Cost Optimization of Steel Beam-to-Column Connections using AVOA

The joint-bolt-African Vulture optimization algorithm(AVOA)model is proposed for the design of building connections to improve the stability of steel beam-to-column connections.For this algorithm,the type of steel is first determined,and the number of bolts needed by the corresponding steel type is referenced in Eurocode 3.Then,the bearing capacity of the joint can be calculated.The joint-bolt-AVOA model is established by substituting the bolt number required by the steel into the algorithm to obtain the optimal bolt number required while ensuring joint stability.The results show that the number of bolts required by the joint-bolt-AVOA model based on the stability of steel is lower than that calculated by Eurocode 3.Therefore,AVOA can effectively optimize the number of bolts needed in building connections and save resources.

Experimental study on full-scale steel beam-to-column moment connections

Ten full-scale steel beam-to-column moment connections used in moment-resisting frames （MRFs） were tested to study the failure process, failure mode, strength and plastic rotation capacity. The specimens include one traditional welded flange-bolted web connection, one traditional fully welded connection, four beam flange strengthened connections, three beam flange weakened connections, and one through-diaphragm connection. The test results show that the connections with flange cover plates or with partly cut beam flanges satisfy the beam plastic rotation demand for ductile MRFs. From the measured stress profiles along the beam flange and beam web depth, the mechanics of brittle fracture at the end of the beam is discussed. Design recommendations for steel beam-to-column moment connections are proposed.

Steel Beam-to-Column RBS Connections: FEM Analysis under Cyclic Loading

In a companion paper [1], an optimization scheme for extended-end-plate Reduced Beam Section (RBS) connections of steel-moment-frames was presented, based on the component method of Eurocode 3, on regression analysis and on principles of Mechanics under monotone loading. European beam and column profiles were utilized, in conjunction with geometric restrictions and constraints of North American and European Standards for prequalified radius-cut RBS. Τhe aforementioned method aimed for an excellent seismic performance, the verification and validation of which is the content of the present study. Using FEM modeling and accounting for the assumptions used in the optimum design, after calibration with existing experimental data, the optimum connections were numerically analyzed under cyclic loading, adopting a well-accepted displacement-based protocol. All optimum solutions exhibited an excellent cyclic response, and met very satisfactorily all the performance criteria for seismic design. Results in terms of hysteretic M-φcurves at three characteristic areas of the connections validate the whole analysis, a fact aiming to assist in incorporation the radius-cut RBS concept in European Steel Design Codes and engineering practice.

Biological processes involved in mechanical force transmission in connective tissue:Linking bridges for new therapeutic applications in the rehabilitative field

Connective tissue is a dynamic structure that reacts to environmental cues to maintain homeostasis,including mechanical properties.Mechanical load influences extracellular matrix(ECM)—cell interactions and modulates cellular behavior.Mechano-regulation processes involve matrix modification and cell activation to preserve tissue function.The ECM remodeling is crucial for force transmission.Cytoskeleton components are involved in force sensing and transmission,affecting cellular adhesion,motility,and gene expression.Proper mechanical loading helps to maintain tissue health,while imbalances may lead to pathological processes.Active and passive movement,including manual mobilization,improves connective tissue elasticity,promotes ECM-cell homeostasis,and reduces fibrosis.In rehabilitation,understanding mechanical-regulation processes is necessary for ameliorating and developing treatments aimed at preserving tissue elasticity and preventing fibrosis.In this commentary,we aim to globally describe the biological processes involved in mechanical force transmission in connective tissue as support for translational studies and clinical applications in the rehabilitation field.

Alterations of interhemispheric functional connectivity in patients with hypertensive retinopathy using voxelmirrored homotopic connectivity:a resting state fMRI study

AIM:To analyze whether alterations of voxel mirror homology connectivity(VMHC)values,as determined by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging(rsfMRI),occur in cerebral regions of patients with hypertensive retinopathy(HR)and to determine the relationship between VMHC values and clinical characteristics in patients with HR.METHODS:Twenty-one patients with HR and 21 agematched healthy controls(HCs)were assessed by rsfMRI scanning.The functional connectivity between the hemispheres of the cerebrum was assessed by measuring VMHC,with the ability of VMHC to distinguish between the HR and HC groups assessed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the HR and HC groups were analyzed by independent sample t-tests.The relationship between average VMHC in several brain areas of HR patients and clinical features was determined using Pearson correlation analysis.RESULTS:Mean VMHC values of the bilateral cuneus gyrus(BA19),bilateral middle orbitofrontal gyrus(BA47),bilateral middle temporal gyrus(BA39)and bilateral superior medial frontal gyrus(BA9)were lower in the HR than in the HC group.CONCLUSION:VMHC values can predict the development of early HR,prevent the transformation of hypertensive microangiopathy,and provide useful information explaining the changes in neural mechanism associated with HR.

