Quantification of Moment–Rotation Relationship of Monolithic Precast Beam–Column Connections

The accurate prediction of nonlinear structural behaviors under different seismic intensities is an important basis for seismic resilience assessments of building structures. The moment–rotation relationship is often used to characterize the seismic performance of connections, and is widely used in high-efficiency nonlinear structural analysis. In this paper, a method of calculating the curve using a four-linear equivalent model is presented, aiming to quantify the characteristic point parameters of the moment–rotation curves of monolithic precast beam–column (MPBC) connections for engineering design purposes. The method considered the contribution of the elastic flexure of beams and columns, the relative slip of beam longitudinal bars in the core zone, and the formation of plastic hinges at beam ends to the total deflection. Due to the presence of local complex configurations in MPBC connections, the fine fiber section method was used for moment–curvature analysis of critical beam sections. The determination of the sectional analysis processes was controlled by the strain of steel bars or concrete or their coupling effect. In addition, a two-step method was proposed to construct the moment–rotation relationship of cruciform beam–column connections for solving the deformation compatibility of beams on both sides of the column caused by asymmetric reinforcement and the strength difference between new and old concrete. To reflect the current manufacturing level of MPBC connections, 58 representative specimens reported in recent years were analyzed and classified as type 1–5. All types of MPBC connections and their 18 cast-in situ counterparts were calculated using the proposed method for both verification and quantification. The verification showed that the proposed method had good applicability to both cast-in situ and precast beam–column connections. The quantification showed that the characteristic point parameters were slightly different between these two connections. Accordingly, modification coefficients were suggested for MPBC connections to facilitate design.

The Invention and Application of Typical Points-Based Well Log Correlation and Picking Up Technology

This paper proposes a new method called typical points-based well log correlation and picking up technology and provides several related application examples based on this method. The new method firstly determines representative extreme points, typical or characteristic points by analyzing the characteristics of logging curves and lithology of different wells, which are generally representative points with special geological significance, including the points with the best physical properties or tight points. (For example, the maximum flooding surface or exposed surface in a sedimentary cycle, etc.). On the basis of these characteristic points, we carry out stratigraphic correlation and tracking between wells to obtain a data set of a series of characteristic points. From the same characteristic point, all points have the same or similar petrophysical properties, and the logging curve values of these characteristic points are extracted. And then analyze the change trend, distribution characteristics and the internal relationship of the parameters of the data set of each feature point. Based on the data set obtained from the method above, we extended it to the following application areas: 1) Through mathematical theoretical models, two free water level distribution modes and their determination workflows were established, including horizontal and tilted free water levels. 2) Perform data quality analysis and control, especially logging data analysis. 3) Exploratory application in the standardization of logging curves.4) Application in dynamic performance analysis The new method is developed on the traditional stratigraphic correlation method and stratal slicing method (Zeng Hongliu, 1998) and then used for well log data extraction and analysis. It is a practical means and technique for geological analysis. The application effect shows that the it is reliable, convenient and practical.

Elastic Settlement Analysis of Rigid Footings Relying On The “Characteristic Point” Concept

In the present paper, the problem of finding the location of the so-called “characteristic point” of flexible footings is revisited. As known, the settlement at the characteristic point, is equal to the uniform settlement of the respective rigid footing. The cases of infinitely long strips and circular footings are studied fully analytically. For the case of rectangular footings, analytical results (for flexible footings) are compared with the respective numerical results (for rigid footings) obtained from 3D finite element analysis (210 cases were examined). As shown, the location of the characteristic point may greatly deviate from the well-known values reported in the literature, as it strongly depends on the thickness and Poisson’s ratio value of the compressible medium. For rectangular footings this location also depends on their aspect ratio, L/B. The location of the characteristic point with respect to the center of footing for the various cases examined is given in tabular form. Strain influence area values (Aj=ρjEs/qB) are also given for the convenient calculation of the settlement (ρj) of footings, especially the rigid, rectangular ones; q is the uniform surcharge of footing and Es the soil modulus.

Path Planning for an HEXA Parallel Mechanism using a Modified PSO Algorithm

This paper presents a method for determining the optimal trajectory of the characteristic point based on the kinematic analysis of a HEXA parallel mechanism. The optimization was performed based on a modified PSO algorithm based on Hermite polynomials (MH-PSO). The change made to the initial algorithm consists in restricting the search space of the solutions by using the Hermite polynomial expressions of the geometric parameters as time functions for defining the movements of the end-effector. The MH-PSO algorithm, from its inception, ensures a faster convergence of solutions and ease of computational effort and is the main advantage of the method presented. During the optimization process, the function followed was the length of the trajectory described by the sequence of positions of the characteristic point, belonging to the end effector element, in compliance with additional conditions imposed. The use of the Hermite functions and PSO algorithm leads to minimal effort for analysis and mathematical formulation of the optimization problem.

Development of the computer model of the plasma installation

Mathematical model of a plasma installation for the production of metal powder and coating has been developed. The problem of creating an objective mathematical model of the plasma jet flow is solved, which adequately describes the real process and allows predicting the parameters of the plasma jet. The value of the temperature of the plasma jet at a characteristic point located on its axis is investigated. The computer model was verified by carrying out a full-scale experiment. Comparative analysis of the results of numerical and field experiments showed satisfactory convergence. It is shown that the temperature of the plasma jet flow obeys the normal Gaussian distribution. The research results can be used to improve processes and technological equipment.

