Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seismic Behaviour and Retrofitting of Timber Frame Walls

Half-timbered buildings are well known as one of the most efficient seismic resistant structure in the world, but their popularity is not only due to their seismic performance, but also to their low cost and the strength they offer. These structures generally consist of exterior masonry walls with timber elements embedded which tie the walls together and internal walls which have a timber frame with masonry infill and act as shear walls. Generally, different types of infill could be applied to half-timbered walls depending on the country, namely brick masonry, rubble masonry, hay, mud, etc. The focus of this paper is to study the seismic behaviour of the walls when no infill is present, i.e. considering only the timber frame, and then compare the results with those of the infill walls. Static cyclic tests have been performed on unreinforced timber frame walls and appropriate strengthening solutions have been applied in order to test the walls in a retrofitted condition, namely (1) steel plates with different configurations and (2) steel flat bars inserted with the NSM technique.
Energy Consumption Forecasting in Hong Kong Using ARIMA and Artificial Neural Networks Models

There have been considerable efforts contributed to the development of effective energy demand forecast models due to its critical role for economic development and environmental protection. This study focused on the adoption of artificial neural network (ANN) and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models for energy consumption forecasting in Hong Kong over the period of 1975-2010. Four predictors were considered, including population, GDP, exports, and total visitor arrivals. The results show most ANN models demonstrate acceptable forecast accuracy when single predictor is considered. The best single input model is the case with GDP as predictor. Population and exports are the next proper single inputs. The model with total visitor arrivals as sole predictor does not perform satisfactorily. This indicates that tourism development demonstrates a different pattern from that of energy consumption. In addition, the forecast accuracy of ANN does not improve considerably as the number of predictors increase. Findings imply that with the ANN approach, choosing appropriate predictors is more important than increasing the number of predictors. On the other hand, ARIMA generates forecasts as accurate as some good cases by ANN. Results suggest that ARIMA is not only a parsimonious but effective approach for energy consumption forecasting in Hong Kong.
Velocity Profile Development in Axial-Flow Compressors:

A theory for the development of the axial and peripheral velocity profiles in the early stages of an axial-flow compressor is presented. The theory assumes the existence of a stall-zone in the corner formed by the convex surface of each blade and the annulus wall. The extent along each blade of this stall-zone is assumed to be related to the theoretical annulus boundary layer thickness; equations are derived for predicting its growth through the blade roots and tips. The conditions at the blade ends are determined from the theory of a two-dimensional stalled cascade and the outlet angle variation is determined by momentum mixing. Actuator disc theory is then used to find the resulting flow. The predictions of this method are compared both with experimental results obtained from a three-stage compressor and with the predictions of secondary flow theory in which both loss and blade row entry velocity profile are taken from experiment. Somewhat better agreement between the stall-zone theory and experiment is.
A Structural Neural System for Real-time Health Monitoring of Composite Materials

A prototype structural neural system (SNS) is tested for the first time and damage detection results are presented in this study. The SNS is a passive online structural health monitoring (SHM) system that mimics the synaptic parallel computation networks present in the human biological neural system. Piezoelectric ceramic sensors and analog electronics are used to form neurons that measure strain waves generated by damage. The sensing of strain waves is similar to the proven nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technique of acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. Fatigue testing of a composite specimen on a four-point bending fiXture is performed, and the SNS is used to monitor the specimen for damage in real time. The prototype SNS used four sensors as inputs, but the number of inputs can be in the tens or hundreds depending on the type of SNS processor used. This is an area of continuing development. The SNS has two channels of signal output that are digitized and processed in a computer. The first output channel tracks the propagation of waves due to damage, and the second output channel provides the combined AE responses of the sensors. The data from these two channels are used to predict the location of damage and to qualitatively indicate the severity of the damage. Overall, this study shows that the SNS can detect damage growth in composites during operation of the structure, and the SNS architecture has the potential to tremendously simplify the AE technique for use in on-board SHM. Ten or more input neurons can be used, and still only two output channels are needed. Two levels of monitoring are possible using the SNS; a coarser SHM approach, or an on-board NDE approach. The SHM approach uses the SNS with a coarse grid of neurons to monitor and detect damage occurring in a general area during operation of the structure. The SNS will indicate where and when a more sensitive inspection is needed which can be done using ground-based NDE techniques. The on-board NDE approach uses the SNS with a fine coverage of neurons for highly sensitive NDE which continuously listens for damage and provides real-time processing and information about any damage in the structure and the performance limits and safety of the vehicle.
Measurement System Based on Multi-Wavelength Interferometry for Long Gauge Block Calibration

