A statistical study of the static and fatigue properties of high strength prestressing strand

In this study, an investigation has been made of the static and fatigue properties of 1/2-in. 270 ksi 7-wire prestressing strand. The specific properties investigated were the stress-strain relationship up to ultimate load, fatigue life under laboratory conditions, and the effect of low temperature on the fatigue life

Design, history and results of the Thiazolidinedione Intervention with vitamin D Evaluation (TIDE) randomised controlled trial.

AIMS/OBJECTIVE: Conflicting data regarding cardiovascular effects of thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and extra-skeletal effects of vitamin D supported the need for a definitive trial. The Thiazolidinedione Intervention with vitamin D Evaluation (TIDE) trial aimed to assess the effects of TZDs (rosiglitazone and pioglitazone) on cardiovascular outcomes and the effects of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) on cancers and mortality. METHODS: A large multicentre 3 × 2 factorial double-blind placebo-controlled randomised trial recruited from outpatient primary care and specialty clinics in 33 countries. From June 2009 to July 2010, 1,332 people with type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors aged ≥ 50 years whose HbA(1c) was 6.5-9.5% (48-80 mmol/mol) when using two or fewer glucose-lowering drugs were randomised by a central computer system to placebo (n = 541), rosiglitazone 4-8 mg/day (n = 399) or pioglitazone 30-45 mg/day (n = 392); 1,221 participants were randomised to placebo (n = 614) or vitamin D 1,000 IU/day (n = 607). Participants and all study personnel were blind to treatment allocation. The primary outcome for the TZD arm was the composite of myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular death, and for the vitamin D arm it was cancer or all-cause death. All randomised participants were included in the primary analysis. RESULTS: From the study design, 16,000 people were to be followed for approximately 5.5 years. However, the trial was stopped prematurely because of regulatory concerns after a mean of 162 days without consideration of the accrued data. In the TZD arm, the cardiovascular outcome occurred in five participants (0.9%) in the placebo groups and three participants (0.4%) in the TZD groups (two allocated to pioglitazone, one to rosiglitazone). In the vitamin D arm, the primary outcome occurred in three participants (0.5%) in the placebo group and in two participants (0.3%) receiving vitamin D. Adverse events were comparable in all groups. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Uncertainty persists regarding the clinically relevant risks and benefits of TZDs and vitamin D because of the early cancellation of this comprehensive trial

A case study on the structural assessment of fire damaged building

© Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd. This paper presents a case study on the structural assessment of building damaged by fire and discussed on the site investigations and test results prior to determine the existing condition of the building. The building was on fire for about one hour before it was extinguished. In order to ascertain the integrity of the building, a visual inspection was conducted for all elements (truss, beam, column and wall), followed by non-destructive, load and material tests. The load test was conducted to determine the ability of truss to resist service load, while the material test to determine the residual strength of the material. At the end of the investigation, a structural analysis was carried out to determine the new factor of safety by considering the residual strength. The highlighted was on the truss element due to steel behaviour that is hardly been predicted. Meanwhile, reinforced concrete elements (beam, column and wall) were found externally affected and caused its strength to be considered as sufficient for further used of building. The new factor of safety is equal to 2, considered as the minimum calculated value for the truss member. Therefore, this fire damaged building was found safe and can be used for further application

Hochauflösende Magnetfeld-Positionssensoren

Magnetische Maßstäbe in Verbindung mit Magnetfeldsensoren sind Stand der Technik in der Positionssensorik. In dem Verbundprojekt AQUILA wird diese Technologie weiterentwickelt mit dem Ziel, eine höhere Auflösung zu erreichen. Diese soll unter 100 nm liegen. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, werden neue Konzepte für Maßstäbe und die passenden dazugehörigen magnetoresistive Sensoren erforscht. Die Energieautarkie des Sensorsystems soll durch einen neuartigen Multi-Energy-Harvester sichergestellt werden. Die neuen Komponenten werden im Rahmen des Projektes an Demonstratoren in zwei industriellen Anwendungen getestet, einmal in der Positionierung von Mikroskoptischen sowie in Präzisionswerkzeugen mit verstellbaren Durchmesser