EVALUATION OF INTELLIGENT COMPACTION CONTROL IN THE M-189 RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT AT IRON RIVER, MICHIGAN

This research evaluated an Intelligent Compaction (IC) unit on the M-189 highway reconstruction project at Iron River, Michigan. The results from the IC unit were compared to several traditional compaction measurement devices including Nuclear Density Gauge (NDG), Geogauge, Light Weight Deflectometer (LWD), Dynamic Cone Penetrometer (DCP), and Modified Clegg Hammer (MCH). The research collected point measurements data on a test section in which 30 test locations on the final Class II sand base layer and the 22A gravel layer. These point measurements were compared with the IC measurements (ICMVs) on a point-to-point basis through a linear regression analysis. Poor correlations were obtained among different measurements points using simple regression analysis. When comparing the ICMV to the compaction measurements points. Factors attributing to the weak correlation include soil heterogeneity, variation in IC roller operation parameters, in-place moisture content, the narrow range of the compaction devices measurement ranges and support conditions of the support layers. After incorporating some of the affecting factors into a multiple regression analysis, the strength of correlation significantly improved, especially on the stiffer gravel layer. Measurements were also studied from an overall distribution perspective in terms of average, measurement range, standard deviation, and coefficient of variance. Based on data analysis, on-site project observation and literature review, conclusions were made on how IC performed in regards to compaction control on the M-189 reconstruction project

Fuzzy Logic and Its Application in Football Team Ranking

Fuzzy set theory and fuzzy logic are a highly suitable and applicable basis for developing knowledge-based systems in physical education for tasks such as the selection for athletes, the evaluation for different training approaches, the team ranking, and the real-time monitoring of sports data. In this paper, we use fuzzy set theory and apply fuzzy clustering analysis in football team ranking. Based on some certain rules, we propose four parameters to calculate fuzzy similar matrix, obtain fuzzy equivalence matrix and the ranking result for our numerical example, T7, T3, T1, T9, T10, T8, T11, T12, T2, T6, T5, T4, and investigate four parameters sensitivity analysis. The study shows that our fuzzy logic method is reliable and stable when the parameters change in certain range

Bifurcation and Chaotic Behavior of a Discrete-Time SIS Model

The discrete-time epidemic model is investigated, which is obtained using the Euler method. It is verified that there exist some dynamical behaviors in this model, such as transcritical bifurcation, flip bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation, and chaos. The numerical simulations, including bifurcation diagrams and computation of Lyapunov exponents, not only show the consistence with the theoretical analysis but also exhibit the rich and complex dynamical behaviors

A Complementary Perspective of Conceptual Blending Theory and Relevance Theory on Metaphor Interpretation

Conceptual blending theory and relevance theory fall under the umbrella of cognitive science. Both of them have contributed to our interpretation of the role of metaphor in cognition and language use. Conceptual blending theory considers metaphor interpretation to be the activation of relevant conceptual structures and places emphasis on how conceptual mechanism works in metaphor interpretation. Relevance theory views metaphor interpretation to be the recovery of an array of weak implicatures and places its major emphasis on the functions of the communicative principle and the relevance principle in metaphor interpretation. This article holds that conceptual blending theory and relevance theory may provide a complementary perspective on metaphor and suggests an integrative hypothesis on metaphor understanding on account of the similarities between and deficiencies of both theories

Beyond the more the merrier: The variety effect and consumer heterogeneity in system markets

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. Research in indirect network effects has simplistically treated complementary product variety as the total number of complementary products (e.g., game titles in video game markets). This assumption of equi-differentiation ignores differences across genres or product categories. Furthermore, since consumers with differential preferences for variety enter the market at different stages, consumer heterogeneity in preference for variety in complementary products may evolve as the market develops. We propose a model that recognizes these previously ignored, but important, demand characteristics, and empirically investigate the effects of breadth and depth of software variety on consumer hardware adoption in the fifth-generation video game market. We find that early adopters seek variety across a wide spectrum of game genres, and that late adopters are interested only in action-oriented games and have no interest in strategy-oriented games unless they are so-called superstars. Our findings imply that effective variety planning should be built along both dimensions, instead of simply assuming that more is better. Our policy simulations demonstrate that variety planning is as critical as entry timing to the success of platform companies in system competition, and is one of the reasons for PlayStation\u27s winning the battle against Nintendo64. In addition, the boosting effect of a new title on hardware sales perishes quickly, so it is important to have a cascade strategy to guarantee a continuous supply of complementary software