Application of micro Markov models for quantitative safety assessment to determine safety integrity levels as defined by the IEC 61508 standard for functional safety

This paper presents a method that will drastically reduce the calculation effort required to obtain quantitative safety and reliability assessments to determine safety integrity levels for applications in the process industry. The method described combines all benefits of Markov modeling with the practical benefits of reliability block diagrams.     

Preparation of Macroscopic Block‐Copolymer‐Based Gyroidal Mesoscale Single Crystals by Solvent Evaporation

Properties arising from ordered periodic mesostructures are often obscured by small, randomly oriented domains and grain boundaries. Bulk macroscopic single crystals with mesoscale periodicity are needed to establish fundamental structure–property correlations for materials ordered at this length scale (10–100 nm). A solvent‐evaporation‐induced crystallization method providing access to large (millimeter to centimeter) single‐crystal mesostructures, specifically bicontinuous gyroids, in thick films (>100 µm) derived from block copolymers is reported. After in‐depth crystallographic characterization of single‐crystal block copolymer–preceramic nanocomposite films, the structures are converted into mesoporous ceramic monoliths, with retention of mesoscale crystallinity. When fractured, these monoliths display single‐crystal‐like cleavage along mesoscale facets. The method can prepare macroscopic bulk single crystals with other block copolymer systems, suggesting that the method is broadly applicable to block copolymer materials assembled by solvent evaporation. It is expected that such bulk single crystals will enable fundamental understanding and control of emergent mesostructure‐based properties in block‐copolymer‐directed metal, semiconductor, and superconductor materials.     

One-step preparation of hierarchical porous carbons from poly(vinylidene chloride)-based block copolymers

A facile self-templating and activation-free method to fabricate the hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs) from poly(vinylidene chloride) (PVDC)-based block copolymers is reported in this article. A series of block copolymers consisted of PVDC and the polystyrene (PS) blocks were prepared via RAFT living radical polymerization. Effects of molar ratio between the PVDC and the PS blocks on the microphase separation and thermal degradation of the PVDC-b-PS copolymers, and the microstructure of the as-prepared porous carbons were investigated. The results show that the PVDC block acts as a good kind of carbon precursor capable of forming micropores (0.5–0.6 nm) due to the diffusion of small molecules eliminated during the degradation of the PVDC block, and the microdispersed PS block acts as a mesopore extender to generate the mesopores (3–30 nm) by the decomposition of the PS phase. The as-prepared HPCs have the unique structures with three-dimensionally interconnected micropores and mesopores. The high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area (1220 m²/g) and total pore volume (0.92 cm³/g) were achieved through controlling the composition of block copolymer. The method is facile to prepare the HPCs and suitable to the PVDC-based copolymers with other pyrolyzable block.     

Analysis of the block Gauss–Seidel solution procedure for a strongly coupled model problem with reference to fluid–structure interaction

The block Gauss–Seidel procedure is widely used for the resolution of the strong coupling in the computer simulation of fluid–structure interaction. Based on a simple model problem, this work presents a detailed analysis of the convergence behaviour of the method. In particular, the model problem is used to highlight some aspects that arise in the context of the application of the block Gauss–Seidel method to FSI problems. Thus, the effects of the time integration schemes chosen, of relaxation techniques, of physical constraints and non‐linearities on the convergence of the iterations are investigated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于有限单元法的岩土边坡动力稳定分析及评价方法研究进展

该文给出了基于有限元法的岩土边坡动力稳定分析的主要方法,对这些分析方法进行了较为详细的表述和分析,在此基础上提出了平均地震系数计算的新方法,即对潜在滑动区域分块按有限元法计算地震系数,进而再按拟静力法计算安全系数。为了考虑滑动体变形对地震稳定系数和永久变形的影响,应建立地震响应与地震永久变形相耦合的计算方法。指出边坡在地震荷载作用下产生的永久位移或累积变形作为边坡稳定性评价指标是科学合理的。最后提出了基于性态的边坡抗震设计方法,包括边坡抗震性态水准的划分、性能指标的建立和抗震设计方法。     

上下冲击式速冻机流场和换热特性研究现状

目的 为了提高食品冻结的品质,需要对冲击式速冻机的结构尺寸和内部流场进行优化,改善冲击式速冻机的冻结效率.方法 综述影响该类速冻机换热特性的4个因素,即喷嘴的形状和尺寸,射流阵列的排布,喷嘴到输送带距离和喷嘴间距的改变,速冻机进出口压差等.结果 通过回顾计算流体力学技术和实验研究在这4个方面优化速冻机换热特性的案例,总结了上下冲击式速冻机流场变化的规律.结论 该研究为新型速冻机的优化设计提供了理论支撑.     

