The MDOF equivalent linear system and its applications in seismic analysis and design of framed structures

This paper reviews the applications of the multi degree-of-freedom(MDOF)equivalent linear system in seismic analysis and design of planar steel and reinforced concrete framed structures.An equivalent MDOF linear structure,analogous to the original MDOF nonlinear structure,is constructed,which has the same mass and elastic stiffness as the original structure and modal damping ratios that account for the effects of geometrical and material nonlinearities.The equivalence implies a balance between the viscous damping work of the equivalent linear structure and that of the nonlinearities in the original nonlinear structure.This work balance is established with the aid of a transfer function in the frequency domain.Thus,equivalent modal damping ratios can be explicitly determined in terms of the period and deformation levels of the structure as well as the soil types.Use of these equivalent modal damping ratios can help address a variety of seismic analysis and design problems associated with planar steel and reinforced concrete framed structures in a rational and accurate manner.These include force-based seismic design with the aid of acceleration response spectra characterized by high amounts of damping,improved direct displacement-based seismic design and the development of advanced seismic intensity measures.The equivalent modal damping ratios are also utilized in the context of linear modal analysis for the definition and construction of the MDOF response spectrum.Furthermore,the equivalent modal damping ratios are employed in a seismic retrofit method for steel-framed structures with viscous dampers.Finally,it is demonstrated that modal behavior(or strength reduction)factors can be easily constructed based on these modal damping ratios for a more rational and accurate force-based seismic design,including the determination of inelastic displacement profiles.

Analysis of Short-Shoot Fuji Apple Tree Structure and Correlative Factors

In order to clarify the correlation between short-shoot Fuji apple tree structure and different factors under different trimming and pruning modes,we investigate the trunk taperingness of free-spindle short-shoot Fuji and slender-spindle short-shoot Fuji,respectively,as well as the total thickness,average thickness,total length and average length of small main branches in the standard demonstration apple garden in Xingtang County of Hebei Province. By SPSS analysis,we study the correlation between trunk taperingness of trees with different shapes and the growth indices of their small main branches. The results show that the trunk taperingness of free-spindle short-shoot Fuji apple is negatively correlated with the total thickness,average thickness,total length and average length of small main branches,but the correlation is not significant; the trunk taperingness of slender-spindle short-shoot Fuji apple is negatively correlated with the total thickness but positively correlated with other factors,and the correlation with average length reaches a significant level. The results of this study can provide a scientific basis for guiding the high-density dwarf rootstock short-shoot Fuji apple tree trimming technology.

Systematic Analysis and Optimization of the Agricultural Structure in Ethnic Regions in Northwest Sichuan Province

Based on introducing the basic conditions of the ethnic regions in northwest Sichuan Province,the thesis analyzes its agricultural development status,which can be classified into two aspects--rich natural resources and slow agricultural economic growth.Through the analysis on the agricultural structure of northwest Sichuan Province,it is found that the production efficiency and economic benefits of crop planting in this region are low,animal husbandry,as a major industry in pastoral region,sees high production efficiency,the agricultural production is still at the resource-oriented stage;its agricultural structure is still the farming-pastoral structure relying mainly on animal husbandry,planting is dominated by crop planting and potato planting,animal husbandry mainly produces dairy and beef;the ethnic regions in northwest Sichuan Province is endowed with the advantages to grow crops,beans and fruits as well as to produce beef,mutton and milk,among which,three industries,say fruit,beef and dairy are with increasing location quotient and gradually strengthening industrial comparative advantage,while the location quotient of the other industries is declining and their industrial comparative advantages are more stable.In order to promote the agriculture in northwest Sichuan Province to develop in breadth and depth,the thesis proposes the following measures and suggestions:the first one is to adhere to the development strategy of modern animal husbandry;the second is to appropriately improve the proportion of economic crops;the third is to accelerate the development of green food processing industry.

Unascertained Factor Method of Dynamic Characteristic Analysis for Antenna Structures

The dynamic characteristic analysis model of antenna structures is built,in which the structural physical parameters and geometrical dimensions are all considered as unascertained variables.And a structure dynamic characteristic analysis method based on the unascertained factor method is given.The computational expression of structural characteristic is developed by the mathematics expression of unascertained factor and the principles of unascertained rational numbers arithmetic.An example is given,in which the possible values and confidence degrees of the unascertained structure characteristics are obtained.The calculated results show that the method is feasible and effective.

