditions in underground mining are so variable that in approaching the problem of the economies effected by the use of pressure-treated mine ties and mine timbers, it is necessary to secure specific data for each mine. Facts must first be dug out to show the service life of untreated timber and the reason for its failure. Generally speaking, decay is the usual cause of failure, but in some mines mechanical destruction is an important factor. Occasionally the two causes combine to produce fail-urrs, and it is difficult to determine positively which factor is responsible. In making comparisons, it is always necessary to start with the cost in place and for this reason there must be accurate information covering the labor cost of installation and the labor cost of renewals. When treated timber is used, it is necessary to know the specifications for the treating process, whether the timber was painted, dipped, treated open tank, or impregnated under pressure according to standard specifications. It is also necessary to know the preservative used and the amount of the preservative that was retained by the timber after treatment. It is also well to know whether the timber was thoroughly air-seasoned before treatment or was green at the time it was treated. The kind of timber available, both untreated and treated, must be known and all of the factors listed above must be taken into consideration in the study of any problem. Variable Conditions A study was made recently of the untreated mine ties used by a bituminous coal company in two of its mines, which are about 20 miles apart. The mine ties were secured from the same sources for both mines. A careful check was made over a 10-yr. period on the life of untreated main-haulage ties, and it was found that in the mine where the haulage roads were on intake air the average life was approximately 5 yr., while in the other mine, where the haulage roads were on return air, the average life was 2 yr. A similar variability in untreated timber

Jan 1, 1940

By Reamy Joyce

Conditions in underground mining are so variable that in approaching the problem of the economies effected by the use of pressure-treated mine ties and mine timbers, it is necessary to secure specific data for each mine. Facts must first be dug out to show the service life of untreated timber and the reason for its failure. Generally speaking, decay is the usual cause of failure, but in some mines mechanical destruction is an important factor. Occasionally the two causes combine to produce fail-urrs, and it is difficult to determine positively which factor is responsible. In making comparisons, it is always necessary to start with the cost in place and for this reason there must be accurate information covering the labor cost of installation and the labor cost of renewals. When treated timber is used, it is necessary to know the specifications for the treating process, whether the timber was painted, dipped, treated open tank, or impregnated under pressure according to standard specifications. It is also necessary to know the preservative used and the amount of the preservative that was retained by the timber after treatment. It is also well to know whether the timber was thoroughly air-seasoned before treatment or was green at the time it was treated. The kind of timber available, both untreated and treated, must be known and all of the factors listed above must be taken into consideration in the study of any problem. Variable Conditions A study was made recently of the untreated mine ties used by a bituminous coal company in two of its mines, which are about 20 miles apart. The mine ties were secured from the same sources for both mines. A careful check was made over a 10-yr. period on the life of untreated main-haulage ties, and it was found that in the mine where the haulage roads were on intake air the average life was approximately 5 yr., while in the other mine, where the haulage roads were on return air, the average life was 2 yr. A similar variability in untreated timber

Jan 1, 1940

By Robert L. Bates

An industrial mineral, says the Glossary of Geologic Terms, is "any rock, mineral, or other naturally occurring substance of economic value, exclusive of metallic ores, mineral fuels, and gemstones; one of the nonmetallics." Probably most geologists and engineers would accept this simple and straightforward definition, at least as a general statement. On analysis, however, certain anomalies crop up. For example, it may be considered arbitrary to include industrial diamond and corundum, but to exclude their precious varieties, gem diamond and sapphire. So the present volume has a section on gems and gem materials, in spite of the definition. Another problem arises when we try to define precisely what is metallic and what is nonmetallic. Bauxite and ilmenite certainly qualify as metallic ores, but both are also raw materials of important nonmetallic substances; hence they are included in the book. A third anomaly is that, by common consent of geologists, engineers, mineral economists, and others concerned, the term industrial minerals may include not only rocks and minerals but also certain manufactured products like cement and lime, and even mixed groups of natural and artificial products, such as abrasives and refractories. Thus the central realm of the industrial minerals is clear enough, but its boundaries tend to be indefinable. Since a definition that allowed for every irregularity in the outer fringes would be excessively un- wieldy, the one quoted above may be considered satisfactory. The expression industrial minerals is commonly equated with nonmetallics, and with the somewhat more precise phrase industrial minerals and rocks as in the title of this book.

