Reasoning, Integration, Inference Alteration, and Text Comprehension.

This paper reports how the study of formal logical reasoning provides insight into more everyday types of reasoning, such as that involved in language comprehension. Both of these types of cognition are thought to involve the use of mental models, and so it is reasonable to think that the cognitive operations needed for formal logical reasoning would be involved in everyday reasoning as well. We focused on three aspects of formal reasoning: (a) the integration of information into a common mental model, (b) the drawing of inferences, and (c) the coordination of alternative possibilities. We were able to show that the integration and inference components were related to narrative comprehension processes, but the coordination of alternative models was not. Thus, there is evidence for some overlap in the mental processes used in formal and everyday reasoning. This further justifies the study of formal logical reasoning as a window into certain types of everyday reasoning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Efficient and accurate approach for powder compaction problems

 In this paper, a new approach for powder cold compaction simulations is presented. A density-dependent plastic model within the framework of finite strain multiplicative hyperelastoplasticity is used to describe the highly nonlinear material behaviour; the Coulomb dry friction model is used to capture friction effects at die-powder contact; and an Arbitrary Lagrangian–Eulerian (ALE) formulation is used to avoid the (usual) excessive distortion of Lagrangian meshes caused by large mass fluxes. Several representative examples, involving structured and unstructured meshes are simulated. The results obtained agree with the experimental data and other numerical results reported in the literature. It is shown that, contrary to other Lagrangian and adaptive h-remeshing approaches recently reported for this type of problems, the present approach verifies the mass conservation principle with very low relative errors (less than 1% in all ALE examples and exactly in the pure Lagrangian examples). Moreover, thanks to the use of an ALE formulation and in contrast with other simulations, the presented density distributions do not present spurious oscillations. Received: 20 March 2002 / Accepted: 15 October 2002 The partial financial support of the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (grant number DPI 2001-2204) is gratefully acknowledged.     

Risk Assessment in Construction

This study is concerned with the assessment of risk for major construction activities. Risk has been defined as a measure of the probability, the severity, and the exposure of all hazards of an activity. A risk assessor model (RAM) was developed and computerized to determine the risk associated with a particular activity and the justification factor for a proposed remedy. Knowing the value of risk would help contractors identify the high risk of major construction activities and would enable them to allocate safety precautions in a more efficient manner.     

生产装置在线模拟与优化技术的应用

概述了以通用软件为基础开发化工生产装置严格在线模拟与优化系统的过程，介绍了在线模型的５个层次及其特点，以合成氨为例说明了在线模型的运行和应用情况。     

3-D gust effect factor for slender vertical structures

Original studies on gust factor buffeting dealt with the alongwind displacement of structures. Research on this topic carried out since the nineties followed two distinct lines: the first determines the maximum effects due to the alongwind response; the second extends the original method from the alongwind response to crosswind and torsional responses. This paper represents the junction point of these research lines with reference to cantilever slender vertical structures. It derives the most relevant effects associated with the three-dimensional (3-D) wind-excited response of this structural type and shows that a suitable definition of one non-dimensional quantity, referred to as the 3-D gust effect factor, provides such effects at any level through a wide set of experimental, numerical and analytical procedures. A new definition of a 3-D equivalent static force consistent with this method is also introduced and critically compared with previous analogous statements.     

Wiener models of direction-dependent dynamic systems

Analysis of systems with direction-dependent dynamics is currently limited to cases in which the dynamics in the two directions of the output are first order; results for such systems have been published for both pseudo-random maximum-length binary (MLB) and inverse-repeat maximum-length binary (IR-MLB) inputs. These relatively limited analytical results make it useful to examine alternative ways of modelling such systems and in this paper, Wiener models are considered for this purpose. Methods for optimising the Wiener model parameters by matching the system and model cross-correlation functions, outputs, and discrete Fourier transforms of the outputs are considered, and the results are compared. These methods are also applied to a first-order direction-dependent system with a maximum-length ternary (MLT) input, for which no analytical results are currently available, and to a second-order system with an IR-MLB input.     

Properties of thin TiN films deposited onto stainless steel by an in-line dry coating process

A new coil-coating pilot plant, capable of utilizing ion plating, sputtering and plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (PACVD) processes, independently or in series, was developed and optimum conditions for TiN, TiC, Al_xO_y, SiO_x and Cr coating were established. This paper is mostly concerned with the results of characterization (conducted in parallel by the authors′ two institutions) of TiN films deposited by ion plating or sputtering onto type-304 stainless steel strips. In particular, the dependence of the basic properties such as chemical composition, structure, adhesion, and color on the coating process are discussed with respect to anti-corrosion, anti-wear, and decorative applications. TiN coatings with a very attractive gold coloration were obtained; they performed well in wear testing, but did not show satisfactory corrosion resistance. However, it was found that the latter can be improved significantly by depositing a SiO_x, top layer by PACVD above the TiN coating. Thus the in-line dry coating processes are capable of producing highly functional steel surfaces with decorative color and high corrosion resistance.     

Significance of fluid regime in biological filtration

A dispersed flow model previously developed to study substrate utilization in unsaturated media was experimentally verified and its practical application was considered. For this purpose, measurements were made using tap water and a synthetic feed solution. The importance of the change in fluid regime as regards to the simultaneous transport and reaction within biological filters were demonstrated. The effect of drop formation and the breakage of liquid jets inside the filters on substrate utilization was also shown.     

宝钢宽厚板开发研制十年回顾

简要叙述了１９８６￣１９９６年期间宝钢以Ｎｂ，Ｔｉ，Ｖ微合金化和Ｃｕ－时效硬化为特征的宽厚钢板的开发研制概况，介绍了抗拉强度级别为４００，４９０和５８０ＭＰａ的五个钢种的力学性能。这些钢板已成功应用于宝钢大型高炉、氧气球罐和上海市黄浦江大桥的建造，是我国综合性能优良的细晶粒焊接结构钢的新发展。