Peak structural response to nonstationary random excitations

Study establishes distribution function of peak response values, based on frequency interpretation. Excitations considered include impact loading on landing gears and aircraft gust loading. Because of relative severity of excitations, prediction of fatigue and maximum response characteristics is important part of task of structural analysis and design

On the bound of first excursion probability

Boundary values for first excursion probability as related to reliability and safe performance of mechanical and structural system

A note on the first passage time problem

Kolmogoroff backward equation for analyzing first passage time problem for linear single degree of freedom vibratory system with linear viscous dampin

Two particles on a star graph II

We consider a two particle system on a star graph with delta-function interaction. A complete description of the eigensolutions with real momenta is given; specifically it is shown that all eigensolutions can be written as integrals in the momentum plane of sums of products of appropriate one particle solutions.Comment: typos corrected, minor changes, journal ref adde

Optimum structural design based on reliability and proof-load testing

Proof-load test eliminates structures with strength less than the proof load and improves the reliability value in analysis. It truncates the distribution function of strength at the proof load, thereby alleviating verification of a fitted distribution function at the lower tail portion where data are usually nonexistent

The nonperturbative closed string tachyon vacuum to high level

We compute the action of closed bosonic string field theory at quartic order with fields up to level ten. After level four, the value of the potential at the minimum starts oscillating around a nonzero negative value, in contrast with the proposition made in [5]. We try a different truncation scheme in which the value of the potential converges faster with the level. By extrapolating these values, we are able to give a rather precise value for the depth of the potential.Comment: 24 pages. v2: typos corrected, clarified extrapolation in scheme B, and added extrapolated tachyon and dilaton vev's at the end of Section

Resonant versus anti-resonant tunneling at carbon nanotube A-B-A heterostructures

Narrow antiresonances going to zero transmission are found to occur for general (2n,0)(n,n)(2n,0) carbon nanotube heterostructures, whereas the complementary configuration, (n,n)(2n,0)(n,n), displays simple resonant tunneling behaviour. We compute examples for different cases, and give a simple explanation for the appearance of antiresonances in one case but not in the other. Conditions and ranges for the occurence of these different behaviors are stated. The phenomenon of anti-resonant tunneling, which has passed unnoticed in previous studies of nanotube heterostructures, adds up to the rich set of behaviors available to nanotube based quantum effect devices.Comment: Published in phys. stat. sol. (b); 6 pages, 4 figure

Investigation of Shallow Sedimentary Structure of the Anchorage Basin, Alaska, Using Simulated Annealing Inversion of Site Response

This study deals with shallow sedimentary structure of the Anchorage basin in Alaska. For this purpose, inversion of site response [SR(f)] data in the frequency range 0.5-11.0 Hz from various sites of the basin has been performed using the simulated annealing method to compute subsurface layer thickness, shear-wave velocity (beta), density, and shear-wave quality factor. The one-dimensional (1D) models for the aforementioned parameters were obtained with preset bounds on the basis of available geological information such that the L-2 norm error between the observed and computed site response attained a global minimum. Next, the spatial distribution of the important parameter beta was obtained by interpolating values yielded by the 1D models. The results indicate the presence of three distinct velocity zones as the source of spatial variation of SR(f) in the Anchorage basin. In the uppermost part of the basin, the beta values of fine-grain Quaternary sediments mainly lie in the range of 180-500 m/sec with thickness varying from 15 to 50 m. This formation overlies relatively thick (80-200 m) coarse-grain Quaternary sediments with beta values in the range of 600-900 m/sec. These two Quaternary units are, in turn, overlain on Tertiary sediments with beta > 1000 m/sec located at depths of 100 and 250 m, respectively, in the central and western side along the Knik Arm parts of the basin. The important implication of the result is that the sources of spatial variation of SR(f) in the Anchorage basin for the frequency band 0.5-11 Hz, besides in the uppermost 30 m, are found to be deeper than this depth. Thus, use of commonly considered geological formations in the depth intervals from 0 to 30 m for the ground-motion interpretation will likely yield erroneous results in the Anchorage basin.GIEnvironment and Natural Resources InstituteSchool of Engineering of the University of Alaska, AnchorageGeological Science