Analysis on Fuji Apple Tree Structures and Related Factors under Different Pruning Modes

To determine the correlations between the tree structuresof Fuji apple with different pruning modes and each factor, the data about 3 tree structures which were free spindle short shoot, free spindle long shoot and slenderspindle short shoot in Xingtang County of Hebai Province were investigated, then by SPSS anal- ysis, the correlations between the taperingness and each growth factor of inserted small branch were compared. The results showed that the taperingness of central trunk of free spindle dwarf-shoot Fuji apple treeshad negative correlations with each factor of inserted small branch, while the taperingness of central trunk of free spin- dle long-shoot Fuji apple treeshad positive correlations with each factor of inserted small branch, the taperingness of central trunk of slenderspindle short-shootFuji ap- ple treeshad negative correlation with total thickness of inserted small branch, but had positive correlations with other factors. This study can provide a scientifictheo- retical basis for the pruning technology of high-density planting trees grafting by dwarfing self-rooted rootstock.

Influence Factors of the Regional Industrial Structure Evolution in Shandong Province of China against the Background of Low Carbon

Low-carbon development as the th eme of modern times is the premise to upgrade industrial structure. The authors adopt the PCA(Principle Component Analysis) to carry on a quantitative analysis about the factors that affect the changing industrial structure in Shandong Province and then incorporate them into three principal components,namely,development-consumption,speed-structure and urbanization-technology. In other words,economic development is a direct factor while consumption demand and industrial upgrading are major driving forces. Moreover,urbanization accelerates the changes of industrial structure.

Spatial network structure of transportation carbon emission efficiency in China and its influencing factors

Grasping the spatial correlation structure of transportation carbon emission efficiency(TCEE)and its influencing factors is significant for promoting high-quality and coordinated development of the transportation industry and the relevant region.Based on the ideal point cross-efficiency(IPCE)model,the social network analysis method was employed herein to explore the spatial correlation network structure of China’s provincial TCEE and its influencing factors.The results obtained showed the following outcomes.(1)During the study period,China’s provincial TCEE formed a complex and multithreaded network association relationship,but its network association structure was still relatively loose and presented the hierarchical gradient characteristics of dense in the east and sparse in the west.(2)The correlation of China’s TCEE formed a block segmentation based on the regional boundaries,and its factional structure was relatively obvious.The eastern region was closely connected with the central region,and generally connected with the western and northeastern regions.The central region was mainly connected with the eastern and western regions,and relatively less connected with the northeastern region.Besides,the northeastern region was weakly connected with the western region.(3)Shanghai,Beijing,Zhejiang,Guangdong,Jiangsu,Tianjin,and other developed provinces were in the core leading position in the TCEE network,which significantly impacted the spatial correlation of TCEE.However,Heilongjiang,Jilin,Xinjiang,Qinghai,and other remote provinces in the northeast and northwest were at the absolute edge of the network,which weakly impacted the spatial correlation of TCEE.(4)Provincial distance,economic development-level difference,transportation intensity difference,and transportation structure difference had significant negative impacts on the spatial correlation network of China’s provincial TCEE.In contrast,the energy-saving technology level difference had a significant positive impact on it.The regression coefficients of transportation energy structure and environmental regulation differences were positive but insignificant;their response mechanism and effects need to be improved and enhanced.

An Optimum Analysis Method of Sandwich Structures Made from Elastic-viscoelastic Materials

Due to a viscoelastic damping middle layer,sandwich structures have the capacity of energy consumption.In this paper,we describe the frequency-dependent property of viscoelastic materials using complex modulus model,and iterative modal strain energy method and iterative complex eigenvalue method are presented to obtain frequency and loss factor of sandwich structures.The two methods are effective and exact for the large-scale complex composite sandwich structures.Then an optimum analysis method is suggested to apply to sandwich structures.Finally,as an example,an optimum analysis of a clamped-clamped sandwich beams is conducted,theoretical closed-form solution and numerical predictions are studied comparatively,and the results agree well.

