California State University Long Beach: Model for a Terminal Master's Program as a Bridge to PhD

Science.gov (United States)

Bill, Andreas; Kenealy, Patrick; Kwon, Chuhee; Papp, Zoltan; Pickett, Galen T.

The department of Physics & Astronomy at California State University Long Beach has redesigned its Master's program in 2008 with the goal to provide a true graduate experience in Physics. The hallmarks of the program are five core graduate courses and a research-based MS thesis. During the last five years, 42% of MS recipients (24 students) were accepted to PhD programs, 41% started private-sector STEM careers, and 17% decided on teaching and other paths. The program doubled in size during that period. In 2013 we also became one of six Bridge Sites and only non-PhD granting institution of the American Physical Society (APS). We will describe the structure of the MS program, its goals and its place in the University degree plan landscape. We will also discuss how the APS Bridge Program has been implemented in our institution and has influenced our MS program. We gratefully acknowledge support from a variety of sources that contributed to establish the MS program, including the APS Bridge Program, individual NSF and Army Research Laboratory Grants.

Canada-Africa Research Exchange Grants (CAREG) : Pilot Phase ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The Canada-Africa Research Exchange Grants (CAREG) were designed to rectify this situation by supporting a series of short-term research or training exchanges between Canadian and African ... IDRC is pleased to announce the results of its 2017 call for proposals to establish Cyber Policy Centres in the Global South.

Integrated Knowledge Translation and Grant Development: Addressing the Research Practice Gap through Stakeholder-informed Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Henderson, Joanna; Brownlie, Elizabeth; Rosenkranz, Susan; Chaim, Gloria; Beitchman, Joseph

2013-11-01

We describe our stakeholder engagement process for grant application development that occurred as part of our integrated knowledge translation plan and make recommendations for researchers. In phase 1, a stakeholder consultation group was developed. In phase 2, surveys regarding knowledge gathering, research agenda, and research collaboration preferences were sent to 333 cross-sectoral youth-serving organizations in Ontario, including family and consumer organizations. In phase 1, 28 stakeholders from six sectors participated in the consultation group and provided input on multiple aspects of the proposal. Through this process, 19 stakeholders adopted formal roles within the project. In phase 2, 206 surveys were received (response rate = 62%). Survey responses supported the grant focus (concurrent youth mental health and substance use problems). Respondents also prioritized project goals and provided specific feedback on research and knowledge translation. Finally, although some stakeholders chose greater involvement, most survey respondents indicated a preference for a moderate level of participation in research rather than full team membership. Despite short timelines and feasibility challenges, stakeholders can be meaningfully engaged in and contribute to the grant proposal development process. Consideration is needed for the practical challenges that stakeholder organizations face in supporting and participating in research.

The Internet: A Bridge between Research and Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuster, Judith Maginnis; Poburka, Bruce J.

1998-01-01

Examines Internet capabilities such as World Wide Web home pages, electronic journals, on-line bibliographies, mailing lists, and chat rooms in building bridges between research and practice in speech-language pathology. Numerous examples are provided. Cautions in using Internet resources are also noted. (Author/DB)

Theory Development: A Bridge between Practice and Research

Science.gov (United States)

Southern, Stephen; Devlin, James

2010-01-01

Theory development is an intentional process by which marriage and family counselors may bridge the gap between research and practice. The theory building process includes inductive and deductive forms of reasoning, qualitative and quantitative approaches to knowledge development, and diffusion of innovations. Grounded theory provides an…

76 FR 11765 - Education Research and Special Education Research Grant Programs; Institute of Education Sciences...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-03

... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Education Research and Special Education Research Grant Programs; Institute of Education Sciences; Overview Information; Education Research and Special Education Research.... SUMMARY: The Director of the Institute of Education Sciences (Institute) announces the Institute's FY 2012...

