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In this paper, we formulate mean and dispersion submodels for the class of Bell-Touchard regression models, and so we introduce the Bell-Touchard regression model with varying precision for count response variables. This regression model is, in some aspects, similar to the double generalized linear model framework, allowing for parameter interpretation in terms of the response variable in its original scale. We also provide an iterative process to estimate the regression coefficients in the mean and dispersion submodels, and develop diagnostic measures for this class of regression models. The methods developed are applied in a real data set for illustrative purposes. • Univariate count data modeling. • Two-parameter Bell-Touchard family of distributions. • Regression model for count variables with varying precision. • Overdispersion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper incorporates the shortest passenger travel paths into the first train timetabling problem in urban rail transit networks. We first propose a path-based first train timetabling problem, which is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model to reduce the travel time for passengers. To solve this model, we present a tailored branch-and-bound combined with the timetable-based Dijkstra algorithm. To further enhance the efficiency of the exact algorithm, we design a rolling time heuristic algorithm as a substitute for the branch-and-bound algorithm. Then, we proved that the rolling time heuristic combined with the timetable-based Dijkstra algorithm achieves 97.86% and 99.39% reductions in CPU time while sacrificing only 0.007% and 0.057% of optimality gap by two numerical experiments. Finally, the results based on two test networks with different structures demonstrate that the path-based first train timetabling model effectively improves passenger travel efficiency. Specifically, the travel times are reduced by 744 mins and 761 mins, while the transfer waiting times are reduced by 37.87% and 58.91% compared to the existing timetables. Moreover, the results also demonstrate that loop line networks will increase the difficulty of timetabling and lead to many passengers taking detours. To further enhance the efficiency of commuting for passengers who take the first train, URT operators may consider relaxing the limitations on the departure time of the depot stations. • A path-based first train timetabling model to minimize the total travel time in urban rail transit networks. • A tailored branch-and-bound combined with a timetable-based Dijkstra algorithm. • A rolling time heuristic algorithm to solve large-scale networks cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hybrid method by integrating the advantages of frequency-wavenumber method and finite element method. • The entire process simulation from the source to the local terrain has been achieved. • Seismic response of mountains due to point dislocation source. • The crustal velocity structure and source parameters influence the seismic response. This paper proposes a hybrid method to analyze seismic responses from the source to complex terrain. The hybrid method is based on the domain reduction idea, dividing the overall model into global domain (including the source and propagation path) and local domain (including complex terrain). For the propagation of seismic wave fields in the global domain, a frequency-wavenumber method based on the exact dynamic stiffness matrix is adopted. For the local domain, the finite element method combined with the artificial boundary substructure method is used to analyze the seismic response of complex terrain. The advantage of this hybrid method is that the frequency-wavenumber method can accurately and efficiently calculate the three-component ground motion of the global large-scale model, while the finite element method has a variety of elements and constitutive models, which can finely simulate the local complex terrain. We take the Zigong Xishan Park site as the research object, and verify the correctness of the hybrid method. Based on this, we use the hybrid method to simulate the seismic response of the site, focusing on the propagation process of seismic waves on the mountain surface, the spatial distribution of peak ground displacement, and the effects of crustal velocity structure and source parameters on the seismic response of the mountain. The results show that the propagation of seismic waves and the distribution of peak ground displacement are closely related to changes in terrain, and the crustal velocity structure and source parameters have significant effects on the seismic response of the mountain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A numerical approach for obtaining gas-liquid flow parameters utilizing one-dimensional two-fluid model was proposed. • The two-fluid model was discretized by implicit FEM techniques utilizing the proposed algorithm in this paper. • Four cases utilizing different meshes were utilized to illustrate the gas puffing effect on the momentum exchange process. • The transient numerical trends indicate that the gas puffing manifests in two physical forms between different flow regions. The accumulation of liquid condensate in the wet gas pipelines gives negative effects on the piping efficiency and flow managements. Accurate prediction of the condensate behavior is of crucial importance in the pipeline engineering. In this study, the one-dimensional two-fluid model with the stratified modeling in its source term is used to describe the gas-liquid kinetic motion along the pipe and the flow fields obtained from the newly proposed numerical approach are utilized to analyze the flow characteristics. Firstly, four cases with varying inlet liquid fractions, outlet pressures, and different meshes are utilized to investigate the gas-liquid steady-state variations along the pipe. The numerical results indicate that the outlet pressure influences the working pressure of the inlet gas-liquid, subsequently altering the equilibrium state and momentum exchange direction near the inlet, resulting in different condensate distributions in the pipeline. In the transient analysis with initial empty pipe, the inlet gas-liquid mainly impacts the pressure wave propagations in pressure spread stage, the gas kinetic motion in gas filling stage and the motion of the dividing interface between different regions in liquid filling stage, which is validated by the proposed numerical approach through comparison with the simulation tool OLGA designed by Schlumberger. Furthermore, when the liquid condensates appear in the initial state, the transition zones have two physical forms between different flow regions, which include the sudden dividing interface due to the high liquid amount carried by the inlet gas and the transition region resulted from the liquid accumulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The reflection/transmission of seismoelectric waves propagating through a sandwiched structure are studied. • A new fractional order viscoelastic model with two attenuation peaks at seismic and sonic frequencies is established. • The seismoelectric effects have noticeable influences on EM wave while negligible influences on seismic waves. • The porosity and the viscoelasticity of solid frame have evident influences on both elastic waves and EM waves The seismoelectric waves generated in a fluid-saturated porous interlayer and the reflection/transmission characteristics at the interfaces of sandwiched structure are studied in this paper. Aiming to describe the strong attenuation and dispersion simultaneously at seismic and sonic frequencies, a new fractional viscoelastic model for the solid skeleton is introduced to the Pride's seismoelectric coupling theory. Using the interfacial continuity of stress, displacements, magnetic and electric fields, the reflection/transmission coefficients are determined. The numerical results are provided and shown graphically. The effects of seismoelectric coupling and the viscoelastic characteristics of solid skeleton on the reflection and transmission of seismoelectric waves are mainly studied. It is observed that the thickness, porosity and the viscoelastic characteristics of solid skeleton have evident effects not only on the electromagnetic waves but also on the seismic waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This manuscript firstly establishes a half vehicle-pavement-continuous beam bridge (VPCB) coupled system analytical model. • It is innovatively that the bridge and vehicle initial conditions are considered into analytical model. • The pavement road surface local deterioration is simulated by increasing the local roughness level of the road surface. At present, the highway bridge field is in a period of vigorous development, and the application of continuous beam bridges is becoming more extensive, so the related safety research is particularly important. However, there are few studies on the vehicle-bridge coupled interaction of continuous beam bridges, and the influence of pavement is not considered. In order to ensure that the theoretical research can better serve the engineering practice, it is urgent to establish a more refined and more complex vehicle-bridge coupled model. In this paper, a vehicle-pavement-continuous beam bridge (VPCB) coupled system model is established. A half-vehicle model is adopted, the pavement is simulated by a continuous and uniform spring damper, and the bridge is a three-span continuous beam bridge. The motion equation of VPCB system is established and deduced using D 'Alembert principle and modal superposition method. The dynamic responses of VPCB system are calculated by Newmark- β method. Here, the continuous beam bridge mode functions are fitted based on the modal vector of the continuous beam calculated by the finite element model. The correctness of the method is verified by existing literatures. The effects of bridge pavement, vehicle speed, bridge second span length, the pavement equivalent spring stiffness coefficient k p and damping coefficient c p , road roughness on VPCB system are studied. The results show that the pavement can reduce the bridge dynamic amplification factor (DAF) and the vehicle acceleration to improve the ride comfort. The dynamic responses of the vehicle and the bridge contain each other's natural frequencies. The responses of VPCB system increase with the vehicle velocity, the vehicle responses are more affected than the bridge responses. The pavement equivalent stiffness and damping coefficient has little effect on the system. The responses of vehicle and bridge