The 5-parameter Morse pntential(5-MP) of the interaction between oxygen atoms and iron surfaces was constructed. The adsorption and diffusion of O atoms on Fe low-index and Fe(211 ) high-index surfaces were invest...The 5-parameter Morse pntential(5-MP) of the interaction between oxygen atoms and iron surfaces was constructed. The adsorption and diffusion of O atoms on Fe low-index and Fe(211 ) high-index surfaces were investigated by using 5-MP. All the critical characteristics of the system, such as adsorption site, adsorption geometry, binding energy, and eigenvalues for vibration, were calculated. The calculation results show that O atoms are located at the fourfold hollow site of the Fe(100) surface with an eigenvibration at437 cm^-1. These results are in good agreement with the experimental and theoretical results obtained previously. With regard to the adsorption site of O-Fe(110) system, the authors of this study assume that the preferential adsorption state is the H3 site and not the LB site, which is not in agreement with the experimental inferences obtained earlier. However, on the Fe( 111 ) and Fe(211 ) surfaces, O atoms predominantly occupy the quasi-3-fold site.展开更多
Melt extrusion-based additive manufacturing(ME-AM)is a promising technique to fabricate porous scaffolds for tissue engi-neering applications.However,most synthetic semicrystalline polymers do not possess the intrinsi...Melt extrusion-based additive manufacturing(ME-AM)is a promising technique to fabricate porous scaffolds for tissue engi-neering applications.However,most synthetic semicrystalline polymers do not possess the intrinsic biological activity required to control cell fate.Grafting of biomolecules on polymeric surfaces of AM scaffolds enhances the bioactivity of a construct;however,there are limited strategies available to control the surface density.Here,we report a strategy to tune the surface density of bioactive groups by blending a low molecular weight poly(ε-caprolactone)5k(PCL5k)containing orthogonally reactive azide groups with an unfunctionalized high molecular weight PCL75k at different ratios.Stable porous three-dimensional(3D)scaf-folds were then fabricated using a high weight percentage(75 wt.%)of the low molecular weight PCL 5k.As a proof-of-concept test,we prepared films of three different mass ratios of low and high molecular weight polymers with a thermopress and reacted with an alkynated fluorescent model compound on the surface,yielding a density of 201-561 pmol/cm^(2).Subsequently,a bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP-2)-derived peptide was grafted onto the films comprising different blend compositions,and the effect of peptide surface density on the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells(hMSCs)was assessed.After two weeks of culturing in a basic medium,cells expressed higher levels of BMP receptor II(BMPRII)on films with the conjugated peptide.In addition,we found that alkaline phosphatase activity was only significantly enhanced on films contain-ing the highest peptide density(i.e.,561 pmol/cm^(2)),indicating the importance of the surface density.Taken together,these results emphasize that the density of surface peptides on cell differentiation must be considered at the cell-material interface.Moreover,we have presented a viable strategy for ME-AM community that desires to tune the bulk and surface functionality via blending of(modified)polymers.Furthermore,the use of alkyne-azide“click”chemistry enables spatial control over bioconjugation of many tissue-specific moieties,making this approach a versatile strategy for tissue engineering applications.展开更多
In 2023,the majority of the Earth witnessed its warmest boreal summer and autumn since 1850.Whether 2023 will indeed turn out to be the warmest year on record and what caused the astonishingly large margin of warming ...In 2023,the majority of the Earth witnessed its warmest boreal summer and autumn since 1850.Whether 2023 will indeed turn out to be the warmest year on record and what caused the astonishingly large margin of warming has become one of the hottest topics in the scientific community and is closely connected to the future development of human society.We analyzed the monthly varying global mean surface temperature(GMST)in 2023 and found that the globe,the land,and the oceans in 2023 all exhibit extraordinary warming,which is distinct from any previous year in recorded history.Based on the GMST statistical ensemble prediction model developed at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics,the GMST in 2023 is predicted to be 1.41℃±0.07℃,which will certainly surpass that in 2016 as the warmest year since 1850,and is approaching the 1.5℃ global warming threshold.Compared to 2022,the GMST in 2023 will increase by 0.24℃,with 88%of the increment contributed by the annual variability as mostly affected by El Niño.Moreover,the multidecadal variability related to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO)in 2023 also provided an important warming background for sparking the GMST rise.As a result,the GMST in 2023 is projected to be 1.15℃±0.07℃,with only a 0.02℃ increment,if the effects of natural variability—including El Niño and the AMO—are eliminated and only the global warming trend is considered.展开更多
To investigate the interaction of the bolt-reinforced rock and the surface support,an analytical model of the convergence-confinement type is proposed,considering the sequential installation of the fully grouted rockb...To investigate the interaction of the bolt-reinforced rock and the surface support,an analytical model of the convergence-confinement type is proposed,considering the sequential installation of the fully grouted rockbolts and the surface support.The rock mass is assumed to be elastic-brittle-plastic material,obeying the linear Mohr-Coulomb criterion or the non-linear Hoek-Brown criterion.According to the strain states of the tunnel wall at bolt and surface support installation and the relative magnitude between the bolt length and the plastic depth during the whole process,six cases are categorized upon solving the problem.Each case is divided into three stages due to the different effects of the active rockbolts and the passive surface support.The fictitious pressure is introduced to quantify the threedimensional(3D)effect of the tunnel face,and thus,the actual physical location along the tunnel axis of the analytical section can be considered.By using the bolt-rock strain compatibility and the rocksurface support displacement compatibility conditions,the solutions of longitudinal tunnel displacement and the reaction pressure of surface support along the tunnel axis are obtained.The proposed analytical solutions are validated by a series of 3D numerical simulations.Extensive parametric studies are conducted to examine the effect of the typical parameters of rockbolts and surface support on the tunnel displacement and the reaction pressure of the surface support under different rock conditions.The results show that the rockbolts are more effective in controlling the tunnel displacement than the surface support,which should be installed as soon as possible with a suitable length.For tunnels excavated in weak rocks or with restricted displacement control requirements,the surface support should also be installed or closed timely with a certain stiffness.The proposed method provides a convenient alternative approach for the optimization of rockbolts and surface support at the preliminary stage of tunnel design.展开更多
