Generalized Artificial Life Structure for Time-dependent Problems

In recent years, more attention has been paid on artificial life researches. Artificial life（AL） is a research on regulating gene parameters of digital organisms under complicated problematic environments through natural selections and evolutions to achieve the final emergence of intelligence. Most recent studies focused on solving certain real problems by artificial life methods, yet without much address on the AL life basic mechanism. The real problems are often very complicated, and the proposed methods sometimes seem too simple to handle those problems. This study proposed a new approach in AL research, named ＂generalized artificial life structure（GALS）＂, in which the traditional ＂gene bits＂ in genetic algorithms is first replaced by ＂gene parameters＂, which could appear anywhere in GALS. A modeling procedure is taken to normalize the input data, and AL ＂tissue＂ is innovated to make AL more complex. GALS is anticipated to contribute significantly to the fitness of AL evolution. The formation of ＂tissue＂ begins with some different AL basic cells, and then tissue is produced by the casual selections of one or several of these cells. As a result, the gene parameters, represented by ＂tissues＂, could become highly diversified. This diversification should have obvious effects on improving gene fitness. This study took the innovative method of GALS in a stock forecasting problem under a carefully designed manipulating platform. And the researching results verify that the GALS is successful in improving the gene evolution fitness.

Causation mechanism of coal miners' human errors in the perspective of life events

In order to effectively decrease the safety accidents caused by coal miners’human errors,this paper probes into the causality between human errors and life events,coping,psychological stress,psychological function,physiological function based on life events’vital influence on human errors,establishing causation mechanism model of coal miners’human errors in the perspective of life events by the researching method of structural equation.The research findings show that life events have significantly positive influence on human errors,with a influential effect value of 0.7945 and a influential effect path of‘‘life events—psychological stress—psychological function—physiological function—human errors’’and‘‘life events—psychological stress—physiological function—human errors’’.

Accelerated recruitment of copepod Calanus hyperboreus in pelagic slope waters of the western Arctic Ocean

Shelf-basin advection is essential to subsistence of the Arctic copepod Calanus hyperboreus population in high basin area. Its abundance, population structure and body size in pelagic layer were investigated with samples collected over a large range in the western Arctic Ocean during summer 2003, to evaluate the geographical variation in recruitment pattern. Calanus hyperboreus was absent from the shallow areas of the Chukchi Sea and most abundant in the slope area between the Chukchi Sea and Chukchi Abyssal Plain（CS-slope）. Total abundance varied between 1 110.0 and 5 815.0 ind./m^2 in the CS-slope area and ranged from 40.0 to 950.0 ind./m^2 in the other areas. Early stages（CI–IV） dominated in the CS-slope area, whereas CV and adult females were frequently recorded only in deep basin areas. Geographical difference of prosome length was most evident in CIII,with average ranging from 2.48 to 2.61 mm at the CS-slope stations and 2.16–2.37 mm at the others. Abundance of early developmental stages（CI–CIV） correlated positively with Chl a concentration, but negative correlation was observed in late stages（CV–adult）. Our results indicated that C. hyperboreus can benefit from primary production increase through accelerated development in the first growth season and the productive CS-slope area is a potential source for slope-basin replenishment.

Several issues to be considered for long-term better behavior of concrete gravity dams

Along with economic,social quick development and urbanization,dams and reservoirs are of strategic importance for flood control,water supply,electricity production,irrigation,etc.,both for developed countries and for developing countries.Climate change is a new challenging issue to be considered which will speed up the development of hydropower in developing countries.More and more attention will be paid on the long-term better behavior of dams to guarantee the safety of the people involved and the better development of the world.There are about 50000 old dams in the world and a lot of them have been completed and operated for more than 50 years.However,how do we evaluate the dams’safety?How do we make the decision to do rehabilitation work or to rebuild a new dam based on evaluation results?The life span and the real safety status of old dams becomes a challenging task for the dam society,especially for China because it has more than 6000 dams to be evaluated and rehabilitated within the next few years.Based on the investigation of the Fengman gravity dam,which is 91.7 m high,operated since 1943 and suffered uplift pressure,freeze and thaw problems,etc.,discussions on the life span evaluation of old concrete gravity dams have been made.The reasonable coefficient of dam safety has been discussed.The social decision for the final choice after comprehensive studies has been introduced.

Review and evaluation of cold recycling with bitumen emulsion and cement for rehabilitation of old pavements

The article presents Polish experience with cold recycling of asphalt pavements with the usage of bituminous emulsion and cement. In the 1990 s numerous roads in Poland required immediate reinforcement due to their significant degradation. Implementation of the cold recycling technology was one of the solutions to this problem. Cold recycled mixtures contain e beside the recycled asphalt pavement and aggregate e two different types of binding agents: bituminous emulsion and Portland cement. First Polish requirements were developed in the 1990 s and were based on the Marshall test. After several years of application of these requirements, numerous transverse cracks appeared on the pavements. Field investigation showed that the frequency of transverse cracking was not uniform on all evaluated sections and that the growth rate of the number of cracks was decreasing. The main reason of extensive cracking was the overly high amount of the Portland cement and insufficient amount of the bituminous emulsion. This led to production of very stiff mixtures, with dominance of hydraulic bonds, which behaved similarly to cement-treated mixtures. The idea of flexible cold recycled base course was not utilized. This experience motivated the Polish Road Administration to develop new requirements. Second part of the article presents the new requirements for cold recycling.New test methods as well as requirements concerning resistance to frost and water action were introduced in 2013. Implementing of the new requirements resulted in significant reduction in stiffness of the MCE mixtures. Values of stiffness modulus are even three times lower, which should significantly decrease the amount of potential reflective cracks on the pavement surface. Presently two types of technology of cold recycling are used in Poland, in-place and in-plant.