increase with the increase of the bridge second span length. When the vehicle travels each span of the three-span continuous beam bridge, the time history curve of the pavement deformation under the tire resembles a sine wave. When the local roughness level of the road surface increases, the system responses at the deteriorated position suddenly increases, and the responses of the subsequent position will also be affected. The larger the roughness grade, the more obvious the responses increase. The effect on the system responses of the whole pavement damage is more significant than the local pavement damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a new Lyapunov-type predefined-time stabilization control algorithm for stochastic high-order nonlinear systems with asymmetric output constraints. In contrast to stochastic finite-time and fixed-time stabilization, the average value of the settling-time function for stochastic predefined-time stabilization control is independent of both the initial value and the control factors. To mitigate the significant uncertainties arising from the asymmetric output constraint, a tan-type barrier Lyapunov function is formulated. Furthermore, by harnessing the previously mentioned barrier Lyapunov function and integrating the power integrator technique, a controller design strategy is formulated based on the backstepping method. The rigorous analysis in this study proves that the designed controller ensures both the attainment of predefined-time convergence of the system states to the origin in probability and the satisfaction of the output constraint. Finally, an example of a roll angle subsystem for quadrotor UAVs and a numerical illustration are presented to corroborate the theoretical analysis. • A novel Lyapunov-type stochastic predefined-time stable control algorithm is presented in Theorem 1. • Controller design based on the backstepping method is formulated through the power integrator technique. • The tan-type barrier Lyapunov function extends the order range and absorbs the inherent properties of the nonlinear terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Thermomechanical problem of FGMs sphere with material uncertainties is analyzed. • The interval random uncertainty model is recommended for material parameters. • A data-driven ANN fast calculation for FGMs sphere uncertainties analysis is established. • The volume fraction distribution is optimized for the safety design of the FGMs sphere. Mechanical analysis and optimal design for functionally graded materials (FGMs) structures are significant. The present paper analyzes the parameter uncertainties problem for the thermomechanical response of the FGMs spherical shells with volume fraction power distribution. Here, the interval random uncertainty model is recommended to describe the uncertainties of each component of material parameters in FGMs, and a data-driven artificial neural network (ANN) fast calculation for FGMs spherical shells thermomechanical problems with uncertainties analysis is established and trained. The thermomechanical coupling response analysis and volume fraction optimization analysis of the FGMs spherical shell with material uncertainties are realized for zirconia-titanium FGMs, with the maximum normalized Von Mises stress as the structural safety index and the ANN as the fast calculation method. In addition, the Von Mises stress of the FGMs spherical shell and a ZrO 2 -Ti alloy double-layer spherical shell under different loads is compared. The results show that material parameter uncertainties, especially those in Young's modulus, thermal expansion coefficient, and uniaxial yield limit significantly affect structural safety. The structural safety index λ calculated based on the volume fraction optimization design of FGMs spherical shell is significantly lower than that of the ZrO 2 -Ti alloy double-layer. The ANN method greatly improves the computational efficiency for uncertain problems and maintains high accuracy, compared with the statistical analysis after many calculations by randomly selecting material parameters. This study provides a path for the safety design of FGMs structures with uncertain parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel non-convex fractional-order image denoising model is proposed to suppress the staircase effect produced by the TV model while maintaining a neat contour. The model combines ℓ q (0 < q < 1) quasi-norm and fractional-order regularization, and employs a diffusion coefficient with a faster convergence rate to preserve more image edges and details. Additionally, an adaptive regularization parameter is designed to adjust the denoising performance of the algorithm. To obtain the optimal approximate solution of the model, an enhanced primal-dual algorithm is adopted and the complexity and convergence of the algorithm are theoretically analyzed. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through numerical experiments. • A new non-convex FOTV model is proposed. • A new diffusion coefficient is introduced to retain more edge details of the image. • The existing primal-dual algorithm is improved, and the convergence of this algorithm is analyzed. • An adaptive regularization parameter is designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the most probable exit path is applied to understand the switching of a bistable synthetic gene network with genetic toggle in Escherichia coli from a new perspective. It is worth mentioning that the most probable exit path is a deterministic indicator for researching stochastic system, and its role is analogous to the phase diagram and time history diagram of deterministic system. Firstly, the large deviation theory proves that when a dynamic system has a stable equilibrium point, the cumulative effect of its long-term action can make its sample trajectory reach another region with a probability of 1 from the attractive region under weak random disturbance. The concept of the most probable exit path is given by defining Freidlin-Wentzell action functional. Moreover, considering the noise intensity, Onsager-Machlup action functional is defined to obtain the most probable exit path of the system subject to random disturbance. Based on the Onsager-Machlup action functional, it can be observed that the impact of two types of noise intensities on the most probable exit path for the transition of the system. In addition, based on vector field decomposition, energy landscape is used to analyze the global stability of the system. Finally, this article intuitively demonstrates the switching process of the system with genetic toggle. The analysis of Onsager-Machlup action functional reveals that two independent noises have opposite effects on the system switching. The increase in the intensity of the second Gaussian noise is conductive to more accurately observing the most probable exit path of the system. According to the energy landscape, the reduction of noise intensity is not conductive to switching of the system with genetic toggle. • Most probable exit path intuitively illustrates the process of stochastic gene regulation. • Most probable exit path is obtained using FW and OM functional respectively by large deviation theory. • Analyze the effects of noise intensity and final time, provide guidance for gene expression cell differentiation process. • Based on vector field decomposition, energy landscape is used for global stability analysis of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intensity inhomogeneity (IIH) and noise are ubiquitous in images acquired by a variety of imaging modalities, which pose an ongoing challenge for segmentation methods used in many applications. This paper proposes a level set evolution equation based on fractional derivative to address the IIH and noise issues in image segmentation, which integrates the information from the input and guidance images. The proposed model is a linear diffusion equation of level set function with nonlinear edge-stopping and guidance sources, in which the edge-stopping source is derived from the input image and a local statistical model (Bayesian formulation) in the level set framework, whereas the guidance source is derived from the guidance image and the fitting term of the popular Chan-Vese model. The guidance source ensures swift contour movement toward the boundary of the objects and enhances the robustness to noise and contour initialization, while the edge-stopping source is used to stop the evolving contour on the boundary of the objects later in the evolution. To tackle the challenge of obtaining accurate guidance images for many applications, an adaptive variable-order of fractional derivative robust to IIH and noise is introduced to generate the desired guidance image from the input image. The proposed diffusion equation with sources is solved numerically by the series splitting method and finite difference scheme. Experimental results on synthetic and real images show that the proposed model has higher performance in terms of accuracy and efficiency of segmentation, compared to several state-of-the-art level set models. • Propose guided active contours via level set evolution for noisy images with intensity inhomogeneity (IIH). • Design an adaptive order of fractional derivative that is basically not affected by IIH and noise. • Present a fractional derivative based method for generating guidance image from the input image. • Our model is experimentally very effective and efficient in segmenting images with IIH and noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closed-form models are important because they offer more design insights, require less computing time and prevent convergence problems in modeling compliant mechanisms. However, most of the available closed-form models, e.g., beam constraint models, are only appropriate for beam flexures within the intermediate deflection range. In this paper, a method for developing closed-form models based on the chained beam constraint model through the combined use of strain energy and Castigliano's first theorem is proposed. A closed-form model for beam flexures with a large prediction range is derived using this method. By modeling simple beams and compliant mechanisms using the proposed closed-form model, it is shown that the model has a significantly broader prediction range than the beam constraint model and is more efficient than the chained beam constraint model. The large prediction range and high efficiency of the proposed closed-form model make it potentially useful for optimizing compliant mechanisms. • A method to develop closed-form models for beam flexures is proposed. • A closed-form model for CBCM with 3 discretized elements is obtained. • Closed-form load-displacement relations for beam flexures are obtained. • The proposed molded is demonstrated to reduce the computational time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a fractional structure and texture aware Retinex (FSTAR) model for image decomposition with application to low-light enhancement. First, a novel structure aware measure called Maximum Fractional Difference (MFD) is introduced, which is the maximum of fractional differences of the input image in eight symmetric directions. Then fractional structure and texture aware maps are built based on MFD and Huber function from robust statistics, which are used as weighted matrices in the regularization terms of reflectance and illumination components. To ensure the intrinsic physical constraints of Retinex on two components, two extra penalty terms are incorporated into the objective function of FSTAR to penalize deviations of the estimated components from the corresponding constraints. The FSTAR is solved via an alternating iterative algorithm; i.e., the objective function is minimized with respect to one variable with another variable fixed, and this process is done alternately until termination condition is met. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations of FSTAR on three low-light image datasets, compared to ten state-of-the-art methods, show its superior performance in Retinex decomposition and low-light image enhancement. • Present texture aware measure based on fractional directional difference for texture extraction. • Propose fractional structure-texture aware Retinex model with constraints on two components. • Model is faithful to intrinsic physical meaning of Retinex in theory and easy to solve numerically. • Model has outstanding performance in terms of image decomposition and low-light enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With large volume of passengers boarding and alighting through subway platforms, the stations are getting crowded, resulting in drops in the level of service and safety concerns, especially for subway systems operating at capacity during peak hours. Thus, it is crucial for subway agencies to sense changes in travel demand and adjust their management schemes accordingly. In this paper we propose a statistical approach to estimate dynamic passenger flows with automated data. First, we develop a dynamic logistic model for calculating passenger tap-out times, which can be employed to infer passenger flow characteristics at the aggregate level. In addition, a new passenger-to-train assignment model for any subway route is derived based on the dynamic model. Subsequently, we apply an expectation-maximization algorithm to estimate the model parameters with automated fare collection and automated vehicle location data. Finally, a cross-validation method is employed to validate our approach with data obtained from several routes in Beijing subway system in China. Results of 95% prediction intervals indicate the effectiveness of the models and the proposed estimation methods. • Propose a dynamic logistic model for inferring and predicting subway passenger tap-out times. • Apply an expectation-maximization algorithm for model parameters estimation. • Develop a novel passenger-to-train assignment strategy. • No prior distributions of parameters or additional information required in the proposed methods. • Results show good effectiveness of the models and acceptable accuracy of the prediction methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analyzed the stochastic resonance and stochastic P-bifurcation of an axially moving shape-memory alloy laminate. • A change in the volume fraction of the SMA shifted the formant of the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) curve up and down. • Variation in axial velocity, temperature, and stochastic intensity induced stochastic P-bifurcation. This paper investigates the transverse vibration of an axially moving shape-memory alloy (SMA) fiber hybrid laminations under the combined action of transverse harmonic excitation and stochastic disturbance. Considering the shape memory alloy (SMA) fiber volume fraction random field, the kinetic energy and strain potential energy of SMA laminates are solved, and the axial motion equation of SMA laminates is derived according to Hamilton principle, a non-dimensional differential equation of the transverse vibration of the axially moving SMA laminated plates is obtained by adopting the Galerkin integral method. Considering the volume-fraction stochastic field, the stochastic natural vibration of a SMA laminate is analyzed. Considering the stochastic resonance of the SMA laminate under the action of Gaussian white noise and harmonic excitation, the effects of geometric parameters, physical parameters of materials, and temperature on the stochastic resonance behavior of the SMA laminate is analyzed. Finally, the effect of the stochastic P-bifurcation phenomenon of the parameters on the steady-state response of the SMA laminate is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The calibration problem of the general acupuncture robot is analyzed. • A simultaneous offline calibration method for problems defined with multiple closed kinematic chains is proposed. • A multi-objective optimization model covering all coupling components and constraints is constructed and solved. • A real-world platform with a customized calibration board is built. • The proposed method has higher calibration accuracy and convergence speed. Acupuncture robot is a new-era product combining traditional acupuncture and cutting-edge technology. The calibration of the vision system and the acupuncture mechanism is a crucial prerequisite for humanoid acupuncture control, which has not yet been explored. In this paper, a simultaneous offline calibration method is proposed for acupuncture robots. Analysis reveals that its calibration problem is defined with three closed kinematic chains, while the typical problems cover only a single chain. Decoupling them, a Kronecker product-based method is deduced to access the closed-form rotation component. As opposed to quaternion-based methods, it only experiences linear complexity in sign ambiguity, which can produce a more precise solution in finite time. Further, a simultaneous optimization model that encompasses all components is established, which can be solved with stochastic gradient descent-based methods. It is free of truncation errors and thus has higher calibration accuracy and convergence speed. Besides, the impairment in error propagation between different closed kinematic chains is mitigated compared to step-by-step methods. Finally, simulations and experiments are carried out. Notably, the proposed method can be easily extended to other robot calibration problems with multiple closed kinematic chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamics modeling and analysis of a rotating piezoelectric laminated beam (RPLB) considering the effect of the setting angle is presented in this paper. The rotating piezoelectric energy harvester can be simplified as a RPLB which is fixed at a rotating hub. It is easy to know that a steady transversal deformation would be produced due to the transversal component of centrifugal force when the beam is not along the radial direction (the setting angle is not equal to 0° or 180°). However, the variation of steady transversal deformation and its effect were rarely considered by existing theoretical models about the rotating harvesters. To this end, a novel nonlinear dynamics model of the RPLB is developed by the combination of floating frame reference (FFR) and absolute nodal coordinate formulation. In the model, the position coordinates and gradients on the FFR are used as the nodal coordinates to describe deformation field. The enthalpy, elastic and kinetic energies of the RPLB are derived with consideration of the piezoelectric constitutive equation and the rotation of the FFR. Thus, the dynamics equations of the RPLB can be developed by using the Lagrange's equations of second kind. The results obtained from the model show agreement with those obtained from the previous literatures, which verifies the correctness of the model. Several examples are presented to analyze the effects of rotating speed, setting angle and tip mass on steady transversal deformation, output voltage and modal characteristics. • A novel nonlinear dynamics model of RPLB is developed to benefit the design of piezoelectric energy harvesters. • Steady deformation caused by transversal component of centrifugal force and its effects are investigated and analyzed. • Variations of the dynamic stiffening / softening of RPLB with setting angle and its reason are discussed. • Tensile strains and compression strains respectively lead to dynamic stiffening and softening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mealybug (Paracoccus marginatus) is one of the most important pests of papaya (Carica papaya L.). The high potential damage of this pest threatens papaya production. The objective of this paper is to explore the impact of biocontrol and temperature variations on the population dynamics of Paracoccus marginatus (P. marginatus). We first propose and study a mathematical model for the dynamics of P. marginatus within a papaya field. This model consists of a time-delayed non-autonomous system of differential equations that takes into account the egg incubation period, temperature variations, plant compensation and predators that are natural enemies of the papaya pest. We provide the basic properties of the model, compute the basic offspring number N 0 and show that there exists two threshold parameters N _ 0 and ξ 0 such that N _ 0 ≤ N 0 ≤ ξ 0 ≤ 1 and N 0 ≥ N _ 0 > 1 provide conditions for the extinction and persistence of the pest within the papaya field, respectively. After, we investigate the impact of biocontrol on the pest population. We found that the use of a control strategy based on constant releases of predators could reduce the pest population by 35.62 percent and increase the biomass by 77.50 percent, while the use of impulsive releases of predators result in a decrease of 96.31 percent of the pest population and an increases of 55.74 percent of the biomass. We also combine the use of continuous predator releases and bio-pesticides and discovered that a spray applied 90 days after germination could completely eliminate the pest population and boost the biomass by 81.58 percent. • The population dynamics of Paracoccus marginatus , papaya pest is modeled. • The model includes the egg incubation period, temperature variations and