An overview of reliability assessment and control for design of civil engineering structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Field, R.V. Jr.; Grigoriadis, K.M.; Bergman, L.A.

1998-06-01

Random variations, whether they occur in the input signal or the system parameters, are phenomena that occur in nearly all engineering systems of interest. As a result, nondeterministic modeling techniques must somehow account for these variations to ensure validity of the solution. As might be expected, this is a difficult proposition and the focus of many current research efforts. Controlling seismically excited structures is one pertinent application of nondeterministic analysis and is the subject of the work presented herein. This overview paper is organized into two sections. First, techniques to assess system reliability, in a context familiar to civil engineers,more » are discussed. Second, and as a consequence of the first, active control methods that ensure good performance in this random environment are presented. It is the hope of the authors that these discussions will ignite further interest in the area of reliability assessment and design of controlled civil engineering structures.« less

Pre-Service Teachers' Comments toward Official Teacher Selection System (Civil Servant Selection Examination, KPSS) in Turkey: A Qualitative Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugulu, Ilker; Yorek, Nurettin

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research is to investigate the opinions of the pre-service teachers toward teacher selection system and civil servant selection exam (KPSS). In this study, qualitative re-search methods and semi-structured interviews were used and researcher-made questionnaires containing open-ended questions were administered. The study group…

A Review of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Applications.

PubMed

Barrias, António; Casas, Joan R; Villalba, Sergi

2016-05-23

The application of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems to civil engineering structures has been a developing studied and practiced topic, that has allowed for a better understanding of structures' conditions and increasingly lead to a more cost-effective management of those infrastructures. In this field, the use of fiber optic sensors has been studied, discussed and practiced with encouraging results. The possibility of understanding and monitor the distributed behavior of extensive stretches of critical structures it's an enormous advantage that distributed fiber optic sensing provides to SHM systems. In the past decade, several R & D studies have been performed with the goal of improving the knowledge and developing new techniques associated with the application of distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) in order to widen the range of applications of these sensors and also to obtain more correct and reliable data. This paper presents, after a brief introduction to the theoretical background of DOFS, the latest developments related with the improvement of these products by presenting a wide range of laboratory experiments as well as an extended review of their diverse applications in civil engineering structures.

Air Traffic Management: Civil/Military Systems and Technologies.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-02-01

consi-~derably Anthropo- Fig. 8 Increas of System Capcity versus Usable Gain in Traffic Flow Controllable ul R 5. The Future of ATC If we think of...years from 2,000 on we must think of an integrated system, integrating * the ATC-system of the Structure X (Fig. 7) * the aircraft, by improving flight...both civil and military traffic with a range of potential link applications and other information that could be helpful in their future thinking . No

Airborne remote sensors applied to engineering geology and civil works design investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelnett, R. H.

1975-01-01

The usefulness of various airborne remote sensing systems in the detection and identification of regional and specific geologic structural features that may affect the design and location of engineering structures on major civil works projects is evaluated. The Butler Valley Dam and Blue Lake Project in northern California was selected as a demonstration site. Findings derived from the interpretation of various kinds of imagery used are given.

Instructional Complements for Undergraduate World History or Western Civilization Courses: Selected Topics in the Ancient, Medieval, and Modern History of India: A Curriculum Supplement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, Wayne Hamilton

This curriculum supplement on India consists of three modules that have been used with undergraduates in introductory world civilization courses. Module 1, "Ancient Period: Hinduism and the Caste System in India: Origin, Development, and Social Functions" discusses the religious doctrines of Hinduism, the caste system, and its structure.…

A Review of Distributed Optical Fiber Sensors for Civil Engineering Applications

PubMed Central

Barrias, António; Casas, Joan R.; Villalba, Sergi

2016-01-01

The application of structural health monitoring (SHM) systems to civil engineering structures has been a developing studied and practiced topic, that has allowed for a better understanding of structures’ conditions and increasingly lead to a more cost-effective management of those infrastructures. In this field, the use of fiber optic sensors has been studied, discussed and practiced with encouraging results. The possibility of understanding and monitor the distributed behavior of extensive stretches of critical structures it’s an enormous advantage that distributed fiber optic sensing provides to SHM systems. In the past decade, several R & D studies have been performed with the goal of improving the knowledge and developing new techniques associated with the application of distributed optical fiber sensors (DOFS) in order to widen the range of applications of these sensors and also to obtain more correct and reliable data. This paper presents, after a brief introduction to the theoretical background of DOFS, the latest developments related with the improvement of these products by presenting a wide range of laboratory experiments as well as an extended review of their diverse applications in civil engineering structures. PMID:27223289

APPS-IV Civil Works Data Extraction/Data Base Application Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

QA 1 2 3 889 ETL-031 0 APPS-IV civil works data extraction/data base application study (phase 1) Jonathan C. Howland Autometric, Incorporated 5205... STUDY FINAL REPORT (PHASE I) 6. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 900-0081 7. AUTHOR(@) S. CONTRACT ON GRANT NUMBER(B) DAAK70-8 I -C-026 1 Jonathan C...CAPIR system was applied to a flood damage potential study . The particular applications were structure mapping and land use interpretation. A Civil

Climate not to blame for African civil wars

PubMed Central

Buhaug, Halvard

2010-01-01

Vocal actors within policy and practice contend that environmental variability and shocks, such as drought and prolonged heat waves, drive civil wars in Africa. Recently, a widely publicized scientific article appears to substantiate this claim. This paper investigates the empirical foundation for the claimed relationship in detail. Using a host of different model specifications and alternative measures of drought, heat, and civil war, the paper concludes that climate variability is a poor predictor of armed conflict. Instead, African civil wars can be explained by generic structural and contextual conditions: prevalent ethno-political exclusion, poor national economy, and the collapse of the Cold War system. PMID:20823241

Remote online monitoring and measuring system for civil engineering structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kujawińska, Malgorzata; Sitnik, Robert; Dymny, Grzegorz; Karaszewski, Maciej; Michoński, Kuba; Krzesłowski, Jakub; Mularczyk, Krzysztof; Bolewicki, Paweł

2009-06-01

In this paper a distributed intelligent system for civil engineering structures on-line measurement, remote monitoring, and data archiving is presented. The system consists of a set of optical, full-field displacement sensors connected to a controlling server. The server conducts measurements according to a list of scheduled tasks and stores the primary data or initial results in a remote centralized database. Simultaneously the server performs checks, ordered by the operator, which may in turn result with an alert or a specific action. The structure of whole system is analyzed along with the discussion on possible fields of application and the ways to provide a relevant security during data transport. Finally, a working implementation consisting of a fringe projection, geometrical moiré, digital image correlation and grating interferometry sensors and Oracle XE database is presented. The results from database utilized for on-line monitoring of a threshold value of strain for an exemplary area of interest at the engineering structure are presented and discussed.

Culture Matters--The Training of Senior Civil Servants in Austria, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knassmüller, Monika; Veit, Sylvia

2016-01-01

Senior civil servants (SCS) are powerful actors with great responsibilities in the field of policymaking and management. Due to public sector reforms that are New Public Management oriented, specialised education and structured training programmes for (future) SCS as well as fast-track systems for high-potential employees have become increasingly…

Effects of temperature on bridge dynamic properties : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) using ambient vibration has become a valuable tool in : evaluating and assessing the condition of civil structures. For bridge structures, a vibrationbased : SHM system uses the dynamic response of a bridge to measu...

Criminal law repercussions on the Civil Protection System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altamura, M.; Musso, L.

2009-09-01

The legal systems of our Countries provide the citizenship with a high level of protection. Personal safety and the protection of property are guaranteed by the State through organized structures among which we can include the Civil Protection. The progress of science and technology has greatly improved monitoring tools, currently used by the Civil Protection, which allow, to a certain extent, to predict and prevent risk and natural hazards. The assertion of an individual right, which in some cases has reached a constitutional rank, to benefit from Civil Protection services and the widespread perception throughout the citizenship of the competence of the system to prevent disasters, often causes people to take legal action against Civil Protection authorities should they fail in their duties to protect. However, the attempt of having both recognized an economic compensation for the suffered loss and the punishment of those whom misled, frequently undergoes criminal law. This process could have results that may jeopardize the effectiveness of Civil Protection service without meeting citizens’ demands. A dual effort is thus necessary in order to solve such a problem. On the one hand, an interdisciplinary knowledge needs to pervade criminal law in an attempt to relieve its self-referentiality and pretended supremacy. On the other hand an alternative, and more agile, system -such as civil or administrative law- has to be identified in order to respond to the legitimate requests for protection in the case of a faulty behaviour of the authorities.

A civil structural monitoring system based on fiber grating sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yan; Cai, Haiwen; Pastore, Robert; Ju, Jing; Zeng, Debing; Yin, Zhifan; Cui, Hong-Liang

2003-08-01

Optical fiber sensors based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) technology have found many applications in the area of civil structural monitoring systems, such as in bridge monitoring and maintenance. FBG sensors can measure the deformation, overload and cracks on bridge with a high sensitivity. In this paper we report on our recent work a structural monitoring system using FBG sensors. Basic theoretical background and design of the system is described here, including the light source, FBG sensors, demodulator sensors, signal detection and processing schemes. The system will be installed on a major arch bridge currently under construction in Shanghai, China for long-term in situ health monitoring. The system schematic arrangement on the bridge is introduced in brief. Simulation experiments in the laboratory were carried out to test the performance of FBG strain sensors. The sensor response shows excellent linearity against the strain imposed on it. Traffic and overload monitoring on bridge using FBG sensors is also discussed and planned for the near future.

NASA Heavy Lift Rotorcraft Systems Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Wayne; Yamauchi, Gloria K.; Watts, Michael E.

2005-01-01

The NASA Heavy Lift Rotorcraft Systems Investigation examined in depth several rotorcraft configurations for large civil transport, designed to meet the technology goals of the NASA Vehicle Systems Program. The investigation identified the Large Civil Tiltrotor as the configuration with the best potential to meet the technology goals. The design presented was economically competitive, with the potential for substantial impact on the air transportation system. The keys to achieving a competitive aircraft were low drag airframe and low disk loading rotors; structural weight reduction, for both airframe and rotors; drive system weight reduction; improved engine efficiency; low maintenance design; and manufacturing cost comparable to fixed-wing aircraft. Risk reduction plans were developed to provide the strategic direction to support a heavy-lift rotorcraft development. The following high risk areas were identified for heavy lift rotorcraft: high torque, light weight drive system; high performance, structurally efficient rotor/wing system; low noise aircraft; and super-integrated vehicle management system.

A study of facilities and fixtures for testing of a high speed civil transport wing component

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cerro, J. A.; Vause, R. F.; Bowman, L. M.; Jensen, J. K.; Martin, C. J., Jr.; Stockwell, A. E.; Waters, W. A., Jr.

1996-01-01

A study was performed to determine the feasibility of testing a large-scale High Speed Civil Transport wing component in the Structures and Materials Testing Laboratory in Building 1148 at NASA Langley Research Center. The report includes a survey of the electrical and hydraulic resources and identifies the backing structure and floor hard points which would be available for reacting the test loads. The backing structure analysis uses a new finite element model of the floor and backstop support system in the Structures Laboratory. Information on the data acquisition system and the thermal power requirements is also presented. The study identified the hardware that would be required to test a typical component, including the number and arrangement of hydraulic actuators required to simulate expected flight loads. Load introduction and reaction structure concepts were analyzed to investigate the effects of experimentally induced boundary conditions.

Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Infrastructure Using Optical Fiber Sensing Technology: A Comprehensive Review

PubMed Central

Ye, X. W.; Su, Y. H.; Han, J. P.

2014-01-01

In the last two decades, a significant number of innovative sensing systems based on optical fiber sensors have been exploited in the engineering community due to their inherent distinctive advantages such as small size, light weight, immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and corrosion, and embedding capability. A lot of optical fiber sensor-based monitoring systems have been developed for continuous measurement and real-time assessment of diversified engineering structures such as bridges, buildings, tunnels, pipelines, wind turbines, railway infrastructure, and geotechnical structures. The purpose of this review article is devoted to presenting a summary of the basic principles of various optical fiber sensors, innovation in sensing and computational methodologies, development of novel optical fiber sensors, and the practical application status of the optical fiber sensing technology in structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil infrastructure. PMID:25133250

Structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure using optical fiber sensing technology: a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Ye, X W; Su, Y H; Han, J P

2014-01-01

In the last two decades, a significant number of innovative sensing systems based on optical fiber sensors have been exploited in the engineering community due to their inherent distinctive advantages such as small size, light weight, immunity to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and corrosion, and embedding capability. A lot of optical fiber sensor-based monitoring systems have been developed for continuous measurement and real-time assessment of diversified engineering structures such as bridges, buildings, tunnels, pipelines, wind turbines, railway infrastructure, and geotechnical structures. The purpose of this review article is devoted to presenting a summary of the basic principles of various optical fiber sensors, innovation in sensing and computational methodologies, development of novel optical fiber sensors, and the practical application status of the optical fiber sensing technology in structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil infrastructure.

A Vision-Based Dynamic Rotational Angle Measurement System for Large Civil Structures

PubMed Central

Lee, Jong-Jae; Ho, Hoai-Nam; Lee, Jong-Han

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose a vision-based rotational angle measurement system for large-scale civil structures. Despite the fact that during the last decade several rotation angle measurement systems were introduced, they however often required complex and expensive equipment. Therefore, alternative effective solutions with high resolution are in great demand. The proposed system consists of commercial PCs, commercial camcorders, low-cost frame grabbers, and a wireless LAN router. The calculation of rotation angle is obtained by using image processing techniques with pre-measured calibration parameters. Several laboratory tests were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed system. Compared with the commercial rotation angle measurement, the results of the system showed very good agreement with an error of less than 1.0% in all test cases. Furthermore, several tests were conducted on the five-story modal testing tower with a hybrid mass damper to experimentally verify the feasibility of the proposed system. PMID:22969348

A vision-based dynamic rotational angle measurement system for large civil structures.

PubMed

Lee, Jong-Jae; Ho, Hoai-Nam; Lee, Jong-Han

2012-01-01

In this paper, we propose a vision-based rotational angle measurement system for large-scale civil structures. Despite the fact that during the last decade several rotation angle measurement systems were introduced, they however often required complex and expensive equipment. Therefore, alternative effective solutions with high resolution are in great demand. The proposed system consists of commercial PCs, commercial camcorders, low-cost frame grabbers, and a wireless LAN router. The calculation of rotation angle is obtained by using image processing techniques with pre-measured calibration parameters. Several laboratory tests were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed system. Compared with the commercial rotation angle measurement, the results of the system showed very good agreement with an error of less than 1.0% in all test cases. Furthermore, several tests were conducted on the five-story modal testing tower with a hybrid mass damper to experimentally verify the feasibility of the proposed system.

Dual-Use system architecture for a space situational awareness system in Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otani, Y.; Kohtake, N.; Ohkami, Y.

The use of outer space plays a vital role in both defense and civil fields. Since the separation of space activities between civil and defense applications is extremely inefficient, the Dual-Use concept has been considered fundamental for promoting the effective use of space. To the best of the authors' knowledge, most previous studies on Dual-Use focused on the technological aspects, and very few on a system engineering approach to Dual-Use. This left some important issues untouched such as the operational aspects of a system of systems, which need to be understood in a more generic context. This paper presents the results of a conceptual study, system design and management analysis of Dual-Use system architecture. First, an outline of the Dual-Use concept will be described and a definition of Dual-Use given. The effectiveness of applying the Dual-Use system concept to Space Situational Awareness (SSA) for both defense and civil users as a system of systems will then be discussed and investigated with a stakeholders analysis, context diagram and design structure matrix method. It has demonstrated that there is a need for a Dual-Use SSA Data Center which works as a binder between defense and civil systems as well as a data policy for constructing a Dual-Use SSA system.

A Monumental Lesson: What Historical Structures Can Tell Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craven, Jacqueline S.; Sumrall, William J.; Moore, Jerilou J.; Logan, Kellie

2011-01-01

Historical structures have connected civilization across time as a representation of important events, famous people, or experiences of diverse cultures. The value systems of a society are reflected in these structures and convey political and historical information. Knowledge about historical structures provides understanding of cultures of…

Decentralized System Identification Using Stochastic Subspace Identification for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Cho, Soojin; Park, Jong-Woong; Sim, Sung-Han

2015-01-01

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) facilitate a new paradigm to structural identification and monitoring for civil infrastructure. Conventional structural monitoring systems based on wired sensors and centralized data acquisition systems are costly for installation as well as maintenance. WSNs have emerged as a technology that can overcome such difficulties, making deployment of a dense array of sensors on large civil structures both feasible and economical. However, as opposed to wired sensor networks in which centralized data acquisition and processing is common practice, WSNs require decentralized computing algorithms to reduce data transmission due to the limitation associated with wireless communication. In this paper, the stochastic subspace identification (SSI) technique is selected for system identification, and SSI-based decentralized system identification (SDSI) is proposed to be implemented in a WSN composed of Imote2 wireless sensors that measure acceleration. The SDSI is tightly scheduled in the hierarchical WSN, and its performance is experimentally verified in a laboratory test using a 5-story shear building model. PMID:25856325

An autonomous structural health monitoring system for Waiau interchange.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-03-01

Bridge infrastructure is a critical element of the transportation system which makes maintaining its safety and : performance vital to a healthy society. However, the civil infrastructure systems in the United States are decaying : at an accelerated ...

Civil propulsion technology for the next twenty-five years

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosen, Robert; Facey, John R.

1987-01-01

The next twenty-five years will see major advances in civil propulsion technology that will result in completely new aircraft systems for domestic, international, commuter and high-speed transports. These aircraft will include advanced aerodynamic, structural, and avionic technologies resulting in major new system capabilities and economic improvements. Propulsion technologies will include high-speed turboprops in the near term, very high bypass ratio turbofans, high efficiency small engines and advanced cycles utilizing high temperature materials for high-speed propulsion. Key fundamental enabling technologies include increased temperature capability and advanced design methods. Increased temperature capability will be based on improved composite materials such as metal matrix, intermetallics, ceramics, and carbon/carbon as well as advanced heat transfer techniques. Advanced design methods will make use of advances in internal computational fluid mechanics, reacting flow computation, computational structural mechanics and computational chemistry. The combination of advanced enabling technologies, new propulsion concepts and advanced control approaches will provide major improvements in civil aircraft.

Robust control of seismically excited cable stayed bridges with MR dampers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

YeganehFallah, Arash; Khajeh Ahamd Attari, Nader

2017-03-01

In recent decades active and semi-active structural control are becoming attractive alternatives for enhancing performance of civil infrastructures subjected to seismic and winds loads. However, in order to have reliable active and semi-active control, there is a need to include information of uncertainties in design of the controller. In real world for civil structures, parameters such as loading places, stiffness, mass and damping are time variant and uncertain. These uncertainties in many cases model as parametric uncertainties. The motivation of this research is to design a robust controller for attenuating the vibrational responses of civil infrastructures, regarding their dynamical uncertainties. Uncertainties in structural dynamic’s parameters are modeled as affine uncertainties in state space modeling. These uncertainties are decoupled from the system through Linear Fractional Transformation (LFT) and are assumed to be unknown input to the system but norm bounded. The robust H ∞ controller is designed for the decoupled system to regulate the evaluation outputs and it is robust to effects of uncertainties, disturbance and sensors noise. The cable stayed bridge benchmark which is equipped with MR damper is considered for the numerical simulation. The simulated results show that the proposed robust controller can effectively mitigate undesired uncertainties effects on systems’ responds under seismic loading.

5 CFR 532.203 - Structure of regular wage schedules.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Structure of regular wage schedules. 532.203 Section 532.203 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS Prevailing Rate Determinations § 532.203 Structure of regular wage schedules. (a...

Parameter identification of civil engineering structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juang, J. N.; Sun, C. T.

1980-01-01

This paper concerns the development of an identification method required in determining structural parameter variations for systems subjected to an extended exposure to the environment. The concept of structural identifiability of a large scale structural system in the absence of damping is presented. Three criteria are established indicating that a large number of system parameters (the coefficient parameters of the differential equations) can be identified by a few actuators and sensors. An eight-bay-fifteen-story frame structure is used as example. A simple model is employed for analyzing the dynamic response of the frame structure.

33 CFR 222.4 - Reporting earthquake effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... structural integrity and operational adequacy of major Civil Works structures following the occurrence of...) Applicability. This regulation is applicable to all field operating agencies having Civil Works responsibilities... 631, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180. (d) Policy. Civil Works structures which could be caused to fail or...

33 CFR 222.4 - Reporting earthquake effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... structural integrity and operational adequacy of major Civil Works structures following the occurrence of...) Applicability. This regulation is applicable to all field operating agencies having Civil Works responsibilities... 631, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180. (d) Policy. Civil Works structures which could be caused to fail or...

NASA's high-temperature engine materials program for civil aeronautics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gray, Hugh R.; Ginty, Carol A.

1992-01-01

The Advanced High-Temperature Engine Materials Technology Program is described in terms of its research initiatives and its goal of developing propulsion systems for civil aeronautics with low levels of noise, pollution, and fuel consumption. The program emphasizes the analysis and implementation of structural materials such as polymer-matrix composites in fans, casings, and engine-control systems. Also investigated in the program are intermetallic- and metal-matrix composites for uses in compressors and turbine disks as well as ceramic-matrix composites for extremely high-temperature applications such as turbine vanes.

Unmanned aerial vehicle acquisition of three-dimensional digital image correlation measurements for structural health monitoring of bridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reagan, Daniel; Sabato, Alessandro; Niezrecki, Christopher

2017-04-01

Civil engineering structures such as bridges, buildings, and tunnels continue to be used despite aging and deterioration well past their design life. In 2013, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) rated the state of the U.S. bridges as mediocre, despite the $12.8 billion USD annually invested. Traditional inspection and monitoring techniques may produce inconsistent results, are labor intensive and too time-consuming to be considered effective for large-scale monitoring. Therefore, new structural health monitoring systems must be developed that are automated, highly accurate, minimally invasive, and cost effective. Three-dimensional (3D) digital image correlation (DIC) systems possess the capability of extracting full-field strain, displacement, and geometry profiles. Furthermore, as this measurement technique is implemented within an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) the capability to expedite the optical-based measurement process is increased as well as the infrastructure downtime being reduced. These resulting integrity maps of the structure of interest can be easily interpreted by trained personal. Within this paper, the feasibility of performing DIC measurements using a pair of cameras installed on a UAV is shown. Performance is validated with in-flight measurements. Also, full-field displacement monitoring, 3D measurement stitching, and 3D point-tracking techniques are employed in conjunction with 3D mapping and data management software. The results of these experiments show that the combination of autonomous flight with 3D DIC and other non-contact measurement systems provides a highly valuable and effective civil inspection platform.

Development of a wireless displacement measurement system using acceleration responses.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Woong; Sim, Sung-Han; Jung, Hyung-Jo; Spencer, Billie F

2013-07-01

Displacement measurements are useful information for various engineering applications such as structural health monitoring (SHM), earthquake engineering and system identification. Most existing displacement measurement methods are costly, labor-intensive, and have difficulties particularly when applying to full-scale civil structures because the methods require stationary reference points. Indirect estimation methods converting acceleration to displacement can be a good alternative as acceleration transducers are generally cost-effective, easy to install, and have low noise. However, the application of acceleration-based methods to full-scale civil structures such as long span bridges is challenging due to the need to install cables to connect the sensors to a base station. This article proposes a low-cost wireless displacement measurement system using acceleration. Developed with smart sensors that are low-cost, wireless, and capable of on-board computation, the wireless displacement measurement system has significant potential to impact many applications that need displacement information at multiple locations of a structure. The system implements an FIR-filter type displacement estimation algorithm that can remove low frequency drifts typically caused by numerical integration of discrete acceleration signals. To verify the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed system, laboratory tests are carried out using a shaking table and on a three storey shear building model, experimentally confirming the effectiveness of the proposed system.

Development of a Wireless Displacement Measurement System Using Acceleration Responses

PubMed Central

Park, Jong-Woong; Sim, Sung-Han; Jung, Hyung-Jo; Spencer, Billie F.

2013-01-01

Displacement measurements are useful information for various engineering applications such as structural health monitoring (SHM), earthquake engineering and system identification. Most existing displacement measurement methods are costly, labor-intensive, and have difficulties particularly when applying to full-scale civil structures because the methods require stationary reference points. Indirect estimation methods converting acceleration to displacement can be a good alternative as acceleration transducers are generally cost-effective, easy to install, and have low noise. However, the application of acceleration-based methods to full-scale civil structures such as long span bridges is challenging due to the need to install cables to connect the sensors to a base station. This article proposes a low-cost wireless displacement measurement system using acceleration. Developed with smart sensors that are low-cost, wireless, and capable of on-board computation, the wireless displacement measurement system has significant potential to impact many applications that need displacement information at multiple locations of a structure. The system implements an FIR-filter type displacement estimation algorithm that can remove low frequency drifts typically caused by numerical integration of discrete acceleration signals. To verify the accuracy and feasibility of the proposed system, laboratory tests are carried out using a shaking table and on a three storey shear building model, experimentally confirming the effectiveness of the proposed system. PMID:23881123

Improving U.S. Army Civil Affairs Assessment: A Consideration of Social Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

Civil Affairs doctrine fails to take into account the workings of social power , and thus it limits the Army’s complete understanding of an... fail to take into account the workings of social power and thus limit under- standing of the operational environment. Social theorists agree that a...transform the structure of power in society , which in turn influences the nature of political, economic, social, and cultural systems. This view takes

24 CFR 3285.4 - Incorporation by reference (IBR).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... purchase from the Structural Engineering Institute/American Society of Civil Engineers (SEI/ASCE), 1801... for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System), 2000, IBR approved for the table at...

CNT-cement based composites: fabrication, self-sensing properties, and prospective applications to structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rainieri, Carlo; Song, Yi; Fabbrocino, Giovanni; Schulz, Mark J.; Shanov, Vesselin

2013-08-01

Degradation phenomena can affect civil structures over their lifespan. The recent advances in nanotechnology and sensing allow to monitor the behaviour of a structure, assess its performance and identify damage at an early stage. Thus, maintenance actions can be carried out in a timely manner, improving structural reliability and safety. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is traditionally performed at a global level, with a limited number of sensors distributed over a relatively large area of a structure. Thus, only major damage conditions are detectable. Dense sensor networks and innovative structural neural systems, reproducing the structure and the function of the human nervous system, may overcome this drawback of current SHM systems. Miniaturization and embedment are key requirements for successful implementation of structural neural systems. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can play an attractive role in the development of embedded sensors and smart structural materials, since they can provide to traditional cement based materials both structural capability and measurable response to applied stresses, strains, cracks and other flaws. In this paper investigations about CNT/cement composites and their self-sensing capabilities are summarized and critically revised. The analysis of available experimental results and theoretical developments provides useful design criteria for the fabrication of CNT/cement composites optimized for SHM applications in civil engineering. Specific attention is paid to the opportunities provided by new RF plasma technologies for the functionalization of CNTs in view of sensor development and SHM applications.

Computational Structures Technology for Airframes and Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K. (Compiler); Housner, Jerrold M. (Compiler); Starnes, James H., Jr. (Compiler); Hopkins, Dale A. (Compiler); Chamis, Christos C. (Compiler)

1992-01-01

This conference publication contains the presentations and discussions from the joint University of Virginia (UVA)/NASA Workshops. The presentations included NASA Headquarters perspectives on High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT), goals and objectives of the UVA Center for Computational Structures Technology (CST), NASA and Air Force CST activities, CST activities for airframes and propulsion systems in industry, and CST activities at Sandia National Laboratory.

Self-monitoring fiber reinforced polymer strengthening system for civil engineering infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Guoliang; Dawood, Mina; Peters, Kara; Rizkalla, Sami

2008-03-01

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) materials are currently used for strengthening civil engineering infrastructures. The strengthening system is dependant on the bond characteristics of the FRP to the external surface of the structure to be effective in resisting the applied loads. This paper presents an innovative self-monitoring FRP strengthening system. The system consists of two components which can be embedded in FRP materials to monitor the global and local behavior of the strengthened structure respectively. The first component of the system is designed to evaluate the applied load acting on a structure based on elongation of the FRP layer along the entire span of the structure. Success of the global system has been demonstrated using a full-scale prestressed concrete bridge girder which was loaded up to failure. The test results indicate that this type of sensor can be used to accurately determine the load prior to failure within 15 percent of the measured value. The second sensor component consists of fiber Bragg grating sensors. The sensors were used to monitor the behavior of steel double-lap shear splices tested under tensile loading up to failure. The measurements were used to identify abnormal structural behavior such as epoxy cracking and FRP debonding. Test results were also compared to numerical values obtained from a three dimensional shear-lag model which was developed to predict the sensor response.

Understanding the Civil Justice System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hirshon, Robert E.; Bolduan, Linda M.

1997-01-01

Provides a concise and informative overview of the civil justice system. Examines various components and issues including the federal and state court systems, differences between civil and criminal law, background in common law, types of civil law, civil procedure, and the effect and implementation of civil law in everyday life. (MJP)

Crash Survivable Flight Data Recording System Study.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-30

selection (i.e. Prime Land). *1 I 1 Civil Aviation Authority Airworthiness Division 1P-/37/I6 Brabazon House Redhill , Surrey R lSQ IA ARESWARCH...Aircraft Establishment Structures Dept., Farnborough, U.K. (I) EASAMS Ltd., Camberly, U.K. (m) U.K. Civil Aviation Authority, Redhill , U.K. (n) U.K...Brabaszon House, Redhill , Surrey RHl ISQ on the 12th November. The purpose of the visit was to discuss various aspects of the crash survivable recorder

12 CFR 1080.6 - Civil investigative demands.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... recipient's information or records management systems and/or the recipient's organizational structure. (2... with its ESI systems and methods of retrieval participates in the meeting. (3) Petitions. The Bureau... response to those petitions are part of the public records of the Bureau unless the Bureau determines...

12 CFR 1080.6 - Civil investigative demands.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... recipient's information or records management systems and/or the recipient's organizational structure. (2... with its ESI systems and methods of retrieval participates in the meeting. (3) Petitions. The Bureau... response to those petitions are part of the public records of the Bureau unless the Bureau determines...

The Evolution of the Civil Affairs Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

efficiency. The purpose of the analysis is to determine whether the current Civil Affairs structure is the most efficient design , and if not, what changes...sources of data include the Total Army Analysis that was utilized to build the Civil Affairs force, historical Quadrennial Defense Reviews (QDR...efficiency. It addresses the question of whether the current Civil Affairs structure reflects the most efficient design , and if not, what changes are

An Investigation into the Prioritization of Air Force Civil Engineering Structural Maintenance Decisions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

Systems and Logistics AREA &WORIUNITNUMUERS Air Force Institute of Technology WPAFB OH 11. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12. REPORT DATE Department of...consists of a cursory glance at structural members located in easily accessable areas and many critical parts of the facility go unnoticed. A counterpart...too far, If inspection teams can be persuaded to take a little extra time to inspect obscure areas of a structural support system and educated with

Material requirements for the High Speed Civil Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stephens, Joseph R.; Hecht, Ralph J.; Johnson, Andrew M.

1993-01-01

Under NASA-sponsored High Speed Research (HSR) programs, the materials and processing requirements have been identified for overcoming the environmental and economic barriers of the next generation High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) propulsion system. The long (2 to 5 hours) supersonic cruise portion of the HSCT cycle will place additional durability requirements on all hot section engine components. Low emissions combustor designs will require high temperature ceramic matrix composite liners to meet an emission goal of less than 5g NO(x) per Kg fuel burned. Large axisymmetric and two-dimensional exhaust nozzle designs are now under development to meet or exceed FAR 36 Stage III noise requirements, and will require lightweight, high temperature metallic, intermetallic, and ceramic matrix composites to reduce nozzle weight and meet structural and acoustic component performance goals. This paper describes and discusses the turbomachinery, combustor, and exhaust nozzle requirements of the High Speed Civil Transport propulsion system.

Concept development of a Mach 3.0 high-speed civil transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robins, A. Warner; Dollyhigh, Samuel M.; Beissner, Fred L., Jr.; Geiselhart, Karl; Martin, Glenn L.; Shields, E. W.; Swanson, E. E.; Coen, Peter G.; Morris, Shelby J., Jr.

1988-01-01

A baseline concept for a Mach 3.0 high-speed civil transport concept was developed as part of a national program with the goal that concepts and technologies be developed which will enable an effective long-range high-speed civil transport system. The Mach 3.0 concept reported represents an aggressive application of advanced technology to achieve the design goals. The level of technology is generally considered to be that which could have a demonstrated availability date of 1995 to 2000. The results indicate that aircraft are technically feasible that could carry 250 passengers at Mach 3.0 cruise for a 6500 nautical mile range at a size, weight and performance level that allows it to fit into the existing world airport structure. The details of the configuration development, aerodynamic design, propulsion system design and integration, mass properties, mission performance, and sizing are presented.

Simultaneous vibration control and energy harvesting using actor-critic based reinforcement learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loong, Cheng Ning; Chang, C. C.; Dimitrakopoulos, Elias G.

2018-03-01

Mitigating excessive vibration of civil engineering structures using various types of devices has been a conspicuous research topic in the past few decades. Some devices, such as electromagnetic transducers, which have a capability of exerting control forces while simultaneously harvesting energy, have been proposed recently. These devices make possible a self-regenerative system that can semi-actively mitigate structural vibration without the need of external energy. Integrating mechanical, electrical components, and control algorithms, these devices open up a new research domain that needs to be addressed. In this study, the feasibility of using an actor-critic based reinforcement learning control algorithm for simultaneous vibration control and energy harvesting for a civil engineering structure is investigated. The actor-critic based reinforcement learning control algorithm is a real-time, model-free adaptive technique that can adjust the controller parameters based on observations and reward signals without knowing the system characteristics. It is suitable for the control of a partially known nonlinear system with uncertain parameters. The feasibility of implementing this algorithm on a building structure equipped with an electromagnetic damper will be investigated in this study. Issues related to the modelling of learning algorithm, initialization and convergence will be presented and discussed.

Fitness-for-Purpose Evaluation of Hydraulic Steel Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-11-01

ER D C TR -0 7- 15 Navigation Systems Research Program Fitness-for-Purpose Evaluation of Hydraulic Steel Structures Robert J...Evaluation of Hydraulic Steel Structures Robert J. Dexter University of Minnesota Department of Civil Engineering 500 Pillsbury Drive S.E...distribution is unlimited. Prepared for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Washington, DC 20314-1000 Under Inspection and Condition Assessment of Steel

Mass and stiffness estimation using mobile devices for structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Viet; Yu, Tzuyang

2015-04-01

In the structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil infrastructure, dynamic methods using mass, damping, and stiffness for characterizing structural health have been a traditional and widely used approach. Changes in these system parameters over time indicate the progress of structural degradation or deterioration. In these methods, capability of predicting system parameters is essential to their success. In this paper, research work on the development of a dynamic SHM method based on perturbation analysis is reported. The concept is to use externally applied mass to perturb an unknown system and measure the natural frequency of the system. Derived theoretical expressions for mass and stiffness prediction are experimentally verified by a building model. Dynamic responses of the building model perturbed by various masses in free vibration were experimentally measured by a mobile device (cell phone) to extract the natural frequency of the building model. Single-degreeof- freedom (SDOF) modeling approach was adopted for the sake of using a cell phone. From the experimental result, it is shown that the percentage error of predicted mass increases when the mass ratio increases, while the percentage error of predicted stiffness decreases when the mass ratio increases. This work also demonstrated the potential use of mobile devices in the health monitoring of civil infrastructure.

Structural engineering masters level education framework of knowledge for the needs of initial professional practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balogh, Zsuzsa Enriko

For at least the last decade, engineering, civil engineering, along with structural engineering as a profession within civil engineering, have and continue to face an emerging need for "Raising the Bar" of preparedness of young engineers seeking to become practicing professional engineers. The present consensus of the civil engineering profession is that the increasing need for broad and in-depth knowledge should require the young structural engineers to have at least a Masters-Level education. This study focuses on the Masters-Level preparedness in the structural engineering area within the civil engineering field. It follows much of the methodology used in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Body of Knowledge determination for civil engineering and extends this type of study to better define the portion of the young engineers preparation beyond the undergraduate program for one specialty area of civil engineering. The objective of this research was to create a Framework of Knowledge for the young engineer which identifies and recognizes the needs of the profession, along with the profession's expectations of how those needs can be achieved in the graduate-level academic setting, in the practice environment, and through lifelong learning opportunities with an emphasis on the initial five years experience past completion of a Masters program in structural engineering. This study applied a modified Delphi method to obtain the critical information from members of the structural engineering profession. The results provide a Framework of Knowledge which will be useful to several groups seeking to better ensure the preparedness of the future young structural engineers at the Masters-Level.

Frequency Selective Surface for Structural Health Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Norlyana Azemi, Saidatul; Mustaffa, Farzana Hazira Wan; Faizal Jamlos, Mohd; Abdullah Al-Hadi, Azremi; Soh, Ping Jack

2018-03-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) technologies have attained attention to monitor civil structures. SHM sensor systems have been used in various civil structures such as bridges, buildings, tunnels and so on. However the previous sensor for SHM is wired and encounter with problem to cover large areas. Therefore, wireless sensor was introduced for SHM to reduce network connecting problem. Wireless sensors for Structural Health monitoring are new technology and have many advantages to overcome the drawback of conventional and wired sensor. This project proposed passive wireless SHM sensor using frequency selective surface (FSS) as an alternative to conventional sensors. The electromagnetic wave characteristic of FSS will change by geometrical changes of FSS due to mechanical strain or structural failure. The changes feature is used as a sensing function without any connecting wires. Two type of design which are circular ring and square loop along with the transmission and reflection characteristics of SHM using FSS were discussed in this project. A simulation process has shown that incident angle characteristics can be use as a data for SHM application.

Civil engineering reference guide

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Merritt, F.S.

1986-01-01

The civil engineering reference guide contains the following: Structural theory. Structural steel design. Concrete design and construction. Wood design and construction. Bridge engineering. Geotechnical engineering. Water engineering. Environmental engineering. Surveying.

Coupled Aerodynamic and Structural Sensitivity Analysis of a High-Speed Civil Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, B. H.; Walsh, J. L.

2001-01-01

An objective of the High Performance Computing and Communication Program at the NASA Langley Research Center is to demonstrate multidisciplinary shape and sizing optimization of a complete aerospace vehicle configuration by using high-fidelity, finite-element structural analysis and computational fluid dynamics aerodynamic analysis. In a previous study, a multi-disciplinary analysis system for a high-speed civil transport was formulated to integrate a set of existing discipline analysis codes, some of them computationally intensive, This paper is an extension of the previous study, in which the sensitivity analysis for the coupled aerodynamic and structural analysis problem is formulated and implemented. Uncoupled stress sensitivities computed with a constant load vector in a commercial finite element analysis code are compared to coupled aeroelastic sensitivities computed by finite differences. The computational expense of these sensitivity calculation methods is discussed.

Design and initial validation of a wireless control system based on WSN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yan; Li, Luyu; Li, Peng; Wang, Xu; Liu, Hang; Ou, Jinping

2013-04-01

At present, cantilever structure used widely in civil structures will generate continuous vibration by external force due to their low damping characteristic, which leads to a serious impact on the working performance and service time. Therefore, it is very important to control the vibration of these structures. The active vibration control is the primary means of controlling the vibration with high precision and strong adaptive ability. Nowadays, there are many researches using piezoelectric materials in the structural vibration control. Piezoelectric materials are cheap, reliable and they can provide braking and sensing method harmless to the structure, therefore they have broad usage. They are used for structural vibration control in a lot of civil engineering research currently. In traditional sensor applications, information exchanges with the monitoring center or a computer system through wires. If wireless sensor networks(WSN) technology is used, cabling links is not needed, thus the cost of the whole system is greatly reduced. Based on the above advantages, a wireless control system is designed and validated through preliminary tests. The system consists of a cantilever, PVDF as sensor, signal conditioning circuit(SCM), A/D acquisition board, control arithmetic unit, D/A output board, power amplifier, piezoelectric bimorph as actuator. DSP chip is used as the control arithmetic unit and PD control algorithm is embedded in it. PVDF collects the parameters of vibration, sends them to the SCM after A/D conversion. SCM passes the data to the DSP through wireless technology, and DSP calculates and outputs the control values according to the control algorithm. The output signal is amplified by the power amplifier to drive the piezoelectric bimorph for vibration control. The structural vibration duration reduces to 1/4 of the uncontrolled case, which verifies the feasibility of the system.

The Virtual Steel Sculpture--Limit State Analyses and Applications of Steel Connections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Karen C.; Moaveni, Saeed; Sapp, James D.

2017-01-01

The integrity of a structural system depends on the strength of materials, shape of the individual member and the elements used to hold the members together. In most undergraduate civil engineering curricula, a structural steel and/or reinforced concrete design course is required. Usually, the main focus of these courses is on member selection…

NDE Conference on Civil Engineering : a joint conference of the 7th Structural Materials Technology Conference (SMT) and the 6th International Symposium on Nondestructive Testing in Civil Engineering (NDT-CE)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2007-01-01

The 2006 NDE conference on Civil Engineering was held in St. Louis, MO on August 14 18, 2006. The conference combined the 7th Structural Materials Technology Conference (SMT) along with the 6th International Symposium on Nondestructive Testing in...

Impact Properties of Metal Fan Containment Materials Being Evaluated for the High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

Under the Enabling Propulsion Materials (EPM) program - a partnership between NASA, Pratt & Whitney, and GE Aircraft Engines - the Materials and Structures Divisions of the NASA Lewis Research Center are involved in developing a fan-containment system for the High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). The program calls for a baseline system to be designed by the end of 1995, with subsequent testing of innovative concepts. Five metal candidate materials are currently being evaluated for the baseline system in the Structures Division's Ballistic Impact Facility. This facility was developed to provide the EPM program with cost-efficient and timely impact test data. At the facility, material specimens are impacted at speeds up to 350 m/sec by projectiles of various sizes and shapes to assess the specimens' ability to absorb energy and withstand impact. The tests can be conducted at either room or elevated temperatures. Posttest metallographic analysis is conducted to improve understanding of the failure modes. A dynamic finite element program is used to simulate the events and both guide the testing as well as aid in designing the fan-containment system.

Crazing in Polymeric and Composite Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-30

Characterization of Random Microstructural Systems , Proceedings, International Conference on Structure, Solid Mechanics and Engineering Design in Civil...AND COMPOSITE SYSTEMS 12. PERSONAL AUTHOR(S) HSIAO, C. C. 13a. TYPE OF REPORT J13b. TIME COVERED 14. DATE OF REPORT (Year, Month, Day) 15. PAGE COUNT...study of the failure of composite systems under stress is important both theoretically and practically. This program aims to develop time dependent

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Providence, Warwick, RI), U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering, third district, Sandy Hook L/B Station showing boat basin plan, circa 1945 Detail of western docking structure - U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook Station, Western Docking Structure, West of intersection of Canfield Road & Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ

News media reporting on civil litigation and its influence on civil justice decision making.

PubMed

Robbennolt, Jennifer K; Studebaker, Christina A

2003-02-01

The news media have the potential to act as a powerful influence on the civil litigation system, influencing decision making in particular cases and on the system more generally as media reports influence the decision making of various participants in the system. This paper reviews the research that has examined the relationship between news media reporting and civil litigation and proposes a framework that integrates this work and provides guidance for future research efforts. Specifically, we discuss the nature of media reporting on civil litigation, perceptions of the civil litigation system held by the public and legal actors, and the potential influence of news reporting about civil litigation on the decision making of jurors, judges, civil litigants, and policymakers. Overall, the research suggests that news reporting of civil litigation presents a systematically distorted picture of civil litigation and that this reporting can influence perceptions and outcomes of civil litigation in various ways. However, there are many gaps in the existing research that need to be filled. The proposed organizational scheme helps to identify ways that future research can provide links between the findings of existing research and to identify ways in which this research can be extended to new areas.

Foreign civil aviation competition: 1976 summary and implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alford, W. J., Jr.; Maddalon, D. V.

1976-01-01

A summary assessment is made of foreign civil aviation as it relates to the posture of the United States civil aviation industry. Major findings include: (1) Main competitors - European Economic Community (EEC) and Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). (2) Largest commercial market - Transport aircraft. (3) Current market status and projections - U.S. currently dominates the civil aviation market but foreign markets show greater growth trends. (4) Competitive comparisons - Status comparisons are made in technology (aerodynamics, structures and materials, propulsion, avionics, systems, design coordination, and manufacturing); production runs; marketing; and postsales support. The U.S. generally leads except in aerodynamics and propulsion. (5) Multinational ventures - Joint U.S. industry/foreign government development of advanced technology engines is well developed; airframe industry discussions are now underway. (6) Implications - Although the U.S., is currently preeminent in most areas, this may be only a temporary condition. Past U.S. success in aviation has provided many benefits to the nation. These benefits may be lost.

