Three-Dimensional Dynamic Behavior of Embankment on Liquefiable Ground

In recent years, there has been serious damage to embankments on liquefied ground because of large earthquakes. To understand such damage, many two-dimensional shaking table model tests have been performed, in both gravitational and centrifugal fields, to investigate the dynamic behavior and residual displacement of embankments and river dikes on liquefiable ground. In recent years, three-dimensional numerical analysis has been used in practical design because it is difficult to consider the complex dynamic behaviors of three-dimensional embankments and the surrounding liquefied ground in a two-dimensional analysis. However, there are only a limited number of cases in which the applicability of three-dimensional analysis has been validated based on comparisons with true values derived from model tests or data from actual disasters. Therefore, in this study, a series of shaking table tests were conducted to investigate the seismic behavior of a three-dimensional embankment on liquefiable ground. In addition, the effect of the shaking direction on the seismic behavior of the embankment was evaluated. The experiment revealed that the residual deformation and its dominant direction were significantly affected by the three-dimensional shape and total weight of the embankment, not by the shaking direction. This result indicates that the influence of the three-dimensional shape of the embankment on the deformation behavior cannot be ignored, and that the influence should be properly evaluated in seismic design.

An Algorithm for Obtaining 3D Egg Models from Visual Images

Mathematical models for describing the shape of eggs find application in various fields of practice. The article proposes a method and tools for a detailed study of the shape and peripheral contours of digital images of eggs that are suitable for grouping and sorting. A scheme has been adapted to determine the morphological characteristics of eggs, on the basis of which an algorithm has been created for obtaining their 3D models, based on data from color digital images. The deviation from the dimensions of the major and minor axes measured with a caliper and the proposed algorithm is 0.5–1.5 mm. A model of a correction factor has been established by which the three-dimensional shape of eggs can be determined with sufficient accuracy. The results obtained in this work improve the assumption that the use of algorithms to determine the shape of eggs strongly depends on those of the bird species studied. It is approved with data for Mallard eggs which have a more elliptical shape and correspondingly lower values of correction coefficient ‘c’ (c = 1.55–4.96). In sparrow (c = 9.55–11.19) and quail (c = 11.71–13.11) eggs, the form tends to be ovoid. After testing the obtained model for eggs from three bird species, sparrow, mallard, and quail, the coefficient of the determination of proposed model was R2 = 0.96. The standard error was SE = 0.08. All of the results show a p-value of the model less than α = 0.05. The proposed algorithm was applied to create 3D egg shapes that were not used in the previous calculations. The resulting error was up to 9%. This shows that in the test, the algorithm had an accuracy of 91%. An advantage of the algorithm proposed here is that the human operator does not need to select points in the image, as is the case with some of the algorithms developed by other authors. The proposed methods and tools for three-dimensional transformation of egg images would be applicable not only for the needs of poultry farming, but also in ornithological research when working with different shaped varieties of eggs. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has sufficient accuracy.

Architecture for Music : Sonorous Spaces in Sacred Buildings in Renaissance and Baroque Rome

Architectural spaces are usually considered only in their visual and threedimensional character. However, the proper experience of space is multisensory. Sonority is undoubtedly the non-visual characteristic that most affects architecture, influencing its three-dimensional shape, and the size and distribution of its individual parts. Early modern sacred architecture is a case in point. Focusing on Rome and the development of architecture in relation to musical practices, this article demonstrates how architectural forms evolved through a process that ranged from provisional installations to the design of entirely new churches and oratories. In the Baroque period, these religious structures were conceived as synaesthetic spaces of sonority and architecture, in which vision, hearing and liturgical acts merged in an expressive unity.

Optical Phenomena in Mesoscale Dielectric Particles

During the last decade, new unusual physical phenomena have been discovered in studying the optics of dielectric mesoscale particles of an arbitrary three-dimensional shape with the Mie size parameter near 10 (q~10). The paper provides a brief overview of these phenomena from optics to terahertz, plasmonic and acoustic ranges. The different particle configurations (isolated, regular or Janus) are discussed, and the possible applications of such mesoscale structures are briefly reviewed herein in relation to the field enhancement, nanoparticle manipulation and super-resolution imaging. The number of interesting applications indicates the appearance of a new promising scientific direction in optics, terahertz and acoustic ranges, and plasmonics. This paper presents the authors’ approach to these problems.

Bioinspired and Post-Functionalized 3D-Printed Surfaces with Parahydrophobic Properties

Desertification is a growing risk for humanity. Studies show that water access will be the leading cause of massive migration in the future. For this reason, significant research efforts are devoted to identifying new sources of water. Among this work, one of the more interesting strategies takes advantage of atmospheric non-liquid water using water harvesting. Various strategies exist to harvest water, but many suffer from low yield. In this work, we take inspiration from a Mexican plant (Echeveria pulvinate) to prepare a material suitable for future water harvesting applications. Observation of E. pulvinate reveals that parahydrophobic properties are favorable for water harvesting. To mimic these properties, we leveraged a combination of 3D printing and post-functionalization to control surface wettability and obtain parahydrophobic properties. The prepared surfaces were investigated using IR and SEM. The surface roughness and wettability were also investigated to completely describe the elaborated surfaces and strongly hydrophobic surfaces with parahydrophobic properties are reported. This new approach offers a powerful platform to develop parahydrophobic features with desired three-dimensional shape.

Optical phenomena in mesoscale dielectric particles

During the last decade, new unusual physical phenomena have been discovered in studying the optics of dielectric mesoscale particles of an arbitrary three-dimensional shape with the Mie size parameter near 10 (q ~ 10). The paper provides a brief overview of these phenomena from optics to terahertz, plasmonic and acoustic ranges. The different particle configurations (isolated, regular or Janus) are discussed, and the possible applications of such mesoscale structures are briefly reviewed herein in relation to the field enhancement, nanoparticle manipulation and super-resolution imaging. The number of interesting applications indicates to a new promising scientific direction emerged in optics, terahertz and acoustic ranges, and plasmonics. In this paper we present the authors' view of these problems.