• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.8 no.5
• /
• pp.863-872
• /
• 2021

The main goal of this research is to understand how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) owners in Oman perceive the factors that drive or impede their growth and sustainability. Based on survey data of 395 SMEs in Oman, factor analysis was conducted to check if all the items load as one factor in each of the constructs. The results show that all the items measuring motivators and barriers loaded significantly for the respective scales, with high reliability (Cronbach alpha for Motivators = 0.991 and Barriers = 0.995). Relationships between the demographic factors of entrepreneurs and firm characteristics were tested and it was found that all the four variables: age of the entrepreneur (p = 0.00), qualification of the entrepreneur (p = 0.00), SME sector (p = 0.00), and age of the firm (p = 0.00) have a significant relationship with both the Motivators and the Barriers. The findings of this study could have significant implications for policymakers in Oman and other Middle Eastern countries. Since SMEs face similar problems and are given priority around the world, the findings could be applicable to other countries, as well. The findings also add important results to the empirical literature on SMEs.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.61-97
• /
• 2016

This is the second of two papers on the 3D numerical modeling of nearshore hydro- and morphodynamics. In Part I, the focus was on surf and swash zone hydrodynamics in the cross-shore and longshore directions. Here, we consider nearshore processes with an emphasis on the effects of oceanic forcing and beach characteristics on sediment transport in the cross- and longshore directions, as well as on foreshore bathymetry changes. The Delft3D and XBeach models were used with four turbulence closures (viz., ${\kappa}-{\varepsilon}$, ${\kappa}-L$, ATM and H-LES) to solve the 3D Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible flow as well as the beach morphology. The sediment transport module simulates both bed load and suspended load transport of non-cohesive sediments. Twenty sets of numerical experiments combining nine control parameters under a range of bed characteristics and incident wave and tidal conditions were simulated. For each case, the general morphological response in shore-normal and shore-parallel directions was presented. Numerical results showed that the ${\kappa}-{\varepsilon}$ and H-LES closure models yield similar results that are in better agreement with existing morphodynamic observations than the results of the other turbulence models. The simulations showed that wave forcing drives a sediment circulation pattern that results in bar and berm formation. However, together with wave forcing, tides modulate the predicted nearshore sediment dynamics. The combination of tides and wave action has a notable effect on longshore suspended sediment transport fluxes, relative to wave action alone. The model's ability to predict sediment transport under propagation of obliquely incident wave conditions underscores its potential for understanding the evolution of beach morphology at field scale. For example, the results of the model confirmed that the wave characteristics have a considerable effect on the cumulative erosion/deposition, cross-shore distribution of longshore sediment transport and transport rate across and along the beach face. In addition, for the same type of oceanic forcing, the beach morphology exhibits different erosive characteristics depending on grain size (e.g., foreshore profile evolution is erosive or accretive on fine or coarse sand beaches, respectively). Decreasing wave height increases the proportion of onshore to offshore fluxes, almost reaching a neutral net balance. The sediment movement increases with wave height, which is the dominant factor controlling the beach face shape.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2001

The geological characteristics of Korea are that we can encounter the rock layer only after 10m of excavation, methods to presume the rock pressure distribution of the rock layer is urgently needed. When using the existing empiric science of Terzaghi-Peck, Tschebotarioff to measure the rock pressure of the rock layer, underestimate the real strength because of the cohesion is ignored. Therefore calculating the horizontal sliding force of wedge block, which includes the dips and shear strength of discontinuities and surcharge load etc., think to be to getting a closer rock stress of the real rock pressure acting upon the earth structure in rock mass. This research use Coulomb soil pressure theory assuming that the backfill soil will yield wedge failure when it has cohesion, applying Prakash-Saran(l963), and then it uses equilibrium of force and shear strength $\tau$=c+$\sigma$tan $\Phi$ of the cliscontinuities. Analyzing shear strength and dips of cliscontinuities using calculated theory according to the status of discontinuities aperture, we were able to find out that because the cohesion and friction angle of the rock layer itself is large enough, how the dip directions and dips facing the excavation face is the only factor deciding whether or not the rock stress is applied. The evaluated theory of this research should be strictly estimated, so that the many parameters such as c, $\Phi$value, types and structures of rock class, excessive lateral pressure, dynamic load, earthquake, needed later when calculating shear strength of discontinuities and especially the ground water effect acting on rock layer should be coumpted with many measuring data achieve at the insite to study the application.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.195-215
• /
• 2017

This paper proposes gob-side entry retaining by roof break and filling in thick-layer soft rock conditions based on the thick-layer soft rock roof strata migration law and the demand for non-pillar gob-side entry retaining projects. The functional expressions of main roof subsidence are derived for three break roof direction conditions: lateral deflection toward the roadway, lateral deflection toward the gob and vertically to the roof. These are derived according to the load-bearing boundary conditions of the main roadway roof stratum. It is concluded that the break roof angle is an important factor influencing the stability of gob-side entry retaining surrounding rock. This paper studies the stress distribution characteristics and plastic damage scope of gob-side entry retaining integrated coal seams, as well as the roof strata migration law and the supporting stability of caving structure filled on the break roof layer at the break roof angles of $-5^{\circ}$, $0^{\circ}$, $5^{\circ}$, $10^{\circ}$ and $15^{\circ}$ are studied. The simulation results of numerical analysis indicate that, the stress concentration and plastic damage scope to the sides of gob-side entry retaining integrated coal at the break roof angle of $5^{\circ}$ are reduced and shearing stress concentration of the caving filling body has been eliminated. The disturbance of coal mining to the roadway roof and loss of carrying capacity are mitigated. Field tests have been carried out on air-return roadway 5203 with the break roof angle of $5^{\circ}$. The monitoring indicates that the break roof filling section and compaction section are located at 0-45 m and 45-75 m behind the working face, respectively. The section from 75-100 m tends to be stable.