Cultural relics line graphic serves as a crucial form of traditional artifact information documentation,which is a simple and intuitive product with low cost of displaying compared with 3D models.Dimensionality reduct...Cultural relics line graphic serves as a crucial form of traditional artifact information documentation,which is a simple and intuitive product with low cost of displaying compared with 3D models.Dimensionality reduction is undoubtedly necessary for line drawings.However,most existing methods for artifact drawing rely on the principles of orthographic projection that always cannot avoid angle occlusion and data overlapping while the surface of cultural relics is complex.Therefore,conformal mapping was introduced as a dimensionality reduction way to compensate for the limitation of orthographic projection.Based on the given criteria for assessing surface complexity,this paper proposed a three-dimensional feature guideline extraction method for complex cultural relic surfaces.A 2D and 3D combined factor that measured the importance of points on describing surface features,vertex weight,was designed.Then the selection threshold for feature guideline extraction was determined based on the differences between vertex weight and shape index distributions.The feasibility and stability were verified through experiments conducted on real cultural relic surface data.Results demonstrated the ability of the method to address the challenges associated with the automatic generation of line drawings for complex surfaces.The extraction method and the obtained results will be useful for line graphic drawing,displaying and propaganda of cultural relics.展开更多
This paper investigates the path-following control problem with obstacle avoidance of autonomous surface vehicles in the presence of actuator faults,uncertainty and external disturbances.Autonomous surface vehicles in...This paper investigates the path-following control problem with obstacle avoidance of autonomous surface vehicles in the presence of actuator faults,uncertainty and external disturbances.Autonomous surface vehicles inevitably suffer from actuator faults in complex sea environments,which may cause existing obstacle avoidance strategies to fail.To reduce the influence of actuator faults,an improved artificial potential function is constructed by introducing the lower bound of actuator efficiency factors.The nonlinear state observer,which only depends on measurable position information of the autonomous surface vehicle,is used to address uncertainties and external disturbances.By using a backstepping technique and adaptive mechanism,a path-following control strategy with obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance is designed which can ensure that the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of zero.Compared with existing results,the proposed control strategy has the capability of obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance simultaneously.Finally,the comparison results through simulations are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.展开更多
Natural slopes usually display complicated exposed rock surfaces that are characterized by complex and substantial terrain undulation and ubiquitous undesirable phenomena such as vegetation cover and rockfalls.This st...Natural slopes usually display complicated exposed rock surfaces that are characterized by complex and substantial terrain undulation and ubiquitous undesirable phenomena such as vegetation cover and rockfalls.This study presents a systematic outcrop research of fracture pattern variations in a complicated rock slope,and the qualitative and quantitative study of the complex phenomena impact on threedimensional(3D)discrete fracture network(DFN)modeling.As the studies of the outcrop fracture pattern have been so far focused on local variations,thus,we put forward a statistical analysis of global variations.The entire outcrop is partitioned into several subzones,and the subzone-scale variability of fracture geometric properties is analyzed(including the orientation,the density,and the trace length).The results reveal significant variations in fracture characteristics(such as the concentrative degree,the average orientation,the density,and the trace length)among different subzones.Moreover,the density of fracture sets,which is approximately parallel to the slope surface,exhibits a notably higher value compared to other fracture sets across all subzones.To improve the accuracy of the DFN modeling,the effects of three common phenomena resulting from vegetation and rockfalls are qualitatively analyzed and the corresponding quantitative data processing solutions are proposed.Subsequently,the 3D fracture geometric parameters are determined for different areas of the high-steep rock slope in terms of the subzone dimensions.The results show significant variations in the same set of 3D fracture parameters across different regions with density differing by up to tenfold and mean trace length exhibiting differences of 3e4 times.The study results present precise geological structural information,improve modeling accuracy,and provide practical solutions for addressing complex outcrop issues.展开更多
BL02U2 of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility is a surface diffraction beamline with a photon flux of 5.5×10^(12) photons/s at 10 keV and a beam size of 160µm×80µm at the sample site.It is ...BL02U2 of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility is a surface diffraction beamline with a photon flux of 5.5×10^(12) photons/s at 10 keV and a beam size of 160µm×80µm at the sample site.It is dedicated to studying surfaces(solid-vacuum,solid-gas)and interfaces(solid-solid,solid-liquid,and liquid-liquid)in nanoscience,condensed matter,and soft matter systems using various surface scattering techniques over an energy range of 4.8-28 keV with transmission and reflection modes.Moreover,BL02U2 has a high energy resolution,high angular resolution,and low beam divergence,which can provide excellent properties for X-ray diffraction experiments,such as grazing incident X-ray diffraction,X-ray reflectivity,crystal truncation rods,and liquid X-ray scattering.Diversity of in situ environments can also be provided for the samples studied.This paper describes the setup of the new beamline and its applications in various fields.展开更多
The use of‘Electrostatic tweezers'is a promising tool for droplet manipulation,but it faces many limitations in manipulating droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces.Here,we achieve noncontact and multifunctional dr...The use of‘Electrostatic tweezers'is a promising tool for droplet manipulation,but it faces many limitations in manipulating droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces.Here,we achieve noncontact and multifunctional droplet manipulation on Nepenthes-inspired lubricated slippery surfaces via triboelectric electrostatic tweezers(TETs).The TET manipulation of droplets on a slippery surface has many advantages over electrostatic droplet manipulation on a superhydrophobic surface.The electrostatic field induces the redistribution of the charges inside the neutral droplet,which causes the triboelectric charged rod to drive the droplet to move forward under the electrostatic force.Positively or negatively charged droplets can also be driven by TET based on electrostatic attraction and repulsion.TET enables us to manipulate droplets under diverse conditions,including anti-gravity climb,suspended droplets,corrosive liquids,low-surface-tension liquids(e.g.ethanol with a surface tension of 22.3 mN·m^(-1)),different droplet volumes(from 100 nl to 0.5 ml),passing through narrow slits,sliding over damaged areas,on various solid substrates,and even droplets in an enclosed system.Various droplet-related applications,such as motion guidance,motion switching,droplet-based microreactions,surface cleaning,surface defogging,liquid sorting,and cell labeling,can be easily achieved with TETs.展开更多
