• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.459-517
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• 2002

The purpose of this paper is to provide a careful and accessible exposition of diffusive logistic equations with indefinite weights which model population dynamics in environments with strong spatial heterogeneity. We prove that the most favorable situations will occur if there is a relatively large favorable region (with good resources and without crowding effects) located some distance away from the boundary of the environment. Moreover we prove that a population will grow exponentially until limited by lack of available resources if the diffusion rate is below some critical value; this idea is generally credited to Thomas Malthus. On the other hand, if the diffusion rate is above this critical value, then the model obeys the logistic equation introduced by P. F. Verhulst .

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2012

Fiber-Reinforced Polymers (FRP) are used to enhance the behavior of structural components in either shear or flexure. The research conducted in this paper was mainly focused on the shear-strengthening of reinforced and prestressed concrete beams using FRP. The main objective of the research was to identify the parameters affecting the shear capacity provided by FRP and evaluate the accuracy of analytical models. A review of prior experimental data showed that the available analytical models used to estimate the added shear capacity of FRP struggle to provide a unified design equation that can predict accurately the shear contribution of externally applied FRP. In this study, the ACI 440.2R-$08^1$ model and the model developed by Triantafillou and Antonopoulos$^2$ were compared with the prior experimental data. Both analytical models failed to provide a satisfactory prediction of the FRP shear capacity. This study provides insights into potential reasons for the unsatisfactory prediction.

• Carbon letters
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2010

Coconut shell activated carbon (CSAC) was investigated for its ability in the removal of two neutral chlorinated organic compounds, namely trichloroethylene (TCE) and dichloromethane (DCM) from aqueous solution using a packed bed column. The efficiency of the prepared activated carbon was also compared with a commercial activated carbon (CAC). The important design parameters such as flow rate and bed height were studied. In all the cases the lowest flow rate (5 mL/min) and the highest bed height (25 cm) resulted in maximum uptake and per cent removal. The experimental data were analysed using bed depth service time model (BDST) and Thomas model. The regeneration experiments including about five adsorption-desorption cycles were conducted. The suitable elutant selected from batch regeneration experiments (25% isopropyl alcohol) was used to desorb the loaded activated carbon in each cycle.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.169-190
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• 2010

The focus of this research effort was characterization of the flexural and tensile properties of a specific ultra-high-strength, fiber-reinforced concrete material. The material exhibited a mean unconfined compressive strength of approximately 140 MPa and was reinforced with short, randomly distributed alkali resistant glass fibers. As a part of the study, coupled experimental, analytical and numerical investigations were performed. Flexural and direct tension tests were first conducted to experimentally characterize material behavior. Following experimentation, a micromechanically-based analytical model was utilized to calculate the material's tensile failure response, which was compared to the experimental results. Lastly, to investigate the relationship between the tensile failure and flexural response, a numerical analysis of the flexural experiments was performed utilizing the experimentally developed tensile failure function. Results of the experimental, analytical and numerical investigations are presented herein.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.587-601
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• 2014

A sophisticated finite element modeling approach is proposed to simulate unbonded post-tensioned concrete slabs. Particularly, finite element contact formulation was employed to simulate the sliding behavior of unbonded tendons. The contact formulation along with other discretizing schemes was selected to assemble the post-tensioned concrete system. Three previously tested unbonded post-tensioned two-way and one-way slabs with different reinforcement configurations and boundary conditions were modeled. Numerical results were compared against experimental data in terms of global pressure-deflection relationship, stiffness degradation, cracking pattern, and stress variation in unbonded tendons. All comparisons indicate a very good agreement between the simulations and experiments. The exercise of model validation showcased the robustness and reliability of the proposed modeling approach applied to numerical simulation of post-tensioned concrete slabs.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.2 no.6
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• pp.439-454
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• 2005