This paper shows the result of work of the Institute of Micromechanics and Photonics at Warsaw University of Technology and the Length and Angle Division of Central Office of Measures (GUM) [1] in building an automatic multiwavelength interferometric system with extended measurement range for calibration of long (up to 1 m) gauge blocks. The design of a full working setup with environmental condition control and monitoring systems, as well as image analysis software, is presented. For length deviation determination the phase fraction approach is proposed and described. To confirm that the system is capable of calibrating gauge blocks with assumed accuracy, a comparison between the results of 300 mm length gauge block measurement obtained by using other systems from the Central Office of Measures is made. Statistical analysis proved that the system can be used for high precision measurements with assumed standard uncertainty (125 nm for a length of 1 m). Finally the comparison between our results obtained for a long gauge block set (600 mm to 1000 mm long) and previous calibrations made by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) [2] is shown.
Drought and Flood Distribution Variation Based on SPI in Nanjing, China

Many drought and flood indices have been developed, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is one which has various temporal scales together to form an overall judgment of drought and flood and can be applied easily to different locations to identify and monitor drought and flood. Take Nanjing, China in the study as an example to analysis drought and flood variation by computing SPI values of four time scales including 3-months, 6-months, 12-months and 24-months, applying precipitation data from 1946-2000 of the study area. The results demonstrated SPI can be appropriate to analyze drought and flood variation of Nanjing, while the precipitation data were divided into three stages(1946-1963,1964-1981,1982-2000), the frequencies of various drought and flood classes from various time scales are different, particularly 12-months and 24-months. The time series is longer, the frequencies are more reliable and the differences more little.
Improved Apriori Algorithm in the Power System Fault

For the low efficiency in generating candidate item sets of apriori algorithm, this paper presents a method based on property division to improve generating candidate item sets. Comparing the improved apriori algorithm with the other algorithm and the improved algorithm is applied to the power system accident cases in extreme climate. The experiment results show that the improved algorithm significantly improves the time efficiency of generating candidate item sets. And it can find the association rules among time, space, disasters and fault facilities in the power system accident cases in extreme climate. That is very useful in power system fault analysis.
Friction Losses and Flow Distribution for Rotating Disks With Shielded and Protruding Bolts

The friction losses of rotating disks in turbomachines are often increased by protruding bolt heads and surface imperfections, especially at the rim. This can significantly influence the heat production and flow distribution in disk cooling systems. A detailed knowledge of losses and local cooling flows is required to improve the accuracy of both performance and disk life predictions. To this end a thorough experimental study of various disk, bolt, and bolt cover configurations has been carried out. Some of the important test results are presented, and recommendations are given for minimizing windage losses. Empirical influence coefficients based on von Karman’s equations for disk friction losses have been derived for different geometries. Furthermore, empirical correlations are proposed for the windage losses of various disk/bolt configurations.
Importance of upper-limb inertia in calculating concentric bench-press force

Accurate calculation of force from kinematic data requires to accurately determine the total inertia of the mechanical system (i.e. the lifted load, the lever arm of the apparatus and the body segments). Several authors have shown that the force produced during mono-joint extension of the lower limbs is underestimated if lever arm and leg inertia is neglected (Nelson and Duncan 1983, Rahmani et al. 1999, Winter et al. 1981), leading to an underestimation of the mechanical parameters extrapolated from the force– velocity and power–velocity relationships (Rahmani et al. 1999). Maximal power (Pmax) calculated according to force–velocity relationship has previously been related to performance during explosive events (Dorel et al. 2005, Morin et al. 2002). The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of upper-limb inertia on the force–velocity relationship and maximal power during concentric bench-press exercise.
Evaluating spin-on carbon materials at low temperatures for high wiggling resistance

Spin-on carbon (SOC) materials play an important role in the multilayer lithography scheme for the mass production of advanced semiconductor devices. One of the SOC’s key roles in the multilayer process (photoresist, silicon-containing hardmask, SOC) is the reactive ion etch (RIE) for pattern transfer into the substrate. As aspect ratios of the SOC material increase and feature sizes decrease, the pattern transfer from SOC to substrate by a fluorine-containing RIE induces severe pattern deformation (“wiggling”), which ultimately prevents successful pattern transfer into the substrate. One process that reduces line wiggling is a high-temperature (>250°C) post-application bake of the SOC material. In this study, we developed a process for evaluating SOC materials with respect to their pattern transfer performance. This process allowed us to evaluate line-wiggling behavior with several SOC materials at lower bake temperatures. This paper will discuss novel materials design in relation to high-aspect-ratio SOC layers and wiggling resistance.
In search of project excellence: a systems approach of triangulation in a mixed methodology empirical research