Systematic optimization of the photocatalyst and investigation of the role of each component is important to maximizing catalytic activity and comprehending the photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2) reduction to solar f...Systematic optimization of the photocatalyst and investigation of the role of each component is important to maximizing catalytic activity and comprehending the photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2) reduction to solar fuels.A surface-modified Ag@Ru-P25 photocatalyst with H_(2)O_(2) treatment was designed in this study to convert CO_(2) and H_(2)O vapor into highly selective CH4.Ru doping followed by Ag nanoparticles(NPs)cocatalyst deposition on P25(TiO_(2))enhances visible light absorption and charge separation,whereas H_(2)O_(2) treatment modifies the surface of the photocatalyst with hydroxyl(–OH)groups and promotes CO_(2) adsorption.High-resonance transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,X-ray absorption near-edge structure,and extended X-ray absorption fine structure techniques were used to analyze the surface and chemical composition of the photocatalyst,while thermogravimetric analysis,CO_(2) adsorption isotherm,and temperature programmed desorption study were performed to examine the significance of H_(2)O_(2) treatment in increasing CO_(2) reduction activity.The optimized Ag1.0@Ru1.0-P25 photocatalyst performed excellent CO_(2) reduction activity into CO,CH4,and C2H6 with a~95%selectivity of CH4,where the activity was~135 times higher than that of pristine TiO_(2)(P25).For the first time,this work explored the effect of H_(2)O_(2) treatment on the photocatalyst that dramatically increases CO_(2) reduction activity.展开更多
Textured surfaces with certain micro/nano structures have been proven to possess some advanced functions,such as reducing friction,improving wear and increasing wettability.Accurate prediction of micro/nano surface te...Textured surfaces with certain micro/nano structures have been proven to possess some advanced functions,such as reducing friction,improving wear and increasing wettability.Accurate prediction of micro/nano surface textures is of great significance for the design,fabrication and application of functional textured surfaces.In this paper,based on the kinematic analysis of cutter teeth,the discretization of ultrasonic machining process,transformation method of coordinate systems and the cubic spline data interpolation,an integrated theoretical model was established to characterize the distribution and geometric features of micro textures on the surfaces machined by different types of ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling(UVAM).Based on the theoretical model,the effect of key process parameters(vibration directions,vibration dimensions,cutting parameters and vibration parameters)on tool trajectories and microtextured surface morphology in UVAM is investigated.Besides,the effect of phase difference on the elliptical shape in 2D/3D ultrasonic elliptical vibration-assisted milling(UEVAM)was analyzed.Compared to conventional numerical models,the method of the cubic spline data interpolation is applied to the simulation of microtextured surface morphology in UVAM,which is more suitable for characterizing the morphological features of microtextured surfaces than traditional methods due to the presence of numerous micro textures.The prediction of surface roughness indicates that the magnitude of ultrasonic amplitude in z-direction should be strictly limited in 1D rotary UVAM,2D and 3D UEVAM due to the unfavorable effect of axial ultrasonic vibration on the surface quality.This study can provide theoretical guidance for the design and fabrication of microtextured surfaces in UVAM.展开更多
Emerging regenerative cell therapies for alveolar bone loss have begun to explore the use of cell laden hydrogels for minimally invasive surgery to treat small and spatially complex maxilla-oral defects.However,the or...Emerging regenerative cell therapies for alveolar bone loss have begun to explore the use of cell laden hydrogels for minimally invasive surgery to treat small and spatially complex maxilla-oral defects.However,the oral cavity presents a unique and challenging environment for in vivo bone tissue engineering,exhibiting both hard and soft periodontal tissue as well as acting as key biocenosis for many distinct microbial communities that interact with both the external environment and internal body systems,which will impact on cell fate and subsequent treatment efficacy.Herein,we design and bioprint a facile 3D in vitro model of a human dentine interface to probe the effect of the dentine surface on human mesenchymal stem cells(hMSCs)encapsulated in a microporous hydrogel bioink.We demonstrate that the dentine substrate induces osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated hMSCs,and that both dentine andβ-tricalcium phosphate substrates stimulate extracellular matrix production and maturation at the gel-media interface,which is distal to the gel-substrate interface.Our findings demonstrate the potential for long-range effects on stem cells by mineralized surfaces during bone tissue engineering and provide a framework for the rapid development of 3D dentine-bone interface models.展开更多
We experimentally and theoretically present a paradigm for the accurate bilayer design of gradient metasurfaces for wave beam manipulation,producing an extremely asymmetric splitting effect by simply tailoring the int...We experimentally and theoretically present a paradigm for the accurate bilayer design of gradient metasurfaces for wave beam manipulation,producing an extremely asymmetric splitting effect by simply tailoring the interlayer size.This concept arises from anomalous diffraction in phase gradient metasurfaces and the precise combination of the phase gradient in bilayer metasurfaces.Ensured by different diffraction routes in momentum space for incident beams from opposite directions,extremely asymmetric acoustic beam splitting can be generated in a robust way,as demonstrated in experiments through a designed bilayer system.Our work provides a novel approach and feasible platform for designing tunable devices to control wave propagation.展开更多
The Kandi basin is located in northeast Benin (West Africa). This study is focused on the estimation of water fluxes exchanged between the river Niger (and its tributaries) and the transboundary Iullemeden Aquifer Sys...The Kandi basin is located in northeast Benin (West Africa). This study is focused on the estimation of water fluxes exchanged between the river Niger (and its tributaries) and the transboundary Iullemeden Aquifer System. In that framework, an innovative approach based on the application of the Bayesian Mixing Model (MixSIAR) analysis on water isotopes (oxygen-18, deuterium and tritium) was performed. Moreover, to assess the relevance of the model outputs, Pearson’s correlation and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) have been done. A complex relationship between surface water and groundwater has been found. Sixty percent (60%) of groundwater samples are made of more than 70% river water and rainwater;while 31.25% of surface water samples are made of about 84% groundwater. To safeguard sustainable water resources for the well-being of the local communities, surface water and groundwater must be managed as a unique component in the Kandi basin.展开更多
Investigating zeolites as hydrogen storage scaffolds is imperative due to their porous nature and favorable physicochemical properties.Nevertheless,the storage capacity of the unmodified zeolites has been rather unsat...Investigating zeolites as hydrogen storage scaffolds is imperative due to their porous nature and favorable physicochemical properties.Nevertheless,the storage capacity of the unmodified zeolites has been rather unsatisfactory(0.224%-1.082%(mass))compared to its modified counterpart.Thus,the contemporary focus on enhancing hydrogen storage capacities has led to significant attention towards the utilization of modified zeolites,with studies exploring surface modifications through physical and chemical treatments,as well as the integration of various active metals.The enhanced hydrogen storage properties of zeolites are attributed to the presence of aluminosilicates from alkaline and alkaline-earth metals,resulting in increased storage capacity through interactions with the charge density of these aluminosilicates.Therefore,there is a great demand to critically review their role such as well-defined topology,pore structure,good thermal stability,and tunable hydrophilicity in enhanced hydrogen storage.This article aimed to critically review the recent research findings based on modified zeolite performance for enhanced hydrogen storage.Some of the factors affecting the hydrogen storage capacities of zeolites that can affect the rate of reaction and the stability of the adsorbent,like pressure,structure,and morphology were studied,and examined.Then,future perspectives,recommendations,and directions for modified zeolites were discussed.展开更多
