Effects of Collapse Settlement of Fill on Reinforced Earth Walls

Two case histories illustrate the effects that collapse settlement of the fill forming a Reinforced Earth wall can have on the structure. Pre-requisites for collapse settlement are inadequate compaction, compaction at too low a water content, or a combination of these. Collapse settlement occurs subsequently when the water content of the fill is increased by infiltration. The effects of collapse settlement identified in this paper are: (i) a temporary release of friction on the reinforcing strips with the result that the wall facing moves outwards; and (ii) relative settlement between the fill and the wall facing with the result that the reinforcing strips become inclined to the horizontal and their tension increases

Relationships to Video Game Streamers: Examining Gratifications, Parasocial Relationships, Fandom, and Community Affiliation Online

Advances in media consumption and viewership have expanded the use of virtual communities such as streaming platforms (e.g., Twitch,tv, Azubu.tv, YouTube Gaming, AfreecaTV) and the ways individuals satisfy individual and social gratifications within these communities. Further, the connection viewers make with streamers as both fans and parasocially (i.e., a perceived friendship with media figure) has a number of implications for the communities that support them. This dissertation tested fandom and parasocial relationships (PSR) as mediators of the relationship between sense of community (SOC) and gratifications. Users of streaming platforms (N = 624) were surveyed regarding the gratifications they seek from streaming platforms, their fandom and PSR with their favorite streamer, and their sense of community on the site. Mediation analysis showed that PSR and fandom mediated the relationships between SOC and the gratifications of relaxing entertainment, expressive information sharing, and escapism. In other words, viewers for whom these gratifications were more salient reported higher PSR and fandom, and higher PSR and fandom predicted higher SOC. Unlike PSR, fandom mediated the relationship between SOC and the gratifications of cool and new trend and companionship. There are a number of theoretical and practical implications of PSR and fandom as they relate to gratifications and SOC. Specifically, the social nature of streaming platforms provide new opportunities for media consumers to satisfy individual and social gratifications. Additionally, the swings in popularity of microcelebrities on streaming platforms aligns well with traditional celebrity worship research (i.e., popularity dictates who receives special promotion). Streaming platforms provide opportunities for the building and maintenance of relationships comparable to previous research on streaming platforms. Ultimately, the streamer acts as the mechanism that enables to relationship between gratifications and SOC for stream viewers

Crustal evolution of the Saykhandulaan inlier, Mongolia : implications for Palaeozoic arc magmatism, polyphase deformation and terrane accretion in the southeast Gobi mineral belt

The Saykhandulaan Inlier in South East Mongolia lies within the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB), and records a complex history of Palaeozoic tectonism and magmatism associated with terrane accretion on the northern margin of the Palaeo-Asian ocean. The inlier spans the boundary between the Gobi Altai back-arc basin terrane in the north and the Mandalovoo and Gurvansayhan island-arc terranes in the south which are notable for their many mineralised intrusions, including the Oyu Tolgoi gold-rich copper porphyry deposit. Results from cross-strike transects within the Saykhandulaan Inlier reveal that it can be subdivided into five parallel east–west striking litho-tectonic domains; (1) the Northern Slate Belt, comprising Devonian greenschist grade pelites and psammites with deep-marine to coastal siliciclastic protoliths; (2) the Saykhandulaan Valley Lineament Zone (SVLZ), a tectonised zone of faulted and lithologically altered volcanic rocks; (3) the High Strain Belt, consisting of tightly folded and flattened metamorphosed clastic sedimentary rocks; (4) the Molasse Succession, consisting of relatively undeformed coarse conglomerates and sandstones and, (5) the Oyut Ulaan Volcanic Group, a nearly 5 km-thick folded Carboniferous volcanic succession that hosts the mid-Carboniferous Oyut Ulaan mineralised granite. The Northern Slate Belt metasedimentary rocks record a northerly cratonic provenance, whereas all rocks to the south of the SVLZ have arc affinities. The SVLZ is thus interpreted to be the boundary between the Gobi Altai and Mandalovoo terranes. Two major deformation events are documented; (1) back-arc basin closure and inversion involving regional scale folding and greenschist grade metamorphism in the Northern Slate and High Strain Belts; (2) contraction associated with Mandalovoo terrane accretion and final closure of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean to the south. Following terrane accretion and cessation of subduction, crustal extension and strike-slip faulting further modified the crustal architecture of the inlier. The results presented here provide a useful framework for understanding the crustal evolution of adjacent regions within the southeast Gobi mineral belt

Power Station Foundations in Deep Expansive Soil

The site for a large (3600 MW) thermal power station is underlain by deep expansive soils which posed difficult conditions for the design of stable foundations. After describing the soil and ground-water conditions and attendant foundation problems, the paper goes on to describe how the amount and rate of heave were predicted. Most of the foundations are piled, but the piles will be subject to uplift as the soil swells. Large scale tests to acquire information for the prediction of uplift forces are described, as well as measures for reducing the uplift forces

