• Advances in Computational Design
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.49-69
• /
• 2018

This paper shows an optimal design for reinforced concrete rectangular combined footings based on a criterion of minimum cost. The classical design method for reinforced concrete rectangular combined footings is: First, a dimension is proposed that should comply with the allowable stresses (Minimum stress should be equal or greater than zero, and maximum stress must be equal or less than the allowable capacity withstand by the soil); subsequently, the effective depth is obtained due to the maximum moment and this effective depth is checked against the bending shear and the punching shear until, it complies with these conditions, and then the steel reinforcement is obtained, but this is not guaranteed that obtained cost is a minimum cost. A numerical experimentation shows the model capability to estimate the minimum cost design of the materials used for a rectangular combined footing that supports two columns under an axial load and moments in two directions at each column in accordance to the building code requirements for structural concrete and commentary (ACI 318S-14). Numerical experimentation is developed by modifying the values of the rectangular combined footing to from "d" (Effective depth), "b" (Short dimension), "a" (Greater dimension), "${\rho}_{P1}$" (Ratio of reinforcement steel under column 1), "${\rho}_{P2}$" (Ratio of reinforcement steel under column 2), "${\rho}_{yLB}$" (Ratio of longitudinal reinforcement steel in the bottom), "${\rho}_{yLT}$" (Ratio of longitudinal reinforcement steel at the top). Results show that the optimal design is more economical and more precise with respect to the classical design. Therefore, the optimal design presented in this paper should be used to obtain the minimum cost design for reinforced concrete rectangular combined footings.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
• /
• v.10 no.6
• /
• pp.655-659
• /
• 2007

The purpose of this paper is to analyze cost-effectiveness of a train simulator. The cost-effectiveness of training program is assessed by multiplying transfer effectiveness ratio (TER) by training cost ratio (TCR). If their product is less than one, the program is not cost effective. Even if a program is not cost effective, however, safety considerations may be important to consider. Findings indicated that each type of train simulators might be used with each type of training programs appropriately for improving cost-effectiveness of a train simulator.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.93-99
• /
• 2015

This paper is on a practical method for determination of the economical steel ratio in RC flexural members with an equal safety factor. The cost functions of each material and labor are considered to construct the cost function. Then, an equation for determination of the economical flexure steel ratio with the lowest construction cost were proposed. It was found that a relevant steel ratio is recommended to be 0.65~1.0% for designing singly reinforced rectangular beam.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.16
• /
• pp.6857-6862
• /
• 2015

Background: To identify the optimal cost effective strategy for the management of women having ASC-US who attended at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KMCH). Design: An Economical Analysis based on a retrospective study. Subject: The women who were referred to the gynecological department due to screening result of ASC-US at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, a general and tertiary referral center in Bangkok Thailand, from Jan 2008 - Dec 2012. Materials and Methods: A decision tree-based was constructed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of three follow up strategies in the management of ASC-US results: repeat cytology, triage with HPV testing and immediate colposcopy. Each ASC-US woman made the decision of each strategy after receiving all details about this algorithm, advantages and disadvantages of each strategy from a doctor. The model compared the incremental costs per case of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) detected as measured by incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results: From the provider's perspective, immediate colposcopy is the least costly strategy and also the most effective option among the three follow up strategies. Compared with HPV triage, repeat cytology triage is less costly than HPV triage, whereas the latter provides a more effective option at an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 56,048 Baht per additional case of CIN 2+ detected. From the patient's perspective, the least costly and least effective is repeat cytology triage. Repeat colposcopy has an incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) of 2,500 Baht per additional case of CIN2+ detected when compared to colposcopy. From the sensitivity analysis, immediate colposcopy triage is no longer cost effective when the cost exceeds 2,250 Baht or the cost of cytology is less than 50 Baht (1USD = 31.58 THB). Conclusions: In women with ASC-US cytology, colposcopy is more cost-effective than repeat cytology or triage with HPV testing for both provider and patient perspectives.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.30 no.3 s.110
• /
• pp.141-146
• /
• 2005

Worldwide consumption of vegetable soybean has been increasing recently, but, in the process of vegetable soybean production threshing and seperation work accounts for about $80\%$ of overall labor. Therefore, developing of the vegetable soybean thresher is necessary to reduce the cost of labor. The main objective of this study is to develop the vegetable soybean thresher which is suitable for domestic circumstances. The threshing and separating performance, operating cost, and field capacity of developed vegetable soybean thresher are investigated and analysed. The results are as follows. The effective field capacity of the developed vegetable soybean thresher was shown as 4.8hr/10a, and reduced as much as 11.7 times compared with human labor. The ratio of unthreshed soybean-pod to stem after threshing work was shown as $1.5\%$ and the damaged pod ratio of detached soybean was shown as $1.8\%$. The cost of human labor was shown as 2,560,000 won/ha, but the operating of the developed vegetable soybean thresher was shown as 503,000won/ha. If the vegetable soybean thresher would be used in our farm, the minimum cultivation area appeard to be 22.7a for the cost effective management.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
• /
• v.39 no.5_6
• /
• pp.895-918
• /
• 2021