The monomolecular surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) may become neutral and metallic or charged and semiconducting.This is revealed in the theoretical analysis of the oxygen pressure dependence of the surface def...The monomolecular surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) may become neutral and metallic or charged and semiconducting.This is revealed in the theoretical analysis of the oxygen pressure dependence of the surface defects concentration in acceptor doped ceria with two different dopant types and operated under different oxygen pressures.Recently published experimental data for highly reduced Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9-x(SDC)containing a fixed valence dopant Sm3+are very different from those published for Pr0.1Ce0.9O_(2)-x(PCO) with the variable valence dopant Pr4+/Pr3+being reduced under milder conditions.The theoretical analysis of these experimental results fits very well the experimental results of SDC and PCO.It leads to the following predictions:the highly reduced surface of SDC is metallic and neutral,the metallic surface electron density of state is gs=0.9×10^(38)J-1·m^(-2)(1.4×1015eV^(-1)·cm^(-2)),the electron effective mass is meff,s=3.3me,and the phase diagram of the reduced surface has theα(fcc)structure as in the bulk.In PCO a double layer is predicted to be formed between the surface and the bulk with the surface being negatively charged and semiconducting.The surface of PCO maintains high Pr^(3+) defect concentration as well as relative high oxygen vacancy concentration at oxygen pressures higher than in the bulk.The reasons for the difference between a metallic and semiconducting surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) are reviewed,as well as the key theoretical considerations applied in coping with this problem.For that we make use of the experimental data and theoretical analysis available for acceptor doped ceria.展开更多
Surface metallization of glass fiber(GF)/polyetheretherketone(PEEK)[GF/PEEK] is conducted by coating copper using electroplating and magnetron sputtering and the properties are determined by X-ray diffraction(XRD), sc...Surface metallization of glass fiber(GF)/polyetheretherketone(PEEK)[GF/PEEK] is conducted by coating copper using electroplating and magnetron sputtering and the properties are determined by X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The coating bonding strength is assessed by pull-out tests and scribing in accordance with GB/T 9286-1998.The results show that the Cu coating with a thickness of 30 μm deposited on GF/PEEK by magnetron sputtering has lower roughness, finer grain size, higher crystallinity, as well as better macroscopic compressive stress,bonding strength, and electrical conductivity than the Cu coating deposited by electroplating.展开更多
A trigger system is typically employed in active seismic testing to trigger and synchronize multichannel surface wave data acquisition.The effect of the trigger system on the dispersion image of surface waves is empir...A trigger system is typically employed in active seismic testing to trigger and synchronize multichannel surface wave data acquisition.The effect of the trigger system on the dispersion image of surface waves is empirically known to be negligible,however,theoretical explanation regarding the effect of the trigger system is insufficient.This study systematically examines the theory for surface wave dispersion analysis and proves that the effect of the trigger system on a dispersion image is negligible via a solid theoretical explanation.Subsequently,based on the new theoretical explanation,an alternative method that uses only the relative phase difference between sensors to extract dispersion characteristics with better conceptual clarity is proposed.Two active surface wave testing cases are considered to validate the theory and method.The results indicate that(1)an accurate trigger system is not necessary for surface wave data acquisition,and(2)it is unnecessary to assume that the impact point is the generation point of the surface waves for the experimental dispersion analysis.展开更多
The efficient separation of chalcopyrite(CuFeS2)and galena(PbS)is essential for optimal resource utilization.However,find-ing a selective depressant that is environmentally friendly and cost effective remains a challe...The efficient separation of chalcopyrite(CuFeS2)and galena(PbS)is essential for optimal resource utilization.However,find-ing a selective depressant that is environmentally friendly and cost effective remains a challenge.Through various techniques,such as mi-croflotation tests,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)observation,X-ray photoelectron spec-troscopy(XPS),and Raman spectroscopy measurements,this study explored the use of ferric ions(Fe^(3+))as a selective depressant for ga-lena.The results of flotation tests revealed the impressive selective inhibition capabilities of Fe^(3+)when used alone.Surface analysis showed that Fe^(3+)significantly reduced the adsorption of isopropyl ethyl thionocarbamate(IPETC)on the galena surface while having a minimal impact on chalcopyrite.Further analysis using SEM,XPS,and Raman spectra revealed that Fe^(3+)can oxidize lead sulfide to form compact lead sulfate nanoparticles on the galena surface,effectively depressing IPETC adsorption and increasing surface hydrophilicity.These findings provide a promising solution for the efficient and environmentally responsible separation of chalcopyrite and galena.展开更多
In seismology and earthquake engineering,it is fundamental to identify and characterize the pulse-like features in pulse-type ground motions.To capture the pulses that dominate structural responses,this study establis...In seismology and earthquake engineering,it is fundamental to identify and characterize the pulse-like features in pulse-type ground motions.To capture the pulses that dominate structural responses,this study establishes congruence and shift relationships between response spectrum surfaces.A similarity search between spectrum surfaces,supplemented with a similarity search in time series,has been applied to characterize the pulse-like features in pulse-type ground motions.The identified pulses are tested in predicting the rocking consequences of slender rectangular blocks under the original ground motions.Generally,the prediction is promising for the majority of the ground motions where the dominant pulse is correctly identified.展开更多
基金the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province(No Y2002B09)
文摘The 5-parameter Morse pntential(5-MP) of the interaction between oxygen atoms and iron surfaces was constructed. The adsorption and diffusion of O atoms on Fe low-index and Fe(211 ) high-index surfaces were investigated by using 5-MP. All the critical characteristics of the system, such as adsorption site, adsorption geometry, binding energy, and eigenvalues for vibration, were calculated. The calculation results show that O atoms are located at the fourfold hollow site of the Fe(100) surface with an eigenvibration at437 cm^-1. These results are in good agreement with the experimental and theoretical results obtained previously. With regard to the adsorption site of O-Fe(110) system, the authors of this study assume that the preferential adsorption state is the H3 site and not the LB site, which is not in agreement with the experimental inferences obtained earlier. However, on the Fe( 111 ) and Fe(211 ) surfaces, O atoms predominantly occupy the quasi-3-fold site.
