APPLICATION OF OPTIMIZATION ALGORITHMS TO GEO-STRUCTURES

The main application of optimization algorithms to engineering problems is to facilitate the problem-solving procedure by finding good solutions. In this way, there are two main categories of problems that are tackled by the optimization algorithms: analyzing and designing. The key part of an optimization project, in addition to the type of algorithms, is objective functions. Therefore, a good understanding of the nature of the problems at hand would be crucial for defining the optimization procedure. To be more precise, it is important how to define the bboundaries of the input parameters, the applied constraints and estimate the objective values. This dissertation is aimed to implement recent optimization algorithms for finding cost-effective designs for different structures. The underlying goal is to automate the cost-effective design procedure, find efficient optimizers, explore the interactions of conflicting objectives through multi-objective optimization and see their effects on the final results. In this way, different MATLAB codes are developed to automate the design procedures of reinforced concrete cantilever retaining walls (RCC wall), mechanically stabilized earth retaining walls (MSE wall), shallow foundations, and combined footing. Moreover, the performance of a wide range of swarm-intelligence-based and evolutionary algorithms are explored in solving the mentioned problems. A self-adaptive hybrid evolutionary optimization algorithm is developed based on combining genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) called GAPSO to enhance the performance of recent variants of GA and PSO as much as possible. This algorithm is applied to the problem of RCC wall optimization. Cost minimization and factor of safety (FOS) maximization as two conflicting objectives for retaining structures optimization problems are studied in a multi-objective optimization process. In this way, FOSs of the wall against overturning, sliding, and bearing capacity are summed up and are considered as a single objective. In all the design procedures, the requirements for structural strength and geotechnical stability are checked to guarantee the serviceability of the proposed designs

Language, culture, and identity: An intergenerational study of Iranian migrants’ acculturation experiences in Australia

This study investigated how Iranian migrants resettle in Australia, identify themselves, and deal with socio-cultural differences in various domains of their everyday lives in the new context. It specifically aimed at understanding the complex dynamics of the adaptation process, familial relationships, and inter-group attitudes among Iranian migrants in Australia

Diseño de un algoritmo de minería metaheurístico para separar puntos de dos colores en un entorno bidimensional

The separation of color points is one of the important issues in computational geometry, which is used in various parts of science; it can be used in facility locating, image processing and clustering. Among these, one of the most widely used computational geometry in the real-world is the problem of covering and separating points with rectangles. In this paper, we intend to consider the problemof separating the two-color points sets, using three rectangles. In fact, our goal is to separate desired blue points from undesired red points by three rectangles, in such a way that these three rectangles contain the most desire points. For this purpose, we provide a metaheuristic algorithm based on the simulated annealing method that could separates blue points from input points, , in time order O (n) with the help of three rectangles. The algorithm is executed with C# and also it has been compared and evaluated with the optimum algorithm results. The results show that our recommended algorithm responses is so close to optimal responses, and also in some cases we obtains the exact optimal response

The Analysis of Speech Events and Hymes' SPEAKING Factors in the Comedy Television Series: FRIENDS

This study investigated the occurrence of speech events in FRIENDS comedy series (Season #1, Episode #1) to probe such phenomena in media discourse. This study presented not only a sample of spoken discourse about those speech events which were more frequent, but a sample of native speakers' cultural norms. The results of the study showed that some typical speech events, due to the situational and contextual context of language, were more frequent than others; in the selected sample, the most recurring event in a friendly relationship was found to be confiding one's secrets or personal affairs and problems with one's friends and asking them for help, consultation, and sympathy. At the same time, there were some speaking factors affecting each speech event which are in line with Hymes (1974) SPEAKING model. Keywords: Speech, speech events, speech situation, Hymes SPEAKING factors, FRIENDS comedy series, ethnography of speakin

The Role of Schema or Background Knowledge ActivationandGraphic Organizer on Increasing Iranian EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

