Investigating the Efficiency Coefficient of Pile Group in Clay Under Two-Way Lateral Load

This research investigates the behavior of a 2×2 pile group under two-directional lateral loads in addition to the vertical load.Through three-dimensional numerical modeling based on Flac 3D software,the study examines the total bearing capacity and efficiency coefficient of the pile group,considering factors such as the angle of lateral load,relative pile spacing,and relative stiffness of the pile-soil system.The findings highlight the significance of these factors in understanding and predicting the response of pile groups to changing lateral load directions.The results reveal that increasing the angle of the lateral load from 0°to 45°enhances both the maximum total lateral load and the efficiency coefficient of the pile group.When the relative stiffness of the pile-soil system significantly increases,soil stiffening occurs and reducing the relative spacing of the piles from 7 to 3 times the diameter of the piles diminishes the influence of the pile group.Consequently,the response of the pile group to lateral loads becomes more linear,with only a slight alteration in the maximum total lateral load and the efficiency coefficient when the lateral load is angled from 0°to 45°.Conversely,increasing the relative distance between the piles,specifically from 3 to 7 times the diameter of the piles,amplifies the influence of the pile group.Both the maximum total lateral load and the efficiency coefficient of the pile group exhibit an observed increase.These provide insights for designing pile groups and optimizing their performance under lateral loading conditions.

Enhanced Adherence Counselling, Support Groups and Viral Load Suppression amongst HIV-Positive Adolescents in a Tertiary Health Care Facility in Cameroon

Background: Globally, HIV viral load suppression rate, which is an indirect measure of the efficacy of antiretroviral (ART) medication, is 47% and 52% in Africa. In Cameroon, the viral load (VL) suppression rate is 44.7% and poor adherence is widely documented as being responsible for the large gap in VL Suppression. Enhanced adherence counselling (EAC) sessions, and enrolment and participation in support groups are specific interventions to improve ART adherence and improve viral load suppression. Purpose: This study assesses the uptake and contribution of support groups and EAC sessions in the management of adolescents with unsuppressed VL results at Centre Hospitalier d’Essos, Yaounde. Methods: A retrospective correlational quantitative patient files review was conducted for 138 files of HIV positive adolescents aged between 10 - 19 years with HIV VL above 1000 copies/ml enrolled in care between January 2009 and December 2019. Data from the questionnaire was entered into CSPRO version 7.4. and analyzed by using SPSS version 25.0. Results: A total of 138 participants (75 females and 63 males) with a mean age of 15 ± 3 years were included in our study. Sixty-nine (50%) participants were in World Health Organization (WHO) stage I;32.6% were in Stage II;13.0% and 4.3% were in stages III and IV, respectively. Thirty (21.7%) had a history of tuberculosis and 76% of the adolescents were being cared for primarily by their parents. The charts of the adolescents revealed that there was an association between completion of EAC sessions in adolescents with unsuppressed VL and eventual VL suppression (R.R = 2.5;CI 0.848 - 6.162;p = 0.033). However, there was no significant association between support group enrolment and active participation, and eventual VL Suppression. Furthermore, combining EAC and support group interventions was strongly associated with eventual VL Suppression in this group of initially unsuppressed adolescents (R.R = 7.5;C.I 2.544 - 22.360;p Conclusion: Suppression rates were good after completion of EAC sessions and participation in support group enrolment for adolescents with a high VL. As we move towards having 95% of ART-treated adolescents achieve and maintain viral suppression, there is a need to reinforce EAC sessions and support group enrolment in ART clinics targeting this priority group.

Experimental study on load bearing behavior of large-scaled caps with pile groups

The objective of this investigation was to study the behavior of deep pile caps and the ultimate load-carrying capacity. Four 1/10 scaled models of nine-pile caps were cast and tested on vertical loads to failure. The destruction shapes of pile caps,the correlation between load and displacement,and the internal stresses were analyzed systematically. The results demonstrated that the failures of all the four models are resulted from punching shear; the internal flow of the forces in nine-pile caps can be approximated by "strut-and-tie" model. Furthermore,the failure loads of these specimens were predicted by some of the present design methods and the calculated results were compared with the experimental loads. The comparative results also indicated that the "strut-and-tie" model is a more reasonable design method for deep pile caps design.