基金the European Research Council starting grant “Cell Hybridge” for financial support under the Horizon2020 framework program (Grant#637308)the Province of Limburg for support and funding
文摘Melt extrusion-based additive manufacturing(ME-AM)is a promising technique to fabricate porous scaffolds for tissue engi-neering applications.However,most synthetic semicrystalline polymers do not possess the intrinsic biological activity required to control cell fate.Grafting of biomolecules on polymeric surfaces of AM scaffolds enhances the bioactivity of a construct;however,there are limited strategies available to control the surface density.Here,we report a strategy to tune the surface density of bioactive groups by blending a low molecular weight poly(ε-caprolactone)5k(PCL5k)containing orthogonally reactive azide groups with an unfunctionalized high molecular weight PCL75k at different ratios.Stable porous three-dimensional(3D)scaf-folds were then fabricated using a high weight percentage(75 wt.%)of the low molecular weight PCL 5k.As a proof-of-concept test,we prepared films of three different mass ratios of low and high molecular weight polymers with a thermopress and reacted with an alkynated fluorescent model compound on the surface,yielding a density of 201-561 pmol/cm^(2).Subsequently,a bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP-2)-derived peptide was grafted onto the films comprising different blend compositions,and the effect of peptide surface density on the osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stromal cells(hMSCs)was assessed.After two weeks of culturing in a basic medium,cells expressed higher levels of BMP receptor II(BMPRII)on films with the conjugated peptide.In addition,we found that alkaline phosphatase activity was only significantly enhanced on films contain-ing the highest peptide density(i.e.,561 pmol/cm^(2)),indicating the importance of the surface density.Taken together,these results emphasize that the density of surface peptides on cell differentiation must be considered at the cell-material interface.Moreover,we have presented a viable strategy for ME-AM community that desires to tune the bulk and surface functionality via blending of(modified)polymers.Furthermore,the use of alkyne-azide“click”chemistry enables spatial control over bioconjugation of many tissue-specific moieties,making this approach a versatile strategy for tissue engineering applications.
基金supported by the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.ZDBS-LY-DQC010)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42175045).
文摘In 2023,the majority of the Earth witnessed its warmest boreal summer and autumn since 1850.Whether 2023 will indeed turn out to be the warmest year on record and what caused the astonishingly large margin of warming has become one of the hottest topics in the scientific community and is closely connected to the future development of human society.We analyzed the monthly varying global mean surface temperature(GMST)in 2023 and found that the globe,the land,and the oceans in 2023 all exhibit extraordinary warming,which is distinct from any previous year in recorded history.Based on the GMST statistical ensemble prediction model developed at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics,the GMST in 2023 is predicted to be 1.41℃±0.07℃,which will certainly surpass that in 2016 as the warmest year since 1850,and is approaching the 1.5℃ global warming threshold.Compared to 2022,the GMST in 2023 will increase by 0.24℃,with 88%of the increment contributed by the annual variability as mostly affected by El Niño.Moreover,the multidecadal variability related to the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation(AMO)in 2023 also provided an important warming background for sparking the GMST rise.As a result,the GMST in 2023 is projected to be 1.15℃±0.07℃,with only a 0.02℃ increment,if the effects of natural variability—including El Niño and the AMO—are eliminated and only the global warming trend is considered.
基金funding support from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.2023JBZY024)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52208382 and 52278387).
