Search

The full-field responses and high-resolution mode shapes are of paramount importance in the detection of bridge damage and finite element model updating. As enlightened by the Fourier series expansion of the mode shapes for a bridge, this study proposes an approach for compressive sensing-based reconstruction of the full-field responses and identification of high-resolution mode shapes, in which a general basis matrix is newly formulated, with particular application to beam-like continuous or non-uniform bridges. The merits of the proposed approach are model-free, output-only, and easy to implement, especially the need of a few sensors. The effectiveness of the approach is validated through both numerical and experimental examples by considering various bridge boundary conditions and non-uniform cross-sections, from which the potential application of this general approach is foreseeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the frequency variation in a moving mass-plate system is seldom discussed in the previous work, this study first formulates the semi-analytical solutions of a system consisting of a moving mass on a square plate. Based on the moving mass-plate system, several finite element models with designed plate-type bridges are established to further investigate the effect of moving mass on a plate, the influence of bridge local modes, and the influence of moving loads on a bridge. The numerical results have shown that the frequency variation of a plate-type bridge can reach 30% for the first three modes. The unique phenomenon of wave propagation is exhibited in the acceleration responses of the plate-type bridge, while it is uncommon for a beam-type bridge. For design purpose, the following are remarked: (1) The use of Rayleigh damping on the stiffened bridge can effectively suppress the influence of local modes on the bridge deck. (2) The high stiffness in the moving load can be served as the damper to reduce the dynamic responses of a vehicle. (3) In the design stage of a plate-type bridge subjected to moving loads, the moving force is the most conservative one among the three moving loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Widespread outbreaks of person-to-person transmitted hepatitis A virus (HAV), particularly among people who inject drugs (PWID), continue across the United States and globally. However, the herd immunity threshold and vaccination coverage required to prevent outbreaks are unknown. We used surveillance data and dynamic modeling to estimate herd immunity thresholds among PWID in 16 US states. Methods We used a previously published dynamic model of HAV transmission calibrated to surveillance data from outbreaks involving PWID in 16 states. Using state-level calibrated models, we estimated the basic reproduction number (R 0) and herd immunity threshold for PWID in each state. We performed a meta-analysis of herd immunity thresholds to determine the critical vaccination coverage required to prevent most HAV outbreaks among PWID. Results Estimates of R 0 for HAV infection ranged from 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9–2.5) for North Carolina to 5.0 (95% CI, 4.5–5.6) for West Virginia. Corresponding herd immunity thresholds ranged from 55% (95% CI, 47%–61%) for North Carolina to 80% (95% CI, 78%–82%) for West Virginia. Based on the meta-analysis, we estimated a pooled herd immunity threshold of 64% (95% CI, 61%–68%; 90% prediction interval, 52%–76%) among PWID. Using the prediction interval upper bound (76%) and assuming 95% vaccine efficacy, we estimated that vaccination coverage of 80% could prevent most HAV outbreaks. Conclusions Hepatitis A vaccination programs in the United States may need to achieve vaccination coverage of at least 80% among PWID in order to prevent most HAV outbreaks among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a meshfree framework based on the reproducing kernel collocation method is proposed for incrementaliterative analysis of double-diffusive natural convection in a porous enclosure, in which the forward difference method is adopted for temporal discretization, and the two-step version of Newton-Raphson method is used for iteration. As the double-diffusive convection problem is composed of multi phases and is influenced by both material and geometric parameters, the resulting system is highly nonlinear and complicated. From the numerical investigation, the partially heated boundary with different buoyancy ratios can yield monocellular flow problems with opposite phenomena depending on the contribution of thermal/solute buoyancy force. For the domains with burrowing inside, the key feature is the contour of stream function, which is separated into two vortexes by the hole in the simply connected domain while the two vortexes are not separated completely in the multiply connected domain due to the geometric compression of two holes. It is further shown that the framework is capable of solving various double-diffusive convection problems with satisfactory accuracy and efficiency by uniform discretization as well as few source points in the approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early and accurate identification of almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] cultivars is critical to commercial growers and nurseries. Previously published simple sequence repeat loci were examined for their ability to distinguish commonly grown almond cultivars. Twelve highly polymorphic loci were selected for their ability to uniquely identify a set of 18 almond cultivars commonly grown in California, many of which are closely related. These markers also allow an accurate assessment of parent/progeny relationships among cultivars. This system can reliably identify at an early stage of development all major California almond cultivars in current production.

In the vehicle scanning method, using the amplifier as the tuned mass damper in the vehicle–bridge system has been shown to be able to scan the higher bridge frequencies clearly in the amplifier spectrum recently. To design a test vehicle enhanced by one or two amplifiers in practice, the analytical approach undoubtedly serves as the guideline. For this purpose, this study is aimed at deriving the analytical formulation for one amplifier-enhanced vehicle–bridge system and the semi-analytical formulation for two amplifier-enhanced vehicle–bridge system, while a miniature three-mass vehicle model is adopted. The correctness of the analytical formulations is verified by the finite element formulations through the dynamic responses of the amplifier, vehicle body, and bridge; good agreement is observed for all responses. The amplifier spectra are further provided to show the distinctly scanned bridge frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]