Recent research showed that the in-plane horizontal displacement capacity of unreinforced masonry (URM) walls depends on numerous factors that are not yet captured by current empirical drift capacity models; e.g., axial stress, shear span, geometry of the walls and the material used. In order to improve the performance-based assessment of URM wall buildings, future research should aim at develo...

This paper deals with the conception and characterization of an innovative connection for cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels. The connection is designed to provide an adequate level of dissipative capacity to CLT structures also when realized with large horizontal panels and therefore prone to fragile shear sliding failure. The connector, named X-bracket, has been theorized and designed by mea...

The analysis of heat flow, seismic, and topographic data collected in the northern NorwegianGreenland Sea reveals an asymmetric evolution of the Eurasian and North American plates. These data are compared to predictions from three kinematic models of extension which produce asymmetry about the Knipovich Ridge: (1) uniform asymmetric pure shear, (2) lithospheric simple shear, and (3) rift/ridge ...

The growth plate is a highly organized section of cartilage in the long bones of growing children that is susceptible to mechanical failure as well as structural and functional disruption caused by a dietary deficiency of vitamin D. The shear mechanical properties of the proximal tibial growth plate of rats raised either on normal or vitamin D and calcium deficient diets were measured. A sinuso...

We study delamination in a sandwich panel due to transient finite plane strain elastic deformations caused by local water slamming loads and use the boundary element method to analyze motion of water and the finite element method to determine deformations of the panel. The cohesive zone model is used to study delamination initiation and propagation. The fluid is assumed to be incompressible and...

Based on the recent high-resolution laboratory experiments on propagating shear rupture, the constitutive law that governs shear rupture processes is discussed in view of the physical principles and constraints, and a specific constitutive law is proposed for shear rupture. It is demonstrated that nonuniform distributions of the constitutive law parameters on the fault are necessary for creatin...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Little attention has been focused on the role of fluid-induced wall shear stress in fully developed cerebral aneurysms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the alternation and distribution of wall shear stress over 1 cardiac cycle in patients' aneurysms. METHODS A middle cerebral artery aneurysm and a basilar tip aneurysm with localized outpouching (blebs) in their...

There are several lines of evidence that suggest that thermal pressurization (TP) of pore fluid within a low-permeability fault core may play the key role in the development of earthquake slip. To elucidate effects of TP on spontaneous fault slip, I consider solutions for a steadily propagating slip pulse on a fault with a constant sliding friction, the level of which may reflect other thermall...