A novel control strategy for reproducing the floor motions of high-rise buildings by earthquake-simulating shake tables

To enable the experimental assessment of the seismic performance of full-scale nonstructural elements with multiple engineering parameters(EDPs),a three-layer testbed named Nonstructural Element Simulator on Shake Table(NEST)has been developed.The testbed consists of three consecutive floors of steel structure.The bottom two floors provide a space to accommodate a full-scale room.To fully explore the flexibility of NEST,we propose a novel control strategy to generate the required shake table input time histories for the testbed to track the target floor motions of the buildings of interest with high accuracy.The control strategy contains two parts:an inverse dynamic compensation via simulation of feedback control systems(IDCS)algorithm and an offline iteration procedure based on a refined nonlinear numerical model of the testbed.The key aspects of the control strategy were introduced in this paper.Experimental tests were conducted to simulate the seismic responses of a full-scale office room on the 21^(st)floor of a 42-story high-rise building.The test results show that the proposed control strategy can reproduce the target floor motions of the building of interest with less than 20%errors within the specified frequency range.

Rapid report of seismic damage to buildings in the 2022 M 6.8 Luding earthquake,China

The report summarizes the observed damage to a variety of buildings near the epicenter of the M6.8 Luding earthquake in Sichuan Province,China.They include base-isolated buildings,multi-story reinforced concrete(RC)frame buildings,and masonry buildings.The near-field region is known to be tectonically highly active,and the local intensity level is the highest,that is,0.4g peak ground acceleration(PGA)for the design basis earthquake,in the Chinese zonation of seismic ground motion parameters.The extent of damage ranged from the weak-story collapse that claimed lives to the extensive nonstructural damage that suspended occupancy.The report highlights the first observation of the destruction of rubber bearings and viscous dampers in the isolation layer of Chinese seismically isolated buildings.It also features the rare observation of the brittle shear failure of RC columns in moment-resisting frames in a region of such a high seismic design requirement.Possible reasons that may have attributed to the reported damage are suggested by providing facts observed in the field.However,careful forensic analyses are needed before any conclusive judgment can be made.

Rapid report of seismic damage to hospitals in the 2023 Turkey earthquake sequences

The seismic performance of medical systems is crucial for the seismic resilience of communities.The report summarizes the observed damage to twelve hospital buildings in the area affected by the MW 7.8 and MW 7.5 earthquakes on February 6,2023 in Turkey.They include five base-isolated buildings and seven fixed-base buildings in southcentral Turkey's seven most heavily affected provinces.By relating the post-quake occupancy statuses of the hospitals with the estimated seismic demands during the earthquake doublet,the report offers the following observations:(1)the base-isolated hospital buildings on friction pendulum bearings generally exhibited superior performance of achieving the goal of immediate occupancy and provided better protection for nonstructural elements than fixed-base counterparts did;(2)the fixed-base hospital buildings of reinforced concrete structures constructed after 2001 successfully achieved the goal of collapse prevention even under very high seismic demands;(3)some fixed-base hospitals also remained operational even if they were very close to the fault rupture and were subjected to higher-than-design-level earthquake ground motions.

Proper interpretation of sectional analysis results

Displacement control algorithms commonly used to evaluate axial force-bending moment(PM)diagrams may lead to incorrect interpretations of the strength envelopes for asymmetric sections.This paper aims to offer valuable insights by comparing existing displacement control algorithms with a newly proposed force control algorithm.The main focus is on the PM diagrams of three example sections that exhibit varying degrees of asymmetry.The comparative study indicates that conventional displacement control algorithms inevitably introduce non-zero out-of-plane bending moments.The reported PM diagram in such cases erroneously neglects the out-of-plane moment and fails to represent the strength envelope accurately.This oversight results in significant and unconservative errors when verifying the strength of asymmetric sections.