Eigenvalue analysis for acoustic problem in 3D by boundary element method with the block Sakurai–Sugiura method

This paper presents accurate numerical solutions for nonlinear eigenvalue analysis of three-dimensional acoustic cavities by boundary element method (BEM). To solve the nonlinear eigenvalue problem (NEP) formulated by BEM, we employ a contour integral method, called block Sakurai–Sugiura (SS) method, by which the NEP is converted to a standard linear eigenvalue problem and the dimension of eigenspace is reduced. The block version adopted in present work can also extract eigenvalues whose multiplicity is larger than one, but for the complex connected region which includes a internal closed boundary, the methodology yields fictitious eigenvalues. The application of the technique is demonstrated through the eigenvalue calculation of sphere with unique homogenous boundary conditions, cube with mixed boundary conditions and a complex connected region formed by cubic boundary and spherical boundary, however, the fictitious eigenvalues can be identified by Burton–Miller's method. These numerical results are supported by appropriate convergence study and comparisons with close form.     

三峡工程高边坡及隔墩安全爆破控制标准研究

本文对岩质边坡和各类隔墩受爆破影响的破坏机理进行了研究 ,给出了利用现场实测质点振速计算动应力的方法 ,并以三峡工程为实例 ,利用大量现场实测资料提出了岩质边坡及隔墩安全爆破控制标准。本文的研究方法及成果可供类似工程参考使用。     

Biocompatibility of epoxidized styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer membrane

Styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer (SBS) membrane was prepared by solution casting method and then was epoxidized with peroxyformic acid generated in situ to yield the epoxidized styrene–butadiene–styrene block copolymer membrane (ESBS). The structure and properties of ESBS were characterized with infrared spectroscopy, Universal Testing Machine, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The performances of contact angle, water content, protein adsorption, and water vapor transmission rate on ESBS membrane were determined. After epoxidation, the hydrophilicity of the membrane increased. The water vapor transmission rate of ESBS membrane is similar to human skin. The biocompatibility of ESBS membrane was evaluated with the cell culture of fibroblasts on the membrane. It revealed that the cells not only remained viable but also proliferated on the surface of the various ESBS membranes and the population doubling time for fibroblast culture decreased.     

低温排液管道气封高度的计算

通过理论分析,对低温排液管道气封高度的确定给出了计算方法,并选定计算参数进行了计算,分析了影响液柱高度的因素,设计者可以参考该计算方法并结合确定的各种参数来确定气封的高度,以免造成低温管道跑冷结霜,降低设备的运行效率,甚至危及设备的安全运行。     

Natural Frequency and Main Vibration Mode Analysis of the Braking System of Metallurgical Crane

The safety brake system of metallurgy bridge crane is generally composed of two separated block brake,brake disc,and torsion shaft. The analysis of natural frequency and main vibration mode on this two-degree torsion vibration system is the basement to study the vibration model and vibration performance. In this work,we investigated the natural frequency of the braking system of metallurgical crane with analytic method. This provides a systematic guidance towards a successful brake system design.     

Simultaneous FETI and block FETI: Robust domain decomposition with multiple search directions

Domain decomposition methods often exhibit very poor performance when applied to engineering problems with large heterogeneities. In particular, for heterogeneities along domain interfaces, the iterative techniques to solve the interface problem are lacking an efficient preconditioner. Recently, a robust approach, named finite element tearing and interconnection (FETI)–generalized eigenvalues in the overlaps (Geneo), was proposed where troublesome modes are precomputed and deflated from the interface problem. The cost of the FETI–Geneo is, however, high. We propose in this paper techniques that share similar ideas with FETI–Geneo but where no preprocessing is needed and that can be easily and efficiently implemented as an alternative to standard domain decomposition methods. In the block iterative approaches presented in this paper, the search space at every iteration on the interface problem contains as many directions as there are domains in the decomposition. Those search directions originate either from the domain‐wise preconditioner (in the simultaneous FETI method) or from the block structure of the right‐hand side of the interface problem (block FETI). We show on two‐dimensional structural examples that both methods are robust and provide good convergence in the presence of high heterogeneities, even when the interface is jagged or when the domains have a bad aspect ratio. The simultaneous FETI was also efficiently implemented in an optimized parallel code and exhibited excellent performance compared with the regular FETI method. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

复合材料加筋板屈曲/后屈曲分析的应用

研究了复合材料加筋板翼面结构稳定性问题,分析了加筋板在压缩和剪切等载荷作用下的稳定性安全裕度。利用计算复合材料加筋板屈曲及后屈曲承载能力的方法,验证复杂受载情况下结构的稳定性。验证对象是一个优化后的满足强度、刚度和工艺制造要求的复合材料机翼。该机翼在各种载荷工况下的内力分布情况由MSC.NASTRAN分析得到,通过本文提出的方法得到每块蒙皮的稳定性承载能力。然后给出复合材料层合板在复杂载荷下的屈曲及后屈曲安全裕度的计算准则,验证优化后的机翼加筋板是否满足稳定性设计要求。该方法可作为约束集成到结构优化系统平台中。     

Safety impacts of platform tram stops on pedestrians in mixed traffic operation: A comparison group before–after crash study