文摘To investigate the interaction of the bolt-reinforced rock and the surface support,an analytical model of the convergence-confinement type is proposed,considering the sequential installation of the fully grouted rockbolts and the surface support.The rock mass is assumed to be elastic-brittle-plastic material,obeying the linear Mohr-Coulomb criterion or the non-linear Hoek-Brown criterion.According to the strain states of the tunnel wall at bolt and surface support installation and the relative magnitude between the bolt length and the plastic depth during the whole process,six cases are categorized upon solving the problem.Each case is divided into three stages due to the different effects of the active rockbolts and the passive surface support.The fictitious pressure is introduced to quantify the threedimensional(3D)effect of the tunnel face,and thus,the actual physical location along the tunnel axis of the analytical section can be considered.By using the bolt-rock strain compatibility and the rocksurface support displacement compatibility conditions,the solutions of longitudinal tunnel displacement and the reaction pressure of surface support along the tunnel axis are obtained.The proposed analytical solutions are validated by a series of 3D numerical simulations.Extensive parametric studies are conducted to examine the effect of the typical parameters of rockbolts and surface support on the tunnel displacement and the reaction pressure of the surface support under different rock conditions.The results show that the rockbolts are more effective in controlling the tunnel displacement than the surface support,which should be installed as soon as possible with a suitable length.For tunnels excavated in weak rocks or with restricted displacement control requirements,the surface support should also be installed or closed timely with a certain stiffness.The proposed method provides a convenient alternative approach for the optimization of rockbolts and surface support at the preliminary stage of tunnel design.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42071444,42101444)。
文摘Cultural relics line graphic serves as a crucial form of traditional artifact information documentation,which is a simple and intuitive product with low cost of displaying compared with 3D models.Dimensionality reduction is undoubtedly necessary for line drawings.However,most existing methods for artifact drawing rely on the principles of orthographic projection that always cannot avoid angle occlusion and data overlapping while the surface of cultural relics is complex.Therefore,conformal mapping was introduced as a dimensionality reduction way to compensate for the limitation of orthographic projection.Based on the given criteria for assessing surface complexity,this paper proposed a three-dimensional feature guideline extraction method for complex cultural relic surfaces.A 2D and 3D combined factor that measured the importance of points on describing surface features,vertex weight,was designed.Then the selection threshold for feature guideline extraction was determined based on the differences between vertex weight and shape index distributions.The feasibility and stability were verified through experiments conducted on real cultural relic surface data.Results demonstrated the ability of the method to address the challenges associated with the automatic generation of line drawings for complex surfaces.The extraction method and the obtained results will be useful for line graphic drawing,displaying and propaganda of cultural relics.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51939001,52171292,51979020,61976033)Dalian Outstanding Young Talents Program(2022RJ05)+1 种基金the Topnotch Young Talents Program of China(36261402)the Liaoning Revitalization Talents Program(XLYC20-07188)。
文摘This paper investigates the path-following control problem with obstacle avoidance of autonomous surface vehicles in the presence of actuator faults,uncertainty and external disturbances.Autonomous surface vehicles inevitably suffer from actuator faults in complex sea environments,which may cause existing obstacle avoidance strategies to fail.To reduce the influence of actuator faults,an improved artificial potential function is constructed by introducing the lower bound of actuator efficiency factors.The nonlinear state observer,which only depends on measurable position information of the autonomous surface vehicle,is used to address uncertainties and external disturbances.By using a backstepping technique and adaptive mechanism,a path-following control strategy with obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance is designed which can ensure that the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of zero.Compared with existing results,the proposed control strategy has the capability of obstacle avoidance and fault tolerance simultaneously.Finally,the comparison results through simulations are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFC3080200)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42022053)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2023M731264).
文摘Natural slopes usually display complicated exposed rock surfaces that are characterized by complex and substantial terrain undulation and ubiquitous undesirable phenomena such as vegetation cover and rockfalls.This study presents a systematic outcrop research of fracture pattern variations in a complicated rock slope,and the qualitative and quantitative study of the complex phenomena impact on threedimensional(3D)discrete fracture network(DFN)modeling.As the studies of the outcrop fracture pattern have been so far focused on local variations,thus,we put forward a statistical analysis of global variations.The entire outcrop is partitioned into several subzones,and the subzone-scale variability of fracture geometric properties is analyzed(including the orientation,the density,and the trace length).The results reveal significant variations in fracture characteristics(such as the concentrative degree,the average orientation,the density,and the trace length)among different subzones.Moreover,the density of fracture sets,which is approximately parallel to the slope surface,exhibits a notably higher value compared to other fracture sets across all subzones.To improve the accuracy of the DFN modeling,the effects of three common phenomena resulting from vegetation and rockfalls are qualitatively analyzed and the corresponding quantitative data processing solutions are proposed.Subsequently,the 3D fracture geometric parameters are determined for different areas of the high-steep rock slope in terms of the subzone dimensions.The results show significant variations in the same set of 3D fracture parameters across different regions with density differing by up to tenfold and mean trace length exhibiting differences of 3e4 times.The study results present precise geological structural information,improve modeling accuracy,and provide practical solutions for addressing complex outcrop issues.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.12275344,12304132)National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFA1603901).
文摘BL02U2 of the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility is a surface diffraction beamline with a photon flux of 5.5×10^(12) photons/s at 10 keV and a beam size of 160µm×80µm at the sample site.It is dedicated to studying surfaces(solid-vacuum,solid-gas)and interfaces(solid-solid,solid-liquid,and liquid-liquid)in nanoscience,condensed matter,and soft matter systems using various surface scattering techniques over an energy range of 4.8-28 keV with transmission and reflection modes.Moreover,BL02U2 has a high energy resolution,high angular resolution,and low beam divergence,which can provide excellent properties for X-ray diffraction experiments,such as grazing incident X-ray diffraction,X-ray reflectivity,crystal truncation rods,and liquid X-ray scattering.Diversity of in situ environments can also be provided for the samples studied.This paper describes the setup of the new beamline and its applications in various fields.
基金supported by the USTC Research Funds of the Double First-Class Initiative(Nos.YD2090002013,YD234000009)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.61927814,62325507,52122511,U20A20290,62005262)。
文摘The use of‘Electrostatic tweezers'is a promising tool for droplet manipulation,but it faces many limitations in manipulating droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces.Here,we achieve noncontact and multifunctional droplet manipulation on Nepenthes-inspired lubricated slippery surfaces via triboelectric electrostatic tweezers(TETs).The TET manipulation of droplets on a slippery surface has many advantages over electrostatic droplet manipulation on a superhydrophobic surface.The electrostatic field induces the redistribution of the charges inside the neutral droplet,which causes the triboelectric charged rod to drive the droplet to move forward under the electrostatic force.Positively or negatively charged droplets can also be driven by TET based on electrostatic attraction and repulsion.TET enables us to manipulate droplets under diverse conditions,including anti-gravity climb,suspended droplets,corrosive liquids,low-surface-tension liquids(e.g.ethanol with a surface tension of 22.3 mN·m^(-1)),different droplet volumes(from 100 nl to 0.5 ml),passing through narrow slits,sliding over damaged areas,on various solid substrates,and even droplets in an enclosed system.Various droplet-related applications,such as motion guidance,motion switching,droplet-based microreactions,surface cleaning,surface defogging,liquid sorting,and cell labeling,can be easily achieved with TETs.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT in Korea(2021R1A2C2009459)X-ray absorption spectra were obtained from Pohang Accelerator Laboratory(PAL)10C beamlinesupported by the US Department of Energy,Office of Science,Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research,and Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing(SciDAC)program under Award Number DE-SC0022209.