The purpose of current study is to use graphic organizers and schema or background activation knowledge to determine its effectiveness on increasing Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. For doing this study, 63 female students learning English at intermediate level in Ganje Daneshpazhohan English institutes in Tehran, Iran, were randomly selected and were divided into three groups including graphic organizer, schema, and control group. First, all three groups were given a reading comprehension pretest. Then, the graphic organizer group were taught reading through the use of graphic organizer tasks while those in schema group were taught how to activate their background knowledge before reading. Regarding the control group, there was no treatment. Finally. the posttest took place in the following class meeting after the training. The results indicated that using graphic organizer and background knowledge activation strategy could play a significant role in developing the level of reading comprehension among Iranian EFL learners. Finally, graphic organizer was recognized to a more useful method for learning enhancing reading comprehension among Iranian EFL learners. Therefore, the interactive reading processing approach based on schema theory and graphic organizer seems to have better effects in English reading comprehension

The Role of Schema or Background Knowledge ActivationandGraphic Organizer on Increasing Iranian EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension

The purpose of current study is to use graphic organizers and schema or background activation knowledge to determine its effectiveness on increasing Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension. For doing this study, 63 female students learning English at intermediate level in Ganje Daneshpazhohan English institutes in Tehran, Iran, were randomly selected and were divided into three groups including graphic organizer, schema, and control group. First, all three groups were given a reading comprehension pretest. Then, the graphic organizer group were taught reading through the use of graphic organizer tasks while those in schema group were taught how to activate their background knowledge before reading. Regarding the control group, there was no treatment. Finally. the posttest took place in the following class meeting after the training. The results indicated that using graphic organizer and background knowledge activation strategy could play a significant role in developing the level of reading comprehension among Iranian EFL learners. Finally, graphic organizer was recognized to a more useful method for learning enhancing reading comprehension among Iranian EFL learners. Therefore, the interactive reading processing approach based on schema theory and graphic organizer seems to have better effects in English reading comprehension

Heat-induced phase transitions in mining tailings to create alternative supplementary cementitious materials

The present study investigated the mineralogical changes in five different mining tailings (i.e., bauxite, gold, copper, and lead) with varying heating conditions (i.e., non-heating, 600 °C, and 900 °C) to explore the feasibility of using thermally treated tailings as supplementary cementitious materials. In particular, among the used heating conditions, bauxite tailings heated to 600 °C showed the best reactivity as supplementary cementitious material and thus rigorously studied the fundamentals of the increased reactivity. Well-balanced Al and Si dissolutions from the thermal decompositions of gibbsite, boehmite, and kaolinite seem to be the result of the best reactivity at the bauxite tailings heated at 600 °C among used heating conditions. It is also noted that, although tailings originated from the same types of ore or contained high Al2O3 and SiO2 contents, their supplementary cementitious reactivity differed depending on the contents of highly (i) soluble, (ii) thermally decomposable, and (iii) Al or Si-bearing minerals such as boehmite, gibbsite, kaolinite, and chamosite

The Prevalence of Personality Disorders among Emergency Nurses Based on MMPI-2 Questionnaire; a Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: The prevalence of behavioral disorders is substantially higher in stressful working environments such as emergency departments. The present study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of personality disorders among emergency nurses.Methods: In the present epidemiologic study, the prevalence of personality disorders among emergency nurses of three educational hospitals, Tehran, Iran, were evaluated based on Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) test. After the questionnaires were filled, data were entered to a special software for MMPI-2 test and the final result was interpreted based on the opinion of a clinical psychologist. Findings were reported using descriptive statistics.Results: 102 emergency nurses with the mean age of 30.2 ± 5.6 years were enrolled (100% female; 100% with master’s degree in nursing). The mean working time and experience of studied nurses were 210.8 ± 47.9 hours/month (130-370) and 4.1 ± 3.6 years (1-20), respectively. 32 (31.4%) cases showed symptoms of personality disorders The most common personality disorder detected in this study was somatization with 8.8%, hysteria with 6.9% prevalence, and pollyannaish with 4.9%. Among the studied factors only recent history of unpleasant event has significant correlation with existence of personality disorders (p = 0.015).Conclusion: The present study showed that somatization, hysteria, and pollyannaish were the most common personality disorders among the emergency nurses. History of an unpleasant event in the past year was the only effective factor in existence of personality disorders in the studied nurses