改进RRT-Connect算法的机器人路径规划研究

针对标准RRT-Connect算法在路径规划中存在的路径冗长、转折较多和区域通过性欠缺问题,提出了一种新的改进RRT-Connect算法(TRRT-Connect)。采用改进RRT算法搜索并添加一个中间根节点,实现同时扩展四棵随机树,加快算法收敛速度。在随机点的选取上使用目标偏置策略,在新节点的生成上叠加引力场,同时融合贪婪搜索策略。结合新的动态步长调节方法,通过识别扫描区域内障碍物的个数动态选择合适的步长。对生成的初始路径使用双向剪枝优化方法,加快剪枝效率,剔除路径上的冗余节点。对路径转折处进行光滑处理,减少路径转折。在三种不同环境地图中进行仿真对比实验,结果表明,TRRT-Connect算法与标准RRT-Connect算法相比较,在路径长度、迭代次数和节点数上有较大改善,在密集障碍物区域的通过性较好,路径更加光滑且无转折,证明了该算法的有效性。同时将TRRT-Connect算法应用于现场实例仿真中,使得移动机器人的运输路径长度相较于传统固定路径降低了15.4%,且路径光滑,进一步验证了该算法的实用性。

In- and Anti-transition of Firing Patterns Induced by Random Long-range Connections in Coupled Hindmarsh-Rose Neurons System

The effects of random long-range connections （shortcuts） on the transitions of neural firing patterns in coupled Hindmarsh-Rose neurons are investigated, where each neuron is subjected to an external current. It is found that, on one hand, the system can achieve the transition of neural firing patterns from the fewer-period state to the multi-period one, when the number of the added shortcuts in the neural network is greater than a threshold value, indicating the occurrence of in-transition of neural firing patterns. On the other hand, for a stronger coupling strength, we can also find the similar but reverse results by adding some proper random connections. In addition, the influences of system size and coupling strength on such transition behavior, as well as the internality between the transition degree of firing patterns and its critical characteristics for different external stimulation current, are also discussed.

基于ε-Connections的旅游领域本体构建

针对传统本体构建方法的局限性,提出一种基于ε-Connections理论构建旅游领域模块化本体库的方法,基于改进的Tableau算法,利用Pellet推理机实现对多个本体的联合推理。实验结果证明,该模块化构建方法可以有效降低本体构建的复杂度,有利于本体的维护和更新,提高本体重用模块抽取效率。

ADO Connection对象的ConnectionString属性的参数分析

建立ＡＤＯ连接的关键在于设置Ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔｉｏｎ Ｓｔｒｉｎｇ中有关提供者和源数据库的参数，只有掌握了体现这些参数设置的ＣｏｎｎｅｃｔｉｏｎＳｔｒｉｎｇ的生成规律，才能做到在程序中动态地建立ＡＤＯ Ｃｏｎｎｅｃｔｉｏｎ对象与源数据库的连接．

基于AOO与IBM Connections的社会化分享设计

着力于增强办公软件的社会化分享能力,采用品牌架构、易用性、一致性、反馈机制和用户归属感等设计方法,整合办公软件与社交媒体的功能,致力于提升办公软件的用户体验,以云技术为技术支持,设计出一款基于Apache Open Office(AOO)的社会化分享工具,实现了AOO与IBM Connections的集成,提升了AOO的社会化分享能力,开创了办公软件与IM以及社交媒体结合的先例。

Seismic performance of interior precast concrete beam-column connections with T-section steel inserts under cyclic loading

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the performance of precast beam-column concrete connections using T-section steel inserts into the concrete beam and joint core,under reversed cyclic loading.Six 2/3-scale interior beam-column subassemblies,one monolithic concrete specimen and five precast concrete specimens were tested.One precast specimen was a simple connection for a gravity load resistant design.Other precast specimens were developed with different attributes to improve their seismic performance.The test results showed that the performance of the monolithic specimen M1 represented ductile seismic behavior.Failure of columns and joints could be prevented,and the failure of the frame occurred at the flexural plastic hinge formation at the beam ends,close to the column faces.For the precast specimens,the splitting crack along the longitudinal lapped splice was a major failure.The precast P5 specimen with double steel T-section inserts showed better seismic performance compared to the other precast models.However,the dowel bars connected to the steel inserts were too short to develop a bond.The design of the precast concrete beams with lap splice is needed for longer lap lengths and should be done at the beam mid span or at the low flexural stress region.