EMPIRICAL STUDY ON CAPITAL STRUCTURE OF LISTED COMPANIES IN CHINESE STOCK MARKET

Capital structure decision is an important issue of corporate finance.Theories show that,the corporate debt ratio is determined by many factors.This study conducts empirical work on capital structure theories,focusing on the corporate data of Chinese listed companies,by considering the intrinsic characteristics,utilizing the principal factor analysis and the ridge regression method.Our results suggest that a firms debt ratio has a positive relationship with its size,profitability and operating risk and has a negative relationship with its growth and non debt tax shield,while the long term leverage has a positive relationship with its collateral value of assets.

Wind Vibration Study of Long-span Steel Arch Structure of Beijing Capital International Airport

The wind-induced dynamic response of long-span light-weight steel arch structure of the global transportation center (GTC) of Beijing Capital International Airport was studied. A composite technique with combination of WAWS(Weighted Amplitude Wavelet Superposition) and FFT(Fast Fourier Transformation) was introduced to simulate wind velocity time series of hundreds of spatial points simultaneously. The structural shape factors of wind load was obtained from wind tunnel model test. The wind vibration factor based on structural displacement response was investigated. After comparing the computational results with wind tunnel model test data, it was found out that the two results accord with each other if wind comes from 0° direction angle, but are quite different if wind comes from 180° direction angle in the area blocked off by airport terminals. The possible reasons of this difference were analyzed. Haar wavelet was used to transform and analyze wind velocity time series and structural wind-induced dynamic responses. The relationship between exciting wind loads and structural responses was studied in time and frequency domains.

Recent Developments in Fatigue Assessment of Ships and Offshore Structures

A review is provided of various approaches that have been adopted recently to assess the fatigue of ships and offshore structures.The relevant fatigue loading is reviewed first,focusing on the successive loading and unloading of the cargo and the transient loadings.The factors influencing fatigue strength are discussed,including the geometrical parameters,material,residual stress,and ones related to the environment.Different approaches for fatigue analyses of seam-welded joints are covered,i.e.,the structural stress or strain approach,the notch stress or strain approach,notch intensity approach,and the crack propagation approach.

Analyzing the Urban Hierarchical Structure Based on Multiple Indicators of Economy and Industry: An Econometric Study in China

For a city,analyzing its advantages,disadvantages and the level of economic development in a country is important,especially for the cities in China developing at flying speed.The corresponding literatures for the cities in China have not considered the indicators of economy and industry in detail.In this paper,based on multiple indicators of economy and industry,the urban hierarchical structure of 285 cities above the prefecture level in China is investigated.The indicators from the economy,industry,infrastructure,medical care,population,education,culture,and employment levels are selected to establish a new indicator system for analyzing urban hierarchical structure.The factor analysis method is used to investigate the relationship between the variables of selected indicators and obtain the score of each common factor and comprehensive scores and rankings for 285 cities above the prefecture level in China.According to the comprehensive scores,285 cities above the prefecture level are clustered into 15 levels by using K-means clustering algorithm.Then,the hierarchical structure system of the cities above the prefecture level in China is obtained and corresponding policy implications are proposed.The results and implications can not only be applied to the urban planning and development in China but also offer a reference on other developing countries.The methodologies used in this paper can also be applied to study the urban hierarchical structure in other countries.

Factor Vector Autoregressive Estimation of Heteroskedastic Persistent and Non Persistent Processes Subject to Structural Breaks

In the paper, a general framework for large scale modeling of macroeconomic and financial time series is introduced. The proposed approach is characterized by simplicity of implementation, performing well independently of persistence and heteroskedasticity properties, accounting for common deterministic and stochastic factors. Monte Carlo results strongly support the proposed methodology, validating its use also for relatively small cross-sectional and temporal samples.

