• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.399-415
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• 2023

In this study, we investigate the use of a negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system to improve the performance of a base-isolated structure. The negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system consists of a tuned inerter damper connected in parallel with a negative stiffness element. To find the optimal parameters for the base-isolated structure with negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system, we develop an optimization method based on performance criteria. The objective of the optimization is to minimize the superstructure acceleration response ratio, while ensuring that the base displacement response ratio remains below a specified target value. We evaluate the proposed method by conducting numerical analyses on an eight-story building. The structure is modeled using both a simplified 3-degree-of-freedom system and a more detailed story-by-story shear-beam model. Lastly, a comparative analysis using time history analysis is performed to compare the performance of the base-isolated structure with negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system with that of the base-isolated structure and base-isolated structure with tuned inerter damper systems. The results obtained from the comparative analysis show that the negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system outperforms the tuned inerter damper system in reducing the dynamic seismic response of the base-isolated structure. Overall, this study demonstrates that the negative stiffness tuned inerter damper system can effectively enhance the performance of base-isolated structures, providing improved seismic response reduction compared to other systems.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.560-567
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• 2023

This study aims to rediscover the industrial value of a borderless service in the hyper-connected era by producing fashion content at the forefront of the cultural industry as XR content and contributing to developing fashion content for edutech. The research method employed design aesthetic theory, while the empirical proposal utilized scientific knowledge information to build a framework for 3D convergence content. The characteristics of fashion content exhibitions that apply the neumorphism technique are as follows: The first is a virtual space that produces clothing culture by type. Africa, where dyeing and crafts are developed, selects a product-oriented exhibition type; Asia, where weaving and textiles are excellent, selects a random movement type; and Europe, where the evolution of clothing design over time is evident, selects a guided movement type to create a three-dimensional fashion edutech. The goal was to produce content. The second is creative reproducibility, which combines a new fashion design that embraces the aura of the original with a trendy sense. The realistic folk costume style of the original allowed for its implementation in the AR exhibition space using historical traditional style techniques such as weaving and textiles. The third is building organic, modular content. By designing and then saving/editing/arranging the basic VP zone for each style, learners and instructors can freely edit the content for each fashion class topic and create various presentations to ensure that it functions as non-face-to-face edutech content around the world.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.284-292
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• 2024

Purpose: Compared to general fires of the same size, underground parking lot fires are more likely to cause human and property damage and are not easy for firefighters to extinguish fire and save lives. This study attempted to find out how to secure the evacuation safety of parking lot users based on changes in the evacuation simulation behavior mode applied to evaluate the evacuation safety of the object. Method: Simulation for each CASE was performed using the Pathfinder program. Result: it was found that the higher the reference value, the higher the evacuation time, and Behavior showed an increase in time in SFPE mode rather than Steering mode. Priority was able to confirm an increase in time in priority designation rather than non-priority designation. Conclusion: The Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) for evaluating the evacuation safety of underground parking lots and the building evacuation design to ensure evacuation safety should be evaluated and reflected separately from Simulation's Behaviour Mode and Priority.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.619-629
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• 2024

To improve the utilization rate of phosphate tailings (PTs) and widen the sources of subgrade filler, the PTs is employed to modify clay, forming a PTs modified clay, applied in the subgrade. Accordingly, the environmental friendliness of PTs was investigated. Subsequently, an optimal proportion was determined through compaction and California Bearing Ratio (CBR) experiments. Afterward, the stability of mixture with the optimal proportion was further evaluated through the water stability and dry-wet stability experiments. Finally, via the gradation and microstructure experiments, the strength mechanism of PTs modified clay was analyzed. The results show that the PTs were classified in the non-hazardous solid wastes, belonging to Class A building materials. With the increase of PTs content and the decrease of clay content, the optimum water content and the swelling degree gradually decrease, while the maximum dry density and CBR first increase and then decrease, reaching their peak value at 50% PTs content, which is the optimal proportion. The resilient modulus of PTs modified clay at the optimal proportion reaches 110.2 MPa. The water stability coefficient becomes stable after soaking for 4 days, while the dry-wet stability coefficient decreases with the increase of cycles and tends to be stable after 8 cycles. Under the long-term action, the dry-wet change has a greater adverse impact than continuous soaking. The analysis demonstrates that the better strength mainly comes from the skeleton role of PTs and the cementation of clay. The systematic laboratory test results and economic analysis collectively provide data evidence for the advantages of PTs modified clay as a subgrade filler.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.89 no.6
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• pp.579-588
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• 2024