Tram stops in mixed traffic environments present a variety of safety, accessibility and transport efficiency challenges. In Melbourne, Australia the hundred year-old electric tram system is progressively being modernized to improve passenger accessibility. Platform stops, incorporating raised platforms for level entry into low floor trams, are being retro-fitted system-wide to replace older design stops. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety impacts of platform stops over older design stops (i.e. Melbourne safety zone tram stops) on pedestrians in the context of mixed traffic tram operation in Melbourne, using an advanced before–after crash analysis approach, the comparison group (CG) method. The CG method evaluates safety impacts by taking into account the general trends in safety and the unobserved factors at treatment and comparison sites that can alter the outcomes of a simple before–after analysis. The results showed that pedestrian-involved all injury crashes reduced by 43% after platform stop installation. This paper also explores a concern that the conventional CG method might underestimate safety impacts as a result of large differences in passenger stop use between treatment and comparison sites, suggesting differences in crash risk exposure. To adjust for this, a modified analysis explored crash rates (crash counts per 10,000 stop passengers) for each site. The adjusted results suggested greater reductions in pedestrian-involved crashes after platform stop installation: an 81% reduction in pedestrian-involved all injury crashes and 86% reduction in pedestrian-involved FSI crashes, both are significant at the 95% level. Overall, the results suggest that platform stops have considerable safety benefits for pedestrians. Implications for policy and areas for future research are explored.     

Iterative solution of a hybrid method for Maxwell's equations in the frequency domain

A hybrid method for solution of Maxwell's equations of electromagnetics in the frequency domain is developed as a combination between the method of moments and the approximation in physical optics. The equations are discretized by a Galerkin method and solved by an iterative block Gauss–Seidel method. The convergence of the iterations is studied theoretically and in numerical experiments. The accuracy of the hybrid method is compared to the method of moments for a cylinder with an incident field for different wavenumbers. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An approach for the reliability based design optimization of laminated composites

This article aims at optimizing laminated composite plates taking into account uncertainties in the structural dimensions. As laminated composites require a global optimization tool, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method is employed. A new Reliability Based Design Optimization (RBDO) methodology based on safety factors is presented and coupled with PSO. Such safety factors are derived from the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker optimality conditions of the reliability index approach and eliminate the need for reliability analysis in RBDO. The plate weight minimization is the objective function of the optimization process. The results show that the coupling of the evolutionary algorithm with the safety-factor method proposed in this article successfully performs the RBDO of laminated composite structures.     

High‐Throughput Block Optical DNA Sequence Identification

Optical techniques for molecular diagnostics or DNA sequencing generally rely on small molecule fluorescent labels, which utilize light with a wavelength of several hundred nanometers for detection. Developing a label‐free optical DNA sequencing technique will require nanoscale focusing of light, a high‐throughput and multiplexed identification method, and a data compression technique to rapidly identify sequences and analyze genomic heterogeneity for big datasets. Such a method should identify characteristic molecular vibrations using optical spectroscopy, especially in the “fingerprinting region” from ≈400–1400 cm^?1. Here, surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy is used to demonstrate label‐free identification of DNA nucleobases with multiplexed 3D plasmonic nanofocusing. While nanometer‐scale mode volumes prevent identification of single nucleobases within a DNA sequence, the block optical technique can identify A, T, G, and C content in DNA k‐mers. The content of each nucleotide in a DNA block can be a unique and high‐throughput method for identifying sequences, genes, and other biomarkers as an alternative to single‐letter sequencing. Additionally, coupling two complementary vibrational spectroscopy techniques (infrared and Raman) can improve block characterization. These results pave the way for developing a novel, high‐throughput block optical sequencing method with lossy genomic data compression using k‐mer identification from multiplexed optical data acquisition.     

Warehouse location and two-echelon inventory management with concave operating cost

In this paper, we study a location–inventory network design problem which jointly optimises the warehouse location, the warehouse–retailer assignments, the warehouse–retailer echelon inventory replenishment and the safety stock-level decisions over an infinite planning horizon. The consideration of the facility operating cost, the safety stock cost and the two-echelon inventory cost results in an MIP model with several nonlinear terms. Due to the complex trade-offs among the various costs and multiple nonlinear terms in the model, traditional solution approaches no longer work for this problem. We outline a polymatroid cutting-plane approach based on the submodular property of the cost terms to address this problem. Computational results demonstrate that the cutting-plane method based on polymatroid inequalities can efficiently solve randomly generated instances with moderate sizes.     

Solving acoustic nonlinear eigenvalue problems with a contour integral method

In this paper, a contour integral method (especially the block Sakurai–Sugiura method) is used to solve the eigenvalue problems governed by the Helmholtz equation, and formulated through two meshless methods. Singular value decomposition is employed to filter out the irrelevant eigenvalues. The accuracy and the ease of use of the proposed approach is illustrated with some numerical examples, and the choice of the contour integral method parameters is discussed. In particular, an application of the method on a sphere with realistic impedance boundary condition is performed and validated by comparison with results issued from a finite element method software.