A Comparative Study on Seismic Analysis Methods and the Response of Systems with Classical and Nonclassical Damping

This thesis investigated the application of seismic analysis methods and the response of idealized shear frames subjected to seismic loading. To complete this research, a Design Basis Earthquake (DBE) for a project site in San Luis Obispo, CA, and five past earthquake records were considered. The DBE was produced per the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-10) and used for application of the Equivalent Lateral Force Procedure (ELFP) and Response Spectrum Analysis (RSA). When applying RSA, the modal peak responses were combined using the Absolute Sum (ABS), Square-Root-of-the-Sum-of-Squares (SRSS), and Complete Quadratic Combination (CQC) method. MATLAB scripts were developed to produce several displacement, velocity, and acceleration spectrums for each earthquake. Moreover, MATLAB scripts were written to yield both analytical and numerical solutions for each system through application of Linear Time History Analysis (THA). To obtain analytical solutions, two implicit forms of the Newmark-beta Method were employed: the Average Acceleration Method and the Linear Acceleration Method. To generate a comparison, the ELFP, RSA, and THA methods were applied to shear frames up to ten stories in height. The system parameters that impacted the accuracy of each method and the response of the systems were analyzed, including the effects of classical damping and nonclassical damping models. In addition to varying levels of Rayleigh damping, non-linear hysteric friction spring dampers (FSDs) were implemented into the systems. The design of the FSDs was based on target stiffness values, which were defined as portions of the system’s lateral stiffness. To perform the required Nonlinear Time History Analysis (NTHA), a SAP2000 model was developed. The efficiencies of the FSDs at each target stiffness, with and without the addition of low levels of viscous modal damping are analyzed. It was concluded that the ELFP should be supplemented by RSA when performing seismic response analysis. Regardless of system parameters, the ELFP yielded system responses 30% to 50% higher than RSA when combing responses with the SRSS or CQC method. When applying RSA, the ABS method produced inconsistent and inaccurate results, whereas the SRSS and CQC results were similar for regular, symmetric systems. Generally, the SRSS and CQC results were within 5% of the analytical solution yielded through THA. On the contrary, for irregular structures, the SRSS method significantly underestimated the response, and the CQC method was four to five times more accurate. Additionally, both the Average Acceleration Method and Linear Acceleration Method yielded numerical solutions with errors typically below 1% when compared with the analytical solution. When implemented into the systems, the FSDs proved to be most efficient when designed to have stiffnesses that were 50% of the lateral stiffness of each story. The addition of 1% modal damping to the FSDs resulted in quicker energy dissipation without significantly reducing the peak response of the system. At a stiffness of 50%, the FSDs reduced the displacement response by 40% to 60% when compared with 5% modal damping. Additionally, the FSDs at low stiffnesses exhibited the effects of negative lateral stiffness due to P-delta effects when the earthquake ground motions were too weak to induce sliding in the ring assemblies

An analysis of marine protected areas legislation in the Caribbean Lesser Antilles

Historically, marine resources and ecosystems were believed to be limitless and exploitation of those resources occurred with little regard to future consequences. Recent studies suggests that this belief is misplaced, as research indicates that many of these marine resources face extinction if protective measures are not implemented soon. Marine protected areas, or MPAs have garnered increasing attention as a means to effectively protect and conserve marine resources. Establishment and management of marine protected areas typically require implementing legislation in order to provide a legal basis for enforcement of MPA rules and regulations. The intent of this research was to determine the link between MPA legislation and effective conservation of marine resources, using coral reef protection in the Caribbean as a case study. The first goal of this research was to determine which elements need to be included within MPA legislation, as determined by protected areas legislative experts and managers. The second phase of the thesis was to compare those guidelines against the legislation of three separate island groups within the Caribbean Lesser Antilles - Antigua and Barbuda, the Netherlands Antilles, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The results of the legislative analysis were then compared to the actual state of coral reefs controlled by the reviewed countries to establish whether effective MPA legislation results in better protection of coral reefs. The analysis revealed that effective legislation alone is not sufficient, nor determinative, of coral reef viability. However, the research does offer suggestions as to those components of the legislation that are deemed most crucial, such as self-financing, coverage area, and legislative authorization to control activities outside of MPA boundaries

