Steel temperature calculations in performance based design, Advanced techniques for thermal response calculations with FE-analysis

By using advanced FEA techniques, the predicted temperature in steel elements can be reduced significantly (see paper by Ulf Wickström). By in addition assuming a performance based fire exposure obtained with numerical fire models such as Fire Dynamics Simulator, FDS, the steel temperatures can be even further reduced.Most calculation methods assume the fire exposure of the steel sections to be uniform. By using section factors A/V, i.e. the circumference over the area, and the most onerous of the fire exposing temperatures from computer fluid dynamics, CFD, calculations, the temperatures is over-estimated which leads to very conservative and costly solutions.By considering the cooling effect of concrete structures and shadow effects, the temperatures can be reduced in the steel. By combining differentiated fire exposing temperatures from CFD calculations with consideration to shadow effects and the cooling of concrete, the temperature in the steel beam can be reduced even further

Quantity does matter as citation impact increases with productivity

Many scholars are encouraged to focus on the quality not the quantity of their publications, the rationale being that becoming too focused on productivity risks reducing the quality of one's work. But is this, in fact, the case? Peter van den Besselaar and Ulf Sandström have studied a large sample of researchers and found that, while results vary by field, there is a positive and stronger than linear relationship between productivity and quality (in terms of the top cited papers). This same pattern appears to apply to institutions as well as individual researchers

Biologisk mångfald i miljökonsekvensbeskrivningar och strategiska miljöbedömningar

Det nationella ansvaret för Sveriges åtaganden inom ramen för konventionen om biologisk mångfald (CBD) är knutet till Miljödepartementet. Eftersom CBD medför en lång rad åtaganden finns behov av att fördela ansvaret. Regeringskansliet har, tillsammans med ett antal berörda myndigheter och institutioner, etablerat ett system med tematiska fokalpunkter. Syftet är att stärka och underlätta det fortsatta genomförandet av de åtaganden som Sverige gjort inom ramen för CBD. MKB-centrum har fått uppdraget att vara tematisk fokalpunkt för biologisk mångfald i MKB och andra miljöbedömningar. För MKB-centrum innebär det att driva, samordna och följa upp Sveriges åtaganden enligt artikel 14 – konsekvensbedömning och minimering av skadliga effekter – i CBD. Som ett led i MKB-centrums uppdrag har dessa frivilliga riktlinjer om konsekvensbedömning innefattande biologisk mångfald översatts från engelska till svenska. Originalet, Biodiversity in EIA and SEA. Background Document to CBD Decision VIII/28: Voluntary Guidelines on Biodiversity-Inclusive Impact Assessment, har sammanställts och utgivits av Commission for Environmental Assessment i Nederländerna. Med denna översättning är vår förhoppning att dessa riktlinjer blir ett bra stöd för att beakta den biologiska mångfalden i miljökonsekvensbeskrivningar och andra miljöbedömningar för projekt, policys, planer och program. Riktlinjerna bidrar också till att uppfylla vårt 16: e miljökvalitetsmål Ett rikt växt- och djurliv och 2010-målet, det vill säga att till år 2010 signifikant stoppa den dramatiska förlusten av biologisk mångfald

“Advice and Consent” in Historical Perspective

In recent years, commentators have complained about what they regard as an increasingly dysfunctional confirmation process for judges and high-ranking executive officials, and the proper role for the Senate in the confirmation process has been much debated. This Article suggests that confirmations have been contentious throughout American history, and that the focus on ideological issues in today’s confirmation proceedings is not anomalous. Indeed, historically, both Republicans and Democrats have used the confirmation process to delay or oppose nominations when the President hails from a different political party, and, sometimes, even when the President comes from the same party but there are ideological objections to the nominee. That the appointments process has, at times, been difficult and contentious should come as no great surprise. The Framers of the United States Constitution intentionally created a governmental structure that was more prone to obstructionism than other comparable systems. Relying on concepts like “separation of powers,” and “checks and balances,” the Framers sought to constrain the federal government in ways that would limit the possibilities for governmental abuse. The appointments power reflects this approach. Like many other constitutional powers, it is a shared power. Although the President has the power to nominate Article III judges, as well as ambassadors and “officers,” nominees can only be confirmed with the “advice and consent” of the Senate. By placing the power to appoint in two politically elected entities, the Constitution establishes a system whereby political influences will sometimes have a major impact on the confirmation process. Although contentiousness can arise during any type of nomination, some Supreme Court nominations have been particularly bitter. Both the Senate and the American public have increasingly become aware that the courts make law and that the political and judicial attitudes of nominees matter. Under such circumstances, the Senate’s inquiry quite naturally goes beyond the simple question of whether a nominee is qualified or unqualified. However, the confirmation process is more difficult today, even for nonjudicial nominees, because of the bitter partisanship that has infected the U.S. political system

Reducing design steel temperature by accurate temperature calculation

In this paper an un-insulated I-beam (HE400B) supporting a concrete slab was analyzed.  The steel temperature was calculated with the simplest approach according to EC 3 and compared to temperatures calculated considering the cooling by the concrete.  In addition the so called shadow effect was considered.  The I-beam is then assumed not fully exposed to the incident radiation from the fire as the surfaces between the flanges will be partly shadowed.  Temperatures of the I-beam after a fire exposure of 30 minutes was calculated and discussed.   The calculations were performed with the finite element code Tasef(Sterner et al, 1990).  The mean temperatures of the beam flanges were reduced by more than 200 °C (from 827 °C to 609 °C) when the cooling at the top of the beam and shadow effects were considered.  The structure was supposed to be exposed to the standard time-temperature conditions according to EN1363-1 or ISO 834

A vicious circle of gender bias has meant differences between men's and women's scholarly productivity have not changed since the 1960s

Gender differences in scholarly productivity have proved a persistent problem. But to what extent is the situation improving for younger generations of female academics? Ulf Sandström and Peter van den Besselaar report on research showing that overall productivity for female researchers is about two thirds of male productivity, a ratio that had actually already been established by the end of the 1960s and has remained stable ever since. Gender influences female researchers’ academic rank, role in research teams and networks, and likelihood of being awarded funding. This then has a negative effect on their productivity, which in turn reinforces their lower status and position. This vicious circle means career differences will not simply diminish over time

Linguistic analysis reveals the hidden details of research grant proposal peer review reports

Despite peer review panels being the most common way of selecting applicants for research funding, little is known about how selections are made. New methods for large-scale text analysis allow for review panels' written reports to be analysed and studied for patterns. Peter van den Besselaar and Ulf Sandström show how the frequency of positive and negative evaluation words correlate with applicants’ final scores, and also reveal how panels’ apparent conservatism means that the potentially groundbreaking, high-risk/high-gain research is unlikely to advance through the process and be selected for funding

SNX10 gene mutation leading to osteopetrosis with dysfunctional osteoclasts

Acknowledgements We sincerely thank the patients and family members who participated in this study. We would also like to thank Stefan Esher, Umeå University, for help with genealogy, and Anna Westerlund for excellent technical assistance. This work was supported by grants from the FOU, at the Umeå university hospital, and the Medical Faculty at Umeå University. The work at University of Gothenburg was supported by grants from The Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Rheumatism Association, the Royal 80-Year Fund of King Gustav V, ALF/LUA research grant from Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg and the Lundberg Foundation. The work at the University of Gothenburg and the University of Aberdeen was supported by Euroclast, a Marie Curie FP7-People-2013-ITN: # 607446.Peer reviewedPublisher PD