Water Resources Research Grant Program project descriptions, fiscal year 1987

Science.gov (United States)

,

1987-01-01

This report contains information on the 34 new projects funded by the United States Geological Survey 's Water Resources Research Grant Program in fiscal year 1987 and on 3 projects completed during the year. For the new projects, the report gives the grant number, project title, performing organization, principal investigator(s), and a project description that includes: (1) identification of water related problems and problem-solution approach (2) contribution to problem solution, (3) objectives, and (4) approach. The 34 projects include 12 in the area of groundwater quality problems, 12 in the science and technology of water quality management, 1 in climate variability and the hydrologic cycle, 4 in institutional change in water resources management, and 5 in surface water management. For the three completed projects, the report furnishes the grant number; project title; performing organization; principal investor(s); starting data; data of receipt of final report; and an abstract of the final report. Each project description provides the information needed to obtain a copy of the final report. The report contains tables showing: (1) proposals received according to area of research interest, (2) grant awards and funding according to area of research interest, (3) proposals received according to type of submitting organization, and (4) awards and funding according to type of organization. (Author 's abstract)

Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE: Engaging Underrepresented Students in Physics and Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolph, Alexander L.; Smecker-Hane, Tammy A.; Cal-Bridge Team; CAMPARE Team

2018-06-01

We describe two programs, Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE, with the common mission of increasing participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy, through summer research opportunities, in the case of CAMPARE, scholarships in the case of Cal-Bridge, and significant mentoring in both programs, creating a national impact on their numbers successfully pursuing a PhD in the field. In 9 years, the CAMPARE program has sent 150 students, >80% from underrepresented groups, to conduct summer research at one of 14 major research institutions throughout the country. Of the CAMPARE scholars who have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, almost two-thirds (65%) have completed or are pursuing graduate education in physics, astronomy, or a related field, at institutions including UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Stanford, Univ. of Arizona, Univ. of Washington, Univ. of Rochester, Michigan State Univ., Georgia Tech, Georgia State Univ., Kent State, Indiana Univ., Univ. of Oregon, Syracuse Univ., Montana State Univ., and the Fisk- Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD program. Now in its fourth year, the Cal-Bridge program is a CSU-UC Bridge program comprised of physics and astronomy faculty from 9 University of California (UC), 15 California State University (CSU), and more than 30 California Community College (CCC) campuses throughout California. In the first four years, 34 Cal-Bridge Scholars have been selected, including 22 Hispanic, 3 African-American and 13 women students, 10 of whom are from URM groups. Thirty (30) of the 34 Cal-Bridge Scholars are first generation college students. In the last three years, 17 of 21 Cal-Bridge Scholars have begun or been accepted PhD programs in physics or astronomy at top PhD programs nationally. Three (3) of these scholars have won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships; one more received an Honorable Mention. Once selected, Cal-Bridge Scholars benefit from substantial financial support, intensive, joint mentoring by CSU

Research on Multidisciplinary Optimization Design of Bridge Crane

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tong Yifei

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Bridge crane is one of the most widely used cranes in our country, which is indispensable equipment for material conveying in the modern production. In this paper, the framework of multidisciplinary optimization for bridge crane is proposed. The presented research on crane multidisciplinary design technology for energy saving includes three levels, respectively: metal structures level, transmission design level, and electrical system design level. The shape optimal mathematical model of the crane is established for shape optimization design of metal structure level as well as size optimal mathematical model and topology optimal mathematical model of crane for topology optimization design of metal structure level is established. Finally, system-level multidisciplinary energy-saving optimization design of bridge crane is further carried out with energy-saving transmission design results feedback to energy-saving optimization design of metal structure. The optimization results show that structural optimization design can reduce total mass of crane greatly by using the finite element analysis and multidisciplinary optimization technology premised on the design requirements of cranes such as stiffness and strength; thus, energy-saving design can be achieved.

BRIDG: a domain information model for translational and clinical protocol-driven research.

Science.gov (United States)

Becnel, Lauren B; Hastak, Smita; Ver Hoef, Wendy; Milius, Robert P; Slack, MaryAnn; Wold, Diane; Glickman, Michael L; Brodsky, Boris; Jaffe, Charles; Kush, Rebecca; Helton, Edward