Simplification algorithm of denture point cloud based on feature preserving

Due to the point cloud of oral scan denture has a large amount of data and redundant points. A point cloud simplification algorithm based on feature preserving is proposed to solve the problem that the feature preserving is incomplete when processing point cloud data and cavities occur in relatively flat regions. Firstly, the algorithm uses kd-tree to construct the point cloud spatial topological to search the k-Neighborhood of the sampling point. On the basis of that to calculate the curvature of each point, the angle between the normal vector, the distance from the point to the neighborhood centroid, as well as the standard deviation and the average distance from the point to the neighborhood on this basis, therefore, the detailed features of point cloud can be extracted by multi-feature extraction and threshold determination. For the non-characteristic region, the non-characteristic point cloud is spatially divided through Octree to obtain the K-value of K-means clustering algorithm and the initial clustering center point. The simplified results of non-characteristic regions are obtained after further subdivision. Finally, the extracted detail features and the reduced result of non-featured region will be merged to obtain the final simplification result. The experimental results show that the algorithm can retain the characteristic information of point cloud model better, and effectively avoid the phenomenon of holes in the simplification process. The simplified results have better smoothness, simplicity and precision, and are of high practical value.

A comparative study of permeability prediction for Eocene sandstones - Part 1: Application of modified Swanson models to MICP and NMR data

The mercury injection capillary pressure (MICP) method and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry provide insight into the pore radius distribution (PRD) either of pore throats (MICP) or pore bodies (NMR) of rocks. A variety of permeability (k) prediction models is based on the knowledge of the PRD. We evaluate the quality of k-prediction models using a sample set of Eocene sandstones with known values of measured permeability. The Swanson method relates the apex point of the capillary pressure curve to k. Although this widely acknowledged method uses only a single point of the PRD, it provides a predictive quality with an average ratio between measured and predicted permeability lower than a factor 3. The pore throat radius of the apex point proves to be a good proxy of the effective hydraulic radius. We demonstrate that an improved k prediction can be achieved if a larger section of the PRD is considered in the proposed generalized model. Using reliable values of surface relaxivity, the NMR relaxation time distribution is transformed into a PRD. We show that a characteristic apex point can be determined from NMR data, too. This characteristic point enables a good k prediction for the set of Eocene sandstone samples. In contrast to MICP, the predictive quality cannot be improved by applying an integration over a larger section of the PRD. Further test with samples of different pore structure and lithology should demonstrate the potential of the proposed models.

Structure modeling in three-dimensional simulation of weft-knitted seamless kneepads

This paper proposes a simulation method suitable for weft-knitted seamless kneepads. The purpose of this study is to realize the simulation of complete weft-knitted products, and it has the advantage of speed to display the simulation results online in real-time. The loop of the basic loop model is controlled by up to eight characteristic points and the yarn path is fitted by a three-dimensional spline curve. To string the loop model into the fabric, the coordinate of the characteristic point of the loop at other positions is obtained based on the loop model at the origin by using the translation matrix and the rotation matrix. The simulation of the weft-knitted kneepad is realized by the joint programming of Visual Studio and WebGL. The results show that the structure model can achieve the simulation of the kneepad with high efficiency. This method has strong real-time performance and practicability.

Cases of Integrability Which Correspond to the Motion of a Pendulum in the Three-dimensional Space

We systematize some results on the study of the equations of spatial motion of dynamically symmetric fixed rigid bodies–pendulums located in a nonconservative force fields. The form of these equations is taken from the dynamics of real fixed rigid bodies placed in a homogeneous flow of a medium. In parallel, we study the problem of a spatial motion of a free rigid body also located in a similar force fields. Herewith, this free rigid body is influenced by a nonconservative tracing force; under action of this force, either the magnitude of the velocity of some characteristic point of the body remains constant, which means that the system possesses a nonintegrable servo constraint, or the center of mass of the body moves rectilinearly and uniformly; this means that there exists a nonconservative couple of forces in the system

Blue as an Underrated Alternative to Green: Photoplethysmographic Heartbeat Intervals Estimation under Two Temperature Conditions

Since photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors are usually placed on open skin areas, temperature interference can be an issue. Currently, green light is the most widely used in the reflectance PPG for its relatively low artifact susceptibility. However, it has been known that hemoglobin absorption peaks at the blue part of the spectrum. Despite this fact, blue light has received little attention in the PPG field. Blue wavelengths are commonly used in phototherapy. Combining blue light-based treatments with simultaneous blue PPG acquisition could be potentially used in patients monitoring and studying the biological effects of light. Previous studies examining the PPG in blue light compared to other wavelengths employed photodetectors with inherently lower sensitivity to blue, thereby biasing the results. The present study assessed the accuracy of heartbeat intervals (HBIs) estimation from blue and green PPG signals, acquired under baseline and cold temperature conditions. Our PPG system is based on TCS3472 Color Sensor with equal sensitivity to both parts of the light spectrum to ensure unbiased comparison. The accuracy of the HBIs estimates, calculated with five characteristic points (PPG systolic peak, maximum of the first PPG derivative, maximum of the second PPG derivative, minimum of the second PPG derivative, and intersecting tangents) on both PPG signal types, was evaluated based on the electrocardiographic values. The statistical analyses demonstrated that in all cases, the HBIs estimation accuracy of blue PPG was nearly equivalent to the G PPG irrespective of the characteristic point and measurement condition. Therefore, blue PPG can be used for cardiovascular parameter acquisition. This paper is an extension of work originally presented at the 42nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society.