Field Load Test Based SHM System Safety Standard Determination for Rigid Frame Bridge

The deteriorated continuous rigid frame bridge is strengthened by external prestressing. Static loading tests wereconducted before and after the bridge rehabilitation to verify the effectiveness of the rehabilitation process. Thestiffness of the repaired bridge is improved, and the maximum deflection of the load test is reduced from 37.9 to27.6 mm. A bridge health monitoring system is installed after the bridge is reinforced. To achieve an easy assessmentof the bridge’s safety status by directly using transferred data, a real-time safety warning system is createdbased on a five-level safety standard. The threshold for each safety level will be determined by theoretical calculationsand the outcomes of static loading tests. The highest risk threshold will be set at the ultimate limit statevalue. The remaining levels, namely middle risk, low risk, and very low risk, will be determined usingreduction coefficients of 0.95, 0.9, and 0.8, respectively.

Cascaded ELM-Based Joint Frame Synchronization and Channel Estimation over Rician Fading Channel with Hardware Imperfections

Due to the interdependency of frame synchronization(FS)and channel estimation(CE),joint FS and CE(JFSCE)schemes are proposed to enhance their functionalities and therefore boost the overall performance of wireless communication systems.Although traditional JFSCE schemes alleviate the influence between FS and CE,they show deficiencies in dealing with hardware imperfection(HI)and deterministic line-of-sight(LOS)path.To tackle this challenge,we proposed a cascaded ELM-based JFSCE to alleviate the influence of HI in the scenario of the Rician fading channel.Specifically,the conventional JFSCE method is first employed to extract the initial features,and thus forms the non-Neural Network(NN)solutions for FS and CE,respectively.Then,the ELMbased networks,named FS-NET and CE-NET,are cascaded to capture the NN solutions of FS and CE.Simulation and analysis results show that,compared with the conventional JFSCE methods,the proposed cascaded ELM-based JFSCE significantly reduces the error probability of FS and the normalized mean square error(NMSE)of CE,even against the impacts of parameter variations.

Dynamic interactive bitwise meta-holography with ultra-high computational and display frame rates

Interactive holography offers unmatched levels of immersion and user engagement in the field of future display.Despite of the substantial progress has been made in dynamic meta-holography,the realization of real-time,highly smooth interactive holography remains a significant challenge due to the computational and display frame rate limitations.In this study,we introduced a dynamic interactive bitwise meta-holography with ultra-high computational and display frame rates.To our knowledge,this is the first reported practical dynamic interactive metasurface holographic system.We spa-tially divided the metasurface device into multiple distinct channels,each projecting a reconstructed sub-pattern.The switching states of these channels were mapped to bitwise operations on a set of bit values,which avoids complex holo-gram computations,enabling an ultra-high computational frame rate.Our approach achieves a computational frame rate of 800 kHz and a display frame rate of 23 kHz on a low-power Raspberry Pi computational platform.According to this methodology,we demonstrated an interactive dynamic holographic Tetris game system that allows interactive gameplay,color display,and on-the-fly hologram creation.Our technology presents an inspiration for advanced dynamic meta-holography,which is promising for a broad range of applications including advanced human-computer interaction,real-time 3D visualization,and next-generation virtual and augmented reality systems.

Response Spectrum Analysis of 7-story Assembled Frame Structure with Energy Dissipation System

Viscoelastic damper is an effective passive damping device,which can reduce the seismic response of the structure by increasing the damping and dissipating the vibration energy of structures.It has a wide application prospect in actual structural vibration control because of simple device and economical material.In view of the poor seismic behaviors of assembled frame structure connections,various energy dissipation devices are proposed to improve the seismic performance.The finite element numerical analysis method is adopted to analyze relevant energy dissipation structural parameters.The response spectrum of a 7-story assembled frame structure combined the ordinary steel support,ordinary viscoelastic damper,and viscoelastic damper with displacement amplification device is analyzed.The analysis results show that the mechanical behavior of assembled frame structure with ordinary steel supports are not significantly different from those without energy dissipation devices.The assembled frame structure with viscoelastic damper has better seismic performance and energy dissipation,especially for the viscoelastic damper with displacement amplification devices.The maximum value of inter-story displacement angle decreases by 32.24%;the maximum floor displacement decreases by 31.91%,and the base shear decreases by 13.62%compared with the assembled frame structures without energy dissipation devices.The results show that the seismic fortification ability of the structure is significantly improved,and the overall structure is more uniformly stressed.The damping structure with viscoelastic damper mainly reduces the dynamic response of the structure by increasing the damping coefficient,rather than by changing the natural vibration period of the structure.This paper provides an effective theoretical basis and reference for improving the energy dissipation system and the seismic performance of assembled frame structures.