Test and simulation of full-scale self-centering beam-to-column connection

A new type of beam-to-column connection for steel moment flames, designated as a ＂self-centering connection,＂ is studied. In this connection, bolted top-and-seat angles, and post-tensioned （PT） high-strength steel strands running along the beam are used. The PT strands tie the beam flanges on the column flange to resist moment and provide self-centering force. After an earthquake, the connections have zero deformation, and can be restored to their original status by simply replacing the angles. Four full-scale connections were tested under cyclic loading. The strength, energy-dissipation capacity, hysteresis curve, as well as angles and PT strands behavior of the connections are investigated. A general FEM analysis program called ABAQUS 6.9 is adopted to model the four test specimens. The numerical and test results match very well. Both the test and analysis results suggest that： （1） the columns and beams remain elastic while the angles sustain plastic deformations for energy dissipation when the rotation of the beam related to the column equals 0.05 tad, （2） the energy dissipation capacity is enhanced when the thickness of the angle is increased, and （3） the number of PT strands has a significant influence on the behavior of the connections, whereas the distance between the strands is not as important to the performance of the connection.

Transport Accessibility and Spatial Connections of Cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area

Based on geographic information system(GIS) spatial analysis technology, the spatial pattern of raster grid transport accessibility for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area was studied and the states of spatial connectedness were simulated using highway passenger transport, railway passenger transport, port passenger transport and aviation passenger transport data. The result shows that transport accessibility within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area costs ‘one hour’ and the spatial distribution of accessibility in the area presents clear ‘core-periphery’ spatial characteristics, with Guangzhou, Foshan, Shenzhen constituting the core. The transport accessibility of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao is high. Average accessibility of urban nodes as measured by travel time is 0.99 h, and the areas accessible within 1.42 h occupy 79.14% of the total area. Most of the areas with the lowest accessibility are found in the peripheral area, with the worst accessibility being 4.73 h. Compared with the west-side cities, the economically developed east-side cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay area have higher connectivity with roads, railways, ports, and aviation transport. Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhuhai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Macao are closely linked. The higher the accessibility, the closer the intercity connectedness.

Diagnosis of Intermittent Connections for DeviceNet

An intermittent connection is one of the major problems that affect the network reliability and communication quality.However,little attention has been paid to the detection,analysis and localization of the intermittent connections.Partially due to the limitations of the DeviceNet protocol,there is no effective online diagnostic tool available to identify the location of intermittent connection.On the basis of different DeviceNet fault scenarios induced by intermittent connections,a new graph-based diagnostic method is developed to analyze DeviceNet fault patterns,identify the corresponding fault scenarios,and infer the location of the intermittent connection problem by using passively captured network faults.A novel error source analysis tool,which integrates network data-link layer analysis and feature based network physical layer information,is developed to restore the snapshots of the network communication at each intermittent connection induced error.A graph based location identification method is developed to infer the location of the intermittent connections based on the restored error patterns.A 3-node laboratory test-bed,using master-slave polling communication method,is constructed to emulate the intermittent connection induced faults on the network drop cable by using digital switches,whose on/off states are controlled by a computer.During experiments,the network fault diagnosis is conducted by using information collected on trunk cable（backbone）.Experimental study shows that the proposed method is effective to restore the snapshots of the network errors and locate the drop cable that experiences the intermittent connection problem.

Chaos in complex motor networks induced by Newman-Watts small-world connections

We investigate how dynamical behaviours of complex motor networks depend on the Newman-Watts small-world （NWSW） connections. Network elements are described by the permanent magnet synchronous motor （PMSM） with the values of parameters at which each individual PMSM is stable. It is found that with the increase of connection probability p, the motor in networks becomes periodic and falls into chaotic motion as p further increases. These phenomena imply that NWSW connections can induce and enhance chaos in motor networks. The possible mechanism behind the action of NWSW connections is addressed based on stability theory.