Progressive collapse resisting capacity of reinforced concrete load bearing wall structures

Reinforced concrete(RC) load bearing wall is widely used in high-rise and mid-rise buildings. Due to the number of walls in plan and reduction in lateral force portion, this system is not only stronger against earthquakes, but also more economical. The effect of progressive collapse caused by removal of load bearing elements, in various positions in plan and stories of the RC load bearing wall system was evaluated by nonlinear dynamic and static analyses. For this purpose, three-dimensional model of 10-story structure was selected. The analysis results indicated stability, strength and stiffness of the RC load-bearing wall system against progressive collapse. It was observed that the most critical condition for removal of load bearing walls was the instantaneous removal of the surrounding walls located at the corners of the building where the sections of the load bearing elements were changed. In this case, the maximum vertical displacement was limited to 6.3 mm and the structure failed after applying the load of 10 times the axial load bored by removed elements. Comparison between the results of the nonlinear dynamic and static analyses demonstrated that the "load factor" parameter was a reasonable criterion to evaluate the progressive collapse potential of the structure.

Exploratory analysis of structural diversity indicators at stand level in three Italian beech sites and implications for sustainable forest management

The present study introduces an exploratory data analysis based on structural indicators with the aim to assess the effect of silvicultural practices on tree stand structure. The study was carried out in three Italian beech forests of different ages with stand structures that originated from dissimilar regeneration and cultivation techniques(Cansiglio, northern Italy, Chiarano, central Italy,and Mongiana, southern Italy). Ten structural indicators were considered when investigating the latent multivariate relationship between stand structure attributes before and after thinning operations by using a multiway factor analysis(MFA). The MFA results identified the older stand at Cansiglio as more homogeneous for cultivation regimes,and more stable to practices when compared with the younger sites(Chiarano and Mongiana). Heterogeneous stands were sensitive to silvicultural practice thus suggesting their possible impact on forest attributes. The proposed approach proved to be an operational tool to evaluate comprehensively the response of forest structure to planned interventions.

Numerical stress analysis of crack at welded beam-to-column connection

In the past, brittle fracture of steel structure was reported rarely under earthquake. However, recent earthquakes, especially Northridge Earthquake (USA) and Hyogoken Nanbu earthquake (Japan), astonished engineers in the field of construction. The experience from recent earthquakes of USA and Japan shows that brittle fracture of welded steel structure always starts from high stress zone with welded crack [1～5] . As backing bar for grooved weld on beam flange exists, artificial crack is formed because of lack of fusion at the root of flange weld. In this paper stress distribution of connection is computed with FEM, and stress concentration at the root of flange weld is also analyzed. Stress intensity factors (SIFs), K I, at the root of flange weld are computed in the method of fracture mechanics. The computation shows that stress intensity factor on bottom flange weld is obviously higher than that on top flange weld. It is proved by the fact that brittle fracture is liable to start at the root of bottom flange weld on actual earthquake [1,4] . Finally measures are brought forward to avoid fracture of weld structure against earthquake.

GIS-Based Factorial Ecology and Social Public Space of the Twin City of Ramallah and Al-Bireh, West Bank, The Palestinian Authority

In the present research, a factorial ecological approach using factor analysis was employed to evaluate the dimensionality of the urban social structure of the twin city: Ramallah and Al-Bireh, West Bank, the Palestinian Authority. Through factor analysis, the 41 variables were reduced to four factors with an eigenvalue > 1.0. These factors explain 77.07 percent of the total variables used in the study. Factor I contributes 28.419% of the total variance proportion of input variables, labeled as “family, housing, and public spaces factor”. Factor II accounts for 19.57% of the variance proportion, designated as” housing and urban public spaces”. Factor III is strongly correlated with variables referring to the characteristics of the head of the family, and the availability of public spaces, and thus, is designated as “head of the family and public spaces”. It explains 16.68% of the total variance. Finally, factor IV explains 12.406% of variance proportion, and is strongly associated with variables pertaining to a lack of public social spaces. Consequently, factor IV is termed “lack of public spaces”. The spatial distribution of factor scores related to factors I to IV was mapped using Arc GIS in order to analyze the spatial patterns of the recognized four factors. It is worth noting the factor IV, which refers to the lack of urban social space and, urban public space, which persists in the twin city, and will continue to persist in the future. The lack of urban open space and public social spaces is closely connected to migration, emerged housing pattern, and family status dimensions focused on factors I to III, continuous confiscation of the Palestinian lands, and the construction of Israeli settlements. Currently, the twin city is extremely overcrowded with stone/concrete buildings at the expense of public space which has declined continuously over the last three decades. Nevertheless, the analyzed spatial pattern of factor scores indicated the homogeneous character of the urban society of the twin city. Based on the urban eco-logical models which seek to characterize the Western, non-Western, Israeli, and Arab-oil producing (e.g., Kuwait) urban structures, it is difficult to elaborate a specific Palestinian urban ecological model with reference to the models developed elsewhere.