Grouping response method for equivalent static wind loads based on a modified LRC method

Wind loading is one of the most important loads for controlling the design of large-span roof structures. Equivalent static wind loads, which can generally aim at determining a specific response, are widely used by structural designers. A method for equivalent static wind loads applicable to multi-responses is proposed in this paper. A modified load- response-correlation （LRC） method corresponding to a particular peak response is presented, and the similarity algorithm implemented for the group response is described. The main idea of the algorithm is that two responses can be put into one group if the value of one response is close to that of the other response, when the structure is subjected to equivalent static wind loads aiming at the other response. Based on the modified LRC, the grouping response method is put forward to construct equivalent static wind loading. This technique can simultaneously reproduce peak responses for some grouped responses. To verify its computational accuracy, the method is applied to an actual large-span roof structure. Calculation results show that when the similarity of responses in the same group is high, equivalent static wind loads with high accuracy and reasonable magnitude of equivalent static wind distribution can be achieved.

Limit analysis of vertical anti-pulling screw pile group under inclined loading on 3D elastic-plastic finite element strength reduction method

Based on the functional theory, catastrophe theory, simultaneity principle and the idea of strength reduction method （SRM）, the bearing capacity functional anti SRM of pile group foundation were established, and the criteria of ultimate load and the concept of safety storage coefficient （Css） were advanced. The inclined ultimate loads by the static loading test, load increment method （LIM） and SRM are compared. Theoretically, the ultimate load of piles does not change with the loading levels when it is calculated by SRM. When the one strength reduction parameter is applied in the calculation boundary, there are calculating errors because the bearing capacity action of soils happened in the finite zone. The inclined 10adings are 108, 132 and 144 kN, and SSC are 1.07, 0.94 and 0.79, respectively, so the calculation values of ultimate loads are about 115.56, 124.08 and 113.76 kN, respectively. The error between calculations and observation values is less than 6%. But .the error between calculations of LIM and observations is 20%. Because of the effect of inclined loading, the push-rotation phenomenon of screw pile group appears. Under this testing, the ultimate bearing capacity of piles is mostly determined by the horizontal ultimate bearing capacity, and the effect of the vertical component of inclined load should also be considered.

A simplified approach for settlement calculation of pile groups considering pile-to-pile interaction in layered soils

A simplified approach is presented for the analysis of the settlement of vertically loaded pile groups. In order to simulate the nonlinear pile-to-pile interaction in pile groups, the soils along the piles are assumed to behave as a series of nonlinear springs subjected to the shaft shear stress at the pile/soil interface. Considering the displacement reduction induced by the pile-to-pile interaction, the shear-deformation method is adopted to approximate the displacement field of the layered soils around the piles, and the equivalent stiffness of the springs is obtained. Furthermore, the load-settlement response of pile groups is deduced by modifying the load-transfer functions to account for the pile-to-pile interaction. The settlements of a laboratory pile groups computed by the presented approach are in a good agreement with measured results. The analysis on Contrastive parameters shows that the settlements of pile group decrease with the increase of the pile space and pile length, and the part of piles exceeding the critical pile length has little contribution to the beating capacity of the pile groups.

Behavior of Pile Group with Elevated Cap Subjected to Cyclic Lateral Loads

The pile group with elevated cap is widely used as foundation of offshore structures such as turbines, power transmission towers and bridge piers, and understanding its behavior under cyclic lateral loads induced by waves, tide water and winds, is of great importance to designing. A large-scale model test on 3×3 pile group with elevated cap subjected to cyclic lateral loads was performed in saturated silts. The preparation and implementation of the test is presented. Steel pipes with the outer diameter of 114 mm, thickness of 4.5 mm, and length of 6 m were employed as model piles. The pile group was cyclic loaded in a multi-stage sequence with the lateral displacement controlled. In addition, a single pile test was also conducted at the same site for comparison. The displacement of the pile cap, the internal forces of individual piles, and the horizontal stiffness of the pile group are presented and discussed in detail. The results indicate that the lateral cyclic loads have a greater impact on pile group than that on a single pile, and give rise to the significant plastic strain in the soil around piles. The lateral loads carried by each row of piles within the group would be redistributed with loading cycles. The lateral stiffness of the pile group decreases gradually with cycles and broadly presents three different degradation patterns in the test. Significant axial forces were measured out in some piles within the group, owing to the strong restraint provided by the cap, and finally lead to a large settlement of the pile group. These findings can be referred for foundation designing of offshore structures.

