Abstract: This article presents the analysis of experimental values regarding cracking pattern, specific strains and deformability for reinforced high strength concrete beams. The beams have the concrete class C80/95 and a longitudinal reinforcement ratio of 2.01%, respectively 3.39%. The elements were subjected to flexure under static short-term and long-term loading. The experimental values are compared with calculation values using the design relationships according to Eurocode 2.
Abstract: Chevron frames (Inverted-V-braced frames or Vbraced
frames) have seismic disadvantages, such as not good exhibit force redistribution capability and compression brace buckles
immediately. Researchers developed new design provisions on
increasing both the ductility and lateral resistance of these structures
in seismic areas. One of these new methods is adding zipper columns, as proposed by Khatib et al. (1988) [2]. Zipper columns are
vertical members connecting the intersection points of the braces
above the first floor. In this paper applicability of the suspended
zipper system to Seismic Rehabilitation of Steel Structures is investigated.
The models are 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-story Inverted-V-braced frames.
In this case, it is assumed that the structures must be rehabilitated. For rehabilitation of structures, zipper column is used. The result of
researches showed that the suspended zipper system is effective in
case of 3-, 6-, and 9-story Inverted-V-braced frames and it would
increase lateral resistance of structure up to life safety level. But in
case of high-rise buildings (such as 12 story frame), it doesn-t show
good performance. For solving this problem, the braced bay can
consist of small “units" over the height of the entire structure, which each of them is a zipper-braced bay with a few stories. By using this
method the lateral resistance of 12 story Inverted-V-braced frames is increased up to safety life level.
Abstract: This article discusses the concept of student ownership of knowledge and seeks to determine how to move students from knowledge acquisition to knowledge application and ultimately to knowledge generation in a virtual setting. Instructional strategies for fostering student engagement in a virtual environment are critical to the learner-s strategic ownership of the knowledge. A number of relevant theories that focus on learning, affect, needs and adult concerns are presented to provide a basis for exploring the transfer of knowledge from teacher to learner. A model under development is presented that combines the dimensions of knowledge approach, the teacher-student relationship with regards to knowledge authority and teaching approach to demonstrate the recursive and scaffolded design for creation of virtual learning environments.
Abstract: In this work, we derive two numerical schemes for
solving a class of nonlinear partial differential equations. The first
method is of second order accuracy in space and time directions, the
scheme is unconditionally stable using Von Neumann stability
analysis, the scheme produced a nonlinear block system where
Newton-s method is used to solve it. The second method is of fourth
order accuracy in space and second order in time. The method is
unconditionally stable and Newton's method is used to solve the
nonlinear block system obtained. The exact single soliton solution
and the conserved quantities are used to assess the accuracy and to
show the robustness of the schemes. The interaction of two solitary
waves for different parameters are also discussed.
Abstract: The importance of inter-organizational system (IOS)
has been increasingly recognized by organizations. However, IOS
adoption has proved to be difficult and, at this stage, why this is so is
not fully uncovered. In practice, benefits have often remained
concentrated, primarily accruing to the dominant party, resulting in
low rates of adoption and usage, and often culminating in the failure
of the IOS. The main research question is why organizations initiate
or join IOS and what factors influence their adoption and use levels.
This paper reviews the literature on IOS adoption and proposes a
theoretical framework in order to identify the critical factors to
capture a complete picture of IOS adoption. With our proposed
critical factors, we are able to investigate their relative contributions
to IOS adoption decisions. We obtain findings that suggested that
there are five groups of factors that significantly affect the adoption
and use decision of IOS in the Supply Chain Management (SCM)
context: 1) interorganizational context, 2) organizational context, 3)
technological context, 4) perceived costs, and 5) perceived benefits.
Abstract: This paper deals with the development and obstacles of
Korean women-s political participation in recent years. Since the year
1948 after the declaration of a modern state, Korea has tried to
establish the democracy but still in the field of women-s political
participation it meets a lot of problems such as women-s political
consciousness, male dominated political culture and institutional
constraints. After the introduction of quota system in the list of
political party, women-s political participation began to change its
configuration. More women candidates have willingly presented at
elections.
Abstract: MABENA model is a complementary model in
comparison with traditional models such as HCMS, CMS and etc.
New factors, which have effects on preparation of strategic plans and
their sequential order in MABENA model is the platform of
presented road map in this paper.Study review shows, factors such as
emerging new critical success factors for strategic planning,
improvement of international strategic models, increasing the
maturity of companies and emerging new needs leading to design a
new model which can be responsible for new critical factors and
solve the limitations of previous strategic management models.
Preparation of strategic planning need more factors than introduced
in traditional models. The needed factors includes determining future
Critical Success Factors and competencies, defining key processes,
determining the maturity of the processes, considering all aspects of
the external environment etc. Description of aforementioned
requirements, the outcomes and their order is developing and
presenting the MABENA model-s road map in this paper. This study
presents a road map for strategic planning of the Iranian
organizations.