Analysis of Energy-saving Behavior among University Students in Vietnam

Currently, in the course of serious environmental problems where the cause is anthropogenic, such as global wanning, not only the technology and policies but also the promotions of pro-environmental behavior are required. However, previous studies reported a gap between high environmental awareness and behavior. So to promote this practice, it is necessary to clarify the determinants that lead to practice. Because of the rapid economic growth in developing countries, including Vietnam, pollution problems and energy consumption are of major importance. This study aims to propose methods to promote pro-environmental practices based on a questionnaire and statistical analysis that investigated university students in Vietnam＇s Ho Chi Minh city. From the factor analysis, in actions to do with the power-saving behavior of standby power and home electronics, and the use of air conditioning, four evaluation criteria including effectiveness, cost feasibility, convenience, and social norms are extracted. The covariance structure analysis showed that the evaluation of convenience represented the strongest causal relation to a given power-saving action, and the action, in turn, can lead to improvements in most practical activities so as to enhance their convenience. Finally, several methods to save energy are proposed based on the results of the questionnaire.

Dealing with Multicollinearity in Factor Analysis: The Problem, Detections, and Solutions

Multicollinearity in factor analysis has negative effects, including unreliable factor structure, inconsistent loadings, inflated standard errors, reduced discriminant validity, and difficulties in interpreting factors. It also leads to reduced stability, hindered factor replication, misinterpretation of factor importance, increased parameter estimation instability, reduced power to detect the true factor structure, compromised model fit indices, and biased factor loadings. Multicollinearity introduces uncertainty, complexity, and limited generalizability, hampering factor analysis. To address multicollinearity, researchers can examine the correlation matrix to identify variables with high correlation coefficients. The Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) measures the inflation of regression coefficients due to multicollinearity. Tolerance, the reciprocal of VIF, indicates the proportion of variance in a predictor variable not shared with others. Eigenvalues help assess multicollinearity, with values greater than 1 suggesting the retention of factors. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) reduces dimensionality and identifies highly correlated variables. Other diagnostic measures include the condition number and Cook’s distance. Researchers can center or standardize data, perform variable filtering, use PCA instead of factor analysis, employ factor scores, merge correlated variables, or apply clustering techniques for the solution of the multicollinearity problem. Further research is needed to explore different types of multicollinearity, assess method effectiveness, and investigate the relationship with other factor analysis issues.

Inverse Estimation on Trigger Factors of Simultaneous Slope Failures with Purification of Training Data Sets

This paper presents an procedure for purifying training data sets （i.e., past occurrences of slope failures） for inverse estimation on unobserved trigger factors of ＂different types of simultaneous slope failures＂. Due to difficulties in pixel-by-pixel observations of trigger factors, as one of the measures, the authors had proposed an inverse analysis algorithm on trigger factors based on SEM （structural equation modeling）. Through a measurement equation, the trigger factor is inversely estimated, and a TFI （trigger factor influence） map can be also produced. As a subsequence subject, a purification procedure of training data set should be constructed to improve the accuracy of TFI map which depends on the representativeness of given training data sets of different types of slope failures. The proposed procedure resamples the matched pixels between original groups of past slope failures （i.e., surface slope failures, deep-seated slope failures, landslides） and classified three groups by K-means clustering for all pixels corresponding to those slope failures. For all cases of three types of slope failures, the improvement of success rates with respect to resampled training data sets was confirmed. As a final outcome, the differences between TFI maps produced by using original and resampled training data sets, respectively, are delineated on a DIF map （difference map） which is useful for analyzing trigger factor influence in terms of ＂risky- and safe-side assessment＂ sub-areas with respect to ＂different types of simultaneous slope failures＂.