Intelligent Structural Health Management of Civil Infrastructure

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-19

The collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis has spawned a growing interest in the : development of reliable techniques for evaluating the structural integrity of civil infrastructure. Current inspection : techniques tailored to ...

Decentralized system identification using stochastic subspace identification on wireless smart sensor networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sim, Sung-Han; Spencer, Billie F., Jr.; Park, Jongwoong; Jung, Hyungjo

2012-04-01

Wireless Smart Sensor Networks (WSSNs) facilitates a new paradigm to structural identification and monitoring for civil infrastructure. Conventional monitoring systems based on wired sensors and centralized data acquisition and processing have been considered to be challenging and costly due to cabling and expensive equipment and maintenance costs. WSSNs have emerged as a technology that can overcome such difficulties, making deployment of a dense array of sensors on large civil structures both feasible and economical. However, as opposed to wired sensor networks in which centralized data acquisition and processing is common practice, WSSNs require decentralized computing algorithms to reduce data transmission due to the limitation associated with wireless communication. Thus, several system identification methods have been implemented to process sensor data and extract essential information, including Natural Excitation Technique with Eigensystem Realization Algorithm, Frequency Domain Decomposition (FDD), and Random Decrement Technique (RDT); however, Stochastic Subspace Identification (SSI) has not been fully utilized in WSSNs, while SSI has the strong potential to enhance the system identification. This study presents a decentralized system identification using SSI in WSSNs. The approach is implemented on MEMSIC's Imote2 sensor platform and experimentally verified using a 5-story shear building model.

Combining model based and data based techniques in a robust bridge health monitoring algorithm.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) aims to analyze civil, mechanical and aerospace systems in order to assess : incipient damage occurrence. In this project, we are concerned with the development of an algorithm within the : SHM paradigm for applicat...

Earthquake Response of Concrete Gravity Dams Including Hydrodynamic and Foundation Interaction Effects,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

standard procedure for Analysis of all types of civil engineering struc- tures. Early in its development, it became apparent that this method had...unique potentialities in the evaluation of stress in dams, and many of its earliest civil engineering applications concerned special problems associated...with such structures [3,4]. The earliest dynamic finite element analyses of civil engineering structures involved the earthquake response analysis of

Linear static structural and vibration analysis on high-performance computers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baddourah, M. A.; Storaasli, O. O.; Bostic, S. W.

1993-01-01

Parallel computers offer the oppurtunity to significantly reduce the computation time necessary to analyze large-scale aerospace structures. This paper presents algorithms developed for and implemented on massively-parallel computers hereafter referred to as Scalable High-Performance Computers (SHPC), for the most computationally intensive tasks involved in structural analysis, namely, generation and assembly of system matrices, solution of systems of equations and calculation of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Results on SHPC are presented for large-scale structural problems (i.e. models for High-Speed Civil Transport). The goal of this research is to develop a new, efficient technique which extends structural analysis to SHPC and makes large-scale structural analyses tractable.

Economic innovation and efficiency gains as the driving force for accelerating carbon dioxide emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, T. J.

2012-12-01

It is normally assumed that gains in energy efficiency are one of the best routes that society has available to it for stabilizing future carbon dioxide emissions. For a given degree of economic productivity less energy is consumed and a smaller quantity of fossil fuels is required. While certainly this observation is true in the instant, it ignores feedbacks in the economic system such that efficiency gains ultimately lead to greater energy consumption: taken as a global whole, they permit civilization to accelerate its expansion into the energy reserves that sustain it. Here this argument is formalized from a general thermodynamic perspective. The core result is that there exists a fixed, time-independent link between a very general representation of global inflation-adjusted economic wealth (units currency) and civilization's total capacity to consume power (units energy per time). Based on 40 years of available statistics covering more than a tripling of global GDP and a doubling of wealth, this constant has a value of 7.1 +/- 0.01 Watts per one thousand 2005 US dollars. Essentially, wealth is power. Civilization grows by dissipating power in order to sustain all its current activities and to incorporate more raw material into its existing structure. Growth of its structure is related to economic production, so more energy efficient economic production facilitates growth. Growth is into the reserves that sustain civilization, in which case there is a positive feedback in the economic system whereby energy efficiency gains ultimately "backfire" if their intended purpose is to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. The analogy that can be made is to a growing child: a healthy child who efficiently incorporates food into her structure grows quickly and is able to consume more in following years. Economically, an argument is made that, for a range of reasons, there are good reasons to refer to efficiency gains as economic "innovation", both for their physical nature and their links to traditional neo-classical economics.

24 CFR 3285.4 - Incorporation by reference (IBR).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...-6600, fax number (253) 565-7265. (1) PS1-95, Construction and Industrial Plywood (with typical APA... for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System), 2000, IBR approved for the table at... purchase from the Structural Engineering Institute/American Society of Civil Engineers (SEI/ASCE), 1801...

24 CFR 3285.4 - Incorporation by reference (IBR).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...-6600, fax number (253) 565-7265. (1) PS1-95, Construction and Industrial Plywood (with typical APA... for Engineering Purposes (Unified Soil Classification System), 2000, IBR approved for the table at... purchase from the Structural Engineering Institute/American Society of Civil Engineers (SEI/ASCE), 1801...

DIAPHANE: muon tomography applied to volcanoes, civil engineering, archaelogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marteau, J.; de Bremond d'Ars, J.; Gibert, D.; Jourde, K.; Ianigro, J.-C.; Carlus, B.

2017-02-01

Muography techniques applied to geological structures greatly improved in the past ten years. Recent applications demonstrate the interest of the method not only to perform structural imaging but also to monitor the dynamics of inner movements like magma ascent inside volcanoes or density variations in hydrothermal systems. Muography time-resolution has been studied thanks to dedicated experiments, e.g. in a water tower tank. This paper presents the activities of the DIAPHANE collaboration between particle- and geo-physicists and the most recent results obtained in the field of volcanology, with a focus on the main target, the Soufrière of Guadeloupe active volcano. Special emphasis is given on the monitoring of the dome's inner volumes opacity variations, that could be ascribed to the hydrothermal system dynamics (vaporization of inner liquid water in coincidence with the appearance of new fumaroles at the summit). I also briefly present results obtained in the fields of civil engineering (study of urban underground tunnels) and archaelogy (greek tumulus scanning).

78 FR 68425 - Meeting of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-14

... mission sets such as security forces, civil engineering and science and technology. -- Projections and... Defense Support to Civil Agencies. This will include implications for the structure of the Air Force from...

WIPP conceptual design report. Addendum A. Design calculations for Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1977-04-01

The design calculations for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) are presented. The following categories are discussed: general nuclear calculations; radwaste calculations; structural calculations; mechanical calculations; civil calculations; electrical calculations; TRU waste surface facility time and motion analysis; shaft sinking procedures; hoist time and motion studies; mining system analysis; mine ventilation calculations; mine structural analysis; and miscellaneous underground calculations.

Model and controller reduction of large-scale structures based on projection methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gildin, Eduardo

The design of low-order controllers for high-order plants is a challenging problem theoretically as well as from a computational point of view. Frequently, robust controller design techniques result in high-order controllers. It is then interesting to achieve reduced-order models and controllers while maintaining robustness properties. Controller designed for large structures based on models obtained by finite element techniques yield large state-space dimensions. In this case, problems related to storage, accuracy and computational speed may arise. Thus, model reduction methods capable of addressing controller reduction problems are of primary importance to allow the practical applicability of advanced controller design methods for high-order systems. A challenging large-scale control problem that has emerged recently is the protection of civil structures, such as high-rise buildings and long-span bridges, from dynamic loadings such as earthquakes, high wind, heavy traffic, and deliberate attacks. Even though significant effort has been spent in the application of control theory to the design of civil structures in order increase their safety and reliability, several challenging issues are open problems for real-time implementation. This dissertation addresses with the development of methodologies for controller reduction for real-time implementation in seismic protection of civil structures using projection methods. Three classes of schemes are analyzed for model and controller reduction: nodal truncation, singular value decomposition methods and Krylov-based methods. A family of benchmark problems for structural control are used as a framework for a comparative study of model and controller reduction techniques. It is shown that classical model and controller reduction techniques, such as balanced truncation, modal truncation and moment matching by Krylov techniques, yield reduced-order controllers that do not guarantee stability of the closed-loop system, that is, the reduced-order controller implemented with the full-order plant. A controller reduction approach is proposed such that to guarantee closed-loop stability. It is based on the concept of dissipativity (or positivity) of linear dynamical systems. Utilizing passivity preserving model reduction together with dissipative-LQG controllers, effective low-order optimal controllers are obtained. Results are shown through simulations.

Development of a Wireless Unified-Maintenance System for the Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Structures

PubMed Central

Son, Byungjik; Jeon, Seunggon

2018-01-01

A disaster preventive structural health monitoring (SHM) system needs to be equipped with the following abilities: First, it should be able to simultaneously measure diverse types of data (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration, strain, load, temperature, humidity, etc.) for accurate diagnosis. Second, it also requires standalone power supply to guarantee its immediate response in crisis (e.g., sudden interruption of normal AC power in disaster situations). Furthermore, it should be capable of prompt processing and realtime wireless communication of a huge amount of data. Therefore, this study is aimed at developing a wireless unified-maintenance system (WUMS) that would satisfy all the requirements for a disaster preventive SHM system of civil structures. The WUMS is designed to measure diverse types of structural responses in realtime based on wireless communication, allowing users to selectively use WiFi RF band and finally working in standalone mode by means of the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology. To verify its performance, the following tests were performed: (i) A test to see how far communication is possible in open field, (ii) a test on a shaker to see how accurate responses are, (iii) a modal test on a bridge to see how exactly characteristic real-time dynamic responses are of structures. The test results proved that the WUMS was able to secure stable communication far up to nearly 800 m away by acquiring wireless responses in realtime accurately, when compared to the displacement and acceleration responses which were acquired through wired communication. The analysis of dynamic characteristics also showed that the wireless acceleration responses in real-time represented satisfactorily the dynamic properties of structures. Therefore, the WUMS is proved valid as a SHM, and its outstanding performance is also proven. PMID:29747403

Development of a Wireless Unified-Maintenance System for the Structural Health Monitoring of Civil Structures.

PubMed

Heo, Gwanghee; Son, Byungjik; Kim, Chunggil; Jeon, Seunggon; Jeon, Joonryong

2018-05-09

A disaster preventive structural health monitoring (SHM) system needs to be equipped with the following abilities: First, it should be able to simultaneously measure diverse types of data (e.g., displacement, velocity, acceleration, strain, load, temperature, humidity, etc.) for accurate diagnosis. Second, it also requires standalone power supply to guarantee its immediate response in crisis (e.g., sudden interruption of normal AC power in disaster situations). Furthermore, it should be capable of prompt processing and realtime wireless communication of a huge amount of data. Therefore, this study is aimed at developing a wireless unified-maintenance system (WUMS) that would satisfy all the requirements for a disaster preventive SHM system of civil structures. The WUMS is designed to measure diverse types of structural responses in realtime based on wireless communication, allowing users to selectively use WiFi RF band and finally working in standalone mode by means of the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology. To verify its performance, the following tests were performed: (i) A test to see how far communication is possible in open field, (ii) a test on a shaker to see how accurate responses are, (iii) a modal test on a bridge to see how exactly characteristic real-time dynamic responses are of structures. The test results proved that the WUMS was able to secure stable communication far up to nearly 800 m away by acquiring wireless responses in realtime accurately, when compared to the displacement and acceleration responses which were acquired through wired communication. The analysis of dynamic characteristics also showed that the wireless acceleration responses in real-time represented satisfactorily the dynamic properties of structures. Therefore, the WUMS is proved valid as a SHM, and its outstanding performance is also proven.

Materials Challenges in Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhat, Biliyar N.

2005-01-01

United States civil space program administered by National Aeronautics and Space Administration has a new strategic direction to explore the solar system. This new 'vision for space exploration' encompasses a broad range of human and robotic missions, including the Moon. Mars and destinations beyond. These missions require advanced systems and capabilities that will accelerate the development of many critical technologies, including advanced materials and structural concepts. Specifically, it is planned to develop high-performance materials for vehicle structures, propulsion systems, and space suits; structural concepts for modular assembly for space infrastructure: lightweight deployable and inflatable structures for large space systems and crew habitats; and highly integrated structural systems and advanced thermal management systems for reducing launch mass and volume. This paper will present several materials challenges in advanced space systems-high performance structural and thermal materials, space durable materials, radiation protection materials, and nano-structural materials. Finally, the paper will take a look at the possibility of utilizing materials in situ, i.e., processing materials on the surface of the Moon and Mars.

12 CFR 229.21 - Civil liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Civil liability. 229.21 Section 229.21 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (CONTINUED) BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM... Disclosure of Funds Availability Policies § 229.21 Civil liability. (a) Civil liability. A bank that fails to...

12 CFR 229.21 - Civil liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Civil liability. 229.21 Section 229.21 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (CONTINUED) BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM... Availability Policies § 229.21 Civil liability. (a) Civil liability. A bank that fails to comply with any...

12 CFR 229.21 - Civil liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Civil liability. 229.21 Section 229.21 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (CONTINUED) BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM... Availability Policies § 229.21 Civil liability. (a) Civil liability. A bank that fails to comply with any...

12 CFR 229.21 - Civil liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Civil liability. 229.21 Section 229.21 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (CONTINUED) BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM... Availability Policies § 229.21 Civil liability. (a) Civil liability. A bank that fails to comply with any...

12 CFR 229.21 - Civil liability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Civil liability. 229.21 Section 229.21 Banks and Banking FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM (CONTINUED) BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM... Disclosure of Funds Availability Policies § 229.21 Civil liability. (a) Civil liability. A bank that fails to...

The three-hinged arch as an example of piezomechanic passive controlled structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagnini, Luisa Carlotta; Piccardo, Giuseppe

2016-09-01

Although piezoelectric transducers are employed in a variety of fields, their application for vibration control of civil or industrial structures has not yet been fully developed, at the best of authors' knowledge. Thanks to a new generation of ever more performing piezoceramic materials and to the recent development of scientific proposals based on a very simple technology, this paper presents a step forward to engineering applications for the control of structural systems. A three-hinged arch controlled by piezoelectric stack actuators and passive RL electrical circuits is chosen as a simple structural model that may represent the starting point for a generalization to the most common typologies of civil and industrial engineering structures. Based on the concept of electromechanical analogy, the evolution equations are obtained through a consistent Lagrangian approach. A multimodal vibration suppression is guaranteed by the spectral analogy between the mechanical and electrical components. Preliminary applications related to free oscillations, with one or more actuators on each member, seem to lead to excellent performance in terms of multimodal damping and dissipated energy.

75 FR 39184 - Privacy Act of 1974: Implementation of Exemptions; Department of Homeland Security/ALL-029 Civil...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-08

...; Department of Homeland Security/ALL--029 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Records System of Records AGENCY... of 1974 for the Department of Homeland Security/ALL--029 Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Records.... Background The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) civil rights and civil liberties staff, including...

The Anthropocene Generalized: Evolution of Exo-Civilizations and Their Planetary Feedback.

PubMed

Frank, A; Carroll-Nellenback, Jonathan; Alberti, M; Kleidon, A

2018-05-01

We present a framework for studying generic behaviors possible in the interaction between a resource-harvesting technological civilization (an exo-civilization) and the planetary environment in which it evolves. Using methods from dynamical systems theory, we introduce and analyze a suite of simple equations modeling a population which consumes resources for the purpose of running a technological civilization and the feedback those resources drive on the state of the host planet. The feedbacks can drive the planet away from the initial state the civilization originated in and into domains that are detrimental to its sustainability. Our models conceptualize the problem primarily in terms of feedbacks from the resource use onto the coupled planetary systems. In addition, we also model the population growth advantages gained via the harvesting of these resources. We present three models of increasing complexity: (1) Civilization-planetary interaction with a single resource; (2) Civilization-planetary interaction with two resources each of which has a different level of planetary system feedback; (3) Civilization-planetary interaction with two resources and nonlinear planetary feedback (i.e., runaways). All three models show distinct classes of exo-civilization trajectories. We find smooth entries into long-term, "sustainable" steady states. We also find population booms followed by various levels of "die-off." Finally, we also observe rapid "collapse" trajectories for which the population approaches n = 0. Our results are part of a program for developing an "Astrobiology of the Anthropocene" in which questions of sustainability, centered on the coupled Earth-system, can be seen in their proper astronomical/planetary context. We conclude by discussing the implications of our results for both the coupled Earth system and for the consideration of exo-civilizations across cosmic history. Key Words: Anthropocene-Astrobiology-Civilization-Dynamical system theory-Exoplanets-Population dynamics. Astrobiology 18, 503-518.

A synchronized multipoint vision-based system for displacement measurement of civil infrastructures.

PubMed

Ho, Hoai-Nam; Lee, Jong-Han; Park, Young-Soo; Lee, Jong-Jae

2012-01-01

This study presents an advanced multipoint vision-based system for dynamic displacement measurement of civil infrastructures. The proposed system consists of commercial camcorders, frame grabbers, low-cost PCs, and a wireless LAN access point. The images of target panels attached to a structure are captured by camcorders and streamed into the PC via frame grabbers. Then the displacements of targets are calculated using image processing techniques with premeasured calibration parameters. This system can simultaneously support two camcorders at the subsystem level for dynamic real-time displacement measurement. The data of each subsystem including system time are wirelessly transferred from the subsystem PCs to master PC and vice versa. Furthermore, synchronization process is implemented to ensure the time synchronization between the master PC and subsystem PCs. Several shaking table tests were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, and the results showed very good agreement with those from a conventional sensor with an error of less than 2%.

A Synchronized Multipoint Vision-Based System for Displacement Measurement of Civil Infrastructures

PubMed Central

Ho, Hoai-Nam; Lee, Jong-Han; Park, Young-Soo; Lee, Jong-Jae

2012-01-01

This study presents an advanced multipoint vision-based system for dynamic displacement measurement of civil infrastructures. The proposed system consists of commercial camcorders, frame grabbers, low-cost PCs, and a wireless LAN access point. The images of target panels attached to a structure are captured by camcorders and streamed into the PC via frame grabbers. Then the displacements of targets are calculated using image processing techniques with premeasured calibration parameters. This system can simultaneously support two camcorders at the subsystem level for dynamic real-time displacement measurement. The data of each subsystem including system time are wirelessly transferred from the subsystem PCs to master PC and vice versa. Furthermore, synchronization process is implemented to ensure the time synchronization between the master PC and subsystem PCs. Several shaking table tests were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system, and the results showed very good agreement with those from a conventional sensor with an error of less than 2%. PMID:23028250

Special sensors for deformation measurements of different construction materials and structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glisic, Branko; Inaudi, Daniele; Kronenberg, Pascal; LLoret, Sandra; Vurpillot, Samuel

1999-05-01

SOFO is a fiber optic sensor system that allows the monitoring of micrometer deformations over measurement bases up to a few meters. It is particularly adapted to measure civil structures built with conventional civil engineering materials (concrete, steel and timber). It has been successfully tested in different types of structures such as bridges, tunnels and piles. The application of the system is however limited in some case when unusual materials are used in the construction and in other cases by the dimensions of standard SOFO sensors. To extend the domain of application of the current system, special sensors have been developed. In this paper we present four special SOFO sensors: long, membrane, thin and stiff sensors. The long sensor has a measurement basis of several tenths of meters and its purpose is the measurement of deformations in massive and large structures (dames, tunnels). The membrane sensor is for use on laminated materials (e.g. membrane roofing) and it is easy to install by simply gluing it to the structure to be monitored. Since standard sensors can not be used for thin mortar layers because of their cross- section, a thin sensor has been developed, too. Finally, the aim of the stiff sensor is to determine the hardening (solidification) time of concrete. This time is determined by comparing the deformations of a stiff and a standard sensor, closely placed in the concrete at the very early age. The design of these sensors is presented along with significant application examples.

An overview of wireless structural health monitoring for civil structures.

PubMed

Lynch, Jerome Peter

2007-02-15

Wireless monitoring has emerged in recent years as a promising technology that could greatly impact the field of structural monitoring and infrastructure asset management. This paper is a summary of research efforts that have resulted in the design of numerous wireless sensing unit prototypes explicitly intended for implementation in civil structures. Wireless sensing units integrate wireless communications and mobile computing with sensors to deliver a relatively inexpensive sensor platform. A key design feature of wireless sensing units is the collocation of computational power and sensors; the tight integration of computing with a wireless sensing unit provides sensors with the opportunity to self-interrogate measurement data. In particular, there is strong interest in using wireless sensing units to build structural health monitoring systems that interrogate structural data for signs of damage. After the hardware and the software designs of wireless sensing units are completed, the Alamosa Canyon Bridge in New Mexico is utilized to validate their accuracy and reliability. To improve the ability of low-cost wireless sensing units to detect the onset of structural damage, the wireless sensing unit paradigm is extended to include the capability to command actuators and active sensors.

33 CFR 222.4 - Reporting earthquake effects.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ENGINEERING AND DESIGN § 222.4 Reporting earthquake effects. (a) Purpose. This... structural integrity and operational adequacy of major Civil Works structures following the occurrence of...) Applicability. This regulation is applicable to all field operating agencies having Civil Works responsibilities...

14 CFR 91.219 - Altitude alerting system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. 91.219 Section 91.219 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a turbojet-powered U.S.-registered civil airplane unless that airplane is...

14 CFR 91.219 - Altitude alerting system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. 91.219 Section 91.219 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a turbojet-powered U.S.-registered civil airplane unless that airplane is...

14 CFR 91.219 - Altitude alerting system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. 91.219 Section 91.219 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a turbojet-powered U.S.-registered civil airplane unless that airplane is...

14 CFR 91.219 - Altitude alerting system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. 91.219 Section 91.219 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a turbojet-powered U.S.-registered civil airplane unless that airplane is...

14 CFR 91.219 - Altitude alerting system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. 91.219 Section 91.219 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION... system or device: Turbojet-powered civil airplanes. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person may operate a turbojet-powered U.S.-registered civil airplane unless that airplane is...

[Right of access to healthcare in the context of the Royal Decree-Law 16/2012: the perspective of civil society organizations and professional associations].

PubMed

Suess, Amets; Ruiz Pérez, Isabel; Ruiz Azarola, Ainhoa; March Cerdà, Joan Carles

2014-01-01

The recent publication of the Royal Decree-Law 16/2012 (RDL 16/2012), which introduces structural changes in the Spanish Public Healthcare System, can be placed in the broader context of budgetary adjustments in response to the current economic crisis. An analysis of the interrelationships among economic crisis, healthcare policies, and health reveals that citizen participation is one of several potential strategies for reducing the impact of this situation on the population. This observation raises the interest to know the citizens' perspectives on the modifications introduced by the RDL 16/2012. Narrative review of documents related to the RDL 16/2012 published by civil society organizations and professional associations in the Spanish context. A broad citizen response can be observed to the introduction of RDL 16/2012. The documents reviewed include an analysis of changes in the healthcare model inherent to the RDL 16/2012, as well as predictions on its impact on access to healthcare, healthcare quality, and health. The civil society organizations and professional associations offer recommendations and proposals, as well as collaboration in elaborating alternative strategies to reduce costs. The response of civil society organizations and professional associations underscores the importance of strengthening citizen participation in the development of healthcare policies aimed at maintaining the universal character and sustainability of the Spanish Public Healthcare System in the current moment of economic and systemic crisis. Copyright © 2014 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Photogrammetric analysis of concrete specimens and structures for condition assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Amico, Nicolas; Yu, Tzuyang

2016-04-01

Deterioration of civil infrastructure in America demands routine inspection and maintenance to avoid catastrophic failures from occurring. Among many other non-destructive evaluations (NDE), photogrammetry is an accessible and realistic approach used for non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of a civil infrastructure systems. The objective of this paper is to explore the capabilities of photogrammetry for locating, sizing, and analyzing the remaining capacity of a specimen or system using point cloud data. Geometric interpretations, composed from up to 70 photographs are analyzed as a mesh or point cloud models. In this case study, concrete, which exhibits a large amount of surface texture features, was thoroughly examined. These evaluative techniques discussed were applied to concrete cylinder models as well as portions of civil infrastructure including buildings, retaining walls, and bridge abutments. In this paper, the aim is to demonstrate the basic analytical functionality of photogrammetry, as well as its applicability to in-situ civil infrastructure systems. In concrete specimens defect length and location can be evaluated in a fully defined model (one with the maximum amount of correctly acquired photographs) with less than 2% error. Error was found to be inversely proportional to the number of acceptable photographs acquired, remaining significantly under 10% error for any model with enough data to render. Furthermore, volumetric stress evaluations were applied using a cross sectional evaluation technique to locate the critical area, and determine the severity of damages. Finally, findings and the accuracy of the results are discussed.

Knowledge-Based Manufacturing and Structural Design for a High Speed Civil Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marx, William J.; Mavris, Dimitri N.; Schrage, Daniel P.

1994-01-01

The aerospace industry is currently addressing the problem of integrating manufacturing and design. To address the difficulties associated with using many conventional procedural techniques and algorithms, one feasible way to integrate the two concepts is with the development of an appropriate Knowledge-Based System (KBS). The authors present their reasons for selecting a KBS to integrate design and manufacturing. A methodology for an aircraft producibility assessment is proposed, utilizing a KBS for manufacturing process selection, that addresses both procedural and heuristic aspects of designing and manufacturing of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) wing. A cost model is discussed that would allow system level trades utilizing information describing the material characteristics as well as the manufacturing process selections. Statements of future work conclude the paper.

Vibration-based monitoring for performance evaluation of flexible civil structures in Japan.

PubMed

Fujino, Yozo

2018-01-01

The vibration-based monitoring of flexible civil structures and performance evaluation from this monitoring are reviewed, with an emphasis on research and practice in Japan and the author's experiences. Some new findings and unexpected vibrations from the monitoring of real bridges and buildings are reported to emphasize the importance of monitoring. Future developments and applications of vibration-based monitoring to civil infrastructure management are also described. Many examples are taken from the author's past 30 years' experience of research on bridge dynamics.

Entropic evidence for linguistic structure in the Indus script.

PubMed

Rao, Rajesh P N; Yadav, Nisha; Vahia, Mayank N; Joglekar, Hrishikesh; Adhikari, R; Mahadevan, Iravatham

2009-05-29

The script of the ancient Indus civilization remains undeciphered. The hypothesis that the script encodes language has recently been questioned. Here, we present evidence for the linguistic hypothesis by showing that the script's conditional entropy is closer to those of natural languages than various types of nonlinguistic systems.

Electro-Osmotic Pulse Technology for Control of Water Seepage in Various Civil Works Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

where: re temperatu constantBoltzman system theof field electric theofstrength ion (negative) positive a of mass charge electric elementary...water molecules, forming acid at the anode surface. This acid , in turn, attacks the mixed metal oxide coating on the anode eroding it, creating

Global positioning system (GPS) civil monitoring performance specification.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-04-30

This Civil Monitoring Performance Specification (CMPS) is published and maintained at : the direction of the Program Manager for Civil Applications, Global Positioning Systems : Wing (GPSW). The purpose of this document is to provide a comprehensive ...

Concept to Reality: Contributions of the Langley Research Center to US Civil Aircraft of the 1990s

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chambers, Joseph R.

2003-01-01

This document is intended to be a companion to NASA SP-2000-4519, 'Partners in Freedom: Contributions of the Langley Research Center to U.S. Military Aircraft of the 1990s'. Material included in the combined set of volumes provides informative and significant examples of the impact of Langley's research on U.S. civil and military aircraft of the 1990s. This volume, 'Concept to Reality: Contributions of the NASA Langley Research Center to U.S. Civil Aircraft of the 1990s', highlights significant Langley contributions to safety, cruise performance, takeoff and landing capabilities, structural integrity, crashworthiness, flight deck technologies, pilot-vehicle interfaces, flight characteristics, stall and spin behavior, computational design methods, and other challenging technical areas for civil aviation. The contents of this volume include descriptions of some of the more important applications of Langley research to current civil fixed-wing aircraft (rotary-wing aircraft are not included), including commercial airliners, business aircraft, and small personal-owner aircraft. In addition to discussions of specific aircraft applications, the document also covers contributions of Langley research to the operation of civil aircraft, which includes operating problems. This document is organized according to disciplinary technologies, for example, aerodynamics, structures, materials, and flight systems. Within each discussion, examples are cited where industry applied Langley technologies to specific aircraft that were in operational service during the 1990s and the early years of the new millennium. This document is intended to serve as a key reference for national policy makers, internal NASA policy makers, Congressional committees, the media, and the general public. Therefore, it has been written for a broad general audience and does not presume any significant technical expertise. An extensive bibliography is provided for technical specialists and others who desire a more indepth discussion of the contributions.

Civionics specifications for fiber optic sensors for structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rivera, Evangeline; Mufti, Aftab A.; Thomson, Douglas J.

2004-07-01

As the design and construction of civil structures continue to evolve, it is becoming imperative that these structures be monitored for their health. In order to meet this need, the discipline of Civionics has emerged. It involves the applications to civil structures and aims to assist engineers in realizing the full benefits of structural health monitoring (SHM). Therefore, the goal of the specification outlined in this work is to ensure that correct installation and operating of fiber optic sensors, such as bridges, will be discussed that motivated the writing of these specifications. The main reason for the failure of FOS based monitoring systems can be traced directly to the installation of the fiber sensor itself. Therefore, by creating a standard procedure for SHM, several ambiguities are eliminated such as fiber sensor specifications and the types of cables required. As a result, these specifications will help ensure that the sensors will survive the installation process and eventually prove their value over years of monitoring the health of the structure. The Civionics FOS specifications include the requirements for fiber sensors, specifically Bragg grating sensors, and their corresponding readout unit. It also includes specifications on the cables, conduits, junction boxes, cable termination and the environmental.

Aircraft System Analysis of Technology Benefits to Civil Transport Rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkerson, Joseph B.; Smith, Roger L.

2008-01-01

An aircraft systems analysis was conducted to evaluate the net benefits of advanced technologies on two conceptual civil transport rotorcraft, to quantify the potential of future civil rotorcraft to become operationally viable and economically competitive, with the ultimate goal of alleviating congestion in our airways, runways and terminals. These questions are three of many that must be resolved for the successful introduction of civil transport rotorcraft: 1) Can civil transport rotorcraft actually relieve current airport congestion and improve overall air traffic and passenger throughput at busy hub airports? What is that operational scenario? 2) Can advanced technology make future civil rotorcraft economically competitive in scheduled passenger transport? What are those enabling technologies? 3) What level of investment is necessary to mature the key enabling technologies? This study addresses the first two questions, and several others, by applying a systems analysis approach to a broad spectrum of potential advanced technologies at a conceptual level of design. The method was to identify those advanced technologies that showed the most promise and to quantify their benefits to the design, development, production, and operation of future civil rotorcraft. Adjustments are made to sizing data by subject matter experts to reflect the introduction of new technologies that offer improved performance, reduced weight, reduced maintenance, or reduced cost. This study used projected benefits from new, advanced technologies, generally based on research results, analysis, or small-scale test data. The technologies are identified, categorized and quantified in the report. The net benefit of selected advanced technologies is quantified for two civil transport rotorcraft concepts, a Single Main Rotor Compound (SMRC) helicopter designed for 250 ktas cruise airspeed and a Civil Tilt Rotor (CTR) designed for 350 ktas cruise airspeed. A baseline design of each concept was sized for a representative civil passenger transport mission, using current technology. Individual advanced technologies are quantified and applied to resize the aircraft, thereby quantifying the net benefit of that technology to the rotorcraft. Estimates of development cost, production cost and operating and support costs are made with a commercial cost estimating program, calibrated to Boeing products with adjustments for future civil production processes. A cost metric of cash direct operating cost per available seat-mile (DOC ASM) is used to compare the cost benefit of the technologies. The same metric is used to compare results with turboprop operating costs. Reduced engine SFC was the most advantageous advanced technology for both rotorcraft concepts. Structural weight reduction was the second most beneficial technology, followed by advanced drive systems and then by technology for rotorcraft performance. Most of the technologies evaluated in this report should apply similarly to conventional helicopters. The implicit assumption is that resources will become available to mature the technologies for fullscale production aircraft. That assumption is certainly the weak link in any forecast of future possibilities. The analysis serves the purpose of identifying which technologies offer the most potential benefit, and thus the ones that should receive the highest priority for continued development. This study directly addressed the following NASA Subsonic Rotary Wing (SRW) subtopics: SR W.4.8.I.J Establish capability for rotorcraft system analysis and SRW. 4.8.I.4 Conduct limited technology benefit assessment on baseline rotorcraft configurations.

Work Experience, Socialization, and Civil Liberties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Korman, Abraham K.

1975-01-01

Examines the effects of work experience on attitudes and behaviors in the area of civil liberties; (1) noting that hierarchical structure, rigidity and specialization seem to generate negative effect toward civil libertarian concerns, and (2) proposing a theoretical model designed to predict the conditions under which work experience may be…

Truss systems and shape optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pricop, Mihai Victor; Bunea, Marian; Nedelcu, Roxana

2017-07-01

Structure optimization is an important topic because of its benefits and wide applicability range, from civil engineering to aerospace and automotive industries, contributing to a more green industry and life. Truss finite elements are still in use in many research/industrial codesfor their simple stiffness matrixand are naturally matching the requirements for cellular materials especially considering various 3D printing technologies. Optimality Criteria combined with Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization is the optimization method of choice, particularized for truss systems. Global locked structures areobtainedusinglocally locked lattice local organization, corresponding to structured or unstructured meshes. Post processing is important for downstream application of the method, to make a faster link to the CAD systems. To export the optimal structure in CATIA, a CATScript file is automatically generated. Results, findings and conclusions are given for two and three-dimensional cases.

Vibration-based monitoring for performance evaluation of flexible civil structures in Japan

PubMed Central

FUJINO, Yozo

2018-01-01

The vibration-based monitoring of flexible civil structures and performance evaluation from this monitoring are reviewed, with an emphasis on research and practice in Japan and the author’s experiences. Some new findings and unexpected vibrations from the monitoring of real bridges and buildings are reported to emphasize the importance of monitoring. Future developments and applications of vibration-based monitoring to civil infrastructure management are also described. Many examples are taken from the author’s past 30 years’ experience of research on bridge dynamics. PMID:29434082

Identification of high-level functional/system requirements for future civil transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swink, Jay R.; Goins, Richard T.

1992-01-01

In order to accommodate the rapid growth in commercial aviation throughout the remainder of this century, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is faced with a formidable challenge to upgrade and/or modernize the National Airspace System (NAS) without compromising safety or efficiency. A recurring theme in both the Aviation System Capital Investment Plan (CIP), which has replaced the NAS Plan, and the new FAA Plan for Research, Engineering, and Development (RE&D) rely on the application of new technologies and a greater use of automation. Identifying the high-level functional and system impacts of such modernization efforts on future civil transport operational requirements, particularly in terms of cockpit functionality and information transfer, was the primary objective of this project. The FAA planning documents for the NAS of the 2005 era and beyond were surveyed; major aircraft functional capabilities and system components required for such an operating environment were identified. A hierarchical structured analysis of the information processing and flows emanating from such functional/system components were conducted and the results documented in graphical form depicting the relationships between functions and systems.

Global Positioning System (GPS) civil signal monitoring (CSM) trade study report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-03-07

This GPS Civil Signal Monitoring (CSM) Trade Study has been performed at the direction of DOT/FAA Navigation Programs as the agency of reference for consolidating civil monitoring requirements on the Global Positioning System (GPS). The objective of ...

A Feminist Revisit to the First-Year Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernstein, Anita

1996-01-01

A seminar at Chicago-Kent College of Law (Illinois) that reviews six first-year law school courses by focusing on feminist issues in course content and structure is described. The seminar functions as both a review and a shift in perspective. Courses revisited include civil procedure, contracts, criminal law, justice and the legal system,…

Wireless technologies for the monitoring of strategic civil infrastructures: an ambient vibration test of the Faith Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picozzi, M.; Milkereit, C.; Zulfikar, C.; Ditommaso, R.; Erdik, M.; Safak, E.; Fleming, K.; Ozel, O.; Zschau, J.; Apaydin, N.

2008-12-01

The monitoring of strategic civil infrastructures to ensure their structural integrity is a task of major importance, especially in earthquake-prone areas. Classical approaches to such monitoring are based on visual inspections and the use of wired systems. While the former has the drawback that the structure is only superficially examined and discontinuously in time, wired systems are relatively expensive and time consuming to install. Today, however, wireless systems represent an advanced, easily installed and operated tool to be used for monitoring purposes, resulting in a wide and interesting range of possible applications. Within the framework of the earthquake early warning projects SAFER (Seismic eArly warning For EuRope) and EDIM (Earthquake Disaster Information systems for the Marmara Sea region, Turkey), new low-cost wireless sensors with the capability to automatically rearrange their communications scheme are being developed. The reduced sensitivity of these sensors, arising from the use of low-cost components, is compensated by the possibility of deploying high-density self-organizing networks performing real-time data acquisition and analysis. Thanks to the developed system's versatility, it has been possible to perform an experimental ambient vibration test with a network of 24 sensors on the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, Istanbul (Turkey), a gravity-anchored suspension bridge spanning the Bosphorus Strait with distance between its towers of 1090 m. Preliminary analysis of the data has demonstrated that the main modal properties of the bridge can be retrieved, and may therefore be regularly re-evaluated as part of a long-term monitoring program. Using a multi-hop communications technique, data could be exchanged among groups of sensors over distances of a few hundred meters. Thus, the test showed that, although more work is required to optimize the communication parameters, the performance of the network offers encouragement for us to follow this research direction in developing wireless systems for the monitoring of civil infrastructures.

Design of the optical structure of airfield in-pavement LED runway edge lights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaodan; Yang, Jianhong; Peng, Jun; Li, Lei

2017-02-01

Airfield lighting system is an important aiding system of civil aviation airport that guarantees the taking off, landing, taxiing of airplanes at night, with low visibility, or under other complicated weather conditions. In-pavement LED runway edge lights, with the highest degree of light intensity, are the most important lights for safe civil aviation and are most difficult to design within airfield lighting system. With LED as the source of light and the secondary optical design as the core, in light of basic laws of Fresnel loss and total reflection and the principles of edge-ray etendue conservation and the conservation of energy to design major optical elements as lens, prism of the lamp, the in-pavement LED runway edge lights design successfully solves the designing problem of high-power, high-intensity LED airfield lights with narrow beam angle at closed environment. This success is of great significance for the improvement of LED airfield lighting system in China.

Estimating mortality using data from civil registration: a cross-sectional study in India

PubMed Central

Rao, Chalapati; Lakshmi, PVM; Prinja, Shankar; Kumar, Rajesh

2016-01-01

Abstract Objective To analyse the design and operational status of India’s civil registration and vital statistics system and facilitate the system’s development into an accurate and reliable source of mortality data. Methods We assessed the national civil registration and vital statistics system’s legal framework, administrative structure and design through document review. We did a cross-sectional study for the year 2013 at national level and in Punjab state to assess the quality of the system’s mortality data through analyses of life tables and investigation of the completeness of death registration and the proportion of deaths assigned ill-defined causes. We interviewed registrars, medical officers and coders in Punjab state to assess their knowledge and practice. Findings Although we found the legal framework and system design to be appropriate, data collection was based on complex intersectoral collaborations at state and local level and the collected data were found to be of poor quality. The registration data were inadequate for a robust estimate of mortality at national level. A medically certified cause of death was only recorded for 965 992 (16.8%) of the 5 735 082 deaths registered. Conclusion The data recorded by India’s civil registration and vital statistics system in 2011 were incomplete. If improved, the system could be used to reliably estimate mortality. We recommend improving political support and intersectoral coordination, capacity building, computerization and state-level initiatives to ensure that every death is registered and that reliable causes of death are recorded – at least within an adequate sample of registration units within each state. PMID:26769992

Who Goes to School? School Enrollment Patterns in Somalia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moyi, Peter

2012-01-01

Somalia gained its independence in 1960; however, civil conflict broke out in 1991. The outbreak of civil conflict was the final blow for already collapsed education in Somalia. The civil conflict completely destroyed the remaining educational structure. Despite the protracted nature of the conflict Somalia has slowly been pushed out of the active…

Finite Element Modelling and Analysis of Damage Detection Methodology in Piezo Electric Sensor and Actuator Integrated Sandwich Cantilever Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pradeep, K. R.; Thomas, A. M.; Basker, V. T.

2018-03-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) is an essential component of futuristic civil, mechanical and aerospace structures. It detects the damages in system or give warning about the degradation of structure by evaluating performance parameters. This is achieved by the integration of sensors and actuators into the structure. Study of damage detection process in piezoelectric sensor and actuator integrated sandwich cantilever beam is carried out in this paper. Possible skin-core debond at the root of the cantilever beam is simulated and compared with undamaged case. The beam is actuated using piezoelectric actuators and performance differences are evaluated using Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensors. The methodology utilized is the voltage/strain response of the damaged versus undamaged beam against transient actuation. Finite element model of piezo-beam is simulated in ANSYSTM using 8 noded coupled field element, with nodal degrees of freedoms are translations in the x, y directions and voltage. An aluminium sandwich beam with a length of 800mm, thickness of core 22.86mm and thickness of skin 0.3mm is considered. Skin-core debond is simulated in the model as unmerged nodes. Reduction in the fundamental frequency of the damaged beam is found to be negligible. But the voltage response of the PVDF sensor under transient excitation shows significantly visible change indicating the debond. Piezo electric based damage detection system is an effective tool for the damage detection of aerospace and civil structural system having inaccessible/critical locations and enables online monitoring possibilities as the power requirement is minimal.

48 CFR 3.807 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Civil penalties. 3.807... Federal Transactions 3.807 Civil penalties. Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 3803 (except subsection (c...

48 CFR 3.807 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Civil penalties. 3.807... Federal Transactions 3.807 Civil penalties. Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 3803 (except subsection (c...

48 CFR 3.807 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Civil penalties. 3.807... Federal Transactions 3.807 Civil penalties. Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 3803 (except subsection (c...

48 CFR 3.807 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Civil penalties. 3.807... Federal Transactions 3.807 Civil penalties. Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 3803 (except subsection (c...

48 CFR 3.807 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Civil penalties. 3.807... Federal Transactions 3.807 Civil penalties. Agencies shall impose and collect civil penalties pursuant to the provisions of the Program Fraud and Civil Remedies Act, 31 U.S.C. 3803 (except subsection (c...

5 CFR 6.7 - Movement of persons between the civil service system and other merit systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE RULES EXCEPTIONS FROM THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE (RULE VI) § 6.7 Movement of persons... intent of the civil service laws and any other applicable laws, they may enter into an agreement...

5 CFR 6.7 - Movement of persons between the civil service system and other merit systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE RULES EXCEPTIONS FROM THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE (RULE VI) § 6.7 Movement of persons... intent of the civil service laws and any other applicable laws, they may enter into an agreement...

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Providence, Warwick, RI), U.S. Engineer Office, New York District, military reservation location of fortification structures, map no. 1, Fort Hanconck, New Jersey, July 29, 1944 Detail of western docking structure - U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook Station, Western Docking Structure, West of intersection of Canfield Road & Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ

76 FR 22613 - Privacy Act; Implementation

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-22

... system of records, DA&M 01, entitled, ``Civil Liberties Program Case Management System'' from subsections...) System identifier and name: DA&M 01, Civil Liberties Program Case Management System. (i) Exemptions...

The 10 MWe Solar Thermal Central Receiver Pilot Plant: Solar facilities design integration. Pilot-plant station manual (RADL Item 2-1). Volume 1: System description

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1982-09-01

The complete Barstow Solar Pilot Plant is described. The plant requirements and general description are presented, the mechanical, electric power, and control and instrumentation systems as well as civil engineering and structural aspects and the station buildings are described. Included in the mechanical systems are the heliostats, receiver, thermal storage system, beam characterization system, steam, water, nitrogen, and compressed air systems, chemical feed system, fire protection system, drains, sumps and the waste disposal systems, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems.

The Federal Civil Rights Enforcement Effort--1974. Volume II: To Provide ... For Fair Housing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buckley, Grace M.; And Others

This report evaluates the Civil Rights activities of seven federal agencies with fair housing responsibilities. It is the second of a series of six reports to be issued by the Commission on Civil Rights describing the structure, mechanisms, and procedures utilized by the federal departments and agencies in their effort to end discrimination…

The Federal Civil Rights Enforcement Effort--1974. Volume 5: To Eliminate Employment Discrimination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Whitney; And Others

This report evaluates the Civil Rights activities of four federal agencies considered to have major responsibilities for ensuring equal employment opportunity. It is the fifth of a series of seven reports to be issued by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights describing the structure, mechanisms, and procedures used by the federal departments and…

A peaceful realm? Trauma and social differentiation at Harappa.

