Creep of polymer concrete in the nonlinear region

Two polyester-based polymer concretes with various volume content of diabase as an extender and aggregate are tested in creep under compression at different stress levels. The phenomenological and structural approaches are both used to analyze the experimental data. Common features of changes in the instantaneous and creep compliances are clarified, and a phenomenological creep model which accounts for the changes in the instantaneous compliance and in the retardation spectrum depending on the stress level is developed. It is shown that the model can be used to describe the experimental results of stress relaxation and creep under repeated loading. Modeling of the composite structure and subsequent solution of the optimization problem confirm the possibility of the existence of an interphase layer more compliant than the binder. A direct correlation between the interphase volume content and the instantaneous compliance of the composite is revealed. It is found that the distinction in nonlinearity of the viscoelastic behavior of the two polymer concretes under investigation can be due to the difference in their porosity. Submitted to the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000.) Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 147–164, 2000.     

Gaussian Versus Optimal Integration of Analytic Functions

We consider error estimates for optimal and Gaussian quadrature formulas if the integrand is analytic and bounded in a certain complex region. First, a simple technique for the derivation of lower bounds for the optimal error constants is presented. This method is applied to Szeg?-type weight functions and ellipses as regions of analyticity. In this situation, the error constants for the Gaussian formulas are close to the obtained lower bounds, which proves the quality of the Gaussian formulas and also of the lower bounds. In the sequel, different regions of analyticity are investigated. It turns out that almost exclusively for ellipses, the Gaussian formulas are near-optimal. For classes of simply connected regions of analyticity, which are additionally symmetric to the real axis, the asymptotic of the worst ratio between the error constants of the Gaussian formulas and the optimal error constants is calculated. As a by-product, we prove explicit lower bounds for the Christoffel-function for the constant weight function and arguments outside the interval of integration. September 7, 1995. Date revised: October 25, 1996.     

Variation of the structure and permeability of tensioned fiber layers during impregnation with a thermoplastic polymer melt

The influence of displacements of tensioned fibers on the impregnation of fibrous layers with a polymer melt and on the final composite structure is studied. Using computer simulation, it is shown that, during impregnation, the structure of tensioned fibrous layers changes considerably depending on the initial arrangement and tensioning of fibers. The consolidated regions formed under the melt front move inside the impregnated layer with the advancing melt front. Displacement of the tensioned fibers as well as the formation of “washouts” favors the impregnation of internal layers, but cause significant inhomogeneity of the polymer structure. The surface (on the side of the melt flow) regions are more saturated with the polymer than the internal ones. A difference in the melt percolation mechanisms at various impregnation regimes is revealed. The effective permeability coefficients of a tensioned fiber layer are not constant but depend on the conditions and regimes of impregnation. Submitted to the 11th Conference on the Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000). Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 259–270, March–April, 2000.     

Asymptotics of the distribution of the integral of the positive part of the Brownian bridge for large arguments

The double Laplace transform of the distribution function of the integral of the positive part of the Brownian bridge was determined by M. Perman and J.A. Wellner, as well as the moments of this distribution. The purpose of the present paper is to determine the asymptotics of this distribution for large values of the argument, and the corresponding asymptotics of the moments.     

The nonlinear and scaled growth of the ottoman and Roman empires

In this work, mathematical models for the growth of the Ottoman and Roman Empires are found. The time interval considered for both cases covers the time from the birth of the empire to the end of the fast expansion period. These empires are assumed to be nonlinearly growing and self-multiplying systems. This approach utilizes the concepts of chaos theory, and scaling. The area governed by the empire is taken as the measure of its growth. It was found that the expansion of each empire on lands, seas, and on both (i.e., lands+seas) can be expressed by power laws. In the Ottoman Empire, the nonlinear growth power of total area is approximately equal to the golden ratio, and the nonlinear growth power of the expansion on lands is approximately equal to the square root of 2. In the case of the Romans, some numbers associated with the golden ratio, or the square root of 2, appear as the power of the nonlinear growth term. The appearance of both the golden ratio and the square root of 2 show that both empires had intention on achieving stability during their growth.     

