A novel demountable shear connector for precast steel‐concrete composite bridges is presented. The connector uses high‐strength steel bolts, which are fastened to the top flange of the steel beam with the aid of a special locking nut configuration that prevents slip of bolts within their holes. Moreover, the connector promotes accelerated construction and overcomes typical construction tolerances issues of precast structures. Most importantly, the connector allows bridge disassembly, and therefore, can address different bridge deterioration scenarios with minimum disturbance to traffic flow, i.e. (i) precast deck panels can be rapidly uplifted and replaced; (ii) connectors can be rapidly removed and replaced; and (iii) steel beams can be replaced, while precast decks and shear connectors can be reused. A series of push‐out tests are conducted to assess the behavior of the connector and quantify the effect of important parameters. The experimental results show shear resistance, stiffness, and slip capacity significantly higher than those of welded shear studs along with superior stiffness and strength against slab uplift. Identical tests reveal negligible scatter in the shear load – slip displacement behavior. A design equation is proposed to predict the shear resistance with absolute error less than 8%.
There are many ways to communicate a story, one can tell it, sing it, act it, write it, film it and can draw it. Each form of storytelling has its unique characteristics that separate it from the other forms. These distinguishing characteristics of each form does not indicate the superiority of one form over the other, on the contrary, it indicates the human ability to be creative on many levels. As students of literature, only the written form of a story is taken into account. One reason for the negligence of other forms of storytelling might be that singing and filming a story is not related to literature. But there has been a form of storytelling that uses words along with pictures which eventually became a genre of novels called grap
... Show MoreMachine learning models have recently provided great promise in diagnosis of several ophthalmic disorders, including keratoconus (KCN). Keratoconus, a noninflammatory ectatic corneal disorder characterized by progressive cornea thinning, is challenging to detect as signs may be subtle. Several machine learning models have been proposed to detect KCN, however most of the models are supervised and thus require large well-annotated data. This paper proposes a new unsupervised model to detect KCN, based on adapted flower pollination algorithm (FPA) and the k-means algorithm. We will evaluate the proposed models using corneal data collected from 5430 eyes at different stages of KCN severity (1520 healthy, 331 KCN1, 1319 KCN2, 1699 KCN3 a
... Show MoreOne of the significant stages in computer vision is image segmentation which is fundamental for different applications, for example, robot control and military target recognition, as well as image analysis of remote sensing applications. Studies have dealt with the process of improving the classification of all types of data, whether text or audio or images, one of the latest studies in which researchers have worked to build a simple, effective, and high-accuracy model capable of classifying emotions from speech data, while several studies dealt with improving textual grouping. In this study, we seek to improve the classification of image division using a novel approach depending on two methods used to segment the images. The first
... Show MoreAlongside the development of high-speed rail, rail flaw detection is of great importance to ensure railway safety, especially for improving the speed and load of the train. Several conventional inspection methods such as visual, acoustic, and electromagnetic inspection have been introduced in the past. However, these methods have several challenges in terms of detection speed and accuracy. Combined inspection methods have emerged as a promising approach to overcome these limitations. Nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques in conjunction with artificial intelligence approaches have tremendous potential and viability because it is highly possible to improve the detection accuracy which has been proven in various conventional nondestr
... Show MoreThis research presents a model for surveying networks configuration which is designed and called a Computerized Integrated System for Triangulation Network Modeling (CISTNM). It focuses on the strength of figure as a concept then on estimating the relative error (RE) for the computed side (base line) triangulation element. The CISTNM can compute the maximum elevations of the highest
obstacles of the line of sight, the observational signal tower height, the contribution of each triangulation station with their intervisibility test and analysis. The model is characterized by the flexibility to select either a single figure or a combined figures network option. Each option includes three other implicit options such as: triangles, quadri
Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants by utilizing water without using soil which emphasizes the fulfillment of the nutritional needs of plants. This research has introduced smart hydroponic system that enables regular monitoring of every aspect to maintain the pH values, water, temperature, and soil. Nevertheless, there is a lack of knowledge that can systematically represent the current research. The proposed study suggests a systematic literature review of smart hydroponics system to overcome this limitation. This systematic literature review will assist practitioners draw on existing literature and propose new solutions based on available knowledge in the smart hydroponic system. The outcomes of this paper can assist future r
... Show MoreFrançois Mauriac’s novel The Desert of Love (1949) puts the reader before an experienced sociologist who is skillfully able to analyze the most mysterious human emotions and feelings. The writer's starting point is that people are similar in feelings but different in behavior. He severely criticized the aristocratic class and uncovered its defects and faults.
The novelist presents Courege's family as an example of the aristocratic class. It is a family torn by hatred, selfishness and disagreements due to absence of intimacy and love. This poisoned environment pushes the father and his son, Raymond, to search away for emotional ventures and banned relations
... Show MoreIntroduction:
Many business owners suffer major financial problems during periods of financial stagnation, the decline of markets and businesses, or under the impact of financial shocks for certain reasons that result in large debts and the consequent financial and legal obligations. This is the beginning of a long and endless path of suffering and the search for a safe exit. It is even worse for financial institutions to facilitate financial solutions that rely on lending as a solution to their financial problem. Debt and its consequences increase, and the problem deepens and becomes complicated until things become entangled and the escape or declaration of bank
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