PubMed

Robbins Schug, Gwen; Gray, Kelsey; Mushrif-Tripathy, V; Sankhyan, A R

Thousands of settlements stippled the third millennium B.C. landscape of Pakistan and northwest India. These communities maintained an extensive exchange network that spanned West and South Asia. They shared remarkably consistent symbolic and ideological systems despite a vast territory, including an undeciphered script, standardized weights, measures, sanitation and subsistence systems, and settlement planning. The city of Harappa (3300-1300B.C.) sits at the center of this Indus River Valley Civilization. The relatively large skeletal collection from Harappa offers an opportunity to examine biocultural aspects of urban life and its decline in South Asian prehistory. This paper compares evidence for cranial trauma among burial populations at Harappa through time to assess the hypothesis that Indus state formation occurred as a peaceful heterarchy. The prevalence and patterning of cranial injuries, combined with striking differences in mortuary treatment and demography among the three burial areas indicate interpersonal violence in Harappan society was structured along lines of gender and community membership. The results support a relationship at Harappa among urbanization, access to resources, social differentiation, and risk of interpersonal violence. Further, the results contradict the dehumanizing, unrealistic myth of the Indus Civilization as an exceptionally peaceful prehistoric urban civilization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Engineering science and mechanics; Proceedings of the International Symposium, Tainan, Republic of China, December 29-31, 1981. Parts 1 & 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsia, H.-M.; Chou, Y.-L.; Longman, R. W.

1983-07-01

The topics considered are related to measurements and controls in physical systems, the control of large scale and distributed parameter systems, chemical engineering systems, aerospace science and technology, thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, and computer applications. Subjects in structural dynamics are discussed, taking into account finite element approximations in transient analysis, buckling finite element analysis of flat plates, dynamic analysis of viscoelastic structures, the transient analysis of large frame structures by simple models, large amplitude vibration of an initially stressed thick plate, nonlinear aeroelasticity, a sensitivity analysis of a combined beam-spring-mass structure, and the optimal design and aeroelastic investigation of segmented windmill rotor blades. Attention is also given to dynamics and control of mechanical and civil engineering systems, composites, and topics in materials. For individual items see A83-44002 to A83-44061

Special Issue on Uncertainty Quantification in Multiscale System Design and Simulation

DOE PAGES

Wang, Yan; Swiler, Laura

2017-09-07

The importance of uncertainty has been recognized in various modeling, simulation, and analysis applications, where inherent assumptions and simplifications affect the accuracy of model predictions for physical phenomena. As model predictions are now heavily relied upon for simulation-based system design, which includes new materials, vehicles, mechanical and civil structures, and even new drugs, wrong model predictions could potentially cause catastrophic consequences. Therefore, uncertainty and associated risks due to model errors should be quantified to support robust systems engineering.

Special Issue on Uncertainty Quantification in Multiscale System Design and Simulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Yan; Swiler, Laura

The importance of uncertainty has been recognized in various modeling, simulation, and analysis applications, where inherent assumptions and simplifications affect the accuracy of model predictions for physical phenomena. As model predictions are now heavily relied upon for simulation-based system design, which includes new materials, vehicles, mechanical and civil structures, and even new drugs, wrong model predictions could potentially cause catastrophic consequences. Therefore, uncertainty and associated risks due to model errors should be quantified to support robust systems engineering.

Control of equipment isolation system using wavelet-based hybrid sliding mode control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shieh-Kung; Loh, Chin-Hsiung

2017-04-01

Critical non-structural equipment, including life-saving equipment in hospitals, circuit breakers, computers, high technology instrumentations, etc., is vulnerable to strong earthquakes, and on top of that, the failure of the vibration-sensitive equipment will cause severe economic loss. In order to protect vibration-sensitive equipment or machinery against strong earthquakes, various innovative control algorithms are developed to compensate the internal forces that to be applied. These new or improved control strategies, such as the control algorithms based on optimal control theory and sliding mode control (SMC), are also developed for structures engineering as a key element in smart structure technology. The optimal control theory, one of the most common methodologies in feedback control, finds control forces through achieving a certain optimal criterion by minimizing a cost function. For example, the linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) was the most popular control algorithm over the past three decades, and a number of modifications have been proposed to increase the efficiency of classical LQR algorithm. However, except to the advantage of simplicity and ease of implementation, LQR are susceptible to parameter uncertainty and modeling error due to complex nature of civil structures. Different from LQR control, a robust and easy to be implemented control algorithm, SMC has also been studied. SMC is a nonlinear control methodology that forces the structural system to slide along surfaces or boundaries; hence this control algorithm is naturally robust with respect to parametric uncertainties of a structure. Early attempts at protecting vibration-sensitive equipment were based on the use of existing control algorithms as described above. However, in recent years, researchers have tried to renew the existing control algorithms or developing a new control algorithm to adapt the complex nature of civil structures which include the control of both structures and non-structural components. The aim of this paper is to develop a hybrid control algorithm on the control of both structures and equipments simultaneously to overcome the limitations of classical feedback control through combining the advantage of classic LQR and SMC. To suppress vibrations with the frequency contents of strong earthquakes differing from the natural frequencies of civil structures, the hybrid control algorithms integrated with the wavelet-base vibration control algorithm is developed. The performance of classical, hybrid, and wavelet-based hybrid control algorithms as well as the responses of structure and non-structural components are evaluated and discussed through numerical simulation in this study.

Do Canadian Civil Servants Care About the Health of Populations?

PubMed Central

Lavis, John N.; Ross, Suzanne E.; Stoddart, Gregory L.; Hohenadel, Joanne M.; McLeod, Christopher B.; Evans, Robert G.

2003-01-01

Objectives. This article describes Canadian civil servants’ awareness of, attitudes toward, and self-reported use of ideas about the determinants of health. Methods. Federal and provincial civil servants in departments of finance, labor, social services, and health were surveyed. Results. With civil servants in finance departments a notable exception, most Canadian civil servants see the health of populations as a relevant outcome for their sectors. Many (65%) report that ideas about the determinants of health have already influenced policymaking in their sector, but most (83%) say they need more information about the health consequences of the policy alternatives their departments face. Conclusions. Civil servants should consider developing accountability structures for health and researchers should consider producing and transferring more policy-relevant research. PMID:12660214

Civil Society, Health, and Social Exclusion in Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Mahmud, Simeen

2009-01-01

Civil society has the potential to have a positive impact on social exclusion and health equity through active monitoring and increased accountability. This paper examines the role of civil society in Bangladesh to understand why this potential has not been realized. Looking at two models of civil society action—participation in decentralized public-sector service provision and academic think-tank data analysis—this analysis examines the barriers to positive civil society input into public policy decision-making. The role of non-governmental organizations, political, cultural and economic factors, and the influence of foreign bilateral and multilateral donors are considered. The paper concludes that, with a few exceptions, civil society in Bangladesh replicates the structural inequalities of society at large. PMID:19761087

Semi-active friction damper for buildings subject to seismic excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantilla, Juan S.; Solarte, Alexander; Gomez, Daniel; Marulanda, Johannio; Thomson, Peter

2016-04-01

Structural control systems are considered an effective alternative for reducing vibrations in civil structures and are classified according to their energy supply requirement: passive, semi-active, active and hybrid. Commonly used structural control systems in buildings are passive friction dampers, which add energy dissipation through damping mechanisms induced by sliding friction between their surfaces. Semi-Active Variable Friction Dampers (SAVFD) allow the optimum efficiency range of friction dampers to be enhanced by controlling the clamping force in real time. This paper describes the development and performance evaluation of a low-cost SAVFD for the reduction of vibrations of structures subject to earthquakes. The SAVFD and a benchmark structural control test structure were experimentally characterized and analytical models were developed and updated based on the dynamic characterization. Decentralized control algorithms were implemented and tested on a shaking table. Relative displacements and accelerations of the structure controlled with the SAVFD were 80% less than those of the uncontrolled structure

Nurturing the H in HR: Using Action Learning to Build Organisation Development Capability in the UK Civil Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hale, Richard; Saville, Martin

2014-01-01

In the UK, the Civil Service Reform Plan is being implemented with urgency. This requires Civil Service departments and agencies to reform their structures and ways of working in order to deliver effective services in a climate of economic austerity and rapid social and technological change. Historically, Human Resource (HR) professionals have…

Monitoring system of arch bridge for safety network management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joo, Bong Chul; Yoo, Young Jun; Lee, Chin Hyung; Park, Ki Tae; Hwang, Yoon Koog

2010-03-01

Korea has constructed the safety management network monitoring test systems for the civil infrastructure since 2006 which includes airport structure, irrigation structure, railroad structure, road structure, and underground structure. Bridges among the road structure include the various superstructure types which are Steel box girder bridge, suspension bridge, PSC-box-girder bridge, and arch bridge. This paper shows the process of constructing the real-time monitoring system for the arch bridge and the measured result by the system. The arch type among various superstructure types has not only the structural efficiency but the visual beauty, because the arch type superstructure makes full use of the feature of curve. The main measuring points of arch bridges composited by curved members make a difference to compare with the system of girder bridges composited by straight members. This paper also shows the method to construct the monitoring system that considers the characteristic of the arch bridge. The system now includes strain gauges and thermometers, and it will include various sensor types such as CCTV, accelerometers and so on additionally. For the long term and accuracy monitoring, the latest optical sensors and equipments are applied to the system.

The 1990 high-speed civil transport studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

This summary report contains the results of the Douglas Aircraft Company system studies related to High-Speed Civil Transports (HSCT's). The tasks were performed under an 18-month extension of NASA Langley Research Center Contract NAS1-18378. The system studies were conducted to assess the emission impact of HSCT's at design Mach numbers ranging from 1.6 to 3.2. The tasks specifically addressed an HSCT market and economic assessment, development of supersonic route networks, and an atmospheric emissions scenario. The general results indicated: (1) market projections predict sufficient passenger traffic for the 2000 to 2025 time period to support a fleet of economically viable and environmentally compatible HSCT's; (2) the HSCT route structure to minimize supersonic overland traffic can be increased by innovative routing to avoid land masses; and (3) the atmospheric emission impact on ozone would be significantly lower for Mach 1.6 operations than for Mach 3.2 operations.

Development, Stability and Legitimacy: Minority Education Reform in Myanmar

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-30

mobile_devices/ ch08s04.html. Lorch, Jasmin . “Myanmar’s Civil Society – a Patch for the National Education System? The Emergence of Civil...reform but beyond the scope of this paper. 21 Jasmin Lorch, “Myanmar’s Civil Society – a Patch for the National Education System? The Emergence of

48 CFR 25.407 - Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. 25.407 Section 25.407 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Trade Agreements 25.407 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. Under the authority of Section 303 of th...

48 CFR 25.407 - Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. 25.407 Section 25.407 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Trade Agreements 25.407 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. Under the authority of Section 303 of th...

48 CFR 25.407 - Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. 25.407 Section 25.407 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Trade Agreements 25.407 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. Under the authority of Section 303 of th...

48 CFR 25.407 - Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. 25.407 Section 25.407 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Trade Agreements 25.407 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. Under the authority of Section 303 of th...

The Emergence of Cambodian Civil Society within Global Educational Governance: A Morphogenetic Approach to Agency and Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, D. Brent, Jr.; Brehm, William C.

2015-01-01

This paper uses Margaret Archer's morphogenetic approach to analyze the emergence of civil society within global educational governance. The purpose is to understand the intersection of historical structures with global actors and spaces that have accompanied the globalization of education. Based on findings from a study on the impact in Cambodia…

Self-stress control of real civil engineering tensegrity structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kłosowska, Joanna; Obara, Paulina; Gilewski, Wojciech

2018-01-01

The paper introduces the impact of the self-stress level on the behaviour of the tensegrity truss structures. Displacements for real civil engineering tensegrity structures are analysed. Full-scale tensegrity tower Warnow Tower which consists of six Simplex trusses is considered in this paper. Three models consisting of one, two and six modules are analysed. The analysis is performed by the second and third order theory. Mathematica software and Sofistik programme is applied to the analysis.

A Survey of Corrosion and Conditions of Corrosion Protection Systems in Civil Works Structures of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

corrosion: coatings and cathodic protection (CP). Coatings consist of paints, epoxies, enamels , metalizing, and other coatings. CP is a chem- ical means...environmental factors such as water quality and resistivity. One of the major problems associated with lock gates is structural cracking in the...One of the problems described by Mr. Davis is fatigue crack growth resulting from the poor welding usually associated with stress risers and

Potential Information and Decision Support System Applications for a Civil Engineering RED HORSE Squadron.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

APPLICATIONS FOR A CIVIL ENGINEERILaG RED HORSE SQUADRON THESIS Arvil E. White III Captain, USAF AFIT/GE:4/LSM/87S-27 .... DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE...DT1TO-SJAN 0 419880 POTENTIAL INFORMATION AND DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEM APPLICATIONS FOR A CIVIL ENGINEERILiG RED HORSE SQUADRON IAooession For THESIS NI R...INFORMATION AND DECISION SUPPORT SYSTrEM APPLICATIONS FOR A CIVIL ENGINEERINGX :.. 4. RED HORSE SQUADRON - THESIS -4 Presented to the Faculty of the

Thin tailored composite wing for civil tiltrotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rais-Rohani, Masoud

1994-01-01

The tiltrotor aircraft is a flight vehicle which combines the efficient low speed (i.e., take-off, landing, and hover) characteristics of a helicopter with the efficient cruise speed of a turboprop airplane. A well-known example of such vehicle is the Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey. The high cruise speed and range constraints placed on the civil tiltrotor require a relatively thin wing to increase the drag-divergence Mach number which translates into lower compressibility drag. It is required to reduce the wing maximum thickness-to-chord ratio t/c from 23% (i.e., V-22 wing) to 18%. While a reduction in wing thickness results in improved aerodynamic efficiency, it has an adverse effect on the wing structure and it tends to reduce structural stiffness. If ignored, the reduction in wing stiffness leads to susceptibility to aeroelastic and dynamic instabilities which may consequently cause a catastrophic failure. By taking advantage of the directional stiffness characteristics of composite materials the wing structure may be tailored to have the necessary stiffness, at a lower thickness, while keeping the weight low. The goal of this study is to design a wing structure for minimum weight subject to structural, dynamic and aeroelastic constraints. The structural constraints are in terms of strength and buckling allowables. The dynamic constraints are in terms of wing natural frequencies in vertical and horizontal bending and torsion. The aeroelastic constraints are in terms of frequency placement of the wing structure relative to those of the rotor system. The wing-rotor-pylon aeroelastic and dynamic interactions are limited in this design study by holding the cruise speed, rotor-pylon system, and wing geometric attributes fixed. To assure that the wing-rotor stability margins are maintained a more rigorous analysis based on a detailed model of the rotor system will need to ensue following the design study. The skin-stringer-rib type architecture is used for the wing-box structure. The design variables include upper and lower skin ply thicknesses and orientation angles, spar and rib web thicknesses and cap areas, and stringer cross-sectional areas. These design variables will allow the maximum tailoring of the structure to meet the design requirements most efficiently. Initial dynamic analysis has been conducted using MSC/NASTRAN to determine the baseline wing's frequencies and mode shapes. For the design study we intend to use the finite-element based code called WIDOWAC (Wing Design Optimization With Aeroeastic Constraints) that was developed at NASA Langley in early 1970's for airplane wing structural analysis and preliminary design. Currently, the focus is on modification and validation of this code which will be used for the civil tiltrotor design efforts.

Engineer at Lehigh University Campaigns for More Construction Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler, David L.

1987-01-01

A civil engineering professor would like to see civil engineers spend less time looking at broken structures and more time testing construction materials, and has founded a research center for that purpose. (MSE)

[The Fernando Henrique Cardoso (FHC) and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula) governments and the policy for the civil servant workforce of the Brazilian government].

PubMed

Costa, Nilson do Rosario; Lamarca, Isabel

2013-06-01

This article analyzes the configuration of the active civil servant workforce of the Brazilian government during Fernando Henrique Cardoso - FHC - (1995-2002) and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva - Lula - (2003-2010) mandates. The article associates the condition of the workforce of the Brazilian government with the changes in the government coalition. The residual participation of the Ministry of Health (MOH) in the direct provision of public services influenced the downward trend of the federal workforce.The implementation of the Unified Health System (SUS) was strongly affected by the structural adjustment of the workforce at the federal level during the decades of 1990 and 2000.

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Providence, Warwick, RI), U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering, third district, marine railway, Sandy Hook Station, Ft. Hancock, Sandy Hook, NJ, repairs, plan sections & framing details, wharf B - U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook Station, Western Docking Structure, West of intersection of Canfield Road & Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ

24 CFR 3400.405 - Civil money penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Civil money penalties. 3400.405... URBAN DEVELOPMENT SAFE MORTGAGE LICENSING ACT Enforcement of HUD Licensing System § 3400.405 Civil money penalties. HUD may impose civil money penalties on a loan originator operating in any state which is subject...

24 CFR 3400.405 - Civil money penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Civil money penalties. 3400.405... URBAN DEVELOPMENT SAFE MORTGAGE LICENSING ACT Enforcement of HUD Licensing System § 3400.405 Civil money penalties. HUD may impose civil money penalties on a loan originator operating in any state which is subject...

28 CFR 16.89 - Exemption of Civil Division Systems-limited access.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... prosecution of grand jury, civil fraud, and other law enforcement matters, disclosure could compromise matters... affirmative enforcement actions based upon alleged violations of regulations or of civil or criminal laws... civil law enforcement purposes is exempted for the reasons set forth from the following subsections: (1...

28 CFR 16.89 - Exemption of Civil Division Systems-limited access.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... prosecution of grand jury, civil fraud, and other law enforcement matters, disclosure could compromise matters... affirmative enforcement actions based upon alleged violations of regulations or of civil or criminal laws... civil law enforcement purposes is exempted for the reasons set forth from the following subsections: (1...

28 CFR 16.89 - Exemption of Civil Division Systems-limited access.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... prosecution of grand jury, civil fraud, and other law enforcement matters, disclosure could compromise matters... affirmative enforcement actions based upon alleged violations of regulations or of civil or criminal laws... civil law enforcement purposes is exempted for the reasons set forth from the following subsections: (1...

28 CFR 16.89 - Exemption of Civil Division Systems-limited access.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... prosecution of grand jury, civil fraud, and other law enforcement matters, disclosure could compromise matters... affirmative enforcement actions based upon alleged violations of regulations or of civil or criminal laws... civil law enforcement purposes is exempted for the reasons set forth from the following subsections: (1...

28 CFR 16.89 - Exemption of Civil Division Systems-limited access.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... prosecution of grand jury, civil fraud, and other law enforcement matters, disclosure could compromise matters... affirmative enforcement actions based upon alleged violations of regulations or of civil or criminal laws... civil law enforcement purposes is exempted for the reasons set forth from the following subsections: (1...

49 CFR 233.11 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Civil penalties. 233.11 Section 233.11..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SIGNAL SYSTEMS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS § 233.11 Civil penalties. Any person (an... subject to a civil penalty of at least $650 and not more than $25,000 per violation, except that...

49 CFR 233.11 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Civil penalties. 233.11 Section 233.11..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SIGNAL SYSTEMS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS § 233.11 Civil penalties. Any person (an... subject to a civil penalty of at least $650 and not more than $25,000 per violation, except that...

49 CFR 233.11 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Civil penalties. 233.11 Section 233.11..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SIGNAL SYSTEMS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS § 233.11 Civil penalties. Any person (an... subject to a civil penalty of at least $650 and not more than $25,000 per violation, except that...

49 CFR 233.11 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Civil penalties. 233.11 Section 233.11..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SIGNAL SYSTEMS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS § 233.11 Civil penalties. Any person (an... subject to a civil penalty of at least $650 and not more than $25,000 per violation, except that...

24 CFR 3400.405 - Civil money penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Civil money penalties. 3400.405... URBAN DEVELOPMENT SAFE MORTGAGE LICENSING ACT Enforcement of HUD Licensing System § 3400.405 Civil money penalties. HUD may impose civil money penalties on a loan originator operating in any state which is subject...

49 CFR 233.11 - Civil penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Civil penalties. 233.11 Section 233.11..., DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SIGNAL SYSTEMS REPORTING REQUIREMENTS § 233.11 Civil penalties. Any person (an... subject to a civil penalty of at least $650 and not more than $25,000 per violation, except that...

Child restraint systems for civil aircraft.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-03-01

Child restraint systems have been developed to provide protection to children involved in automobile crashes. These systems are not yet approved for use in civil aircraft. Six typical systems were exposed to controlled impacts on a test sled to simul...

Children restraint systems for civil aircraft.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-03-01

Child restraint systems have been developed to provide protection to children involved in automobile crashes. These systems are not yet approved for use in civil aircraft. Six typical systems were exposed to controlled impacts on a test sled to simul...

Modeling, Analysis, and Optimization Issues for Large Space Structures.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

There are numerous opportunities - provided by new advances in computer hardware, firmware, software , CAD/CAM systems, computational algorithms and...Institute Department of Mechanical Engineering Dept. of Civil Engineering & Mechanics Troy, NY 12181 Drexel University Philadelphia, PA 19104 Dr...Mechanical Engineering Hampton, VA 23665 Washington, DC 20059 Dr. K. T. Alfriend Mr. Siva S. Banda Department of the Navy Flight Dynamics LaboratoryNaval

History and challenges of Brazilian social movements for the achievement of the right to adequate food.

PubMed

da Silva, Ana Carolina Feldenheimer; Recine, Elisabetta; Johns, Paula; Gomes, Fabio da Silva; Ferraz, Mariana de Araújo; Faerstein, Eduardo

2018-03-01

The historical struggles that Brazil faced to overcome malnutrition coincided with the empowerment of civil society and social movements which played a crucial role in the affirmation of health and food as social rights. After two decades under military dictatorship, Brazil went through a redemocratization process in the 1980s when activism emerged to demand spaces to participate in policy-making regarding the social agenda, including food and nutrition security (FNS). From 1988 onward institutional structures were established: the National Council of FNS (CONSEA) convenes government and civil society sectors to develop and monitor the implementation of policies, systems and actions. Social participation has been at the heart of structural changes achieved since then. Nevertheless, the country faces multiple challenges regarding FNS such as the double burden of disease, increasing use of pesticides and genetically modified seeds, weak regulation of ultra-processed products, and marketing practices that affect the environment, population health, and food sovereignty. This article aims at examining the development of the participatory political system and the role played by Brazilian social movements in the country's policies on FNS, in addition to outlining challenges faced by those policies.

The 1990 high-speed civil transport studies. Summary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

This report contains the results of the Douglas Aircraft Company system studies related to High-Speed Civil Transports (HSCT's). The tasks were performed under an 18-month extension of NASA Langley Research Center Contract NAS1-18378. The system studies were conducted to assess the emission impact of HSCT's at design Mach numbers ranging from 1.6 to 3.2. In particular, engine cycles were assessed regarding community noise and atmospheric emissions impact, and a HSCT route structure was developed. The general results indicated the following: (1) in the Mach number range 1.6 to 2.5, the development of polymer composite and discontinuous reinforced alumnium materials is essential to ensure a minimum operational weight; (2) the HSCT route structure to minimize supersonic overland can be increased by innovative routing to avoid land masses; (3) at least two engine concepts show promise in achieving sideline stage 3 noise limits; (4) two promising low-NO(x) combustor concepts were identified; (5) the atmospheric emission impact on ozone could be significantly lower for Mach 1.6 operations than for Mach 3.2 operations; and (6) sonic boom minimization concepts are maturing at an encouraging rate.

Laser based structural health monitoring for civil, mechanical, and aerospace systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohn, Hoon

2012-04-01

This paper provides an overview of ongoing laser ultrasonics based structural health monitoring (SHM) activities being performed by the author. Particular focus is given to (1) the development of a fully noncontact laser ultrasonic system that can easily visualize defects with high spatial resolution, (2) laser based wireless power and data transmission schemes for remote guided waves and impedance measurements, (3) minimization of false alarms due to varying operational and environmental conditions, and (4) extension to embedded laser ultrasonic excitation and sensing. SHM examples ranging from bridges to airplanes, as well as nuclear power plants, high-speed rails and wind turbines are also presented.

Exhaust Nozzle Materials Development for the High Speed Civil Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grady, J. E.

1999-01-01

The United States has embarked on a national effort to develop the technology necessary to produce a Mach 2.4 High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) for entry into service by the year 2005. The viability of this aircraft is contingent upon its meeting both economic and environmental requirements. Two engine components have been identified as critical to the environmental acceptability of the HSCT. These include a combustor with significantly lower emissions than are feasible with current technology, and a lightweight exhaust nozzle that meets community noise standards. The Enabling Propulsion Materials (EPM) program will develop the advanced structural materials, materials fabrication processes, structural analysis and life prediction tools for the HSCT combustor and low noise exhaust nozzle. This is being accomplished through the coordinated efforts of the NASA Lewis Research Center, General Electric Aircraft Engines and Pratt & Whitney. The mission of the EPM Exhaust Nozzle Team is to develop and demonstrate this technology by the year 1999 to enable its timely incorporation into HSCT propulsion systems.

Civil society organizations: capacity to address the needs of the urban poor in Nairobi.

PubMed

Ekirapa, Akaco; Mgomella, George S; Kyobutungi, Catherine

2012-11-01

We conducted a needs assessment that describes the landscape of civil society organizations (CSOs) in three informal settlements around Nairobi, Kenya. The numbers of CSOs have rapidly increased in areas underserved by governments including poor urban neighbourhoods but little is known about CSOs capacity to meet the priority health needs of the urban poor. It is also unclear why, despite a proliferation of CSOs, residents still experience unimproved health outcomes. We collected data on core activities, financial management, and governance structures. Of the 952 CSOs assessed, 47 per cent reported HIV/AIDS counselling, prevention, and treatment as their core activity. Most CSOs reported good financial management systems and governance structures but responses were not validated. Representation in district health stakeholder fora was low; most CSOs did not have the capacity to effectively deliver services that would have impact. For CSOs to realize the desired goal to improve the well-being of low-income populations, programmes to build their management capacity are essential.

High-sensitivity strain visualization using electroluminescence technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jian; Jo, Hongki

2016-04-01

Visualizing mechanical strain/stress changes is an emerging area in structural health monitoring. Several ways are available for strain change visualization through the color/brightness change of the materials subjected to the mechanical stresses, for example, using mechanoluminescence (ML) materials and mechanoresponsive polymers (MRP). However, these approaches were not effectively applicable for civil engineering system yet, due to insufficient sensitivity to low-level strain of typical civil structures and limitation in measuring both static and dynamic strain. In this study, design and validation for high-sensitivity strain visualization using electroluminescence technologies are presented. A high-sensitivity Wheatstone bridge, of which bridge balance is precisely controllable circuits, is used with a gain-adjustable amplifier. The monochrome electroluminescence (EL) technology is employed to convert both static and dynamic strain change into brightness/color change of the EL materials, through either brightness change mode (BCM) or color alternation mode (CAM). A prototype has been made and calibrated in lab, the linearity between strain and brightness change has been investigated.

GPS Civil Monitoring Performance Specification

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-02-10

This Civil Monitoring Performance Specification (CMPS) is published and maintained at : the direction of the Program Manager for Civil Applications, Global Positioning Systems : Wing (GPSW). The purpose of this document is to provide a comprehensive ...

49 CFR 235.9 - Civil penalty.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Civil penalty. 235.9 Section 235.9 Transportation... SIGNAL SYSTEM OR RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 236 § 235.9 Civil penalty. Any person (an entity of... violates any requirement of this part or causes the violation of any such requirement is subject to a civil...

49 CFR 235.9 - Civil penalty.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Civil penalty. 235.9 Section 235.9 Transportation... SIGNAL SYSTEM OR RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 236 § 235.9 Civil penalty. Any person (an entity of... violates any requirement of this part or causes the violation of any such requirement is subject to a civil...

49 CFR 235.9 - Civil penalty.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Civil penalty. 235.9 Section 235.9 Transportation... SIGNAL SYSTEM OR RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 236 § 235.9 Civil penalty. Any person (an entity of... violates any requirement of this part or causes the violation of any such requirement is subject to a civil...

49 CFR 235.9 - Civil penalty.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Civil penalty. 235.9 Section 235.9 Transportation... SIGNAL SYSTEM OR RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 236 § 235.9 Civil penalty. Any person (an entity of... violates any requirement of this part or causes the violation of any such requirement is subject to a civil...

49 CFR 235.9 - Civil penalty.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Civil penalty. 235.9 Section 235.9 Transportation... SIGNAL SYSTEM OR RELIEF FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF PART 236 § 235.9 Civil penalty. Any person (an entity of... violates any requirement of this part or causes the violation of any such requirement is subject to a civil...

Human respiratory considerations for civil transport aircraft oxygen system.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-01-01

This report is intended to acquaint personnel involved in the design, inspection, and maintenance of civil transport oxygen systems with the human respiratory requirements and oxygen system design considerations necessary to effect an interface and p...

Technology of civil usage of composites. [in commercial aircraft structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kemp, D. E.

1977-01-01

The paper deals with the use of advanced composites in structural components of commercial aircraft. The need for testing the response of a material system to service environment is discussed along with methods for evaluating design and manufacturing aspects of a built-up structure under environmental conditions and fail-safe (damage-tolerance) evaluation of structures. Crashworthiness aspects, the fire-hazard potential, and electrical damage of composite structures are considered. Practical operational experience with commercial aircraft is reviewed for boron/epoxy foreflaps, Kevlar/epoxy fillets and fairings, graphite/epoxy spoilers, graphite/polysulfone spoilers, graphite/epoxy floor posts, boron/aluminum aft pylon skin panels, graphite/epoxy engine nose cowl outer barrels, and graphite/epoxy upper aft rudder segments.

Flight simulator requirements for airline transport pilot training - An evaluation of motion system design alternatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, A. T.; Bussolari, S. R.

1986-01-01

The effect of motion platform systems on pilot behavior is considered with emphasis placed on civil aviation applications. A dynamic model for human spatial orientation based on the physiological structure and function of the human vestibular system is presented. Motion platform alternatives were evaluated on the basis of the following motion platform conditions: motion with six degrees-of-freedom required for Phase II simulators and two limited motion conditions. Consideration was given to engine flameout, airwork, and approach and landing scenarios.

Definition study of land/sea civil user navigational location monitoring systems for NAVSTAR GPS: User requirements and systems concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Devito, D. M.

1981-01-01

A low-cost GPS civil-user mobile terminal whose purchase cost is substantially an order of magnitude less than estimates for the military counterpart is considered with focus on ground station requirements for position monitoring of civil users requiring this capability and the civil user navigation and location-monitoring requirements. Existing survey literature was examined to ascertain the potential users of a low-cost NAVSTAR receiver and to estimate their number, function, and accuracy requirements. System concepts are defined for low cost user equipments for in-situ navigation and the retransmission of low data rate positioning data via a geostationary satellite to a central computing facility.

Prospects for a civil/military transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jobe, C. E.; Noggle, L. W.; Whitehead, A. H., Jr.

1978-01-01

The similarities and disparities between commercial and military payloads, design features, missions, and transport aircraft are enumerated. Two matrices of civil/military transport aircraft designs were evaluated to determine the most cost effective payloads for a projected commercial route structure and air freight market. The probability of this market developing and the prospects for alternate route structures and freight markets are evaluated along with the possible impact on the aircraft designs. Proposals to stimulate the market and increase the viability of the common aircraft concept are reviewed and the possible impact of higher cargo demand on prospects for common civil/military freighters is postulated. The implications of planned advanced technology developments on the aircraft performance and cost are also considered.

Multidisciplinary design integration system for a supersonic transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dovi, A. R.; Wrenn, G. A.; Barthelemy, J.-F. M.; Coen, P. G.; Hall, L. E.

1992-01-01

An aircraft preliminary design system which provides the multidisciplinary communications and couplings between several engineering disciplines is described. A primary benefit of this system is to demonstrate advanced technology multidisciplinary design integration methodologies. The current version includes the disciplines of aerodynamics and structures. Contributing engineering disciplines are coupled using the Global Sensitivity Equation approach to influence the global design optimization problem. A high speed civil transport configuration is used for configuration trade studies. Forty four independent design variables are used to control the cross-sectional areas of wing rib and spar caps and the thicknesses of wingskincover panels. A total of 300 stress, strain, buckling and displacement behavioral constraints and minimum gages on the design variables were used to optimize the idealized wing structure. The goal of the designs to resize the wing cover panels and internal structure for minimum mass.

Corrosion detection and evolution monitoring in reinforced concrete structures by the use of fiber Bragg grating sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali-Alvarez, S.; Ferdinand, P.; Magne, S.; Nogueira, R. P.

2013-04-01

Corrosion of reinforced bar (rebar) in concrete structures represents a major issue in civil engineering works, being its detection and evolution a challenge for the applied research. In this work, we present a new methodology to corrosion detection in reinforced concrete structures, by combining Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors with the electrochemical and physical properties of rebar in a simplified assembly. Tests in electrolytic solutions and concrete were performed for pitting and general corrosion. The proposed Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) methodology constitutes a direct corrosion measurement potentially useful to implement or improve Condition-Based Maintenance (CBM) program for civil engineering concrete structures.

Development of a systems theoretical procedure for evaluation of the work organization of the cockpit crew of a civil transport airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fricke, M.; Vees, C.

1983-01-01

To achieve optimum design for the man machine interface with aircraft, a description of the interaction and work organization of the cockpit crew is needed. The development of system procedure to evaluate the work organization of pilots while structuring the work process is examined. Statistical data are needed to simulate sequences of pilot actions on the computer. Investigations of computer simulation and applicability for evaluation of crew concepts are discussed.

Introduction: Man and his total environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Environmental changes and the utilization of finite resources are analyzed. Beyond the satisfaction of basic physical needs, the advancement of civilization toward an ever-improving quality of like is likewise dependent upon mans' interaction with his entire environment. This larger system is controlled externally by electromagnetic and particle energy from the sun and internally by the dynamic interchange of energy between the solid earth, oceans, the atmosphere, and the magnetosphere. This exchange of energy that determines the structure of the earth's environemental system is evaluated.

A Sensor Data Fusion System Based on k-Nearest Neighbor Pattern Classification for Structural Health Monitoring Applications

PubMed Central

Vitola, Jaime; Pozo, Francesc; Tibaduiza, Diego A.; Anaya, Maribel

2017-01-01

Civil and military structures are susceptible and vulnerable to damage due to the environmental and operational conditions. Therefore, the implementation of technology to provide robust solutions in damage identification (by using signals acquired directly from the structure) is a requirement to reduce operational and maintenance costs. In this sense, the use of sensors permanently attached to the structures has demonstrated a great versatility and benefit since the inspection system can be automated. This automation is carried out with signal processing tasks with the aim of a pattern recognition analysis. This work presents the detailed description of a structural health monitoring (SHM) system based on the use of a piezoelectric (PZT) active system. The SHM system includes: (i) the use of a piezoelectric sensor network to excite the structure and collect the measured dynamic response, in several actuation phases; (ii) data organization; (iii) advanced signal processing techniques to define the feature vectors; and finally; (iv) the nearest neighbor algorithm as a machine learning approach to classify different kinds of damage. A description of the experimental setup, the experimental validation and a discussion of the results from two different structures are included and analyzed. PMID:28230796

A Sensor Data Fusion System Based on k-Nearest Neighbor Pattern Classification for Structural Health Monitoring Applications.

PubMed

Vitola, Jaime; Pozo, Francesc; Tibaduiza, Diego A; Anaya, Maribel

2017-02-21

Civil and military structures are susceptible and vulnerable to damage due to the environmental and operational conditions. Therefore, the implementation of technology to provide robust solutions in damage identification (by using signals acquired directly from the structure) is a requirement to reduce operational and maintenance costs. In this sense, the use of sensors permanently attached to the structures has demonstrated a great versatility and benefit since the inspection system can be automated. This automation is carried out with signal processing tasks with the aim of a pattern recognition analysis. This work presents the detailed description of a structural health monitoring (SHM) system based on the use of a piezoelectric (PZT) active system. The SHM system includes: (i) the use of a piezoelectric sensor network to excite the structure and collect the measured dynamic response, in several actuation phases; (ii) data organization; (iii) advanced signal processing techniques to define the feature vectors; and finally; (iv) the nearest neighbor algorithm as a machine learning approach to classify different kinds of damage. A description of the experimental setup, the experimental validation and a discussion of the results from two different structures are included and analyzed.

Time evolution of pore system in lime - Pozzolana composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doleželová, Magdaléna; Čáchová, Monika; Scheinherrová, Lenka; Keppert, Martin

2017-11-01

The lime - pozzolana mortars and plasters are used in restoration works on building cultural heritage but these materials are also following the trend of energy - efficient solutions in civil engineering. Porosity and pore size distribution is one of crucial parameters influencing engineering properties of porous materials. The pore size distribution of lime based system is changing in time due to chemical processes occurring in the material. The present paper describes time evolution of pore system in lime - pozzolana composites; the obtained results are useful in prediction of performance of lime - pozzolana systems in building structures.

The factor structure of the 12-item general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) in young Chinese civil servants.

PubMed

Liang, Ying; Wang, Lei; Yin, Xican

2016-09-26

The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) is a commonly used screening instrument for measuring mental disorders. However, few studies have measured the mental health of Chinese professionals or explored the factor structure of the GHQ-12 through investigations of young Chinese civil servants. This study analyses the factor structure of the GHQ-12 on young Chinese civil servants. Respondents include 1051 participants from six cities in eastern China. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) is used to identify the potential factor structure of the GHQ-12. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) models of previous studies are referred to for model fitting. The results indicate the GHQ-12 has very good reliability and validity. All ten CFA models are well fitted with the actual data. All the ten models are feasible and fit the data equally well. The Chinese version of the GHQ-12 is suitable for professional groups and can serve as a screening tool to detect anxiety and psychiatric disorders.

[Code of civil procedure for medical workers -the essential principles of proceedings and expediting of trials-].

PubMed

Kageyama, Kyoko; Jimba, Koichi; Hashimoto, Satoru

2013-04-01

Code of civil procedure is started when a plaintiff appeals to the law. Conversely, if a suit is not appealed, it is not started. We explain the essential principles of the code of civil procedure, and present systems associated with expediting trials (a brief, preliminary oral arguments, preparatory proceedings, inquiry to opponent, organized proceedings, technical adviser system, etc.). Amendment of law is repeated for the purpose of aiming suitably expediting trials. We should utilize the present code of civil procedure suitably, and expect the quick conclusion of trials.

Preliminary structural sizing of a Mach 3.0 high-speed civil transport model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blackburn, Charles L.

1992-01-01

An analysis has been performed pertaining to the structural resizing of a candidate Mach 3.0 High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) conceptual design using a computer program called EZDESIT. EZDESIT is a computer program which integrates the PATRAN finite element modeling program to the COMET finite element analysis program for the purpose of calculating element sizes or cross sectional dimensions. The purpose of the present report is to document the procedure used in accomplishing the preliminary structural sizing and to present the corresponding results.

GPS/REFSAT definition study report for low-cost terminals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

A relay transponder, located either on a satellite in geostationary orbit or on a local tower to relay acquisition-aiding data, ephemerides, etc, from a ground-based remote control station to a GPS civil user terminal located on a ship or land-transportation vehicle is described. Termed REFSAT (Reference Satellite), this concept reduces the circuit complexity and cost of user terminals. The various systems needed to implement the REFSAT concept for low-cost, GPS civil terminals are defined. The GPS/REFSAT system compatible with the NAVSTAR GPS system consists of a geostationary relay satellite, civil user terminals, and the central facility which performs operations common to all users for relay via the space segment. A GPS/REFSAT system utilizing a local tower for the relay transponder is described, results of a study of civil user requirements are presented, and specifications for the GPS/REFSAT system and its individual segments are included.

Vibration-based health monitoring and model refinement of civil engineering structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farrar, C.R.; Doebling, S.W.

1997-10-01

Damage or fault detection, as determined by changes in the dynamic properties of structures, is a subject that has received considerable attention in the technical literature beginning approximately 30 years ago. The basic idea is that changes in the structure`s properties, primarily stiffness, will alter the dynamic properties of the structure such as resonant frequencies and mode shapes, and properties derived from these quantities such as modal-based flexibility. Recently, this technology has been investigated for applications to health monitoring of large civil engineering structures. This presentation will discuss such a study undertaken by engineers from New Mexico Sate University, Sandiamore » National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Experimental modal analyses were performed in an undamaged interstate highway bridge and immediately after four successively more severe damage cases were inflicted in the main girder of the structure. Results of these tests provide insight into the abilities of modal-based damage ID methods to identify damage and the current limitations of this technology. Closely related topics that will be discussed are the use of modal properties to validate computer models of the structure, the use of these computer models in the damage detection process, and the general lack of experimental investigation of large civil engineering structures.« less

ShakeNet: a portable wireless sensor network for instrumenting large civil structures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kohler, Monica D.; Hao, Shuai; Mishra, Nilesh; Govindan, Ramesh; Nigbor, Robert

2015-08-03

We report our findings from a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program-funded project to develop and test a wireless, portable, strong-motion network of up to 40 triaxial accelerometers for structural health monitoring. The overall goal of the project was to record ambient vibrations for several days from USGS-instrumented structures. Structural health monitoring has important applications in fields like civil engineering and the study of earthquakes. The emergence of wireless sensor networks provides a promising means to such applications. However, while most wireless sensor networks are still in the experimentation stage, very few take into consideration the realistic earthquake engineering application requirements. To collect comprehensive data for structural health monitoring for civil engineers, high-resolution vibration sensors and sufficient sampling rates should be adopted, which makes it challenging for current wireless sensor network technology in the following ways: processing capabilities, storage limit, and communication bandwidth. The wireless sensor network has to meet expectations set by wired sensor devices prevalent in the structural health monitoring community. For this project, we built and tested an application-realistic, commercially based, portable, wireless sensor network called ShakeNet for instrumentation of large civil structures, especially for buildings, bridges, or dams after earthquakes. Two to three people can deploy ShakeNet sensors within hours after an earthquake to measure the structural response of the building or bridge during aftershocks. ShakeNet involved the development of a new sensing platform (ShakeBox) running a software suite for networking, data collection, and monitoring. Deployments reported here on a tall building and a large dam were real-world tests of ShakeNet operation, and helped to refine both hardware and software. 

Job Prospects for Civil Engineers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Basta, Nicholas

1985-01-01

Government programs and renewed industrial activity have combined with stable enrollments to create bright job prospects for civil engineers. Areas with good opportunities include highway reconstruction and rehabilitation, water-resource management, and new factory construction. The subspecialty of structural engineering has a growing need in…

Microgravity Vibration Control and Civil Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whorton, Mark Stephen; Alhorn, Dean Carl

1998-01-01

Controlling vibration of structures is essential for both space structures as well as terrestrial structures. Due to the ambient acceleration levels anticipated for the International Space Station, active vibration isolation is required to provide a quiescent acceleration environment for many science experiments. An overview is given of systems developed and flight tested in orbit for microgravity vibration isolation. Technology developed for vibration control of flexible space structures may also be applied to control of terrestrial structures such as buildings and bridges subject to wind loading or earthquake excitation. Recent developments in modern robust control for flexible space structures are shown to provide good structural vibration control while maintaining robustness to model uncertainties. Results of a mixed H-2/H-infinity control design are provided for a benchmark problem in structural control for earthquake resistant buildings.

Status of Civil Judicial Consent Decrees Addressing Combined Sewer Systems (CSOs)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Tracking table of civil consent decrees for combined sewer systems (CSOs). This supports the National Enforcement Initiative (NEI) for Keeping Raw Sewage and Contaminated Stormwater Out of Our Nation's Waters.

[Prehospital medical care organization during the 2003 G8 summit: a new concept of Mobile Medical Squadrons (MMS)].

PubMed

Carron, P-N; Yersin, B; Fishman, D; Ribordy, V

2005-06-01

The occurrence of the 2003 G8 summit in Evian and the threat of major civil riots or even terrorist attacks in the Swiss neighbourhood forced us to imagine a new system of rescue and medical care in case of numerous victims. Previous occurrences of the G8 in Europe or America have demonstrated the need of flexible and mobile structures, able to respond quickly to crowd movements, unlike the usual static structure of rescue systems designed for major accidents. We developed a new concept of Mobile Medical Squadrons (MMS) consisting of several vehicles and medical care and rescue human resources. In our concept, each MMS consisted of 3 emergency doctors, 5 paramedics and 9 first-aid workers. They were designed to handle 15 patients, with a large autonomy in terms of rescue, medical care, evacuation and medical authority. The equipment included medical, resuscitation, simple decontamination, evacuation and communication materials. The MMS were dispatched four times during the G8 summit following civil riots. They took care of 12 injured patients. The concept of MMS as a reinforcement of the existing rescue and health care resources appears as a new flexible, a modular and useful concept for the medical management of collective prehospital emergency situations. Its use is suggested instead of the traditional static concept of rescue systems designed for major accidents.