基于偏序集的PROMETHEE方法优化研究

尽管PROMETHEE是当前最受欢迎的多准则决策方法之一,但在实践应用过程中,模型的应用范围与质量依然受制于指标权重问题。一些常用的赋权方法,不仅没有解决不确定权重问题,反而增加了决策风险。在偏序集相关定理的基础上,给出权重的定性信息即权重次序,由流出矩阵、流入矩阵和净流矩阵等定义,得到了PROMETHEE的偏序集表达形式。当流入和流出之和为常数时,证明了模型存在对偶性质。根据对偶性质,简化了PROMETHEE方法的分析步骤,删减模型冗余信息。应用偏序集表示的PROMETHEE,突破了模型没有具体权重便无法应用的思维定势,解决了模型赋权困难,增强了模型的鲁棒性,拓展了模型处理数据类型的范围。     

Analysis of the Stress State of the Surface Layer of a Polymeric Mass upon Filling of Bulky Compression Molds

The stress state of the surface layer of a polymeric mass during filling of bulky compression molds is analyzed. It is shown that, at particular rheological characteristics of the mass, temperature, and filling rates, cracking of the surface layer occurs, which leads to defects in the finished products. A physical analysis of this process makes it possible to conclude that the cracks arise due to the normal stresses operating in the front region of the moving polymeric mass. It is found that, under certain flow conditions, areas with a pressure lower than the atmospheric one appear on the surface of the polymer. If the tensile stresses arising in these local regions are higher than the tensile strength of the mass, the continuity of the composition is broken in the direction determined by the greatest rate of the normal deformation. To confirm the reliability of the crack-formation mechanism proposed, the distribution of the pressure and normal stresses over the free surface is calculated based on a numerical method. These calculations show that, by comparing the stress level achieved in the front region with the tensile-strength characteristics of the polymeric composition, it is possible to predict, with a sufficient accuracy, the possibility of crack formation in the surface layer of such a mass under given flow conditions and thus to solve the question on flawless manufacturing of products.     

Generalized derivatives and nonsmooth optimization, a finite dimensional tour

During the early 1960’s there was a growing realization that a large number of optimization problems which appeared in applications involved minimization of non-differentiable functions. One of the important areas where such problems appeared was optimal control. The subject of nonsmooth analysis arose out of the need to develop a theory to deal with the minimization of nonsmooth functions. The first impetus in this direction came with the publication of Rockafellar’s seminal work titledConvex Analysis which was published by the Princeton University Press in 1970. It would be impossible to overstate the impact of this book on the development of the theory and methods of optimization. It is also important to note that a large part of convex analysis was already developed by Werner Fenchel nearly twenty years earlier and was circulated through his mimeographed lecture notes titledConvex Cones, Sets and Functions, Princeton University, 1951. In this article we trace the dramatic development of nonsmooth analysis and its applications to optimization in finite dimensions. Beginning with the fundamentals of convex optimization we quickly move over to the path breaking work of Clarke which extends the domain of nonsmooth analysis from convex to locally Lipschitz functions. Clarke was the second doctoral student of R.T. Rockafellar. We discuss the notions of Clarke directional derivative and the Clarke generalized gradient and also the relevant calculus rules and applications to optimization. While discussing locally Lipschitz optimization we also try to blend in the computational aspects of the theory wherever possible. This is followed by a discussion of the geometry of sets with nonsmooth boundaries. The approach to develop the notion of the normal cone to an arbitrary set is sequential in nature. This approach does not rely on the standard techniques of convex analysis. The move away from convexity was pioneered by Mordukhovich and later culminated in the monographVariational Analysis by Rockafellar and Wets. The approach of Mordukhovich relied on a nonconvex separation principle called theextremal principle while that of Rockafellar and Wets relied on various convergence notions developed to suit the needs of optimization. We then move on to a parallel development in nonsmooth optimization due to Demyanov and Rubinov called Quasidifferentiable optimization. They study the class of directionally differentiable functions whose directional derivatives can be represented as a difference of two sublinear functions. On other hand the directional derivative of a convex function and also the Clarke directional derivatives are sublinear functions of the directions. Thus it was thought that the most useful generalizations of directional derivatives must be a sublinear function of the directions. Thus Demyanov and Rubinov made a major conceptual change in nonsmooth optimization. In this section we define the notion of a quasidifferential which is a pair of convex compact sets. We study some calculus rules and their applications to optimality conditions. We also study the interesting notion of Demyanov difference between two sets and their applications to optimization. In the last section of this paper we study some second-order tools used in nonsmooth analysis and try to see their relevance in optimization. In fact it is important to note that unlike the classical case, the second-order theory of nonsmoothness is quite complicated in the sense that there are many approaches to it. However we have chosen to describe those approaches which can be developed from the first order nonsmooth tools discussed here. We shall present three different approaches, highlight the second order calculus rules and their applications to optimization.     

Mario Pieri’s address at the University of Catania

The contributions made by the Italian mathematician Mario Pieri (1860-1913) are well known in the field of geometry. Pieri was a member of the School of Peano at the University of Turin. There he became engaged both by the problems of logic and by the philosophical aspects of Peano’s epistemology. This article was motivated by Pieri’s address given at the University of Catania, at the inauguration of the 1906-1907 academic year. My aim is to identify Pieri’s philosophical premises as found in his works and to present them in the general framework of the historical development of the Peano School.     