钙质砂地基中群桩基础荷载传递特性研究

为研究钙质砂地基中群桩基础承载过程中的性能特征,开展不同桩距条件下群桩基础静载试验.得到不同桩距条件下群桩的Q-S曲线和S-lgt曲线,测得3d、4.5d、6d(d为桩径)群桩在静载条件下的极限承载力F_(u),研究各个桩段的桩身轴力、桩侧摩阻力以及桩端阻力的变化趋势.研究结果表明:群桩的Q-S曲线为缓变型,S-lgt曲线为渐变型,桩基承载变形大致分为稳定、渐进以及破坏3个阶段,相较于3d群桩,4.5d、6d群桩沉降发展更缓慢,F_(u)更高;同等桩距下,钙质砂地基表现出比陆源砂地基更强的群桩效应,钙质砂地基中群桩最佳桩距应在4.5d~6d之间.该研究为群桩在钙质砂地基中的应用提供数据支撑和理论参考.

面向用户多样化业务需求的多波束卫星系统动态资源分配算法

多波束卫星通信系统由于其高吞吐量和高资源利用率而受到广泛关注.已有研究主要考虑多波束卫星通信系统的信道或功率分配问题,但较少考虑用户分组和动态资源分配策略的联合优化设计,导致系统性能受限.此外,现有研究往往假设固定的波束覆盖半径,忽略了波束覆盖半径可变性对波束覆盖性能提升的影响.本文研究了多波束卫星通信系统中的用户分组和资源分配问题,提出了一种两阶段资源管理方案.针对动态和多样化的用户服务需求,首先设计一种基于Voronoi图的迭代用户分组算法以实现分组之间的负载均衡,然后将子信道和功率分配问题建模为系统平均效用函数最大化问题.为解决该问题,将每个波束视为一个智能体,采用一种基于多智能体深度Q网络(Deep Q Network,DQN)的算法来确定子信道和功率分配策略.仿真结果表明,与K-均值用户分组方案相比,本文所提出的基于Voronoi图的迭代用户分组算法对应的用户组负载差异值可降低49.2%,体现了本文所提算法在实现用户组间负载均衡方面的优势.此外,本文所提两阶段资源管理方案与现有文献中所提算法相比,系统所提供容量与用户需求差值可降低83.43%,体现了本文所提算法在实现系统资源高效利用及用户服务需求保障方面的性能优势.

扩底桩竖向承载特性及群桩效应研究

为探明扩底群桩竖向承载特性,采用扩底桩筏结构,开展单桩(扩径比分别为1.5、2.0、2.5、3.0)和桩筏(扩径比为2)基础静载模型试验,分析其荷载传递规律,并建立桩间距为3.75、4.00、4.50、5.00倍桩直径时扩底桩筏基础有限元模型,研究桩间距对群桩效应影响。结果表明:扩底单桩和扩底桩筏结构荷载沉降曲线均为缓变型;扩底桩极限承载力随扩径比增大而逐渐增大,扩径比2.5~3.0时极限承载力增幅变缓,建议扩底桩扩径比取2.5~3.0;由于桩土共同沉降,桩间土压缩,桩土作用更充分,扩底桩筏基础中心桩侧摩阻力荷载分担比比扩底单桩增大了17.71%;群桩效应系数随桩间距增大而逐渐增大,桩间距为4.5~5.0倍桩直径时群桩效应系数增幅较小,群桩效应较弱,建议扩底桩筏基础桩间距取值不小于4.5倍桩直径。

分配特殊群桩空间作用效应的双向m法

群桩到单桩的作用分配是桩基计算的关键问题,针对规范中的单向m法只适用于平面作用的局限性,从单桩刚度、群桩刚度、受力平衡方程3个层面进行公式推导,建立了变形协调的群桩刚度矩阵和空间受力平衡方程,形成了适用于空间作用的双向m法,并以对称等长直桩、双向斜桩、不对称桩为计算实例,对比分析了单向m法和双向m法的计算结果。结果表明:单向m法计算对称等长直桩时,结果准确,计算双向斜桩时,单桩的弯矩和剪力波动较大,最大值偏小20%左右,计算不对称桩时,单桩外力之和与总外力不闭合,可信度低;而双向m法的理论解可覆盖这些桩基类型,结果更接近有限元数值解。研究成果为特殊桩基提供了一种快速且简便的计算方法,扩展了公路和铁路桥梁桩基设计规范的适用范围。

