Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) can represent an attracting solution to mitigate vibrations of a structure under seismic excitation, but their effectiveness be considerably altered by the dynamic interaction with foundation soil. The available design criteria for TMDs do not account these effects and therefore lead non-optimised structural performance. In this paper investigation on TMD whole soil-st...

We investigate the ratchet dynamics of nonlinear Klein-Gordon kinks in a periodic, asymmetric lattice of pointlike inhomogeneities. We explain the underlying rectification mechanism within a collective coordinate framework, which shows that such a system behaves as a rocking ratchet for point particles. Careful attention is given to the kink width dynamics and its role in the transport. We also...

The use of sagittally bent asymmetric Laue crystals in horizontally focusing monochromators for high-energy synchrotron X-rays necessitates simulation of the X-ray reflectivity by such crystals. Based on the theory of the lattice distortion in the diffraction plane of sagittally bent Laue crystals, a lamellar model was developed to predict their rocking curves. The model was experimentally veri...

Grazing incidence specular and diffuse X-ray scattering measurements have been used to study variations in polishing of InP single crystal wafers. Excellent agreement between experimental and simulated data is achieved when graded surface layers typically 3081 in thickness, and of higher density than the bulk material, are included. Figuring was found on all samples examined and the width of th...

In this report the transient rocking response of electrical equipment subjected to trigonometric pulses and near-source ground motions is investigated in detail. First the rocking response of a rigid block subjected to a half-sine pulse motion is reviewed. It is shown that the solution presented by Housner (1963) for the minimum acceleration amplitude of a half-sine pulse that is needed to over...

T he afternoon had been very long, longer than most, because we didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Even while his grandmother was dying in the hospital, Johnny refused to accept it. Now that she was gone, his denial grew stronger. The harder I tried to console him, the more he resisted. I wanted one thing—to give Johnny hope. I tried to explain to Johnny how death happens. But this eight-year-...

background : previous studies have investigated different effects of muscle fatigue on body systems. however, there are no reports on the effect of fatigue protocol and its level on musculotendinous stiffness (mts) of the tricep-surae. this study was designed to compare the effects of 2 levels of submaximal fatigue contraction on mts of triceps-surae. methods: twenty female students by simple r...

Experiment was carried out to study the proprioception accuracy of elderly (61-83 years old) and young (22-36 years old) subjects during contralateral elbow matching in sagittal plane. The subjects performed the task under ordinary condition and under experimental condition (matching forearm attached to the rocking cylindrical platform of low (LS), or high (HS) height, so that the elbow flexion...

A full-scale precast prestressed concrete (PC) pile-wharf specimen with a T-headed dowel bar connection detail was tested under realistic loading and boundary conditions. The testing program introduced several seismic protocols, which were determined from nonlinear dynamic analyses of typical U.S. port structure subjected to ground motions for various hazard levels. Conventional reversed cyclic...

The mal de debarquement syndrome (MdDS) is a movement disorder, occurring predominantly in women, is most often induced by passive transport on water or in the air (classic MdDS), or can occur spontaneously. MdDS likely originates in the vestibular system and is unfamiliar to many physicians. The first successful treatment was devised by Dai et al. (1), and over 330 MdDS patients have now been ...