A Proposal for the use of the Consortium Method in the Design-build system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyatake, Ichiro; Kudo, Masataka; Kawamata, Hiroyuki; Fueta, Toshiharu

In view of the necessity for efficient implementation of public works projects, it is expected to utilize advanced technical skills of private firms, for the purpose of reducing project costs, improving performance and functions of construction objects, and reducing work periods, etc. The design-build system is a method to order design and construction as a single contract, including design of structural forms and main specifications of the construction object. This is a system in which high techniques of private firms can be utilized, as a means to ensure qualities of design and construction, rational design, and efficiency of the project. The objective of this study is to examine the use of a method to form a consortium of civil engineering consultants and construction companies, as it is an issue related to the implementation of the design-build method. Furthermore, by studying various forms of consortiums to be introduced in future, it proposes procedural items required to utilize this method, during the bid and after signing a contract, such as the estimate submission from the civil engineering consultants etc.

High-speed civil transport study. Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

A system of study of the potential for a high speed commercial transport aircraft addressed technology, economic, and environmental constraints. Market projections indicated a need for fleets of transport with supersonic or greater cruise speeds by the years 2000 to 2005. The associated design requirements called for a vehicle to carry 250 to 300 passengers over a range of 5000 to 6000 nautical miles. The study was initially unconstrained in terms of vehicle characteristics, such as cruise speed, propulsion systems, fuels, or structural materials. Analyses led to a focus on the most promising vehicle concepts. These were concepts that used a kerosene type fuel and cruised at Mach numbers between 2.0 to 3.2. Further systems study identified the impact of environmental constraints (for community noise, sonic boom, and engine emissions) on economic attractiveness and technological needs. Results showed that current technology cannot produce a viable high speed civil transport. Significant advances are needed to take off gross weight and allow for both economic attractiveness and environment acceptability. Specific technological requirements were identified to meet these needs.

High-speed civil transport study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

A system study of the potential for a high-speed commercial transport has addressed technological, economic, and environmental constraints. Market projections indicate a need for fleets of transports with supersonic or greater cruise speeds by the year 2000 to 2005. The associated design requirements called for a vehicle to carry 250 to 300 passengers over a range of 5,000 to 6,000 nautical miles. The study was initially unconstrained in terms of vehicle characteristic, such as cruise speed, propulsion systems, fuels, or structural materials. Analyses led to a focus on the most promising vehicle concepts. These were concepts that used a kerosene-type fuel and cruised at Mach numbers between 2.0 to 3.2. Further systems study identified the impact of environmental constraints (for community noise, sonic boom, and engine emissions) on economic attractiveness and technological needs. Results showed that current technology cannot produce a viable high-speed civil transport; significant advances are required to reduce takeoff gross weight and allow for both economic attractiveness and environmental accepatability. Specific technological requirements were identified to meet these needs.

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Providence, Warwick, RI), U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering, third district, Sandy Hook L/B Station, Fort Hancock, NJ, boathouse, plot plan, floor plan, elevation. & section., November 8, 1963 Proposed boathouse wharf B, L.A.S. building shown on wharf A - U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook Station, Western Docking Structure, West of intersection of Canfield Road & Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Providence, Warwick, RI), U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering, third district, Sandy Hook L/B Station, Sandy Hook N.J., buoy hoist installation and bldg alterations, January 3, 1952 Details of 4 ton hoist and building, wharf B - U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook Station, Western Docking Structure, West of intersection of Canfield Road & Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of plan (in collection of U.S. Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Providence, Warwick, RI) U.S. Coast Guard, shore maintenance detachment, New York, mooring facilities for 110 WPB's Station Sandy Hook, Middletown Township, New Jersey, civil demolition of wharf & pier E December 22, 1988 detail of framing and decking wharf B - U.S. Coast Guard Sandy Hook Station, Western Docking Structure, West of intersection of Canfield Road & Hartshorne Drive, Highlands, Monmouth County, NJ

Visualization and Analysis of Wireless Sensor Network Data for Smart Civil Structure Applications Based On Spatial Correlation Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhry, Bhawani Shankar; White, Neil M.; Jeswani, Jai Kumar; Dayo, Khalil; Rathi, Manorma

2009-07-01

Disasters affecting infrastructure, such as the 2001 earthquakes in India, 2005 in Pakistan, 2008 in China and the 2004 tsunami in Asia, provide a common need for intelligent buildings and smart civil structures. Now, imagine massive reductions in time to get the infrastructure working again, realtime information on damage to buildings, massive reductions in cost and time to certify that structures are undamaged and can still be operated, reductions in the number of structures to be rebuilt (if they are known not to be damaged). Achieving these ideas would lead to huge, quantifiable, long-term savings to government and industry. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can be deployed in buildings to make any civil structure both smart and intelligent. WSNs have recently gained much attention in both public and research communities because they are expected to bring a new paradigm to the interaction between humans, environment, and machines. This paper presents the deployment of WSN nodes in the Top Quality Centralized Instrumentation Centre (TQCIC). We created an ad hoc networking application to collect real-time data sensed from the nodes that were randomly distributed throughout the building. If the sensors are relocated, then the application automatically reconfigures itself in the light of the new routing topology. WSNs are event-based systems that rely on the collective effort of several micro-sensor nodes, which are continuously observing a physical phenomenon. WSN applications require spatially dense sensor deployment in order to achieve satisfactory coverage. The degree of spatial correlation increases with the decreasing inter-node separation. Energy consumption is reduced dramatically by having only those sensor nodes with unique readings transmit their data. We report on an algorithm based on a spatial correlation technique that assures high QoS (in terms of SNR) of the network as well as proper utilization of energy, by suppressing redundant data transmission. The visualization and analysis of WSN data are presented in a Windows-based user interface.

The Cloud2SM Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crinière, Antoine; Dumoulin, Jean; Mevel, Laurent; Andrade-Barosso, Guillermo; Simonin, Matthieu

2015-04-01

From the past decades the monitoring of civil engineering structure became a major field of research and development process in the domains of modelling and integrated instrumentation. This increasing of interest can be attributed in part to the need of controlling the aging of such structures and on the other hand to the need to optimize maintenance costs. From this standpoint the project Cloud2SM (Cloud architecture design for Structural Monitoring with in-line Sensors and Models tasking), has been launched to develop a robust information system able to assess the long term monitoring of civil engineering structures as well as interfacing various sensors and data. The specificity of such architecture is to be based on the notion of data processing through physical or statistical models. Thus the data processing, whether material or mathematical, can be seen here as a resource of the main architecture. The project can be divided in various items: -The sensors and their measurement process: Those items provide data to the main architecture and can embed storage or computational resources. Dependent of onboard capacity and the amount of data generated it can be distinguished heavy and light sensors. - The storage resources: Based on the cloud concept this resource can store at least two types of data, raw data and processed ones. - The computational resources: This item includes embedded "pseudo real time" resources as the dedicated computer cluster or computational resources. - The models: Used for the conversion of raw data to meaningful data. Those types of resources inform the system of their needs they can be seen as independents blocks of the system. - The user interface: This item can be divided in various HMI to assess maintaining operation on the sensors or pop-up some information to the user. - The demonstrators: The structures themselves. This project follows previous research works initiated in the European project ISTIMES [1]. It includes the infrared thermal monitoring of civil engineering structures [2-3] and/or the vibration monitoring of such structures [4-5]. The chosen architecture is based on the OGC standard in order to ensure the interoperability between the various measurement systems. This concept is extended to the notion of physical models. The last but not the least main objective of this project is to explore the feasibility and the reliability to deploy mathematical models and process a large amount of data using the GPGPU capacity of a dedicated computational cluster, while studying OGC standardization to those technical concepts. References [1] M. Proto et al., « Transport Infrastructure surveillance and Monitoring by Electromagnetic Sensing: the ISTIMES project », Journal Sensors, Sensors 2010, 10(12), 10620-10639; doi:10.3390/s101210620, December 2010. [2] J. Dumoulin, A. Crinière, R. Averty ," Detection and thermal characterization of the inner structure of the "Musmeci" bridge deck by infrared thermography monitoring ",Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, Volume 10, Number 2, 17 pages ,November 2013, IOP Science, doi:10.1088/1742-2132/10/6/064003. [3] J Dumoulin and V Boucher; "Infrared thermography system for transport infrastructures survey with inline local atmospheric parameter measurements and offline model for radiation attenuation evaluations," J. Appl. Remote Sens., 8(1), 084978 (2014). doi:10.1117/1.JRS.8.084978. [4] V. Le Cam, M. Doehler, M. Le Pen, L. Mevel. "Embedded modal analysis algorithms on the smart wireless sensor platform PEGASE", In Proc. 9th International Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring, Stanford, CA, USA, 2013. [5] M. Zghal, L. Mevel, P. Del Moral, "Modal parameter estimation using interacting Kalman filter", Mechanical Systems and Signal Processing, 2014.

Expert systems in civil engineering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kostem, C.N.; Maher, M.L.

1986-01-01

This book presents the papers given at a symposium on expert systems in civil engineering. Topics considered at the symposium included problem solving using expert system techniques, construction schedule analysis, decision making and risk analysis, seismic risk analysis systems, an expert system for inactive hazardous waste site characterization, an expert system for site selection, knowledge engineering, and knowledge-based expert systems in seismic analysis.

Changing Families Changing Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evans, Robert

The decline in civility, social responsibility, and institutional affiliation challenges the nature of schooling. Child development in the 1990s family is under pressure from changes that deny children the three basic essentials (nurture, structure, and latitude) for psychological health, effective learning, and civility, and that require children…

Damage detection of civil infrastructures with piezoelectric oscillator sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roh, Y. R.; Kim, D. Y.; Park, S. H.; Yun, C. B.

2006-03-01

Many researches have been reported on the condition monitoring of civil infrastructures by means of piezoelectric sensors. Most of them made use of the impedance change of the piezoelectric device in relation to the creation of internal damages to the structure. The impedance measurement is a well accepted method in the piezoelectric sensor area, and has been proved by many authors to be useful for civil structure diagnosis. However, the impedance measurement normally requires sophisticated equipment and analysis technology. For more general and wide application of the piezoelectric diagnosis tool, a new methodology is desired to overcome the limitations of the impedance measurement. This paper presents the feasibility of a piezoelectric oscillator sensor to detect the damages in civil infrastructures. The oscillator sensor is composed of an electronic feedback oscillator circuit and a piezoelectric thickness mode vibrator to be attached to the structure of interest. Damage to the structure causes a change in the impedance spectrum of the structure, which results in a corresponding change of the resonant frequency of the structure. The oscillator sensors can instantly detect the frequency change in a very simple manner. Feasibility of the piezoelectric oscillator sensor was verified in this work with a sample aluminum plate where artificial cracks of different depth were imposed in sequence. Validity of the measurement was confirmed through comparison of the experimental data with the results of finite element analyses of the plate with cracks. Performance of the oscillator sensor was also compared with that of its conventional counterpart, i.e. impedance measurement, to manifest the superiority of the oscillator sensor.

Semi Active Control of Civil Structures, Analytical and Numerical Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerboua, M.; Benguediab, M.; Megnounif, A.; Benrahou, K. H.; Kaoulala, F.

Structural control for civil structures was born out of a need to provide safer and more efficient designs with the reality of limited resources. The purpose of structural control is to absorb and to reflect the energy introduced by dynamic loads such as winds, waves, earthquakes, and traffic. Today, the protection of civil structures from severe dynamic loading is typically achieved by allowing the structures to be damaged. Semi-active control devices, also called "smart" control devices, assume the positive aspects of both the passive and active control devices. A semi-active control strategy is similar to the active control strategy. Only here, the control actuator does not directly apply force to the structure, but instead it is used to control the properties of a passive energy device, a controllable passive damper. Semi-active control strategies can be used in many of the same civil applications as passive and active control. One method of operating smart cable dampers is in a purely passive capacity, supplying the dampers with constant optimal voltage. The advantages to this strategy are the relative simplicity of implementing the control strategy as compared to a smart or active control strategy and that the dampers are more easily optimally tuned in- place, eliminating the need to have passive dampers with unique optimal damping coefficients. This research investigated semi-active control of civil structures for natural hazard mitigation. The research has two components, the seismic protection of buildings and the mitigation of wind-induced vibration in structures. An ideal semi-active motion equation of a composite beam that consists of a cantilever beam bonded with a PZT patch using Hamilton's principle and Galerkin's method was treated. A series R-L and a parallel R-L shunt circuits are coupled into the motion equation respectively by means of the constitutive relation of piezoelectric material and Kirchhoff's law to control the beam vibration. A numerical example of the parallel R-L piezoelectric vibration shunt control simulated with MATLAB® is presented. An analytical study of the resistor-inductor (R-L) passive piezoelectric vibration shunt control of a cantilever beam was undertaken. The modal and strain analyses were performed by varying the material properties and geometric configurations of the piezoelectric transducer in relation to the structure in order to maximize the mechanical strain produced in the piezoelectric transducer.

Current Technology for Thermal Protection Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scotti, Stephen J. (Compiler)

1992-01-01

Interest in thermal protection systems for high-speed vehicles is increasing because of the stringent requirements of such new projects as the Space Exploration Initiative, the National Aero-Space Plane, and the High-Speed Civil Transport, as well as the needs for improved capabilities in existing thermal protection systems in the Space Shuttle and in turbojet engines. This selection of 13 papers from NASA and industry summarizes the history and operational experience of thermal protection systems utilized in the national space program to date, and also covers recent development efforts in thermal insulation, refractory materials and coatings, actively cooled structures, and two-phase thermal control systems.

A vision-based system for measuring the displacements of large structures: Simultaneous adaptive calibration and full motion estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, C. Almeida; Costa, C. Oliveira; Batista, J.

2016-05-01

The paper describes a kinematic model-based solution to estimate simultaneously the calibration parameters of the vision system and the full-motion (6-DOF) of large civil engineering structures, namely of long deck suspension bridges, from a sequence of stereo images captured by digital cameras. Using an arbitrary number of images and assuming a smooth structure motion, an Iterated Extended Kalman Filter is used to recursively estimate the projection matrices of the cameras and the structure full-motion (displacement and rotation) over time, helping to meet the structure health monitoring fulfilment. Results related to the performance evaluation, obtained by numerical simulation and with real experiments, are reported. The real experiments were carried out in indoor and outdoor environment using a reduced structure model to impose controlled motions. In both cases, the results obtained with a minimum setup comprising only two cameras and four non-coplanar tracking points, showed a high accuracy results for on-line camera calibration and structure full motion estimation.

Light weight, high-speed, and self-powered wireless fiber optic sensor (WiFOS) structural health monitor system for avionics and aerospace environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, Edgar A.; Kempen, Cornelia; Sun, Sunjian; Esterkin, Yan

2014-09-01

This paper describes recent progress towards the development of an innovative light weight, high-speed, and selfpowered wireless fiber optic sensor (WiFOS™) structural health monitor system suitable for the onboard and in-flight unattended detection, localization, and classification of load, fatigue, and structural damage in advanced composite materials commonly used in avionics and aerospace systems. The WiFOS™ system is based on ROI's advancements on monolithic photonic integrated circuit microchip technology, integrated with smart power management, on-board data processing, wireless data transmission optoelectronics, and self-power using energy harvesting tools such as solar, vibration, thermoelectric, and magneto-electric. The self-powered, wireless WiFOS™ system offers a versatile and powerful SHM tool to enhance the reliability and safety of avionics platforms, jet fighters, helicopters, commercial aircraft that use lightweight composite material structures, by providing comprehensive information about the structural integrity of the structure from a large number of locations. Immediate SHM applications are found in rotorcraft and aircraft, ships, submarines, and in next generation weapon systems, and in commercial oil and petrochemical, aerospace industries, civil structures, power utilities, portable medical devices, and biotechnology, homeland security and a wide spectrum of other applications.

The Relevance of Finding a Solution to the Problem of Allegations Validation in the Conditions of Legal Culture Formation in Civil Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akhmetov, Arman S.; Muchkin, Dmitriy P.; Utyubayev, Elnar Sh.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to identify and provide a clear idea about the helpful ways in determining the truth (or reliability) of arguments in the situations where it is necessary to make a decision. In this paper, we use systemic, structural-functional, activity approaches, methods of analysis, synthesis, moreover we discuss the works of…

5 CFR 831.2202 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... computing the present value are those used by the Board of Actuaries of the Civil Service Retirement System for valuation of the System, based on dynamic assumptions. The present value factors are unisex... based on mortality rates for non-disability annuitants under the Civil Service Retirement System; and (b...

Integrated structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrar, Charles R.; Sohn, Hoon; Fugate, Michael L.; Czarnecki, Jerry J.

2001-07-01

Structural health monitoring is the implementation of a damage detection strategy for aerospace, civil and mechanical engineering infrastructure. Typical damage experienced by this infrastructure might be the development of fatigue cracks, degradation of structural connections, or bearing wear in rotating machinery. The goal of the research effort reported herein is to develop a robust and cost-effective structural health monitoring solution by integrating and extending technologies from various engineering and information technology disciplines. It is the author's opinion that all structural health monitoring systems must be application specific. Therefore, a specific application, monitoring welded moment resisting steel frame connections in structures subjected to seismic excitation, is described along with the motivation for choosing this application. The structural health monitoring solution for this application will integrate structural dynamics, wireless data acquisition, local actuation, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, and statistical pattern recognition algorithms. The proposed system is based on an assessment of the deficiencies associated with many current structural health monitoring technologies including past efforts by the authors. This paper provides an example of the integrated approach to structural health monitoring being undertaken at Los Alamos National Laboratory and summarizes progress to date on various aspects of the technology development.

Baseline Assessment and Prioritization Framework for IVHM Integrity Assurance Enabling Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooper, Eric G.; DiVito, Benedetto L.; Jacklin, Stephen A.; Miner, Paul S.

2009-01-01

Fundamental to vehicle health management is the deployment of systems incorporating advanced technologies for predicting and detecting anomalous conditions in highly complex and integrated environments. Integrated structural integrity health monitoring, statistical algorithms for detection, estimation, prediction, and fusion, and diagnosis supporting adaptive control are examples of advanced technologies that present considerable verification and validation challenges. These systems necessitate interactions between physical and software-based systems that are highly networked with sensing and actuation subsystems, and incorporate technologies that are, in many respects, different from those employed in civil aviation today. A formidable barrier to deploying these advanced technologies in civil aviation is the lack of enabling verification and validation tools, methods, and technologies. The development of new verification and validation capabilities will not only enable the fielding of advanced vehicle health management systems, but will also provide new assurance capabilities for verification and validation of current generation aviation software which has been implicated in anomalous in-flight behavior. This paper describes the research focused on enabling capabilities for verification and validation underway within NASA s Integrated Vehicle Health Management project, discusses the state of the art of these capabilities, and includes a framework for prioritizing activities.

An autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle sensing system for structural health monitoring of bridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reagan, Daniel; Sabato, Alessandro; Niezrecki, Christopher; Yu, Tzuyang; Wilson, Richard

2016-04-01

As civil infrastructure (i.e. bridges, railways, and tunnels) continues to age; the frequency and need to perform inspection more quickly on a broader scale increases. Traditional inspection and monitoring techniques (e.g., visual inspection, mechanical sounding, rebound hammer, cover meter, electrical potential measurements, ultrasound, and ground penetrating radar) may produce inconsistent results, require lane closure, are labor intensive and time-consuming. Therefore, new structural health monitoring systems must be developed that are automated, highly accurate, minimally invasive, and cost effective. Three-dimensional (3D) digital image correlation (DIC) systems have the merits of extracting full-field strain, deformation, and geometry profiles. These profiles can then be stitched together to generate a complete integrity map of the area of interest. Concurrently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have emerged as valuable resources for positioning sensing equipment where it is either difficult to measure or poses a risk to human safety. UAVs have the capability to expedite the optical-based measurement process, offer increased accessibility, and reduce interference with local traffic. Within this work, an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle in conjunction with 3D DIC was developed for monitoring bridges. The capabilities of the proposed system are demonstrated in both laboratory measurements and data collected from bridges currently in service. Potential measurement influences from platform instability, rotor vibration and positioning inaccuracy are also studied in a controlled environment. The results of these experiments show that the combination of autonomous flight with 3D DIC and other non-contact measurement systems provides a valuable and effective civil inspection platform.

A Management Information System for Bare Base Civil Engineering Commanders

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

initial beddown stage. The purpose of this research was to determine the feasibility of developing a microcomputer based management information system (MIS...the software best suited to synthesize four of the categories into a prototype field MIS. Keyword: Management information system , Bare bases, Civil engineering, Data bases, Information retrieval.

75 FR 26847 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-12

..., encrypted VHA servers, personal computers, laptops, or media. All e-mail transmissions of such files use... requested in connection with appeals, special studies of the civil service and other merit systems, reviews... connection with appeals, special studies of the civil service and other merit systems, reviews of rules and...

D Visualization of a Timber Frame Historic Building: Partite Usage and its Impact on the Structural System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Günay, S.

2017-08-01

Throughout their lifetime, historic buildings might be altered for different kind of usage for different purposes. If this new function or new usage requires utilization of the building in separate units, this separation might affect the historic building's functionality and structure and as a result its overall condition. Yorguc Pasa Mansion conservation project was prepared as a part of the Middle East Technical University (METU) Master's Program in Documentation and Conservation of Historic Monuments and Sites for the historic Yorguc Pasa Mansion. The mansion is a 19th century Ottoman Period timber frame building in Amasya, a Black Sea Region city in Turkey that has traces from different civilizations such as Hittites, Greeks, Romans and Ottomans. This paper aims to discuss the affects of the partite usage on structural conditions of timber frame buildings with the case study of Amasya Yorguc Pasa Mansion through the 3D visualized structural systems.

Composite materials for rail transit systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, O. Hayden, Jr.; Guerdal, Zafer; Herakovich, Carl T.

1987-01-01

The potential is explored for using composite materials in urban mass transit systems. The emphasis was to identify specific advantages of composite materials in order to determine their actual and potential usage for carbody and guideway structure applications. The literature was reviewed, contacts were made with major domestic system operators, designers, and builders, and an analysis was made of potential composite application to railcar construction. Composites were found to be in use throughout the transit industry, usually in secondary or auxiliary applications such as car interior and nonstructural exterior panels. More recently, considerable activity has been initiated in the area of using composites in the load bearing elements of civil engineering structures such as highway bridges. It is believed that new and improved manufacturing refinements in pultrusion and filament winding will permit the production of beam sections which can be used in guideway structures. The inherent corrosion resistance and low maintenance characteristics of composites should result in lowered maintenance costs over a prolonged life of the structure.

Integrated Curriculum Design Reform of Civil Engineering Management Discipline Based on Inter-disciplinary Professional Training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yidong, Xu; Ping, Wu; Jian, Chen; Jiansheng, Shen

2018-05-01

In view of the shortcomings of the current civil engineering management discipline, this paper investigates the necessity of the course design reform. Based on the analysis of basic occupation requirements of civil engineering management discipline, the basic ideas and implementation strategies of the integrated reform of curriculum design system are proposed, which can not only improve the students’ overall understanding of knowledge and skills, but also enhance the system of student learning.

The Civilization Course, Then and Now.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hope, Quentin M.

1986-01-01

Courses on French civilization and culture should begin with a presentation of essential information, including historical background, role of the state, and the weight and presence of the past. They should move on through public life--politics, commerce, industry, social structures, the media--to the experiences of day-to-day life. (Author/JR)

78 FR 76117 - Meeting of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-16

... missions such as Homeland Defense, Homeland Security, and Defense Support to Civil Agencies. This will... Support, Training and Education, and other specific mission sets such as security forces, civil engineering and science and technology. --Projections and assumptions about future resource levels that will...

78 FR 76119 - Meeting of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-16

... missions such as Homeland Defense, Homeland Security, and Defense Support to Civil Agencies. This will... Support, Training and Education, and other specific mission sets such as security forces, civil engineering and science and technology. --Projections and assumptions about future resource levels that will...

Learning by Seeing: The TEMAS Multimedia Learning Objects for Civil Engineers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cadoni, Ezio; Botturi, Luca; Forni, Daniele

2008-01-01

A goal of engineering and architecture bachelor and master's programs is to provide students with practical and technical preparation in the mechanical characterization of materials and structures: future architects and civil engineers should be able to recognize and describe different construction materials and their behavior when used for…

Approach to the assessment of the hazard. [fire released carbon fiber electrical effects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huston, R. J.

1980-01-01

An overview of the carbon fiber hazard assessment is presented. The potential risk to the civil sector associated with the accidental release of carbon fibers from aircraft having composite structures was assessed along with the need for protection of civil aircraft from carbon fibers.

Nurse Leaders' Response to Civil Unrest in the Urban Core.

PubMed

Lavin, Roberta; Goodwin Veenema, Tener; Calvert, Wilma J; Grigsby, Sheila R; Cobbina, Jennifer

Inequalities in society, culture, and finance have resulted in civil unrest, rioting, and intentional violence throughout our history. Nowhere is this currently more apparent than in the cities of Ferguson and Baltimore. It is not the civil unrest itself, but the resulting rioting and intentional violence that can create a disaster situation. This increases the care burden of health care providers during times when the governmental structure may be overwhelmed or functioning in a less than optimal manner. Beginning with the death of Michael Brown, civil unrest over the last 2 years has necessitated a closer examination of the role nurse leaders play in preparing their staff and facilities for potential results of this civil unrest. The similarities between the results of rioting and violence and natural disaster are obvious, but the differences are significant. Without adequate preparation, providers may not offer the appropriate response. Attention to the 10 "musts" for preparedness for civil unrest will facilitate a planning process and provide for a better response and recovery when communities face these issues.

Using of Aerogel to Improve Thermal Insulating Properties of Windows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valachova, Denisa; Zdrazilova, Nada; Panovec, Vladan; Skotnicova, Iveta

2018-06-01

For the best possible thermal-technical properties of building structures it is necessary to use materials with very low thermal conductivity. Due to the increasing thermal-technical requirements for building structures, the insulating materials are developed. One of the modern thermal insulating materials is so-called aerogel. Unfortunately, this material is not used in the field of external thermal insulation composite systems because of its price and its properties. The aim of this paper is to present possibilities of using this insulating material in the civil engineering - specifically a usage of aerogel in the production of windows.

Fiber reinforcement of concrete structures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-09-01

Deterioration of concrete structures due to steel corrosion is a matter of considerable concern since the repairing of these structures proved to be a costly process. Repair and rehabilitation of the civil structures needs an enduring repair material...

Perspectives on Unmanned Aircraft Classification for Civil Airworthiness Standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maddalon, Jeffrey M.; Hayhurst, Kelly J.; Koppen, Daniel M.; Upchurch, Jason M.; Morris, A. Terry; Verstynen, Harry A.

2013-01-01

The use of unmanned aircraft in the National Airspace System (NAS) has been characterized as the next great step forward in the evolution of civil aviation. Although use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in military and public service operations is proliferating, civil use of UAS remains limited in the United States today. This report focuses on one particular regulatory challenge: classifying UAS to assign airworthiness standards. This paper provides observations related to how the current regulations for classifying manned aircraft could apply to UAS.

1400879

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-08-13

AIDING IN THE OFFICIAL BUILDING 4220 RIBBON-CUTTING ARE, FROM LEFT, JOHN HONEYCUTT, DEPUTY MANAGER OF THE SPACE LAUNCH SYSTEM PROGRAM OFFICE; LT. COL. TOM NELSON, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS-MOBILE DISTRICT; U.S. SEN. JEFF SESSIONS OF ALABAMA; MARSHALL CENTER DIRECTOR PATRICK SCHEUERMANN; U.S. REP. MO BROOKS OF ALABAMA'S 5TH DISTRICT; MARSHALL DEPUTY DIRECTOR TERESA VANHOOSER; AND MARSHALL ENGINEER DAVID SKRIDULIS, TEAM LEAD FOR THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT OFFICE'S CIVIL STRUCTURAL GROUP.

Application of smart optical fiber sensors for structural load monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Heddwyn; Everall, Lorna A.; Gallon, Andrew M.

2001-06-01

This paper describes a smart monitoring system, incorporating optical fiber sensing techniques, capable of providing important structural information to designers and users alike. This technology has wide industrial and commercial application in areas including aerospace, civil, maritime and automotive engineering. In order to demonstrate the capability of the sensing system it has been installed in a 35m free-standing carbon fiber yacht mast, where a complete optical network of strain and temperature sensors were embedded into a composite mast and boom during lay-up. The system was able to monitor the behavior of the composite rig through a range of handling conditions. The resulting strain information can be used by engineers to improve the structural design process. Embedded fiber optic sensors have wide ranging application for structural load monitoring. Due to their small size, optical fiber sensors can be readily embedded into composite materials. Other advantages include their immediate multiplexing capability and immunity to electro-magnetic interference. The capability of this system has been demonstrated within the maritime and industrial environment, but can be adapted for any application.

ARCHITECTURAL AND CIVIL STANDARDS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Hanford Atomic Production Operation specification guides and standards for architectural and civil engineering are presented. Information includes construction of roads, railroads, roofs, signs, buildings, building equipment, sewers, fences, safety systems, and drainage systems. Details of this manual are given in TID-4100 (Suppl.). (N.W.R.)

Spectrally encoded optical fibre sensor systems and their application in process control, environmental and structural monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willsch, Reinhardt; Ecke, Wolfgang; Schwotzer, Gunter

2005-09-01

Different types of advanced optical fibre sensor systems using similar spectral interrogation principles and potential low-cost polychromator optoelectronic signal processing instrumentation will be presented, and examples of their industrial application are demonstrated. These are such sensors as multimode fibre based humidity, temperature, and pressure sensors with extrinsic microoptical Fabry-Perot transducers for process control in gas industry, UV absorption evanescent field sensors for organic pollution monitoring in groundwater, and single mode fibre Bragg grating (FBG) multiplexed strain & vibration and temperature sensor networks for structural health monitoring applications in electric power facilities, aerospace, railways, geotechnical and civil engineering. Recent results of current investigations applying FBGs and microstructured fibres for chemical sensing will be discussed.

Concept and Connotation of Water Resources Carrying Capacity in Water Ecological Civilization Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Zhilong; Song, Xiaoyu; Feng, Xianghua

2018-01-01

Water ecological civilization construction is based on the water resources carrying capacity, guided by the sustainable development concept, adhered to the human-water harmony thoughts. This paper has comprehensive analyzed the concept and characteristics of the carrying capacity of water resources in the water ecological civilization construction, and discussed the research methods and evaluation index system of water carrying capacity in the water ecological civilization construction, finally pointed out that the problems and solutions of water carrying capacity in the water ecological civilization construction and put forward the future research prospect.

The Promise of Multiculturalism and the Permanence of Racism.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Ricky Lee; Howard, Natasha

Despite many heroic victories, the Civil Rights Movement has failed to significantly transform the underlying structure of White domination [according to this didactic essay on multiculturalism and racism]. It can also be said that the multicultural movement, which was an extension of the Civil Rights Movement, has failed to transform the deep…

120. Photocopy of drawing (1958 civil engineering drawing by the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

120. Photocopy of drawing (1958 civil engineering drawing by the Ralph M. Parsons Company) STRUCTURAL DETAILS OF WAVE GUIDE ENCLOSURE AND CABLE TRAY INSTALLATION FOR LAUNCH OPERATIONS BUILDING, SHEET C42 - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Structural damage detection for in-service highway bridge under operational and environmental variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Chenhao; Li, Jingcheng; Jang, Shinae; Sun, Xiaorong; Christenson, Richard

2015-03-01

Structural health monitoring has drawn significant attention in the past decades with numerous methodologies and applications for civil structural systems. Although many researchers have developed analytical and experimental damage detection algorithms through vibration-based methods, these methods are not widely accepted for practical structural systems because of their sensitivity to uncertain environmental and operational conditions. The primary environmental factor that influences the structural modal properties is temperature. The goal of this article is to analyze the natural frequency-temperature relationships and detect structural damage in the presence of operational and environmental variations using modal-based method. For this purpose, correlations between natural frequency and temperature are analyzed to select proper independent variables and inputs for the multiple linear regression model and neural network model. In order to capture the changes of natural frequency, confidence intervals to detect the damages for both models are generated. A long-term structural health monitoring system was installed on an in-service highway bridge located in Meriden, Connecticut to obtain vibration and environmental data. Experimental testing results show that the variability of measured natural frequencies due to temperature is captured, and the temperature-induced changes in natural frequencies have been considered prior to the establishment of the threshold in the damage warning system. This novel approach is applicable for structural health monitoring system and helpful to assess the performance of the structure for bridge management and maintenance.

[Risk management in health care systems: the new legislative orientations in medical civil responsibility].

PubMed

Tomassini, A; Signorelli, C; Colzani, E

2004-01-01

The recent radical change in the relationships between physicians and patients has increased the frequency of malpractice. Consequently, on one hand, many physicians got used to avoiding any possible risk of denunciation by applying the so called "defensive medicine", while on the other hand, the insurance companies raised the prices of their premiums for policies concerning civil responsibility of health operators. In order to avoid this "vicious circle", some health structures created Units for the Risk Management related to malpractice, while others took advantage of the collaboration of Associations for Patients' Rights to create database about the most frequent medical mistakes. The need for a legislative change has been accepted by the Parliament which expects with the proposal n.108 (approved in spring 2002 by the Commission for Hygiene and Health of the Senate) to attribute the civil responsibility of the physicians to the hospitals (both private and public) for which they work, to constitute a Register of experts and to accelerate the legal disputes. The problem is complex and still to be solved, but it seems that time for a strong intervention in order to improve the situation has to come.

Civil society participation in the health system: the case of Brazil's Health Councils.

PubMed

Martinez, Martha Gabriela; Kohler, Jillian Clare

2016-10-26

Brazil created Health Councils to bring together civil society groups, heath professionals, and government officials in the discussion of health policies and health system resource allocation. However, several studies have concluded that Health Councils are not very influential on healthcare policy. This study probes this issue further by providing a descriptive account of some of the challenges civil society face within Brazil's Health Councils. Forty semi-structured interviews with Health Council Members at the municipal, state and national levels were conducted in June and July of 2013 and May of 2014. The geographical location of the interviewees covered all five regions of Brazil (North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, South) for a total of 5 different municipal Health Councils, 8 different state Health Councils, and the national Health Council in Brasilia. Interview data was analyzed using a thematic approach. Health Councils are limited by a lack of legal authority, which limits their ability to hold the government accountable for its health service performance, and thus hinders their ability to fulfill their mandate. Equally important, their membership guidelines create a limited level of inclusivity that seems to benefit only well-organized civil society groups. There is a reported lack of support and recognition from the relevant government that negatively affects the degree to which Health Council deliberations are implemented. Other deficiencies include an insufficient amount of resources for Health Council operations, and a lack of training for Health Council members. Lastly, strong individual interests among Health Council members tend to influence how members participate in Health Council discussions. Brazil's Health Councils fall short in providing an effective forum through which civil society can actively participate in health policy and resource allocation decision-making processes. Restrictive membership guidelines, a lack of autonomy from the government, vulnerability to government manipulation, a lack of support and recognition from the government and insufficient training and operational budgets have made Health Council largely a forum for consultation. Our conclusions highlight, that among other issues, Health Councils need to have the legal authority to act independently to promote government accountability, membership guidelines need to be revised in order include members of marginalized groups, and better training of civil society representatives is required to help them make more informed decisions.

Cyber physical system based on resilient ICT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwatsuki, Katsumi

2016-02-01

While development of science and technology has built up the sophisticated civilized society, it has also resulted in quite a few disadvantages in global environment and human society. The common recognition has been increasingly shared worldwide on sustainable development society attaching greater importance to the symbiotic relationship with nature and social ethics. After the East Japan Great Earthquake, it is indispensable for sustainable social development to enhance capacity of resistance and restoration of society against natural disaster, so called "resilient society". Our society consists of various Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs) that make up the physical systems by fusing with an Information Communication Technology (ICT). We describe the proposed structure of CPS in order to realize resilient society. The configuration of resilient CPS consisting of ICT and physical system is discussed to introduce "autonomous, distributed, and cooperative" structure, where subsystems of ICT and physical system are simultaneously coordinated and cooperated with Business Continuity Planning (BCP) engine, respectively. We show the disaster response information system and energy network as examples of BCP engine and resilient CPS, respectively. We also propose the structure and key technology of resilient ICT.

Security challenge to using smartphones for SHM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abueh, Yeka; Liu, Hong

2016-04-01

Pervasive smartphones have demonstrated great potential in structural health monitoring (SHM) of civil infrastructures. Their sensing, processing, and communication capabilities along with crowdsourcing facility ease technical difficulties and reduce financial burdens of instrumentation and monitoring for SHM in civil infrastructures. However, smartphones are vulnerable to unintentional misuses and malicious attacks. This paper analyzes the vulnerabilities of smartphones in performing SHM and reveals the exploitation of those vulnerabilities. The work probes the attack surface of both devices and data. Device attack scenarios include hacking individual smartphones to modify the data stored on them and orchestrating smartphones to launch a distributed denial-of-service attack. Specifically, experiments are conducted to remotely access an Android smartphone and modify the sensing data of structural health stored on it. The work also presents a case study that reveals the sensitivity of a popular perturbation analysis method to faulty data delivered by a smartphone. The paper provides the direction of meeting the security challenge to using smartphones for SHM. As the first line of defense, device authentication is implemented in the smartphone to stop spoofing. Subsequently, message authentication is devised to maintain data integrity. There is a need to apply data science for the SHM immunity system against the sensitivity to data inaccuracy. The work also evaluates the cost-effectiveness of the proposed security measures, recommending varying levels of security to mitigate the adversaries to smartphones used in SHM systems. It calls for security solutions at the design stage of SHM systems rather than patching up after their implementations.

Image restoration for civil engineering structure monitoring using imaging system embedded on UAV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vozel, Benoit; Dumoulin, Jean; Chehdi, Kacem

2013-04-01

Nowadays, civil engineering structures are periodically surveyed by qualified technicians (i.e. alpinist) operating visual inspection using heavy mechanical pods. This method is far to be safe, not only for civil engineering structures monitoring staff, but also for users. Due to the unceasing traffic increase, making diversions or closing lanes on bridge becomes more and more difficult. New inspection methods have to be found. One of the most promising technique is to develop inspection method using images acquired by a dedicated monitoring system operating around the civil engineering structures, without disturbing the traffic. In that context, the use of images acquired with an UAV, which fly around the structures is of particular interest. The UAV can be equipped with different vision system (digital camera, infrared sensor, video, etc.). Nonetheless, detection of small distresses on images (like cracks of 1 mm or less) depends on image quality, which is sensitive to internal parameters of the UAV (vibration modes, video exposure times, etc.) and to external parameters (turbulence, bad illumination of the scene, etc.). Though progresses were made at UAV level and at sensor level (i.e. optics), image deterioration is still an open problem. These deteriorations are mainly represented by motion blur that can be coupled with out-of-focus blur and observation noise on acquired images. In practice, deteriorations are unknown if no a priori information is available or dedicated additional instrumentation is set-up at UAV level. Image restoration processing is therefore required. This is a difficult problem [1-3] which has been intensively studied over last decades [4-12]. Image restoration can be addressed by following a blind approach or a myopic one. In both cases, it includes two processing steps that can be implemented in sequential or alternate mode. The first step carries out the identification of the blur impulse response and the second one makes use of this estimated blur kernel for performing the deconvolution of the acquired image. In the present work, different regularization methods, mainly based on the pseudo norm aforementioned Total Variation, are studied and analysed. The key point of their respective implementation, their properties and limits are investigated in this particular applicative context. References [1] J. Hadamard. Lectures on Cauchy's problem in linear partial differential equations. Yale University Press, 1923. [2] A. N. Tihonov. On the resolution of incorrectly posed problems and regularisation method (in Russian). Doklady A. N.SSSR, 151(3), 1963. [3] C. R. Vogel. Computational Methods for inverse problems, SIAM, 2002. [4] A. K. Katsaggelos, J. Biemond, R.W. Schafer, and R. M. Mersereau, "A regularized iterative image restoration algorithm," IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, vol.39, no. 4, pp. 914-929, 1991. [5] J. Biemond, R. L. Lagendijk, and R. M. Mersereau, "Iterative methods for image deblurring," Proceedings of the IEEE, vol. 78, no. 5, pp. 856-883, 1990. [6] D. Kundur and D. Hatzinakos, "Blind image deconvolution," IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 43-64, 1996. [7] Y. L. You and M. Kaveh, "A regularization approach to joint blur identification and image restoration," IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 416-428, 1996. [8] T. F. Chan and C. K. Wong, "Total variation blind deconvolution," IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 370-375, 1998. [9] S. Chardon, B. Vozel, and K. Chehdi. Parametric Blur Estimation Using the GCV Criterion and a Smoothness Constraint on the Image. Multidimensional Systems and Signal Processing Journal, Kluwer Ed., 10:395-414, 1999 [10] B. Vozel, K. Chehdi, and J. Dumoulin. Myopic image restoration for civil structures inspection using UAV (in French). In GRETSI, 2005. [11] L. Bar, N. Sochen, and N. Kiryati. Semi-blind image restoration via Mumford-Shah regularization. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 15(2), 2006. [12] J. H. Money and S. H. Kang, "Total variation minimizing blind deconvolution with shock filter reference," Image and Vision Computing, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 302-314, 2008.

Argument-Based Airworthiness Assurance of Small UAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Denney, Ewen; Pai, Ganesh

2015-01-01

Presently, there are three avenues by which Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) operations are authorized in the U.S. National Airspace System (NAS): obtaining either (i) a certificate of authorization (COA), or (ii) a special airworthiness certificate (SAC) in either the experimental, or the restricted category, or (iii) an exemption from an airworthiness certificate together with a civil COA. The first is meant primarily for public entities, such as NASA; the remaining two are the only available means for civil UAS operations. Recently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also proposed a regulatory framework targeted for certain small UAS, specifically those weighing 55 pounds or less, although final rulemaking remains pending. We have previously shown how an assurance case can aggregate heterogeneous reasoning and safety evidence, with application to UAS safety. In this paper, we describe how assurance cases can serve as a common framework to justify overall system safety, unifying both operational aspects and airworthiness, in particular system design assurance. We also show how this approach can coexist with, and augment, existing safety analysis processes and best-practices, by transforming the artifacts they produce into structured assurance arguments. To illustrate the applicability and utility of our approach, we have been applying it for the design assurance of an unmanned rotorcraft system, intended for precision agriculture operations, as part of the NASA Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Integration in the National Airspace System (NAS) project.

Microtremors for seismic response assessments of important modern and historical structures of Crete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margarita, Moisidi; Filippos, Vallianatos

2017-12-01

Strengthening seismic risk resilience undertaken by the civil protection authorities is an important issue towards to the guidelines given by Sendai Framework, 2013 European Union Civil Protection legislation and the global agenda 2030 for sustainable development. Moreover, in recent years it has been emphasized that site effect specifications are important issues for the seismic hazard assessments of modern, historical and monumental structures. This study assess the frequencies of vibration of historical, monumental and modern structures in the cities of Chania, Rethymno and Heraklion of Crete using ambient noise recordings processed through the Horizontal to Vertical spectral ratio and examines potential soil-structure interaction phenomena. Examples of the seismic response of high rise structures such as a church bell tower and the lighthouses in Chania are presented.

The Management of New Ideas: An Entrepreneur’s Perspective

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

MARCIMS Marine Civil Information Management System MARCORSYSCOM Marine Corps Systems Command MARFORPAC Marine Forces Pacific Command MCCDC Marine Corp...any personally identifying information . While this work aims to generate theory related to the management of new ideas and their meanings during the...currently deployed civil information management system as the current system in use was antiquated and frustrating to use. While we were enthusiastic

Estimates of expansion time scales. [Settlement of Galaxy by spacefaring civilization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jones, E.M.

1979-01-01

Monte Carlo simulations of the expansion of a spacefaring civilization show that descendants of that civilization should be found near virtually every useful star in the Galaxy in a time much less than the current age of the Galaxy. Only extreme assumptions about local population growth rates, emigration rates, or ship ranges can slow or halt an expansion. The apparent absence of extraterrestrials from the solar system suggests that no such civilization has arisen in the Galaxy. 1 figure.

In-flight fiber optic acoustic emission sensor (FAESense) system for the real time detection, localization, and classification of damage in composite aircraft structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendoza, Edgar; Prohaska, John; Kempen, Connie; Esterkin, Yan; Sun, Sunjian

2013-05-01

Acoustic emission sensing is a leading structural health monitoring technique use for the early warning detection of structural damage associated with impacts, cracks, fracture, and delaminations in advanced materials. Current AE systems based on electronic PZT transducers suffer from various limitations that prevent its wide dynamic use in practical avionics and aerospace applications where weight, size and power are critical for operation. This paper describes progress towards the development of a wireless in-flight distributed fiber optic acoustic emission monitoring system (FAESense™) suitable for the onboard-unattended detection, localization, and classification of damage in avionics and aerospace structures. Fiber optic AE sensors offer significant advantages over its counterpart electronic AE sensors by using a high-density array of micron-size AE transducers distributed and multiplex over long lengths of a standard single mode optical fiber. Immediate SHM applications are found in commercial and military aircraft, helicopters, spacecraft, wind mil turbine blades, and in next generation weapon systems, as well as in the petrochemical and aerospace industries, civil structures, power utilities, and a wide spectrum of other applications.