Evaluation of Fall Risk, Functional Mobility, and Quality of Life Changes of Community-Dwelling Older Adults with Parkinson\u27s Disease Participating in a Community Exercise Program: Part II

Purpose/Hypothesis: As a person ages, the risk of a fall increases. Parkinson Disease (PD) is most commonly seen in the elderly population, which presents with symptoms such as bradykinesia, decreased balance, tremors, postural instability, and muscle weakness. These symptoms are associated with an increase in falls; therefore, a person with PD is more susceptible to falls than the average elderly individual. Exercise has been shown to combat those symptoms affecting people with PD. This study is an extension of a previous study, which examined the effect of a community based exercise program, for people with PD, on quality of life and decreasing fall risk. Methods: Eight subjects, six females and two males, ranging from 55-77 years old, participated biweekly in a community exercise program that incorporated challenging exercises focused on transitional, big, and rotational movements while also including cognitive and verbal demands. Pre-testing was completed followed by a posttest administered three months later and again twelve months later. Outcome measures tested included gait speed, 30 second sit-to-stand, timed up and go (TUG), cognitive timed up and go (CTUG), and the quality of life questionnaire, the PDQ-8. Pre and posttest scores were compared to evaluate if statistically significant change was present or if trends were detected. Results: No significant positive difference was found in TUG, CTUG, 30 second sit to stand, gait speed, or the POQ-8 in the majority of the individuals with PD participating in the group exercise program. Although the results were not consistent with the previous year\u27s data or current research on the effects of exercise on PD symptoms, all the participating individuals agreed the group exercise program should be continued and expanded. Conclusions: The findings are not consistent with current literature, but the positive findings in this study were the psychological and psychosocial aspects of being active with a group of people who have a similar outlook on life

The axiological phenomenon of re-staging of the "Lansdhut Wedding 1475" as an intangible cultural heritage

Das im Jahre 2003 verabschiedete und 2006 in Kraft getretene UNESCO-Übereinkommen zur Bewahrung des immateriellen Kulturerbes erweitert das Kulturverständnis von gebautem Kulturerbe gemäß der Konvention aus dem Jahre 1972 durch gelebtes Kulturerbe. Die Dissertation zeigt beispielhaft, wie sich Bürger einer Stadt und einer Region mit ihrer historischen Vergangenheit befassen und dass es lohnenswert ist, sich mit ihrem ererbten immateriellen Kulturerbe auseinander zu setzen. Sie bezeugt, dass eine moderne populäre Kultur die Pflege des immateriellen Kulturerbes voranbringt, dass personalisierte und vergesellschaftete Individuen die Sorge um den drohenden Kulturverlust ernst nehmen und diesem aktiv, eigenständig und unpolitisch entgegen treten. Ausgehend von der wertphilosophischen und kulturtheoretischen Annäherung werden im zweiten und dritten Kapitel beispielhaft die Ur-Inszenierung im Jahre 1475 und die Re-Inszenierung im 21. Jahrhundert gegenübergestellt. Die Ergebnisse aus der Untersuchung werden im vierten Kapitel diskutiert. An Hand der Promotionsschrift wird versucht, Antworten auf folgende Fragen zu finden: - Hat die Re-Inszenierung der „Landshuter Fürstenhochzeit 1475“ des 21. Jahrhunderts das Potential eines immateriellen Kulturerbes? - Kann sie den negativen Begleiterscheinungen des Generations- wechsels und der Globalisierung entgegentreten? - Ist sie eine zeitgenössische Transformationsmethode von (Denkmal)Werten? - Was sind die Schutzkomponenten? - Trägt die Re-Inszenierung zu der kulturellen Identität einer Stadt an authentischem Ort bei und hat sie Einfluss auf die Gestaltung der baulich-räumlichen Umwelt?In 2003 the UNESCO adopted Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which expands the understanding of the built heritage (Convention of 1972) by practicing cultural heritage The dissertation shows an example of how to deal with citizens of a city and a region of its historic past and that it is worthwhile to deal with their inherited intangible cultural heritage. She testified that a modern popular culture advances the care of the intangible cultural heritage that personalized and socialized individuals concerns about the impending loss of culture seriously, and this active, independent and apolitical counter. Based on the value-philosophical and cultural theoretical approach the second and third chapters exemplify the original staging in 1475 and the re-enactment in the 21 Century faced. The results from the study are discussed in chapter four. The doctoral thesis will attempt to find answers to the following questions: Has the re-enactment of the Royal Wedding in Landshut in 1475 of the 21 Century, the potential of an intangible cultural heritage? Is it a contemporary transformation method of monument values? Contributes to the re-enactment of the cultural identity of a city in place of authentic and has she influence over the design of structural and physical environment

