Pier is the second generation of an industrial strength content management and application framework. Pier is written with objects from top to bottom and it is easily customized to accommodate new requirements. Pier is based on Magritte, a powerful meta-description framework. Pier has proven to be very powerful in the combination with Seaside, to enable easy composition and configuration of int...

In this paper we describe our initial experiences with deploying and running PIER, a distributed query processor, on 200 nodes of the PlanetLab network testbed. Through use cases, we show that PIER is flexible and can easily incorporate new data sources without a priori knowledge of their schemas. We highlight of number of important features in PIER used in our use cases, including in-network a...

This paper presents the development and experimental validation of a multi-hazard bridge pier concept, i.e., a bridge pier system capable of providing an adequate level of protection against collapse under seismic and blast loading. A multi-column pier-bent with concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns is the proposed concept, and the adequacy of this system is experimentally and analytically ...

Measuring points were observed continuously to reveal the hydration heat temperature distribution of hollow concrete bridge pier. The results showed that as the thickness of the pier increased, the central temperature of the pier increased significantly due to hydration and the heat was difficult to be dissipated. The hydration temperature accounted for up to 70% of the maximum temperature rise...

Local scour around a cylindrical pier in a channel with an erodible bed or natural bed is a common problems in bridge or pile supported structure. The highly unsteady complex flow field around a circular pier produces scour hole mainly for the presence of vortices. The main mechanism that drives the formation and evolution of the scour hole around bridge pier is horse shoe vortex motion. In the...

A five unit fixed dental prosthesis with a pier abutment poses a unique challenge of a fulcrum and torquing forces at the intermediate abutment. The use of a rigid connector can lead to localization of forces on the pier abutment. Therefore, the use of a non-rigid connector as a stress breaker has been advocated to alleviate the situation. The following case report describes the factors associa...

the effect of a combined system of the bed suction and jet injection as a pier-scour countermeasure on the turbulent flow field is studied in a laboratory flume using an acoustic doppler velocimeter (adv). the three components of the velocities in the vertical symmetry plane in the equilibrium scour hole in front and rear of the pier under 3-jet injections and bed suction rate qs/q0 = 2%located...

Controlled rocking of steel braced frames has been proposed for the seismic retrofit of structures. The controlled rocking approach allows a frame to uplift from its support at the base-of-column to foundation interface while displacement-based steel yielding devices are implemented at the base location to control the response. Past studies have focused on analytical investigations of the respo...