储运罐区计算机监测系统的开发与应用

储运罐区计算机监测系统是石化企业自动控制的薄弱环节。中国石油集团公司抚顺石油一厂使用ZYG-101型电子智能液位仪，以及使用FIX组态软件完成该系统的数据库组态、工艺流程显示、实时和历史趋势显示、报警和报表等处理过程，通过二次表的串行口与计算机进行通信，由计算机实时监测每个罐的各种重要参数。运行证明：该系统测量误差小，数据实时性好．易于存储及远程传送，较理想地达到储运罐区的自动检测功能。     

On a three-dimensional axisymmetric boundary-value problem of nonlinear elastic deformation: Asymptotic solution and exponentially small error

In this paper, we study a three-dimensional axisymmetric boundary-value problem of a slender cylinder composed of a nonlinearly elastic material subjected to an axial force. Starting from the field equations, after a transformation and proper scalings, we identify a small variable and two small parameters, which characterize the present problem. Then, by an approach involving compound series-asymptotic expansions, a nonlinear ODE is derived, which governs the axial strain (the first-term in the series expansion). By imposing the zero radial displacement conditions at two ends, we manage to get the analytical solution of the axial strain, from which all other physical quantities can be deduced and thus the three-dimensional displacement field can be determined. Graphical results are presented, which show that there are two boundary layers near the two ends while the middle part is in a state of almost uniform extension. The asymptotic structure of the analytical solution is derived, which offers clear explanations to the structure of the deformed configuration and shows that the thickness of both boundary layers is of the order of the radius. We also point out the relevance of the present results to the St. Venant’s problem. In particular, we obtain the explicit uniformly-valid exponentially small error term, when the obtained deformed configuration is compared to the configuration of a uniform extension.     

Different insights for improving part and system reliability obtained from exactly same DFOM “failure numbers”

Techniques for improving the reliability and maintainability of both nonrepairable and repairable items can be suggested by failure data analysis. It is shown that a given set of failure numbers leads to very different improvement strategies when the numbers are the times-between-successive-failures of one or more repairable items, rather than the times-to-failure of nonrepairable items. Since this should have been obvious more than 50 years ago, at the onset of formal reliability engineering activities, several reasons are proffered for the widespread and protracted misinterpretation of even the most basic—and simple!—conceptual and practical differences between nonrepairable and repairable items.     

煤代油方式的经济性分析

对两种煤代油方式——水煤浆和煤制混合煤气进行了燃料价格、设备投资及运行费用的分析对比。结果表明，两种代油方法均有可观的经济效益，燃料费用可分别节约52．4％和45．2％。如果原燃油工业炉窑由于工艺需要已装有除尘设备而又可用产生的蒸汽做雾化剂时，则水煤浆代油更具有经济优势。     

美国钢铁企业的并购浪潮及特点分析

介绍了最近美国大型钢铁企业发生的主要并购活动。并对这些并购活动的特点进行了分析。     

Extracting Modes of Constrained Structure with Elastic Supports from Free Test Data

The dynamic flexibility (DF) and improved dynamic flexibility (IDF) methods can be applied to extract constrained structural modes from free-free modal test data. The residual flexibility method is also good for boundaries of constrained structure with rigid supports. Under elastic support boundary conditions both the DF and residual flexibility methods cannot produce accurate results. This paper expands the previously published IDF method to become a more general approach for structural design engineers. A new method called the general dynamic flexibility (GDF) method has been developed in this paper to extract constrained structural modes from free test data. The GDF method can always be applied as follows: (1) when the boundary support stiffness is very stiff, the GDF method can accurately obtain results from rigid support as by Liu et al. in 2001 and Zhang and Wei in 2003; (2) when the support stiffness is soft, the present method can produce results similar to those free-free modal parameters measured by hanging structures using rubber band; (3) when the support stiffness is zero, the method can reproduce true free-free modal parameters; and (4) when the support stiffness has any finite values, the GDF method can also achieve satisfactory results for engineering use. The algorithm included in the GDF method converges rapidly and is numerically stable in the analysis. This feature is very practical for many engineering applications for using the GDF method.     