biocontrol. • The warm temperatures are favorable to the development and survival of the pest. • The use of impulsive releases of predators can reduce the pest by 96.31%. • The use of continuous releases of predators and bio-pesticides can eradicate the pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diffeomorphic registration is a widely used technique for finding a smooth and invertible transformation between two coordinate systems, which are measured using template and reference images. The point-wise volume-preserving constraint det ⁡ (∇ φ (x)) = 1 is effective in some cases, but may be too restrictive in others, especially when local deformations are relatively large. This can result in poor matching when enforcing large local deformations. In this paper, we propose a new bi-variant diffeomorphic image registration model that introduces a soft constraint on the Jacobian equation det ⁡ (∇ φ (x)) = f (x) > 0. This allows local deformations to shrink and grow within a flexible range 0 < κ m < det ⁡ (∇ φ (x)) < κ M. The Jacobian determinant of transformation is explicitly controlled by optimizing the relaxation function f (x). To prevent deformation folding and improve the smoothness of the transformation, a positive constraint is imposed on the optimization of the relaxation function f (x) , and a regularizer is used to ensure the smoothness of f (x). Furthermore, the positivity constraint ensures that f (x) is as close to one as possible, which helps to achieve a volume-preserving transformation on average. We also analyze the existence of the minimizer for the variational model and propose a penalty-splitting algorithm with a multilevel strategy to solve this model. Numerical experiments demonstrate the convergence of the proposed algorithm and show that the positivity constraint can effectively control the range of relative volume without compromising the accuracy of the registration. Moreover, the proposed model generates diffeomorphic maps for large local deformations and outperforms several existing registration models in terms of performance. • A novel bi-variant diffeomorphic image registration model with relaxed Jacobian determinant constraints is proposed. • The existence of the minimizer for the variational model is proved. • A penalty splitting algorithm with a multilevel strategy is designed to solve the new model. • Numerical experiments show that the proposed algorithm is convergent and the new model has good performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the concept of Pulley-Driven Clustered Tensegrity Structures (PD-CTS) and develops nonlinear and linearized static and dynamic equations using the Lagrangian method. The generalized coordinates utilized in this framework comprise the nodal coordinates of the tensegrity structure and the string sliding distances. The governing equations are specifically constructed, considering situations with and without boundary constraints. The developed method can be applied to nonlinear and linearized static and dynamic analysis of any PD-CTS, covering various research domains such as load analysis, form-finding, large deformation analysis, modal analysis, and dynamic response to various inputs. The substructure method is used to lower the order of the equations to reduce computational costs and facilitate the study of actuation strategies of tensegrity structures. The effectiveness of the suggested methods is validated through the analysis of two case studies: a 2D T-bar and a 3D tensegrity tower. Furthermore, the methodologies established in this paper can also be employed to examine deployable cable net structures and pulley-driven robotic systems. • The concept of pulley-driven clustered tensegrity structures (PD-CTS) is proposed. • Nodal coordinates and sliding distances of cables are the generalized coordinates. • Explicit equations of nonlinear & linearized statics and dynamics are derived. • Substructure method is used to study the reduced-order model & actuation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel damped conformable fractional accumulation method. • Prediction of energy related series with the uncertainties. • Design of damped conformable fractional grey bernoulli model. • Improved prediction accuracy, robustness and applicability. • Prediction of world coal consumption and production in 2025–2026. Energy resources, such as oil, coal are important to people's life and the development of the economy. Predicting the energy consumption and production with uncertainties can help the government and policymakers make the reasonable energy strategy and give constructive guidance. In this paper, a novel damped conformable fractional accumulation operator with two parameters are proposed to have control of both accumulation generation and new information involvement. The new accumulation can be adjusted from linear approximation to high order accumulation. A structure adaptive grey Bernoulli model based on proposed accumulation method is established, with the parameters optimized by particle swarm optimization algorithm. For testifying the effectiveness and the robustness of the model, two validation cases and two application cases are used to build the prediction model of diverse series with unexpected trends or fluctuations in energy fields. Compared with other existing fractional grey models and non-grey models, the proposed model has best prediction accuracy, better model stability and greatly improved applicability. The global coal consumption by industry is predicted as 30.85×106 TJ in 2025 and 30.81×106 TJ in 2026. The world coal production could be 182.93–187.73 exajoules in 2025 and 180.85–182.16 exajoules in 2026. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cylindrical radiation of individual pulses is studied and strong differences from spherical radiation are highlighted. Prior to this study, the class of available analytical solutions for cylindrical radiation was rather limited. It included (i) a well-known solution for a steady-state, time-harmonic line source and (ii) the solution for a delta-pulse line source. The first of these has no analytical counterpart for individual pulses. By means of the second (actually the Green's function) a more general class of line source solutions can be formulated, but each one is in the form of an integral that has to be evaluated numerically and requires tedious preparation of a singular integrand, making it difficult to achieve perfect accuracy. In the present paper, use is made instead of a particular family of analytically-exact (linear) solutions that has been developed recently. It is used to assess the accuracy of solutions obtained numerically by the method of characteristics (MoC), which is then applied to more general sources than those amenable to analytical treatment. The MoC analysis is specially formulated to reduce the influence of terms involving the reciprocal of the radius (such terms are numerically unmanageable close to the origin). It is found that the qualitative behaviour of waves radiating from the surface of a cylinder of finite radius can depend strongly on the duration of the initiating disturbance and that this can be interpreted in a convolution-like manner. After validation, the numerical method is coupled with a conventional MoC analysis of planar wave propagation and is used to simulate the reflection and radiation of an initially planar wavefront arriving at a flanged duct exit. The numerical representation is one-dimensional in both domains – (x , t) inside the duct and (r , t) outside it. Although its use implies identical behaviour in all radial directions in the external domain, the solution is found to be in close agreement with circumferential-average values from a CFD solution that simulates azimuthal variations as well as radial variations. Whilst being less comprehensive than the CFD simulation, the MoC analysis has the important practical benefit of making highly efficient use of human and computational resources. By comparing the MoC and CFD solutions, it is found that the nominally-cylindrical radiation from the duct approximates closely to radiation from a line source a small distance inside the duct (not at the exit plane). An approximate location of the effective source is quantified. • Cylindrically-radial unsteady flow is solved numerically by the method of characteristics. • Close agreement is demonstrated with a new analytical solution for pulses propagating cylindrically. • Waves radiating cylindrically from a duct exit are coupled with uniaxial, internally-propagating waves. • A strong correlation is demonstrated with a CFD analysis of fully-coupled behaviour. • A new end-correction is identified and quantified for waves radiating cylindrically from a duct exit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper presents a drained expansion solution of a cylindrical cavity with fabric change effect in the sand. • The problem is formulated as a system of first-order differential equations with the known variables. • A user-defined SANISAND model is implemented as a subroutine, which is applied to FEM simulation. Sandy soil exhibits inherently anisotropy due to its microstructure, also known as 'fabric'. However, the drastic change in fabric observed during the dilatant phase is often overlooked in current cavity expansion research. This paper presents a drained expansion solution of a cylindrical cavity with fabric change effect in the sand using a simple non-associated and anisotropic model, SANISAND. The problem is formulated as a set of first-order differential equations with the unknown variables as functions of an auxiliary coordinate, which can be solved as an initial value problem. A subroutine is implemented into the FEM simulation to verify the proposed method. Additionally, cavity expansion solutions in sand are compared with those based on state-dependent dilatancy. The anisotropic fabric of the sand is studied to investigate the impact of the initial void ratio, initial mean stress, and at-rest coefficient on the void ratio path, stress distributions and paths, and bounding surfaces. The proposed solution provides a framework for the potential use of cavity expansion in sand, considering the fabric change effect, and a benchmark for further developments and numerical calculations by using the SANISAND model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developing a nondestructive approach for the critical pressure of functionally graded combined shells with hydrostatic pressure. • Equivalent model of hydrostatic pressure for functionally graded combined shells is proposed. • The validity of the developed computational model is verified by numerical