77 FR 50091 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-20

..., prosecution, or oversight of violations of administrative, civil, or criminal law or regulation. This system... oversight of violations of administrative, civil, or criminal law or regulation, if that information is... necessary information and to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies as appropriate. DATES: The...

Implications of directed energy for SETI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Philip

2016-09-01

We compute the detectability of directed-energy (DE) sources from distant civilizations that may exist. Recent advances in our own DE technology suggest that our eventual capabilities will radically enhance our capacity to broadcast our presence and hence allow us to ponder the reverse case of detection. We show that DE systems are detectable at vast distances, possibly across the entire horizon, which profoundly alters conceivable search strategies for extra-terrestrial, technologically-advanced civilizations. Even modest searches are extremely effective at detecting or constraining many civilization classes. A single civilization anywhere in our galaxy of comparable technological advancement to our own can be detected with near unity probability with a cluster of 0.1 m telescopes on Earth. A 1 m class telescope can detect a single civilization anywhere in the Andromeda galaxy. A search strategy is proposed using small Earth-based telescopes to observe 1012-1020 stellar and planetary systems. Such observations could address whether there exist other civilizations which are broadcasting with similar or more advanced DE capability. We show that such searches have near-unity probability of detecting comparably advanced civilizations anywhere in our galaxy within a few years, assuming the civilization: (1) adopts a simple "intelligent targeting" beacon strategy; (2) is beaconing at a wavelength we can detect; (3) broadcast the beacon long enough for the light to reach Earth now. In this blind-beacon, blind-search strategy, the civilization need not know where we are nor do we need to know where they are. The same basic strategy can be extended to extragalactic distances.

Structural analysis for preliminary design of High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatia, Kumar G.

1992-01-01

In the preliminary design environment, there is a need for quick evaluation of configuration and material concepts. The simplified beam representations used in the subsonic, high aspect ratio wing platform are not applicable for low aspect ratio configurations typical of supersonic transports. There is a requirement to develop methods for efficient generation of structural arrangement and finite element representation to support multidisciplinary analysis and optimization. In addition, empirical data bases required to validate prediction methods need to be improved for high speed civil transport (HSCT) type configurations.

The aircraft energy efficiency active controls technology program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hood, R. V., Jr.

1977-01-01

Broad outlines of the NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency Program for expediting the application of active controls technology to civil transport aircraft are presented. Advances in propulsion and airframe technology to cut down on fuel consumption and fuel costs, a program for an energy-efficient transport, and integrated analysis and design technology in aerodynamics, structures, and active controls are envisaged. Fault-tolerant computer systems and fault-tolerant flight control system architectures are under study. Contracts with leading manufacturers for research and development work on wing-tip extensions and winglets for the B-747, a wing load alleviation system, elastic mode suppression, maneuver-load control, and gust alleviation are mentioned.

A Variable Diameter Short Haul Civil Tiltrotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, James M.; Jones, Christopher T.; Nixon, Mark W.

1999-01-01

The Short-Haul-Civil-tiltrotor (SHCT) component of the NASA Aviation System Capacity Program is an effort to develop the technologies needed for a potential 40-passenger civil tiltrotor. The variable diameter tiltrotor (VDTR) is a Sikorsky concept aimed at improving tiltrotor hover and cruise performance currently limited by disk loading that is much higher in hover than conventional helicopter, and much lower in cruise than turbo-prop systems. This paper describes the technical merits of using a VDTR on a SHCT aircraft. The focus will be the rotor design.

Civil Aviation and Facilities. Aerospace Education II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orser, N. A.; Glascoff, W. G., III

This book, which is to be used only in the Air Force ROTC training program, deals with the kinds of civil aviation facilities and the intricacies and procedures of the use of flying. The first chapter traces the development of civil aviation and the formation of organizations to control aviation systems. The second chapter describes varieties of…

Civil Aviation and Facilities. Aerospace Education II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callaway, R. O.; Elmer, James D.

This is a revised textbook for use in the Air Force ROTC training program. The main theme of the book is concerned with the kinds of civil aviation facilities and many intricacies involved in their use. The first chapter traces the development of civil aviation and the formation of organizations to control aviation systems. The second chapter…

28 CFR 16.90 - Exemption of Civil Rights Division Systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....S.C. 552a (j) and (k): Central Civil Rights Division Index File and Associated Records (JUSTICE/CRT... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2), (k)(1) and (k)(2). (b) Exemptions from the particular subsections are... or civil violation to gain valuable information concerning the nature and scope of the investigation...

28 CFR 16.90 - Exemption of Civil Rights Division Systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....S.C. 552a (j) and (k): Central Civil Rights Division Index File and Associated Records (JUSTICE/CRT... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2), (k)(1) and (k)(2). (b) Exemptions from the particular subsections are... or civil violation to gain valuable information concerning the nature and scope of the investigation...

28 CFR 16.90 - Exemption of Civil Rights Division Systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....S.C. 552a (j) and (k): Central Civil Rights Division Index File and Associated Records (JUSTICE/CRT... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2), (k)(1) and (k)(2). (b) Exemptions from the particular subsections are... or civil violation to gain valuable information concerning the nature and scope of the investigation...

28 CFR 16.90 - Exemption of Civil Rights Division Systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

....S.C. 552a (j) and (k): Central Civil Rights Division Index File and Associated Records (JUSTICE/CRT... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2), (k)(1) and (k)(2). (b) Exemptions from the particular subsections are... or civil violation to gain valuable information concerning the nature and scope of the investigation...

28 CFR 16.90 - Exemption of Civil Rights Division Systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....S.C. 552a (j) and (k): Central Civil Rights Division Index File and Associated Records (JUSTICE/CRT... pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (j)(2), (k)(1) and (k)(2). (b) Exemptions from the particular subsections are... or civil violation to gain valuable information concerning the nature and scope of the investigation...

Student Rights in the U.S. and Civil Law Nations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Patrick D.

A discussion of the two legal traditions illuminates this comparison of student rights in common and civil law nations. The United States is among a minority of nations that use common law, a complex system cluttered with processes difficult to explain and loaded with protections for defendents in both criminal and civil cases. In American common…

Seismology in civil engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorak, A.

Properties of soils and rocks exposed to vibrations in the practice of civil engineering are examined. Seismic and dynamic field investigations, determination of seismic and dynamic modulus of elasticity, coefficients of damping and absorption are studied. Seismic effects of blasting and of other sources of vibrations on structures and persons, application of rock-noise and dynamic tests of piles are studied.

Islamic Fatalism and the Clash of Civilizations: An Appraisal of a Contentious and Dubious Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Acevedo, Gabriel A.

2008-01-01

This paper will address the question of Islamic fatalism. Survey data will be used to assess Samuel P. Huntington's controversial "Clash of Civilizations" thesis and its emphasis on fatalism as an inherent characteristic of Islamic religion. The concept of fatalism is expanded and theorized as a function of both structural and…

The Supreme Court, Civil Rights, and Preference Policies: Judicial Decision Making Processes in the United States and India.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parikh, Sunita

1990-01-01

Presents a comparative analysis of the U.S. and Indian Supreme Courts' roles in civil rights and preference policies. Despite structural and historical differences, similarities exist in the development of such policies. Both are more concerned with fidelity to constitutional and statutory interpretations than to personal ideological viewpoints.…

Optical Fiber Sensors for Advanced Civil Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Vries, Marten Johannes Cornelius

1995-01-01

The objective of this dissertation is to develop, analyze, and implement optical fiber-based sensors for the nondestructive quantitative evaluation of advanced civil structures. Based on a comparative evaluation of optical fiber sensors that may be used to obtain quantitative information related to physical perturbations in the civil structure, the extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) optical fiber sensor is selected as the most attractive sensor. The operation of the EFPI sensor is explained using the Kirchhoff diffraction approach. As is shown in this dissertation, this approach better predicts the signal-to-noise ratio as a function of gap length than methods employed previously. The performance of the optical fiber sensor is demonstrated in three different implementations. In the first implementation, performed with researchers in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, optical fiber sensors were used to obtain quantitative strain information from reinforced concrete interior and exterior column-to-beam connections. The second implementation, performed in cooperation with researchers at the United States Bureau of Mines in Spokane, Washington, used optical fiber sensors to monitor the performance of roof bolts used in mines. The last implementation, performed in cooperation with researchers at the Turner-Fairbanks Federal Highway Administration Research Center in McLean, Virginia, used optical fiber sensors, attached to composite prestressing strands used for reinforcing concrete, to obtain absolute strain information. Multiplexing techniques including time, frequency and wavelength division multiplexing are briefly discussed, whereas the principles of operation of spread spectrum and optical time domain reflectometery (OTDR) are discussed in greater detail. Results demonstrating that spread spectrum and OTDR techniques can be used to multiplex optical fiber sensors are presented. Finally, practical considerations that have to be taken into account when implementing optical fiber sensors into a civil structure environment are discussed, and possible solutions to some of these problems are proposed.

Developing Collaboration in Complex Events: A Model for Civil-Military Inter-Organizational Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

2009, p.2). Given the wide adoption of principles and structures associated with the Incident Command System (ICS) in emergency management , it was...relationships in disaster response but also the factors that might lead to a more effective response and management . The cases were analysed...team was guided by the following considerations: 1. Use of an extended timeline – The model was conceptualized within a risk management paradigm in

Development of Interlocking Masonry Bricks and its’ Structural Behaviour: A Review Paper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Fakih, Amin; Mohammed, Bashar S.; Nuruddin, Fadhil; Nikbakht, Ehsan

2018-04-01

Conventional bricks are the most elementary building materials for houses construction. However, the rapid growth in today’s construction industry has obliged the civil engineers in searching for a new building technique that may result in even greater economy, more efficient and durable as an alternative for the conventional brick. Moreover, the high demands for having a speedy and less labour and cost building systems is one of the factor that cause the changes of the masonry conventional systems. These changes have led to improved constructability, performance, and cost as well. Several interlocking bricks has been developed and implemented in building constructions and a number of researches had studied the manufacturing of interlocking brick and its structural behaviour as load bearing and non-load bearing element. This technical paper aims to review the development of interlocking brick and its structural behaviour. In conclusion, the concept of interlocking system has been widely used as a replacement of the conventional system where it has been utilized either as load bearing or non-load bearing masonry system.

Nurse Leaders' Response to Civil Unrest in the Urban Core

PubMed Central

Goodwin Veenema, Tener; Calvert, Wilma J.; Grigsby, Sheila R.; Cobbina, Jennifer

2017-01-01

Inequalities in society, culture, and finance have resulted in civil unrest, rioting, and intentional violence throughout our history. Nowhere is this currently more apparent than in the cities of Ferguson and Baltimore. It is not the civil unrest itself, but the resulting rioting and intentional violence that can create a disaster situation. This increases the care burden of health care providers during times when the governmental structure may be overwhelmed or functioning in a less than optimal manner. Beginning with the death of Michael Brown, civil unrest over the last 2 years has necessitated a closer examination of the role nurse leaders play in preparing their staff and facilities for potential results of this civil unrest. The similarities between the results of rioting and violence and natural disaster are obvious, but the differences are significant. Without adequate preparation, providers may not offer the appropriate response. Attention to the 10 “musts” for preparedness for civil unrest will facilitate a planning process and provide for a better response and recovery when communities face these issues. PMID:28263274

Wireless structural monitoring for homeland security applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiremidjian, Garo K.; Kiremidjian, Anne S.; Lynch, Jerome P.

2004-07-01

This paper addresses the development of a robust, low-cost, low power, and high performance autonomous wireless monitoring system for civil assets such as large facilities, new construction, bridges, dams, commercial buildings, etc. The role of the system is to identify the onset, development, location and severity of structural vulnerability and damage. The proposed system represents an enabling infrastructure for addressing structural vulnerabilities specifically associated with homeland security. The system concept is based on dense networks of "intelligent" wireless sensing units. The fundamental properties of a wireless sensing unit include: (a) interfaces to multiple sensors for measuring structural and environmental data (such as acceleration, displacements, pressure, strain, material degradation, temperature, gas agents, biological agents, humidity, corrosion, etc.); (b) processing of sensor data with embedded algorithms for assessing damage and environmental conditions; (c) peer-to-peer wireless communications for information exchange among units(thus enabling joint "intelligent" processing coordination) and storage of data and processed information in servers for information fusion; (d) ultra low power operation; (e) cost-effectiveness and compact size through the use of low-cost small-size off-the-shelf components. An integral component of the overall system concept is a decision support environment for interpretation and dissemination of information to various decision makers.

76 FR 55737 - Proposed Privacy Act Systems of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-08

... Associate Chief Human Capital Officer for Civil Rights and Diversity, Department of the Treasury, 1500... policies and practices: Associate Chief Human Capital Officer for Civil Rights and Diversity. The system.... (9) BPD: EEO Officer, 200 3rd Street, Room 102, Parkersburg, WV 26106. (10) FinCEN: Chief, Outreach...

41 CFR 101-30.101-1 - Civil agency item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2014-07-01 2012-07-01 true Civil agency item. 101-30.101-1 Section 101-30.101-1 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 30-FEDERAL CATALOG SYSTEM 30...

41 CFR 101-30.101-1 - Civil agency item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2013-07-01 2012-07-01 true Civil agency item. 101-30.101-1 Section 101-30.101-1 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 30-FEDERAL CATALOG SYSTEM 30...

41 CFR 101-30.101-1 - Civil agency item.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Civil agency item. 101-30.101-1 Section 101-30.101-1 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 30-FEDERAL CATALOG SYSTEM 30...

76 FR 16349 - Notice of Policy Regarding Civil Aircraft Operators Providing Contract Support to Government...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-23

... the National Airspace System), other civil certification and safety oversight regulations do not apply... Information Management System. These revisions will more fully address public aircraft policy issues and... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Chapter 1 Notice of Policy...

76 FR 32241 - Civil Service Retirement System; Present Value Factors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-03

... in the economic assumptions adopted by the Board of Actuaries of the Civil Service Retirement System... data to the Board of Actuaries, care of Gregory Kissel, Actuary, Office of Planning and Policy Analysis...- 335, based on changed economic assumptions adopted by the Board of Actuaries of the CSRS. Those...

A comparison of death recording by health centres and civil registration in South Africans receiving antiretroviral treatment.

PubMed

Johnson, Leigh F; Dorrington, Rob E; Laubscher, Ria; Hoffmann, Christopher J; Wood, Robin; Fox, Matthew P; Cornell, Morna; Schomaker, Michael; Prozesky, Hans; Tanser, Frank; Davies, Mary-Ann; Boulle, Andrew

2015-01-01

There is uncertainty regarding the completeness of death recording by civil registration and by health centres in South Africa. This paper aims to compare death recording by the two systems, in cohorts of South African patients receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART). Completeness of death recording was estimated using a capture-recapture approach. Six ART programmes linked their patient record systems to the vital registration system using civil identity document (ID) numbers and provided data comparing the outcomes recorded in patient files and in the vital registration. Patients were excluded if they had missing/invalid IDs or had transferred to other ART programmes. After exclusions, 91,548 patient records were included. Of deaths recorded in patients files after 2003, 94.0% (95% CI: 93.3-94.6%) were recorded by civil registration, with completeness being significantly higher in urban areas, older adults and females. Of deaths recorded by civil registration after 2003, only 35.0% (95% CI: 34.2-35.8%) were recorded in patient files, with this proportion dropping from 60% in 2004-2005 to 30% in 2010 and subsequent years. Recording of deaths in patient files was significantly higher in children and in locations within 50 km of the health centre. When the information from the two systems was combined, an estimated 96.2% of all deaths were recorded (93.5% in children and 96.2% in adults). South Africa's civil registration system has achieved a high level of completeness in the recording of mortality. However, the fraction of deaths recorded by health centres is low and information from patient records is insufficient by itself to evaluate levels and predictors of ART patient mortality. Previously documented improvements in ART mortality over time may be biased if based only on data from patient records.

Radar Interferometry for Monitoring the Vibration Characteristics of Buildings and Civil Structures: Recent Case Studies in Spain.

PubMed

Luzi, Guido; Crosetto, Michele; Fernández, Enric

2017-03-24

The potential of a coherent microwave sensor to monitor the vibration characteristics of civil structures has been investigated in the past decade, and successful case studies have been published by different research teams. This remote sensing technique is based on the interferometric processing of real aperture radar acquisitions. Its capability to estimate, simultaneously and remotely, the displacement of different parts of the investigated structures, with high accuracy and repeatability, is its main advantage with respect to conventional sensors. A considerable amount of literature on this technique is available, including various case studies aimed at testing the ambient vibration of bridges, buildings, and towers. In the last years, this technique has been used in Spain for civil structures monitoring. In this paper, three examples of such case studies are described: the monitoring of the suspended bridge crossing the Ebro River at Amposta, the communications tower of Collserola in Barcelona, and an urban building located in Vilafranca del Penedès, a small town close to Barcelona. This paper summarizes the main outcomes of these case studies, underlining the advantages and limitations of the sensors currently available, and concluding with the possible improvements expected from the next generation of sensors.

44 CFR 302.4 - Merit personnel systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... HOMELAND SECURITY PREPAREDNESS CIVIL DEFENSE-STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EMA... maintained in public agencies administering or supervising the administration of the civil defense program in...

75 FR 136 - Privacy Act of 1974; Systems of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-04

..., management of students in civilian institution programs, and course management for civil engineering... civilian institution programs, and course management for civil engineering education programs. Also...

Incorporating a Systems Approach into Civil and Environmental Engineering Curricula: Effect on Course Redesign, and Student and Faculty Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayden, Nancy J.; Rizzo, Donna M.; Dewoolkar, Mandar M.; Neumann, Maureen D.; Lathem, Sandra; Sadek, Adel

2011-01-01

This paper presents a brief overview of the changes made during our department level reform (DLR) process (Grant Title: "A Systems Approach for Civil and Environmental Engineering Education: Integrating Systems Thinking, Inquiry-Based Learning and Catamount Community Service-Learning Projects") and some of the effects of these changes on…

Systems thinking and incivility in nursing practice: An integrative review.

PubMed

Phillips, Janet M; Stalter, Ann M; Winegardner, Sherri; Wiggs, Carol; Jauch, Amy

2018-01-23

There is a critical need for nurses and interprofessional healthcare providers to implement systems thinking (ST) across international borders, addressing incivility and its perilous effects on patient quality and safety. An estimated one million patients die in hospitals worldwide due to avoidable patient-related errors. Establishing safe and civil workplaces using ST is paramount to promoting clear, level-headed thinking from which patient-centered nursing actions can impact health systems. The purpose of the paper is to answer the research question, What ST evidence fosters the effect of workplace civility in practice settings? Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review method guided this study. The quality of articles was determined using Chu et al.'s Mixed Methods Assessment Tool. Thirty-eight studies were reviewed. Themes emerged describing antecedents and consequences of incivility as embedded within complex systems, suggesting improvements for civility and systems/ST in nursing practice. This integrative review provides information about worldwide incivility in nursing practice from a systems perspective. Several models are offered as a means of promoting civility in nursing practice to improve patient quality and safety. Further study is needed regarding incivility and resultant effects on patient quality and safety. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of a novel multi-layer MRE isolator for suppression of building vibrations under seismic events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Jian; Sun, Shuaishuai; Tian, Tongfei; Li, Weihua; Du, Haiping; Alici, Gursel; Nakano, Masami

2016-03-01

Protecting civil engineering structures from uncontrollable events such as earthquakes while maintaining their structural integrity and serviceability is very important; this paper describes the performance of a stiffness softening magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) isolator in a scaled three storey building. In order to construct a closed-loop system, a scaled three storey building was designed and built according to the scaling laws, and then four MRE isolator prototypes were fabricated and utilised to isolate the building from the motion induced by a scaled El Centro earthquake. Fuzzy logic was used to output the current signals to the isolators, based on the real-time responses of the building floors, and then a simulation was used to evaluate the feasibility of this closed loop control system before carrying out an experimental test. The simulation and experimental results showed that the stiffness softening MRE isolator controlled by fuzzy logic could suppress structural vibration well.

Autoregressive statistical pattern recognition algorithms for damage detection in civil structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Ruigen; Pakzad, Shamim N.

2012-08-01

Statistical pattern recognition has recently emerged as a promising set of complementary methods to system identification for automatic structural damage assessment. Its essence is to use well-known concepts in statistics for boundary definition of different pattern classes, such as those for damaged and undamaged structures. In this paper, several statistical pattern recognition algorithms using autoregressive models, including statistical control charts and hypothesis testing, are reviewed as potentially competitive damage detection techniques. To enhance the performance of statistical methods, new feature extraction techniques using model spectra and residual autocorrelation, together with resampling-based threshold construction methods, are proposed. Subsequently, simulated acceleration data from a multi degree-of-freedom system is generated to test and compare the efficiency of the existing and proposed algorithms. Data from laboratory experiments conducted on a truss and a large-scale bridge slab model are then used to further validate the damage detection methods and demonstrate the superior performance of proposed algorithms.

Avionics performance analysis: A historical review and a current assessment of flight instrumentation and control systems in civil aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The role of flight instrumentation and control systems in the advancement of civil aviation to the safest form of commercial transportation is discussed. Safety, cost reduction, and increased capabilities provided by recent developments are emphasized. Cost/performance considerations are considered in terms of determining the relative values of comparable systems or the absolute worth of a system.

The design of low cost structures for extensive ground arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Franklin, H. A.; Leonard, R. S.

1980-01-01

The development of conceptual designs of solar array support structures and their foundations including considerations of the use of concrete, steel, aluminum, or timber are reported. Some cost trends were examined by varying selected parameters to determine optimum configurations. Detailed civil/structural design criteria were developed. Using these criteria, eight detailed designs for support structures and foundations were developed and cost estimates were made. As a result of the study wind was identified as the major loading experienced by these low height structures, whose arrays are likely to extend over large tracts of land. Proper wind load estimating is considered essential to developing realistic structural designs and achieving minimum cost support structures. Wind tunnel testing of a conceptual array field was undertaken and some of the resulting wind design criteria are presented. The SPS rectenna system designs may be less sensitive to wind load estimates, but consistent design criteria remain important.

Outcomes of the 2015 World Radiocommunication Conference for Aeronautical Spectrum and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerczewski, Robert J.; Jonasson, Loftur

2016-01-01

At the conclusion of a nearly four year study cycle following the closing of the 2012 World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-12), the 2015 WRC in November of 2015 considered a number of agenda items and issues relevant to systems and spectrum allocations supporting communications, navigation and surveillance for the operation of civil aviation. Among a number of WRC-15 agenda items and issues, the key agenda items affecting civil aviation included: unmanned aircraft systems use of the Fixed Satellite Service for command and control communications; global flight tracking; new allocations to International Mobile Telecommunications (IMT); and protection of the Fixed Satellite Service to support safe operation of aircraft. A number of other agenda items affecting or potentially affecting civil aviation were also addressed by WRC-15. In this paper we describe the outcomes of WRC-15 for these civil aeronautical-relevant issues. We then outline the civil aviation-related agenda items and issues that will be considered at the upcoming 2019 WRC.

Developing a fatigue questionnaire for Chinese civil aviation pilots.

PubMed

Dai, Jing; Luo, Min; Hu, Wendong; Ma, Jin; Wen, Zhihong

2018-03-23

To assess the fatigue risk is an important challenge in improving flight safety in aviation industry. The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive fatigue risk management indicators system and a fatigue questionnaire for Chinese civil aviation pilots. Participants included 74 (all males) civil aviation pilots. They finished the questionnaire in 20 minutes before a flight mission. The estimation of internal consistency with Cronbach's α and Student's t test as well as Pearson's correlation analysis were the main statistical methods. The results revealed that the fatigue questionnaire had acceptable internal consistency reliability and construct validity; there were significant differences on fatigue scores between international and domestic flight pilots. And some international flight pilots, who had taken medications as a sleep aid, had worse sleep quality than those had not. The long-endurance flight across time zones caused significant differences in circadian rhythm. The fatigue questionnaire can be used to measure Chinese civil aviation pilots' fatigue, which provided a reference for fatigue risk management system to civil aviation pilots.

Influence of IR sensor technology on the military and civil defense

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Latika

2006-02-01

Advances in basic infrared science and developments in pertinent technology applications have led to mature designs being incorporated in civil as well as military area defense systems. Military systems include both tactical and strategic, and civil area defense includes homeland security. Technical challenges arise in applying infrared sensor technology to detect and track targets for space and missile defense. Infrared sensors are valuable due to their passive capability, lower mass and power consumption, and their usefulness in all phases of missile defense engagements. Nanotechnology holds significant promise in the near future by offering unique material and physical properties to infrared components. This technology is rapidly developing. This presentation will review the current IR sensor technology, its applications, and future developments that will have an influence in military and civil defense applications.

Structures and materials technology issues for reusable launch vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dixon, S. C.; Tenney, D. R.; Rummler, D. R.; Wieting, A. R.; Bader, R. M.

1985-01-01

Projected space missions for both civil and defense needs require significant improvements in structures and materials technology for reusable launch vehicles: reductions in structural weight compared to the Space Shuttle Orbiter of up to 25% or more, a possible factor of 5 or more increase in mission life, increases in maximum use temperature of the external surface, reusable containment of cryogenic hydrogen and oxygen, significant reductions in operational costs, and possibly less lead time between technology readiness and initial operational capability. In addition, there is increasing interest in hypersonic airbreathing propulsion for launch and transmospheric vehicles, and such systems require regeneratively cooled structure. The technology issues are addressed, giving brief assessments of the state-of-the-art and proposed activities to meet the technology requirements in a timely manner.

12 CFR 1408.27 - Offset against amounts payable from Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 12 Banks and Banking 7 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Offset against amounts payable from Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. 1408.27 Section 1408.27 Banks and Banking FARM CREDIT SYSTEM INSURANCE CORPORATION COLLECTION OF CLAIMS OWED THE UNITED STATES Administrative Offset § 1408.27 Offset against amounts payable from Civil Service...

Civil Defense, U. S. A.: A Programmed Orientation to Civil Defense. Unit 4. Warning, Emergency Operations, and Support Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Defense Civil Preparedness Agency (DOD), Battle Creek, MI.

The need for, and a description of, emergency functions required to save lives and protect property in nuclear or natural disasters are presented. Topics discussed include: (1) The Civil Defense Warning System, (2) Introduction to the Emergency Operations Program, (3) Five subprograms of the Emergency Operations Program, (4) Emergency Operations…

The Case of Palestinian Civil Society in Israel: Islam, Civil Society, and Educational Activism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agbaria, Ayman K.; Mustafa, Muhanad

2014-01-01

This article examines the educational activism of two Arab civil organizations in Israel: the Follow-Up Committee on Arab Education (FUCAE) and the Eqraa Association (Eqraa). On the one hand, it explores the possibilities and limitations of the involvement of the FUCAE in the state's Arab education system, as a secular organization that is heavily…

A CMC database for use in the next generation launch vehicles (rockets)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahanta, Kamala

1994-10-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC's) are being envisioned as the state-of-the-art material capable of handling the tough structural and thermal demands of advanced high temperature structures for programs such as the SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit), HSCT (High Speed Civil Transport), etc. as well as for evolution of the industrial heating systems. Particulate, whisker and continuous fiber ceramic matrix (CFCC) composites have been designed to provide fracture toughness to the advanced ceramic materials which have a high degree of wear resistance, hardness, stiffness, and heat and corrosion resistance but are notorious for their brittleness and sensitivity to microscopic flaws such as cracks, voids and impurity.

An entire universe of the Roman world's architecture found in the human skull.

PubMed

Turliuc, Dana; Turliuc, Șerban; Cucu, Andrei; Dumitrescu, Gabriela; Costea, Claudia

2017-01-01

Today's neuroanatomical terminology has its origins in the Romans' way of life, in their civil and military house architecture, as well as in the fields of engineering and technology. Despite the fact that they did not know how the nervous system worked and what the role of each neuroanatomic structure was, over time, especially in Renaissance and early modern times, the anatomists sought descriptive names for the nervous structures they have identified by way of similarity with some ancient items. This study aims to briefly review the influence of Roman architecture, engineering, and technology on neuroanatomic nomenclature, the precursor of modern neuroanatomical terminology.

A CMC database for use in the next generation launch vehicles (rockets)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mahanta, Kamala

1994-01-01

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC's) are being envisioned as the state-of-the-art material capable of handling the tough structural and thermal demands of advanced high temperature structures for programs such as the SSTO (Single Stage to Orbit), HSCT (High Speed Civil Transport), etc. as well as for evolution of the industrial heating systems. Particulate, whisker and continuous fiber ceramic matrix (CFCC) composites have been designed to provide fracture toughness to the advanced ceramic materials which have a high degree of wear resistance, hardness, stiffness, and heat and corrosion resistance but are notorious for their brittleness and sensitivity to microscopic flaws such as cracks, voids and impurity.

In situ damage monitoring in vibration mechanics: diagnostics and predictive maintenance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basseville, M.; Benveniste, A.; Gach-Devauchelle, B.; Goursat, M.; Bonnecase, D.; Dorey, P.; Prevosto, M.; Olagnon, M.

1993-09-01

A system identification approach is presented for damage monitoring in vibration mechanics. Identification, detection, and diagnostics are performed using accelerometer measurements from the system at work so that the excitation is not controlled, usually not observed and may involve turbulent phenomena. Targeted applications include power engineering (rotating machines, core and pipes of nuclear power plants), civil engineering (large buildings subject to hurricanes or earthquakes, bridges, dams, offshore structures), aeronautics (wings and other structures subject to strength), automobile, rail transportation etc. The method is illustrated by a laboratory example, and the results of 3 years industrial usage. This paper is a progress report on a 10 year project involving three people almost permanently. We describe here the whole approach but omit the technical details which are available in previous papers.

Novel bio-inspired smart control for hazard mitigation of civil structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yeesock; Kim, Changwon; Langari, Reza

2010-11-01

In this paper, a new bio-inspired controller is proposed for vibration mitigation of smart structures subjected to ground disturbances (i.e. earthquakes). The control system is developed through the integration of a brain emotional learning (BEL) algorithm with a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller and a semiactive inversion (Inv) algorithm. The BEL algorithm is based on the neurologically inspired computational model of the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid BEL-PID-Inv control algorithm, a seismically excited building structure equipped with a magnetorheological (MR) damper is investigated. The performance of the proposed hybrid BEL-PID-Inv control algorithm is compared with that of passive, PID, linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG), and BEL control systems. In the simulation, the robustness of the hybrid BEL-PID-Inv control algorithm in the presence of modeling uncertainties as well as external disturbances is investigated. It is shown that the proposed hybrid BEL-PID-Inv control algorithm is effective in improving the dynamic responses of seismically excited building structure-MR damper systems.

Evidence-Based Conclusions Concerning Practice, Curriculum Design and Curriculum Reform in a Civil Engineering Capstone Design Course in Hong Kong

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Cecilia K. Y.; Wong, George C. K.; Law, Ada K. H.; Zhang, T.; Au, Francis T. K.

2017-01-01

This study aimed to provide evidence-based conclusions from students concerning a capstone-design course in a civil engineering programme in Hong Kong. The evidence was generated by designing a student-experience questionnaire. The questionnaire instrument was assessed for internal consistency in four scales (curriculum and structure changes;…

Perceptions of Academic Staff towards Accommodating Students with Disabilities in a Civil Engineering Undergraduate Program in a University in South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayat, Nafisa; Amosun, Seyi Ladele

2011-01-01

This study explored the perceptions of academic staff towards admission of students with disabilities, and their accommodation once accepted into an undergraduate Civil Engineering program in a South African university. Qualitative responses relating to the perceptions of five academic staff were obtained through semi-structured interviews. The…

Learning about Environmental Issues in Engineering Programmes: A Case Study of First-Year Civil Engineering Students' Contextualisation of an Ecology Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lundholm, Cecilia

2004-01-01

Describes how first-year civil engineering students interpreted the content and structure of an ecology course. Students' learning processes were analysed from an intentional perspective, i.e. a perspective that takes into account the students' educational aims and conceptions of the study situation. Interviews were carried out with six civil…

A pay-for-performance system for civil service doctors: the Indonesian experiment.

PubMed

Chernichovsky, D; Bayulken, C

1995-07-01

In 1980 the Government of Indonesia proposed the introduction of a pay-for-performance system, the Functional Position System (FPS), for certain occupational categories of civil servants to provide a career development path and stimulate productivity (Government of Indonesia. Government Ordinance No. 3, 1980 Concerning Appointment to Civil Service Rank. Jakarta, 1980). The FPS, a bold pay concept in the civil service, links pay to skills and performance. In 1987, instructions were issued for doctors to be included in the system (Government of Indonesia, Credit Scores for Doctors. Circular Issued by the Ministry of Health and the Agency for Administration of the Civil Service No. 614/MENKES/E/VIII/1987 and No. 16/SE/1987). In this paper we evaluate how well the system-which in principle could be applicable to both developed and developing economies--can meet its stated objectives for Indonesian doctors working in the community, and for Indonesian health policy objectives as stated in the country's last five-year development plan "Repelita V" (Government of Indonesia. The Fifth Five-year Development Plan (Repelita V) 1989-1994. Jakarta, Indonesia, 1989). The FPS is particularly innovative in the Indonesian environment where wages are low and comparatively uniform, reflecting a philosophy of 'shared poverty', and vary primarily by seniority. The FPS has, however, several conceptual and practical shortcomings. The design of the reward system disregards effort or time inputs, as well as other inputs needed per unit of reward. Consequently, the FPS can not be used as an effective incentive system promoting professional excellence and health policy objectives. Practically, the system hardly provides an effective alternative for career development among community physicians.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Summary Proceedings of the Future Navigation Systems Planning Conference, held 3-4 August 1982, Washington, DC.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

U.S. civil system managed by the civil administration, but it would be even easier if it were a system agreed to and Jointly financed by ICAO or some... Unicorns Park Drive 955 L’Enfant Plaza Woburn, MA 01801 Washington, D.C. 20024 84 r. C. Dennis Wright Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association P.O. Box 5800

Shock-driven fluid-structure interaction for civil design

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wood, Stephen L; Deiterding, Ralf

The multiphysics fluid-structure interaction simulation of shock-loaded structures requires the dynamic coupling of a shock-capturing flow solver to a solid mechanics solver for large deformations. The Virtual Test Facility combines a Cartesian embedded boundary approach with dynamic mesh adaptation in a generic software framework of flow solvers using hydrodynamic finite volume upwind schemes that are coupled to various explicit finite element solid dynamics solvers (Deiterding et al., 2006). This paper gives a brief overview of the computational approach and presents first simulations that utilize the general purpose solid dynamics code DYNA3D for complex 3D structures of interest in civil engineering.more » Results from simulations of a reinforced column, highway bridge, multistory building, and nuclear reactor building are presented.« less

Development of a Brillouin scattering based distributed fibre optic strain sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Anthony Wayne

2001-07-01

The parameters of the Brillouin spectrum of an optical fibre depend upon the strain and temperature conditions of the fibre. As a result, fibre optic distributed sensors based on Brillouin scattering can measure strain and temperature in arbitrary regions of a sensing fibre. In the past, such sensors have often been demonstrated under laboratory conditions, demonstrating the principle of operation. Although some field tests of temperature sensing have been reported, the actual deployment of such sensors in the field for strain measurements has been limited by poor spatial resolution (typically 1 m or more) and poor strain accuracy (+/-100 muepsilon). Also, cross-sensitivity of the Brillouin spectrum to temperature further reduces the accuracy of strain measurement while long acquisition times hinders field use. The high level of user knowledge and lack of automation required to operate the equipment is another limiting factor of the only commercially available unit. The potential benefits of distributed measurements are great for instrumentation of civil structures provided that the above limitations are overcome. However, before this system is used with confidence by practitioners, it is essential that it can be effectively operated in field conditions. In light of this, the fibre optics group at the University of New Brunswick has been developing an automated system for field measurement of strain in civil structures, particularly in reinforced concrete. The development of the sensing system hardware and software was the main focus of this thesis. This has been made possible, in part, by observation of the Brillouin spectrum for the case of using very short light pulses (<10 ns). The end product of the development is a sensor with a spatial resolution that has been improved to 100 mm. Measurement techniques that improve system performance to measure strain to an accuracy of 10 muepsilon; and allow the simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature to an accuracy of 204 muepsilon and 3°C are presented. Finally, the results of field measurement of strain on a concrete structure are presented.

Results in standardization of FOS to support the use of SHM systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habel, Wolfgang R.; Krebber, Katerina; Daum, Werner

2016-05-01

Measurement and data recording systems are important parts of a holistic Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system. New sensor technologies such as fiber-optic sensors are often used; however, standards (or at least guidelines) are not yet available or internationally approved. This lack in standardization makes the acceptance of FOS technologies in complex SHM systems substantially difficult. A standard family for different FOS technologies is therefore being developed that should help to design SHM systems in an optimal way. International standardization activities take place in several standardization bodies such as IEC and ASTM, and within SHM societies such as ISHMII. The paper reports on activities in standardization of fiber-optic sensors, on results already achieved, and on newly started projects. Combined activities of fiber sensor experts and SHM experts from Civil Engineering are presented. These contributions should help owners of structures as well as developers of sensors and monitoring systems to select effective and validated sensing technologies. Using these standards, both parties find recommendations how to proceed in development of SHM systems to evaluate the structural behavior based on e.g. standardized fiber optic sensors, and to derive necessary measures, e.g. the optimal maintenance strategy.

The Global Fund and the re-configuration and re-emergence of 'civil society': widening or closing the democratic deficit?

PubMed

Kapilashrami, Anuj; O'Brien, Oonagh

2012-01-01

The past decade has witnessed a tremendous growth in the scale and policy influence of civil society in global health governance. The AIDS 'industry' in particular opens up spaces for active mobilisation and participation of non-state actors, which further crystallise with an ever-increasing dominance of global health initiatives. While country evaluations of global initiatives call for a greater participation of 'civil society', the evidence base examining the organisation, nature and operation of 'civil society' and its claims to legitimacy is very thin. Drawing on the case of one of the most visible players in the global response to HIV epidemic, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, this article seeks to highlight the complex micropolitics of its interactions with civil society. It examines the nature of civil society actors involved in the Fund projects and the processes through which they gain credibility. We argue that the imposition of global structures and principles facilitates a reconfiguration of actors around newer forms of expertise and power centres. In this context, the notion of 'civil society' underplays differences and power dynamics between various institutions and conceals the agency of outsiders under the guise of autonomy of the state and people.

Factors Leading to Effectiveness and Satisfaction in Civil Engineer Information Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

recently acquired MySQL in 2008 shortly after Oracle failed to acquire MySQL in 2007. For more information on policy implications concerning the use...individual level serves as the pertinent outcome variable and is used to evaluate and compare information systems in this study. Researchers have found...interim work information management system used by the Civil Engineer Operations Flight. The functions served by this system date back to the late

Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems for Disaster Relief: Tornado Alley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeBusk, Wesley M.

2009-01-01

Unmanned aerial vehicle systems are currently in limited use for public service missions worldwide. Development of civil unmanned technology in the United States currently lags behind military unmanned technology development in part because of unresolved regulatory and technological issues. Civil unmanned aerial vehicle systems have potential to augment disaster relief and emergency response efforts. Optimal design of aerial systems for such applications will lead to unmanned vehicles which provide maximum potentiality for relief and emergency response while accounting for public safety concerns and regulatory requirements. A case study is presented that demonstrates application of a civil unmanned system to a disaster relief mission with the intent on saving lives. The concept utilizes unmanned aircraft to obtain advanced warning and damage assessments for tornados and severe thunderstorms. Overview of a tornado watch mission architecture as well as commentary on risk, cost, need for, and design tradeoffs for unmanned aerial systems are provided.

Coexistence Analysis of Civil Unmanned Aircraft Systems at Low Altitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yuzhe

2016-11-01

The requirement of unmanned aircraft systems in civil areas is growing. However, provisioning of flight efficiency and safety of unmanned aircraft has critical requirements on wireless communication spectrum resources. Current researches mainly focus on spectrum availability. In this paper, the unmanned aircraft system communication models, including the coverage model and data rate model, and two coexistence analysis procedures, i. e. the interference and noise ratio criterion and frequency-distance-direction criterion, are proposed to analyze spectrum requirements and interference results of the civil unmanned aircraft systems at low altitudes. In addition, explicit explanations are provided. The proposed coexistence analysis criteria are applied to assess unmanned aircraft systems' uplink and downlink interference performances and to support corresponding spectrum planning. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed assessments and analysis procedures satisfy requirements of flexible spectrum accessing and safe coexistence among multiple unmanned aircraft systems.

Adolescents' and young adults' conceptions of civil liberties: freedom of speech and religion.

PubMed

Helwig, C C

1995-02-01

This study examined adolescents' and young adults' conceptions of freedom of speech and religion (civil liberties). 48 adolescents and young adults in 3 grade levels (mean ages 12-8, 16-10, and 19-6) were administered a structured interview containing assessments of civil liberties in general, in straightforward (unconflicted) applications, and in conflict with other social and moral concerns, including law, physical and psychological harm, and equality of opportunity. Freedom of speech and religion were conceptualized as universal rights and applied to social events in unconflicted contexts at all ages. A diverse array of rationales, differentiated according to type of freedom, were used at all ages to ground conceptions of universal freedoms. Judgments of civil liberties in conflicts exhibited several sources of variation, including developmental differences, situational or contextual variation determined by the particular types of issues in conflict, and individual differences. Results are consistent with the proposition that judgments of civil liberties reflect age-related patterns of coordination of delimited social and moral concepts rather than general orientations.

FADS: A demonstrator for MilComSat AOCS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huddleston, Martin; Cope, Paul

1995-03-01

This project covers the attitude and orbit control systems (AOCS) research program being carried out as part of the MOD applied research program for AD CIS(OR)1. The project program is to evaluate the candidate sensor technologies and control algorithms, such as Kalman filters, which may be applied to future UK military ComSats. The specific needs of military satellites for robust and threat-resistant control are not offered by current civil technologies which normally use vulnerable earth sensors or RF pointing which is vulnerable to deception. The program is also to investigate ways of reducing control system complexity and improvements in attitude control precision by enabling structural modes to be controlled. The project examines the most promising attitude control system technologies required to support such future communications payloads. User requirements indicate a need for improved threat resistance and for narrower spot beams, and the program supports this perceived need by the use of improved sensors and control algorithms. Improved pointing on civil ComSats is normally by means of ground RF measurements to form a closed loop control system with the spacecraft. For threat reasons this method is unsuitable for military ComSats, and on-board sensors are therefore used. The use of Silicon array star or earth sensors are the most promising, and the sensor program is to concentrate on these. Limited development and available civil sensors will be considered. Experimental work is based on demonstrating and evaluating real hardware in-the-loop on an existing air bearing experimental rig. This offers the closest simulation of real flight performance that can be obtained. The program will develop the Filtered Attitude Determination System (FADS)rig to be fully representative of a MilSatCom satellite, threat-resistant AOCS solution, employing Silicon array star and earth sensors. Both the BAe Mosaic Earth Sensor (MES) nad Marconi Versatile Star Sensor (VSS) technologies show considerable potential as attitude sensors. The VSS and MES capabilities will be evalutated on the FADS rig.

Selection of an evaluation index for water ecological civilizations of water-shortage cities based on the grey rough set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X. Y.; Zhu, J. W.; Xie, J. C.; Liu, J. L.; Jiang, R. G.

2017-08-01

According to the characteristics and existing problems of water ecological civilization of water-shortage cities, the evaluation index system of water ecological civilization was established using a grey rough set. From six aspects of water resources, water security, water environment, water ecology, water culture and water management, this study established the prime frame of the evaluation system, including 28 items, and used rough set theory to undertake optimal selection of the index system. Grey correlation theory then was used for weightings in order that the integrated evaluation index system for water ecology civilization of water-shortage cities could be constituted. Xi’an City was taken as an example, for which the results showed that 20 evaluation indexes could be obtained after optimal selection of the preliminary framework of evaluation index. The most influential indices were the water-resource category index and water environment category index. The leakage rate of the public water supply pipe network, as well as the disposal, treatment and usage rate of polluted water, urban water surface area ratio, the water quality of the main rivers, and so on also are important. It was demonstrated that the evaluation index could provide an objectively reflection of regional features and key points for the development of water ecology civilization for cities with scarce water resources. It is considered that the application example has universal applicability.

