Nonlinear finite element method models for ultimate strength analysis of steel stiffened-plate structures under combined biaxial compression and lateral pressure actions—Part II: Stiffened panels

The present paper (Part II) is a sequel to the previous paper (Part I) [Paik JK, Seo JK. Nonlinear finite element method models for ultimate strength analysis of steel stiffened-plate structures under combined biaxial compression and lateral pressure actions—Part I: Plate elements. Thin-Walled Struct 2008, this issue, doi:10.1016/j.tws.2008.08.005.] on the application of nonlinear finite element methods for ultimate strength analysis of steel stiffened-plate structures under combined biaxial compression and lateral pressure actions. In contrast to Part I dealing with plate elements, the present paper (Part II) treats stiffened panels surrounded by strong support members such as longitudinal girders and transverse frames. In similar to Part I, some important factors of influence such as structural dimensions, initial imperfections, loading types and computational techniques in association with ultimate limit states are studied. Some useful insights in terms of nonlinear finite element method modeling are developed using ANSYS code together with the ALPS/ULSAP semi-analytical method, the latter being for the purpose of a comparison.     

Selective elution of tea catechins and caffeine from polyvinylpolypyrrolidone

Desorption of catechins and caffeine from polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) was comprehensively investigated. The result showed that caffeine could easily be desorbed from PVPP by the tested solvents except n‐hexane, while catechins could only be thoroughly done by dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) and N, N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). Excellent desorption efficiency of DMSO and DMF might be attributed to their high dipole moments and H‐bond potentials. Addition of ethanol was recommended considering the elution efficiency and fluidity, but ethanol volume should be <40% (v/v) for DMSO or 20% (v/v) for DMF. Desorption would get to equilibrium within 1 h and followed the pseudo‐second‐order model. Caffeine and catechins could be separately desorbed through two‐stage elution procedure, that is, water or 20% aqueous ethanol for desorbing caffeine and part of nongalloylated catechins and DMSO/ethanol (8/2, v/v) for eluting the remaining catechins. Highly purified catechins (~95%) with high level (~70%) galloylated catechins would be achieved when the desorption procedure was applied in column chromatograph.     

Monitoring control performance via structured closed-loop response subject to output variance/covariance upper bound

Owing to the process time delays, the closed-loop response can be divided into feedback control invariant part and feedback controller dependent part. If the latter part is replaced by a user specified response trajectory, we refer to the resultant closed-loop response as structured closed-loop response. The user specified structured closed-loop response has been used as an achievable control against which one can assess performance of control loops. In the control performance monitoring literature, the user specified response is often given as a first-order transfer function with some specified performance requirement, such as time constant. In this paper, we solve this problem from a systematic approach, i.e., in viewpoint of a variance/covariance upper bound on the outputs. With available closed-loop routine operating output data and process time delay/interactor matrix, the desired structured closed-loop response can be obtained directly via estimated closed-loop time series model. A significant feature is that the output variance/covariance upper bound constraint can be explicitly specified according to the product specifications and is always satisfied when the problem is feasible. This desired structured closed-loop response can thus be served as a benchmark against which the existing controller performance can be compared. We also show that two approaches, linearizing change of variables and Frank and Wolfe algorithm, are suitable for solving this problem, which result in a full order and a reduced order structured closed-loop response, respectively. Both approaches are illustrated by two case studies.     

Comments on “A new method of switching surface design formultivariable variable structure system”

This note points out some errors in the above paper (Lee and Zu, ibid., vol. 39, no. 2, p. 414-19, 1994). It is argued that the proof in the main theorem is not mathematically rigorous. The control scheme requires the derivative of the sliding variable to be available, which is equivalent to saying that the uncertainties of the system are measurable. This is highly impractical if not impossible to implement. The theorem also says that the proposed new switching surface and control scheme can guarantee robustness of the system from initial time to final time. This is also incorrect because the theorem only shows that the sliding variable tends to zero approximately, i.e., the sliding motion only occurs approximately at t=∞. The paper also contains several misprints     

Ion-cleaning damage in (100) GaAs,and its effect on schottky diodes

This study investigates the effect of ion cleaning damage of (100) GaAs in the 100–1000 eV range, and also its recovery with thermal annealing to 400°C. It is shown that GaAs could be annealed to a considerable extent if the ion-damage was ? 100 eV. However, full recovery was not achieved. On the other hand, samples damaged at ? 400 eV became progressively worse with annealing. Measurements indicate that these samples are dominated by the effect of arsenic variances within the bulk. These remain in the bulk, but are distributed spatially upon annealing. They behave as deep donors, so that the net electron concentration in the bulk is enhanced. Aluminum-n GaAs Schottky diodes were used as a vehicle for this study.     

Characterization of angiotensin receptors in rabbit isolated atria

Bremsstrahlung x-rays are produced when energetic beta-particles are emitted and absorbed. Measurements of total-body bremsstrahlung efficiencey (x-ray photon output per muCi 90Sr in the body, relative to that in water) have been made in the intact mouse, rat, rabbit, and dog sacrificed 2 weeks after the injection of 90Sr + 85Sr. Efficiencies were determined by a comparison of the bremsstrahlung output from 90Sr + its daughter 90Y and the gamma-ray emission of 85Sr. Results were checked by a beta-assay of the ashed animals. Bremsstrahlung efficiencies averaged 1.10 in a 0.04 kg mouse, 1.14 in a 0.13 kg rat, 1.23 in a 2.6 kg rabbit, and 1.32 in an 8.5 kg beagle. Extrapolating to a 70 kg human, a relative bremsstrahlung efficiency of about 1.4 is predicted. An estimate was made of the 90Sr body content in a former dial painter based on in vivo counting and a bremsstrahlung efficiency of 1.39 predicted for a 55 kg human female by these animal data. Our value of 1.42 +/- 0.08 muCi 90Sr was in good agreement with corresponding results reported for this subject by 8 other laboratories.     

Advances in Digital Radio Systems

This paper examines the analog methods presently used in carrying digital signal via the terrestrial microwave radio relay systems. It then summarized the state of the art of two proposed digital radio systems, operating above and below 10 GHz. It also highlights some of the problem areas yet to be solved, with particular emphasis on these design problems associated with the high-capacity system. An extensive bibliography is given for easy reference.