A new contact model for the discrete element method simulation of $$\hbox {TiO}_2$$ nanoparticle films under mechanical load

We develop a novel coarse-grained contact model for Discrete Element Method simulations of \(\hbox {TiO}_2\) nanoparticle films subjected to mechanical stress. All model elements and parameters are derived in a self-consistent and physically sound way from all-atom Molecular Dynamics simulations of interacting particles and surfaces. In particular, the nature of atomic-scale friction and dissipation effects is taken into account by explicit modelling of the surface features and water adsorbate layers that strongly mediate the particle-particle interactions. The quantitative accuracy of the coarse-grained model is validated against all-atom simulations of \(\hbox {TiO}_2\) nanoparticle agglomerates under tensile stress. Moreover, its predictive power is demonstrated with calculations of force-displacement curves of entire nanoparticle films probed with force spectroscopy. The simulation results are compared with Atomic Force Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy experiments.     

Shape-Based Retrieval of Construction Site Photographs

Digital photographs of construction site activities are gradually replacing their traditional paper based counterparts. Existing digital imaging technologies in hardware and software make it easy for site engineers to take numerous photographs of “interesting” processes and activities on a daily basis. The resulting photographic data are evidence of the “as-built” project, and can therefore be used in a number of project life cycle tasks. However, the task of retrieving the relevant photographs needed in these tasks is often burdened by the sheer volume of photographs accumulating in project databases over time and the numerous objects present in each photograph. To solve this problem, the writers have recently developed a number of complementary techniques that can automatically classify and retrieve construction site images according to a variety of criteria (materials, time, date, location, etc.). This paper presents a novel complementary technique that can automatically identify linear (i.e., beam, column) and nonlinear (i.e., wall, slab) construction objects within the image content and use that information to enhance the performance of the writers’ existing construction site image retrieval approach.     

CFRP Tendons for the Repair of Posttensioned, Unbonded Concrete Buildings

The deterioration attributable to corrosion of concrete structures reinforced with unbonded, posttensioned tendons is a costly problem. Recent research has shown composite materials such as fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) to be suitable alternatives to steel because they provide similar strength without susceptibility to electrochemical corrosion. Carbon-FRP (CFRP) in particular has great promise for prestressed applications because it shows resistance to corrosion in environments that might be encountered in concrete and experiences less relaxation than steel. This paper outlines the testing and implementation of a posttensioned system that uses CFRP tendons to replace corroded, unbonded posttensioned steel tendons. This system was then implemented in a parking garage in downtown Toronto. To the writers’ knowledge, this is the first example of an unbonded, posttensioned tendon replacement using FRP tendons. The system used split-wedge anchors designed specifically for CFRP tendons. The dead end was anchored by directly bonding the tendon to the concrete slab. The CFRP tendon was successfully inserted in the opening created by the removal of the corroded tendon and stressed. Although the system was shown to be feasible, the current anchorage configuration results in load losses of up to 60% during the transfer. Changing the orientation of the anchor was found to reduce the load loss to an acceptable range of 1–9%.     

Knowledge-Assisted Retrieval of Online Product Information in Architectural/Engineering/Construction

With a better understanding about the product market, industry practitioners can make more informed decisions for product specification, selection, and procurement. However, current approaches that support Architectural/Engineering/Construction (A/E/C) information acquisition do not provide a comprehensive market scan. While the Internet provides an ever-growing resource for product information, existing approaches have limited capabilities to make use of this virtual market. Therefore, the writers have developed a knowledge-assisted approach to specifically address the potential of the virtual market—help retrieve A/E/C product information, particularly information about different manufacturers, from the Internet. The paper introduces the building blocks of the developed approach, which includes domain knowledge utilization, information retrieval (IR) techniques, and strategies that incorporate domain knowledge into knowledge-supported IR approaches. Specifically, domain knowledge represented in the form of a thesaurus was used with query expansion strategies under the framework of an adaptation of the extended IR Boolean model. It was concluded from the prototype validation that domain knowledge can be extremely helpful when acquiring A/E/C product information from online resources using the developed approach.     

Postfailure Mechanics of Landslides: Laboratory Investigation of Flowslides in Pyroclastic Soils

Of all landslides, subaerial flowslides are the most dangerous. According to the literature, flowslides in saturated granular deposits are caused by static liquefaction induced by loss of stability. However, the catastrophic flowslides that occurred on steep slopes in Campania (southern Italy) in 1998, 1999, and 2005 were triggered by rainwater infiltration into shallow deposits of pyroclastic soils, which were initially unsaturated. Starting from the experience collected during the investigations of some of these landslides, the writers consider flowslide evolution as a result of a mechanical chain process characterized by saturation increase due to rainwater infiltration, mechanical degradation, volumetric collapse, and static liquefaction, culminating in complete fluidization of the soil. In the paper this chain process is investigated through wetting tests both in suction controlled triaxial apparatuses and in a well-equipped small scale slope model.     

A Formal Model for Video Shot Segmentation and its Application via Animate Vision

The first step in a video indexing process is the segmentation of videos into meaningful parts called shots. In this paper we present a formal model of the video shot segmentation process. Starting from a mathematical characterization of the most common transition effects, a video segmentation algorithm capable to detect both abrupt and gradual transitions is proposed. The proposed algorithm is based on the computation of an arbitrary similarity measure between consecutive frames of a video. The algorithm has been tested adopting a similarity metric based on the Animate Vision theory and results have been reported.     

Harmonic-loaded microwave power amplifiers: Nonlinear design procedure

A nonlinear design procedure for microwave power amplifiers is presented. The methodology makes use of a complete nonlinear model for the active device and an exact nonlinear analysis method. Suitable harmonic loading conditions for efficient power performance are imposed simultaneously and consistently with the analysis. The procedure is much faster than conventional repeated nonlinear analyses. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.