Main drive selection for the Windstorm Simulation Center

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lacy, J.M.; Earl, J.S.

1998-02-01

Operated by the Partnership for Natural Disaster Reduction, the Windstorm Simulation Center (WSC) will be a structural test center dedicated to studying the performance of civil structural systems subjected to hurricanes, tornadoes, and other storm winds. Within the WSC, a bank of high-power fans, the main drive, will produce the high velocity wind necessary to reproduce these storms. Several options are available for the main drive, each with advantages and liabilities. This report documents a study to identify and evaluate all candidates available, and to select the most promising system such that the best possible combination of real-world performance attributesmore » is achieved at the best value. Four broad classes of candidate were identified: electric motors, turbofan aircraft engines, turboshaft aircraft engines, and turboshaft industrial engines. Candidate systems were evaluated on a basis of technical feasibility, availability, power, installed cost, and operating cost.« less

Aerodynamic investigations of a disc-wing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumitrache, Alexandru; Frunzulica, Florin; Grigorescu, Sorin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the aerodynamic characteristics of a wing-disc, for a civil application in the fire-fighting system. The aerodynamic analysis is performed using a CFD code, named ANSYS Fluent, in the flow speed range up to 25 m/s, at lower and higher angle of attack. The simulation is three-dimensional, using URANS completed by a SST turbulence model. The results are used to examine the flow around the disc with increasing angle of attack and the structure of the wake.

Civil society engagement in multi-stakeholder dialogue: a qualitative study exploring the opinions and perceptions of MeTA members.

PubMed

Buckland-Merrett, Gemma L; Kilkenny, Catherine; Reed, Tim

2017-01-01

The Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) is an initiative that brings together all stakeholders in the medicines market to create a multi-stakeholder dialogue and improve access, availability and affordability of medicines. Key to this multi-stakeholder dialogue is the participation of Civil Society Organisations. A recent MeTA annual review, identified uneven engagement of civil society organisations in the multi-stakeholder process. This study was designed to explore the engagement of Civil Society Organisations in the MeTA multi-stakeholder process and the factors influencing their participation. Participants were drawn from a convenience sample of key MeTA informants attending a MeTA global meeting in Geneva in 2014. Study participants consisted of members of MeTA, which included representatives from government, the private sector and civil society. In-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to identify perceptions around the barriers to civil society engagement in the multi-stakeholder process. Interviews were guided by a conceptual framework exploring the three main themes of the political environment, relative stakeholder strength and agenda setting/gatekeepers. Interviews were structured to enable additional themes to emerge and be explored. Fifteen interviews were conducted. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a general inductive approach. All interviewees provided written informed consent. Findings were captured within three main overarching themes: the political environment, relative stakeholder strength and agenda setting/gatekeepers, with the opportunity for additional themes to emerge in the interviewing process. The study conformed these three themes were important in the engagement process. Participants reported that civil society engagement is particularly limited by those who set the agenda. It was largely seen that the political environment was the significant factor that enabled or disabled all others. The findings counter the argument that CSO barriers to engagement are predominantly due to capacity issues. This study enriches previous findings by providing insights into civil society participation in multi-stakeholder dialogue, specifically the MeTA initiative. The development of more rigorous and systematic accountability mechanisms in order to maintain the legitimacy of decision-making processes and establish more equal power relations would significantly benefit the engagement of civil society organisations. The results inform practical recommendations for MeTA and future multi-stakeholder programmes tasked with improving policy on the access, availability and affordability of medicines.

An Alternative Analysis of the Discourse by Descartes, Kant and Hegel in terms of the Ethical Structure of the Kanun.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Kazuhiko

2015-06-01

The ethical structure of the Albanian customary code, the Kanun, is deemed to represent the ethical value system of a society without state power. In spite of the appearance of civilizations and the resultant advent of an incipient state power, humans seemed to have known only the ethical value system of a society without state power until Gotama, Socrates, Plato and Jesus proposed new religious and philosophical doctrines. The basic trait of these religious and philosophical doctrines, which try to antagonize the ethical value system of a society without state power by eliminating the emotional aspect of humanity from the ethical value system, has been inherited by western philosophers such as Descartes, Kant and Hegel. The discourses by Descartes, Kant and Hegel were reviewed while paying attention to how they dealt with the sensuous and emotional aspects of humanity. The metaphysical implications of the ethical structure of the Kanun surfaced through the critical reviewing of their philosophy, and a hypothesis concerning its origin was presented.

FAA statistical handbook of aviation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1994-01-01

This report presents statistical information pertaining to the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Airspace System, Airports, Airport Activity, U.S. Civil Air Carrier Fleet, U.S. Civil Air Carrier Operating Data, Airmen, General Aviation Ai...

Cross-Correlation-Based Structural System Identification Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

PubMed Central

Yoon, Hyungchul; Hoskere, Vedhus; Park, Jong-Woong; Spencer, Billie F.

2017-01-01

Computer vision techniques have been employed to characterize dynamic properties of structures, as well as to capture structural motion for system identification purposes. All of these methods leverage image-processing techniques using a stationary camera. This requirement makes finding an effective location for camera installation difficult, because civil infrastructure (i.e., bridges, buildings, etc.) are often difficult to access, being constructed over rivers, roads, or other obstacles. This paper seeks to use video from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to address this problem. As opposed to the traditional way of using stationary cameras, the use of UAVs brings the issue of the camera itself moving; thus, the displacements of the structure obtained by processing UAV video are relative to the UAV camera. Some efforts have been reported to compensate for the camera motion, but they require certain assumptions that may be difficult to satisfy. This paper proposes a new method for structural system identification using the UAV video directly. Several challenges are addressed, including: (1) estimation of an appropriate scale factor; and (2) compensation for the rolling shutter effect. Experimental validation is carried out to validate the proposed approach. The experimental results demonstrate the efficacy and significant potential of the proposed approach. PMID:28891985

Environmental Impact Statement for Proposed Closure of Los Angeles Air Force Base, California and Relocation of Space Systems Division

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

FFRDC); and the Systems Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) contractor to selected Air Force bases including: Vandenberg AFB California; March AFB...05/21/90 comptroller, acquisition civil engineering , legal, security, communications-computer systems, product assurance, and safety, among others...housing units were constructed in 1983. The Fort MacArthur Housing Area also includes administrative offices, several warehouses, and civil engineering

Linking Health System Responsiveness to Political Rights and Civil Liberties: A Multilevel Analysis Using Data From 44 Countries.

PubMed

Witvliet, Margot I; Stronks, Karien; Kunst, Anton E; Mahapatra, Tanmay; Arah, Onyebuchi A

2015-01-01

Responsiveness is a dimension of health system functioning and might be dependent upon contextual factors related to politics. Given this, we performed cross-national comparisons with the aim of investigating: 1) the associations of political factors with patients' reports of health system responsiveness and 2) the extent to which health input and output might explain these associations. World Health Survey data were analyzed for 44 countries (n = 103 541). Main outcomes included, respectively, 8 and 7 responsiveness domains for inpatient and outpatient care. Linear multilevel regressions were used to assess the associations of politics (namely, civil liberties and political rights), socioeconomic development, health system input, and health system output (measured by maternal mortality) with responsiveness domains, adjusted for demographic factors. Political rights showed positive associations with dignity (regression coefficient = 0.086 [standard error = 0.039]), quality (0.092 [0.049]), and support (0.113 [0.048]) for inpatient care and with dignity (0.075 [0.040]), confidentiality (0.089 [0.043]), and quality (0.124 [0.053]) for outpatient care. Positive associations were observed for civil liberties as well. Health system input and output reduced observed associations. Results tentatively suggest that strengthening political rights and, to a certain extent, civil liberties might improve health system responsiveness, in part through their effect on health system input and output. © The Author(s) 2015.

Analysis and methodology for aeronautical systems technology program planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, M. J.; Gershkoff, I.; Lamkin, S.

1983-01-01

A structured methodology was developed that allows the generation, analysis, and rank-ordering of system concepts by their benefits and costs, indicating the preferred order of implementation. The methodology is supported by a base of data on civil transport aircraft fleet growth projections and data on aircraft performance relating the contribution of each element of the aircraft to overall performance. The performance data are used to assess the benefits of proposed concepts. The methodology includes a computer program for performing the calculations needed to rank-order the concepts and compute their cumulative benefit-to-cost ratio. The use of the methodology and supporting data is illustrated through the analysis of actual system concepts from various sources.

Structured representation for requirements and specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, Gerald C.; Fisher, Gene; Frincke, Deborah; Wolber, Dave

1991-01-01

This document was generated in support of NASA contract NAS1-18586, Design and Validation of Digital Flight Control Systems suitable for Fly-By-Wire Applications, Task Assignment 2. Task 2 is associated with a formal representation of requirements and specifications. In particular, this document contains results associated with the development of a Wide-Spectrum Requirements Specification Language (WSRSL) that can be used to express system requirements and specifications in both stylized and formal forms. Included with this development are prototype tools to support the specification language. In addition a preliminary requirements specification methodology based on the WSRSL has been developed. Lastly, the methodology has been applied to an Advanced Subsonic Civil Transport Flight Control System.

Where is the state? How is the state? Accessing water and the state in Mumbai and Johannesburg.

PubMed

Bawa, Zainab

2011-01-01

This article examines the water distribution systems in Johannesburg and Mumbai to argue that the political and institutional contexts of service delivery shape people’s access to the state and its resources, and also mediation between citizens and government institutions by councillors. Through ethnographies of water supply and distribution systems in Mumbai and Johannesburg, I explain how the organizational structure of the water utility, institutional arrangements of service delivery, regulatory systems, councillors’ proximity to decision makers and their relationship with municipal officials, civil servants and party members variously influence councillors’ mediation capacities and their ability to fulfil the claims of their constituencies for piped water supply and connections.

5 CFR 880.102 - Regulatory structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Regulatory structure. 880.102 Section 880.102 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS... Regulatory structure. (a) This part contains the following subparts: (1) Subpart A contains general...

Shape and Stress Sensing of Multilayered Composite and Sandwich Structures Using an Inverse Finite Element Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cerracchio, Priscilla; Gherlone, Marco; Di Sciuva, Marco; Tessler, Alexander

2013-01-01

The marked increase in the use of composite and sandwich material systems in aerospace, civil, and marine structures leads to the need for integrated Structural Health Management systems. A key capability to enable such systems is the real-time reconstruction of structural deformations, stresses, and failure criteria that are inferred from in-situ, discrete-location strain measurements. This technology is commonly referred to as shape- and stress-sensing. Presented herein is a computationally efficient shape- and stress-sensing methodology that is ideally suited for applications to laminated composite and sandwich structures. The new approach employs the inverse Finite Element Method (iFEM) as a general framework and the Refined Zigzag Theory (RZT) as the underlying plate theory. A three-node inverse plate finite element is formulated. The element formulation enables robust and efficient modeling of plate structures instrumented with strain sensors that have arbitrary positions. The methodology leads to a set of linear algebraic equations that are solved efficiently for the unknown nodal displacements. These displacements are then used at the finite element level to compute full-field strains, stresses, and failure criteria that are in turn used to assess structural integrity. Numerical results for multilayered, highly heterogeneous laminates demonstrate the unique capability of this new formulation for shape- and stress-sensing.

The Position of a Teacher as a Factor of Forming Students' Socio-Cultural Identities (On the Example of the Russian Civil Identity)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shakurova, Marina V.

2015-01-01

The article presents experience of structuring and description of teachers' position in the process of forming socio-cultural identity of the person, detailed in regard to the process of formation of one of the subtypes of socio-cultural identity--Russian civil identity. We identified and described real subjective, nominally subjective and…

Self-healing nanocomposite using shape memory polymer and carbon nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yingtao; Rajadas, Abhishek; Chattopadhyay, Aditi

2013-04-01

Carbon fiber reinforced composites are used in a wide range of applications in aerospace, mechanical, and civil structures. Due to the nature of material, most damage in composites, such as delaminations, are always barely visible to the naked eye, which makes it difficult to detect and repair. The investigation of biological systems has inspired the development and characterization of self-healing composites. This paper presents the development of a new type of self-healing material in order to impede damage progression and conduct in-situ damage repair in composite structures. Carbon nanotubes, which are highly conductive materials, are mixed with shape memory polymer to develop self-healing capability. The developed polymeric material is applied to carbon fiber reinforced composites to automatically heal the delamination between different layers. The carbon fiber reinforced composite laminates are manufactured using high pressure molding techniques. Tensile loading is applied to double cantilever beam specimens using an MTS hydraulic test frame. A direct current power source is used to generate heat within the damaged area. The application of thermal energy leads to re-crosslinking in shape memory polymers. Experimental results showed that the developed composite materials are capable of healing the matrix cracks and delaminations in the bonded areas of the test specimens. The developed self-healing material has the potential to be used as a novel structural material in mechanical, civil, aerospace applications.

Integration of a CAD System Into an MDO Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, J. C.; Samareh, J. A.; Weston, R. P.; Zorumski, W. E.

1998-01-01

NASA Langley has developed a heterogeneous distributed computing environment, called the Framework for Inter-disciplinary Design Optimization, or FIDO. Its purpose has been to demonstrate framework technical feasibility and usefulness for optimizing the preliminary design of complex systems and to provide a working environment for testing optimization schemes. Its initial implementation has been for a simplified model of preliminary design of a high-speed civil transport. Upgrades being considered for the FIDO system include a more complete geometry description, required by high-fidelity aerodynamics and structures codes and based on a commercial Computer Aided Design (CAD) system. This report presents the philosophy behind some of the decisions that have shaped the FIDO system and gives a brief case study of the problems and successes encountered in integrating a CAD system into the FEDO framework.

[Disaster Control and Civil Protection in Germany].

PubMed

Kippnich, Maximilian; Kowalzik, Barbara; Cermak, Rudolf; Kippnich, Uwe; Kranke, Peter; Wurmb, Thomas

2017-09-01

The train crash of Bad Aibling/Germany in February 2016 and the terrorist attacks of the recent years in Europe have demonstrated the urgent need to be prepared for such disastrous events. Disaster preparedness and disaster control are very important governmental duties, as are civil protection and civil defense. In Germany the responsibility for those tasks are divided between the 16 "Länder" and the Federation. While the Federation takes care of the civil protection and disaster assistance, the Länder are responsible for disaster control. The presented article focuses on these issues and gives valuable insights into the German system of disaster control and civil protection with a focus on health protection. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

77 FR 47065 - Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Stormwater...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-07

... activities: Construction Buildings........ 236 Heavy and Civil Engineering 237 Construction. EPA does not... permit may not be challenged later in civil or criminal proceedings to enforce these requirements. In...

Advocacy for strengthening civil registration and vital statistics.

PubMed

Upham, Susan; Mikkelsen, Lene

2012-04-01

This article has presented the key elements of the advocacy process and the steps to consider in developing an advocacy campaign. There are compelling reasons for engaging in advocacy, particularly as civil registration systems in many countries have progressed very little over the past 50 years. Lack of awareness of the benefits for individuals and governments has contributed to a vicious cycle of under development of civil registration and vital statistics systems. Advocates are needed across a range of sectors to persuade governments to make CRVS a priority and to work towards a greater political commitment and allocation of resources for establishing and improving systems. Advocating for better legal frameworks and policies that fully support a functioning and well-used CRVS system is needed. A selection of tools and resources has been included in this module to get you started in advocating for improvements in your CRVS system. Box 4 summarises some key considerations when developing your advocacy campaign.

The design and implementation of photoacoustic based laser warning receiver for harsh environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Sherif, Ashraf F.; Ayoub, H. S.; El-Sharkawy, Yasser H.; Gomaa, Walid; Hassan, H. H.

2018-01-01

This paper discusses the implementation of new type of laser warning receiver (LWR) system, based on the detection of photoacoustic signals, induced by high power infrared laser designators pulses on target's surfaces. This system appends conventional optoelectronic based LWR to decrease the false alarm rate (FAR) in harsh environments, where ambient conditions are expected to obstruct optical LWR. To improve the sensitivity of the photoacoustic based LWR system, some metallic and polymeric target shielding materials were studied, in order to cover a friendly civil structure, vehicle or a maritime entity with a low cost large area acoustic detector array shield. A thermographic investigation of target surface material- laser reaction, signal processing and system configuration and functional analysis are also presented.

Radar Interferometry for Monitoring the Vibration Characteristics of Buildings and Civil Structures: Recent Case Studies in Spain

PubMed Central

Luzi, Guido; Crosetto, Michele; Fernández, Enric

2017-01-01

The potential of a coherent microwave sensor to monitor the vibration characteristics of civil structures has been investigated in the past decade, and successful case studies have been published by different research teams. This remote sensing technique is based on the interferometric processing of real aperture radar acquisitions. Its capability to estimate, simultaneously and remotely, the displacement of different parts of the investigated structures, with high accuracy and repeatability, is its main advantage with respect to conventional sensors. A considerable amount of literature on this technique is available, including various case studies aimed at testing the ambient vibration of bridges, buildings, and towers. In the last years, this technique has been used in Spain for civil structures monitoring. In this paper, three examples of such case studies are described: the monitoring of the suspended bridge crossing the Ebro River at Amposta, the communications tower of Collserola in Barcelona, and an urban building located in Vilafranca del Penedès, a small town close to Barcelona. This paper summarizes the main outcomes of these case studies, underlining the advantages and limitations of the sensors currently available, and concluding with the possible improvements expected from the next generation of sensors. PMID:28338604

Design of structures against fire. Civil engineering/buildings, architecture

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anchor, R.D.; Malhotra, H.L.; Purkiss, J.A.

1986-01-01

The book covers structural design criteria, along with background theory on fire protection methods for structures from a variety of materials, including timber, steel, and concrete. Research on the behavior of structural materials in the presence of fire is highlighted, and the need for fire-resistant materials is addressed.

Multi-sensor sheets based on large-area electronics for advanced structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-09-01

Structural Health Monitoring has a great potential to provide valuable information about the actual structural : condition and can help optimize the management activities. However, few eective and robust monitoring technology exist which hinders a...

Data analysis and detection methods for on-line health monitoring of bridge structures

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-06-01

Developing an efficient structural health monitoring (SHM) technique is important for reducing potential hazards posed : to the public by damaged civil structures. The ultimate goal of applying SHM is to real-time detect, localize, and quantify : the...

5 CFR 847.102 - Regulatory structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Regulatory structure. 847.102 Section 847.102 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS... INSTRUMENTALITIES General Provisions § 847.102 Regulatory structure. (a)(1) Subpart A of this part contains...

Recruitment of Civil Engineering Students in Germany: Shortage or Overflow?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rothert, Heinrich

1990-01-01

Discussed is the recruitment and demand for civil engineering students in Germany. Described is the German engineering education system and the possibility of a joint-venture building industry between the two German states. (KR)

Vision impairment and corrective considerations of civil airmen.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1993-12-01

Civil aviation is a major commercial and technological industry in the United States. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for the regulation and promotion of aviation safety in the National Airspace System. The Office of Aerospac...

Civil society: the catalyst for ensuring health in the age of sustainable development.

PubMed

Smith, Julia; Buse, Kent; Gordon, Case

2016-07-16

Sustainable Development Goal Three is rightly ambitious, but achieving it will require doing global health differently. Among other things, progressive civil society organisations will need to be recognised and supported as vital partners in achieving the necessary transformations. We argue, using illustrative examples, that a robust civil society can fulfill eight essential global health functions. These include producing compelling moral arguments for action, building coalitions beyond the health sector, introducing novel policy alternatives, enhancing the legitimacy of global health initiatives and institutions, strengthening systems for health, enhancing accountability systems, mitigating the commercial determinants of health and ensuring rights-based approaches. Given that civil society activism has catalyzed tremendous progress in global health, there is a need to invest in and support it as a global public good to ensure that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can be realised.

Progress in Decommissioning the Humboldt Bay Power Plant - 13604

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rod, Kerry; Shelanskey, Steven K.; Kristofzski, John

Decommissioning of the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG and E) Company Humboldt Bay Power Plant (HBPP) Unit 3 nuclear facility has now, after more than three decades of SAFSTOR and initial decommissioning work, transitioned to full-scale decommissioning. Decommissioning activities to date have been well orchestrated and executed in spite of an extremely small work site with space constricted even more by other concurrent on-site major construction projects including the demolition of four fossil units, construction of a new generating station and 60 KV switchyard upgrade. Full-scale decommissioning activities - now transitioning from Plant Systems Removal (PG and E self-perform) tomore » Civil Works Projects (contractor performed) - are proceeding in a safe, timely, and cost effective manner. As a result of the successful decommissioning work to date (approximately fifty percent completed) and the intense planning and preparations for the remaining work, there is a high level of confidence for completion of all HBPP Unit 3 decommissions activities in 2018. Strategic planning and preparations to transition into full-scale decommissioning was carried out in 2008 by a small, highly focused project team. This planning was conducted concurrent with other critical planning requirements such as the loading of spent nuclear fuel into dry storage at the Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation (ISFSI) finishing December 2008. Over the past four years, 2009 through 2012, the majority of decommissioning work has been installation of site infrastructure and removal of systems and components, known as the Plant System Removal Phase, where work scope was dynamic with significant uncertainty, and it was self-performed by PG and E. As HBPP Decommissioning transitions from the Plant System Removal Phase to the Civil Works Projects Phase, where work scope is well defined, a contracting plan similar to that used for Fossil Decommissioning will be implemented. Award of five major work scopes in various stages of development are planned as they include: Turbine Building Demolition, Nuclear Facilities Demolition and Excavation, Intake and Discharge Canal Remediation, Office Facility Demobilization, and Final Site Restoration. Benefits realized by transitioning to the Civil Works Projects Phase with predominant firm fixed-price/fixed unit price contracting include single civil works contractor who can coordinate concrete shaving, liner removal, structural removal, and other demolition activities; streamline financial control; reduce PG and E overhead staffing; and provide a specialized Bidder Team with experience from other similar projects. (authors)« less

The NASA technology push towards future space mission systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadin, Stanley R.; Povinelli, Frederick P.; Rosen, Robert

1988-01-01

As a result of the new Space Policy, the NASA technology program has been called upon to a provide a solid base of national capabilities and talent to serve NASA's civil space program, commercial, and other space sector interests. This paper describes the new technology program structure and its characteristics, traces its origin and evolution, and projects the likely near- and far-term strategic steps. It addresses the alternative 'push-pull' approaches to technology development, the readiness levels to which the technology needs to be developed for effective technology transfer, and the focused technology programs currently being implemented to satisfy the needs of future space systems.

Structural health monitoring using smart optical fiber sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, Heddwyn; Everall, Lorna A.; Gallon, Andrew M.

2001-04-01

This paper describes the potential of a smart monitoring system, incorporating optical fiber sensing techniques, to provide important structural information to designers and users alike. This technology has application in all areas including aerospace, civil, maritime and automotive engineering. In order to demonstrate the capability of the sensing system it has been installed in a 35 m free-standing carbon fiber yacht mast, where a complete optical network of strain and temperature sensors were embedded into a composite mast and boom during lay-up. The system was able to monitor the behavior of the composite rig through a range of handling conditions and the resulting strain information could be used by engineers to improve the structural design process. The optical strain sensor system comprises of three main components: the sensor network, the opto-electronic data acquisition unit (OFSSS) and the external PC which acts as a data log and display. Embedded fiber optic sensors have wide ranging application for structural load monitoring. Due to their small size, optical fiber sensors can be readily embedded into composite materials. Other advantages include their immediate multiplexing capability and immunity to electromagnetic interference. The capability of this system has been demonstrated within the maritime environment, but can be adapted for any application.

A Markov model of the Indus script

PubMed Central

Rao, Rajesh P. N.; Yadav, Nisha; Vahia, Mayank N.; Joglekar, Hrishikesh; Adhikari, R.; Mahadevan, Iravatham

2009-01-01

Although no historical information exists about the Indus civilization (flourished ca. 2600–1900 B.C.), archaeologists have uncovered about 3,800 short samples of a script that was used throughout the civilization. The script remains undeciphered, despite a large number of attempts and claimed decipherments over the past 80 years. Here, we propose the use of probabilistic models to analyze the structure of the Indus script. The goal is to reveal, through probabilistic analysis, syntactic patterns that could point the way to eventual decipherment. We illustrate the approach using a simple Markov chain model to capture sequential dependencies between signs in the Indus script. The trained model allows new sample texts to be generated, revealing recurring patterns of signs that could potentially form functional subunits of a possible underlying language. The model also provides a quantitative way of testing whether a particular string belongs to the putative language as captured by the Markov model. Application of this test to Indus seals found in Mesopotamia and other sites in West Asia reveals that the script may have been used to express different content in these regions. Finally, we show how missing, ambiguous, or unreadable signs on damaged objects can be filled in with most likely predictions from the model. Taken together, our results indicate that the Indus script exhibits rich synactic structure and the ability to represent diverse content. both of which are suggestive of a linguistic writing system rather than a nonlinguistic symbol system. PMID:19666571

Transforming Energy Systems and Indian Initiatives in Intelligent Grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razdan, Anil

2014-07-01

Ancient words of wisdom have remarkable clarity, brevity, universality and timelessness in their applicability. They cut across civilizations, systems, and situations, almost effortlessly. The positive take is that mistakes can be committed, but can be rectified. What may be appropriate in one situation, has to change in another context. Two proverbs from diverse civilizations are very relevant in the current context...

The application of NAVSTAR Differential GPS to civil helicopter operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beser, J.; Parkinson, B. W.

1981-01-01

Principles concerning the operation of the NAVSTAR Global Positioning Systems (GPS) are discussed. Selective availability issues concerning NAVSTAR GPS and differential GPS concepts are analyzed. Civil support and market potential for differential GPS are outlined. It is concluded that differential GPS provides a variation on the baseline GPS system, and gives an assured, uninterrupted level of accuracy for the civilian community.

A wireless fatigue monitoring system utilizing a bio-inspired tree ring data tracking technique.

PubMed

Bai, Shi; Li, Xuan; Xie, Zhaohui; Zhou, Zhi; Ou, Jinping

2014-03-05

Fatigue, a hot scientific research topic for centuries, can trigger sudden failure of critical structures such as aircraft and railway systems, resulting in enormous casualties as well as economic losses. The fatigue life of certain structures is intrinsically random and few monitoring techniques are capable of tracking the full life-cycle fatigue damage. In this paper, a novel in-situ wireless real-time fatigue monitoring system using a bio-inspired tree ring data tracking technique is proposed. The general framework, methodology, and verification of this intelligent system are discussed in details. The rain-flow counting (RFC) method is adopted as the core algorithm which quantifies fatigue damages, and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is introduced as the core module for data collection and analysis. Laboratory test results based on strain gauges and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensors have shown that the developed intelligent system can provide a reliable quick feedback and early warning of fatigue failure. With the merits of low cost, high accuracy and great reliability, the developed wireless fatigue sensing system can be further applied to mechanical engineering, civil infrastructures, transportation systems, aerospace engineering, etc.

Crash-resistant fuel system effectiveness in civil helicopter crashes.

PubMed

Hayden, Mark S; Shanahan, Dennis F; Chen, Li-Hui; Baker, Susan P

2005-08-01

Crash-resistant fuel systems (CRFS) have demonstrated close to 100% effectiveness in survivable crashes of Army helicopters, but the technology has been slow to transfer into the civil helicopter arena. Federal standards for civil helicopter CRFS are less stringent than those for military helicopters. A reduction in standards for CRFS in military helicopters is being considered. The goal of this study was to determine whether crashes of civil helicopters with CRFS are less likely to result in post-crash fire than crashes of those without. Crashes of civil helicopters during 1982-2004 were analyzed, comparing Bell 206 helicopters manufactured with CRFS with Aerospatial 350 helicopters manufactured during the same period (post-1981), but lacking CRFS. Bell 206 helicopters with CRFS were also compared with earlier models without CRFS. The highest proportion of crashes with post-crash fires (11.3%) was in AS-350s manufactured after 1981 (non-CRFS), and the lowest (3.7%) was in Bell 206s (with CRFS) [unadjusted risk ratio (RR) = 3.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.04, 10.50; adjusted for light and weather, RR = 2.81, Cl = 0.82, 9.69]. Earlier models of Bell 206s without CRFS had higher risk of post-crash fire than post-1981 models with CRFS (7.4% vs. 3.7%; adjusted RR = 2.11, Cl = 0.82, 5.45). The results of this study suggest a better performance, in terms of post-crash fire prevention, of CRFS-equipped civil helicopters as compared with those without CRFS. It is possible that CRFS in civil helicopters have not achieved the same degree of effectiveness as CRFS in military helicopters. CRFS should be used more widely in civil helicopters. The more stringent CRFS requirements for military helicopters should not be reduced without further research.

Condition assessment of corroded steel rebar in free space using synthetic aperture radar images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingemi, Christopher M.; Owusu Twumasi, Jones; Litt, Swinderjit; Yu, Tzuyang

2017-04-01

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging of construction materials offers civil engineers an opportunity to better assess the condition of aging civil infrastructures such as reinforced concrete (RC) structures. Corrosion of steel rebar in RC structures is a major problem responsible for their premature failure and unexpected collapse. In this paper, SAR imaging is applied to the quantitative assessment of corroded steel rebar in free space as the first step toward the use of SAR imaging for subsurface sensing of aging RC structures. A 10 GHz stripmap SAR system was used inside an anechoic chamber. The bandwidth of the radar system was 1.5 GHz. Steel rebar specimens were artificially corroded to different levels by regularly applying a mist of 5% NaCl solution for different durations of time in order to simulate the condition of natural corrosion. Two sizes (No. 3 and No. 4) of steel rebar were used in this research. Different orientations of steel rebar were considered. Corrosion level was determined by measuring the mass loss of corroded steel rebar specimens. From our results, feasibility of SAR images for the condition assessment of corroded steel rebar was experimentally demonstrated. It was found that the presence of surface rust on corroded steel rebar reduces the amplitude in SAR images. The SAR image of corroded steel rebar also exhibited a distribution of SAR amplitudes different from the one of intact steel rebar. In addition, it was also found that there is an optimal range for the condition assessment of corroded steel rebar in free space. In our experiment, the optimal range was determined to be 30.4 cm.

Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar: Research Perspectives in COST Action TU1208

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajewski, Lara; Benedetto, Andrea; Loizos, Andreas; Slob, Evert; Tosti, Fabio

2013-04-01

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a safe, non-destructive and non-invasive imaging technique that can be effectively used for advanced inspection of composite structures and for diagnostics affecting the whole life-cycle of civil engineering works. GPR provides high resolution images of structures and subsurface through wide-band electromagnetic waves. It can be employed for the surveying of roads, pavements, bridges, tunnels, for detecting underground cavities and voids, for utility sensing, for the inspection of buildings, reinforced concrete and pre-cast concrete structures, for geotechnical investigation, in foundation design, as well as for several other purposes. Penetration and resolution of GPR depend primarily on the transmitting frequency of the equipment, the antenna characteristics, the electrical properties of the ground or of the surveyed material, and the contrasting electrical properties of the targets with respect to the surrounding medium. Generally there is a direct relationship between the transmitter frequency and the resolution that can be obtained; conversely there is an inverse relationship between frequency and penetration depth. GPR works best in dry ground environments, but can also give good results in wet, saturated materials; it does not work well in saline conditions, in high-conductivity media and through dense clays which limit signal penetration. Different approaches can be employed in the processing of collected GPR data. Once data have been processed, they still have to be analysed. This is a challenging problem, since interpretation of GPR radargrams is typically non-intuitive and considerable expertise is needed. In the presence of a complex scenario, an accurate electromagnetic forward solver is a fundamental tool for the validation of data interpretation. It can be employed for the characterization of scenarios, as a preliminary step that precedes a survey, or to gain a posteriori a better understanding of measured data. It can be used by GPR operators to identify the signatures generated by uncommon targets or by composite structures. Repeated evaluations of the electromagnetic field scattered by known targets can be performed by a forward solver, in order to estimate - through comparison with measured data - the physics and geometry of the region investigated by the GPR. It is possible to identify three main areas, in the GPR field, that have to be addressed in order to promote the use of this technology in the civil engineering. These are: a) increase of the system sensitivity to enable the usability in a wider range of conditions; b) research novel data processing algorithms/analysis tools for the interpretation of GPR results; c) contribute to the development of new standards and guidelines and to training of end users, that will also help to increase the awareness of operators. In this framework, the COST Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar", proposed by Lara Pajewski, "Roma Tre" University, Rome, Italy, has been approved in November 2012 and is going to start in April 2013. It is a 4-years ambitious project already involving 17 European Countries (AT, BE, CH, CZ, DE, EL, ES, FI, FR, HR, IT, NL, NO, PL, PT, TR, UK), as well as Australia and U.S.A. The project will be developed within the frame of a unique approach based on the integrated contribution of University researchers, software developers, geophysics experts, Non-Destructive Testing equipment designers and producers, end users from private companies and public agencies. The main objective of the COST Action TU1208 is to exchange and increase scientific-technical knowledge and experience of GPR techniques in civil engineering, whilst promoting the effective use of this safe and non-destructive technique in the monitoring of systems. In this interdisciplinary Action, advantages and limitations of GPR will be highlighted, leading to the identification of gaps in knowledge and technology. Protocols and guidelines for European Standards will be developed, for an effective application of GPR in civil engineering. A novel GPR will be designed and realized: a multi-static system, with dedicated software and calibration procedures, able to construct real-time lane three-dimensional high resolution images of investigated areas. Advanced electromagnetic-scattering and data-processing techniques will be developed. The understanding of relationships between geophysical parameters and civil-engineering needs will be improved. Freeware software will be released, for inspection and monitoring of structures and infrastructures, buried-object localization, shape reconstruction and estimation of useful parameters. A high level training program will be organized. Mobility of early career researchers will be encouraged. The scientific work-plan of the Action is open, to ensure that experts all over the world, who did not participate in the preparation of the proposal but are interested in the project, may join the Action and participate in its activities. More information about the project can be found at http://www.cost.eu/domains_actions/tud/Actions/TU1208.

NASA's Research in Aircraft Vulnerability Mitigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Cheryl L.

2005-01-01

Since its inception in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) role in civil aeronautics has been to develop high-risk, high-payoff technologies to meet critical national aviation challenges. Following the events of Sept. 11, 2001, NASA recognized that it now shared the responsibility for improving homeland security. The NASA Strategic Plan was modified to include requirements to enable a more secure air transportation system by investing in technologies and collaborating with other agencies, industry, and academia. NASA is conducting research to develop and advance innovative and commercially viable technologies that will reduce the vulnerability of aircraft to threats or hostile actions, and identify and inform users of potential vulnerabilities in a timely manner. Presented in this paper are research plans and preliminary status for mitigating the effects of damage due to direct attacks on civil transport aircraft. The NASA approach to mitigation includes: preventing loss of an aircraft due to a hit from man-portable air defense systems; developing fuel system technologies that prevent or minimize in-flight vulnerability to small arms or other projectiles; providing protection from electromagnetic energy attacks by detecting directed energy threats to aircraft and on/off-board systems; and minimizing the damage due to high-energy attacks (explosions and fire) by developing advanced lightweight, damage-resistant composites and structural concepts. An approach to preventing aircraft from being used as weapons of mass destruction will also be discussed.

Efficiency of Public Service in Pekangbaru City With E-Government

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamzami; Fajrizal; Arief Hasan, Mhd

2017-12-01

The use of technology in the field of computers today is increasing, along with the development of science and globalization of information that demands the creation of a state of computerization. E-Government is now the right solution for local and central government, it is because it can assist the government in managing government data and able to provide information to the community quickly, precisely and efficiently. The current service system at the Office of Population and Civil Registration of Pekanbaru City still uses a manual system that takes a long time and cost a lot. In this E-Government application will contain application feature profile information of the Office of Population and Civil Registration of Pekanbaru City, public service requirements, office address of Pekanbaru City Sub-district, community complaint, KK (Family Card), and birth certificate online. The general purpose of making E-Government application system is to provide a new alternative for the Office of Population and Civil Registration of Pekanbaru City in improving its public service system. And the specific purpose is to facilitate the delivery of information, the formation of the system of birth certificate and death online and realize the excellent service for the Office of Population and Civil Registration Pekanbaru and the public.

Estimates of expansion time scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, E. M.

Monte Carlo simulations of the expansion of a spacefaring civilization show that descendants of that civilization should be found near virtually every useful star in the Galaxy in a time much less than the current age of the Galaxy. Only extreme assumptions about local population growth rates, emigration rates, or ship ranges can slow or halt an expansion. The apparent absence of extraterrestrials from the solar system suggests that no such civilization has arisen in the Galaxy.

Trial guidelines for the conservation of Virginia's historic bridges.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-01-01

Interest in the preservation of historic engineering structures has increased dramatically over the past decade. Because civil engineering structures primarily serve functions in the public domain, their preservation focuses attention on what appear ...

Safe Treatment, Avoiding Needless Deaths, and Abuse Reduction in the Detention System Act

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Watson, Diane E. [D-CA-33

2010-01-19

House - 03/01/2010 Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

25 CFR 700.273 - Request for notification of existence of records: Action on.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... records were compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action or proceeding or (ii) the system of.... (2) If the records were compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action or proceeding or the...

NAVSTAR GPS Marine Receiver Performance Analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1984-09-01

This report is an analysis and comparison of the capability of several NAVSTAR GPS receiver configurations to provide accurate position data to the civil marine user. The NAVSTAR GPS system itself has the potential to provide civil marine users with ...

77 FR 12286 - Final National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) General Permit for Stormwater...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-29

... Heavy and Civil Engineering 237 Construction. EPA does not intend the preceding table to be exhaustive... challenged later in civil or criminal proceedings to enforce these requirements. In addition, this permit may...

Tropical Cyclone Report, 1990.

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

organization as system underwent increased vertical wind shear and loss of latent and sensible heat. HI. TRACK AND MOTION After initially tracking...PASADENA CIUDAD UNIVERSITARIA. MEXICO LISD CAMP SPRINGS CENTER, MD CIVIL DEFENSE, BELAU LOS ANGELES PUBLIC LIBRARY CIVIL DEFENSE, MAJURO MAURITIUS

Evaluation of uncertainty in determination of neutral axis and deformed shape of beam structures : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-01-01

With aging infrastructure, it becomes crucial to make informed decisions about maintenance and : preservation actions, as well as renewal of civil structures. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) can be : an important aid in this decision process, but ...

Deep Learning and Image Processing for Automated Crack Detection and Defect Measurement in Underground Structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panella, F.; Boehm, J.; Loo, Y.; Kaushik, A.; Gonzalez, D.

2018-05-01

This work presents the combination of Deep-Learning (DL) and image processing to produce an automated cracks recognition and defect measurement tool for civil structures. The authors focus on tunnel civil structures and survey and have developed an end to end tool for asset management of underground structures. In order to maintain the serviceability of tunnels, regular inspection is needed to assess their structural status. The traditional method of carrying out the survey is the visual inspection: simple, but slow and relatively expensive and the quality of the output depends on the ability and experience of the engineer as well as on the total workload (stress and tiredness may influence the ability to observe and record information). As a result of these issues, in the last decade there is the desire to automate the monitoring using new methods of inspection. The present paper has the goal of combining DL with traditional image processing to create a tool able to detect, locate and measure the structural defect.

Limitations of constitutional protections in Jackson v. Indiana pertaining to charges with no statute of limitations.

PubMed

Rodol, Liban; Epson, Martin F; Bloom, Joseph D

2013-01-01

There has been a long-standing link between the civil and criminal commitment procedures for individuals found incompetent to stand trial (IST). In the criminal system, when restoration of competency fails to be realized in a reasonable time, the civil commitment process becomes the default system for commitment. While there have been recent calls for improved mechanisms for predicting competence restorability, there has been little attention paid to individuals who can oscillate indefinitely between commitment in both the criminal and civil systems. We provide an example of one such case where an individual falls into the legal space that sits outside of the judicial guidance outlined in the landmark case Jackson v. Indiana. This review of Oregon public documents surrounding an ongoing murder case highlights the potential for indefinite detention of individuals who have been charged with serious crimes that do not have a statute of limitations, who are unlikely to be restored to competency to stand trial, and who are inconsistently found to be dangerous under civil commitment standards.

COST Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar": ongoing research activities and third-year results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pajewski, Lara; Benedetto, Andrea; Loizos, Andreas; Tosti, Fabio

2016-04-01

This work aims at disseminating the ongoing research activities and third-year results of the COST (European COoperation in Science and Technology) Action TU1208 "Civil Engineering Applications of Ground Penetrating Radar." About 350 experts are participating to the Action, from 28 COST Countries (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, Macedonia, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom), and from Albania, Armenia, Australia, Colombia, Egypt, Hong Kong, Jordan, Israel, Philippines, Russia, Rwanda, Ukraine, and United States of America. In September 2014, TU1208 has been recognised among the running Actions as "COST Success Story" ("The Cities of Tomorrow: The Challenges of Horizon 2020," September 17-19, 2014, Torino, IT - A COST strategic workshop on the development and needs of the European cities). The principal goal of the COST Action TU1208 is to exchange and increase scientific-technical knowledge and experience of GPR techniques in civil engineering, whilst simultaneously promoting throughout Europe the effective use of this safe and non-destructive technique in the monitoring of infrastructures and structures. Moreover, the Action is oriented to the following specific objectives and expected deliverables: (i) coordinating European scientists to highlight problems, merits and limits of current GPR systems; (ii) developing innovative protocols and guidelines, which will be published in a handbook and constitute a basis for European standards, for an effective GPR application in civil- engineering tasks; safety, economic and financial criteria will be integrated within the protocols; (iii) integrating competences for the improvement and merging of electromagnetic scattering techniques and of data- processing techniques; this will lead to a novel freeware tool for the localization of buried objects, shape-reconstruction and estimation of geophysical parameters useful for civil engineering needs; (iv) networking for the design, realization and optimization of innovative GPR equipment; (v) comparing GPR with different NDT techniques, such as ultrasonic, radiographic, liquid-penetrant, magnetic-particle, acoustic-emission and eddy-current testing; (vi) comparing GPR technology and methodology used in civil engineering with those used in other fields; (vii) promotion of a more widespread, advanced and efficient use of GPR in civil engineering; and (viii) organization of a high-level modular training program for GPR European users. Four Working Groups (WGs) carry out the research activities. WG 1 focuses on the design of innovative GPR equipment, on the building of prototypes and on the testing and optimisation of new systems. WG 2 focuses on the GPR surveying of pavement, bridges, tunnels and buildings, as well as on the sensing of underground utilities and voids. WG 3 deals with the development of electromagnetic forward and inverse scattering methods, for the characterization of GPR scenarios, as well as with data-processing algorithms for the elaboration of the data collected during GPR surveys. WG 4 works on the use of GPR in fields different from the civil engineering, as well as on the integration of GPR with other non-destructive testing techniques. Each WG includes several Projects. COST Action TU1208 is active through a range of networking tools: meetings, workshops, conferences, training schools, short-term scientific missions, dissemination activities. For more information on COST Action TU1208, please visit www.GPRadar.eu and www.cost.eu. Acknowledgement The Authors wish to thank COST, for funding the COST Action TU1208 "Civil engineering applications of Ground Penetrating Radar."

Multi-Sensing system for outdoor thermal monitoring: Application to large scale civil engineering components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crinière, Antoine; Dumoulin, Jean; Manceau, Jean-Luc; Perez, Laetitia; Bourquin, Frederic

2014-05-01

Aging of transport infrastructures combined with traffic and climatic solicitations contribute to the reduction of their performances. To address and quantify the resilience of civil engineering structure, investigations on robust, fast and efficient methods are required. Among research works carried out at IFSTTAR, methods for long term monitoring face an increasing demand. Such works take benefits of this last decade technological progresses in ICT domain. The present study follows the ISTIMES European project [1], which aimed at demonstrate the ability of different electromagnetic sensing techniques, processing methods and ICT architecture, to be used for long term monitoring of critical transport infrastructures. Thanks to this project a multi-sensing techniques system, able to date and synchronize measurements carried out by infrared thermography coupled with various measurements data (i.e. weather parameters), have been designed, developed and implemented on real site [2]. Among experiments carried out on real transport infrastructure, it has been shown, for the "Musmesci" bridge deck (Italy), that by using infrared thermal image sequence with weather measurements during sevral days it was possible to develop analysis methods able to produce qualitative and quantitative data [3]. In the present study, added functionalities were designed and added to the "IrLAW" system in order to reach full autonomy in term of power supply, very long term measurement capability (at least 1 year) and automated data base feeding. The surveyed civil engineering structures consist in two concrete beams of 16 m long and 21 T weight each. One of the two beams was damage by high energy mechanical impact at the IFSTTAR falling rocks test station facilities located in the French Alpes [4]. The system is composed of one IR uncooled microbolometric camera (FLIR SC325) with a 320X240 Focal Plane Array detector in band III, a weather station VAISALA WXT520, a GPS, a failover power supply and a backup system. All the components of the system are connected to the IrLaW software through an IP network. The monitoring system is fully autonomous since August 2013 and provides data at 0. Hz sampling frequency. First results obtained by data post-processing is addressed. Finally, discussion on experimental feedback and main outcomes of several month of measurement in outdoor conditions will be presented. REFERENCES [1]Proto M. et al., , 2010. Transport infrastructure surveillance and monitoring by electromagnetic sensing: the ISTIMES project. Sensors, 10,10620-10639, doi: 10.3390/s101210620. [2]J. Dumoulin, R. Averty ".Development of an infrared system coupled with a weather station for real time atmospheric corrections using GPU computing: Application to bridge monitoring", in Proc of 11th International Conference on Quantitative InfraRed Thermography, Naples Italy, 2012. [3]J. Dumoulin, A. Crinière, R. Averty ," Detection and thermal characterization of the inner structure of the "Musmeci" bridge deck by infrared thermography monitoring ",Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, Volume 10, Number 2, November 2013, IOP Science, doi:10.1088/1742-2132/10/6/064003. [4]I. Catapano, R. Di Napoli, F. Soldovieri1, M. Bavusi, A. Loperte and J. Dumoulin, "Structural monitoring via microwave tomography-enhanced GPR: the Montagnole test site", Journal of Geophysics and Engineering, Volume 9, Number 4, August 2012, pp 100-107, IOP Science, doi:10.1088/1742-2132/9/4/S100.