Jan 1, 1975

By James B. Graham, Earle E. Smith

The value of all minerals produced in the United States for the years 1930 to 1932 averaged $3,460,000,000 annually, according to Bureau of Mines reports. Of this amount, approximately $1,280,000,000 represents nonmetallic substances, such as petroleum, gas, sulfur and salt produced as fluids. Thus, about.37 per cent of the country's mineral wealth is procured through wells drilled in the earth, which require casing to keep them open throughout their life. Deep well drilling has increased greatly in the last few years. Several strings of casing have been set deeper than 9000 ft.—one, a string of 7?-in. O.D. casing, 10,301 ft. long, run in a well drilled by the Gulf Production Co. in West Texas, holds the record up to this time. These are longer strings than were contemplated when the American Petroleum Institute Specifications were adopted 10 years ago, therefore it is necessary to consider whether the present joint standards are adequate for such strings, or for even longer strings that may be called for in the future. Petroleum engineers are asking: Is there a possibility that stronger joints can be designed without going to stronger and more costly steels than offered in present specifications? Without sacrificing too greatly the tensile properties of the joint, can its design be changed to allow more clearance in the open hole below the next larger string of casing, and thus avoid costly underreaming? What can manufacturers offer for drilling through heaving shale? Fundamentals of the Problem During the last few years considerable study has been given to casing joints and their limitations, and since attention must be given to this subject by those who will be required to drill deeper holes, it is timely to review the fundamentals of the problem. These will be recognized generally as the following: 1. No threaded joint can be stronger than the area of metal under the root of the first perfect thread, and this area must be large enough

Jan 1, 1935

The Library of the above-named Societies is open from 9 A.M. to 10 P.M. on all week-clays, except holidays, from September 1 to June 30, and from 9 A.M. to 6 P.M. during July and August. The Library contains about 55,000 volumes, including sets of technical periodicals and the publications of scientific and technical societies. Members of the Institute, with few exceptions, are forced to spend a portion of their time in localities isolated from sources of information. To these the Library can render valuable service through correspondence; letters requesting information will receive special attention. The Library is prepared to furnish references and copies of articles on mining and metallurgical subjects; to determine the existence of mining-maps, and to furnish general information as to the geology and mineral resources of all countries. All communications should be made as definite as possible so that the information received may be what is desired and not include collateral matter which may not be .o interest. The time spent in searching for such collateral matter will be saved, and the information will be sent more promptly and in more usable shape. The members of the Institute can be of service to the Library by forwarding copies of mining-reports, maps privately issued, and similar material, which will be classified, indexed, and made available to other members. Suggestions for additions to the Library, either by purchase or personal solicitation as gifts, will be welcomed. It is hoped that members while in the city will use the Library freely, and assurance is given that most careful service will be rendered to them.

Jan 10, 1914

Henry C. Carlisle: This is a husband-and-wife act, in which Mary Carlisle is going to listen, and break in as often as she feels like it. I am going to describe my career as a mining engineer. We are at Nantucket, in the 75 Main St. house; The year is 1959. Q: This is something the boys and I have wanted you to do for a long time. Carlisle: After leaving Columbia in 1910, I arrived at Ray, Ariz., January 1, 1911, and rustled a job from Louis Cates, Ralph Nowland and Sprott Boyd, who were running the Ray mine. I went to work as a surveyor's helper, made $90 a month, and paid $35 a month board. I lived in a dormitory where about 25 other engineers, graduates from different colleges, were living. It was very social and you made a lot of young friends early in the game. I did not think much of the idea of being a surveyor, or even a surveyors, helper; the higher-up surveyors only got $125 a month, and had been there quite a long time. So, I asked to be changed to underground sampling, where I would see the mine faces every day and learn more about mining. In about three months, I became an underground sampler and remained at this for a year, but in three months I was promoted to head sampler, with six people under me.

Jan 10, 1963

By R. P. Heuer

In recent years an increasing amount of research work has been done on refractory materials for use in copper-smelting furnaces. A few of the larger refractories manufacturers have erected special research laboratories which are fully equipped to study the refractory problems of the smelter. A typical laboratory of this type was described in the January, 1929, issue of Mining and Metallurgy, in an article entitled "Methods of Research Newly Applied to Refractories," by W. F. Boericke. This particular laboratory is equipped for the manufacture of full-size refractory brick. It aims to study on a fairly large scale the behavior of various refractory raw materials and the effect of improved methods of manufacture. The refractories manufacturer has at his disposal the naturally occurring refractory oxides in various degrees of purity, mixed or combined with other oxides. In order to supply the copper smelter with a refractory brick that will permit the most economical operation of the smelting furnaces, it is necessary to have the optimum combination of a number of both physical and chemical properties in the brick. Unfortunately, nature has not provided any raw materials in which the perfect combination of these properties exists. It is, therefore, a problem for man's ingenuity to seek out the most desirable raw materials and develop methods of manufacture that give, in the resultant product, the necessary combination of properties in as full a measure as is possible. In the laboratory it is possible to carry out fairly broad experiments with this objective. It is first necessary to obtain and process the raw materials, then to manufacture them into brick and finally, to test these bricks under conditions designed to interpret or simulate in the laboratory the actual conditions in the smelting furnace. It is necessary for the research engineers to determine certain fundamental properties in the brick which may be subjected to laboratory measurements and to interpret these measurements in terms of brick performance in smelting-plant practice. Such procedure is not what might be called an exact, scientific one but it has been found that great progress can be made when these principles are applied. For example, the resistance of refractory brick to spalling and thermal change can be related to the thermal expansion of the refractory, its thermal conductivity and heat capacity and its