基于心率变异性的高密度立交出入口驾驶人精神负荷特性

互通式立交承担着不同方向交通流的流向转换功能,是道路交通网络的重要节点。目前高密度立交在城市道路网络中已愈发常见,高密度立交之间的间距比普通立交更小,车辆交织更为密集,驾驶人需要在更短的时间内进行分合流驾驶操作。为探究立交间距对驾驶人精神负荷的影响与高密度立交出入口区段的驾驶人精神负荷统计特性,在重庆市内环快速路上选择了1段包含4座连续立交的路段作为实验对象,其中3座立交为高密度立交。通过车载仪器采集47名驾驶人在实车实验过程中的心电数据,对在高密度立交出入口区段与普通间距立交出入口区段的驾驶人心率变异性时域和频域指标进行差异性分析,得到了驾驶人在高密度立交与普通间距立交出入口区段的精神负荷分布特征。研究结果表明:驾驶人在经过普通间距立交出入口区段和高密度立交出入口区段时的心率变异性时域指标不存在显著性差异,频域指标心率变异性的低、高频功率的比值(ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency,LF/HF)存在显著性差异,频域指标LF/HF可作为评价驾驶人精神负荷在立交出入口区段的主要指标;驾驶人在经过高密度立交入口区段时,频域指标LF/HF比经过普通间距立交入口区段时显著增加,立交间距不足会增加驾驶人在立交入口区段的精神负荷;驾驶人在经过普通间距立交出口区段时的心率变异性频域指标LF/HF比经过高密度立交出口区段时显著增加,即驾驶人通过普通间距立交出口区段的精神负荷更大;对于高密度立交群,驾驶人在入口区段的精神负荷水平要略高于出口区段。

竖向荷载对高承台群桩基础侧向位移影响规律的振动台试验

基于大型振动台模型试验,以高承台群桩为研究对象,模拟了地震作用下高桩承台基础的振动响应,通过超静孔压比(简称孔压比)、加速度和地基土位移研究饱和砂土液化场地竖向荷载对桩基侧向位移的影响规律。结果表明:近桩区域受桩基竖向荷载影响最为显著,孔压比与竖向荷载呈负相关关系,桩基两侧孔压比差值与地基土浅层加速度是造成桩基侧向位移的主要原因;地基土对台面输出加速度主要起放大作用,且随着竖向荷载的增加,加速度放大系数显著减小;在振动输入与竖向荷载相同的条件下,地基土在地震动作用下引起的侧向流动及显著变形极大影响了桩基的侧向位移;竖向荷载为9%桩基极限承载力条件下,桩基倾斜角为4.80°,侧向位移较小,结合地基土抗液化能力,桩基抗倾覆能力最优。

上拔荷载作用下装配式输电线路岩石群锚基础受力特性研究

为解决传统岩石群锚基础材料耗量大、运输不便的问题,提出一种新型装配式输电线路岩石群锚基础。采用有限元方法建立新型群锚基础的三维精细化数值模型,研究上拔荷载作用下群锚基础受力特性,分析锚杆间距、长度及直径等参数对新型群锚基础锚杆内力的影响规律。结果表明:锚杆内力在钢骨架连接处最大,随深度增加逐渐减小;锚杆距群锚基础形心越远,其内力越大;锚筋长度相同时,随着锚杆间距的增大,锚杆内力呈逐渐变小的趋势,而锚筋长度及直径对内力的变化影响较小。将数值计算结果与规范计算结果进行对比发现:处于与水平荷载方向相反且与群锚中心相距最远的两根锚杆的规范计算结果与数值计算结果吻合度高,其余锚杆两种计算结果的吻合度相对较低。

双轴加载下成组裂隙参数对类岩石试件力学性质的影响规律

煤矿深部地层岩巷围岩裂隙分布复杂,裂隙参数对岩体力学性能影响较大。为研究深部地层裂隙岩体在掘进扰动条件下的破坏规律与力学性能,制备不同裂隙倾角和长度的成组裂隙类岩石试件,开展模拟煤矿深部巷道掘进扰动的双轴加载试验,研究类岩石试件力学特性及其影响因素。研究结果表明:成组裂隙试件强度受预制裂隙的倾角影响明显,当预制裂隙倾角为30°~45°时,试件的起裂应力和峰值应力为最小值,当裂隙倾角为90°时,试件的起裂应力和峰值应力最大。在双轴固定比例加载的条件下,裂隙倾角和长度均会对试件的强度产生影响,其中裂隙倾角对试件强度的影响最为明显,裂隙长度的影响较小。