Commercialization of the land remote sensing system: An examination of mechanisms and issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cauley, J. K.; Gaelick, C.; Greenberg, J. S.; Logsdon, J.; Monk, T.

1983-01-01

In September 1982 the Secretary of Commerce was authorized (by Title II of H.R. 5890 of the 97th Congress) to plan and provide for the management and operation of the civil land remote sensing satellite systems, to provide for user fees, and to plan for the transfer of the ownership and operation of future civil operational land remote sensing satellite systems to the private sector. As part of the planning for transfer, a number of approaches were to be compared including wholly private ownership and operation of the system by an entity competitively selected, mixed government/private ownership and operation, and a legislatively-chartered privately-owned corporation. The results of an analysis and comparison of a limited number of financial and organizational approaches for either transfer of the ownership and operation of the civil operational land remote sensing program to the private sector or government retention are presented.

An on-line monitoring system for navigation equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Bo; Yang, Ping; Liu, Jing; Yang, Zhengbo; Liang, Fei

2017-10-01

Civil air navigation equipment is the most important infrastructure of Civil Aviation, which is closely related to flight safety. In addition to regular flight inspection, navigation equipment's patrol measuring, maintenance measuring, running measuring under special weather conditions are the important means of ensuring aviation flight safety. According to the safety maintenance requirements of Civil Aviation Air Traffic Control navigation equipment, this paper developed one on-line monitoring system with independent intellectual property rights for navigation equipment, the system breakthroughs the key technologies of measuring navigation equipment on-line including Instrument Landing System (ILS) and VHF Omni-directional Range (VOR), which also meets the requirements of navigation equipment ground measurement set by the ICAO DOC 8071, it provides technical means of the ground on-line measurement for navigation equipment, improves the safety of navigation equipment operation, and reduces the impact of measuring navigation equipment on airport operation.

Civil Commitment for Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders: Does It Work?

PubMed

Jain, Abhishek; Christopher, Paul; Appelbaum, Paul S

2018-04-01

Many states are turning to civil commitment for substance use disorders as a potential solution to address rising rates of overdose deaths. Civil commitment allows family members or others to seek court-ordered involuntary treatment for a substance-abusing person. In contrast to mandatory treatment ordered by drug courts, civil commitment does not require involvement with the criminal justice system. Although these laws are understandably appealing, statutes and their implementation are highly variable, ethical concerns about deprivation of liberty continue to be raised, and outcome data are limited and often not generalizable. Above all, more studies are needed to determine effectiveness.

Fiber Bragg gratings for civil engineering applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maher, Mohamed H.; Tabrizi, Khosrow; Prohaska, John D.; Snitzer, Elias

1996-04-01

Fiber Bragg gratings sensors offer a unique opportunity in civil engineering. They can be configured as a low noise distributed sensor network for measuring mechanical deformations and temperature. They are ideally suited for strain measurements of high modulus structural materials such as steel and concrete. There is considerable interest in the use of these sensors for infrastructural nondestructive testing and there have been several papers on the subject. We present some results of our experiments with fiber Bragg sensors as applied to structural engineering. These include the use of fiber gratings to measure strain behavior of steel, reinforced concrete, and some preliminary results on bituminous materials, such as asphalt concrete. In nondestructive testing using fiber Bragg gratings of structural materials the packaging of the sensors is important and is discussed.

Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. 2004-2008

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

5-37 5.7 Integrated Pest Management...5-44 5.7.3 Animal Pest Control...mph MSL 2005 INRMP Update 319th Civil Engineer Squadron/Environmental Management Automated Civil Engineer System Project Management Air Combat

Upper limits on the probability of an interstellar civilization arising in the local Solar neighbourhood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartin, Daniel

2015-10-01

At this point in time, there is very little empirical evidence on the likelihood of a space-faring species originating in the biosphere of a habitable world. However, there is a tension between the expectation that such a probability is relatively high (given our own origins on Earth), and the lack of any basis for believing the Solar System has ever been visited by an extraterrestrial colonization effort. From the latter observational fact, this paper seeks to place upper limits on the probability of an interstellar civilization arising on a habitable planet in its stellar system, using a percolation model to simulate the progress of such a hypothetical civilization's colonization efforts in the local Solar neighbourhood. To be as realistic as possible, the actual physical positions and characteristics of all stars within 40 parsecs of the Solar System are used as possible colony sites in the percolation process. If an interstellar civilization is very likely to have such colonization programmes, and they can travel over large distances, then the upper bound on the likelihood of such a species arising per habitable world is of the order of 10-3 on the other hand, if civilizations are not prone to colonize their neighbours, or do not travel very far, then the upper limiting probability is much larger, even of order one.

Development and comparison of advanced reduced-basis methods for the transient structural analysis of unconstrained structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgowan, David M.; Bostic, Susan W.; Camarda, Charles J.

1993-01-01

The development of two advanced reduced-basis methods, the force derivative method and the Lanczos method, and two widely used modal methods, the mode displacement method and the mode acceleration method, for transient structural analysis of unconstrained structures is presented. Two example structural problems are studied: an undamped, unconstrained beam subject to a uniformly distributed load which varies as a sinusoidal function of time and an undamped high-speed civil transport aircraft subject to a normal wing tip load which varies as a sinusoidal function of time. These example problems are used to verify the methods and to compare the relative effectiveness of each of the four reduced-basis methods for performing transient structural analyses on unconstrained structures. The methods are verified with a solution obtained by integrating directly the full system of equations of motion, and they are compared using the number of basis vectors required to obtain a desired level of accuracy and the associated computational times as comparison criteria.

Education and Telecommunications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frankel, Charles

1970-01-01

Reform of social and educational structures is essential to realize the full educational potential of telecommunications, which can be used to help that reform, to cement prsent inadequate structures in place, or to build a human civilization on a technological base. (AD)

Flutter of High-Speed Civil Transport Flexible Semispan Model: Time-Frequency Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chabalko, Christopher C.; Hajj, Muhammad R.; Silva, Walter A.

2006-01-01

Time/frequency analysis of fluctuations measured by pressure taps and strain gauges in the experimental studies of the flexible semispan model of a high-speed civil transport wing configuration is performed. The interest is in determining the coupling between the aerodynamic loads and structural motions that led to the hard flutter conditions and loss of the model. The results show that, away from the hard flutter point, the aerodynamic loads at all pressure taps near the wing tip and the structural motions contained the same frequency components. On the other hand, in the flow conditions leading to the hard flutter, the frequency content of the pressure fluctuations near the leading and trailing edges varied significantly. This led to contribution to the structural motions over two frequency ranges. The ratio of these ranges was near 2:1, which suggests the possibility of nonlinear structural coupling.

Time-Varying, Multi-Scale Adaptive System Reliability Analysis of Lifeline Infrastructure Networks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gearhart, Jared Lee; Kurtz, Nolan Scot

2014-09-01

The majority of current societal and economic needs world-wide are met by the existing networked, civil infrastructure. Because the cost of managing such infrastructure is high and increases with time, risk-informed decision making is essential for those with management responsibilities for these systems. To address such concerns, a methodology that accounts for new information, deterioration, component models, component importance, group importance, network reliability, hierarchical structure organization, and efficiency concerns has been developed. This methodology analyzes the use of new information through the lens of adaptive Importance Sampling for structural reliability problems. Deterioration, multi-scale bridge models, and time-variant component importance aremore » investigated for a specific network. Furthermore, both bridge and pipeline networks are studied for group and component importance, as well as for hierarchical structures in the context of specific networks. Efficiency is the primary driver throughout this study. With this risk-informed approach, those responsible for management can address deteriorating infrastructure networks in an organized manner.« less

Study and Application of a Multi Magnetoresistor Sensor System to Detect Corrosion in Suspension Cables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, V.; Quek, S.; Gaydecki, P.

2010-02-01

Aging and deterioration of the main functional parts in civil structures is one of the biggest problems that private and governmental institutions, dedicated to operate and maintain such structures, are facing now days. In the case of relatively old suspension bridges, problems emerge due to corrosion and break of wires in the main cables. Decisive information and a reliable monitoring and evaluation are factors of great relevance required to prevent significant or catastrophic damages caused to the structure, and more importantly, to people. The main challenge for the NDE methods of inspection arises in dealing with the steel wrapping barrier of the suspension cable, which main function is to shield, shape and hold the bundles. The following work, presents a study of a multi-Magnetoresistive sensors system aiming to support the monitoring and evaluation of suspension cables at some of its stages. Modelling, signal acquisition, signal processing, experiments and the initial phases of implementation are presented and discussed widely.

An investigation on wireless sensors for asset management and health monitoring of civil structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furkan, Mustafa; Mao, Qiang; Mazzotti, Matteo; DeVitis, John; Sumitro, S. Paul; Faridazar, Fred; Aktan, A. Emin; Moon, Franklin; Bartoli, Ivan

2016-04-01

Application of wireless sensors and sensor networks for Structural Health Monitoring has been investigated for a long time. Key limitations for practical use are energy requirements, connectivity, and integration with existing systems. Current sensors and sensor networks mainly rely on wired connectivity for communication and external power source for energy. This paper presents a suite of wireless sensors that are low-cost, maintenance free, rugged, and have long service life. The majority of the sensors considered were designed by transforming existing, proven, and robust wired sensors into wireless units. In this study, the wireless sensors were tested in laboratory conditions for calibration and evaluation along with wired sensors. The experimental results were also compared to theoretical results. The tests mostly show satisfactory performance of the wireless units. This work is part of a broader Federal Highway Administration sponsored project intended to ultimately validate a wireless sensing system on a real, operating structure to account for all the uncertainties, environmental conditions and operational variability that are encountered in the field.

Structure: Suitable Staffing and Training of Functional Specialists within the United States Army Reserve Civil Affairs Force

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

military organizations with capabilities to obtain simultaneous strategic and operational flexibility. This idea allows leaders to provide a tailor...that could provide immediate and proper treatment .119 A brief perspective of the 426th CA BN’s deployment in 2009 provides another example of CA...specialty areas. USAR civil affairs functional specialty cells train to provide expertise in political, military, economic, social, infrastructure, and

World Ships: The Solar-Photon Sail Option

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matloff, G. L.

The World Ship, a spacecraft large enough to simulate a small-scale terrestrial internal environment, may be the best feasible option to transfer members of a technological civilization between neighboring stars. Because of the projected size of these spacecraft, journey durations of ~1,000 years seem likely. One of the propulsion options for World Ships is the hyper-thin, likely space-manufactured solar-photon sail, unfurled as close to the migrating civilization's home star as possible. Because the sail and associated structure can be wound around the habitat while not in use, it represents the only known ultimately feasible interstellar propulsion system that can be applied for en route galactic-cosmic ray shielding as well as acceleration/ deceleration. This paper reviews the three suggested sail configurations that can be applied to world ship propulsion: parachute, hollow-body and hoop sails. Possible existing and advanced sail and structure materials and the predicted effects on the sail of the near-Sun space environment are reviewed. Consideration of solar-photon-sail World Ships also affects SETI (the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). Can we detect such craft in flight? When in a star's lifetime is migration using such craft likely? What classes of stars are good candidates for solar-sail World-Ship searches?

Verification of the CFD simulation system SAUNA for complex aircraft configurations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaw, Jonathon A.; Peace, Andrew J.; May, Nicholas E.; Pocock, Mark F.

1994-04-01

This paper is concerned with the verification for complex aircraft configurations of an advanced CFD simulation system known by the acronym SAUNA. A brief description of the complete system is given, including its unique use of differing grid generation strategies (structured, unstructured or both) depending on the geometric complexity of the addressed configuration. The majority of the paper focuses on the application of SAUNA to a variety of configurations from the military aircraft, civil aircraft and missile areas. Mesh generation issues are discussed for each geometry and experimental data are used to assess the accuracy of the inviscid (Euler) model used. It is shown that flexibility and accuracy are combined in an efficient manner, thus demonstrating the value of SAUNA in aerodynamic design.

Advanced rotorcraft technology: Task force report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The technological needs and opportunities related to future civil and military rotorcraft were determined and a program plan for NASA research which was responsive to the needs and opportunities was prepared. In general, the program plan places the primary emphasis on design methodology where the development and verification of analytical methods is built upon a sound data base. The four advanced rotorcraft technology elements identified are aerodynamics and structures, flight control and avionic systems, propulsion, and vehicle configurations. Estimates of the total funding levels that would be required to support the proposed program plan are included.

Index of REMR Technology and Listing of REMR Research Publications

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-01

Stitch drilling, CS-MR-1.7 1.15 Underwater, RB-6-5 Vibraspray S-80, RB-2-3 Vehicle mounted breaker, CS-MR- 1.4 Concrete Stain Water jet blasting, CS-MR...Development of Nondestructive Testing AD A191 312 Systems for In Situ Evaluation of Con- crete Structures, by Henry T. Thornton, Jr. and A. Michel...Evaluation of Bird Pest Problems at AD A191 173 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Civil Works Projects, by Anthony J. Krzysik. 23 REMR Index REMR-EM-3 Oct

Maternal health, war, and religious tradition: authoritative knowledge in Pujehun District, Sierra Leone.

PubMed

Jambai, A; MacCormack, C

1996-06-01

In Sierra Leone constraints to ideal maternal health require a primary health care approach that includes collaboration with traditional midwives. They are authoritative figures embedded within local political structures and a powerful women's religion. The local causes of maternal risk are described, including civil war and refugee camp life. Traditional midwives provide vital services in the camp, are respected for their social status, and learn additional skills. Biomedical and traditional systems of authoritative knowledge, based on different kinds of legitimacy to heal, are in a complementary relationship.

5 CFR 845.402 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Scope. 845.402 Section 845.402 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEBT COLLECTION Agency Requests to OPM for Recovery of a Debt From the Civil...

5 CFR 845.402 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Scope. 845.402 Section 845.402 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEBT COLLECTION Agency Requests to OPM for Recovery of a Debt From the Civil...

5 CFR 845.402 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Scope. 845.402 Section 845.402 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEBT COLLECTION Agency Requests to OPM for Recovery of a Debt From the Civil...

5 CFR 845.402 - Scope.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Scope. 845.402 Section 845.402 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEBT COLLECTION Agency Requests to OPM for Recovery of a Debt From the Civil...

Wing design for a civil tiltrotor transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rais-Rohani, Masoud

1994-01-01

The goal of this research is the proper tailoring of the civil tiltrotor's composite wing-box structure leading to a minimum-weight wing design. With focus on the structural design, the wing's aerodynamic shape and the rotor-pylon system are held fixed. The initial design requirement on drag reduction set the airfoil maximum thickness-to-chord ratio to 18 percent. The airfoil section is the scaled down version of the 23 percent-thick airfoil used in V-22's wing. With the project goal in mind, the research activities began with an investigation of the structural dynamic and aeroelastic characteristics of the tiltrotor configuration, and the identification of proper procedures to analyze and account for these characteristics in the wing design. This investigation led to a collection of more than thirty technical papers on the subject, some of which have been referenced here. The review of literature on the tiltrotor revealed the complexity of the system in terms of wing-rotor-pylon interactions. The aeroelastic instability or whirl flutter stemming from wing-rotor-pylon interactions is found to be the most critical mode of instability demanding careful consideration in the preliminary wing design. The placement of wing fundamental natural frequencies in bending and torsion relative to each other and relative to the rotor 1/rev frequencies is found to have a strong influence on the whirl flutter. The frequency placement guide based on a Bell Helicopter Textron study is used in the formulation of frequency constraints. The analysis and design studies are based on two different finite-element computer codes: (1) MSC/NASATRAN and (2) WIDOWAC. These programs are used in parallel with the motivation to eventually, upon necessary modifications and validation, use the simpler WIDOWAC code in the structural tailoring of the tiltrotor wing. Several test cases were studied for the preliminary comparison of the two codes. The results obtained so far indicate a good overall agreement between the two codes.

A novel camera localization system for extending three-dimensional digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabato, Alessandro; Reddy, Narasimha; Khan, Sameer; Niezrecki, Christopher

2018-03-01

The monitoring of civil, mechanical, and aerospace structures is important especially as these systems approach or surpass their design life. Often, Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) relies on sensing techniques for condition assessment. Advancements achieved in camera technology and optical sensors have made three-dimensional (3D) Digital Image Correlation (DIC) a valid technique for extracting structural deformations and geometry profiles. Prior to making stereophotogrammetry measurements, a calibration has to be performed to obtain the vision systems' extrinsic and intrinsic parameters. It means that the position of the cameras relative to each other (i.e. separation distance, cameras angle, etc.) must be determined. Typically, cameras are placed on a rigid bar to prevent any relative motion between the cameras. This constraint limits the utility of the 3D-DIC technique, especially as it is applied to monitor large-sized structures and from various fields of view. In this preliminary study, the design of a multi-sensor system is proposed to extend 3D-DIC's capability and allow for easier calibration and measurement. The suggested system relies on a MEMS-based Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and a 77 GHz radar sensor for measuring the orientation and relative distance of the stereo cameras. The feasibility of the proposed combined IMU-radar system is evaluated through laboratory tests, demonstrating its ability in determining the cameras position in space for performing accurate 3D-DIC calibration and measurements.

Optoelectronic instrumentation enhancement using data mining feedback for a 3D measurement system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores-Fuentes, Wendy; Sergiyenko, Oleg; Gonzalez-Navarro, Félix F.; Rivas-López, Moisés; Hernandez-Balbuena, Daniel; Rodríguez-Quiñonez, Julio C.; Tyrsa, Vera; Lindner, Lars

2016-12-01

3D measurement by a cyber-physical system based on optoelectronic scanning instrumentation has been enhanced by outliers and regression data mining feedback. The prototype has applications in (1) industrial manufacturing systems that include: robotic machinery, embedded vision, and motion control, (2) health care systems for measurement scanning, and (3) infrastructure by providing structural health monitoring. This paper presents new research performed in data processing of a 3D measurement vision sensing database. Outliers from multivariate data have been detected and removal to improve artificial intelligence regression algorithm results. Physical measurement error regression data has been used for 3D measurements error correction. Concluding, that the joint of physical phenomena, measurement and computation is an effectiveness action for feedback loops in the control of industrial, medical and civil tasks.

Education and Learning Improvement by Introduction of an Evaluation System to Graduation Research Work

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuba, Takahiro; Yasufuku, Noriyuki

A new evaluation system was introduced to the graduation research in the Civil Engineering Course, Department of Earth Resources, Marine and Civil Engineering, Kyushu University. The purpose of the graduation research was also specified, and it was shared by all the students and the educators in the course. Consequently, the introduction of the system apparently led to education improvement for the educators, as well as learning improvement for the students, e.g., their presentation ability and communications skills have improved.

Research and Analysis on Energy Consumption Features of Civil Airports

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bo; Zhang, Wen; Wang, Jianping; Xu, Junku; Su, Jixiang

2017-11-01

Civil aviation is an important part of China’s transportation system, and also the fastest-growing field of comprehensive transportation. Airports, as a key infrastructure of the air transportation system, are the junctions of air and ground transportation. Large airports are generally comprehensive transportation hubs that integrate various modes of transportation, serving as important functional zones of cities. Compared with other transportation hubs, airports cover a wide area, with plenty of functional sections, complex systems and strong specialization, while airport buildings represented by terminals have exhibited characteristics of large space, massive energy consumption, high requirement for safety and comfort, as well as concentrated and rapidly changing passenger flows. Through research and analysis on energy consumption features of civil airports, and analysis on energy consumption features of airports with different sizes or in different climate regions, this article has drawn conclusions therefrom.

NASA CST aids U.S. industry. [computational structures technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Housner, Jerry M.; Pinson, Larry D.

1993-01-01

The effect of NASA's computational structures Technology (CST) research on aerospace vehicle design and operation is discussed. The application of this research to proposed version of a high-speed civil transport, to composite structures in aerospace, to the study of crack growth, and to resolving field problems is addressed.

Analytical and experimental investigation on a multiple-mass-element pendulum impact damper for vibration mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Egger, Philipp; Caracoglia, Luca

2015-09-01

Impact dampers are often used in the field of civil, mechanical and aerospace engineering for reducing structural vibrations. The behavior of this type of passive control device has been investigated for several decades. In this research a distributed-mass impact damper, similar to the "chain damper" used in wind engineering, has been examined and applied to the vibration reduction on a slender line-like structural element (stay-cable). This study is motivated by a practical problem and describes the derivation of a reduced-order model for explaining the behavior, observed during a field experiment on a prototype system. In its simplest form, the dynamics of the apparatus is modeled as a "resilient damper", composed of mass-spring-dashpot secondary elements, attached to the primary structure. Various sources of excitation are analyzed: free vibration, external harmonic force and random excitation. The proposed model is general and potentially applicable to the analysis of several structural systems. The study also shows that the model can adequately describe and explain the experimentally observed behavior.

An innovative methodology for measurement of stress distribution of inflatable membrane structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Bing; Chen, Wujun; Hu, Jianhui; Chen, Jianwen; Qiu, Zhenyu; Zhou, Jinyu; Gao, Chengjun

2016-02-01

The inflatable membrane structure has been widely used in the fields of civil building, industrial building, airship, super pressure balloon and spacecraft. It is important to measure the stress distribution of the inflatable membrane structure because it influences the safety of the structural design. This paper presents an innovative methodology for the measurement and determination of the stress distribution of the inflatable membrane structure under different internal pressures, combining photogrammetry and the force-finding method. The shape of the inflatable membrane structure is maintained by the use of pressurized air, and the internal pressure is controlled and measured by means of an automatic pressure control system. The 3D coordinates of the marking points pasted on the membrane surface are acquired by three photographs captured from three cameras based on photogrammetry. After digitizing the markings on the photographs, the 3D curved surfaces are rebuilt. The continuous membrane surfaces are discretized into quadrilateral mesh and simulated by membrane links to calculate the stress distributions using the force-finding method. The internal pressure is simplified to the external node forces in the normal direction according to the contributory area of the node. Once the geometry x, the external force r and the topology C are obtained, the unknown force densities q in each link can be determined. Therefore, the stress distributions of the inflatable membrane structure can be calculated, combining the linear adjustment theory and the force density method based on the force equilibrium of inflated internal pressure and membrane internal force without considering the mechanical properties of the constitutive material. As the use of the inflatable membrane structure is attractive in the field of civil building, an ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cushion is used with the measurement model to validate the proposed methodology. The comparisons between the obtained results and numerical simulation for the inflation process of the ETFE cushion are performed, and the strong agreements demonstrate that the proposed methodology is feasible and accurate.

Procurement Opportunitites in: Afghanistan and the Central Asian States (CAS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-01

barriers) Furniture (office and household) Prefabricated Structures (CONEXs, containerized housing units, re-locatable buildings) Office Supplies... Concrete Foundation and Structure Road Support Activities Minor Building Renovation Water and Sewer Line and Related Construction Heavy and Civil

State of the art of advanced materials in transportation structures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-01-01

Ever so slowly, advanced composite materials are entering the field of traditional civil engineering. This report surveys the current practice and ongoing research into their use in transportation structures. There is a broad spectrum of proposed and...

Job and Workload Analysis System for Civil Servants in North Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krisnanda, M.; Mewengkang, A.; Rompas, P. T. D.; Togas, P. V.

2018-02-01

This study aims to create automation system to assist sub division of job analysis and workload of North Sulawesi, Indonesia in completing its annual tasks to record all civil servants. The method used in this research is prototyping where a system will be developed according to the revision supplied by the user. The result of this research is a system used to generate reports and calculations based on user filled forms. The result gathered from the interviews, users can make reports faster and easier. Users can also optimise reports on time using the built system.

Seismic damage identification using multi-line distributed fiber optic sensor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Jinping; Hou, Shuang

2005-06-01

Determination of the actual nonlinear inelastic response mechanisms developed by civil structures such as buildings and bridges during strong earthquakes and post-earthquake damage assessment of these structures represent very difficult challenges for earthquake structural engineers. One of the main reasons is that the traditional sensor can't serve for such a long period to cover an earthquake and the seismic damage location in the structure can't be predicted in advance definitely. It is thought that the seismic damage of reinforced concrete (RC) structure can be related to the maximum response the structure, which can also be related to the cracks on the concrete. A distributed fiber optic sensor was developed to detect the cracks on the reinforced concrete structure under load. Fiber optic couples were used in the sensor system to extend the sensor system's capacity from one random point detection to more. An optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR) is employed for interrogation of the sensor signal. Fiber optic sensors are attached on the surface of the concrete by the epoxy glue. By choosing the strength of epoxy, the damage state of the concrete can be responded to the occurrence of the Fresnel scattering in the fiber optic sensor. Experiments involved monotonic loading to failure. Finally, the experimental results in terms of crack detection capability are presented and discussed.

Semi-active tuned liquid column damper implementation with real-time hybrid simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riascos, Carlos; Marulanda Casas, Johannio; Thomson, Peter

2016-04-01

Real-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) is a modern cyber-physical technique used for the experimental evaluation of complex systems, that treats the system components with predictable behavior as a numerical substructure and the components that are difficult to model as an experimental substructure. Therefore it is an attractive method for evaluation of the response of civil structures under earthquake, wind and anthropic loads. In this paper, the response of three-story shear frame controlled by a tuned liquid column damper (TLCD) and subject to base excitation is considered. Both passive and semi-active control strategies were implemented and are compared. While the passive TLCD achieved a reduction of 50% in the acceleration response of the main structure in comparison with the structure without control, the semi-active TLCD achieved a reduction of 70%, and was robust to variations in the dynamic properties of the main structure. In addition, a RTHS was implemented with the main structure modeled as a linear, time-invariant (LTI) system through a state space representation and the TLCD, with both control strategies, was evaluated on a shake table that reproduced the displacement of the virtual structure. Current assessment measures for RTHS were used to quantify the performance with parameters such as generalized amplitude, equivalent time delay between the target and measured displacement of the shake table, and energy error using the measured force, and prove that the RTHS described in this paper is an accurate method for the experimental evaluation of structural control systems.

Effectiveness of the Civil Aviation Security Program.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-10-26

12 IX. CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY ACTIONS . . . . . . 14 X . MPIANCE M EN4FOW . ........ 20 X . U . . . . . ... . . . . .. . . . 21 EXHIBITS 1...Screening Results 10. Weapon Detection Devices 11. X -Ray Baggage Inspection Systems 12. Basic Policies 13. Regulatory Impact 14. FAA Sponsored Explosive...WERE APPROVED FOR MORE THAN 200 AIRPORTS. D . TESTING WAS BEGUN ON A NEW C MPUTER PROGRAM FOR HE X -RAY ABSORPTION SYSTEM DEVELOPED TO DTECT BMBS IN

U. S. Office of Personnel Management and the Merit System: A retrospective Assessment. A Report Concerning Significant Actions of the Office of Personnel Management

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-06-01

agencies are performing properly passage of the CSRA, was characterized in a 1978 under civil service laws, regulations , and Presidential statement as...talent.3 It assigned OPM responsibility for "executing, ad- ministering, and enforcing the civil service rules and regulations of the President," and...performing properly under civil serv- ice laws, regulations , and delegated authorities." 4 a Conduct or facilitate the conduct of research avid

49 CFR 1540.5 - Terms used in this subchapter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY: GENERAL RULES... aviation areas) that are not separated by adequate security systems, measures, or procedures. This area... measures in accordance with § 1542.111 of this chapter. FAA means the Federal Aviation Administration...

14 CFR 65.111 - Certificate required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... connection with civil aircraft of the United States (including the reserve parachute of a dual parachute system to be used for intentional parachute jumping) unless that person holds an appropriate current... intentional parachute jumping in connection with civil aircraft of the United States unless that person— (1...

An innovative and multi-functional smart vibration platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olmi, C.; Song, G.; Mo, Y. L.

2007-08-01

Recently, there has been increasing efforts to incorporate vibration damping or energy dissipation mechanisms into civil structures, particularly by using smart materials technologies. Although papers about structural vibration control using smart materials have been published for more than two decades, there has been little research in developing teaching equipment to introduce smart materials to students via in-classroom demonstration or hands-on experiments. In this paper, an innovative and multi-functional smart vibration platform (SVP) has been developed by the Smart Materials and Structures Laboratory at the University of Houston to demonstrate vibration control techniques using multiple smart materials for educational and research purposes. The vibration is generated by a motor with a mass imbalance mounted on top of the frame. Shape memory alloys (SMA) and magneto-rheological (MR) fluid are used to increase the stiffness and damping ratio, respectively, while a piezoceramic sensor (lead zirconate titanate, or PZT) is used as a vibration sensing device. An electrical circuit has been designed to control the platform in computer-control or manual mode through the use of knobs. The former mode allows for an automated demonstration, while the latter requires the user to manually adjust the stiffness and damping ratio of the frame. In addition, the system accepts network connections and can be used in a remote experiment via the internet. This platform has great potential to become an effective tool for teaching vibration control and smart materials technologies to students in civil, mechanical and electrical engineering for both education and research purposes.

Experimental Investigations on Effect of Damage on Vibration Characteristics of a Reinforced Concrete Beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivas, V.; Jeyasehar, C. Antony; Ramanjaneyulu, K.; Sasmal, Saptarshi

2012-02-01

Need for developing efficient non-destructive damage assessment procedures for civil engineering structures is growing rapidly towards structural health assessment and management of existing structures. Damage assessment of structures by monitoring changes in the dynamic properties or response of the structure has received considerable attention in recent years. In the present study, damage assessment studies have been carried out on a reinforced concrete beam by evaluating the changes in vibration characteristics with the changes in damage levels. Structural damage is introduced by static load applied through a hydraulic jack. After each stage of damage, vibration testing is performed and system parameters were evaluated from the measured acceleration and displacement responses. Reduction in fundamental frequencies in first three modes is observed for different levels of damage. It is found that a consistent decrease in fundamental frequency with increase in damage magnitude is noted. The beam is numerically simulated and found that the vibration characteristics obtained from the measured data are in close agreement with the numerical data.

The Effect of Different Shape and Perforated rHDPE in Concrete Structures on Flexural Strength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuhazri, MY; Hafiz, KM; Myia, YZA; Jia, CP; Sihombing, H.; Sapuan, SM; Badarulzaman, NA

2017-10-01

This research was carried out to develop a reinforcing structure from recycled HDPE plastic lubricant containers to be embedded in concrete structure. Different forms and shapes of recycled HDPE plastic are designed as reinforcement incorporate with cement. In this study, the reinforcing structure was prepared by washing, cutting, dimensioning and joining of the waste HDPE containers (direct technique without treatment on plastic surface). Then, the rHDPE reinforced concrete was produced by casting based on standard of procedure in civil engineering technique. Eight different shapes of rHDPE in concrete structure were used to determine the concrete’s ability in terms of flexural strength. Embedded round shape in solid and perforated of rHDPE in concrete system drastically improved flexural strength at 17.78 % and 13.79 %. The result would seem that the concrete with reinforcing rHDPE structure exhibits a more gradual or flexible properties than concrete beams without reinforcement that has the properties of fragile.

Design and analysis issues of integrated control systems for high-speed civil transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccarty, Craig A.; Feather, John B.; Dykman, John R.; Page, Mark A.; Hodgkinson, John

1992-01-01

A study was conducted to identify, rank, and define development plans for the critical guidance and control design and analysis issues as related to economically viable and environmentally acceptable high-speed civil transport. The issues were identified in a multistep process. First, pertinent literature on supersonic cruise aircraft was reviewed, and experts were consulted to establish the fundamental characteristics and problems inherent to supersonic cruise aircraft. Next, the advanced technologies and strategies being pursued for the high-speed civil transport were considered to determine any additional unique control problems the transport may have. Finally, existing technologies and methods were examined to determine their capabilities for the design and analysis of high-speed civil transport control systems and to identify the shortcomings and issues. Three priority levels - mandatory, highly beneficial, and desirable - were established. Within each of these levels, the issues were further ranked. Technology development plans for each issue were defined. Each plan contains a task breakdown and schedule.

Aeronautics Technology Possibilities for 2000: Report of a workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The potential of aeronautical research and technology (R&T) development, which could provide the basis for facility planning and long range guidance of R&T programs and could establish justification for support of aeronautical research and technology was studied. The projections served specific purposes: (1) to provide a base for research and future facilities needed to support the projected technologies, and development advanced vehicles; (2) to provide insight on the possible state of the art in aeronautical technology by the year 2000 for civil and military planners of air vehicles and systems. Topics discussed include: aerodynamics; propulsion; structures; materials; guidance, navigation and control; computer and information technology; human factors; and systems integration.

Rebuilding the space technology base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Povinelli, Frederick P.; Stephenson, Frank W.; Sokoloski, Martin M.; Montemerlo, Melvin D.; Venneri, Samuel L.; Mulville, Daniel R.; Hirschbein, Murray S.; Smith, Paul H.; Schnyer, A. Dan; Lum, Henry

1989-01-01

NASA's Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) will not only develop novel technologies for space exploration and exploitation, but also take mature technologies into their demonstration phase in earth orbit. In the course of five years, CSTI will pay off in ground- and space-tested hardware, software, processes, methods for low-orbit transport and operation, and fundamental scientific research on the orbital environment. Attention is given to LOX/hydrogen and LOX/hydrocarbon reusable engines, liquid/solid fuel hybrid boosters, and aeroassist flight experiments for the validation of aerobraking with atmospheric friction. Also discussed are advanced scientific sensors, systems autonomy and telerobotics, control of flexible structures, precise segmented reflectors, high-rate high-capacity data handling, and advanced nuclear power systems.

Ground Penetrating Radar for SMART CITIES

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soldovieri, Francesco; Catapano, Ilaria; Gennarelli, Gianluca

2016-04-01

The use of monitoring and surveillance technologies is now recognized as a reliable option of the overall smart cities management cycle, for the advantages that they offer in terms of: economically sustainable planning of the ordinary and extraordinary maintenance interventions; situational awareness of possible risks factors in view of a reliable early warning; improvement of the security of the communities especially in public environments. In this frame, the abstract will deal with the recent advances in the development and deployment of radar systems for the urban surveillance, exploitation of the subsurface resources and civil engineering structures. In particular, we will present the recent scientific developments and several examples of use of these systems in operational conditions.

A Variational Principle for Reconstruction of Elastic Deformations in Shear Deformable Plates and Shells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tessler, Alexander; Spangler, Jan L.

2003-01-01

A variational principle is formulated for the inverse problem of full-field reconstruction of three-dimensional plate/shell deformations from experimentally measured surface strains. The formulation is based upon the minimization of a least squares functional that uses the complete set of strain measures consistent with linear, first-order shear-deformation theory. The formulation, which accommodates for transverse shear deformation, is applicable for the analysis of thin and moderately thick plate and shell structures. The main benefit of the variational principle is that it is well suited for C(sup 0)-continuous displacement finite element discretizations, thus enabling the development of robust algorithms for application to complex civil and aeronautical structures. The methodology is especially aimed at the next generation of aerospace vehicles for use in real-time structural health monitoring systems.

Nonlinear dynamics induced in a structure by seismic and environmental loading

DOE PAGES

Gueguen, Philippe; Johnson, Paul Allan; Roux, Philippe

2016-07-26

In this study,we show that under very weak dynamic and quasi-static deformation, that is orders of magnitude below the yield deformation of the equivalent stress strain curve (around 10 -3), the elastic parameters of a civil engineering structure (resonance frequency and damping) exhibit nonlinear softening and recovery. These observations bridge the gap between laboratory and seismic scales where elastic nonlinear behavior has been previously observed. Under weak seismic or atmospheric loading, modal frequencies are modified by around 1% and damping by more than 100% for strain levels between 10 -7 and 10 -4. These observations support the concept of universalmore » behavior of nonlinear elastic behavior in diverse systems, including granular materials and damaged solids that scale from millimeter dimensions to the scale of structures to fault dimensions in the Earth.« less

Nonlinear dynamics induced in a structure by seismic and environmental loading

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gueguen, Philippe; Johnson, Paul Allan; Roux, Philippe

In this study,we show that under very weak dynamic and quasi-static deformation, that is orders of magnitude below the yield deformation of the equivalent stress strain curve (around 10 -3), the elastic parameters of a civil engineering structure (resonance frequency and damping) exhibit nonlinear softening and recovery. These observations bridge the gap between laboratory and seismic scales where elastic nonlinear behavior has been previously observed. Under weak seismic or atmospheric loading, modal frequencies are modified by around 1% and damping by more than 100% for strain levels between 10 -7 and 10 -4. These observations support the concept of universalmore » behavior of nonlinear elastic behavior in diverse systems, including granular materials and damaged solids that scale from millimeter dimensions to the scale of structures to fault dimensions in the Earth.« less

Proceedings of the Conference Arctic '85; Civil Engineering in the Artic offshore

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bennett, F.L.; Machemehl, J.L.

1985-01-01

Topics of the 1985 Conference included: Arctic construction, Arctic foundation, Arctic structures, and ocean effects. Arctic terminals and coastal offshore bases, protecting the Arctic environment, and probabilistic methods in Arctic offshore engineering were also discussed. Ice mechanics, marine pipelines in the Arctic, and the role of universities in training civil engineers for Arctic offshore development were highlighted. Sessions on remote sensing, surveying, and mapping were included, and offshore installations in the Bering Sea were discussed. Another topic of discussion was research in Civil Engineering for development of the Arctic offshore. The overall thrust of the conference was the application ofmore » Arctic offshore engineering principles and research in the field of oil and gas exploration and exploitation activity.« less

Development of microbend sensors for pressure, load, and displacement measurements in civil engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grossman, Barry G.; Cosentino, Paul J.; Doi, Shinobu; Kumar, Girish; Verghese, John

1994-05-01

We are developing low cost, rugged, and reliable fiberoptic sensors to meet current and future needs in civil engineering, including those of smart civil structures. Our work has concentrated on load, pressure, and displacement sensors, including pore water pressure sensors. We have built and demonstrated sensors in the laboratory with loads up to 50 lb., water pressures of 100 psi, and displacements up to 1 mm. Repeatability of sensor measurements are within 5% and are being improved with continued development. The range and sensitivity of the sensors can be easily changed without changing the basic sensor design. We also have multiplexed two water pressure sensors on a single fiber. We describe the sensor construction and experimental performance.

Galvanic Liquid Applied Coating System For Protection of Embedded Steel Surfaces from Corrosion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curran, Joseph; Curran, Jerome; Voska, N. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is an insidious problem facing Kennedy Space Center (KSC), other Government Agencies, and the general public. These problems include KSC launch support structures, highway bridge infrastructure, and building structures such as condominium balconies. Due to these problems, the development of a Galvanic Liquid Applied Coating System would be a breakthrough technology having great commercial value for the following industries: Transportation, Infrastructure, Marine Infrastructure, Civil Engineering, and the Construction Industry. This sacrificial coating system consists of a paint matrix that may include metallic components, conducting agents, and moisture attractors. Similar systems have been used in the past with varying degrees of success. These systems have no proven history of effectiveness over the long term. In addition, these types of systems have had limited success overcoming the initial resistance between the concrete/coating interface. The coating developed at KSC incorporates methods proven to overcome the barriers that previous systems could not achieve. Successful development and continued optimization of this breakthrough system would produce great interest in NASA/KSC for corrosion engineering technology and problem solutions. Commercial patents on this technology would enhance KSC's ability to attract industry partners for similar corrosion control applications.

Civil Service Systems and Job Discrimination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coutourier, Jean

1975-01-01

This testimony, before a public hearing of the New York City Commission on Human Rights in May 1974, focuses on the National Civil Service League: essential elements of the League's program for achieving equal employment opportunity include outreach recruitment, accurate job descriptions, valid job-related examinations, and aggressive…

14 CFR 65.111 - Certificate required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... connection with civil aircraft of the United States (including the reserve parachute of a dual parachute system to be used for intentional parachute jumping) unless that person holds an appropriate current... jumping in connection with civil aircraft of the United States unless that person― (1) Has an appropriate...

From Civil Protection Plan to Disaster Management. PETer evolution from GIS tool to multi-area Emergency Management System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frigerio, Simone; Sterlacchini, Simone; Malet, Jean-Philippe; Glade, Thomas

2010-05-01

PETer (Protection and Emergency of the Territory) has been developed since 2006 as a tool to manage all the information available to perform a wide range of Civil Protection activities. Based on MapObjects spatial support, it was relied on capacity to manage data from different sources and at different scale, offering practical GIS-tools for a technical and practical use during crisis state. At the first stages of the development, after different assessment, critical on-field analysis and a direct proof on test area, the approach came into sight like a valid database management for the entire dataset, but quite static, not full-blown for every emergency necessity, too complicate and not enough user-friendly, considering people in charge during emergency management, the quick change of state with many parameters involved and also uncertainty, hesitation, confusion or general panic among decision makers. As a second step of research, a more down-to-earth methodology targeted to cope with the aftermath of critical events is presented here. It takes advantage of Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Decision Support Systems (DSS), and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to prepare, apply and coordinate Civil Protection plans. The main aim was to set up and manage contingency plans in advance; that is, to identify and prepare people in charge to take action to define the activities to be performed, to be aware of available resources and to optimize the communication system among the people involved, in order to efficiently face a prospective crisis phase. A disaster preparedness plan should anticipate the demands for a disaster relief operation and indicate the most effective way of joining those requirements. Through scientific and technical co-operation between public and private research groups, a new platform was planned and set up, in order to test the aims of the project. The application was based on a cooperative organizational structure by which information was managed at different levels, linking all people in decision-making roles: crews in the field, the mobile command post and the control room. The tool automatically performs organizational and operational activities within a Civil Protection plan, in line with enforceable regulations. It couples: data processing capabilities by GIS; workflow management modules by DSS and communication systems by the ICT. More specifically, the work presents the overall concept and the system architecture of a generic decision-support system in progress of development, displaying the aims of emergency management and then shows a DSS first of all for Civil Protection Plan within Disaster Preparedness and Response framework in a Consortium of Mountain Municipalities (Valtellina di Tirano, Central Alps, Northern Italy). A multi-area approach (involving the management of disaster scenarios at the La Valette landslide in the Barcelonnette Basin, South French Alps) has been introduced to calibrate the platform, to compare available dataset, information details, laws in force in different countries, stakeholders' responsibility and end-users' background. Work in progress involves multi-task tools useful in emergency situation, to enforce open-communication devices (SMS automatic platform, SKYPE interface, visual video), integrate existing monitoring system and web-service to tailor open-sharing information with emergency management demand.

Free space-planning solutions in the architecture of multi-storey buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibragimov, Alexander; Danilov, Alexander

2018-03-01

Here some aspects of the development of steel frame structure design from the standpoint of geometry and morphogenesis of bearing steel structures of civil engineering objects. An alternative approach to forming constructive schemes may be application of curved steel elements in the main load-bearing system. As an example, it may be circular and parabolic arches or segments of varying outline and orientation. The considered approach implies creating large internal volumes without loss in the load-bearing capacity of the frame. The basic concept makes possible a wide variety of layout and design solutions. The presence of free internal spaces of large volume in buildings of a "skyscraper" type contributes to resolving a great number of problems, including those of communicative nature.

High-power microwave LDMOS transistors for wireless data transmission technologies (Review)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuznetsov, E. V., E-mail: E.Kouzntsov@tcen.ru; Shemyakin, A. V.

The fields of the application, structure, fabrication, and packaging technology of high-power microwave LDMOS transistors and the main advantages of these devices were analyzed. Basic physical parameters and some technology factors were matched for optimum device operation. Solid-state microwave electronics has been actively developed for the last 10-15 years. Simultaneously with improvement of old devices, new devices and structures are actively being adopted and developed and new semiconductor materials are being commercialized. Microwave LDMOS technology is in demand in such fields as avionics, civil and military radars, repeaters, base stations of cellular communication systems, television and broadcasting transmitters, and transceiversmore » for high-speed wireless computer networks (promising Wi-Fi and Wi-Max standards).« less

[The participation of civil society in health and social policy councils in the city of Piraí, State of Rio de Janeiro (2006)].