Resilience-incorporated seismic risk assessment of precast concrete frames with“dry”connections

A resilience-incorporated risk assessment framework is proposed and demonstrated in this study to manifest the advantageous seismic resilience of precast concrete frame(PCF)structures with“dry”connections in terms of their low damage and rapid recovery.The framework integrates various uncertainties in the seismic hazard,fragility,capacity,demand,loss functions,and post-earthquake recovery.In this study,the PCF structures are distinguished from ordinary reinforced concrete frame(RCF)structures by characterizing multiple limit states for the PCF based on its unique damage mechanisms.Accordingly,probabilistic story-wise pushover analyses are performed to yield story-wise capacities for the predefined limit states.In the seismic resilience analysis,a step-wise recovery model is proposed to idealize the functionality recovery process,with separate considerations of the repair and non-repair events.The recovery model leverages the economic loss and downtime to delineate the stochastic post-earthquake recovery curves for the resilience loss estimation.As such,contingencies in the probabilistic post-earthquake repairs are incorporated and the empirical judgments on the recovery parameters are largely circumvented.The proposed framework is demonstrated through a comparative study between two“dry”connected PCFs and one RCF designed as alternative structural systems for a prototype building.The results from the risk quantification indicate that the PCFs show reduced loss hazards and lower expected losses relative to the RCF.Particularly,the PCF equipped with energy dissipation devices at the“dry”connections largely reduces the expected economic loss,downtime,and resilience loss by 29%,56%,and 60%,respectively,compared to the RCF.

Experimental and numerical study regarding H-steel all-bolted connection steel frame with composite wall boards

H-steel all-bolted connection steel frame structures with heat preservation and decoration composite wall boards were investigated and the seismic performances of three scaled specimens were studied.The failure modes,hysteresis curves,bearing capacity,ductility,energy dissipation capacity,stiffness degradation and strain distribution were discussed.The calculation method of structural theoretical internal force was presented.The results showed that the overall structural seismic performance was better,and the structural ductility met the demands of elastic-plastic inter-story drift angle for seismic design.The H-steel weak-axis connection structure obtained better energy dissipation capacity,and its bearing capacity and stiffness were slightly different from the strong-axis connection.The heat preservation and decoration performance of composite wallboard and the all-bolted connection of the steel frame realized prefabrication during the whole construction period.The plastic hinge of the steel beam can be moved outwards because of the L-angles,which effectively avoids stress concentration in joint areas and expands the plastic hinge range.The errors between the theoretical structural capacity calculated by the plastic analysis method and the test results were within 2.44%.In addition,structural failure mechanisms and bearing capacities were verified by the finite element(FE)analysis,and the effects of the main parameters on the structures were investigated.The FE verification results were the same as in the test.The research results provide theoretical support and technical guidance for the application of thermal insulation and decorative composite wall panels in H-shaped steel all-bolted steel frames.

Evaluation of the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete structures with flat slab-column gravity frame and shear walls through nonlinear analysis methods

This paper presents an investigation of the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete(RC)structures in which shear walls are the main lateral load-resisting elements and the participation of flat slab floor systems is not considered in the seismic design procedure.In this regard,the behavior of six prototype structures(with different heights and plan layouts)is investigated through nonlinear static and time history analyses,implemented in the OpenSees platform.The results of the analyses are presented in terms of the behavior of the slab-column connections and their mode of failure at different loading stages.Moreover,the global response of the buildings is discussed in terms of some parameters,such as lateral overstrength due to the gravity flat slab-column frames.According to the nonlinear static analyses,in structures in which the slab-column connections were designed only for gravity loads,the slab-column connections exhibited a punching mode of failure even in the early stages of loading.However,the punching failure was eliminated in structures in which a minimum transverse reinforcement recommended in ACI 318(2019)was provided in the slabs at joint regions.Furthermore,despite neglecting the contribution of gravity flat slab-column frames in the lateral load resistance of the structures,a relatively significant overstrength was imposed on the structures by the gravity frames.