The majority of major projects are criticised for having failed their perceived quality objectives. This study explores the dimensions and constructs contributing to the project quality and sustainable outcomes leading to project excellence focusing on the efficacy of methodological triangulation in this research. A mixed methodology of semi-structured interviews followed by an online questionnaire survey, a partial least squares (PLS) analysis and two UK infrastructure case studies (Terminal 5 and High Speed 1) were applied. A systems approach supported by the methodological triangulation process has been applied to the mixed methodology of both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The research contributed to the definition of project quality underpinned by three dimensions of design, process and organisation. Three propositions in search of project excellence were tested and two propositions were fully supported and one was partly supported by research results and strengthened the approach of methodological triangulation and systems thinking.
TGF-β downregulates CAIII expression via MAPK and PI3K signaling pathways in colon carcinoma and osteosarcoma cells

Identification of cancer-associated genes is critical for developing effective treatments of colorectal cancer (CRC). A limited number of studies have examined the mechanisms and genes underlying CRC. Abnormal transforming growth factor beta (TGF-? ) expression was observed at different stages of carcinoma. We examined the effect of cancer-related cytokine TGF-? on carbonic anhydrase (CA) III gene expression in colon cancer HT-29 cells. TGF-? (500 U/mL) downregulated CAIII gene expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. Transient transfection experiments indicated that different CAIII promoter constructs were active in HT-29 cells. TGF-? reduced transcriptional activity of all promoter constructs, indicating that the potential response element for TGF-? -directed transcription lies within the -108/+86 region of the CAIII promoter. According to the non-Smad pathway inhibitory assay, TGF-? downregulated the CAIII gene through mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) and phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) pathways. The same decreasing effect was determined in the Saos-2, osteosarcoma cell line, indicating that the effect of TGF-? on CAIII was not tissue-specific. However, examination of PI3K and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways with suitable inhibitors revealed that the PI3K but not the MAPK/ERK pathway was responsible for TGF-? downregulation.
3D magneto‐thermal computations of electromagnetic induction phenomena

This paper presents the results of a series of tests made in order to validate the magneto‐thermal module of the new FLUX3D v3.40. The tool was conceived to solve the coupled problems of electromagnetic and thermal phenomena. The solving method of the program considers a thermal‐transient problem during a certain period of time and it solves, at each time step, the thermal and electromagnetic equations (in quasi‐stationary magneto‐harmonic formulation), alternatively. We have modelled the inductive longitudinal welding of steel pipes. The results of 3D simulations are compared with measurements on a laboratory device.
Fast mode identification technique for online monitoring

Today's structural monitoring systems include hundreds of data channels. The number of channels on these systems is expected to grow as sensors become more affordable, creating large computational requirements for the online modal identification of structural systems. This paper presents the mathematical formulation, numerical and experimental validation of a new fast mode identification (FMI) technique for online monitoring. The FMI technique uses experimental data from ambient vibration tests to identify operational mode shapes at a fraction of the time used by traditional modal identification techniques. The method focuses on identifying operational mode shapes at a particular frequency, allowing the modal identification method to be broken down in two steps: (i) identification of natural frequencies and modal damping ratios, and (ii) identification of mode shapes. Dividing the process in two reduces the computational time required by the algorithm. Numerical simulations show that the FMI is robust to the presence of noise in the signals. Experimental results show a good agreement between the results of FMI and those of other widely used modal identification methods. However, FMI shows a higher consistency on the identified modal coordinates and lower processing time than other methods. FMI is envisioned to be used in online monitoring systems with a large number of sensors. FMI can also be used on wireless sensor networks where available processing time and battery life might be limited. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced Design for Flip Chip Interconnects

Multichip and flip chip technology has become increasingly popular in the past years. It employs a series of chips flipped and connected through metallic bumps. A study for improving the performance of flip chip interconnects is recently presented by Ghouz and El-Sharawy for frequencies up to 50 GHz. In that study, the idea of staggering the signal line interconnect with respect to the ground plane bumps to reduce reflection and insertion loss is introduced. In this paper concentration is put on re-shaping the discontinuity region in order to provide a better impedance match between the CPW-motherboard and the CPW-chip, and thus reducing reflection at the input terminals. Several approaches are tested to accomplish lower return loss, among them, the use of bumps of different thickness located at different positions, the use of tilted bumps or "ramps", and the use of dielectric loading on the bumps. The results indicate that the performance of these flip chips is greatly enhanced and extended to frequencie.
High Precision Calibration of Binocular Vision System Based on Genetic Algorithm