文摘Systematic optimization of the photocatalyst and investigation of the role of each component is important to maximizing catalytic activity and comprehending the photocatalytic conversion of CO_(2) reduction to solar fuels.A surface-modified Ag@Ru-P25 photocatalyst with H_(2)O_(2) treatment was designed in this study to convert CO_(2) and H_(2)O vapor into highly selective CH4.Ru doping followed by Ag nanoparticles(NPs)cocatalyst deposition on P25(TiO_(2))enhances visible light absorption and charge separation,whereas H_(2)O_(2) treatment modifies the surface of the photocatalyst with hydroxyl(–OH)groups and promotes CO_(2) adsorption.High-resonance transmission electron microscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,X-ray absorption near-edge structure,and extended X-ray absorption fine structure techniques were used to analyze the surface and chemical composition of the photocatalyst,while thermogravimetric analysis,CO_(2) adsorption isotherm,and temperature programmed desorption study were performed to examine the significance of H_(2)O_(2) treatment in increasing CO_(2) reduction activity.The optimized Ag1.0@Ru1.0-P25 photocatalyst performed excellent CO_(2) reduction activity into CO,CH4,and C2H6 with a~95%selectivity of CH4,where the activity was~135 times higher than that of pristine TiO_(2)(P25).For the first time,this work explored the effect of H_(2)O_(2) treatment on the photocatalyst that dramatically increases CO_(2) reduction activity.
基金Supported by Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.ZR2023QE041)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2023M731862)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51975112).
文摘Textured surfaces with certain micro/nano structures have been proven to possess some advanced functions,such as reducing friction,improving wear and increasing wettability.Accurate prediction of micro/nano surface textures is of great significance for the design,fabrication and application of functional textured surfaces.In this paper,based on the kinematic analysis of cutter teeth,the discretization of ultrasonic machining process,transformation method of coordinate systems and the cubic spline data interpolation,an integrated theoretical model was established to characterize the distribution and geometric features of micro textures on the surfaces machined by different types of ultrasonic vibration-assisted milling(UVAM).Based on the theoretical model,the effect of key process parameters(vibration directions,vibration dimensions,cutting parameters and vibration parameters)on tool trajectories and microtextured surface morphology in UVAM is investigated.Besides,the effect of phase difference on the elliptical shape in 2D/3D ultrasonic elliptical vibration-assisted milling(UEVAM)was analyzed.Compared to conventional numerical models,the method of the cubic spline data interpolation is applied to the simulation of microtextured surface morphology in UVAM,which is more suitable for characterizing the morphological features of microtextured surfaces than traditional methods due to the presence of numerous micro textures.The prediction of surface roughness indicates that the magnitude of ultrasonic amplitude in z-direction should be strictly limited in 1D rotary UVAM,2D and 3D UEVAM due to the unfavorable effect of axial ultrasonic vibration on the surface quality.This study can provide theoretical guidance for the design and fabrication of microtextured surfaces in UVAM.
基金supported by the Bristol Centre for Functional Nanomaterials and GlaxoSmithKline.
文摘Emerging regenerative cell therapies for alveolar bone loss have begun to explore the use of cell laden hydrogels for minimally invasive surgery to treat small and spatially complex maxilla-oral defects.However,the oral cavity presents a unique and challenging environment for in vivo bone tissue engineering,exhibiting both hard and soft periodontal tissue as well as acting as key biocenosis for many distinct microbial communities that interact with both the external environment and internal body systems,which will impact on cell fate and subsequent treatment efficacy.Herein,we design and bioprint a facile 3D in vitro model of a human dentine interface to probe the effect of the dentine surface on human mesenchymal stem cells(hMSCs)encapsulated in a microporous hydrogel bioink.We demonstrate that the dentine substrate induces osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated hMSCs,and that both dentine andβ-tricalcium phosphate substrates stimulate extracellular matrix production and maturation at the gel-media interface,which is distal to the gel-substrate interface.Our findings demonstrate the potential for long-range effects on stem cells by mineralized surfaces during bone tissue engineering and provide a framework for the rapid development of 3D dentine-bone interface models.
文摘We experimentally and theoretically present a paradigm for the accurate bilayer design of gradient metasurfaces for wave beam manipulation,producing an extremely asymmetric splitting effect by simply tailoring the interlayer size.This concept arises from anomalous diffraction in phase gradient metasurfaces and the precise combination of the phase gradient in bilayer metasurfaces.Ensured by different diffraction routes in momentum space for incident beams from opposite directions,extremely asymmetric acoustic beam splitting can be generated in a robust way,as demonstrated in experiments through a designed bilayer system.Our work provides a novel approach and feasible platform for designing tunable devices to control wave propagation.
文摘The Kandi basin is located in northeast Benin (West Africa). This study is focused on the estimation of water fluxes exchanged between the river Niger (and its tributaries) and the transboundary Iullemeden Aquifer System. In that framework, an innovative approach based on the application of the Bayesian Mixing Model (MixSIAR) analysis on water isotopes (oxygen-18, deuterium and tritium) was performed. Moreover, to assess the relevance of the model outputs, Pearson’s correlation and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) have been done. A complex relationship between surface water and groundwater has been found. Sixty percent (60%) of groundwater samples are made of more than 70% river water and rainwater;while 31.25% of surface water samples are made of about 84% groundwater. To safeguard sustainable water resources for the well-being of the local communities, surface water and groundwater must be managed as a unique component in the Kandi basin.
基金supported by the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme(FRGS)No.FRGS/1/2021/TK0/UMP/02/37(University Ref.RDU210135).
