Implementing software metrics — the critical success factors

This paper reviews the current state of industry with regard to the introduction of software metrics. It discusses the benefits that organizations have derived from metrication, it looks at why organizations have sought to introduce metrics programmes, how they have gone about introducing those programmes and the problems that they have encountered during implementation. The review found that, on the whole, only the sanitized aspects of metrics experiences have actually been published. This seems to be especially the case with respect to practitioner resistance. Very few organizations admit to having encountered resistance during the introduction of a metrics programme. The paper also includes the results of a pilot study, conducted by the first author, which examines the attitudes that developers hold towards the introduction of software metrics. The key findings of this pilot study are that positive attitudes to metrics correlate highly with levels of education and to job satisfaction.     

Residual stresses and transformation toughening in MoSi2 composites reinforced with partially stabilized zirconia

The results of study of the effects of yttria stabilization (0–6 mol.%) on the room-temperature fracture behavior and toughening mechanisms in zirconia-reinforced MoSi₂ are presented in this paper. Transformation toughening is shown to occur only in composites reinforced with zirconia particles stabilized with 2 mol.% yttria. However, the fracture toughness levels are comparable in the other composites with yttria levels between 0 and 6 mol.%. Toughening in the other composites is attributed to the combined effects of residual stress, microcrack shielding/anti-shielding and/or crack deflection. A rigorous micromechanics-based model is presented for the estimation of residual stress levels in brittle materials reinforced with phases that can transform during cooling or under stress. The model is applied successfully to the rationalization of the observed fracture and toughening phenomena.     

正交双频光栅CCD系统剪切干涉测量二维温度场

以半导体激光器为光源，利用正交双频光栅（ＯＤＦＧ）ＣＣＤ系统剪切干涉对带平板边界的半圆柱体热源的二维温度场进行实时诊断，分析剪切干涉图时，用柱函数系作为拟合基底，给出二维自然对流温度场的定量分布。     

An eight‐node hybrid‐stress solid‐shell element for geometric non‐linear analysis of elastic shells

This paper presents eight‐node solid‐shell elements for geometric non‐linear analysis of elastic shells. To subdue shear, trapezoidal and thickness locking, the assumed natural strain method and an ad hoc modified generalized laminate stiffness matrix are employed. A selectively reduced integrated element is formulated with its membrane and bending shear strain components taken to be constant and equal to the ones evaluated at the element centroid. With the generalized stresses arising from the modified generalized laminate stiffness matrix assumed to be independent from the ones obtained from the displacement, an extended Hellinger–Reissner functional can be derived. By choosing the assumed generalized stresses similar to the assumed stresses of a previous solid element, a hybrid‐stress solid‐shell element is formulated. Commonly employed geometric non‐linear homogeneous and laminated shell problems are attempted and our results are close to those of other state‐of‐the‐art elements. Moreover, the hybrid‐stress element converges more readily than the selectively reduced integrated element in all benchmark problems. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

河口水流、波浪、潮流、泥沙、河床变形二维数学模型

根据河口“波浪掀沙，潮流输沙”的泥沙运动机制，引入“波浪幅射应力”反应波浪对水体和泥沙的驱动力．考虑波浪对底部泥沙作用力、波浪对水流挟沙能力的影响及风场对水流和泥沙运动的影响．同时考虑泥沙粒径大小、水体含盐度、含沙量及水流紊动程度等因素对絮凝沉速的影响．用ＡＤＩ算法求解沿水深平均方程，破开算子法解悬移质不平衡输沙方程及河床变形方程，引入通度概念处理岸滩不规则边界，建立河口水流、波浪、潮流、泥沙、河床变形二维数学模型．通过实测资料及卫星摇感图像对所建数学模型进行检验，表明它可以较好地预测河口泥沙的运动     

动态波前相位的高分辨率测量

动态波前相位信息测量是大气光学，气动光学和激光技术等领域的重要实验手段。提出了一种具有高的时间和空间分辨率以及长的测量持续时间的动态波前相位测量方法。应用Ｈａｒｔｍａｎｎ－Ｓｈａｃｋ波前传感器获得高空间分辨率的相位信息，采用高帧频ＣＣＤ摄象机获得高时间分辨率图象数据。     

Information systems effectiveness: research designs for causal inference

Abstract. This paper examines the capacity of the research designs of 37 empirical studies of information systems (IS) effectiveness to provide a basis for the development of theories about behaviour related to IS effectiveness. The power of each study to support causal inference was evaluated in terms of (a) its handling of the time dimension, (b) its ability to weigh differences and (c) its resistance to internal validity threats that pose alternative explanations for its reported findings. Of the reviewed studies, 29.7% could account for the time dimension, 32.4% employed a comparison group and 16.2% were not susceptible to any internal validity threats. Only 13.5% of the studies combined an accounting for the time dimension with the use of a comparison group. Of these, however, only 5.4% were also invulnerable to internal validity threats. The research designs of nearly 95% of these published studies were deficient in supporting causal inference. In those studies, suggestions that one variable was causally related to another variable could not be substantiated. Encouragement for the future capacity of IS effectiveness research to support causal inference was found in a trend towards the use of quasiexperimental designs. Recommendations are made regarding ways to increase the inferential capacity of research designs employed in the study of IS effectiveness.     

An exploration of the problems of using function points mark II

Abstract. This paper examines critically the function point analysis mark II (FPA mark II) method of measuring the functionality of information systems. Although the focus of the paper is on FPA mark II as devised by Symons, both this and the Albrecht method, from which the FPA mark II was developed, are briefly discussed. The published attempts to validate FPA mark II are reviewed and then the problems encountered by the author in applying the approach are described. The final part of the paper is concerned with the fit between SSADM and FPA mark II.     

Pullout tests of epoxy-coated reinforcement in concrete

The bond strength and slip of epoxy-coated reinforcing bars in concrete have been evaluated by carrying out single pullout and double pullout tests. In extended single pullout tests, slip measurements were made while tensile force was applied to reinforcing bars embedded in concrete. In double pullout tests, 20 cycles of load were applied at levels of steel stress between zero and 0·5 times characteristic steel strength. Strains were measured by electrical resistance strain gauges glued inside the bars. Both epoxy-coated and uncoated bars were used in the investigation, to obtain comparative results. The strain gradient along the bar was found to be less for the coated reinforcement. In general, the epoxy coating was found to increase slip in bond and thereby reduce the bond performance of coated bars.