Jan 1, 1934

By L. W. Kempf, K. R. VanHorn

PLASTIC deformation of most commercial metals within a sufficiently low temperature range results in profound changes in structure and properties, of which the causes and effects are not completely understood. One of these effects is the presence of internal residual stresses and strains, which ordinarily do not appear to require specific consideration in most structural applications but which may be quite undesirable in particular instances. For example, in heavy sections that require considerable machining before assembly, residual stresses may be undesirable because of the distortion they cause when their balance is disturbed by machining or otherwise. In addition, the distribution of stresses may be such that it acts in the same direction as the applied load, thus bringing about premature failure or reducing the load-carrying capacity of the member. One source of residual stress in metal structures is the plastic deformation that may occur during rapid cooling from relatively elevated temperatures, as in the cooling of a casting in the mold or the quenching of a heavy section from elevated temperatures during heat-treatment. These residual stresses are usually undesirable because their direction of operation and magnitude cannot be controlled well enough to permit utilization of the changes in properties of the metal that they may bring about. The most convenient manner of controlling such residual stress is by proper selection of the cooling rate or by reheating to a temperature at which plastic flow can take place, resulting in relief of the residual stresses and strains. Both of these methods of control, however, may cause a reduction in the optimum properties obtainable from the previous operation compromise must be struck, and if it is to result in the best possible combinations of properties, specific information must be available regarding the magnitude of the stresses and the rate at which they are affected by variations in cooling rate or in reheating temperature. The complete quantitative estimation of residual stress in complicated metal shapes is exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. In simple sections, however, relatively quantitative analysis may be applied and useful estimations of stress distribution may be made. This paper is concerned largely with the rate of relief, upon reheating, of internal residual stress in simple aluminum-alloy structures. Since even with simple structures quantitative estimation of residual stresses is laborious and costly, an attempt was made to find other means of collecting data upon which commercial heat-treatments might be based. Incidentally, a few data were collected bearing on the problem of relaxation of aluminum alloys. DETERMINATION OF RESIDUAL STRESSES The magnitude and distribution of residual stresses in simple aluminum-alloy shapes rapidly cooled from elevated temperatures has been discussed in a previous paper.1 Fig. I reproduces some of the data

Jan 1, 1941

By G. H. Enzian

W. C. Ellis—The intergranular fracture observed by these authors in brass seems to be characteristic of metals when tested under similar conditions. It has been observed by us in room temperature tests on lead alloys subjected to constant stress when the stress has been low enough to afford a small strain rate. If, however, the test be carried out at a high stress and therefore at a large strain rate, a characteristic, tapered, transcrystalline fracture is obtained. The same change of fracture has been observed by others with decrease of strain rate and increase of temperature for other metals—for example aluminum—and may be presumed, as the authors point out, to be general for metals. These findings suggest a plastic flow mechanism under conditions of small strain rate and high corresponding temperature differing from classical block slip. The required conditions point to a process fundamentally diffusive in nature—a less organized process than block slip. Nabarro18 has shown that plastic flow can occur by stress induced diffusion of vacant sites— a process of self-diffusion. Movements of a pseudo-viscous nature at grain boundaries are suggested in the work of Ke.15 Deformation near to a grain boundary by other than a slip mechanism appears necessary to Boas and Hargreaves.19 Wood and Rachinger20 report a cellular structure in slowly deformed alumi- num—the cell size is larger, the higher the temperature and the slower the strain rate. Presumably in the latter case diffusive movements occurred in the cell boundaries. In any case the nonslip mechanism seems somewhat obscure and further work is indicated. Such studies will undoubtedly clarify the nature and behavior of lattice imperfections—the very core of the strength and plastic properties of metals. F. H. Wilson and E. W. Palmer (authors' reply)—It is certain that the metallic behavior which has been termed "creep" includes many interdependent phenomena of which a nonslip type of plastic flow may well be one. The reports to which Mr. Ellis refers are illustrative of the many different observations that must be correlated for a complete understanding of creep. The list could be extended considerably. For example, we ourselves have been impressed by the sensitivity of creep phenomena to the presence of minor impurities and feel that this aspect of the problem warrants more thorough study than it has yet received. References 18 F. R. N. Nabarro: Report of Bristol Conference on Strength of Solids. P. 75, (1948) London. 19 Boas and Hargreaves: Proceedings Royal Society. (1948) 193. 89. 20 wood and Rachinger: Journal Institute of Metals. (1949) 17, 237.

Jan 1, 1951