Search

Research was conducted on the optimal selection of foundation improvement methods in the paper. Based on fuzzy optimization theory, four evaluation criteria such as construction time are used to evaluate the five improvement methods. The relative optimal degree 0.798 of dynamic-static consolidation method is the maximum which shows that the dynamic-static method is the optimal one; relative optimal degree and multi-evaluating criteria are used to evaluate multi-goals in the fuzzy optimization theory which will lead to the high optimal reliability result.

Based on the triaxial test results of soft soils, an error back propagation network predicting model for deformation property of soft soil is built. Improved BP neural network model is trained by additional momentum term, adaptive learning rate and Bayesian regularization performance function. Research shows that improved BP neural network model applied to predict soft soil foundation settlement, has fast computation, high accuracy, strong generalization ability, and good capability of matching the real data and the measured one. According to test data, the creep models can avoid any artificial assumption of complex constitutive equation, and can reflect nonlinear creep properties of soft soil objectively, thus has better fault-tolerance and more convenient than the traditional method.

Based on the engineering tests of muck ground treatment project, the contact stress control valuePmaxf of muck ground is derived and the maximum allowable stress ratio R is defined according to the basic consideration of the muck ground pressure is greater slightly than the bearing capacity characteristic value of muck foundation for many micro fractures can be formed and the ground could keep whole stability at same time. The R and Pmaxf can give the reasonable value of the impact loading in static-dynamic drainage consolidation method (SDDCM). It is an effective way to avoid the failure in design and construction as well. In addition, R is the parameter to judge the reinforcement effects of muck foundation. The results of this paper were applied to actual engineering projects and the engineering test data showed the application effects are very good.

The effective stress principle for soil is inspected by examining the original concept and derivation of the principle from the perspective of the ultra-soft soil engineering applications; and the existing problems of the principle were discussed in accordance with the general methodology of mechanics, and relative engineering phenomena observed. The changes of pore water pressure and soil pressure with time were obtained based on series of long term in-situ test in a large ultra-soft ground treatment works directed by the first author; and then an important conclusion has acquired from the test, i.e. the effective stress principle is not a self-contained principle and it’s related to the medium constitutive characteristics and loading action mode.

Through in situ tests on the impact vibration of a typical muck ground treatment major project directed by the first author, the vibration propagation law under the impact load for the ultra soft soil ground is obtained, and quantitative environmental safe control distance on the vibration influence is also gained. The main results are the two aspects. (1) The attenuation law of both level and vertical peak vibration acceleration with the horizontal distance can be described well by the negative power function; and the ground vibrations caused by tamping impact can be distinguished between two types, i.e. near-field and far-field. Near-field tamping vibration influence is confined to a small range of the tamping center, which decays obviously faster than the one of far-field. (2) The radius of influence of tamping vibration depends not only on the tamping energy but also the soil type. Loose, slightly dense soft soil has a larger energy absorption capacity and a smaller effect radius of tamping vibration than the dense and hard soil; and the vibration safe control distance is determined as 27.3m in the tests according to the safe boundary determined code of industrial and civil architecture in China.

Because the relationship is not considered between physical behavior and cross sections of bars, the conventional reinforced earth retaining wall design based on constant value would lead to some limitations: the haul-resistant coefficient of the top wall is not enough, but it goes beyond at the bottom of retaining wall. In the paper, considering the SARMA method, based on computing formula of traditional slope stability, the detailed programme is realized by the language of FORTRAN, it can make up deficiency that lies in the tradition reinforced earth retaining wall by considering the relationship of physical behavior and cross sections, lengths and layers of bars. Finally, the system program has been applied to a slope treatment project in Guangzhou. Compared with the design method of traditional regulations, it is demonstrated that the optimum length required is obtained, the cross section and length of bars are fully used, and the design is simplified.

This paper discusses the key factors of the dynamic-static drainage consolidation method as it applies to a petroleum storage site that features very soft mud of strength as low as 8.5 kPa. A field experiment was conducted to study the key factors on the success of this method such as effects of the number of tampings and the number of passes. The excess pore water pressures, settlements, field vane strengths were measured. Analysis of the results of measurements at the site leads to the conclusions that this method gives excellent results for strengthening the very soft mud. In addition, for a given total compaction energy, better result is obtained by increasing the number of passes with corresponding decrease in the number of tamping in each pass and limiting the compaction energy at a point for each pass to less than 1000kN.m.

The machnical response of the thin rock (and/or soil) pillar of a twin tunnel with super-large-span and small-spacing is described upon a model of finite characteristic ratio constitutive theory (FCRT). The analysis result is compared with the results from in situ monitoring and the D-P model of the classic plastic constitutive theory; it shows that the deformation characteristics of the middle pillar during tunnel excavation process can be reasonably described by the FCRT model, and the method of parameter determined of the FCRT model is relatively simple than the classic plastic model due to the model has a clear physical background and with little randomness.

The shear strength characteristics of rock are very concerned in related underground construction. In this paper, in situ direct shear test for the weathered silty mudstone of the direct rock mass in a large section tunnel is carried out, the shear strength parameters are obtained, and some laws on the strength characteristics of this rock are got, such as that the displacement corresponds to the maximum shear stress under the given normal is decreased with increasing of normal loading number. This work provides a reference for the study of rock strength theory and its application.

This research aims to investigate how the guanxi will influence the interorganizational commitment in an industrial market. A model is proposed demonstrating the influence of guanxi on interpersonal commitment, and interorganizational commitment. Data was collected from the salespersons of equipment in the oil industry of China. Partial least square (PLS) method is applied to analyze the collected data. It reveals that guanxi positively influences interpersonal commitment, and these two variables have a positive effect on interorganizational commitment.