Shaking table test and numerical analysis of a 1:12 scale model of a special concentrically braced steel frame with pinned connections

This paper describes shaking table tests of a 1：12 scale model of a special concentrically braced steel frame with pinned connections, which was fabricated according to a one-bay braced frame selected from a typical main factory building of a large thermal power plant. In order to investigate the seismic performance of this type of structure, several ground motion accelerations with different levels for seismic intensity Ⅷ, based on the Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Buildings, were selected to excite the model. The results show that the design methods of the members and the connections are adequate and that the structural system will perform well in regions of high seismicity. In addition to the tests, numerical simulations were also conducted and the results showed good agreement with the test results. Thus, the numerical model is shown to be accurate and the beam element can be used to model this structural system.

Seismic fragility of flexible pipeline connections in a base isolated medical building

Flexible pipelines are often used to connect hard pipes from a foundation to a superstructure to accommodate large deformation in the base isolation layer during an earthquake. Although Chinese seismic design guidelines suggest several confi gurations, they are diff erent from the designs that have been proven in practice, e.g., Japanese styles, and extensive experimental investigation into their seismic performance is required. Three types of seals, rubber-, metal- and asbestinebased, were tested quasi-statically with infi lled pressurized water at 2.5 MPa. The asbestine-based seal leaked at a smaller deformation than the other two types of seals. Based on the test results, three damage states were defi ned and the deformation capacity was estimated. To evaluate their performance, a three-dimensional model of a base-isolated medical building was developed using OpenSees, with the fl exible pipelines simulated by a mechanical model calibrated from the experimental data. A probabilistic seismic demand model and the fragility function of the fl exible pipelines were then developed to evaluate the seismic performance.

改进RRT-Connect与DWA算法的巡检机器人路径规划研究

针对传统RRT-Connect算法在密集复杂环境中路径规划效率低、动态避障效果差等问题,提出一种改进RRT-Connect与DWA融合算法。该算法通过改进采样策略、动态步长优化和碰撞检测引导随机树生长;在随机树中采用贪心策略和角度约束优化路径。基于巡检机器人建立运动学模型,通过速度采样空间生成轨迹簇;建立模糊逻辑系统自适应调整DWA算法评价函数的权重系数,将全局最优路径点融入DWA算法中实现全局最优路径和实时避障。仿真结果表明,在油气站场密集复杂环境中,改进RRT-Connect算法较传统算法路径缩短约27.09%,平滑度提高约84.6%,碰撞距离提高约18.75%;改进融合算法路径减少约2.97%,平滑度提高约78.8%,碰撞距离提高约30.6%,验证了提出算法的有效性。

Seismic Behavior of Diaphragm-Through Connections of Concrete-Filled Square Steel Tubular Columns and H-Shaped Steel Beams

Based on the introductions of a type of diaphragm-through connection between concrete-filled square steel tubular columns (CFSSTCs) and H-shaped steel beams,a finite element model of the connection is developed and used to investigate the seismic behavior of the connection.The results of the finite element model are validated by a set of cyclic loading tests.The cyclic loading tests and the finite element analyses indicate that the failure mode of the suggested connections is plastic hinge at the beam with inelastic rotation angle exceeding 0.04 rad.The suggested connections have sufficient strength,plastic deformation and energy dissipation capacity to be used in composite moment frames as beam-to-column rigid connections.

Method for Functional Design of Axiomatic Design Based on Connections

Axiomatic design（AD） is a popular design method,and satisfying the independence axiom is the basis of AD.However,AD doesn＇t provide methods to decompose functions then keep them independent and to handle coupled design.A few of ways of handling coupled design are mainly passive resolutions when coupled design exists,but not efficient to each product design.Hence,this paper presents an innovative approach to design and decompose functions of complex products based on functional connections,aiming at actively avoiding functional coupling.By contrasting with component networks,four kinds of relations among functions are identified,including spatial,energy,material,and information connection.Then the definitions of these relations and the dominant connection are given.Based on the definitions,the principles of functional decomposition and design are developed,in which each non-leaf function is broken into sub functions centered on its dominant connection with avoidance of functional cross and coupling,and sequentially satisfies the independence axiom.Then the operational flow of the proposed approach is constructed.Determining the dominant connection of a function,decomposing the function into sub functions in terms of the dominant connection and reverse examination and optimization are planed as the core steps in each zigzagging.Input process output（IPO） analysis is introduced to obtain the dominant connection of a function,some rules for examining and optimizing the decomposition results reversely according to oriented object theory are presented as well.An illustrative example about the pouring function of squeeze casting equipments presented demonstrates how to use the proposed approach,and indicates its effectiveness.The proposed approach expands the principles of AD,constructs a guidance policy for independent functional design of complex products based on AD,and can help decrease or actively avoid coupled design and improve design efficiency.