2017-09-01

It is critical to integrate and analyze data from biological, translational, and clinical studies with data from health systems; however, electronic artifacts are stored in thousands of disparate systems that are often unable to readily exchange data. To facilitate meaningful data exchange, a model that presents a common understanding of biomedical research concepts and their relationships with health care semantics is required. The Biomedical Research Integrated Domain Group (BRIDG) domain information model fulfills this need. Software systems created from BRIDG have shared meaning "baked in," enabling interoperability among disparate systems. For nearly 10 years, the Clinical Data Standards Interchange Consortium, the National Cancer Institute, the US Food and Drug Administration, and Health Level 7 International have been key stakeholders in developing BRIDG. BRIDG is an open-source Unified Modeling Language-class model developed through use cases and harmonization with other models. With its 4+ releases, BRIDG includes clinical and now translational research concepts in its Common, Protocol Representation, Study Conduct, Adverse Events, Regulatory, Statistical Analysis, Experiment, Biospecimen, and Molecular Biology subdomains. The model is a Clinical Data Standards Interchange Consortium, Health Level 7 International, and International Standards Organization standard that has been utilized in national and international standards-based software development projects. It will continue to mature and evolve in the areas of clinical imaging, pathology, ontology, and vocabulary support. BRIDG 4.1.1 and prior releases are freely available at https://bridgmodel.nci.nih.gov . © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

RESEARCH OF USING OPEN DOUBLE T BEAMS FOR SPANS IN FLOATING BRIDGES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YU. M. Gorbatiuk

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The publication presents the results of calculations of spans for floating bridges with open double T beams. The purpose of research is to analyze the suitability of spans from open double T beams for floating bridges with minimum weight under loads, which is provided by standards for modern floating bridges designing. Methodology. Comparative method, analytical calculation methods (influence lines methodology, strength calculations, endurance, maximum shear stress are used in this paper. Findings. Current loads for bridges calculations are 75% more than those, for which the spans of floating bridge from NZhM-56 property are designed. The use of open double T beams that is formed with double T beam no. 70 (the height of the open one is 104 cm reduces the cross sectional area in a weakened spot, but virtually it does not influence the strength and durability of the material. The use of open double T beams for spans of floating bridges saves up to 22 % of metal that means one in five spans will made of saved metal. Savings on each spans, such as CRP, will be 33.6 - 263 thous. grn. (considering the price of 1 ton of final product 29 thous. grn.. Originality. Research allows making next step in material saving and use of open double T beams for spans in the whole. Practical value. The obtained results give us possibility to make a number of conclusions that allow us to become more familiar and more practical with the use of open double T beams for spans of floating bridges.

Research and Grant Management: The Role of the Project Management Office (PMO) in a European Research Consortium Context

Science.gov (United States)

Wedekind, Gerben Kristian; Philbin, Simon Patrick

2018-01-01

This paper illustrates how a university-based project management office (PMO) can provide focused support across the entire grant project lifecycle within a European research context. In recent years, EU (European Union) research and innovation grant programs have increasingly shifted to support multidisciplinary consortia composed of industry,…

An output evaluation of a health research foundation's enhanced grant review process for new investigators.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammond, Gregory W; Lê, Mê-Linh; Novotny, Tannis; Caligiuri, Stephanie P B; Pierce, Grant N; Wade, John

2017-06-19

We assessed the ability of the Manitoba Medical Service Foundation (MMSF, a small not-for-profit foundation affiliated with Manitoba Blue Cross) to determine the best candidates for selection to receive research funding support among new researchers applying to the Research Operating Grants Programme (ROGP). Using bibliometric and grants funding analyses, we retrospectively compared indices of academic outputs from five cohorts of MMSF-funded and not MMSF-funded applicants to the annual MMSF ROGP over 2008 to 2012, from 1 to 5 years after having received evaluation decisions from the MMSF enhanced grant review process. Those researchers funded by the MMSF competition (MMSF-funded) had a statistically significant greater number of publications, a higher h-index and greater national Tri-Council (TC) funding, versus those not selected for funding (not MMSF-funded). MMSF-funded applicants and the Manitoba research community have created a strong and rapid (within 1 to 5 years of receiving the MMSF grant) local economic return on investment associated with the MMSF ROGP that supports new investigators, of approximately nine-fold for TC grants by the principal investigator, and of 34-fold for the principal investigator on collaborative (total) TC grants. The use of small amounts of seed money for competitive research grants at early stages of an MMSF-funded applicant's career correlates with future short-term success of that applicant. The ability to correctly select promising candidates who subsequently demonstrate greater academic performance after the MMSF funding shows the selection process and the ROGP to be of merit. Multiple components may have contributed to this outcome, including a direct presentation and interview process of the candidate with five-person selection subcommittees, plus an assessment by an external reviewer (the enhanced grant review process). The selection methods used here may add value to the research grant selection processes of new

Emerging Economies Research Dialogue | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This grant will allow the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations to bridge the gap by organizing two research dialogues in the form of international conferences for emerging economy professionals, academics and policymakers on issues of contemporary relevance to the global economy and polity.