This empirical research is among the earliest studies attempting to examine how guanxi influences the organizational behavior in transactions with SOEs of China. A model is proposed demonstrating the influence of guanxi on opportunistic behavior and special treatment. Data is collected from the salespersons of equipment in the oil industry. Partial least square (PLS) method is applied to analyze the collected data. Guanxi is found to negatively influence opportunistic behavior and positively impact behavior related to special treatment at the organizational level in a guanxi-intensive market in China. Our findings will help the members of the seller's management team, especially foreign members, to better understand the behavior of their Chinese employees, and should also help purchasing managers to better understand how to manage the seller's opportunistic behavior and how to get better support from the seller.

The purpose of this study was to investigate how guanxi-oriented attitude, of salespersons will influence their behaviors, such as the selection of communication modality, under friction events. Data was collected via questionnaire from persons selling equipment in the oil industry. The partial least squares (PLS) method is applied to analyze the collected data. The study finds that the guanxi-oriented attitude positively influences the use of informal communication and negatively influences the use of formal communication. Our findings yield implications to managers on how to guide the employees to behave or act in the manner desired by the firm, and the findings imply that the managers may benefit from screening sales applicants in terms of their opinions of the importance of guanxi before hiring, and reinforcing positive guanxi-oriented attitude after hiring.

Customers are playing an increasingly active role in the service industry and the importance of their participation is gradually been recognized. This study aims to develop and test a model for investigating, how customer participation enhances relationship benefits that help in winning customer loyalty. Using a self-administered questionnaire survey, 400 respondents from personal training industry were used for this study. The results show that customer participation has an indirect effect on custom loyalty via relationship benefits. In addition, customer participation also has direct influence and indirect influence via customer-employee relationships and customer-firm relationships respectively on relationship benefits. The results also reveal that loyalty to employee has significant and positive effect on loyalty to firm as well. These findings help firms to have a better understanding of customer participation, develop competitive strategies that differentiate them from competitors and win customer loyalty in an aggressive market. Key words: Customer participation, customer-employee relationships, customer-firm relationships, relationship benefits, customer loyalty.

Since the prevalence of loyalty programs worldwide, one of the urgent issues in retailing is whether loyalty programs really enhance customer loyalty. This paper proposes a conceptual framework that utilizes the construct of customer value to explain the link between loyalty programs and customer loyalty in retail context. Based on 450 respondents from members of several large department stores, the results posit that loyalty programs have indirect positive impact on behavioral loyalty, affective loyalty via utilitarian value, hedonic value. This mediating progress is moderated by relationship benefits derived from the long-term relationship between retailers and their customers. The results also show that the role of utilitarian value playing in promoting customer loyalty is more significant, which has certain reference for retailers to design effective loyalty programs. Key words: Loyalty programs, customer value, relationship benefits, customer loyalty.

In the 21st century, the company's marketing activities need to be changed from a purely productoriented sale to customer-oriented. The enterprises should build a good relationship with the customers so as to win their attention and support to the product or at least its information. This paper established the framework of relationship benefits-customer value-relationship quality, and proposed the hypothesis. We designed an empirical research with questionnaire in the fitness industry, and used structural equation model to analyze the data collected. The data verified the hypothesis, and we made further discussion on the results and pointed out the study deficiencies.

Logistics parks as infrastructures promoting modern logistics, have an extremely important role in the modern logistics system. This article firstly analyses the logistics services process of logistics parks, and finds out the elements of logistics services quality. Then, the paper designs a service quality evaluation model through analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation methods. The evaluation model could help the enterprises to understand the logistics quality level, identify the factors affecting their level of service and problems existing in service process, and finally provide evidence for enterprises to improve operational efficiency and service quality.

The forth-party logistics (4PLs) was defined as the use of a consulting firm to integrate and manage a company’s logistic resources and providers, including third-party logistics providers and other transportation companies. As the middlemen of logistics, 4PLs need to provide optimized logistic-solving schemes for customers. However, they must depend on 3PLs to carry out the solving schemes. Thus, 3PLs are not only the practical operators of 4PLs’ schemes but also the undertakers of their logistics. Cooperation between 4PLs and 3PLs is a critical item that determines 4PLs’ service levels. This paper firstly introduced the basic knowledge of Petri-net and then established a workflow model of cooperation between 4PLs and 3PLs based on Petri-net theory combining real application circum. Furthermore, this paper analyzed the basic characteristics of the established models through invariant analyzing method.

With the large-scale wind farm in the Grid, the stability of power system is becoming the hot issue. But the forecasting methods and development of the system is not enough perfect. So the paper is proposed the architecture of the Forecasting System for Wind Farm Power, and expounded the function of every module in the system. It is designed the class diagram of the Forecasting System for Wind Farm Power and the the forecasting methods based on BP. In the end, the application of the system is based on JAVA. The result is showed that the forecasting model based on JAVA technology is feasibility and effectiveness.

In recent years, the concept of relationship benefits has attracted increasing attention among marketing researchers and practitioners. Despite a growing body of literature in this area, no generally accepted integrative structure model have emerged from the marketing literature. The present paper investigates the structure of relationship benefits, based on the theoretical foundations of relational bonds, identifies three basic classifications of relationship benefits. It is suggested that relationship benefits should be conceptualized as a multi-dimensional, higher-order structure model. These structure model and classifications are tested using data from a survey among some 300 customers of the services of hairdressers. The findings of this article are directions for future research and managerial implications.