Time and cost securing in complex large-scale projects

Meeting time and cost objectives in complex projects involves specific problems and risks. An attempt is made to analyse the components of total cost increase of a project caused by time delay. An outline is given as to how these considerations can be used to estimate cost increases in investors' decision situations as well as to ascertain fair contractual penalties and claims for compensation and for the evaluation of justified project acceleration costs.     

Operation of an experimental facility for fabrication of fuel elements and fuel assemblies of the bor-60 containing vibrocompacted fuel

Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 67, No. 5, pp. 320–323, November, 1989.     

Analysis of real-time properties and rules for setting protocol parameters of MAP networks

This paper reports on an evaluation of real-time properties of MAP (Manufacturing Automation Protocol) networks by analytical considerations and measurements. Based on a model of the time schedule of a communication cycle figures for response times (transport system) and message delays (MAC layer) are given. The influence of some options for handling acknowledgments within the transport layer is shown. The message delay at MAC layer is separated into an implementation-dependent and a protocol-dependent protion, and an upper bound is derived. Rules for selecting protocol parameters affecting real time behavior are given. Aspects for improved implementations of communication controllers for MAP networks are discussed.     

Life stressors and social resources affect posttreatment outcomes among depressed patients.

Examined pre- and posttreatment changes in life stressors and social resources and their association with treatment outcomes in a 12-mo follow-up of 424 Ss (aged 18–83 yrs) with unipolar depression. Assessment measures included the Family Environment Scale, Work Environment Scale, and Health and Daily Living Form. As expected, Ss reported significant, multidimensional improvements in their functioning at follow-up. There were modest increases in Ss' social resources but, suprisingly, no overall decrease in stressors. Life stress and resource factors were significantly related to Ss' functioning at follow-up, even after considering the severity of their dysfunction at treatment intake and their length of treatment. Implications for developing a general body of knowledge about the process of recovery and relapse in behavioral disorders are discussed. (38 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Modeling the movement of smoke and the effect of ventilation systems in mine shaft fires

Physical principles governing mine ventilation systems and state of the art ventilation modeling are initially outlined. Several computer programs for modeling the mine ventilation-mine fire interaction, which were developed during the last decade, are then described. An older program considers fires and ventilation systems as going through a sequence of steady state conditions. Airflow rates, pressure losses, temperatures, fume and methane concentrations can be determined. Newer programs allow transient state fume concentration calculations under the assumption of constant airflow rates as well as the determination of fume exposures of escaping miners. Recent work attempts the complete transient state simulation of fires and all ventilation properties.     

Formation of pearlitic banded structures in ferritic-pearlitic steels

The conditions for ferrite and pearlite banding in strip and plate made of structural steels were investigated. Factors found to influence the formation of banded structures were the cooling rate during the γ/α-transformation, the former austenite grain size, and the work-hardened condition of the former austenite. Analyses with the aid of an electron beam microprobe made it possible to demonstrate that the carbon-rich bands correspond locally with banded manganese enrichments, yet that they do not form before the course of the γ/α-transformation as a result of secondary segregation. It was possible to explain the mechanism of action of the influencing factors on the basis of this model.