Abstract: Safety of bus journey is a fundamental concern. Risk of injuries and fatalities is severe when bus superstructure fails during rollover accident. Adequate design and sufficient strength of bus superstructure can reduce the number of injuries and fatalities. This paper deals with structural analysis of bus superstructure undergoes rollover event. Several value of mass will be varied in multiple simulations. The purpose of this work is to analyze structural response of bus superstructure in terms of deformation, stress and strain under several loading and constraining conditions. A complete bus superstructure with forty four passenger-s capability was developed using finite element analysis software. Simulations have been conducted to observe the effect of total mass of bus on the strength of superstructure. These simulations are following United Nation Economic Commission of Europe regulation 66 which focuses on strength of large vehicle superstructure. Validation process had been done using simple box model experiment and results obtained are comparing with simulation results. Inputs data from validation process had been used in full scale simulation. Analyses suggested that, the failure of bus superstructure during rollover situation is basically dependent on the total mass of bus and on the strength of bus superstructure.
Abstract: Temperature dependence of force of gravitation is one
of the fundamental problems of physics. This problem has got special
value in connection with that the general theory of relativity,
supposing the weakest positive influence of a body temperature on its
weight, actually rejects an opportunity of measurement of negative
influence of temperature on gravity in laboratory conditions. Really,
the recognition of negative temperature dependence of gravitation,
for example, means basic impossibility of achievement of a
singularity («a black hole») at a gravitational collapse. Laboratory
experiments with exact weighing the heated up metal samples,
indicating negative influence temperatures of bodies on their physical
weight are described. Influence of mistakes of measurements is
analyzed. Calculations of distribution of temperature in volume of the
bar, agreed with experimental data of time dependence of weight of
samples are executed. The physical substantiation of negative
temperature dependence of weight of the bodies, based on correlation
of acceleration at thermal movement of micro-particles of a body and
its absolute temperature, are given.
Abstract: This article stands in the context of rural communities
in Brazil, where, like many others emerging countries, the
overwhelming increasing markets and the overcrowded cities are
leaving behind informal settlements based on obsolete agricultural
economies and techniques. The pilot project for the community of
Goiabeira reflects the attempt to imagine a development model that
privileges the actual improvement of living conditions, the education
and training, the social inclusion and participation of the dwellers of
rural communities. Through the inclusion of operative public space,
the aim is for them to become self-sustaining, encouraging the use of
local resources for appropriate architectural, ecological and energy
technologies and devices, that are efficient, affordable and foster
community participation, in the respect of the surrounding
environment.
Abstract: In this study, a reformer model simulation to use
refinery (Farashband refinery, Iran) waste natural gas. In the
petroleum and allied sectors where natural gas is being encountered
(in form of associated gas) without prior preparation for its positive
use, its combustion (which takes place in flares, an equipment through
which they are being disposed) has become a great problem because
of its associated environmental problems in form of gaseous emission.
The proposed model is used to product syngas from waste natural gas.
A detailed steady model described by a set of ordinary differential and
algebraic equations was developed to predict the behavior of the
overall process. The proposed steady reactor model was validated
against process data of a reformer synthesis plant recorded and a good
agreement was achieved. H2/CO ratio has important effect on Fischer-
Tropsch synthesis reactor product and we try to achieve this parameter
with best designing reformer reactor. We study different kind of
reformer reactors and then select auto thermal reforming process of
natural gas in a fixed bed reformer that adjustment H2/CO ratio with
CO2 and H2O injection. Finally a strategy was proposed for prevention
of extra natural gas to atmosphere.
Abstract: With the growth of electricity generation from gas
energy gas pipeline reliability can substantially impact the electric
generation. A physical disruption to pipeline or to a compressor
station can interrupt the flow of gas or reduce the pressure and lead
to loss of multiple gas-fired electric generators, which could
dramatically reduce the supplied power and threaten the power
system security. Gas pressure drops during peak loading time on
pipeline system, is a common problem in network with no enough
transportation capacity which limits gas transportation and causes
many problem for thermal domain power systems in supplying their
demand. For a feasible generation scheduling planning in networks
with no sufficient gas transportation capacity, it is required to
consider gas pipeline constraints in solving the optimization problem
and evaluate the impacts of gas consumption in power plants on gas
pipelines operating condition. This paper studies about operating of
gas fired power plants in critical conditions when the demand of gas
and electricity peak together. An integrated model of gas and electric
model is used to consider the gas pipeline constraints in the economic
dispatch problem of gas-fueled thermal generator units.
Abstract: The recent developments in computing and
communication technology permit to users to access multimedia
documents with variety of devices (PCs, PDAs, mobile phones...)
having heterogeneous capabilities. This diversification of supports
has trained the need to adapt multimedia documents according to
their execution contexts. A semantic framework for multimedia
document adaptation based on the conceptual neighborhood graphs
was proposed. In this framework, adapting consists on finding
another specification that satisfies the target constraints and which is
as close as possible from the initial document. In this paper, we
propose a new way of building the conceptual neighborhood graphs
to best preserve the proximity between the adapted and the original
documents and to deal with more elaborated relations models by
integrating the relations relaxation graphs that permit to handle the
delays and the distances defined within the relations.