文摘Investigating zeolites as hydrogen storage scaffolds is imperative due to their porous nature and favorable physicochemical properties.Nevertheless,the storage capacity of the unmodified zeolites has been rather unsatisfactory(0.224%-1.082%(mass))compared to its modified counterpart.Thus,the contemporary focus on enhancing hydrogen storage capacities has led to significant attention towards the utilization of modified zeolites,with studies exploring surface modifications through physical and chemical treatments,as well as the integration of various active metals.The enhanced hydrogen storage properties of zeolites are attributed to the presence of aluminosilicates from alkaline and alkaline-earth metals,resulting in increased storage capacity through interactions with the charge density of these aluminosilicates.Therefore,there is a great demand to critically review their role such as well-defined topology,pore structure,good thermal stability,and tunable hydrophilicity in enhanced hydrogen storage.This article aimed to critically review the recent research findings based on modified zeolite performance for enhanced hydrogen storage.Some of the factors affecting the hydrogen storage capacities of zeolites that can affect the rate of reaction and the stability of the adsorbent,like pressure,structure,and morphology were studied,and examined.Then,future perspectives,recommendations,and directions for modified zeolites were discussed.
基金financially supported by the Technion V.P.for Research Fund(No.2023320)。
文摘The monomolecular surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) may become neutral and metallic or charged and semiconducting.This is revealed in the theoretical analysis of the oxygen pressure dependence of the surface defects concentration in acceptor doped ceria with two different dopant types and operated under different oxygen pressures.Recently published experimental data for highly reduced Sm0.2Ce0.8O1.9-x(SDC)containing a fixed valence dopant Sm3+are very different from those published for Pr0.1Ce0.9O_(2)-x(PCO) with the variable valence dopant Pr4+/Pr3+being reduced under milder conditions.The theoretical analysis of these experimental results fits very well the experimental results of SDC and PCO.It leads to the following predictions:the highly reduced surface of SDC is metallic and neutral,the metallic surface electron density of state is gs=0.9×10^(38)J-1·m^(-2)(1.4×1015eV^(-1)·cm^(-2)),the electron effective mass is meff,s=3.3me,and the phase diagram of the reduced surface has theα(fcc)structure as in the bulk.In PCO a double layer is predicted to be formed between the surface and the bulk with the surface being negatively charged and semiconducting.The surface of PCO maintains high Pr^(3+) defect concentration as well as relative high oxygen vacancy concentration at oxygen pressures higher than in the bulk.The reasons for the difference between a metallic and semiconducting surface layer of acceptor doped CeO_(2) are reviewed,as well as the key theoretical considerations applied in coping with this problem.For that we make use of the experimental data and theoretical analysis available for acceptor doped ceria.
基金Funded by Shenzhen-Hong Kong Innovative Collaborative Research and Development Program (Nos.SGLH20181109 110802117, CityU 9240014)Innovation Project of Southwestern Institute of Physics (Nos.202001XWCXYD002, 202301XWCX003)CNNC Young Talent Program (No.2023JZYF-01)。
文摘Surface metallization of glass fiber(GF)/polyetheretherketone(PEEK)[GF/PEEK] is conducted by coating copper using electroplating and magnetron sputtering and the properties are determined by X-ray diffraction(XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD).The coating bonding strength is assessed by pull-out tests and scribing in accordance with GB/T 9286-1998.The results show that the Cu coating with a thickness of 30 μm deposited on GF/PEEK by magnetron sputtering has lower roughness, finer grain size, higher crystallinity, as well as better macroscopic compressive stress,bonding strength, and electrical conductivity than the Cu coating deposited by electroplating.
基金Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China for Distinguished Young Scholars (2023AFA099)Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China for Key Projects (Innovation Group) (2023AFA030)National Natural Science Foundation of China (52178471)。
文摘A trigger system is typically employed in active seismic testing to trigger and synchronize multichannel surface wave data acquisition.The effect of the trigger system on the dispersion image of surface waves is empirically known to be negligible,however,theoretical explanation regarding the effect of the trigger system is insufficient.This study systematically examines the theory for surface wave dispersion analysis and proves that the effect of the trigger system on a dispersion image is negligible via a solid theoretical explanation.Subsequently,based on the new theoretical explanation,an alternative method that uses only the relative phase difference between sensors to extract dispersion characteristics with better conceptual clarity is proposed.Two active surface wave testing cases are considered to validate the theory and method.The results indicate that(1)an accurate trigger system is not necessary for surface wave data acquisition,and(2)it is unnecessary to assume that the impact point is the generation point of the surface waves for the experimental dispersion analysis.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52204298 and 52004335)the National Key R&D Program of China(Nos.2022YFC2904502 and 2022YFC2904501)+1 种基金the Major Science and Technology Projects in Yunnan Province(No.202202AB080012)the Science Research Initiation Fund of Central South University(No.202044019).
文摘The efficient separation of chalcopyrite(CuFeS2)and galena(PbS)is essential for optimal resource utilization.However,find-ing a selective depressant that is environmentally friendly and cost effective remains a challenge.Through various techniques,such as mi-croflotation tests,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)observation,X-ray photoelectron spec-troscopy(XPS),and Raman spectroscopy measurements,this study explored the use of ferric ions(Fe^(3+))as a selective depressant for ga-lena.The results of flotation tests revealed the impressive selective inhibition capabilities of Fe^(3+)when used alone.Surface analysis showed that Fe^(3+)significantly reduced the adsorption of isopropyl ethyl thionocarbamate(IPETC)on the galena surface while having a minimal impact on chalcopyrite.Further analysis using SEM,XPS,and Raman spectra revealed that Fe^(3+)can oxidize lead sulfide to form compact lead sulfate nanoparticles on the galena surface,effectively depressing IPETC adsorption and increasing surface hydrophilicity.These findings provide a promising solution for the efficient and environmentally responsible separation of chalcopyrite and galena.
基金National Key Research and Development Program,Ministry of Science and Technology of China under Grant No.2022YFC3803004the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.51838004。
文摘In seismology and earthquake engineering,it is fundamental to identify and characterize the pulse-like features in pulse-type ground motions.To capture the pulses that dominate structural responses,this study establishes congruence and shift relationships between response spectrum surfaces.A similarity search between spectrum surfaces,supplemented with a similarity search in time series,has been applied to characterize the pulse-like features in pulse-type ground motions.The identified pulses are tested in predicting the rocking consequences of slender rectangular blocks under the original ground motions.Generally,the prediction is promising for the majority of the ground motions where the dominant pulse is correctly identified.