Fatigue Behavior and Retrofit Investigation of Distortion-Induced Web Gap Cracking

This paper studies a Kansas Department of Transportation welded plate girder bridge that developed fatigue cracks at small web gaps close to the girder top flange. Repair had been previously performed by softening the connection plate end with a slot retrofit, but cracks were recently found to have reinitiated at some of the repaired details and are again propagating. A comprehensive finite-element method study was performed to investigate the cracking behavior observed in the bridge and to recommend appropriate measures for future bridge retrofit. The analytical results show that stresses developed at the top flange web gaps could exceed yielding under the loading of an HS15 fatigue truck. The current slot repair used in the bridge was found to have introduced higher magnitude fatigue stresses in the web gap. To achieve a permanent repair of the bridge, it is recommended that a welded connection plate to flange attachment be used during future bridge retrofit. The web gap details should be able to withstand unlimited number of load cycles once this additional repair is performed.     

Multifamily Housing Characteristics and Tenant Satisfaction

This paper examines the long-term impact of structural features and physical amenities on the residential satisfaction of renters in multifamily housing. A cumulative logit analysis of 7,206 rented multifamily units in the 2005 American Housing Survey indicates that features creating separated space (additional room, bathroom, garage/carport, or balcony/patio) were associated with significantly higher satisfaction, even when holding total unit area constant. Conversely, violation of space separation by noise intrusion through walls, floors, or ceilings created dramatically negative effects. Other amenities such as a fireplace, disposal, or dishwasher had no statistically significant impact. Tracking a cohort of 5,170 rented multifamily units from 1997 to 2005 revealed somewhat similar effects on the satisfaction trajectory of residents during this period. More bathrooms, bedrooms, and other rooms, as well as the presence of a balcony/patio were associated with satisfaction improvements. Analyzing cohort units undergoing modifications during the tracking period revealed that the addition of a bathroom or central air conditioning had the clearest impact on satisfaction, followed by the addition of a balcony/patio, other room, dishwasher, or garage/carport.     

Lateral Walking-Induced Forces on Footbridges

In the last several years many cases of large amplitude horizontal vibrations of footbridges have been observed, due to dynamic interaction between the walkers and the footbridge, which may occur when some conditions on the bridge mass, frequency and damping, as well as on the crowd density are met. Such interaction is an intriguing phenomenon, as it is associated with the dynamics of a complex system made of a structure and a number of walkers, the dynamics of the latter being governed by physiology and psychology. Provided this complexity, in this paper a preliminary step is made toward the modeling of the interaction forces exerted by a crowd to a footbridge. The results of an experimental investigation of the lateral forces exerted by one walker to a fixed floor are presented, and used to calibrate a deterministic and stochastic lateral loading models of footbridges, to be used in the case in which no interaction takes place. The results presented are also the background data for more sophisticated dynamic models allowing for bridge-crowd interaction.     

Challenges in the Application of Stochastic Modal Identification Methods to a Cable-Stayed Bridge

This paper presents an analysis of the data collected in the ambient vibration test of the International Guadiana cable-stayed Bridge, which links Portugal and Spain, based on different output-only identification techniques: peak-picking, frequency domain decomposition, covariance-driven stochastic subspace identification, and data-driven stochastic subspace identification. The purpose of the analysis is to compare the performance of the four techniques and evaluate their efficiency in dealing with specific challenges involved in the modal identification of the tested cable-stayed bridge, namely the existence of closely spaced modes, the perturbation produced by the local vibration of stay-cables, and the variation of modal damping coefficients with wind velocity. The identified natural frequencies and mode shapes are compared with the corresponding modal parameters provided by a previously developed numerical model. Additionally, the variability of some modal damping coefficients is related with the variation of the wind characteristics and associated with a component of aerodynamic damping.