Abstract: This paper presents the development of adaptive
distance relay for protection of parallel transmission line with mutual
coupling. The proposed adaptive relay, automatically adjusts its
operation based on the acquisition of the data from distance relay of
adjacent line and status of adjacent line from line circuit breaker IED
(Intelligent Electronic Device). The zero sequence current of the
adjacent parallel transmission line is used to compute zero sequence
current ratio and the mutual coupling effect is fully compensated.
The relay adapts to changing circumstances, like failure in
communication from other relays and non - availability of adjacent
transmission line. The performance of the proposed adaptive relay is
tested using steady state and dynamic test procedures. The fault
transients are obtained by simulating a realistic parallel transmission
line system with mutual coupling effect in PSCAD. The evaluation
test results show the efficacy of adaptive distance relay over the
conventional distance relay.
Abstract: This research proposes a methodology for patent-citation-based technology input-output analysis by applying the patent information to input-output analysis developed for the dependencies among different industries. For this analysis, a technology relationship matrix and its components, as well as input and technology inducement coefficients, are constructed using patent information. Then, a technology inducement coefficient is calculated by normalizing the degree of citation from certain IPCs to the different IPCs (International patent classification) or to the same IPCs. Finally, we construct a Dependency Structure Matrix (DSM) based on the technology inducement coefficient to suggest a useful application for this methodology.
Abstract: A Data Warehouses is a repository of information
integrated from source data. Information stored in data warehouse is
the form of materialized in order to provide the better performance
for answering the queries. Deciding which appropriated views to be
materialized is one of important problem. In order to achieve this
requirement, the constructing search space close to optimal is a
necessary task. It will provide effective result for selecting view to be
materialized. In this paper we have proposed an approach to reoptimize
Multiple View Processing Plan (MVPP) by using global
common subexpressions. The merged queries which have query
processing cost not close to optimal would be rewritten. The
experiment shows that our approach can help to improve the total
query processing cost of MVPP and sum of query processing cost
and materialized view maintenance cost is reduced as well after views
are selected to be materialized.
Abstract: It is believed that DNA damaging toxic metabolites contributes to the development of different pathological conditions. To prevent harmful influence of toxic agents, cells developed number of protecting mechanisms, such as enzymatic reaction of detoxification of reactive metabolites and repair of DNA damage. The aim of the study was to examine the association between polymorphism of GSTT1/GSTM1 and XRCC1/3 genes and coronary artery disease (CAD) incidence. To examine a polymorphism of these genes in CAD susceptibility in patients and controls, PCR based genotyping assay was performed. For GST genes, frequency of GSTM1 null genotype among CAD affected group was significantly increased than in control group (P0.1). We found that neither XRCC1 Arg399Gln nor XRCC3 Thr241Met were associated with CAD risk. Obtained data suggests that GSTM1 null genotype carriers are more susceptible to CAD development.
Abstract: The paper aims to show that implementing different
types of reflectors in solar energy systems, will dramatically improve
energy production by means of concentrating and intensifying more
sunlight onto a solar cell. The Solar Intensifier unit is designed to
increase efficiency and performance of a set of solar panels. The unit
was fabricated and tested. The experimental results show good
improvement in the performance of the solar energy system.
Abstract: Wind power is among the most actively developing distributed generation (DG) technology. Majority of the wind power based DG technologies employ wind turbine induction generators (WTIG) instead of synchronous generators, for the technical advantages like: reduced size, increased robustness, lower cost, and increased electromechanical damping. However, dynamic changes of wind speed make the amount of active/reactive power injected/drawn to a WTIG embedded distribution network highly variable. This paper analyzes the effect of wind speed changes on the active and reactive power penetration to the wind energy embedded distribution network. Four types of wind speed changes namely; constant, linear change, gust change and random change of wind speed are considered in the analysis. The study is carried out by three-phase, non-linear, dynamic simulation of distribution system component models. Results obtained from the investigation are presented and discussed.
Abstract: In this paper, an Interactive Compromise Approach
with Particle Swarm Optimization(ICA-PSO) is presented to solve the
Economic Emission Dispatch(EED) problem. The cost function and
emission function are modeled as the nonsmooth functions,
respectively. The bi-objective including both the minimization of cost
and emission is formulated in this paper. ICA-PSO is proposed to
solve EED problem for finding a better compromise solution. The
solution methodology can offer a global or near-global solution for
decision-making requirements. The effectiveness and efficiency of
ICA-PSO are demonstrated by a sample test system. Test results can
be shown that the proposed method provide a practical and flexible
framework for power dispatch.