examples. • The effects of power-law exponents, geometric parameters, boundary conditions on critical pressure are discussed. This paper describes a unified nondestructive semi-analytical formulation for the critical pressure of underwater functionally graded combined shells subjected to external hydrostatic pressure. The structural model of combined shells is constructed from the first-order shear deformation theory, Voigt mixing law, and virtual spring technology. The admissible displacement functions are uniformly expressed with Legendre polynomials along the generatrix direction and Fourier series along the circumferential direction. The Kirchhoff-Helmholtz boundary integral equation is discretized by using the Legendre-Gauss spectral boundary element method, and the external acoustic field model is derived by expanding the Green's function, sound pressure, and displacement of combined shells with one-dimensional Fourier transformation. The linear elastic material theory is applied to deduce the work done by the hydrostatic pressure. The key technology to predict the critical pressure is to create an accurate equivalent model of the hydrostatic pressure. Through solving the final coupled governing equation, the critical pressure is obtained from the linear relationship between the hydrostatic pressure and the square of natural frequency. The convergence and correctness are verified by comparison with the results from published papers and numerical methods. The effects of different hydrostatic pressures, power-law exponents, geometric parameters, and boundary conditions on the critical pressure are investigated in several examples. Computed results can provide security guidance for the nondestructive prediction of underwater functionally graded combined shells at the beginning of engineering application design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the previous exoskeleton research, the development method of the exoskeleton-function-expectation prediction in the initial design stage is lacking, which is not conducive to reviewing the system-parameter influences on exoskeleton performances, nor to exploring the exoskeleton optimization direction. In this paper, a human-exoskeleton oscillation model is designed by integrating the main functions of one load-supporting exoskeleton in the gravity direction into the double-mass coupled oscillator model. The model simplifies the human-exoskeleton coupling motion into the human-exoskeleton oscillation motion in the gravity direction, and in the oscillation process qualitatively calculates the multiple functional expectations of the exoskeleton, such as the load-supporting capability, the human-exoskeleton interaction force, the oscillation response of the backpack and the power-assistance ability. By comparing the test results of the model with previous research, the model performance was analyzed. And further, the reasons for the unsatisfying load-supporting efficiency of previous exoskeletons were explained and the influences of system parameters for the system expectations were evaluated, which helps to provide a theoretical basis for improving the exoskeleton load-supporting efficiency and human-body comfort. In addition, the combination of the exoskeleton supporting static load and the suspension system buffering dynamic load is a new direction, and the model of the paper is also beneficial to evaluate the interference degree of the exoskeleton to the suspension system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A shape feature controlled topology optimization method of PZT for structure vibration control is proposed. • A modified K-means clustering method is proposed to obtain the explicit shape control functions. • An explicit optimization model with SPI as its objective and shape control functions as its constraints is presented. • Sensitivity analysis is performed based on chain rule, the Lyapunov equation and the adjoint method. This paper proposes a method for shape feature controlled topology optimization of attached piezoelectric actuators of thin-walled smart structures, aiming at both vibration control performance as well as possible manufacturing constraints. This paper first proposes a modified K-means clustering method to derive the shape feature control functions. Then, an optimization model with system performance index (SPI) as its objectiveness and shape feature control functions as its explicit constraints is organized. Based on the Lyapunov equation, the adjoint method and the chain rule, the sensitivity analysis of both objective and constraints in optimization model is performed. A mathematical programming method is applied to solve the optimization model once the sensitivities is calculated. Then the LQR control algorithm is used in the optimized structure for vibration control. Numerical examples as well as engineering application are applied to prove effectiveness of the proposed methods. The results show feasibility of the proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The nonlinear dynamics and thermal bidirectional coupling model of a rotor-ball bearing system is constructed. • The coupling characteristics of the interaction between vibration response and temperature variation are obtained. • The complicated jump phenomena and motion patterns in vibration response and temperature variation are demonstrated. • The characteristics affected by initial radial clearance, rotor eccentricity and lubricant viscosity are discussed. This paper focuses on the nonlinear dynamics and thermal bidirectional coupling characteristics of a rotor-ball bearing system. The motion equations of the rotor system are formulated by the Lagrange method, where the radial clearance of the ball bearing affected by thermal characteristics is considered. The heat transfer model of the ball bearing is established by combining the lumped parameter with the full thermal network, in which the frictional heat generation induced by the dynamic load of the ball bearing is considered. The heat transfer model is coupled with the motion equations of the rotor system via the mechanical model of the ball bearing. The dynamics and thermal bidirectional coupling model is solved by the step-by-step iterative solving procedure to detect the interaction between the vibration response of the rotor and the temperature variation of the ball bearing. The results show that the thermal expansion of the ball bearing results in the dynamical variation of the effective radial clearance, which makes a significant influence on nonlinear dynamics and thermal characteristics of the rotor-ball bearing system. On the other hand, the nonlinear dynamic response of the rotor leads to the nonlinear thermal characteristics of the ball bearing through the influence of the dynamic load. It is observed that there are more complicated jump phenomena and motion patterns in the vibration response and temperature variation compared to the case without thermal effects. Moreover, the jump phenomena affected by the initial radial clearance, rotor eccentricity, and lubricant viscosity are analyzed in detail. The results obtained in this paper can provide more insight into the bidirectional coupling mechanism of the nonlinear dynamics and thermal characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper presents a solution methodology for the rotor system with bolted joint. • The presented solution methodology is verified by the Newmark method. • The 3X and 5X of the rotating frequency are found in the spectrum. • The rotating speed corresponding to 5X's peak precedes the critical speed. • The findings of spectral characteristics are verfied by the experimental test. The bolted joint is commonly used to connect several parts of aero-engine rotor system. Several papers have studied the nonlinear vibration responses of bolted rotor systems. However, the frequency spectrum characteristics of bolted rotor systems are not fully revealed. Aiming at this issue, this study develops a dynamic model of the bolted rotor system, where the piecewise stiffness characteristic is considered. A solution methodology is presented by incorporating the piecewise stiffness into the incremental harmonic balance method. The effects of unbalance and preload on the dynamic characteristics are discussed. Moreover, the stiffness and damping of the support structure and bolted joint are identified based on the particle swarm optimization algorithm and experimental results. Furthermore, the experimental study on a bolted rotor test rig is conducted to verify the accuracy of the identified parameters and the model. The simulation and experimental results indicate that 3X and 5X of the rotating frequency can be observed. Besides, the rotating speed corresponding to 5X's peak is different from the critical speed, and the peak of 5X precedes the primary resonance peak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel mathematical model for wave-particle drag effects in semiconductor plates. • Extended Mindlin method for coupled flexoelectric semiconductor plates. • Explicit coupling mechanisms in different waves (extensional, thickness-stretch, bending, and thickness-shear). • New 3D dispersion relations for Lamb waves in flexoelectric semiconductor plates. • New analytical and simple solutions with high accuracy at small wavenumbers. In this paper, the infinite power series of two-dimensional (2D) differential equations for flexoelectric semiconductor plates are derived by extending the Mindlin method. The zeroth-order and first-order theories are systematically presented and applied to the plate made of cubic crystals of class m3m, identifying explicitly the coupling among wave modes and charge distributions. More specifically, it is observed that the extensional and thickness-stretch waves are coupled with axial motions of free carriers; bending and fundamental shear are coupled with the thickness motions of free carriers, showing the dynamic phenomena of the flexoelectric electronic (flexoelectronic) effect; and the shear-horizontal waves, such as face-shear and thickness-twist, are decoupled. Furthermore, when comparing with the three-dimensional (3D) dispersion relations in the flexoelectric semiconductor plate which are also derived for the first time in this paper, the simple 2D theory is shown to be amazingly accurate. For instance, for an infinite plate of thickness 2 h = 0.2 µm, the extension, bending, and shear modes predicted from the present 2D theory agree well with the 3D benchmarks when the actual wavelength is larger than 1.26 µm, i.e., wavelength is at least more than six times of the thickness. To illustrate the flexoelectricity-based