Spin Dynamics and Phonons in Chromites CoCr_(2)O_(4)and MnCr_(2)O_(4)

Spinel compounds are of great interest in both fundamental and application-oriented perspectives due to the geometric magnetic frustration inherent to their lattice and the resulting complex magnetic states.Here,we applied x-ray diffraction,magnetization,heat capacity and powder inelastic neutron scattering measurements,along with theoretical calculations,to study the exotic properties of chromite-spinel oxides CoCr_(2)O_(4) and MnCr_(2)O_(4).The temperature dependence of the phonon spectra provides an insight into the correlation between oxygen motion and the magnetic order,as well as the magnetoelectric effect in the ground state of MnCr_(2)O_(4).Moreover,spin-wave excitations in CoCr_(2)O_(4) and MnCr_(2)O_(4) are compared with Heisenberg model calculations.This approach enables the precise determination of exchange energies and offers a comprehensive understanding of the spin dynamics and relevant exchange interactions in complicated spiral spin ordering.

Critical behavior in the itinerant ferromagnet SmMn_(2)Ge_(2)

Transition metal and rare earth intermetallics have been a fertile playground for research of various quantum states.We report detailed magnetic studies on Sm Mn_(2)Ge_(2),an anisotropic itinerant magnet with multiple magnetic phases.The critical behavior of the ferromagnetic phase transition is investigated by employing the modified Arrott plot with the Kouvel-Fisher method.The critical temperature TCis determined to be around 342.7 K with critical exponents ofβ=0.417 andγ=1.122,and the interaction function is found to be J(r)~r^(-4.68),suggesting the coexistence of long-range and shortrange magnetic interactions.Our results contribute to the understanding of complex magnetism in Sm Mn_(2)Ge_(2),which may provide fundamental guidance in future spintronic applications.

Uncertainty in the seismic performance of semi-active base isolation systems

In a conventional base isolation system,minimizing the seismic responses of the superstructure is always at the cost of increasing the isolator's response.The semi-active control of the isolator has been considered an effective solution to such a dilemma.It tunes the real-time properties of the isolator according to preset rules to further reduce the superstructure's seismic responses without increasing that of the isolator or vice versa.However,the number of ground motion records used to design and validate the controller,i.e.,the preset rules,in existing studies is usually very small and therefore is suspectable if it is adequate to address the significant uncertainty in the shaking of future earthquakes.This paper critically reviews the performance of the proportional-integralderivative(PID),linear-quadratic regulator(LQR),and fuzzy controllers in semi-active base isolation systems with magnetorheological(MR)dampers subjected to highly uncertain ground motion inputs through numerical simulations.The results show that the control performance of the controllers varies significantly with the increasing number of input records,suggesting the necessity of using at least 50 ground motion records to appropriately assess the performance uncertainty of semi-active base isolation systems.More importantly,the superior performance of the optimized controllers is not guaranteed if the system is subjected to ground motions that are new to the controller,even if the controller has been optimized for thousands of existing ground motions.It highlights the need of improving the adaptability of the semi-active systems for uncertain ground motion inputs.

Advanced architecture designs towards high-performance 3D microbatteries

Rechargeable microbatteries are important power supplies for microelectronic devices.Two essential targets for rechargeable microbatteries are high output energy and minimal footprint areas.In addition to the development of new high-performance electrode materials,the device configurations of microbatteries also play an important role in enhancing the output energy and miniaturizing the footprint area.To make a clear vision on the design principle of rechargeable microbatteries,we firstly summarize the typical configurations of microbatteries.The advantages of different configurations are thoroughly discussed from the aspects of fabrication technologies and material engineering.Towards the high energy output at a minimal footprint area,a revolutionary design for microbatteries is of great importance.In this perspective,we review the progress of fabricating microbatteries based on the rolled-up nanotechnology,a derivative origami technology.Finally,we discussed the challenges and perspectives in the device design and materials optimization.