When deterioration of concrete is observed in a structure, it is highly desirable to determine the cause of such deterioration. Only by understanding the cause can an appropriate repair strategy be implemented to address both the cause and the symptom. In colder climates, bridge deck deterioration is often caused by chlorides from de-icing salts, which penetrate the concrete and depassivate the embedded reinforcement, causing corrosion. Bridge decks can also suffer from other deterioration mechanisms, such as alkali-silica reaction, freeze-thaw, and shrinkage. There is a need for a comprehensive and integrative system to help with the inspection and evaluation of concrete bridge deck deterioration before decisions are made on the best way to repair it. The purpose of this research was to develop a model to help with the diagnosis of concrete bridge deck deterioration that integrates the symptoms observed during an inspection, various deterioration mechanisms, and the probability of their occurrence given the available data. The model displays the diagnosis result as the probability that one of four deterioration mechanisms, namely shrinkage, corrosion of reinforcement, freeze-thaw and alkali-silica reaction, is at fault. Sensitivity analysis was performed to determine which probabilities in the model require refinement. Two case studies are included in this investigation.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.691-704
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• 2014

Reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls are commonly used for building structures to resist seismic loading. While the RC shear walls can have a high load-carrying capacity, they tend to fail in a brittle mode under shear, accompanied by forming large diagonal cracks and bond splitting between concrete and steel reinforcement. Improving seismic performance of shear walls has remained a challenge for researchers all over the world. Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC), featuring incredible ductility under tension, can be a promising material to replace concrete in shear walls with improved performance. Currently, the application of ECC to large structures is limited due to the lack of the proper constitutive models especially under shear. In this paper, a new Cyclic Softening Membrane Model for reinforced ECC is proposed. The model was built upon the Cyclic Softening Membrane Model for reinforced concrete by (Hsu and Mo 2010). The model was then implemented in the OpenSees program to perform analysis on several cases of shear walls under seismic loading. The seismic response of reinforced ECC compared with RC shear walls under monotonic and cyclic loading, their difference in pinching effect and energy dissipation capacity were studied. The modeling results revealed that reinforced ECC shear walls can have superior seismic performance to traditional RC shear walls.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.63-74
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• 1986

A methodology for the probabilistic determination of active storage capacity of an impounding reservoir is proposed with due considerations to the durations and return periods of the low flow series at the reservoir site. For more reliable probabilistic analysis the best-fit stochastic generation model of Monte Carlo type was first selected for the generation of monthly flow series, the models tested being the Month Carlo Model based on the month-by-month flow series (Monte Carlo-A Type), Monte Carlo Model based on the standardized sequential monthly flow series (Monte Carlo-B Type), and the Thomas-Fiering Model. Monte Carlo-B Model was final1y selected and synthetic monthly flows of 200 years at Hong Cheon dam site were generated. With so generated 200 years' monthly flows partial duration series of low flows were developed for various durations. Each low flow series was further processed by a nonsequential mass analysis for specified draft rates. This mass analysis furnished the storage-draft-recurrence interval relationship which gives the reservoir storage requirement for a specified water demand from the reservoir during a drought of given return period. Illustrations are given on the application of these results in analyzing the water supply capacity of a particlar reservoir, existing or proposed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.275-287
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• 2008

Noise externalities are a ubiquitous problem in modern societies. Research to estimate damages and potential efficient solutions therefore is important for addressing such problems. The results of a hedonic property model show that noise has a statistically significant and quantitatively important negative effect on property values. The key results for the best model show that damages (in year 2000 dollars) are - $5000 ${\ast}$ (ln dB), where dB is noise measured in decibels, allowing for the influence of other factors. Because ln(dB) is a strictly concave funaion, the "noise damage function"exhibits diminishing marginal effects with noise.

• Water Engineering Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-30
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• 2005

The bed evolution of the stretch of the River Rhine between km-812.5 and km-821.5 is characterised by general bed degradation as a result of the river training works and dredging activities of the last two centuries. The degradation of the river bed affects the water levels, and so the navigation conditions. To combat the erosion of the river bed with the aim to keep up the shipping traffic and to avoid the ecological system damages due to water level reductions, sand-gravel-mixtures were added to the river (so called artificial grain feeding activities). This paper presents the results of an application of a graded sediment transport model in order to study morpholodynamical characteristics due to artificial grain feeding activities in the river stretch. The finite element code TELEMAC2D was used for flow calculation by solving the 2D shallow water equation on non-structured grids. The sediment transport module SISYPHE has been developed for graded sediment transport using a multiple layer model. The needs to apply such graded sediment transport approaches to study morphological processes in the domain are discussed. The calculations have been carried out for the case of middle water flow and different size-fraction distributions. The results show that the grain feeding process could be well simulated by the model.