Formulations and valid inequalities for the node capacitated graph partitioning problem

We investigate the problem of partitioning the nodes of a graph under capacity restriction on the sum of the node weights in each subset of the partition. The objective is to minimize the sum of the costs of the edges between the subsets of the partition. This problem has a variety of applications, for instance in the design of electronic circuits and devices. We present alternative integer programming formulations for this problem and discuss the links between these formulations. Having chosen to work in the space of edges of the multicut, we investigate the convex hull of incidence vectors of feasible multicuts. In particular, several classes of inequalities are introduced, and their strength and robustness are analyzed as various problem parameters change.     

Generating facets for the cut polytope of a graph by triangular elimination

The cut polytope of a graph arises in many fields. Although much is known about facets of the cut polytope of the complete graph, very little is known for general graphs. The study of Bell inequalities in quantum information science requires knowledge of the facets of the cut polytope of the complete bipartite graph or, more generally, the complete k-partite graph. Lifting is a central tool to prove certain inequalities are facet inducing for the cut polytope. In this paper we introduce a lifting operation, named triangular elimination, applicable to the cut polytope of a wide range of graphs. Triangular elimination is a specific combination of zero-lifting and Fourier–Motzkin elimination using the triangle inequality. We prove sufficient conditions for the triangular elimination of facet inducing inequalities to be facet inducing. The proof is based on a variation of the lifting lemma adapted to general graphs. The result can be used to derive facet inducing inequalities of the cut polytope of various graphs from those of the complete graph. We also investigate the symmetry of facet inducing inequalities of the cut polytope of the complete bipartite graph derived by triangular elimination.      

Sur la détermination d'une relation binaire à partir d'informations locales

This paper deals with the problematic aspect of the reconstruction of binary relations: it includes all the questions raising the possibility or impossibility to determine a structure by gathering given substructures. It is the continuation of three studies: the first made by G. Lopez [9] in 1972 about the determination of a binary relation through the types of isomorphism of its restrictions, the second made by K. B. Reid and C. Thomassen [15] in 1976 about the strongly self-complementary tournaments (every subtournament is self-complementary), the third made by C. Thomassen [16] in 1989 about the cycle space of a tournament. In the second section, we use the notion of class of difference (which was introduced in [9]) to extend a study made in [16] to binary relations. Then, in the third section, we improve the result of this last study in the case of the tournaments. After noticing that the result of [15] inferred itself naturally from the approach developed in [9], we extend, in the fourth section, the study made in [15] to binary relations.     

Peridynamics via finite element analysis

Peridynamics is a recently developed theory of solid mechanics that replaces the partial differential equations of the classical continuum theory with integral equations. Since the integral equations remain valid in the presence of discontinuities such as cracks, the method has the potential to model fracture and damage with great generality and without the complications of mathematical singularities that plague conventional continuum approaches. Although a discretized form of the peridynamic integral equations has been implemented in a meshless code called EMU, the objective of the present paper is to describe how the peridynamic model can also be implemented in a conventional finite element analysis (FEA) code using truss elements. Since FEA is arguably the most widely used tool for structural analysis, this implementation may hasten the verification of peridynamics and significantly broaden the range of problems that the practicing analyst might attempt. Also, the present work demonstrates that different subregions of a model can be solved with either the classical partial differential equations or the peridynamic equations in the same calculation thus combining the efficiency of FEA with the generality of peridynamics. Several example problems show the equivalency of the FEA and the meshless peridynamic approach as well as demonstrate the utility and robustness of the method for problems involving fracture, damage and penetration.     

Dispersed failure of an anisotropic flywheel

Based on a hereditary damage model of solids, the strength of a cylindrically anisotropic flywheel is calculated. By using a failure criterion, the location and time of initial failure is determined in relation to an anisotropy parameter, for which the ratio of rigidities in the tangential and radial directions is taken. The process of dispersed failure depends on the expansion intensity of the damaged zone. The boundary of the zone is the failure front, whose equations of motion are obtained in the cases of absence and presence of a residual strength for the material behind the failure front. In the second case, the damaged material is modeled by an isotropic elastic medium with considerably reduced values of strength and rigidity characteristics, and variations in the pressure on the failure front are also determined. Graphs of the radial coordinate of failure front as a function of time are constructed and analyzed for different values of the anisotropy parameter, the degree of residual strength and density behind the failure front, and proportions of geometrical sizes of the flywheel. The critical failure times are found. A system of restrictions on the values of mechanical and geometrical parameters is revealed which makes possible the realization of the process of dispersed failure investigated.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 41, No. 1, pp. 93–108, January–February, 2005.     