Is this Ship Covered?: The Intersection of Law, Geography, and Management of Sunken Military Craft

The legal framework protecting historic shipwrecks and other underwater cultural heritage in the United States is largely fragmented and not always effective. Factors that may influence the legal protection afforded a shipwreck can include the type of ship, the location of the ship, the history and age of the ship, and the ship's country of origin. Management of historic shipwrecks may be spread across both federal and state agencies and without formal protocols that establish leadership. Many of these shipwrecks are also foreign in origin and protection for those resources is frequently determined by what some consider outdated and inapposite rules of law. Fortunately, the need to protect and properly manage historic shipwrecks has received increased recognition in legislative bodies and in the courts. One of the stronger pieces of federal legislation protecting shipwrecks is the Sunken Military Craft Act, which covers sunken military ships and aircraft around the globe. Under the act, warships, naval auxiliaries, and vessels owned and operated by a government on military noncommercial service at the time of sinking are protected from unauthorized disturbance. Considering the protective benefits afforded those sunken military craft covered by the act, the research presented here was designed to assess what types of vessels fall under the definition of protected vessels. To that end, the author consulted caselaw, applicable legislation, legal authorities, and the historical record as it applied to two types of vessels--Liberty ships operating during World War II and the privateers active during the Revolutionary war and War of 1812. The evaluation concluded that the two vessel types may be covered under the act depending on the particular voyage or activity in which the vessel was engaged at the time of sinking. The research and analysis presented is also intended to inform future evaluations of ambiguous classes of vessels to determine if they meet the statutory definition of included vessels. Many historic shipwrecks face continual threats from human factors, such as commercial fishing, recreational diving, commercial salvage, and offshore energy infrastructure. The application of federal and state legislation designed to protect historic shipwrecks from these and other hazards will often depend on the particular location of the resource. To assess the risks faced from anthropogenic hazards, the author created a risk model that incorporated the threats and protections confronted by shipwrecks in federal and state waters off the coast of North Carolina. The assessment involved production of a GIS through which each shipwreck included in the analysis would be assigned a value, which was output to a Shipwreck Vulnerability Index. Particular attention was paid to foreign shipwrecks, and the analysis presented herein includes discussion of the management issues facing foreign sunken military craft located in US waters

Phase I Cultural Resource Survey Of The Texstar Epic NGL Phase 2-Ramsey Terminal To Benedum Plant- Pipeline Project, Texas General Land Office Properties And Three Upland Sites, Reeves And Upton Counties, Texas