A Novel Anti-Collision Algorithm for Large Scale of UHF RFID Tags Access Systems

When the radio frequency identification(RFID)system inventories multiple tags,the recognition rate will be seriously affected due to collisions.Based on the existing dynamic frame slotted Aloha(DFSA)algorithm,a sub-frame observation and cyclic redundancy check(CRC)grouping combined dynamic framed slotted Aloha(SUBF-CGDFSA)algorithm is proposed.The algorithm combines the precise estimation method of the quantity of large-scale tags,the large-scale tags grouping mechanism based on CRC pseudo-randomcharacteristics,and the Aloha anti-collision optimization mechanism based on sub-frame observation.By grouping tags and sequentially identifying themwithin subframes,it accurately estimates the number of remaining tags and optimizes frame length accordingly to improve efficiency in large-scale RFID systems.Simulation outcomes demonstrate that this proposed algorithmcan effectively break through the system throughput bottleneck of 36.8%,which is up to 30%higher than the existing DFSA standard scheme,and has more significant advantages,which is suitable for application in largescale RFID tags scenarios.

Defining the We-map Reference Frames and Providing Mathematical Expressions for Transformation Relations

We-map is an interactive mobile map that can be easily communicated and applied on personal electronic devices,such as personal computers and mobile phones.Therefore,the study of direction systems and coordinate systems is critical,and exploring reference frames is essential in direction and coordinate systems.Despite its significance,existing research on We-map lacks specific solutions for the exploration of reference frames is indispensable for the establishment of accurate direction and coordinate systems.In this paper,we endeavor to address this gap by elucidating the significance of We-map reference frames,defining them with mathematical constraints,summarizing their nature and characteristics,deriving their transformation relationships and representing them through mathematical formulars and equations.Our work contributes to the fundamental theory of We-map and provides valuable systems and support for the mathematical foundation of We-map,map production,and platform development.Ultimately,this research serves to advance the development of We-map.

Structural optimization of a reusable seismic frame active link

Circular design encompasses the use of inventive construction methodologies that possess the capability to be readily dismantled,repurposed,or recycled upon reaching the conclusion of their functional lifespan.This work specifically examines the creation of a reusable design case-study idea for seismic frame design,which is commonly employed in steel-frame constructions in New Zealand.A reusable optimized design for the full seismic frame was proposed in the research.Optimizing the dimensions of welded structures,whether in terms of weight or cost,leads to a decrease in the weight of the steel utilized.The decrease in weight is directly associated with a decrease in environ-mental impact,as the environmental impact is directly proportional to the mass of the construction.The environmental consequences associated with welding technique are contingent upon the dimensions of the weld,hence exerting an indirect influence on the overall mass of the structure.Given the presence of mass dependence in all three areas,albeit in distinct manners,this work employed a multi-objective function optimization strategy to simultaneously address these areas while also partially evaluating them separately.On this way substantial reductions can be achieved both at structural mass and environmental effects.

Frame Length Dependency for Fundamental Frequency Extraction in Noisy Speech

The fundamental frequency plays a significant part in understanding and perceiving the pitch of a sound. The pitch is a fundamental attribute employed in numerous speech-related works. For fundamental frequency extraction, several algorithms have been developed which one to use relies on the signal’s characteristics and the surrounding noise. Thus, the algorithm’s noise resistance becomes more critical than ever for precise fundamental frequency estimation. Nonetheless, numerous state-of-the-art algorithms face struggles in achieving satisfying outcomes when confronted with speech recordings that are noisy with low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values. Also, most of the recent techniques utilize different frame lengths for pitch extraction. From this point of view, This research considers different frame lengths on male and female speech signals for fundamental frequency extraction. Also, analyze the frame length dependency on the speech signal analytically to understand which frame length is more suitable and effective for male and female speech signals specifically. For the validation of our idea, we have utilized the conventional autocorrelation function (ACF), and state-of-the-art method BaNa. This study puts out a potent idea that will work better for speech processing applications in noisy speech. From experimental results, the proposed idea represents which frame length is more appropriate for male and female speech signals in noisy environments.