76 FR 72957 - 4th Annual Trauma Spectrum Conference: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Clinical Practice of...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-28

... Conference: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Clinical Practice of Psychological Health and Traumatic... is hereby given of the ``4th Annual Trauma Spectrum Conference: Bridging the Gap Between Research and... Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland. This year's event focuses on bridging the gap between research and...

Research on Collapse Process of Cable-Stayed Bridges under Strong Seismic Excitations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuewei Wang

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In order to present the collapse process and failure mechanism of long-span cable-stayed bridges under strong seismic excitations, a rail-cum-road steel truss cable-stayed bridge was selected as engineering background, the collapse failure numerical model of the cable-stayed bridge was established based on the explicit dynamic finite element method (FEM, and the whole collapse process of the cable-stayed bridge was analyzed and studied with three different seismic waves acted in the horizontal longitudinal direction, respectively. It can be found from the numerical simulation analysis that the whole collapse failure process and failure modes of the cable-stayed bridge under three different seismic waves are similar. Furthermore, the piers and the main pylons are critical components contributing to the collapse of the cable-stayed bridge structure. However, the cables and the main girder are damaged owing to the failure of piers and main pylons during the whole structure collapse process, so the failure of cable and main girder components is not the main reason for the collapse of cable-stayed bridge. The analysis results can provide theoretical basis for collapse resistance design and the determination of critical damage components of long-span highway and railway cable-stayed bridges in the research of seismic vulnerability analysis.

Concocting that Magic Elixir: Successful Grant Application Writing in Dissemination and Implementation Research.

Science.gov (United States)

Brownson, Ross C; Colditz, Graham A; Dobbins, Maureen; Emmons, Karen M; Kerner, Jon F; Padek, Margaret; Proctor, Enola K; Stange, Kurt C

2015-12-01

This paper reports core competencies for dissemination and implementation (D&I) grant application writing and provides tips for writing a successful proposal. Two related phases were used to collect the data: a card sorting process among D&I researchers and an expert review among a smaller set of researchers. Card sorting was completed by 123 respondents. In the second phase, a series of grant application writing tips were developed based on the combined 170 years of grant review experience of the writing team. The card sorting resulted in 12 core competencies for D&I grant application writing that covered the main sections in a grant application to the US National Institutes of Health: (a) specific aims that provide clear rationale, objectives, and an overview of the research plan; (b) significance that frames and justifies the importance of a D&I question; (c) innovation that articulates novel products and new knowledge; and (d) approach that uses a relevant D&I model, addresses measurement and the D&I context, and includes an analysis plan well-tied to the aims and measures. Writing a successful D&I grant application is a skill that can be learned with experience and attention to the core competencies articulated in this paper. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bling My Research! A Mock Grant Panel Activity Illustrating the Importance of Basic Research

Science.gov (United States)

Leander, Celeste A.; Whitton, Jeannette

2010-01-01

First-year university students have misconceptions about the source and dynamics of publicly funded research money. We designed an activity in which students take part in a mock grant panel. The results indicated a strong tendency toward student funding of applied medical research at the expense of basic research. Exposure to a few examples of…

Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice: Voice of Mediators

Science.gov (United States)

Mehrani, Mehdi B.

2014-01-01

The present study aimed to explore the strategies that could be potentially employed in the Iranian ELT context to bridge the gap between research and practice. Data were collected through conducting a "focus group discussion" with a number of practitioner-researchers. The findings showed that to improve the relationship between…

Research support by doctoral-granting colleges/schools of nursing.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoon, Saun-Joo Lee; Wolfe, Sandra; Yucha, Carolyn B; Tsai, Peishan

2002-01-01

Colleges and schools of nursing with doctoral programs focus on developing quality research programs. One effective way of managing and nurturing a research program is through the implementation of a nursing research office or center. The purpose of this study is to describe the resources provided by the colleges/schools of nursing with doctoral programs for research development. A self-report questionnaire, developed by the research team, was mailed to all schools of nursing offering doctoral programs. The response rate was 79 per cent (65/82 schools). Results indicated that 56 schools (86.2 per cent) have designated research support offices. The main goals of nursing research offices are to increase the amount of extramural funding and to promote dissemination of scholarly work via publications and presentations. The majority of research offices provide assistance with grants and the research process and offer educational programs. Most doctoral-granting schools are providing some support for research activities. However, the degree of investment in research support varied widely among the responding schools. This study suggests that it takes both time and institutional commitment to build a successful research environment. Although necessary for research development, support services are not sufficient by themselves. Instead, they need to be considered in the light of individual (e.g., faculty interest and motivation) and group (e.g., culture of scholarship) factors within each school. Copyright 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company