From January 8 through January 15, 2018, SEARCH completed a Phase I cultural resource survey of Texas General Land Office (GLO) properties in Reeves County, as part of the proposed Epic NGL Phase 2 Pipeline Project (Project). The Project is a joint venture between affiliates of TexStar Midstream Logistics, Ironwood Midstream Energy Partners, and Castleton Commodities International. Phase 2 of the Project consists of the installation of approximately 286.8 kilometers (178.2 miles) of 12-inch outside diameter (O.D.) pipeline that will be used to transport natural gas liquids from the Ramsey Terminal in Reeves County, Texas, to the Benedum Plant in Upton County, Texas. The work was conducted for Flatrock Engineering and Environmental, LLC (Flatrock), environmental contractor to TexStar, and this document reports the survey results of sections of the Project Area of Potential Effect (APE) traversing lands owned by the Texas GLO in Reeves County, Texas, to satisfy the requirements of the Antiquities Code of Texas under Texas Antiquities Permit #8268. As a matter of due diligence, three previously recorded upland archaeological sites (41RV30, 41RV40, and 41UT127) with an “undetermined” National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility also were surveyed within the APE in Reeves and Upton Counties. The proposed pipeline route crosses four Texas GLO properties (SEARCH Survey Areas STL001- STL004). Area STL001 is located in northwestern Reeves County near the start of the Phase 2 pipeline route, approximately 3.65 kilometers (2.27 miles) west of State Highway 285 and 0.52 kilometers (0.32 miles) south of the Ramsey Terminal, the Ford Geraldine Oil Field, and China Draw. The city of Orla, Texas, is roughly 13.85 kilometers (8.6 miles) to the south of Area STL001. Area STL002 is located 34.52 kilometers (21.45 miles) to the south of Area STL001 and 22.14 kilometers (13.76 miles) south of Orla. It is roughly 1.83 kilometers (1.14 miles) west of State Highway 232 and is situated between Narrow Bow and WT Draws. Areas STL003 and STL004 are adjacent to each other. STL003 is 1.59 kilometers (0.99 miles) south of STL002. WT and John D Draws cross portions of Areas STL003 and STL004, and State Highway 232 parallels much of the proposed pipeline route on Area STL004. The Project APE is 61.0 meters (200 feet) wide, and the pipeline trench is anticipated to be no more than 1.5 to 1.8 meters (5 to 6 feet) deep. On Texas GLO lands, the combined length of the APE in Areas STL001-STL004 is 2.98 kilometers (1.85 miles) in length and 23.4 hectares (57.7 acres) in size. The upland archaeological sites APE totals 5.1 hectares (12.6 acres) and measures 843.2 meters (2,766.4 feet) in length. Staging areas, pipe yards, access roads, and other ancillary facilities eventually will be sited along the Project corridor, but their locations have yet to be determined. SEARCH performed a Phase I survey to identify and evaluate cultural resources that may be adversely affected within the proposed Project APE, using intensive pedestrian survey and shovel test excavation, as outlined in the Texas Historical Commission’s (THC) Archaeological Survey Standards for Texas and Archeology and Historic Preservation and Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas. Pedestrian survey was conducted along four transects spaced 15 meters (49 feet) apart across the width of the APE where surface visibility was greater than 30 percent. Twenty-two shovel tests were excavated along the Project APE centerline on Texas GLO properties, and 28 shovel tests were excavated at the upland archaeological sites. Shovel test profiles varied only slightly across the Project areas and generally corresponded to data mapped by the US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) for Reeves and Upton Counties. Based on USDA Soil Survey data, topography, elevation, vegetation, and the results of shovel test excavation, much of the surveyed portion of Project APE on Texas GLO lands can be distinguished by welldrained, level, open mesquite-grass scrubland. Shovel testing in the Project APE generally revealed two strata; on average, shovel test excavation was terminated at 65 centimeters (26 inches) below surface. Caliche was encountered in all 50 shovel tests, and no cultural material was identified during shovel test excavation. Three newly identified archaeological sites, 41RV131, 41RV132, and 41RV133, characterized as low- to medium-density prehistoric lithic surface scatters, were recorded and surveyed within the Project APE on Texas GLO property. The length of the Project centerline across the newly recorded sites totals 901.4 meters (2,957.2 feet) or 4.99 hectares (12.35 acres). No temporally diagnostic artifacts were recovered from the three sites, and no artifacts were recovered during shovel test excavation at these three sites. Upland site 41RV30, a low-density, late nineteenth- to twentieth-century surface scatter associated with Old X Ranch, has been impacted by pipeline construction within the APE. Site 41RV40, a small, burned caliche feature, was not relocated, and this feature likely has been destroyed by pipeline construction and road maintenance. Site 41UT127 served as a practice bombing range during World War II, and while several practice targets are visible on recent aerial photographs, none of the targets are located within the Project APE. No artifacts were identified during pedestrian survey at sites 41RV40 and 41UT127, and no artifacts were recovered during shovel test excavation at the three upland sites. It is SEARCH’s opinion that the proposed Project will result in NO ADVERSE EFFECT to the portions of these six sites located within the Project APE, and these sites are not eligible for inclusion in the NRHP. No further work is recommended at these sites or within other portions of the Project APE located on Texas GLO lands

Assessing focus through ear-EEG: a comparative study between conventional cap EEG and mobile in- and around-the-ear EEG systems