The present paper investigates the curvature ductility of confined reinforced concrete (RC) beams with normal (NSC) and high strength concrete (HSC). For the purpose of predicting the curvature ductility factor, an analytical model was developed based on the equilibrium of internal forces of confined concrete and reinforcement. In this context, the curvatures were calculated at first yielding of tension reinforcement and at ultimate when the confined concrete strain reaches the ultimate value. To best simulate the situation of confined RC beams in flexure, a modified version of an ancient confined concrete model was adopted for this study. In order to show the accuracy of the proposed model, an experimental database was collected from the literature. The statistical comparison between experimental and predicted results showed that the proposed model has a good performance. Then, the data generated from the validated theoretical model were used to train the artificial neural network (ANN) prediction model. The R² values for theoretical and experimental results are equal to 0.98 and 0.95, respectively which proves the high performance of the ANN model. Finally, a parametric study was implemented to analyze the effect of different parameters on the curvature ductility factor using theoretical and ANN models. The results are similar to those extracted from experiments, where the concrete strength, the compression reinforcement ratio, the yield strength, and the volumetric ratio of transverse reinforcement have a positive effect. In contrast, the ratio and the yield strength of tension reinforcement have a negative effect.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.87-113
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• 2023

Purpose - Focusing on Haier, a successful corporate venture in China, we analyse the operating mechanism and success factors of corporate venture, and reveal the necessary factors for the successful implementation of corporate venture. Design/methodology/approach - This study is a single case study centred on Haier, a successful corporate venture in China. Findings - The operational process of Haier's corporate venture includes six key aspects: project selection, team building, resource allocation and support, project implementation, risk control measures, performance evaluation and rewards. In terms of success factors, the support of top management with leadership capability of value creation and sharing is very important for the success of corporate venture. Secondly, a multi reward mechanism can be introduced to motivate employees and improve performance. Thirdly, it is important to integrate corporate culture into the operating mechanism of an corporate venture. Fourthly, flexible operations that break down rigid organisational boundaries and transform the organisation into a more open platform for entrepreneurship can increase the likelihood of success. Finally, empowering employees with operational discretion can also have a positive impact on the success of an Corporate Venture. Research implications or Originality - This study contributes to theory and practice by analysing the success conditions of corporate venture, providing new understanding and drawing new perspectives, especially from the experience of Haier. The results suggest strategies and flexibility for successfully pursuing corporate venture, and provide important experience for international companies to help them gain competitive advantage in global competition. It also helps corporate leaders to promote new directions and innovations and improve their strategies to respond to dynamic environments.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.368-374
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• 2023

Background: Recognizing that access to safe and healthy working conditions is a human right, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for specific occupational safety and health (OSH) programs for health workers (HWs). The WHO health systems' building blocks, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), highlight the importance of information as part of effective systems. This study examined how OSH stakeholders access, use, and value an occupational health information system (OHIS). Methods: A cross-sectional survey of OSH stakeholders was conducted as part of a larger quasi experimental study in four teaching hospitals. The study hospitals and participants were purposefully selected and data collected using a modified questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative analysis was conducted and themes identified for qualitative analysis. Ethics approval was provided by the University of Pretoria and University of British Columbia. Results: There were 71 participants comprised of hospital managers, health and safety representatives, trade unions representatives and OSH professionals. At least 42% reported poor accessibility and poor timeliness of OHIS for decision-making. Only 50% had access to computers and 27% reported poor computer skills. When existing, OHIS was poorly organized and needed upgrades, with 85% reporting the need for significant reforms. Only 45% reported use of OHIS for decision-making in their OSH role. Conclusion: Given the gap in access and utilization of information needed to protect worker's rights to a safe and healthy workplace, more attention is warranted to OHIS development and use as well as education and training in South Africa and beyond.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.707-724
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• 2024