Supporting Knowledge Mobilization and Research Impact Strategies in Grant Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Phipps, David; Jensen, Krista E.; Johnny, Michael; Poetz, Anneliese

2016-01-01

Each application to the National Science Foundation (NSF) must contain a Broader Impact (BI) strategy. Similarly, grant applications for most research funders in Canada and the UK require strategies to support the translation of research into impacts on society; however, the guidance provided to researchers is too general to inform the specific…

Collective Genius: Bridging the Gaps among Research, Innovation and Practice

Science.gov (United States)

O'Hair, Mary John

2011-01-01

In this article, the author focuses on bridging the gaps among research, innovation, and practice. First, the author reflects on historical perspectives involving the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Second, the author explores the current climate as reflected by three national reports highlighting future roles of…

Using curriculum vitae to compare some impacts of NSF research grants with research center funding

OpenAIRE

Monica Gaughan; Barry Bozeman

2002-01-01

While traditional grants remain central in US federal support of academic scientists and engineers, the role of multidisciplinary NSF Centers is growing. Little is known about how funding through these Centers affects scientific output or (as is an NSF aim) increases academic collaboration with industry. This paper tests the use of CVs to examine how Center funding affects researchers' publication rates and their obtaining industry grants. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

Bridging the Gap between Climate Research and Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Weiss, M.; Lambert, K. F.; Buonocore, J.; Driscoll, C. T.

2016-12-01

The weak link between science and policy jeopardizes the wellbeing of people and the planet. Climate change is a pressing example of this disconnect. Policies are not keeping pace with the best of our knowledge from climate change research. We are working to bridge the science-policy divide and advance climate solutions by focusing on the positive health, ecosystem, and economic benefits of policy action. In 2013, we brought together an interdisciplinary team to estimate the co-benefits of U.S. power plant carbon standards for air quality and health, plus the economic value of the benefits. The results demonstrate that strong carbon standards with flexible compliance options can change the power sector, yielding substantial air quality and health benefits nationwide. The results also show that the economic value of these benefits outweighs the costs nationally and regionally. We advanced the policy applications of this research through a strategic campaign with three key elements: media communication, targeted outreach, and information for policymakers. Our strategy was to build widespread awareness of the research outcomes via media engagement, amplify our message via targeted outreach to citizens groups, and inform policy solutions by sharing research results with decision makers. The research was reported in more than 600 unique news stories in mainstream media outlets and received social media posts by members of Congress and senior White House officials. We amplified the messages via 14 webinars for citizens groups. We also held 16 briefings for policymakers and the public, in addition to meetings with relevant policy staff. Regional, state and federal policy leaders have used the research to understand air quality and health benefits of power plant carbon standards. This model of pairing research with media communication, targeted outreach, and information for policymakers is effective for bridging the gap between climate research and policy, and can be

Bridges and Barriers to Developing and Conducting Interdisciplinary Graduate-Student Team Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wayde Cameron. Morse

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Understanding complex socio-environmental problems requires specialists from multiple disciplines to integrate research efforts. Programs such as the National Science Foundation's Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship facilitate integrated research efforts and change the way academic institutions train future leaders and scientists. The University of Idaho and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center in Costa Rica collaborate on a joint research program focusing on biodiversity conservation and sustainable production in fragmented landscapes. We first present a spectrum of integration ranging from disciplinary to transdisciplinary across seven aspects of the research process. We then describe our experiences and lessons learned conducting interdisciplinary graduate student team research. Using our program as a case study, we examine the individual, disciplinary, and programmatic bridges and barriers to conducting interdisciplinary research that emerged during our student team research projects. We conclude with a set of recommendations for exploiting the bridges and overcoming the barriers to conducting interdisciplinary research, especially as part of graduate education programs.

Research Institute for Technical Careers

Science.gov (United States)

Glenn, Ronald L.