基于HRI的高密度立交群出入口驾驶人精神负荷

为明确驾驶人在高密度互通立交出入口时精神负荷变化与驾驶环境的相关性,选取重庆市主城区内环快速路上4座立交(3座小净距立交及1座普通立交)作为研究对象,开展了47位驾驶人的实车驾驶试验。使用生理仪连续采集了驾驶人的心电数据,计算了驾驶人经过立交分流点、合流点前后的心率增长率(heart rate increase,HRI),以HRI作为驾驶人精神负荷评价指标,明确了驾驶人在立交出口和入口的精神负荷变化规律,对出口和入口的精神负荷进行了对比,并分析了环境熟悉程度及分流方向对驾驶人精神负荷的影响。结果表明:小净距立交出入口驾驶人HRI存在6种变化模式,较普通立交出入口存在的5种变化模式更多样化;小净距立交出口和入口的HRI均值变化呈相反的趋势,且HRI均值及特征分位值均表现为入口HRI略大于出口HRI;合流和分流行为都会使驾驶人的精神负荷产生明显波动;立交间距离过短,会导致驾驶人经过立交出口和入口时的HRI增大,精神负荷增加;环境熟悉程度对驾驶人经过立交出口和入口分合流点时的HRI存在显著影响,驾驶人第2、3次经过相同立交出口和入口时的HRI波动明显减小;驾驶人经过立交左侧分流点时的HRI较右侧分流点更高,精神负荷更大。

Group scheduling with general position-dependent effect

In order to investigate more realistic group scheduling problems with position-dependent effects,the model of general position-dependent group scheduling is proposed,where the actual group setup times and actual processing times are described by general functions of the normal group setup time and position in the sequence.These general functions are not assumed to have specific function structures,and are not restricted to be monotone.By mathematical analysis and proof,each considered problem is decomposed into a group scheduling process and a job scheduling process,and each scheduling process is transferred into the classic assignment problem or the classic single-machine sequence problem,and then the computational complexity to solve the considered problem is analyzed.Analysis results show that,even with general position-dependent job processing times,both the single machine makespan minimization group scheduling problems and the parallel-machine total load minimization group scheduling problems remain polynomially solvable.

Analysis of energy pile groups subjected to non-uniform thermal loadings

Sequentially coupled thermal-stress finite element analyses were performed to investigate the mechanical behaviors of an energy pile group subjected to non-uniform thermal loadings.The group effect was highlighted by comparing the thermo-mechanical responses with those of the single pile case.Due to the thermal interactions between piles,the group piles’temperatures were higher than that of the isolated single pile.If only part of the piles served as heat exchangers,i.e.,the pile group was thermal loaded unevenly,there were dif-ferential deformations between the heated and the non-heated piles.Due to the pile-raft-pile interaction,the axial forces of the piles chan-ged significantly.The location of the heated pile had an important influence on the thermally induced axial force,while the effect of the soil’s coefficient of thermal expansion was not significant.Inspired by the numerical result,a simplified method was proposed to capture the main characteristics of energy pile groups and to facilitate the design.The proposed method was developed in the framework of the traditional load transfer approach,and the pile-raft-pile interaction was included.By applying different temperature increments to dif-ferent piles,the non-uniform thermal loading was modeled.The proposed method was verified by comparing with the finite element anal-ysis results and the data collected from the literature.

基于射频电极群独立控制的适形消融系统设计

该研究旨在开发一种射频电极群独立控制系统,用于实现不规则组织的适形消融。与传统单一射频电压不同的是,该研究采用高频变压器隔离和射频负载匹配技术,将射频信号源分割为8组独立且具有相同相位和频率,但不同电压值的射频信号。实验结果表明,所设计的系统可分别独立输出多种组合射频信号。实际输出电压与理论计算电压的相对误差控制在6%以内,频率误差小于0.5%,且各组信号的相位相差小于1°。在仿生物组织加热实验中,控制电极群中各电极的电压,可实现不同形状的消融,且消融深度与施加的射频电压呈正相关。

Load balancing framework for actively replicated servers

This paper focuses on solving a problem of improving system robustness and the efficiency of a distributed system at the same time. Fault tolerance with active replication and load balancing techniques are used. The pros and cons of both techniques are analyzed, and a novel load balancing framework for fault tolerant systems with active replication is presented. Hierarchical architecture is described in detail. The framework can dynamically adjust fault tolerant groups and their memberships with respect to system loads. Three potential task scheduler group selection methods are proposed and simulation tests are made. Further analysis of test data is done and helpful observations for system design are also pointed out, including effects of task arrival intensity and task set size, relationship between total task execution time and single task execution time.