Real-Time Mosaic Method of Aerial Video Based on Two-Stage Key Frame Selection Method

A two-stage automatic key frame selection method is proposed to enhance stitching speed and quality for UAV aerial videos. In the first stage, to reduce redundancy, the overlapping rate of the UAV aerial video sequence within the sampling period is calculated. Lagrange interpolation is used to fit the overlapping rate curve of the sequence. An empirical threshold for the overlapping rate is then applied to filter candidate key frames from the sequence. In the second stage, the principle of minimizing remapping spots is used to dynamically adjust and determine the final key frame close to the candidate key frames. Comparative experiments show that the proposed method significantly improves stitching speed and accuracy by more than 40%.

Robust frame synchronization method for FDD-LTE systems

The primary synchronization signal and the secondary synchronization signal are respectively used to fulfill the subframe and frame synchronization in the long term evolution （LTE） systems. Based on the assumption that the channel frequency response of the primary synchronization signal symbol is nearly the same as that of the secondary synchronization symbol in frequency division duplex-LTE （FDD-LTE）, a new synchronization method is proposed. The frame synchronization success probability is simulated in different wireless channel models and the Mento-Carlo method is used in the simulation. Simulation results show that if the LMMSE channel estimation is adopted, the proposed method is robust at a low signal noise ratio （SNR） scenario and works well when cartier frequency offset and fast Fourier transform （FFT） window timing offset are considered in practical applications. The frame synchronization success probability can still exceed 99% with an SNR of 0 dB when the maximum Doppler shift is very large, which means that this robust frame synchronization method can be applicable in most mobile situations. Simulation results also show that the success probability of the proposed frame synchronization method is higher than that of the method which fulfills the frame synchronization through correlating the received secondary synchronization symbol with local sequences in practical applications.

Automatic Method for Synchronizing Workpiece Frames in Twin-robot Nondestructive Testing System

The workpiece frames relative to each robot base frame should be known in advance for the proper operation of twin-robot nondestructive testing system. However, when two robots are separated from the workpieces, the twin robots cannot reach the same point to complete the process of workpiece frame positioning. Thus, a new method is proposed to solve the problem of coincidence between workpiece frames. Transformation between two robot base frames is initiated by measuring the coordinate values of three non-collinear calibration points. The relationship between the workpiece frame and that of the slave robot base frame is then determined according to the known transformation of two robot base frames, as well as the relationship between the workpiece frame and that of the master robot base frame. Only one robot is required to actually measure the coordinate values of the calibration points on the workpiece. This requirement is beneficial when one of the robots cannot reach and measure the calibration points. The coordinate values of the calibration points are derived by driving the robot hand to the points and recording the values of top center point（TCP） coordinates. The translation and rotation matrices relate either the two robot base frames or the workpiece and master robot. The coordinated are solved using the measured values of the calibration points according to the Cartesian transformation principle. An optimal method is developed based on exponential mapping of Lie algebra to ensure that the rotation matrix is orthogonal. Experimental results show that this method involves fewer steps, offers significant advantages in terms of operation and time-saving. A method used to synchronize workpiece frames in twin-robot system automatically is presented.

Self-centering seismic retrofit scheme for reinforced concrete frame structures:SDOF system study

This paper presents the results of a parametric study of self-centering seismic retrofit schemes for reinforced concrete (RC) frame buildings. The self-centering retrofit system features flag-shaped hysteresis and minimal residual deformation. For comparison purpose,an alternate seismic retrofit scheme that uses a bilinear-hysteresis retrofit system such as buckling-restrained braces (BRB) is also considered in this paper. The parametric study was carried out in a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system framework since a multi-story building structure may be idealized as an equivalent SDOF system and investigation of the performance of this equivalent SDOF system can provide insight into the seismic response of the multi-story building. A peak-oriented hysteresis model which can consider the strength and stiffness degradation is used to describe the hysteretic behavior of RC structures. The parametric study involves two key parameters -the strength ratio and elastic stiffness ratio between the seismic retrofit system and the original RC frame. An ensemble of 172 earthquake ground motion records scaled to the design basis earthquake in California with a probability of exceedance of 10% in 50 years was constructed for the simulation-based parametric study. The effectiveness of the two seismic retrofit schemes considered in this study is evaluated in terms of peak displacement ratio,peak acceleration ratio,energy dissipation demand ratio and residual displacement ratio between the SDOF systems with and without retrofit. It is found from this parametric study that RC structures retrofitted with the self-centering retrofit scheme (SCRS) can achieve a seismic performance level comparable to the bilinear-hysteresis retrofit scheme (BHRS) in terms of peak displacement and energy dissipation demand ratio while having negligible residual displacement after earthquake.

