Performance-based seismic design of steel frames using ant colony optimization

In this paper, a performance-based optimal seismic design of frame structures is presented using the ant colony optimization (ACO) method. This discrete metaheuristic algorithm leads to a significant improvement in consistency and computational efficiency compared to other evolutionary methods. A nonlinear analysis is utilized to arrive at the structural response at various seismic performance levels, employing a simple computer-based method for push-over analysis which accounts for first-order elastic and second-order geometric stiffness properties. Two examples are presented to illustrate the capabilities of ACO in designing lightweight frames, satisfying multiple performance levels of seismic design constraints for steel moment frame buildings, and a comparison is made with a standard genetic algorithm (GA) implementation to show the superiority of ACO for the discussed optimization problem.     

Properties of waste‐poly(ethylene terephthalate)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blends compatibilized with maleated acrylonitrile butadiene styrene

Waste poly(ethylene terephthalate) (W‐PET)/acrylonitrile‐butadiene‐styrene (ABS) blends were prepared with a variety of compositions at several rotor speeds in an internal mixer, replacing ABS with different maleated ABS (ABS‐g‐MA) samples in compatibilized blends. A Box–Behnken model for three variables, with three levels, was chosen for the experimental design. ABS‐g‐MA‐based samples exhibited finer particles with a more uniform particle size distribution than ABS‐based ones, as a consequence of the compatibilizing process. Rheological results implied a greater elastic nature for compatibilized blends which increased in the presence of more ABS content; the same trend was observed for complex viscosity. With increasing ABS‐g‐MA or MA concentration, more shear thinning behavior was observed similar to that of ABS; whereas the uncompatibilized blends showed Newtonian behavior like that of W‐PET. The observed shifting in T_gW‐PET and T_gABS obtained from dynamic mechanical thermal analysis confirmed the good compatibility in W‐PET/ABS‐g‐MA blends in contrast with that in ordinary W‐PET/ABS blends. The mechanical properties were measured and modeled versus the various factors considered in a response surface methodology. The experimental data found a good fit with the obtained equation models. The mechanical properties of the compatibilized blends showed a large positive deviation from the mixing rule, while the uncompatibilized samples had lower properties, even compared to those predicted by the mixing rule. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2010. © 2010 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Effect of Particle Additions on Drying Stresses and the Green Density of Sol-Gel-Processed Three-Dimensional Ceramic-Matrix Composites

This paper investigates sol-gel processing of three-dimensional (3-D) ceramic-matrix composites, focusing on the effect of addition of particles on drying stresses and composite green density. A 3-D woven carbon fiber/silica composite was used as the model material system for the investigation. Composites were fabricated with silica particle additions to the silica sol using a pressure infiltration technique, and the drying rate and matrix cracking were characterized. The particle size was varied in order to study the role of particle additions in the processing. Ammonium hydroxide (NH₄OH) and a particle coating agent, 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TPM), were added in the mixture of particles and sol to improve particle packing in the preform. Sol-gel processing with the addition of particles proves to be an effective route to fabricate 3-D ceramic-matrix composites with higher green density and less matrix cracking.     

Ancient and New Algorithms for Load Balancing in the l p Norm

We consider the on-line load balancing problem where there are m identical machines (servers) and a sequence of jobs. The jobs arrive one by one and should be assigned to one of the machines in an on-line fashion. The goal is to minimize the sum (over all machines) of the squares of the loads, instead of the traditional maximum load. We show that for the sum of the squares the greedy algorithm performs within 4/3 of the optimum, and no on-line algorithm achieves a better competitive ratio. Interestingly, we show that the performance of Greedy is not monotone in the number of machines. More specifically, the competitive ratio is 4/3 for any number of machines divisible by 3 but strictly less than 4/3 in all the other cases (although it approaches 4/3 for a large number of machines). To prove that Greedy is optimal, we show a lower bound of 4/3 for any algorithm for three machines. Surprisingly, we provide a new on-line algorithm that performs within 4/3 -δ of the optimum, for some fixed δ>0 , for any sufficiently large number of machines. This implies that the asymptotic competitive ratio of our new algorithm is strictly better than the competitive ratio of any possible on-line algorithm. Such phenomena is not known to occur for the classic maximum load problem. Minimizing the sum of the squares is equivalent to minimizing the load vector with respect to the l ₂ norm. We extend our techniques and analyze the exact competitive ratio of Greedy with respect to the l _p norm. This ratio turns out to be 2 - Θ(( ln p)/p) . We show that Greedy is optimal for two machines but design an algorithm whose asymptotic competitive ratio is better than the ratio of Greedy. Received January 2, 1998; revised December 12, 1998.     