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project: Current and advanced act control system definition study. Volume 2: Appendices

The current status of the Active Controls Technology (ACT) for the advanced subsonic transport project is investigated through analysis of the systems technical data. Control systems technologies under examination include computerized reliability analysis, pitch axis fly by wire actuator, flaperon actuation system design trade study, control law synthesis and analysis, flutter mode control and gust load alleviation analysis, and implementation of alternative ACT systems. Extensive analysis of the computer techniques involved in each system is included

Characterization of Murine Thymic Stromal-Cell Lines Immortalized by Temperature-Sensitive Simian Virus 40 Large T or Adenovirus 5 E1a

The heterogeneity of thymic stromal cells is probably related to their role in providing different microenvironments where T cells can develop. We have immortalized thymic stromal elements using recombinant retroviral constructs containing a temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 (SV40tsA58) large-T antigen gene or the adenovirus 5 E1a region linked to the gene coding for resistance to G418. Cell lines containing the thermolabile large T antigen encoded by SV40 proliferate at the permissive temperature of 33°C and arrest growth when transferred to the nonpermissive temperature of 39°C. At the nonpermissive temperature, ts-derived cell lines are shown to alter their phenotype but remain metabolically active, as indicated by the inducible expression of class I and class II MHC antigens. Here we describe the generation of a total of 84 thymic stromal-cell lines, many of which show distinct morphologic, phenotypic, and functional properties consistent with fibroblastoid, epithelial, or monocytoid origins. Several E1a and SV40tsA58-derived cell lines generated exhibit the epithelial characteristic of desmosome formation and, in addition, two of these lines (15.5 and 15.18) form multicellular complexes (rosettes) when incubated with unfractionated thymocytes from syngeneic mice. A single line (14.5) displays very strong nonspecific esterase activity, suggesting it may represent a macrophagelike cell type. We describe the generation of stromal cell lines with different properties, which is consistent with the heterogeneity found in the thymic microenvironment. In addition to documenting this diversity, these cell lines may be useful tools for studying T-cell development in vitro and give access to model systems in which stromal-thymocyte interactions can be examined

Examining Undergraduate Communication Degree Programs: Mission Statements, Assessment Plans, and Assessment Evaluations

One hundred undergraduate communication programs listed in the NCA directory were examined in this investigation. The process involved gathering the university mission statement, departmental mission statement, program assessment plan, and program assessment evaluations. Results demonstrate that 98 institutions utilized mission statements, 81 departments provided mission statements, 18 departments made assessment plans available and the researchers obtained 4 assessment evaluations

Development of a Methodology for the Quantitative Assessment of Ireland’s Inshore Kelp Resource

Lead Partner: Queen’s University, Belfast. Project Partners: University College Cork and Envision Mapping Ltd.The main aim of the project was to develop and demonstrate an acoustic methodology for the estimation of kelp biomass based on a low-cost commercial marine acoustic system and modification of the standard software. The approach will be of significant value to regulatory authorities for the monitoring of healthy kelp beds and their associated fauna and flora. It will also provide a scientific basis for future kelp harvesting trials, be instrumental in developing appropriate management plans for such practices and will aid in the evaluation of the recovery in harvested areas.This project (Grant-Aid Agreement No. PBA/SW/07/002(01)) was carried out under the Sea Change strategy with the support of the Marine Institute and the Marine Research Sub-Programme of the National Development Plan 2007–2013.Funder: Marine Institut

Experimental Treatments for Spinal Cord Injury: What you Should Know

Experiencing a spinal cord injury (SCI) is extremely distressing, both physically and psychologically, and throws people into a complex, unfamiliar world of medical procedures, terminology, and decision making. You may have already had surgery to stabilize the spinal column and reduce the possibility of further damage. You are understandably distressed about the functions you may have lost below the level of spinal injury. You wish to recover any lost abilities as soon as possible. You, your family, or friends may have searched the Internet for treatments and cures

Integrated Application of Active Controls (IAAC) technology to an advanced subsonic transport project: Current and advanced act control system definition study, volume 1

An active controls technology (ACT) system architecture was selected based on current technology system elements and optimal control theory was evaluated for use in analyzing and synthesizing ACT multiple control laws. The system selected employs three redundant computers to implement all of the ACT functions, four redundant smaller computers to implement the crucial pitch-augmented stability function, and a separate maintenance and display computer. The reliability objective of probability of crucial function failure of less than 1 x 10 to the -9th power per flight of 1 hr can be met with current technology system components, if the software is assumed fault free and coverage approaching 1.0 can be provided. The optimal control theory approach to ACT control law synthesis yielded comparable control law performance much more systematically and directly than the classical s-domain approach. The ACT control law performance, although somewhat degraded by the inclusion of representative nonlinearities, remained quite effective. Certain high-frequency gust-load alleviation functions may require increased surface rate capability