Damage analysis of masonry structures subjected to rockfalls

Masonry structures present substantial vulnerability to rockfalls. The methodologies for the damage quantification of masonry structures subjected to rockfalls are scarce. An analytical procedure for the damage assessment of masonry structures is presented. The procedure comprises three stages: (1) determination of the rockfall impact actions which are applied to a masonry structure, in terms of external forces, using the particle finite element method (PFEM), (2) evaluation of the mechanical properties, modelling of the masonry structure, and calculation of the internal stresses, using the finite element method (FEM), (3) assessment of the damage due to the rockfall actions, applying a failure criterion adapted to masonries, and calculation of the damage in terms of the percentage of the damaged wall surface. Three real rockfall events and their impact on buildings are analysed. A sensitivity analysis of the proposed procedure is then used to identify the variables that mostly affect the extent of the wall damage, which are the masonry width, the tensile strength, the block diameter and lastly, velocity

Digital Transformation and Omnichannel Retail Banking

Twenty-five years ago, Bill Gates made a statement that created domino reactions and sparked a series of debates. He predicted that in the future Banking would continue to exist, but not the Banks ("Banking is essential. Banks are not.") A modest reading of this statement could lead to the fact that it already seems that it is not far enough from reality, considering that banking services are very largely digitised. However, the Bank's role remains irreplaceable. Therefore, as a structure, it may become impossible to disappear, but certainly traditional banks need to be radically reshaped in order to survive in the modern value creation environment. The purpose of this study is to present the current state in the field of multi-channel banking following an omni-channel perspective. We emphasize the importance of digital transformation of traditional Banks in order to survive in the contemporary retail banking environment

Masonry compressive strength prediction using artificial neural networks

The masonry is not only included among the oldest building materials, but it is also the most widely used material due to its simple construction and low cost compared to the other modern building materials. Nevertheless, there is not yet a robust quantitative method, available in the literature, which can reliably predict its strength, based on the geometrical and mechanical characteristics of its components. This limitation is due to the highly nonlinear relation between the compressive strength of masonry and the geometrical and mechanical properties of the components of the masonry. In this paper, the application of artificial neural networks for predicting the compressive strength of masonry has been investigated. Specifically, back-propagation neural network models have been used for predicting the compressive strength of masonry prism based on experimental data available in the literature. The comparison of the derived results with the experimental findings demonstrates the ability of artificial neural networks to approximate the compressive strength of masonry walls in a reliable and robust manner.- (undefined

Development of STEM Educational Application with Easy Java Simulation in Mining & Metallurgical Engineering—Case Study on Mineral Processing

Although there is a widely expressed need for the adoption of new didactic approaches that promote the active participation of learners, especially in tertiary-level education, research endeavors in this topic are limited. Seeking to contribute to the limited research activity on the application of innovative educational applications in university education, an EJS educational application for ‘university level’ engineering studies was developed and incorporated in a problem-based learning activity during the teaching of a “particle size-reduction process of ores” topic. Analysis of the research results revealed that the adoption of a STEM educational approach contributed directly to the students’ performance, reaffirming the significant prospects arising with the use of modern educational approaches, as well as with the use of innovative educational tools, at tertiary-level education

From Mineral Processing to Recycling: The Case of End-of-Life Printed Circuit Boards’ Physical Processing

The treatment of end-of-life printed circuit boards (EoL PCBs) presents a contemporary recycling challenge with significant environmental, economic and social dimensions. This reality has attracted interest in the development of sustainable treatment processes, founded on mineral processing and metallurgical processes. The present paper reviews the applications of mineral processes in the treatment of end-of-life printed circuit boards (magnetic, electromagnetic, gravity and flotation processes), highlighting their strengths, weaknesses and limitations in the processing of EoL PCBs