wave-particle drag effects, the wave modes and charge distributions are plotted. Due to its simplicity and computational efficiency, the present 2D theory provides us a powerful tool in understanding the physical mechanism of wave-particle drag in flexoelectric semiconductor plates and analyzing acoustoelectric devices when the flexoelectric effect is involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A light-weight UAV formation control algorithm based on inner and outer loop control is proposed. • An improving ADRC based on prescribed-time extended state observer and broad learning is proposed. • The broad learning is used to dynamically optimize the weights according to the different wind disturbances. Considering that the formation composed of light-weight UAVs is highly susceptible to the interference, which may from the changes in the external environment and the uncertainty of system, a formation control method based on the inner and outer loops is proposed. In the inner loop, the single UAV stable flight can be achieved via controlling the state variables of UAV angles. In the outer loop, we can achieve multi-UAVs cooperative flight through the leader-follower strategy. In this paper, we mainly focus on the stability control of each member UAV, which is the basic composition of formation control. For this purpose, an optimized active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) is proposed which combined an improved prescribed-time extended state observer (PTESO) and weight optimization module based on broad learning. In this way, the single UAV can dynamically adjust the control weights according to different wind degrees, so that the influence of environmental changes on the control system is reduced. Then, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed formation control methods are verified by simulations. The stability enhancement control method proposed in this paper provides a new and effective theoretical support for the actual control of the light-weight UAV formation, which has a well engineering application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Unification of Lomnitz type creep laws has been achieved. • A novel generalized fractional calculus is well-defined. • Physical interpretations of such generalized fractional constitutive relation are also provided. This paper is dedicated to achieving the unification of the scattered Lomnitz type creep laws. Thereupon, a novel generalized fractional calculus, that is, Katugampola-like fractional calculus is well-defined and employed as an effective tool, along with some fundamental qualities as by-products. By virtue of the hereditary theory of viscoelasticity and Volterra integral equation method, a compatible stress-strain relation with memory effects and time-varying viscosity established results in a unified Lomnitz creep law. Then, a comparative analysis on the creep function and relaxation function inherited from the unified Lomnitz creep law is exhibited via reasoning and numerical simulation. Besides, physical interpretation of such unified Lomnitz creep law is also provided with the aid of the modified spring-dashpot model of Maxwell type. Results carried out in this paper might provide a full characterization of the creep of igneous rocks to meet some special theoretical and experimental requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new topology approach based on the finite element method coupled with a density approach is proposed. • An alternative projection function and a new objective function are improved and applied. • All parameters and equations are treated as global dimensionless in the proposed approach. • The verification schemes for the proposed approach and the optimized structure performance are carried out. The present work is based on the Finite Element Method as the discretization technique coupled to a density approach, an alternative interpolation function in this paper. A new dimensionless objective function combining minimum energy consumption and maximum thermal performance of topology optimization is proposed, and the performance of the approach and the optimized structure in this paper are verified. The result shows: that the alternative interpolation function can effectively solve the checkerboard and gray cell problems in topology optimization; the new objective function can reduce the vibration problem in the calculation process caused by nonlinearity; in the same conjugate heat transfer systems, the objective function value obtained by the Finite Element Method is 2.24% higher than that of Finite Volume Method and 4.26% higher than that of the Lattice Boltzmann Method; under high Reynolds number, topology structure shows superior comprehensive performance, which is increased by 19.5% -65.2%, and energy consumption per heat transfer can be reduced by up to 38.85%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is dedicated to improved resolution of the continuity equation and thus more precise satisfaction of incompressibility conditions in explicit weakly compressible SPH (Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics) simulations of incompressible free-surface fluid flows. In the explicit weakly compressible SPH methods, including δ -SPH with a widely adopted particle shifting scheme (or the so-called δ-plus -SPH), two incompressibility conditions corresponding to the invariant density condition and divergence-free velocity condition are not well resolved. To achieve enhanced resolution of the continuity equation as well as satisfaction of both incompressibility conditions, this paper presents two novel schemes, namely, Velocity-divergence Error Mitigating (VEM) and Volume Conservation Shifting (VCS) schemes. The VEM scheme corresponds to an additional term in the momentum equation that mitigates the velocity divergence error at every computational time step. The VEM term is derived by linking the instantaneous velocity divergence error to the undesired density time variations and accordingly to an error mitigating pressure p VEM obtained through an Equation of State (EOS). The corresponding pressure gradient term or acceleration leads to attenuation of numerical noise in the velocity divergence field. The VCS acts as a distinct particle shifting scheme to enforce local and thus global volume conservation. This distinct shifting is obtained through calculation of the gradient of a corresponding pressure, namely, p VCS, obtained through efficient solution of a Poisson Pressure Equation (PPE) derived from the concept of projection-based particle methods. By adopting both proposed schemes, the explicit SPH method is shown to provide enhanced satisfaction of both incompressibility conditions, i.e., divergence-free velocity and invariant density conditions, in simulation of incompressible free-surface fluid flows. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper studies the scaled consensus problem which is a generalization of usual consensus investigated in the literature. • Innovative impulsive control protocols are proposed to solve the problems of scaled consensus for multi-agent systems. • It also studied the scaled consensus problems of multi-agent systems subject to external perturbations. This paper studies scaled consensus problems of multi-agent systems under fixed and switched topologies. Firstly, the scaled consensus protocols are designed for solving consensus problems of multi-agent systems under fixed topologies. Secondly, the scaled consensus problems of multi-agent systems under switching topologies are considered. Thirdly, scaled consensus of multi-agent systems with external perturbations is investigated via impulsive mechanism. Using matrix theory, graph theory and Lyapunov algorithm, we can show that under appropriate conditions the scaled consensus problems can be solved. Moreover, our results show that the boundedness of the sampling period depending on scalar scales and degree of networks has strong impact for achieving scaled consensus of the systems. Some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The proposed integration scheme can accurately solve various orders of singularities under a unified framework. • The use of NURBS in the present integration scheme improves the accuracy of the singular integrals for complex boundaries. • The effects of various weight points and integration schemes in the time-weighting method on stability are discussed. The paper presents a novel numerical scheme to effectively solve the weak, strong, and hyper-singular time-space integrals in the 3D time domain boundary element method (BEM). To deal with the singularities of P- or S-wavefront elements, the element subdivision method is used to identify non-zero valued sub-elements on the wavefronts, and the non-zero valued sub-elements containing source points are solved by the power series expansion method, which achieves the effect of obtaining satisfactory accuracy with fewer Gaussian points. In the present scheme, the non-uniform rational B-Spline (NURBS) basis functions are used to determine the physical coordinates of each sub-element with very high precision. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme can effectively implement a high-precision singular time-space integral solution under a unified framework. In addition, this paper uses the time-weighting method to improve the time integration algorithm to solve the instability problem. The validity and accuracy of the algorithm are verified by dynamics examples of the finite elastic body and infinite elastic body, and the effects of different weight points and integration schemes in the time-weighting method on the stability are discussed. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for large-scale elastodynamics problems is also examined using the 27 spherical cavities problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new criterion for the boundedness and asymptotic stability of NCN on time scales under impulsive control is proposed. • The results show that constrained nonlinearity plays an important role in the global boundedness of nonautonomous complex networks under impulsive control. • An application is given for the bounded driving of unmanned vehicles. This paper discusses time-scale type global boundedness of nonautonomous complex networks (NCNs) under impulsive control. By using constraint nonlinearity of NCNs, properties of exponential function and impulsive inequalities, we establish new sufficient conditions for global boundedness and asymptotic stability of NCNs on time scales, and the upper bound of the system can be calculated easily. It is shown that the constraint nonlinearity and impulse interval length will affect the estimation of state bound of NCNs under different network size. It provides a unified criteria for global boundedness of NCNs on continuous, discrete and mixed-time domains and hence improves corresponding existing ones. The nonlinear constraints studied in this paper are widely applied to Lurie systems, ball motion models and so on. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the correctness of the results. Finally, the theoretical results are applied to Lurie systems and bounded driving of unmanned vehicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A pedestrian-vehicle coupling model with high simulation accuracy is proposed. • Six phase regions were acquired from the heterogeneous traffic phase diagram. • Obtained the difference between the fundamental diagram of heterogeneous and homogeneous traffic. • Tighter speed limits and wider sidewalks can reduce traffic conflicts. In urban streets, the intrusion of pedestrians into the motorway will pose a considerable challenge. However, modelling mixed pedestrian-vehicle traffic scenes is difficult. Pedestrians and vehicles have different motion characteristics and spatial dimensions, so it is hard to carry out unified modelling, and there are few related studies. This paper combines the multi-grid cellular automata model to explore these scenes to connect the vehicle and pedestrian models. An Improved Kerner-Klenov-Wolf (IKKW) model and a pedestrian motion model considering Time-To-Collision (TTC) are proposed, in which the spatial motion of a vehicle and a pedestrian is uniformly updated horizontally and longitudinally. The preliminary analysis of the model shows that it has high simulation accuracy. Applying the model to the simulation of real-life situations, research results reveal the impact of pedestrian intrusion behavior on traffic and the changes in vehicles' speed and flow rate caused by pedestrian intrusion behavior. The fundamental diagram of pedestrian-vehicle heterogeneous traffic shows significant differences, reflecting the impact of pedestrian intrusion on the state of traffic flow, and exposes six phase regions of pedestrian-vehicle mixed traffic flow. Moreover, this paper analyzes the conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles under different speed limits and sidewalk widths, showing that lower speeds and wider sidewalks can effectively reduce the frequency of pedestrian-vehicle conflicts. The peak conflicts' frequency when the vehicles' speed limit is 60.48 km/h exceeds three times that when the speed limit is 30.24 km/h. The cellular automata model proposed in this paper provides a good direction and idea for studying mixed traffic flow and has high scalability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effect of temperature on non-slipping adhesive contact behavior is investigated. • The full analytical solutions of the anisothermal oscillatory stress fields are derived. • Both the temperature and inclined angle of the external force have significant influences on adhesion behaviors. • The non-oscillatory solutions can not always serve as a good approximation for the oscillatory solutions. The temperature difference always exists between contacting objects in various thermal bonding technologies, where the adhesion strength is found to be very sensitive to the temperature. In this paper, the anisothermal adhesive contact between an elastic cylinder subjected to the external force with an inclined angle and an elastic substrate is investigated based on the non-slipping JKR model, where the coupling effect between the normal and tangential tractions within the contact region is taken into consideration. The stated problem is reduced to a system of coupled singular integral equations, which can be solved with the analytical function theory. The full analytical solutions of the oscillatory stress fields are obtained for the first time by taking the series expansion of the integrand induced by the thermoelastic effect, which is of substantial significance. The relationship between the contact size and the external loadings is established by virtue of the Griffith energy balance criterion. The difference between the oscillatory and non-oscillatory solutions of stress fields is discussed in detail. Numerical results demonstrate that the oscillatory solution cannot be well approximated by the corresponding non-oscillatory solution for the cases of large Dundurs' index and external compressive force. Furthermore, it is found that both the thermoelastic effect and the inclined angle of the applied force have significant influences on the adhesive contact behaviors. The presence of temperature difference between contacting objects can either enhance or weaken the adhesion effect, which is related to the inclined angle of the external force. The results obtained from this paper may provide a new insight into the influence mechanism of the temperature on adhesion behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hybrid-driven fabric evolution law is proposed to describe the induced anisotropy. • The fabric tensor is properly integrated into the constitutive relations. • A novel anisotropic model for clay and sand is proposed. • The performance of the model is validated under different loading paths. • The model can reasonably describe the anisotropic characteristics of both clay and sand. This paper presents a novel critical state model for both clay and sand considering the inherent and induced anisotropy, named as CASM-h. The CASM-h model is developed based on the well-calibrated CASM model and incorporates the concepts of subloading surface and fabric anisotropy. To describe the induced anisotropy, a hybrid-driven fabric evolution law is proposed, defining fabric evolution as driven jointly by stress and strain rates. Subsequently, the fabric tensor together with its evolution law is appropriately incorporated into constitutive relation by employing the anisotropic transformed stress approach, without introducing additional mechanical mechanisms. The CASM-h model is validated under a series of stress paths, including triaxial tests, simple shear tests, shear tests with fixed principal stress direction as well as principal stress rotation (PSR) tests. The simulation results show that CASM-h model can satisfactorily capture the anisotropic behaviours of both clay and sand, such as the loading direction dependency of strength, non-coaxial behaviour, PSR effects and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Size-dependent near-surface response of FG elastic layer is investigated. • Size effects induced by material microstructures are modeled by couple stress elasticity theory. • Solution of surface loaded layer is derived in closed-form via Fourier transform method. • Efficient numerical scheme is implemented for layer under frictionless contacts. • Effects of length scale and model's parameters on contact response are highlighted. This paper focuses on a theoretical examination of the mechanical behavior of elastic layers made of functionally graded (FG) materials. It particularly highlights the impact of material microstructures by utilizing the couple stress theory to introduce FG characteristics of the coating material across the thickness direction, along with size effects. The study distinctively addresses both surface loading and contact problems, employing various indenter shapes and eccentric indentation forces. The Fourier transform is utilized to solve for displacements and stress fields resulting from surface tractions. The method for approximating the pressure distribution under the indenter is based on a collocation method with a simple discretization of the contact pressure. Brent's method is applied to determine the unknown contact region when using indenters with non-sharp edges. The results demonstrate that the shear modulus ratio and the intrinsic material length scale significantly influence the pressure intensity, highlighting a substantial dependence on the mechanical properties of materials under indentation force. The research also shows that the effect of the length scale and shear modulus ratio affects the limit eccentricity and tilt angle. The results highlight the necessity of considering both the size effect and material gradation when analyzing FG materials under mechanical stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reviews the mathematics of the EOQ/EPQ-based reverse logistics models. • It provides a condensed review of the works that stemmed from the work of Schrady (1967). • It identifies significant research gaps and provides future research directions. This paper reviews the mathematics of the economic order/production quantity (EOQ/EPQ)-based models in the reverse logistics (RL) literature. It starts with the seminal work of Schrady (A deterministic inventory model for reparable items. Naval Research Logistics Quarterly, 14(3), 1967, 391–398) up until December 31, 2022. It provides researchers with a road map of how the mathematics has evolved since the work of Schrady and saves them time and effort by avoiding the need to review the entire RL literature. As it unifies the notations for all reviewed models, it also provides some research pointers for promising topics to be pursued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ductile fracture in metals is a complex phenomenon caused by the nucleation, growth, and aggregation of micron-sized voids. Existing theoretical models for fracture use experimentally determined Fracture Limit Curves (FLCs) in two-dimensional strain space, which require multiple curves to account for anisotropic effects. This paper proposes a practical closed-form analytical function for a Fracture Limit Surface (FLS) which has a conical shape in the Elastic Distortional Deformation Space (EDDS). The EDDS is a space generated by the components of the elastic distortional metric of the microstructural vectors that characterize elastic distortional deformations and the orientations of anisotropy. The FLS is determined by simulating only four experimental FLCs using a large deformation Eulerian formulation of the microstructural vectors and it depends only on the current state of elastic distortional deformation. It is shown that the failure limit points predicted by the FLS agreed very well with those predicted using a popular evolution equation for damage-based ductile fracture. Path-independence of the FLS is also examined using experimental data. In addition, the example of a B-pillar forming process is presented to show that the FLS can be applied to practical engineering problems with material points that experience general loading