Spin-phonon coupling in van der Waals antiferromagnet VOCl

We report magnetization and Raman spectroscopy study on single crystals of VOCl,a van der Waals antiferromagnetic material.Magnetization measurement confirms an antiferromagnetic transition at 79 K and a magnetic easy axis along crystallographic a direction.The temperature-dependent Raman spectrum reveals five peaks at 30 K.Below the Neel temperature TN,the Raman-active modes 247 cm^(−1) and 404 cm^(−1) remarkably deviate from the standard Boltzmann function,which is ascribed to the strong magnetoelastic coupling between spins and phonons.We further observe an anomaly in 383 cm^(−1) mode at around 150 K.This coincides with the broad maximum in VOCl’s magnetic susceptibility,suggesting a development of short-ranged magnetic order at this temperature.

Spin freezing in the van der Waals material Mn_(2)Ga_(2)S_(5)

Geometrical frustration in low-dimensional magnetic systems has been an intriguing research aspect,where the suppression of conventional magnetic order may lead to exotic ground states such as spin glass or spin liquid.In this work we report the synthesis and magnetism study of the monocrystalline Mn_(2)Ga_(2)S_(5),featuring both the van derWaals structure and a bilayered triangular Mn lattice.Magnetic susceptibility reveals a significant antiferromagnetic interaction with a Curie-Weiss temperature θ_(w)~-260 K and a high spin S=5/2 Mn^(2+) state.However,no long range magnetic order has been found down to 2 K,and a spin freezing transition is found to occur at around 12 K well below its θ_(w).This yields a frustration index of f=-θ_(w)/T_(f)≈22,an indication that the system is highly frustrated.The absence of a double-peak structure in magnetic specific heat compared with the TM_(2)S_(4) compounds implies that the spin freezing behavior in Mn_(2)Ga_(2)S_(5)is a result of the competition between exchange interactions and the 2D crystalline structure.Our results suggest that the layered Mn_(2)Ga_(2)S_(5)would be an excellent candidate for investigating the physics of 2D magnetism and spin disordered state.

Possible Tricritical Behavior and Anomalous Lattice Softening in van der Waals Itinerant Ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2 under High Pressure

We present a high-pressure study of van der Waals ferromagnetic metal Fe3GeTe2 through electrical transport and Raman scattering measurements in diamond anvil cells at pressures up to 22.4 GPa.Upon compression,the ferromagnetic transition temperature Pc manifested by a kink in resistance curve decreases monotonically and becomes undiscernable around Pc=10 GPa,indicative of suppression of the itinerant ferromagnetism.Meanwhile,by fitting the low temperature resistance to the Fermi liquid behavior of R=R0+AT2,we found that R0 shows a cusp-like anomaly and the coefficient A diverges around Pc.These transport anomalies imply a tricritical point as commonly observed in itinerant ferromagnets under pressure.Unexpectedly,the Raman-active E2g and A1g modes soften remarkably after an initial weak hardening and the peak widths of both modes broaden evidently on approaching Pc,followed by complete disappearance of both modes above this critical pressure.A possible underlying mechanism for such anomalous lattice softening near pc is discussed.

Unleashing energy storage ability of aqueous battery electrolytes

Electrolytes make up a large portion of the volume of energy storage devices,but they often do not contribute to energy storage.The ability of using electrolytes to store charge would promise a significant increase in energy density to meet the needs of evolving electronic devices.Redox-flow batteries use electrolytes to store energy and show high energy densities,but the same design cannot be applied to portable or microdevices that require static electrolytes.Therefore,implementing electrolyte energy storage in a non-flow design becomes critical.This review summarizes the requirements for a stable and efficient electrolyte and diverse redox-active species dissolved in aqueous solutions.More importantly,we review the pioneering works using static electrolyte energy storage in the hope that it will pave a new way to design compact and energy-dense batteries.