IntroductionAs our attention is becoming a commodity that an ever-increasing number of applications are competing for, investing in modern day tools and devices that can detect our mental states and protect them from outside interruptions holds great value. Mental fatigue and distractions are impacting our ability to focus and can cause workplace injuries. Electroencephalography (EEG) may reflect concentration, and if EEG equipment became wearable and inconspicuous, innovative brain-computer interfaces (BCI) could be developed to monitor mental load in daily life situations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of EEG recorded inside and around the human ear to determine levels of attention and focus.MethodsIn this study, mobile and wireless ear-EEG were concurrently recorded with conventional EEG (cap) systems to collect data during tasks related to focus: an N-back task to assess working memory and a mental arithmetic task to assess cognitive workload. The power spectral density (PSD) of the EEG signal was analyzed to isolate consistent differences between mental load conditions and classify epochs using step-wise linear discriminant analysis (swLDA).Results and discussionResults revealed that spectral features differed statistically between levels of cognitive load for both tasks. Classification algorithms were tested on spectral features from twelve and two selected channels, for the cap and the ear-EEG. A two-channel ear-EEG model evaluated the performance of two dry in-ear electrodes specifically. Single-trial classification for both tasks revealed above chance-level accuracies for all subjects, with mean accuracies of: 96% (cap-EEG) and 95% (ear-EEG) for the twelve-channel models, 76% (cap-EEG) and 74% (in-ear-EEG) for the two-channel model for the N-back task; and 82% (cap-EEG) and 85% (ear-EEG) for the twelve-channel, 70% (cap-EEG) and 69% (in-ear-EEG) for the two-channel model for the arithmetic task. These results suggest that neural oscillations recorded with ear-EEG can be used to reliably differentiate between levels of cognitive workload and working memory, in particular when multi-channel recordings are available, and could, in the near future, be integrated into wearable devices

Expectancy effects in the EEG during joint and spontaneous word-by-word sentence production in German

Our aim in the present study is to measure neural correlates during spontaneous interactive sentence production. We present a novel approach using the word-by-word technique from improvisational theatre, in which two speakers jointly produce one sentence. This paradigm allows the assessment of behavioural aspects, such as turn-times, and electrophysiological responses, such as event-related-potentials (ERPs). Twenty-five participants constructed a cued but spontaneous four-word German sentence together with a confederate, taking turns for each word of the sentence. In 30% of the trials, the confederate uttered an unexpected gender-marked article. To complete the sentence in a meaningful way, the participant had to detect the violation and retrieve and utter a new fitting response. We found significant increases in response times after unexpected words and – despite allowing unscripted language production and naturally varying speech material – successfully detected significant N400 and P600 ERP effects for the unexpected word. The N400 EEG activity further significantly predicted the response time of the subsequent turn. Our results show that combining behavioural and neuroscientific measures of verbal interactions while retaining sufficient experimental control is possible, and that this combination provides promising insights into the mechanisms of spontaneous spoken dialogue

Does Fractional Anisotropy Predict Motor Imagery Neurofeedback Performance in Healthy Older Adults?

Motor imagery neurofeedback training has been proposed as a potential add-on therapy for motor impairment after stroke, but not everyone benefits from it. Previous work has used white matter integrity to predict motor imagery neurofeedback aptitude in healthy young adults. We set out to test this approach with motor imagery neurofeedback that is closer to that used for stroke rehabilitation and in a sample whose age is closer to that of typical stroke patients. Using shrinkage linear discriminant analysis with fractional anisotropy values in 48 white matter regions as predictors, we predicted whether each participant in a sample of 21 healthy older adults (48–77 years old) was a good or a bad performer with 84.8% accuracy. However, the regions used for prediction in our sample differed from those identified previously, and previously suggested regions did not yield significant prediction in our sample. Including demographic and cognitive variables which may correlate with motor imagery neurofeedback performance and white matter structure as candidate predictors revealed an association with age but also led to loss of statistical significance and somewhat poorer prediction accuracy (69.6%). Our results suggest cast doubt on the feasibility of predicting the benefit of motor imagery neurofeedback from fractional anisotropy. At the very least, such predictions should be based on data collected using the same paradigm and with subjects whose characteristics match those of the target case as closely as possible