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) also known as sleeping sickness, is a neglected tropical vector borne disease caused by trypanosome protozoa transmitted by bites of infected tsetse fly. The basic reproduction number, R₀ derived using the next generation matrix method which shows that the disease persists in the population if the value of R₀ > 1. The numerical simulations of optimal control model carried out to determine the control strategy that can combat HAT under the minimum cost. The results indicate that, the use of both education campaign, treatment and insecticides are more efficient and effective to eliminate HAT in African community but too costly. Furthermore, the cost-effectiveness of the control measures (education campaign, treatment and insecticides) were determined using incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) approach and the results show that, the use of education and treatment of infected people as the best cost effective strategy compared to other strategies.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.295-305
• /
• 2010

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the economic efficiency of a community-based nursing care center to help policy makers determine whether or not to invest in similar facilities. Methods: The subjects were 101 elderly people over 65 years who participated in a health management program from February 1 to July 31, 2007. Direct cost was estimated with center operations cost, medical cost for out-patients and pharmacy cost. Indirect cost was measured by transportation cost. Direct benefit was calculated by saved medical cost for out-patients, saved pharmacy cost, saved transportation cost, and reducing hospital charges. Indirect benefit was estimated with prevention of severe complications. Economic efficiency was evaluated by cost-benefit ratio and net benefit. Results: Operating a community-based nursing care center was found to be cost-effective. Specifically, the cost of operating the center evaluated here was estimated at 135 million won while the benefit was estimated at 187 million won. Benefit-cost ratio was 1.38. Conclusion: The Community-based nursing care center that was described here could be a useful health care delivery system for reducing medical expenditures.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.4141-4149
• /
• 2013

Background: Mammography is considered the gold standard of breast cancer mass screening and many countries have implemented this as an established breast cancer screening strategy. However, although the incidence of breast cancer and racial characteristics are different between Western and Asian countries, many Asian countries adopted mammography for mass screening. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine whether mammography mass screening is cost-effective for both Western and Asian countries. Materials and Methods: A systematic review was performed of 17 national mammography cost-effectiveness data sets. Per capita gross domestic product (GDP), breast cancer incidence rate, and the most optimal cost-effectiveness results [cost per life year saved (LYS)] of a mammography screening strategy for each data set were extracted. The CE/per capita GDP ratio is used to compare the cost-effectiveness of mammography by countries. Non-parametric regression was used to find a cut-off point which indicated the breast cancer incidence rate boundary line determining whether mammography screening is cost-effective or not. Results: We found that the cost-effective cut-off point of breast cancer incidence rate was 45.04; it exactly divided countries into Western and Asian countries (p<0.0014). Conclusions: Mammography screening is cost-effective in most of Western countries, but not in Asian countries. The reason for this result may be the issues of incidence rate or racial characteristics, such as dense breast tissue. The results indicate that mammography screening should be adopted prudently in Asian countries and other countries with low incidence rates.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.8 no.11
• /
• pp.223-234
• /
• 2021

This study aims to examine whether operating cash flows influence banks' financial stability in Pakistan. The study employed annual panel data collected from annual reports of 20 commercial banks listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange for the year 2011 to 2019. Free cash flow yield was taken as the dependent variable while cash flow ratio was selected as the independent variable, and net interest margin, income diversification, asset quality, financial leverage, the cost to income ratio, advance net of provisions to total assets ratio, capital ratio, financial performance, breakup value per share and bank size were taken as control variables. The study performed ordinary least square technique, random and fixed effects models, Hausman test, Lagrange multiplier test, descriptive and correlation analysis. Results showed that operating cash flows and net interest margin significantly and positively influenced banks' financial stability while the cost to income ratio and advances net of provisions to total assets ratio significantly and negatively associated with banks' financial stability. To improve financial stability, banks should become more cost-effective and enhance their liquidity levels by lowering lending activities. In the future, it would be useful to compare commercial and investment banks, also Islamic and conventional banks in the same research setting.

• Computers and Concrete
• /
• v.17 no.5
• /
• pp.629-638
• /
• 2016

Optimization of the concrete mixture design is a process of search for a mixture for which the sum of the cost of the ingredients is the lowest, yet satisfying the required performance of concrete. In this study, a statistical model was carried out to model a cost effective optimal mix proportioning of high strength self-compacting concrete (HSSCC) using the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The effect of five key mixture parameters such as water-binder ratio, cement content, fine aggregate percentage, fly ash content and superplasticizer content on the properties and performance of HSSCC like compressive strength, passing ability, segregation resistance and manufacturing cost were investigated. To demonstrate the responses of model in quadratic manner Central Composite Design (CCD) was chosen. The statistical model showed the adjusted correlation coefficient R2adj values were 92.55%, 93.49%, 92.33%, and 100% for each performance which establish the adequacy of the model. The optimum combination was determined to be $439.4kg/m^3$ cement content, 35.5% W/B ratio, 50.0% fine aggregate, $49.85kg/m^3$ fly ash, and $7.76kg/m^3$ superplasticizer within the interest region using desirability function. Finally, it is concluded that multiobjective optimization method based on desirability function of the proposed response model offers an efficient approach regarding the HSSCC mixture optimization.