On-Line Competitive Algorithms for Call Admission in Optical Networks

We study the on-line call admission problem in optical networks. We present a general technique that allows us to reduce the problem of call admission and wavelength selection to the call admission problem. We then give randomized algorithms with logarithmic competitive ratios for specific topologies in switchless and reconfigurable optical networks. We conclude by considering full duplex communications. Received August 16, 1997; revised May 11, 1998.     

Major oil exporters may profit rather than lose, in a carbon-constrained world

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) claims compensation for losses in expected oil export revenues due to CO₂ mitigation measures in developing countries. These losses are expected for two primary reasons: a reduction in the consumption of oil in importing countries and a reduction in the producer price of oil (taxation in an importing country implies a transfer of rents from producers to consumers). So far, most studies have focused on these two mechanisms and corroborated that revenue losses for OPEC are to be expected. However, there are also mechanisms that may be expected to raise the price of oil products. In a cost-effective regime for dealing with climate change, i.e., a regime in which all or most countries participate and in which the same carbon price is applied on all carbon-emitting activities, the cost of using unconventional oil, or synthetic diesel from coal, will increase even more than the cost of using conventional oil. Given that reserves of conventional oil are expected to dwindle over time, heavy oils and coal to liquids might set the long-run price for liquid fuels, which means that the price of oil would increase beyond the carbon fee; i.e., the rent on conventional oil would increase. We use an energy-economic optimization model to analyze these three mechanisms. We find that the net present value of OPEC revenue from conventional oil increases slightly (at most by 4 percent) with a global CO₂ restriction regime. We also consider conditions under which this result does not hold.     

Characterization of Polyphasic Silicon Carbide Using Surface-Enhanced Raman and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

The present report explores the use of cross-polarization (CP) and single-pulse magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) as well as normal and surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), in concert, for characterizing highly crystalline polymorphic silicon carbide ceramics. The combined use of these techniques provides a wealth of information regarding bulk, near-surface, and surface speciation. Both Raman and SERS are promising techniques for fracture surface characterization of these systems. The application of CPMAS-NMR and SERS to the study of ceramics is reported for the first time in this investigation.     

Solving a multi-objective job shop scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup times by a Pareto archive PSO combined with genetic operators and VNS

In this paper, we present a combination of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and genetic operators for a multi-objective job shop scheduling problem that minimizes the mean weighted completion time and the sum of the weighted tardiness/earliness costs, simultaneously. At first, we propose a new integer linear programming for the given problem. Then, we redefine and modify PSO by introducing genetic operators, such as crossover and mutation operators, to update particles and improve particles by variable neighborhood search. Furthermore, we consider sequence-dependent setup times. We then design a Pareto archive PSO, where the global best position selection is combined with the crowding measure-based archive updating method. To prove the efficiency of our proposed PSO, a number of test problems are solved. Its reliability based on some comparison metrics is compared with a prominent multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA), namely non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). The computational results show that the proposed PSO outperforms the above MOGA, especially for large-sized problems.     

Adoption of carbon dioxide efficient technologies and practices: An analysis of sector-specific convergence trends among 12 nations

Carbon dioxide intensities in economic terms (GDP in PPP terms) in industrialized and developing countries have been shown to converge, and it has been argued that technology diffusion, leading to the use of similar technologies in all countries, is an important reason for this convergence. Indicators based on CO₂ per output in PPP terms, however, give in comparison to physical indicators limited understanding of the process of technology diffusion. In order to analyze the technology diffusion hypothesis in more detail, we therefore study the trend in carbon dioxide emissions in relation to the production output in four separate sectors: iron and steel; paper, board and pulp; coal fuelled power plants; and natural gas fuelled power plants, in each of 12 countries, between 1980 and 1998. The indicators converge in each sector, indicating that across countries, technologies with more similar carbon dioxide efficiencies are used today than 25 years ago. We also find that at least some developing countries with high energy prices use more efficient technologies than industrialized countries with low energy prices.     

Gelatinase B and A expression after laser in situ keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy

OBJECTIVE: To compare the expression of gelatinases in the corneal epithelium and stroma after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). METHODS: Rabbit eyes were treated with LASIK (n=11), PRK (n=12), or corneal flap construction (n=12); 4 eyes served as unwounded controls. Zymography was performed on the central epithelium and the stroma 1, 3, and 7 days after surgery to determine the expression of gelatinases. RESULTS: Epithelial expression of gelatinase B in the LASIK group (0%-25%) was lower than that in the PRK group at all time points (50%-100%) and was identical to the corneal flap group. Stromal expression of gelatinases A and B was similar after LASIK and PRK, but was minimal after corneal flap construction at all time points. Epithelial expression of gelatinase A was similar for the first 3 days after LASIK and PRK but not thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: Gelatinase B epithelial expression was up-regulated after PRK but not after LASIK. Gelatinase B stromal expression was up-regulated after both procedures. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Differences in wound healing and subepithelial scarring after these 2 procedures may be related to gelatinase B.