paths. • An analytical fracture limit surface (FLS) with experimental validation. • The FLS is based on an Eulerian formulation of microstructural vectors. • The FLS predictions show good agreement with those of a popular ductile fracture model. • A B-pillar forming simulation shows that the FLS can be applied to practical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Electromechanical governing equations of Helmholtz Resonator-type Flexoelectric Acoustic Energy Harvester is derived. • Multiscale method is employed to obtain the amplitude-frequency curve and voltage output response of the harvester. • An expression for the optimized structural parameters of the acoustic energy harvester is provided. • The maximum output voltage is increased by 39.1 % compared to the non-optimized acoustic energy harvester. This paper presents a Helmholtz Resonator-type Flexoelectric Acoustic Energy Harvester (HR-FAEH), composed of a Helmholtz Resonator (HR) and a double-sided Flexoelectric Disk Oscillator (FDO). The electromechanical governing equations, incorporating geometric nonlinearity, are derived using Hamilton's principle. Utilizing the multiscale method, we obtain the cavity sound pressure, oscillator displacement, and voltage output response, with validation through simulations in COMSOL. The study's innovation lies in the concurrent consideration of piezoelectric and flexoelectric effects, enhancing the system's performance. The inclusion of geometric nonlinearity, accounting for large deformations, enhances the model's accuracy under high sound pressure excitations. Our research unveils performance degradation in the Helmholtz Resonator-type acoustic energy harvester under elevated environmental sound pressure. The combination of nonlinear analysis and structural optimization effectively mitigates this degradation. In comparison to the non-optimized harvester, the maximum voltage output increases by 39.1 %, and expressions for the optimized model parameters are provided. Additionally, we conduct parameter analyses for the HR and the FDO, elucidating the impact and optimal values of parameters such as film coverage radius and load resistance on system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional maintenance models usually assume that the time duration required for conducting corrective repairs is negligible for mathematical tractability. In this paper, we propose two new preventive maintenance policies that take non-negligible repair time into consideration: One is a calendar-time-based maintenance policy in which a system should be preventively replaced at either of two predetermined calendar time instants, depending on the system state; and the other is an age-based maintenance policy in which a system should be preventively replaced at a predetermined age. Under both policies, if any failure occurs before replacement, then the system will be repaired. In particular, four repair assumptions—perfect, imperfect, minimal, and worse-than-minimal—that correspond to different repair effectiveness, are considered. We derive the long-run average cost rates for the two maintenance policies under different repair assumptions, respectively, and investigate the existence and uniqueness of the solutions of optimal maintenance decisions. Numerical studies are then conducted to compare the two maintenance policies, providing guidelines on which policy should be adopted by system operators in various scenarios. • Two types of maintenance policies are studied by considering the non-negligible repair time. • The concept of reference time is introduced in constructing maintenance models. • The existence and uniqueness of the solutions of optimal maintenance decisions are investigated. • A thorough comparison of the two maintenance policies is conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the effective management of water resources during the hydraulic fracturing process used for natural gas extraction. With increasing demand and scrutiny on shale gas production due to economic, environmental, and social factors, effective water management strategies are needed to address the challenges of flow-back water usage during hydraulic fracturing. This research contributes to the existing literature from a multi-period reverse logistics network design perspective with realistic modeling approaches. A mathematical formulation is developed for optimizing the design of a multi-period reverse logistics network for effective water resource management that incorporates production scheduling of a hydraulic fracturing process. This mixed integer programming model determines the optimal locations and capacities of impoundments, treatment facilities, and disposal sites while minimizing fixed and operational costs under constraints such as freshwater withdrawal limits, production schedules, inventory balance, and treatment and disposal options. A two-stage stochastic programming formulation is further developed as a means to address the uncertainty associated with water flows during the fracturing operation. The strategic location and capacity decisions are given in the first stage of this formulation, whereas operational decisions such as water flows are handled in the second stage under independently sampled scenarios. A sample average approximation algorithm is proposed to solve the stochastic formulation. The model is tested on a case study from the United States that explores potential impacts on water resource management due to cost variations, changes in operational parameters, and uncertainty in demands and supplies. The base case setup delivers a 12.8% reduction in freshwater usage. The benefit of multi-period reverse logistics network design is further demonstrated through variations in water demand and equipment degradation. The managerial insights derived through sensitivity analysis highlight the values of the proposed multi-period formulation, capacity expansions, and parameter estimations. • Developed models for multi-period reverse logistics network design. • The model optimizes water resource management during hydraulic fracturing. • Implemented the models on a case study from the United States. • Analyzed the effects of problem parameters on optimal water management strategies. • Derived managerial insights from extensive computational experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel evidence theory-based strategy is developed to characterize multi-source uncertainties. • Hybrid ellipsoid-interval model considering independence and dependence simultaneously is presented. • Data-driven approach is utilized to calculate the basic probability assignment. • Region optimal-based ensemble metamodel is constructed for belief degree calculation. For many engineering problems with epistemic uncertainty, evidence theory provides a flexible modeling framework to tackle with imprecise and conflicting information. However, the traditional model established under evidence theory framework can solely address uncorrelated or correlated evidence variables, which curtails its application in engineering practices. This paper aims to develop a unified model for evidence theory-based uncertainty analysis with consideration of parameter independence and dependence coexist scenarios. With the aid of subspace decomposition, a hybrid ellipsoid-interval model integrating evidence theory is firstly developed to quantify uncorrelated and correlated evidence variables within a unified framework. To make full use of sample information, a data-driven strategy is further proposed to determine the basic probability assignment of the above focal elements. Subsequently, the belief and plausibility measures are calculated using proposed hybrid ellipsoid-interval model integrating evidence theory. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of belief degree calculation, a region optimal-based ensemble metamodel is further introduced by applying component metamodels together. Eventually, a test example and an aeroengine blade engineering application are investigated to substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed model and method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The model for multiple horizontal wells considers heterogeneous fracture network. • The number of frac hits is determined by pressure differentials and derivatives. • Higher conductivity promotes inter-well pressure equilibrium. • Lower conductivity is beneficial to extended interference testing. Frac hits can significantly impact the final development results. Therefore, accurately and quickly understanding the frac-hit interference between wells is crucial for efficient development. At present, traditional pressure/production data analysis methods and numerical simulation methods can characterize the frac-hit interference. However, challenges such as quantitatively assess interference, high uncertainty in modeling parameters and computational time still exist. A quantitative evaluation method for the interference between wells with complex fracture networks has not been reported yet. This paper takes shale oil reservoir with three production wells as an example and establishes a semi-analytical model (frac-hit semi-analytical model, FSM) based on the linear flow characteristics. The model accurately characterizes the non-uniform distribution of complex fracture networks in the stimulated reservoir volume by introducing fractal theory. A quantitative evaluation index, interference coefficient, is defined to assess the interference. The coupled flow model is applied to evaluate the effects of interference in three typical wells in a continental shale oil field in China. We can see from the actual data fitting of the FSM model that the interference coefficients between target well A and adjacent wells B and C are 0.1 and 0.05, respectively, which means there are about 8–10 and 3–5 frac hits, respectively. Comprehensive analysis for the effects of interference shows that the current inter-well interference is beneficial for production in low-pressure areas but detrimental to new well production. Based on this, sensitivity analysis is generated to illustrate the relationship between the conductivity of combined fractures arising from hits and the interference coefficient. As the interference increases, the propagation of inter-well pressure accelerates, significantly reducing the time required for inter-well pressure equilibrium. The research findings have important guiding implications for the quantitative evaluation of inter-well interference in field operations of horizontal shale oil and gas wells and optimization of fracturing operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]