Frame length optimization for multi-antenna downlink systems based on delay-bound violation probability constraints

A flame length optimization scheme is proposed for multi-antenna downlink systems to guarantee diverse delay- bound violation probability constraints. Due to the difficulties of extracting the quality of service （QoS） metrics from the conventional physical-layer channel models, the link-layer models named effective bandwidth and effective capacity are applied to statistically characterize the source traffic patterns and the queuing service dynamics. With these link-layer models, the source traffic process and the channel service process are mapped to certain QoS parameters. The packet delay-bound violation probability constraints are converted into minimum data rate constraints and the optimization problem is thus formulated into simultaneous inequalities. With the assumption of ergodic block-fading channels, the optimal frame lengths of single-user and multiuser systems are calculated respectively by numerical iterative methods. Theoretical analyses and simulation results show that the given delay-bound violation probability constraints are well satisfied with the optimal frame length.

Vibration analysis of damaged and undamaged steel structure systems: cantilever column and frame

This paper presents the experimental and numerical studies conducted on a steel column and a steel frame structure using free vibration analysis.The effects of damages on structures were investigated,which were simulated by introducing multiple cracks at different locations in the experimental and numerical models.The acceleration responses of the test models,were recorded through an accelerometer,and were used to calibrate the numerical models developed in finite element based software.Modal frequencies of damaged and undamaged structures were compared and analyzed,to derive relationships for damaged and undamaged structures’frequencies in terms of crack depth.It was found that,due to the presence of cracks,the mechanical properties of a structure changes,whereby,the modal frequencies decrease.An approximately linear trend was observed for the frequency decrease with the increase in crack depth,which was also confirmed by the numerical models.The derived relationships were extended to further develop a mechanics-based damage scale for steel structures,to help facilitate structural health monitoring and screening of vulnerable structures.

Pseudo-noise preamble based joint frame and frequency synchronization algorithm in OFDM communication systems

Frame and frequency synchronization are essential for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing （OFDM） systems. The frame offset owing to incorrect start point position of the fast Fourier transform （FFT） window, and the carrier frequency offset （CFO） due to Doppler frequency shift or the frequency mismatch between the transmitter and receiver oscil ators, can bring severe inter-symbol interference （ISI） and inter-carrier interference （ICI） for the OFDM system. Relying on the relatively good correlation charac-teristic of the pseudo-noise （PN） sequence, a joint frame offset and normalized CFO estimation algorithm based on PN preamble in time domain is developed to realize the frame and frequency synchronization in the OFDM system. By comparison, the perfor-mances of the traditional algorithm and the improved algorithm are simulated under different conditions. The results indicate that the PN preamble based algorithm both in frame offset estimation and CFO estimation is more accurate, resource-saving and robust even under poor channel condition, such as low signal-to-noise ratio （SNR） and large normalized CFO.

A Study of the Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Fish Frames Using Model Systems

A model system was employed to study the operating conditions and primary parameters of enzymic hydrolysis of cod proteins. Pancreatin, papain, and bromelain were used to hydrolyse minced cod fillets under controlled conditions and with the rate of hydrolysis being continually monitored via both the pH-stat and TNBS method. The two methods were compared and evaluated. The rate of protein solubilisation was plotted against the degree of hydrolysis (DH). Dry fish protein hydrolysate (FPH) powders having short, medium and high degrees of hydrolysis (DH of approximately 8%, 11% and 16% respectively) were produced and analysed for their molecular weight distribution, using size exclusion chromatography. Almost complete protein solubilisation (75 g soluble protein per kg hydrolysis solution) could be achieved within an hour, at 40oC, at 1% enzyme/substrate ratio (w/w) with papain and bromelain. The pH-stat was found capable of continuously following the rate of hydrolysis but only at low DH. The TNBS could be accurately used even at high DH to estimate the percentage of the peptide bonds cleaved, but required chemical analysis of withdrawn samples.

FIRST INTEGRALS AND INTEGRAL INVARIANTS FOR VARIABLE MASS NONHOLONOMIC SYSTEM IN NONINERTIAL REFERENCE FRAMES

The first integrals and their conditions of existence for variable massnonholonomic system in noninertial relerence frames are obtained,and the canonicalequations and the variation equations of the system are extended. It is proved that using the first integral we can construct the integral invariant of the system.Finally,a series of deductions and an example are given.