Noncommutative geometry and motives: The thermodynamics of endomotives

We combine aspects of the theory of motives in algebraic geometry with noncommutative geometry and the classification of factors to obtain a cohomological interpretation of the spectral realization of zeros of L-functions. The analogue in characteristic zero of the action of the Frobenius on ?-adic cohomology is the action of the scaling group on the cyclic homology of the cokernel (in a suitable category of motives) of a restriction map of noncommutative spaces. The latter is obtained through the thermodynamics of the quantum statistical system associated to an endomotive (a noncommutative generalization of Artin motives). Semigroups of endomorphisms of algebraic varieties give rise canonically to such endomotives, with an action of the absolute Galois group. The semigroup of endomorphisms of the multiplicative group yields the Bost-Connes system, from which one obtains, through the above procedure, the desired cohomological interpretation of the zeros of the Riemann zeta function. In the last section we also give a Lefschetz formula for the archimedean local L-factors of arithmetic varieties.     

The Dirichlet divisor problem,traces and determinants for complex powers of the twisted bi-Laplacian

Estimating the counting function for the eigenvalues of the twisted bi-Laplacian leads to the Dirichlet divisor problem, which is then used to compute the trace of the heat semigroup and the Dixmier trace of the inverse of the twisted bi-Laplacian. The zeta function regularizations of the traces and determinants of complex powers of the twisted bi-Laplacian are computed. A formula for the zeta function regularizations of determinants of heat semigroups of complex powers of the twisted bi-Laplacian is given.     

Some curious properties and loci problems associated with cubics and other polynomials

The article begins with a well-known property regarding tangent lines to a cubic polynomial that has distinct, real zeros. We were then able to generalize this property to any polynomial with distinct, real zeros. We also considered a certain family of cubics with two fixed zeros and one variable zero, and explored the loci of centroids of triangles associated with the family. Some fascinating connections were observed between the original family of the cubics and the loci of the centroids of these triangles. For example, we were able to prove that the locus of the centroid of certain triangles associated with the family of cubics is another cubic whose zeros are in arithmetic progression. Motivated by this, in the last section of the article, we considered families of cubic polynomials whose zeros are in arithmetic progression, along with the loci of the special points of certain triangles arising from such families. Special points include the centroid, circumcentre, orthocentre, and nine-point centre of the triangles. Throughout the article, we used the computer algebra system, Mathematica®, to form conjectures and facilitate calculations. Mathematica® was also used to create various animations to explore and illustrate many of the results.     

Computational organizational network modeling: Strategies and an example

This paper articulates the logic of computational organizational modeling as a strategy for theory construction and testing in the field of organizational communication networks. The paper introduces, Blanche, and objectoriented simulation environment that supports quantitative modeling and analysis of the evolution of organizational networks. Blanche relies on the conceptual primitives of attributes that describe network nodes and links that connect these nodes. Difference equations are used to model the dynamic properties of the network as it changes over time. This paper describes the design of Blanche and how it supports both the process of theory construction, model building and analysis of results. The paper concludes with an empirical example, to test the predictions of a network-based social influence model for the adoption of a new communication technology in the workplace.     

Development of the Tangent Modulus from the Euler-Problem to Nonsmooth Materials

History and development of the tangent modulus from the origins to the recent nonsmooth damaging versions are presented. Load history and stability analyses of structures of nonlinear reversible or irreversible materials are based on the concept of tangent modulus. Generally, instantaneously changing tangent modulus is needed and the solution yields iteration process. In the case of inelastic problems, the switch from loading to unloading of the material behaviour results in nonsmooth material functions. Nonsmooth, generally saw-tooth like behaviour happens in composite, laminated or rock type materials, or in the interaction of concrete and the reinforcement, too. Recently, damage and localization are in the focus of structural analyses, extending the tangent modulus to the negative cases, as well. Consequently, an overview of the history and development of the tangent modulus containing the recent modifications seems to be necessary. On the other hand, the more than a century long history of the tangent modulus is a marvellous study of the parallel development of mechanics and mathematics, by following the mutual inspiring effect of them through the activity of such pioneers like P.D. Panagiotopoulos in creating Nonsmooth Mechanics.     

The generalized hierarchical product of graphs

A generalization of both the hierarchical product and the Cartesian product of graphs is introduced and some of its properties are studied. We call it the generalized hierarchical product. In fact, the obtained graphs turn out to be subgraphs of the Cartesian product of the corresponding factors. Thus, some well-known properties of this product, such as a good connectivity, reduced mean distance, radius and diameter, simple routing algorithms and some optimal communication protocols, are inherited by the generalized hierarchical product. Besides some of these properties, in this paper we study the spectrum, the existence of Hamiltonian cycles, the chromatic number and index, and the connectivity of the generalized hierarchical product.