This paper proposes a study of cement replacement with rice husk ash (RHA) and eggshell ash (ESA) for enhanced mechanical properties of geopolymer (GP) concrete with and without admixture. The main objective is to investigate the mechanical properties of GP with various replacement levels of Pozzolana Portland cement by RHA and ESA. The GP resistance to durability is examined and impact of ash materials on concrete's durability performance is determined. The environmental benefits of using agricultural waste materials in GP manufacturing minimize cement usage and CO2 emissions. The goal is to assess value of RHA-ESA of building material, paving stones for structures to lessen environmental impact. The novelty lies in use of ESA and RHA as partial replacements for cement and investigation of admixtures to enhance concrete properties, and reduce environmental impact. The research contributes by introducing a novel approach to reducing cement consumption by using ESA and RHA to address environmental concerns. It also explores the potential benefits of admixtures improving concrete performance and reducing environmental pollution. A study is carried with and without impacts of admixture to find compressive strength of GP cubes. The cement has been replaced by RHA and ESA in the range of (2.5%+7.5%, 5%+5%, 7.5%+2.5) by weight of cement for M20 mix. The compressive strength (CS) and split tensile strength (STS) at 7days, 14 days and 28 days is obtained as 21 N/mm2 at 7.5%RHA+2.5%ESA and 2.3 at 7.5%RHA+2.5%ESA, 24 N/mm2 at 7.5%RHA+2.5%ESA and 2.3 at 7.5%RHA+2.5%ESA, 28 N/mm2 at 7.5%RHA+2.5%ESA and 2.8 at 7.5%ESA respectively with normal curing condition.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Rural Architecture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.29-36
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to define the characteristics of regional architecture shown in the landscape paintings of Paul Cézanne, who is called the father of modern art, and then to think over the form of regional house in Korea modern architecture. The subject of the study focuses on landscape paintings depicting landscapes among Paul Cézanne's post-impressionist works. The research contents are, first, to understand the landscape structural and cubical characteristics of primary psyche-scene landscapes in his thoughts and insight, and second, to understand the characteristics of regional architecture depicted in his landscape paintings. In this study, characteristics of color in his pictures were excluded, and I attempted to find the origins of pure cube, then tried to pull out the cubical from from Korean regional architecture. The research results are summarized as follows. First, more than 54.7% of Paul Cézanne's paintings are post-impressionism, and the fact that he chose landscapes as the subject of his paintings can be explained to show the value of primary psycho-scene. Second, the building depicted in Paul Cézanne's painting is a pure cube as bastide and mas that are local houses in the Aix-en-Provence region in southern France. Third, Korean cubical flat style of house in the village comes from De Stijl that was provided the concept of Cubism and Mondrian's neo-plasticism.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.145-163
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• 2024

This paper presents six novel hybrid machine learning (ML) models that combine support vector machines (SVM), Decision Tree (DT), Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting (GB), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), and categorical gradient boosting (CGB) with the Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO) algorithm. These models, namely HHO-SVM, HHO-DT, HHO-RF, HHO-GB, HHO-XGB, and HHO-CGB, are designed to predict the ultimate strength of both rectangular and circular reinforced concrete (RC) columns. The prediction models are established using a comprehensive database consisting of 325 experimental data for rectangular columns and 172 experimental data for circular columns. The ML model hyperparameters are optimized through a combination of cross-validation technique and the HHO. The performance of the hybrid ML models is evaluated and compared using various metrics, ultimately identifying the HHO-CGB model as the top-performing model for predicting the ultimate shear strength of both rectangular and circular RC columns. The mean R-value and mean a20-index are relatively high, reaching 0.991 and 0.959, respectively, while the mean absolute error and root mean square error are low (10.302 kN and 27.954 kN, respectively). Another comparison is conducted with four existing formulas to further validate the efficiency of the proposed HHO-CGB model. The Shapely Additive Explanations method is applied to analyze the contribution of each variable to the output within the HHO-CGB model, providing insights into the local and global influence of variables. The analysis reveals that the depth of the column, length of the column, and axial loading exert the most significant influence on the ultimate shear strength of RC columns. A user-friendly graphical interface tool is then developed based on the HHO-CGB to facilitate practical and cost-effective usage.