PubMed

Andrade, Gabriela Rieveres Borges de; Vaitsman, Jeni

2013-07-01

Social policy councils began to be set up in municipalities in Brazil in the 1990s, first in the health care sector, then spreading to other sectors, for the purpose of including civil society in municipal policy management. Among the advances, studies revealed the formation of a network of government and non-government actors for the resolution of problems in the sector. Among the challenges, there was the limitation of the participation of government programs to a critical approval. This paper addresses the participation of councilors and representatives of civil society in the Health Council as being included in a network that includes councils and civil society organizations in a small municipality. Based on semi-structured interviews with councilors representing civil society, two dimensions of participation are analyzed. The first is the relationship between demand for participation generated by the simultaneous activity of various sectorial councils and the participatory basis existing in the city. The second is the relationship between the issues that the respondents identified and their role as councilors. Lastly, the article discusses the potential of municipal councils in contributing to an intersectorial management of the city's problems.

Assessing the value of information for long-term structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozzi, Matteo; Der Kiureghian, Armen

2011-04-01

In the field of Structural Health Monitoring, tests and sensing systems are intended as tools providing diagnoses, which allow the operator of the facility to develop an efficient maintenance plan or to require extraordinary measures on a structure. The effectiveness of these systems depends directly on their capability to guide towards the most optimal decision for the prevailing circumstances, avoiding mistakes and wastes of resources. Though this is well known, most studies only address the accuracy of the information gained from sensors without discussing economic criteria. Other studies evaluate these criteria separately, with only marginal or heuristic connection with the outcomes of the monitoring system. The concept of "Value of Information" (VoI) provides a rational basis to rank measuring systems according to a utility-based metric, which fully includes the decision-making process affected by the monitoring campaign. This framework allows, for example, an explicit assessment of the economical justifiability of adopting a sensor depending on its precision. In this paper we outline the framework for assessing the VoI, as applicable to the ranking of competitive measuring systems. We present the basic concepts involved, highlight issues related to monitoring of civil structures, address the problem of non-linearity of the cost-to-utility mapping, and introduce an approximate Monte Carlo approach suitable for the implementation of time-consuming predictive models.

Evaluating Feedback Systems by Civil Service Employees. HRDV 6000 Integrated Studies in Human Resources Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-07-01

Specifically, it gives leaders an azimuth check in their self-awareness, Evaluating feedback systems by civil service employees 16 gives feedback to assist ...constructive feedback and that managers needed to be taught how to communicate with employees . Currently, DOE has run this program since 1996 and...providing employees with developmental information. Information that would be used to assist leaders in improving in both their managerial and

State-civil society partnerships for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in Ghana: exploring factors associated with successes and challenges.

PubMed

Hushie, Martin; Omenyo, Cephas N; van den Berg, Jacob J; Lally, Michelle A

2016-08-02

The past decade has seen an increased number of state-civil society partnerships in the global Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) response of many countries. However, there has been limited research carried out concerning the successes and challenges of these partnerships. In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 participants from 21 different state-civil society partnerships throughout Ghana including all three major geographical zones (Northern, Middle, and Southern zones) to examine the nature of these partnerships and their positive and negative effects in responding to the national HIV/AIDS epidemic. Major themes included: 1) commitment by the government and civil society organizations to work cooperatively in order to support the development and implementation of HIV/AIDS interventions in Ghana; 2) the role of civil society organizations in facilitating community mobilization; capacity building; and information, resources and skills exchange to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of these partnerships for HIV prevention and treatment; and 3) significant challenges including funding issues and other structural barriers for these partnerships that need to be addressed moving forward. Future research should focus on examining the impact of recommended changes on state-civil partnerships and studying the extent and nature of these partnerships in other countries in order to establish the generalizability of the findings from this study.

An intelligent stand-alone ultrasonic device for monitoring local structural damage: implementation and preliminary experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pertsch, Alexander; Kim, Jin-Yeon; Wang, Yang; Jacobs, Laurence J.

2011-01-01

Continuous structural health monitoring has the potential to significantly improve the safety management of aged, in-service civil structures. In particular, monitoring of local damage growth at hot-spot areas can help to prevent disastrous structural failures. Although ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) has proved to be effective in monitoring local damage growth, conventional equipment and devices are usually bulky and only suitable for scheduled human inspections. The objective of this research is to harness the latest developments in embedded hardware and wireless communication for developing a stand-alone, compact ultrasonic device. The device is directed at the continuous structural health monitoring of civil structures. Relying on battery power, the device possesses the functionalities of high-speed actuation, sensing, signal processing, and wireless communication. Integrated with contact ultrasonic transducers, the device can generate 1 MHz Rayleigh surface waves in a steel specimen and measure response waves. An envelope detection algorithm based on the Hilbert transform is presented for efficiently determining the peak values of the response signals, from which small surface cracks are successfully identified.

Are well functioning civil registration and vital statistics systems associated with better health outcomes?

PubMed

Phillips, David E; AbouZahr, Carla; Lopez, Alan D; Mikkelsen, Lene; de Savigny, Don; Lozano, Rafael; Wilmoth, John; Setel, Philip W

2015-10-03

In this Series paper, we examine whether well functioning civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems are associated with improved population health outcomes. We present a conceptual model connecting CRVS to wellbeing, and describe an ecological association between CRVS and health outcomes. The conceptual model posits that the legal identity that civil registration provides to individuals is key to access entitlements and services. Vital statistics produced by CRVS systems provide essential information for public health policy and prevention. These outcomes benefit individuals and societies, including improved health. We use marginal linear models and lag-lead analysis to measure ecological associations between a composite metric of CRVS performance and three health outcomes. Results are consistent with the conceptual model: improved CRVS performance coincides with improved health outcomes worldwide in a temporally consistent manner. Investment to strengthen CRVS systems is not only an important goal for individuals and societies, but also a development imperative that is good for health. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-time vibration-based structural damage detection using one-dimensional convolutional neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdeljaber, Osama; Avci, Onur; Kiranyaz, Serkan; Gabbouj, Moncef; Inman, Daniel J.

2017-02-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) and vibration-based structural damage detection have been a continuous interest for civil, mechanical and aerospace engineers over the decades. Early and meticulous damage detection has always been one of the principal objectives of SHM applications. The performance of a classical damage detection system predominantly depends on the choice of the features and the classifier. While the fixed and hand-crafted features may either be a sub-optimal choice for a particular structure or fail to achieve the same level of performance on another structure, they usually require a large computation power which may hinder their usage for real-time structural damage detection. This paper presents a novel, fast and accurate structural damage detection system using 1D Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) that has an inherent adaptive design to fuse both feature extraction and classification blocks into a single and compact learning body. The proposed method performs vibration-based damage detection and localization of the damage in real-time. The advantage of this approach is its ability to extract optimal damage-sensitive features automatically from the raw acceleration signals. Large-scale experiments conducted on a grandstand simulator revealed an outstanding performance and verified the computational efficiency of the proposed real-time damage detection method.

Study on Human-structure Dynamic Interaction in Civil Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Feng; Cao, Li Lin; Li, Xing Hua

2018-06-01

The research of human-structure dynamic interaction are reviewed. Firstly, the influence of the crowd load on structural dynamic characteristics is introduced and the advantages and disadvantages of different crowd load models are analyzed. Then, discussing the influence of structural vibration on the human-induced load, especially the influence of different stiffness structures on the crowd load. Finally, questions about human-structure interaction that require further study are presented.

Distributed Stress Sensing and Non-Destructive Tests Using Mechanoluminescence Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahimi, Mohammad Reza

Rapid aging of infrastructure systems is currently pervasive in the US and the anticipated cost until 2020 for rehabilitation of aging lifeline will reach 3.6 trillion US dollars (ASCE 2013). Reliable condition or serviceability assessment is critically important in decision-making for economic and timely maintenance of the infrastructure systems. Advanced sensors and nondestructive test (NDT) methods are the key technologies for structural health monitoring (SHM) applications that can provide information on the current state of structures. There are many traditional sensors and NDT methods, for examples, strain gauges, ultrasound, radiography and other X-ray, etc. to detect any defect on the infrastructure. Considering that civil infrastructure is typically large-scale and exhibits complex behavior, estimation of structural conditions by the local sensing and NDT methods is a challenging task. Non-contact and distributed (or full-field) sensing and NDT method are desirable that can provide rich information on the civil infrastructure's state. Materials with the ability of emitting light, especially in the visible range, are named as luminescent materials. Mechanoluminescence (ML) phenomenon is the light emission from luminescent materials as a response of an induced mechanical stress. ML materials offer new opportunities for SHM that can directly visualize the stress and crack distributions on the surface of structures through ML light emission. Although material research for ML phenomena have been made substantially, applications of the ML sensors to full-field stress and crack visualization are still at infant stage and have yet to be full-fledged. Moreover, practical applications of the ML sensors for SHM of civil infrastructure have difficulties since numerous challenging problems (e.g. environmental effect) arise in actual applications. In order to realize a practical SHM system employing ML sensors, more research needs to be conducted, for examples, fundamental understandings of physics of ML phenomenon, method for quantitative stress measurements, calibration method for ML sensors, improvement of sensitivity, optimal manufacturing and design of ML sensors, environmental effects of ML phenomenon (e.g. temperature), image processing and analysis, etc. In this research, fundamental ML phenomena of two most promising ML sensing materials were experimentally studied and a methodology for full-field quantitative strain measurements, for the first time, was proposed along with a standardized calibration method. Characteristics and behavior of ML composites and thin films coated on the structure have been studied under various material tests including compression, tension, pure shear, bending, etc. In addition, ML emission sensitivity to the manufacturing parameters and experimental conditions was addressed in order to find optimal design the ML sensor. A phenomenological stress-optics transduction model for predicting the ML light intensity from a thin-film ML coating sensor subjected to in-plane stresses was proposed. A new full-field quantitative strain measuring methodology by ML thin film sensor was developed, for the first time, in order to visualize and measure the strain field. The results from the ML sensor were compared and verified by finite element simulation results. For NDT applications of ML sensors, experimental tests were conducted to visualize the cracks on structural surfaces and detect damages on structural components. In summary, this research proposes and realizes a new distributed stress sensor and NDT method using ML sensing materials. The proposed method is experimentally validated to be effective for stress measurement and crack visualizations. Successful completion of this research provides a leap toward a commercial light intensity-based optic sensor to be used as a new full-field stress measurement technology and NDT method.

Intelligent structural health monitoring of vehicular bridges using fiber optic sensors to detect acoustic emission.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-01-28

The recent collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge in Minneapolis has spawned a growing : interest in the development of reliable techniques for evaluating the structural integrity of civil : infrastructure. Current inspection techniques tailo...

Girl's Schooling in War-Torn Somalia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moyi, Peter

2012-01-01

A civil war has raged in Somalia since 1991. The civil war was the final blow to an already collapsed education system. Somalia has received little research and policy attention yet children, especially girls, are very vulnerable during times of conflict. The different gender roles, activities, and status in society create gender differentiated…

168. Photocopy of drawing (1979 civil engineering drawing by the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

168. Photocopy of drawing (1979 civil engineering drawing by the Space and Missile Test Center, USAF) NITROGEN AND HELIUM PUMPING SYSTEM INSTALLATION SITE PLAN, SHEET 511-C-1 - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Pad 3 West, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Teaching Strategy. Tort Law and the Civil Jury.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pittman, Keith A.

1997-01-01

Presents a lesson plan that introduces students to the tort system of law and the responsibilities of the civil jury. The lesson involves student research and a mock jury trial establishing legal responsibility for a fatal automobile accident. Includes a list of objectives, classroom procedures, and handouts on jury deliberations. (MJP)

48 CFR 25.407 - Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Agreement on Trade in... REGULATION SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS FOREIGN ACQUISITION Trade Agreements 25.407 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft. Under the authority of Section 303 of the Trade Agreements Act, the U.S. Trade Representative has...

The Theological Misappropriation of Christianity as a Civilizing Force

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MisirHiralall, Sabrina D.

2017-01-01

The theological misappropriation of Christianity as a civilizing force occurs when individuals convert to Christianity due to deception that ignores the faith-based aspect of Christianity. The history of Western education in India illustrates the hidden curriculum that Christian missionaries employed to disrupt the Indian educational system. This…

Memorandum of Agreement Between the Department of Defense and the Department of Transportation : Civil Use of the Global Positioning System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

This Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) establishes policies and procedures to ensure an effective working relationship between the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) regarding civil use of the Navstar Global Positionin...

Middle School Law Awareness Curriculum Guide, 1980.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seminole County Board of Public Instruction, Sanford, FL.

Materials, activities, and lesson plans for educating middle school students about the law and the legal system are presented. Materials for the sixth grade are contained in six sections: (1) Prehistoric Man; (2) Ancient Civilizations; (3) Ancient Greece; (4) Ancient Rome; (5) Medieval Civilizations; and (6) the Renaissance. Grade 7 has three…

Does Mother Nature Really Sell Margarine?: The Uncertain Rural Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Peter

There exists a question as to whether United States society and its agricultural system will continue to follow the long-term trend of Western civilization or move in a new direction. The "modernization trend" of Western civilization has 4 components: scientification of knowledge, secularization of human values, industrialization of…

EPA iComplaints

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The iComplaints system is an enterprise-level COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) product that provides all of the funtionality required to collect, track, manage, process and report on information regarding internal EEO complaints in accordance with several civil rights laws and regulations, to include but not limited to, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

Development of the Air Transport Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taneja, N.

1972-01-01

The major developments are outlined in the U.S. scheduled air transport industry both domestic and international, together with a brief history of the European air transport system. The role and formulation of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board, International Civil Aviation Organization, and International Air Transport Association are also covered.

Multilingualism among Brussels-Based Civil Servants and Lobbyists: Perceptions and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krizsán, Attila; Erkkilä, Tero

2014-01-01

This article explores the multilingual and multicultural aspects of community-building, networking and communication in the European Union's (EU) political and administrative system. We investigated the networking and communicative preferences of EU civil servants and lobbyists using survey data and thematic interviews. Our aim was to gain a…

Smart vibration control analysis of seismic response using MR dampers in the elevated highway bridge structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Shi; Zhang, Hai

2005-05-01

The magnetorheological (MR) damper is on of the smart controllers used widely in civil engineering structures. These kinds of dampers are applied in the paper in the elevated highway bridge (EHB) with rubber bearing support piers to mitigate damages of the bridge during the severe earthquake ground motion. The dynamic calculating model and equation of motion for the EHB system are set up theoretically and the LQR semi-active control algorithm of seismic response for the EHB system is developed to reduce effectively the responses of the structure. The non-linear calculation model of the piers that rigid degradation is considered and numerical simulative calculation are carried out by Matlab program. The number and location as well as the maximum control forces of the MR dampers, which are the most important parameters for the controlled system, are determined and the rubber bearing and connection forms of the damper play also important rule in the control efficiency. A real EHB structure that is located in Anshan city, Liaoning province in China is used as an example to be calculated under different earthquake records. The results of the calculation show that it is effective to reduce seismic responses of the EHB system by combining the rubber bearing isolation with semi-active MR control technique under the earthquake ground motion. The locations of MR dampers and structural parameters will influence seriously to the effects of structural vibration control.

Human factors analysis and classification system applied to civil aircraft accidents in India.

PubMed

Gaur, Deepak

2005-05-01

The Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) has gained wide acceptance as a tool to classify human factors in aircraft accidents and incidents. This study on application of HFACS to civil aircraft accident reports at Directorate General Civil of Aviation (DGCA), India, was conducted to ascertain the practicability of applying HFACS to existing investigation reports and to analyze the trends of human factor causes of civil aircraft accidents. Accident investigation reports held at DGCA, New Delhi, for the period 1990--99 were scrutinized. In all, 83 accidents occurred during this period, of which 48 accident reports were evaluated in this study. One or more human factors contributed to 37 of the 48 (77.1%) accidents. The commonest unsafe act was 'skill based errors' followed by 'decision errors.' Violations of laid down rules were contributory in 16 cases (33.3%). 'Preconditions for unsafe acts' were seen in 23 of the 48 cases (47.9%). A fairly large number (52.1%) had 'organizational influences' contributing to the accident. These results are in consonance with larger studies of accidents in the U.S. Navy and general aviation. Such a high percentage of 'organizational influences' has not been reported in other studies. This is a healthy sign for Indian civil aviation, provided effective remedial action for the same is undertaken.

A Wireless Fatigue Monitoring System Utilizing a Bio-Inspired Tree Ring Data Tracking Technique

PubMed Central

Bai, Shi; Li, Xuan; Xie, Zhaohui; Zhou, Zhi; Ou, Jinping

2014-01-01

Fatigue, a hot scientific research topic for centuries, can trigger sudden failure of critical structures such as aircraft and railway systems, resulting in enormous casualties as well as economic losses. The fatigue life of certain structures is intrinsically random and few monitoring techniques are capable of tracking the full life-cycle fatigue damage. In this paper, a novel in-situ wireless real-time fatigue monitoring system using a bio-inspired tree ring data tracking technique is proposed. The general framework, methodology, and verification of this intelligent system are discussed in details. The rain-flow counting (RFC) method is adopted as the core algorithm which quantifies fatigue damages, and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is introduced as the core module for data collection and analysis. Laboratory test results based on strain gauges and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) sensors have shown that the developed intelligent system can provide a reliable quick feedback and early warning of fatigue failure. With the merits of low cost, high accuracy and great reliability, the developed wireless fatigue sensing system can be further applied to mechanical engineering, civil infrastructures, transportation systems, aerospace engineering, etc. PMID:24603635

Information, optoelectronics, and information technologies (historic, philosophical, and logical aspects)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzhaliashvili, Zurab O.; Suhorukova, Marina V.

2001-06-01

For a civilization of the post-industrial society which is defined as 'informational civilization,' the heightened interest to new technological expedients of any interaction with the information is characteristic. Now concept 'information' is defined as an independent category. The organization, storage, transmission and displaying of information, in essence, is one of the ways of its self- organization for a civilization of such type. Therefore branches bound with generating and support of information highways, are in the center of attention those who tries to capture strategic favorable positions in world community. The reasons of the geopolitical and economic strategy in this case are direct, 'easy-to-see' mechanisms of creation of the structures in investigation activity and industry, 'Easy-to- see,' analyzable, even predictable -- but not defining. The modern science knows the physical laws of composite system's self-organization, and, as clear now, the unclosed nonequilibrium system, which one is a World Net, is subject to the laws of such system's self-organization. Nowadays the fractal nature of all Webs' infrastructures as super complex self-organizing transport-information system is established. Besides, in a row of its performances we observe an openness, coherence, nonlinearly, that together with other aspects allows to identify it as physical fractal structure living on the laws of self-organization. The interest to this phenomenon is quite clear. We have to know the laws of behavior of a Web because it is one of the sides of appearance of Noosphere, and we must adequately interact with it. There are numerous important problems, bound with a Web, and attempts to resolve them are the first task of human community, as nevertheless the human person creates the Web (or nature by hand of the person?) It's very interesting to analyze the previous history of occurrence of such phenomenon, as a Web, and to do the attempts of the prognoses on the future. For this purpose it is necessary to study the process of creating that what is possible to determine as information channels: signal lights (optical transmission mode of the information), radio waves, electrons in the semiconductor-devices, quantum in optic fibers, etc. The technological methods of every possible technical realization of information channels exhibit on this evolution course the obvious order. Since concept 'information' has been recognized as the self-maintained category, it has become clear, that it is necessary to be with it considered, as with requirements of an environment of a habitation. Now basic way of administration of any processes in community is the management of information streams.

US Coast Guard GPS Information Center (GPSIC) and its function within the Civil GPS Service (CGS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

In 1987, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) formally requested that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) take responsibility for providing an office that would respond to nonmilitary user needs for GPS information, data, and assistance. DOT accepted this responsibility and in February 1989, named the Coast Guard as their lead agency for the project. Since that time, the U.S. Coast Guard has worked with the U.S. Space Command to develop requirements and implement a plan for providing the requested interface with the civil GPS community. The Civil GPS Service (CGS) consists of four main elements: GPS Information Center (GPSIC) - provides GPS status information to civilian users of the system: Civil GPS Service Interface Committee (CGSIC) - established to identify civil GPS user technical information needs in support of the CGS program; Differential GPS (DGPS) - Coast Guard Research and Development Project; and PPS Program Office (PPSPO) - (Under development) will administer the program allowing qualified civil users to have access to the PPS signal. Details about the services these organizations provide are described.

Design study of a low cost civil aviation GPS receiver system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cnossen, R.; Gilbert, G. A.

1979-01-01

A low cost Navstar receiver system for civil aviation applications was defined. User objectives and constraints were established. Alternative navigation processing design trades were evaluated. Receiver hardware was synthesized by comparing technology projections with various candidate system designs. A control display unit design was recommended as the result of field test experience with Phase I GPS sets and a review of special human factors for general aviation users. Areas requiring technology development to ensure a low cost Navstar Set in the 1985 timeframe were identified.

Effect of Job Strain on Job Burnout, Mental Fatigue and Chronic Diseases among Civil Servants in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.

PubMed

Guan, Suzhen; Xiaerfuding, Xiadiya; Ning, Li; Lian, Yulong; Jiang, Yu; Liu, Jiwen; Ng, Tzi Bun

2017-08-03

Job strain is a major concern in view of its effects among civil servants associated with job burnout, mental fatigue and chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the job strain level among civil servants and examine the effect of job strain on job burnout, mental fatigue and the resulting chronic diseases. A cross-sectional study with a representative sample consisting of 5000 civil servants was conducted from March to August 2014. Using a structured questionnaire, the job strain level, job burnout and mental fatigue were measured by using the Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), respectively. Overall, 33.8% of the civil servants were found to be afflicted with high and moderate job strain. The characteristics of most of the civil servants with a higher-job strain level were as follows: female, Uygur, lower educational level and job title rank, shorter working experience, married marital status, and lower income level. Civil servants suffering from chronic disease mainly had hypertension and coronary heart disease, which accounted for 18.5% of the diseases. Civil servants with a high-job strain level exhibited higher rates of burnout, mental fatigue scores and incidence of chronic diseases. There was a multiple linear regression model composed of three predictor variables in job burnout, which accounted for 45.0% of its occurrence: female gender, lower-income level, higher-job strain in civil servants, the greater the rate of job burnout was. Four factors-male gender, lower-job title rank, higher-job strain, shorter-job tenure of civil servants-explained 25.0% of the mental fatigue model. Binary logistic regression showed that intermediate-rank employees (OR = 0.442, 95% CI: 0.028-0.634; p < 0.05), job tenure of 10-20 years (OR = 0.632, 95% CI: 0.359-0.989; p < 0.05), and low-job strain (OR = 0.657, 95% CI: 0.052-0.698; p < 0.05) were all associated with significantly lower odds of chronic disease. The risk of chronic disease was higher in civil servants with high-job burnout scores and mental fatigue scores compared with civil servants with lower scores (OR = 1.139, 95% CI: 1.012-3.198; OR = 1.697, 95% CI: 1.097-2.962). These data provide evidence for the effects of job strain on job burnout, mental fatigue and chronic diseases among civil servants.

Effect of Job Strain on Job Burnout, Mental Fatigue and Chronic Diseases among Civil Servants in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China

PubMed Central

Guan, Suzhen; Xiaerfuding, Xiadiya; Ning, Li; Lian, Yulong; Jiang, Yu; Liu, Jiwen; Ng, Tzi Bun

2017-01-01

Job strain is a major concern in view of its effects among civil servants associated with job burnout, mental fatigue and chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the job strain level among civil servants and examine the effect of job strain on job burnout, mental fatigue and the resulting chronic diseases. A cross-sectional study with a representative sample consisting of 5000 civil servants was conducted from March to August 2014. Using a structured questionnaire, the job strain level, job burnout and mental fatigue were measured by using the Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ), Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI-20), respectively. Overall, 33.8% of the civil servants were found to be afflicted with high and moderate job strain. The characteristics of most of the civil servants with a higher-job strain level were as follows: female, Uygur, lower educational level and job title rank, shorter working experience, married marital status, and lower income level. Civil servants suffering from chronic disease mainly had hypertension and coronary heart disease, which accounted for 18.5% of the diseases. Civil servants with a high-job strain level exhibited higher rates of burnout, mental fatigue scores and incidence of chronic diseases. There was a multiple linear regression model composed of three predictor variables in job burnout, which accounted for 45.0% of its occurrence: female gender, lower-income level, higher-job strain in civil servants, the greater the rate of job burnout was. Four factors—male gender, lower-job title rank, higher-job strain, shorter-job tenure of civil servants—explained 25.0% of the mental fatigue model. Binary logistic regression showed that intermediate-rank employees (OR = 0.442, 95% CI: 0.028–0.634; p < 0.05), job tenure of 10–20 years (OR = 0.632, 95% CI: 0.359–0.989; p < 0.05), and low-job strain (OR = 0.657, 95% CI: 0.052–0.698; p < 0.05) were all associated with significantly lower odds of chronic disease. The risk of chronic disease was higher in civil servants with high-job burnout scores and mental fatigue scores compared with civil servants with lower scores (OR = 1.139, 95% CI: 1.012–3.198; OR = 1.697, 95% CI: 1.097–2.962). These data provide evidence for the effects of job strain on job burnout, mental fatigue and chronic diseases among civil servants. PMID:28771199

Using the Three Delays Model to Examine Civil Registration Barriers in Indonesia.

PubMed

Bennouna, Cyril; Feldman, Brooke; Usman, Rahmadi; Adiputra, Rama; Kusumaningrum, Santi; Stark, Lindsay

2016-01-01

The Three Delays Model has proven a useful framework for examining barriers to seeking obstetric care and preventing maternal and child mortality. This article demonstrates the applicability of the Three Delays Model to the case of civil registration in rural Indonesia and examines ways that efforts to strengthen civil registration services can draw on lessons from maternal and child health programming. Twenty focus group discussions were conducted using a participatory ranking exercise in four Indonesian districts. Focus groups were stratified into four groups: (1) government officials involved in civil registration, (2) civil society organization members that assist communities in civil registration, and (3) female and (4) male community members. Transcripts were analyzed using constant comparative method and thematic analysis, revealing barriers that communities commonly faced in accessing civil registration services. In examining the categories and themes related to these barriers, the research team found a significant overlap with the factors and phases of the Three Delays Model. Participants were delayed from seeking registration services by a range of sociocultural factors and by the perceived inaccessibility and poor quality of services. Once they decided to seek care, long distances to services and poor transportation options delayed their access to registration offices. Finally, a series of bottlenecks in service provision created extended delays once applicants reached registration offices. Ownership of civil registration documents in Indonesia remains exceptionally low, with just over half of children and youth possessing a birth certificate. To strengthen civil registration and health systems more generally, it is important to understand the factors that enable and constrain civil registration, how these factors relate to one another, and how they change over a child's life.

Using the Three Delays Model to Examine Civil Registration Barriers in Indonesia

PubMed Central

Bennouna, Cyril; Feldman, Brooke; Usman, Rahmadi; Adiputra, Rama; Kusumaningrum, Santi

2016-01-01

The Three Delays Model has proven a useful framework for examining barriers to seeking obstetric care and preventing maternal and child mortality. This article demonstrates the applicability of the Three Delays Model to the case of civil registration in rural Indonesia and examines ways that efforts to strengthen civil registration services can draw on lessons from maternal and child health programming. Twenty focus group discussions were conducted using a participatory ranking exercise in four Indonesian districts. Focus groups were stratified into four groups: (1) government officials involved in civil registration, (2) civil society organization members that assist communities in civil registration, and (3) female and (4) male community members. Transcripts were analyzed using constant comparative method and thematic analysis, revealing barriers that communities commonly faced in accessing civil registration services. In examining the categories and themes related to these barriers, the research team found a significant overlap with the factors and phases of the Three Delays Model. Participants were delayed from seeking registration services by a range of sociocultural factors and by the perceived inaccessibility and poor quality of services. Once they decided to seek care, long distances to services and poor transportation options delayed their access to registration offices. Finally, a series of bottlenecks in service provision created extended delays once applicants reached registration offices. Ownership of civil registration documents in Indonesia remains exceptionally low, with just over half of children and youth possessing a birth certificate. To strengthen civil registration and health systems more generally, it is important to understand the factors that enable and constrain civil registration, how these factors relate to one another, and how they change over a child’s life. PMID:27992515

Testing a simple control law to reduce broadband frequency harmonic vibrations using semi-active tuned mass dampers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moutinho, Carlos

2015-05-01

This paper is focused on the control problems related to semi-active tuned mass dampers (TMDs) used to reduce harmonic vibrations, specially involving civil structures. A simplified version of the phase control law is derived and its effectiveness is investigated and evaluated. The objective is to improve the functioning of control systems of this type by simplifying the measurement process and reducing the number of variables involved, making the control system more feasible and reliable. Because the control law is of ON/OFF type, combined with appropriate trigger conditions, the activity of the actuation system may be significantly reduced, which may be of few seconds a day in many practical cases, increasing the durability of the device and reducing its maintenance. Moreover, due to the ability of the control system to command the motion of the inertial mass, the semi-active TMD is relatively insensitive to its initial tuning, resulting in the capability of self-tuning and in the possibility of controlling several vibration modes of a structure over a significant broadband frequency.

Stochastic subspace identification for operational modal analysis of an arch bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loh, Chin-Hsiung; Chen, Ming-Che; Chao, Shu-Hsien

2012-04-01

In this paer the application of output-only system identification technique, known as Stochastic Subspace Identification (SSI) algorithms, for civil infrastructures is carried out. The ability of covariance driven stochastic subspace identification (SSI-COV) was proved through the analysis of the ambient data of an arch bridge under operational condition. A newly developed signal processing technique, Singular Spectrum analysis (SSA), capable to smooth noisy signals, is adopted for pre-processing the recorded data before the SSI. The conjunction of SSA and SSICOV provides a useful criterion for the system order determination. With the aim of estimating accurate modal parameters of the structure in off-line analysis, a stabilization diagram is constructed by plotting the identified poles of the system with increasing the size of data Hankel matrix. Identification task of a real structure, Guandu Bridge, is carried out to identify the system natural frequencies and mode shapes. The uncertainty of the identified model parameters from output-only measurement of the bridge under operation condition, such as temperature and traffic loading conditions, is discussed.

Multi-level damage identification with response reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chao-Dong; Xu, You-Lin

2017-10-01

Damage identification through finite element (FE) model updating usually forms an inverse problem. Solving the inverse identification problem for complex civil structures is very challenging since the dimension of potential damage parameters in a complex civil structure is often very large. Aside from enormous computation efforts needed in iterative updating, the ill-condition and non-global identifiability features of the inverse problem probably hinder the realization of model updating based damage identification for large civil structures. Following a divide-and-conquer strategy, a multi-level damage identification method is proposed in this paper. The entire structure is decomposed into several manageable substructures and each substructure is further condensed as a macro element using the component mode synthesis (CMS) technique. The damage identification is performed at two levels: the first is at macro element level to locate the potentially damaged region and the second is over the suspicious substructures to further locate as well as quantify the damage severity. In each level's identification, the damage searching space over which model updating is performed is notably narrowed down, not only reducing the computation amount but also increasing the damage identifiability. Besides, the Kalman filter-based response reconstruction is performed at the second level to reconstruct the response of the suspicious substructure for exact damage quantification. Numerical studies and laboratory tests are both conducted on a simply supported overhanging steel beam for conceptual verification. The results demonstrate that the proposed multi-level damage identification via response reconstruction does improve the identification accuracy of damage localization and quantization considerably.

How Can Air Force Civil Engineers Use Expert Systems?

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

Acknowledgements On this academic path called "thesis", many individuals have befriended me along the way. I would like to express my thanks to Maj James R...that provided their insight into civil engineering throughout the interviews: Col James G. Zody, Col Thomas E. Lollis, Col Joe L. Hicks, Col Nicholas A...training role" ( Basden , 1984: 63-64). Consultant. Using an expert system as a consultant, the non- specialist can obtain counsel, guidance, or information

APPLICATION OF THE 3D MODEL OF RAILWAY VIADUCTS TO COST ESTIMATION AND CONSTRUCTION

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujisawa, Yasuo; Yabuki, Nobuyoshi; Igarashi, Zenichi; Yoshino, Hiroyuki

Three dimensional models of civil engineering structures are only partially used in either design or construction but not both. Research on integration of design, cost estimation and construction by 3Dmodels has not been heard in civil engineering domain yet. Using continuously a 3D product model of a structure from design to construction through estimation should improve the efficiency and decrease the occurrence of mistakes, hence enhancing the quality. In this research, we investigated the current practices of flow from design to construction, particularly focusing on cost estimation. Then, we identified advantages and issues on utilization of 3D design models to estimation and construction by applying 3D models to an actual railway construction project.

Aspects of Maintenance Radiating Safety of Population of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Ugra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Migunov, V. I.

2007-05-01

Dialogue with you in the given audience was to be begun with accent on a certain similarity in fields of activity. You are engaged in exotic conditions of kernels. We «экзотичность» consists that similar civil structures in other subjects of the Russian Federation while are not present. It is characteristic both for Department as a whole, and for its concrete structures, for example, such as Management of radiating safety on which work it will be informed hardly later. It speaks, mainly, that our district, as well as Russia as a whole, aspires to be the civilized, advanced community adequating to the world standards.

Multimodal and synthetic aperture approach to full-field 3D shape and displacement measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kujawińska, M.; Sitnik, R.

2017-08-01

Recently most of the measurement tasks in industry, civil engineering and culture heritage applications require archiving, characterization and monitoring of 3D objects and structures and their performance under changing conditions. These requirements can be met if multimodal measurement (MM) strategy is applied. It rely on effective combining structured light method and 3D digital image correlation with laser scanning/ToF, thermal imaging, multispectral imaging and BDRF measurements. In the case of big size and/or complicated objects MM have to be combined with hierarchical or synthetic aperture (SA) measurements. The new solutions in MM and SA strategies are presented and their applicability is shown at interesting cultural heritage and civil engineering applications.

The Attributes of a Variable-Diameter Rotor System Applied to Civil Tiltrotor Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brender, Scott; Mark, Hans; Aguilera, Frank

1996-01-01

The attributes of a variable diameter rotor concept applied to civil tiltrotor aircraft are investigated using the V/STOL aircraft sizing and performance computer program (VASCOMP). To begin, civil tiltrotor viability issues that motivate advanced rotor designs are discussed. Current work on the variable diameter rotor and a theoretical basis for the advantages of the rotor system are presented. The size and performance of variable diameter and conventional tiltrotor designs for the same baseline mission are then calculated using a modified NASA Ames version of VASCOMP. The aircraft are compared based on gross weight, fuel required, engine size, and autorotative performance for various hover disk loading values. Conclusions about the viability of the resulting designs are presented and a program for further variable diameter rotor research is recommended.

Robust evaluation of time series classification algorithms for structural health monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harvey, Dustin Y.; Worden, Keith; Todd, Michael D.

2014-03-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems provide real-time damage and performance information for civil, aerospace, and mechanical infrastructure through analysis of structural response measurements. The supervised learning methodology for data-driven SHM involves computation of low-dimensional, damage-sensitive features from raw measurement data that are then used in conjunction with machine learning algorithms to detect, classify, and quantify damage states. However, these systems often suffer from performance degradation in real-world applications due to varying operational and environmental conditions. Probabilistic approaches to robust SHM system design suffer from incomplete knowledge of all conditions a system will experience over its lifetime. Info-gap decision theory enables nonprobabilistic evaluation of the robustness of competing models and systems in a variety of decision making applications. Previous work employed info-gap models to handle feature uncertainty when selecting various components of a supervised learning system, namely features from a pre-selected family and classifiers. In this work, the info-gap framework is extended to robust feature design and classifier selection for general time series classification through an efficient, interval arithmetic implementation of an info-gap data model. Experimental results are presented for a damage type classification problem on a ball bearing in a rotating machine. The info-gap framework in conjunction with an evolutionary feature design system allows for fully automated design of a time series classifier to meet performance requirements under maximum allowable uncertainty.

Qualitative analysis of governance trends after health system reforms in Latin America: lessons from Mexico.

PubMed

Arredondo, A; Orozco, E; Recaman, A L

2018-03-01

Health policies in Latin America are centered on the democratization of health. Since 2003, during the last generation of reforms, health systems in this region have promoted governance strategies for better agreements between governments, institutions, and civil society. In this context, we develop an evaluative research to identify trends and evidence of governance after health care reforms in six regions of Mexico. Evaluative research was developed with a retrospective design based on qualitative analysis. Primary data were obtained from 189 semi-structured interviews with purposively selected health care professionals and key informants. Secondary data were extracted from a selection of 95 official documents on results of the reform project at the national level, national health policies, and lines of action for good governance. Data processing and analysis were performed using ATLAS.ti and PolicyMaker. A list of main strengths and weaknesses is presented as evidence of health system governance. Accountability at the federal level remains prescriptive; in the regions, a system of accountability and transparency in the allocation of resources and in terms of health democratization strategies is still absent. Social protection and decentralization schemes are strategies that have allowed for improvements with a proactive role of users and civil society. Regarding challenges, there are still low levels of governance and difficulties in the effective conduct of programs and reform strategies together with a lack of precision in the rules and roles of the different actors of the health system. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GLOBULAR CLUSTERS AS CRADLES OF LIFE AND ADVANCED CIVILIZATIONS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stefano, R. Di; Ray, A., E-mail: rdistefano@cfa.harvard.edu, E-mail: akr@tifr.res.in

2016-08-10

Globular clusters are ancient stellar populations in compact dense ellipsoids. There is no star formation and there are no core-collapse supernovae, but several lines of evidence suggest that globular clusters are rich in planets. If so, and if advanced civilizations can develop there, then the distances between these civilizations and other stars would be far smaller than typical distances between stars in the Galactic disk, facilitating interstellar communication and travel. The potent combination of long-term stability and high stellar densities provides a globular cluster opportunity. Yet the very proximity that promotes interstellar travel also brings danger, as stellar interactions canmore » destroy planetary systems. We find, however, that large portions of many globular clusters are “sweet spots,” where habitable-zone planetary orbits are stable for long times. Globular clusters in our own and other galaxies are, therefore, among the best targets for searches for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). We use the Drake equation to compare the likelihood of advanced civilizations in globular clusters to that in the Galactic disk. We also consider free-floating planets, since wide-orbit planets can be ejected to travel through the cluster. Civilizations spawned in globular clusters may be able to establish self-sustaining outposts, reducing the probability that a single catastrophic event will destroy the civilization. Although individual civilizations may follow different evolutionary paths, or even be destroyed, the cluster may continue to host advanced civilizations once a small number have jumped across interstellar space. Civilizations residing in globular clusters could therefore, in a sense, be immortal.« less

Globular Clusters as Cradles of Life and Advanced Civilizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Stefano, R.; Ray, A.

2016-08-01

Globular clusters are ancient stellar populations in compact dense ellipsoids. There is no star formation and there are no core-collapse supernovae, but several lines of evidence suggest that globular clusters are rich in planets. If so, and if advanced civilizations can develop there, then the distances between these civilizations and other stars would be far smaller than typical distances between stars in the Galactic disk, facilitating interstellar communication and travel. The potent combination of long-term stability and high stellar densities provides a globular cluster opportunity. Yet the very proximity that promotes interstellar travel also brings danger, as stellar interactions can destroy planetary systems. We find, however, that large portions of many globular clusters are “sweet spots,” where habitable-zone planetary orbits are stable for long times. Globular clusters in our own and other galaxies are, therefore, among the best targets for searches for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). We use the Drake equation to compare the likelihood of advanced civilizations in globular clusters to that in the Galactic disk. We also consider free-floating planets, since wide-orbit planets can be ejected to travel through the cluster. Civilizations spawned in globular clusters may be able to establish self-sustaining outposts, reducing the probability that a single catastrophic event will destroy the civilization. Although individual civilizations may follow different evolutionary paths, or even be destroyed, the cluster may continue to host advanced civilizations once a small number have jumped across interstellar space. Civilizations residing in globular clusters could therefore, in a sense, be immortal.

Application of outlier analysis for baseline-free damage diagnosis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seung Dae; In, Chi Won; Cronin, Kelly E.; Sohn, Hoon; Harries, Kent

2006-03-01

As carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates have been widely accepted as valuable materials for retrofitting civil infrastructure systems, an appropriate assessment of bonding conditions between host structures and CFRP laminates becomes a critical issue to guarantee the performance of CFRP strengthened structures. This study attempts to develop a continuous performance monitoring system for CFRP strengthened structures by autonomously inspecting the bonding conditions between the CFRP layers and the host structure. The uniqueness of this study is to develop a new concept and theoretical framework of nondestructive testing (NDT), in which debonding is detected "without using past baseline data." The proposed baseline-free damage diagnosis is achieved in two stages. In the first step, features sensitive to debonding of the CFPR layers but insensitive to loading conditions are extracted based on a concept referred to as a time reversal process. This time reversal process allows extracting damage-sensitive features without direct comparison with past baseline data. Then, a statistical damage classifier will be developed in the second step to make a decision regarding the bonding condition of the CFRP layers. The threshold necessary for decision making will be adaptively determined without predetermined threshold values. Monotonic and fatigue load tests of full-scale CFRP strengthened RC beams are conducted to demonstrate the potential of the proposed reference-free debonding monitoring system.

Review of progress in quantitative NDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

s of 386 papers and plenary presentations are included. The plenary sessions are related to the national technology initiative. The other sessions covered the following NDE topics: corrosion, electromagnetic arrays, elastic wave scattering and backscattering/noise, civil structures, material properties, holography, shearography, UT wave propagation, eddy currents, coatings, signal processing, radiography, computed tomography, EM imaging, adhesive bonds, NMR, laser ultrasonics, composites, thermal techniques, magnetic measurements, nonlinear acoustics, interface modeling and characterization, UT transducers, new techniques, joined materials, probes and systems, fatigue cracks and fracture, imaging and sizing, NDE in engineering and process control, acoustics of cracks, and sensors. An author index is included.

75 FR 26343 - Request for Expedited Certification and Type Approval of Amtrak Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-11

... and Type Approval of Amtrak Advanced Civil Speed Enforcement System (ACSES) In accordance with Part... Administration (FRA) received a request for expedited certification and type approval of the Amtrak ACSES. ACSES... request is described below, including the party seeking certification and type approval of ACSES, the...

5 CFR 845.408 - Special processing for fraud claims.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Special processing for fraud claims. 845.408 Section 845.408 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS (CONTINUED) FEDERAL EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM-DEBT COLLECTION Agency Requests to OPM for Recovery of a Debt From the Civil Service...

Educational Decision Making and the Distribution of Influence in Cities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crain, Robert L.

A study determined the extent of influence members of a city's business elite have on civil rights policy of the city's school system. The National Opinion Research Center interviewed the school superintendent, school board members, civil rights leaders, other political leaders, and members of the business elite in eight large cities. The study…

These Public Schoolhouses--The Citadels of Our Liberties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groen, Mark

2005-01-01

The American Civil War transformed societies' beliefs about education, as well as state policy regarding schools. The common schools of the 1850s tended to be locally funded, selective, and voluntary institutions. The Civil War, and the widespread belief, especially in the North, that a national system of common schools might have averted that…

Super and parallel computers and their impact on civil engineering

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamat, M.P.

1986-01-01

This book presents the papers given at a conference on the use of supercomputers in civil engineering. Topics considered at the conference included solving nonlinear equations on a hypercube, a custom architectured parallel processing system, distributed data processing, algorithms, computer architecture, parallel processing, vector processing, computerized simulation, and cost benefit analysis.

Engineering Accreditation in China: The Progress and Development of China's Engineering Accreditation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiaju, Bi

2009-01-01

Among engineering degree programs at the bachelor's level in China, civil engineering was the first one accredited in accordance with a professional programmatic accreditation system comparable to that of international practice. Launched in 1994, the accreditation of civil engineering aimed high and toward international standards and featured the…

Kristin Field-Macumber | NREL

Science.gov Websites

. Education M.S. Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, Building Systems Program, University of Colorado at Boulder B.S. Civil Engineering, University of Texas at Austin B.A. Sociology/Spanish, Rice Engineering Kristin.Field-Macumber@nrel.gov | 303-384-7376 Kristin joined NREL in January 2009. Her expertise

Gay Liberation as Ideological Conflict.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jandt, Fred E.

A study was conducted using R. W. Mack and R. C. Snyder's properties of conflict systems as the basis for an analysis of the gay civil rights movement and comparing that movement to the movement for black civil rights. The analysis revealed that both movements served to facilitate personal identity through group solidarity; however, the gay rights…