Meteorological Tower Observed CO_(2)Flux and Footprint in the Forest of Xiaoxing’an Mountains,Northeast China

The Xiaoxing’an Mountains,located in the temperate monsoon climate zone in Northeast China,have the largest and most complete virgin Korean pine forest in Asia,which has great potential for carbon sequestration.Based on the observational data of the eddy-covariance system at Wuying National Climate Observatory in January 2015–November 2017,the CO_(2)flux in the forest ecosystem around the observatory was quantitatively studied and the distribution characteristics of the flux source area were analyzed by the Kljun model and the Agroscope Reckenholz–Tänikon footprint tool,providing references for assessing the carbon source/sink potential of the unique forest area.The results showed that the annual total carbon flux around the observatory in 2015,2016,and 2017 was−756.84,−834.73,and−629.37 gC m−2,respectively,higher than that of other forest ecosystems.The forest of the study area in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains was a strong carbon sink,with the strongest carbon fixation capacity in June and weakest in October,and the carbon flux of each month was less than zero.The flux source area under stable atmospheric conditions was larger than that under unstable conditions,and the source area was larger in the nongrowing season than in the growing season.The size of the source area was largest in winter,followed by spring,autumn,and summer.The maximum length of the source area was 1614.12 m(5639.33 m)under unstable(stable)conditions when the flux contribution rate was 90%.The peak flux contribution was located near the sensor(i.e.,within 200 m)in all seasons.The contribution of the source area from the coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest on the west side of the observatory was greater than(3.4 times)that from the Korean pine forest on the east side.

Strong in-plane optical anisotropy in 2D van der Waals antiferromagnet VOCl

Two-dimensional(2D)van der Waals(vdW)magnetic materials with strong in-plane anisotropy can make possible novel applications such as optospintronics and strain sensors.In this work,the strong in-plane optical anisotropy in 2D vdW antiferromagnet VOCl has been systematically investigated.The optical brightness and absorption coefficient exhibit evident periodic variation with the change of incident polarization,unveiling the strong in-plane anisotropic optical absorption.The Raman intensity in this material shows obvious dependence on the polarization angle of incident laser,demonstrating that the phonon properties possess strong in-plane anisotropy.Besides,we have also realized in-situ visualization of in-plane optical reflection anisotropy in this material.Moreover,the strong second harmonic generation(SHG)signal can only be detected when the incident polarization is along specific in-plane crystal orientations,illustrating the presence of strong in-plane nonlinear optical anisotropy.These findings will benefit the applications of VOCl in the field of polarization-dependent electronics and spintronics.

Dzyaloshinsky–Moriya interaction(DMI)-induced magnetic skyrmion materials

A magnetic skyrmion is a particle-like spin swirling object with a nontrivial topology that holds great promise for next-generation information carriers in highperformance spintronic devices.It was discovered in a chiral magnet,MnSi with B20 structure,in 2009 and later confirmed as a common feature of magnetic compounds with Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction(DMI).In this work,we provide fundamental insight into the magnetic properties of skyrmion-hosting materials originating from DMI.The relationship between the point groups of the materials and DMI is introduced;then,the common features of magnetic skyrmions experimentally verified in the magnetization and magnetotransport measurements are highlighted.Finally,other particle-like magnetic configurations in chiral magnets and the crossover with a superconductor are discussed.

Seismic retrofit of existing SRC frames using rocking walls and steel dampers

A retrofit of an existing ll-story steel reinforced concrete frame that features the innovative use of post-tensioned rocking walls and shear steel dampers is presented.The main components of the retrofitting plan and important design considerations are described.The.retrofitting system is expected to effectively control the deformation pattern of the existing structure and significantly reduce damage to the existing structure during major earthquakes.

Optical spectroscopy study of Ca_3(Ru_(0.91)Mn_(0.09))_2O_7 single crystal in high magnetic fields

The magneto-optical spectrum, with magnetic fields up to 42 T, of double layered ruthenates Ca_3(Ru_(0.91)Mn_(0.09))_2O_7(CRMO) single crystal is studied. Both the temperature and magnetic field induced insulator-to-metal transitions(IMTs) are observed via magneto-optical properties of the crystal. The critical magnetic field(H//c) of IMT for CRMO is found to be as large as 35 T at 5 K. The fine structure of optical spectra identified the antiferromagnetic/ferro-orbital-ordering configurations of Ru 4d orbitals at low temperatures. Meanwhile, the configuration of orbital polarization of such double-layer CRMO single crystal is discussed. These results suggest that the orbital degree of freedom plays an important role in the field induced IMT of multi-orbital system.