in this paper a discrete big bang-big crunch algorithm is applied to optimal design of reinforced concrete planar frames under the gravity and lateral loads. optimization is based on aci 318-08 code. columns are assumed to resist axial loads and bending moments, while beams resist only bending moments. second-order effects are also considered for the compression members, and columns are checked...

Bending operations are frequently used to produce sheet metal components. Spring-back is an issue in sheet metal forming processes and some times is a principle problem for producing precise components. This is more important if some kind of cuttings exists on the bending surfaces. Experiments show that punched holes on bending surfaces affect the value of the spring-back. In this paper the spr...

Bi-layer (Au-Si₃N₄) microcantilevers fabricated in an array were used to detect vapors of energetic materials such as explosives under ambient conditions. The changes in the bending response of each thermal bimorph (i.e., microcantilever) with changes in actuation currents were experimentally monitored by measuring the angle of the reflected ray from a laser source used to illuminate the gold n...

We present an improved design for a Super-B interaction region. The new design attempts to minimize the bending of the two colliding beams which results from shared magnetic elements near the Interaction Point (IP). The total crossing angle at the IP is increased from 34 mrad to 50 mrad and the distance from the IP to the first quadrupole is increased. Although the two beams still travel throug...

This paper presents the implementation of power fluctuation compensation for an intensity-based optical fibre bending sensor aimed at monitoring human spine bending in a clinical environment. To compensate for the light intensity changes from the sensor light source, a reference signal was provided via the light reflection from an aluminum foil surface fixed at a certain distance from the sourc...

the main design criteria of ballasted railway tracks include rail deflections, rail bending stresses, rail wheel contact stresses, sleeper bending moments and ballast sleeper contact pressures. numerous criteria have been defined for the design of ballasted railway tracks owing to the various mechanical properties of track components and their complex interaction. therefore, railway track desig...

A Monte Carlo simulation has been performed to track light rays in cylindrical fibres by ray optics. The trapping efficiencies for skew and meridional rays in active fibres and distributions of characteristic quantities for all trapped light rays have been calculated. The simulation provides new results for curved fibres, where the analytical expressions are too complex to be solved. The light ...