This paper presents a high precision calibration method based on genetic algorithm (GA) for binocular vision system, involving the problems of the GA optimization and the camera modeling. For the GA optimization, both the binary-code and the real-code are considered. The binary-code makes the feasible solution approach to the optimal solution rapidly, and then the accuracy of GA is further improved by using the real-code. Furthermore, in order to improve the convergence rate of the algorithm, the parameters of the two cameras are calculated separately, and the target function is selected by the forward mapping relationship between the world coordinates and the image coordinates. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Prime valued space-time convolutional Z/sub w/ code achieving full 2-level diversity

The framework of space-time (ST) convolutional codes is extended by investigating the performance of w-ary phase shift keying (PSK) modulation combined with ST convolutional codes based on a GF(w) where w is a prime number. The coefficients applied in the construction of ST convolutional codes shown in existing studies were not obtained from a full search range. Code search algorithms based on the determinant criterion and the Euclidean criterion are applied resulting in ST convolutional Zw codes. The ST convolutional code combined with prime valued w-ary PSK modulation can provide some additional options for wireless system design engineers with respect to the spectral efficiency and performance.
Prevention Through Design: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Addressing occupational safety and health needs in the design process to prevent or minimize the work-related hazards and risks associated with the construction, manufacture, use, maintenance, and disposal of facilities, materials, and equipment,” is how the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines Prevention Through Design (PtD) [1]. This concept is an idea whose time has come, including its extension to products, since product-related injuries also occur outside of the workplace. Using PtD techniques on consumer products will yield significant safety benefits. Besides the desire to provide well designed products, save lives, prevent injuries and avoid lawsuits, engineers have a professional responsibility to promote safety. The fundamental canon of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code of Ethics states, “Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public in the performance of their professional duties. ” [2] The first fundamental canon of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics [3] is virtually identical. Codes and standards alone are usually not a guarantor of safety, as no document can foresee every application and situation. Codes and standards differ widely in their ability to produce a safe product or process simply from adherence to their requirements. Further, many codes and standards do not consider foreseeable or known misuse, which must be considered in PtD. PtD requires hazard evaluation followed by affirmative measures that address hazards and failure modes until an acceptable, likely nonzero, level of risk is reached. Such measures provide safety even when a momentary and foreseeable level of carelessness or inattention occurs.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
A simple demonstration of numerical dispersion under FDTD [for EM field calculations]

The method of finite differences in the time domain (FDTD) has become of growing importance for solving electromagnetic problems due to its simplicity, versatility and the available of inexpensive and powerful computers. In this work, the authors try to demonstrate in an understandable way the characteristic of numerical dispersion of the algorithm. For this purpose, they simulate the one-dimensional propagation of different wave shapes under FDTD. In order to enhance the fact that the dispersion arises as a consequence of the different phase and group velocities for monochromatic waves, they decompose the signals into spectral components and, after propagation at the phase speed given by FDTD, they reconstruct the signals. This computation gives the same results as FDTD. Finally, they compute the propagation assuming that the phase speed its truly the speed in vacuum. In this case, no dispersion its observed at all.
Design of Robust Controllers for Active Vehicle Suspension Using the Mixed µ Synthesis

Summary The mixed µ synthesis for active suspension problems is proposed. Applying this method the real parametric uncertainties can be taken into consideration, which is more realistic than the traditional approaches, and the design process yields a less conservative compensator than other robust control design methods. The concept of the active suspension design using full-car models to handle the uncertain components is presented. The result of the mixed µ method is compared with the complex µ synthesis, and the passive system.
Trajectory Tracking of Omni-Directional Wheeled Opera Robot Based on Wavelet

As the perfect fusion of intelligent robotics and China's classic culture, Opera robots, two omni-directional wheeled robots were made in my research centre. They can smoothly fight with each other just as Opera actors. A novel trajectory tracking method based on robotic dynamics model and wavelet sampling theorem for Opera robot is proposed in this paper. The formula for calculating torque of each driving motor when the robot moves along spline curves is studied in detail. By experiment, the robot can be derived smoothly to track predetermined trajectory.