Possibilities of Production and Use of Rubber-Bitumen Compounds

Procedures are discussed for production of rubber-bitumen compounds based on spent rubber items. A possibility of using these binders for paving is studied experimentally.     

Modelling recruitment training in mathematical human resource planning

This paper deals with mathematical human resource planning; more specifically, it suggests a new model for a manpower‐planning system. In general, we study a k‐classed hierarchical system where the workforce demand at each time period is satisfied through internal mobility and recruitment. The motivation for this work is based on various European Union incentives, which promote regional or local government assistance programs that could be exploited by firms not only for hiring and training newcomers, but also to improve the skills and knowledge of their existing personnel. In this respect, in our augmented mobility model we establish a new ‘training/standby’ class, which serves as a manpower inventory position for potential recruits. This class, which may very well be internal or external to the system, is incorporated into the framework of a non‐homogeneous Markov chain model. Furthermore, cost objectives are employed using the goal‐programming approach, under different operating assumptions, in order to minimize the operational cost in the presence of system's constraints and regulations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Double-layer structural-acoustic coupling for cylindrical shell by using a combination of WDA and BIE

This work formulates the double-layer structural-acoustic coupling problem for cylindrical shell by using a combination of the wave-number domain approach (WDA) and the boundary integral equation (BIE). Expressions for the spectral radial velocity of the outer surface of a finite fluid-filled/submerged (FFS) cylindrical thin shell are formulated by means of the transfer matrix equation in wave-number domain. It is shown that the spectral variables on the inner surface of the shell are related to those on the outer surface of the shell. The far field sound radiation from this kind of shell is numerically evaluated for various fluid cases. An experimental verification is performed, and a good correlation between the theoretical results and the experimental results shows that the theoretical study work in this paper is correct.     

Fibrations of bigroupoids

Using Brown's construction (J. Algebra 15 (1970) 103) of an exact 6-term sequence for a fibration of groupoids we show how an exact 9-term sequence can be associated to a fibration of bigroupoids. Applications to topology and algebra are given.     

The Problem of the Pointwise Fourier Inversion for Piecewise Smooth Functions of Several Variables

We study the pointwise convergence problem for the inverse Fourier transform of piecewise smooth functions, i.e., whether S_rD f (\bx) ? f (\bx)S_{\rho D} f (\bx) \to f (\bx) as r? ￥\rho \to \infty . r? ￥\rho \to \infty . Here for \bx,\bxi ? \Rn\bx,\bxi \in \Rn S_rDf(\bmx)=\dsf1(2p)^n/2\intli_rD [^(f)](\bxi) e^{\dst iá\bmx,\bxi?} d\bxi . S_{\rho D}f(\bm{x})=\dsf1{(2\pi)^{n/2}}\intli_{\rho D} \widehat{f}(\bxi) e^{\dst i\langle\bm{x},\bxi\rangle} d\bxi~. is the partial sum operator using a convex and open set DD containing the origin, and rD={ r\bxi:\bxi ? D }\rho D=\left\{ \rho \bxi:\bxi\in D \right\}.     

Characterization and Computation of Canonical Tight Windows for Gabor Frames

Let (\gnm)_{n,m ? \Zst}(\gnm)_{n,m\in\Zst} be a Gabor frame for \LtR\LtR for given window gg. We show that the window \ho = \SQI g\ho=\SQI g that generates the canonically associated tight Gabor frame minimizes ||g-h||\|g-h\| among all windows hh generating a normalized tight Gabor frame. We present and prove versions of this result in the time domain, the frequency domain, the time-frequency domain, and the Zak transform domain, where in each domain the canonical \ho\ho is expressed using functional calculus for Gabor frame operators. Furthermore, we derive a Wiener--Levy type theorem for rationally oversampled Gabor frames. Finally, a Newton-type method for a fast numerical calculation of \ho\ho is presented. We analyze the convergence behavior of this method and demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm by some numerical examples.     

Contact Interaction of Two Elastic Wedges

We consider the problem of contact of two elastic wedges and assume that only the vertices of the wedges touch before loading. After loading, the edges of both wedges come in contact near their common vertex. We reduce the constructed system of dual integral equations to a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind with difference kernel given on the semiaxis. We analytically solve the Fredholm equation by reducing it to the boundary-value Riemann problem for analytic functions. We obtain an analytic expression for contact stresses.     

Signed graphs for portfolio analysis in risk management

We introduce the notion of structural balance for signed graphsin the context of portfolio analysis. A portfolio of securitiescan be represented as a signed graph with the nodes denotingthe securities and the edges representing the correlation betweenthe securities. With signed graphs, the characteristics of aportfolio from a risk management perspective can be uncoveredfor analysis purposes. It is shown that a portfolio characterizedby a signed graph of positive and negative edges that is structurallybalanced is characteristically more predictable. Investors whoundertake a portfolio position with all positively correlatedsecurities do so with the intention to speculate on the upside(or downside). If the portfolio consists of negative edges andis balanced, then it is likely that the position has a hedgingdisposition within it. On the other hand, an unbalanced signedgraph is representative of an investment portfolio which ischaracteristically unpredictable.     

Scale Invariance Properties in the Simulated Annealing Algorithm

The Boltzmann distribution used in the steady-state analysis of the simulated annealing algorithm gives rise to several scale invariant properties. Scale invariance is first presented in the context of parallel independent processors and then extended to an abstract form based on lumping states together to form new aggregate states. These lumped or aggregate states possess all of the mathematical characteristics, forms and relationships of states (solutions) in the original problem in both first and second moments. These scale invariance properties therefore permit new ways of relating objective function values, conditional expectation values, stationary probabilities, rates of change of stationary probabilities and conditional variances. Such properties therefore provide potential applications in analysis, statistical inference and optimization. Directions for future research that take advantage of scale invariance are also discussed.