Automatic Mapping of Discontinuity Persistence on Rock Masses Using 3D Point Clouds

Finding new ways to quantify discontinuity persistence values in rock masses in an automatic or semi-automatic manner is a considerable challenge, as an alternative to the use of traditional methods based on measuring patches or traces with tapes. Remote sensing techniques potentially provide new ways of analysing visible data from the rock mass. This work presents a methodology for the automatic mapping of discontinuity persistence on rock masses, using 3D point clouds. The method proposed herein starts by clustering points that belong to patches of a given discontinuity. Coplanar clusters are then merged into a single group of points. Persistence is measured in the directions of the dip and strike for each coplanar set of points, resulting in the extraction of the length of the maximum chord and the area of the convex hull. The proposed approach is implemented in a graphic interface with open source software. Three case studies are utilized to illustrate the methodology: (1) small-scale laboratory setup consisting of a regular distribution of cubes with similar dimensions, (2) more complex geometry consisting of a real rock mass surface in an excavated cavern and (3) slope with persistent sub-vertical discontinuities. Results presented good agreement with field measurements, validating the methodology. Complexities and difficulties related to the method (e.g. natural discontinuity waviness) are reported and discussed. An assessment on the applicability of the method to the 3D point cloud is also presented. Utilization of remote sensing data for a more objective characterization of the persistence of planar discontinuities affecting rock masses is highlighted herein

Modeling and control of nonlinear systems using an Adaptive LAMDA approach

This paper presents a soft computing technique for modeling and control of nonlinear systems using the online learning criteria. In order to obtain an accurate modeling, and therefore a controller with good performance, a method based on the fundamentals of the artificial intelligence algorithm, called LAMDA (Learning Algorithm for Multivariate Data Analysis), is proposed, with a modification of its structure and learning method that allows the creation of an adaptive approach. The novelty of this proposal is that for the first time LAMDA is used for fuzzy modeling and control of complex systems, which is a great advantage if the mathematical model is not available, partially known, or variable. The adaptive LAMDA consists of a training stage to establish initial parameters for the controller, and the application stage in which the control strategy is computed and updated using an online learning that evaluates the closed-loop system. We validate the method in several control tasks: (1) Regulation of mixing tank with variable dead-time (slow variable dynamics), (2) Regulation of a Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) system (multivariable slow nonlinear dynamics), and (3) trajectory tracking of a mobile robot (multivariable fast nonlinear dynamics). The results of these experiments are analyzed and compared with other soft computing control techniques, demonstrating that the proposed method is able to perform an accurate control through the proposed learning technique. © 2020 Elsevier B.V

Effectiveness of Thai Chi in improving balance among patients with chronic stroke

In this pre-experimental study, 27 respondents were selected based on a set inclusion criteria. Out of the 27 participants, 18 agreed to join the study and two (2) respondents dropped out. Baseline and post-test measurements were assessed using the Berg Balance Scale. The intervention used was eight (8) sessions of Tai Chi guided by a video prescribed by a Tai Chi instructor to improve balance. Dependent t-test showed that the balance of the patients with chronic stroke significantly improved after the Tai Chi program except for the three (3) respondents who skipped treatment

Entwicklung von Verfahren und Ausruestung fuer die Produktion von Halbleiterbauelementen mit Elektronenstrahllithografie bis zum Sub-0,25#mu#m Niveau

Available from TIB Hannover: F00B63+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEBundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung (BMBF), Bonn (Germany)DEGerman