Dynamic Multicast Session Provisioning in WDM Optical Networks with Sparse Splitting Capability

In this work, we study dynamic provisioning of multicast sessions in a wavelength-routed sparse splitting capable WDM network with an arbitrary mesh topology where the network consists of nodes with full, partial, or no wavelength conversion capabilities and a node can be a tap-and-continue (TaC) node or a splitting and delivery (SaD) node. The objectives are to minimize the network resources in terms of wavelength-links used by each session and to reduce the multicast session blocking probability. The problem is to route the multicast session from each source to the members of every multicast session, and to assign an appropriate wavelength to each link used by the session. We propose an efficient online algorithm for dynamic multicast session provisioning. To evaluate the proposed algorithm, we apply the integer linear programming (ILP) optimization tool on a per multicast session basis to solve off-line the optimal routing and wavelength assignment given a multicast session and the current network topology as well as its residual network resource information. We formulate the per session multicast routing and wavelength assignment problem as an ILP. With this ILP formulation, the multicast session blocking probability or success probability can then be estimated based on solving a series of ILPs off-line. We have evaluated the effectiveness of the proposed online algorithm via simulation in terms of session blocking probability and network resources used by a session. Simulation results indicate that our proposed computationally efficient online algorithm performs well even when a fraction of the nodes are SaD nodes.     

Effects of Seismically Induced Pounding at Expansion Joints of Concrete Bridges

This paper presents the result of a study on the effect of pounding at expansion joints on concrete bridge response to earthquake ground motions. An engineering approach, rather than continuum mechanics approach, is emphasized. First, the dynamic behavior of a damped multidegree-of-freedom bridge system separated by an expansion joint involving an impact is examined by means of the finite element method. Second, the sensitivity analysis of the stiffness in gap elements is performed. Third, usefulness of the analysis method for simulation of pounding phenomena is demonstrated and the effect of pounding on the ductility demands measured in terms of the rotation of column ends is investigated. Two-dimensional finite element analysis using a bilinear hysterestic model for bridge substructure joints and a nonlinear gap element for the expansion joint is performed on a realistic bridge with an expansion joint. The effects of the primary factors on the ductility demand such as gap sizes and characteristics of earthquake ground motion are investigated through a parametric study. The major conclusions are (1) the effect of impact most directly depends on the size of momentum (or pounding magnitude); and (2) the pounding effect is generally found to be negligible on the ductility demand for wide practical ranges of gap size and peak ground acceleration, but is potentially significant at the locations of impact.     

A framework to integrate software behavior into dynamic probabilistic risk assessment

Software plays an increasingly important role in modern safety-critical systems. Although, research has been done to integrate software into the classical probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) framework, current PRA practice overwhelmingly neglects the contribution of software to system risk. Dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (DPRA) is considered to be the next generation of PRA techniques. DPRA is a set of methods and techniques in which simulation models that represent the behavior of the elements of a system are exercised in order to identify risks and vulnerabilities of the system. The fact remains, however, that modeling software for use in the DPRA framework is also quite complex and very little has been done to address the question directly and comprehensively. This paper develops a methodology to integrate software contributions in the DPRA environment. The framework includes a software representation, and an approach to incorporate the software representation into the DPRA environment SimPRA. The software representation is based on multi-level objects and the paper also proposes a framework to simulate the multi-level objects in the simulation-based DPRA environment. This is a new methodology to address the state explosion problem in the DPRA environment. This study is the first systematic effort to integrate software risk contributions into DPRA environments.     

超高速线路保护原理及应用

在广泛参阅了对暂态量保护的研究 ,对各种基于故障时产生暂态量的保护原理和技术特点及应用进行了分析比较 ,并指出了各种新型保护的优缺点及暂态量保护的发展趋势     

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.     

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.     

Reliability Analysis of Single-Degree-of-Freedom Elastoplastic Systems. II: Suboptimal Excitations

A method for constructing an approximation of the critical excitation that drives an elastoplastic system from rest to a target threshold at a specified time instant, referred to as the “suboptimal excitation,” is presented in this paper. It is based on the observations gained from study of the critical excitations in the companion paper. Essentially, for the usual case of interest where the failure time is not small compared to the natural period, the duration of the positive and negative pulses of the critical excitation are roughly equal to half of the natural period. This consideration allows for a simple intuitive approximation of the critical excitation. The amplitudes of the positive and negative pulses are obtained in closed forms using energy balance. Numerical investigations show that the critical excitations are well approximated by the suboptimal excitations.     

Viscoelastic State for the Solutions of Spherically Symmetric Viscoelasticity Problems

The solutions of the spherically symmetric, linear, isothermal, and transient viscoelasticity problems via reciprocity theorem have been investigated for a specific material. The integral form of stress–strain relations has been used. The Laplace transform of a viscoelastic state, which is necessary for the integral equation arising as a result of reciprocity theorem, has been derived. This integral equation has been solved by Laplace transform. A sample problem has been solved to test the presented formulation. A numerical application of the analytic solution of this problem has been given.     

Mining data from intensive care patients

In this paper we describe the application of data mining methods for predicting the evolution of patients in an intensive care unit. We discuss the importance of such methods for health care and other application domains of engineering. We argue that this problem is an important but challenging one for the current state of the art data mining methods and explain what improvements on current methods would be useful. We present a promising study on a preliminary data set that demonstrates some of the possibilities in this area.