1996-01-01

The NASA research grant to Wilberforce University enabled us to establish the Research Institute for Technical Careers (RITC) in order to improve the teaching of science and engineering at Wilberforce. The major components of the research grant are infrastructure development, establishment of the Wilberforce Intensive Summer Experience (WISE), and Joint Research Collaborations with NASA Scientists. (A) Infrastructure Development. The NASA grant has enabled us to improve the standard of our chemistry laboratory and establish the electronics, design, and robotics laboratories. These laboratories have significantly improved the level of instruction at Wilberforce University. (B) Wilberforce Intensive Summer Experience (WISE). The WISE program is a science and engineering bridge program for prefreshman students. It is an intensive academic experience designed to strengthen students' knowledge in mathematics, science, engineering, computing skills, and writing. (C) Joint Collaboration. Another feature of the grant is research collaborations between NASA Scientists and Wilberforce University Scientists. These collaborations have enabled our faculty and students to conduct research at NASA Lewis during the summer and publish research findings in various journals and scientific proceedings.

Bridging the Gap: A Research-Based Approach for Teaching Interdisciplinary Science to Undergraduate Freshman Students

Science.gov (United States)

Sales, Jessica; Comeau, Dawn; Liddle, Kathleen; Khanna, Nikki; Perrone, Lisa; Palmer, Katrina; Lynn, David

2006-01-01

A new program, On Recent Discoveries by Emory Researchers (ORDER), has been developed as a bridge across the ever-widening gap between graduate and undergraduate education in the sciences. This bridge is created by merging the needs of graduate/postdoctoral students to educate more interdisciplinary scholars about their research discoveries with…

77 FR 46764 - Clinical Studies of Safety and Effectiveness of Orphan Products Research Project Grant (R01)

Science.gov (United States)

2012-08-06

...] Clinical Studies of Safety and Effectiveness of Orphan Products Research Project Grant (R01) AGENCY: Food... per year. B. Research Objectives The goal of FDA's OPD grant program is to support the clinical... (OPD) grant program. The goal of FDA's OPD grant program is to support the clinical development of...

Building Bridges between Researchers and Patient Research Partners: A Report from the GRAPPA 2014 Annual Meeting

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Wit, M.P.T.; Campbell, W.; Orbai, A.M.; Tillett, W.; Fitzgerald, O.; Gladman, D.D.; Lindsay, C.A.; McHugh, N.J.; Mease, P.J.; O'Sullivan, D.; Steinkoenig, I.; Windisch, G.; Goel, N.

2015-01-01

for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) recently engaged patients as collaborative partners in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) research. We summarize Building Bridges, a session held at the GRAPPA 2014 annual meeting, where interactive dialogue was encouraged between all

The Maastricht-Duke bridge: An era of mentoring in clinical research - A model for mentoring in clinical research - A tribute to Dr. Galen Wagner.

Science.gov (United States)

Meijs, Loek; Zusterzeel, Robbert; Wellens, Hein Jj; Gorgels, Anton Pm

With the passing of Dr. Galen Wagner, an exceptional collaboration between Maastricht University Medical Center, The Netherlands, and Duke Clinical Research Institute, USA, has come to an end. This article focuses on the background of what Galen coined the Maastricht-Duke bridge (MD-bridge), its merits, limitations and development throughout the years, and his special role. Between 2004 and 2015, 23 Maastricht University medical students and post-graduate students were enrolled in the 4-month research elective, mentored by Galen and the Maastricht co-mentor. They were asked to complete a survey about their MD-bridge experience. Sixteen out of the 23 students responded. None but 1 participant had prior research experience. Following their MD bridge-program most participants published 1 or more manuscripts and/or presented their research in an international setting. They felt they had full responsibility as a leader of their project with all participants developing meaningful skills useful in their current job. Fourteen out of 16 would recommend the MD-bridge experience to others. Participants considered the program of great value for their personal growth and independence, giving a feeling of achievement. In addition, for some participants it led to careers in foreign countries including medical practice and research, or obtaining PhDs. With Galen's impressive career of mentoring students, including the 23 MD-bridge participants, he has left behind an amazing concept of self-development in research and personal life. The successes of the MD-bridge prove that it is possible for students to be young investigators during or just after medical school with the potential to contribute to developing meaningful skills and noteworthy careers. Collaborations between international universities, such as the MD-bridge, are feasible and should be embraced by other institutions. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evidence-Based Practice in Autism Educational Research: Can We Bridge the Research and Practice Gap?

Science.gov (United States)

Guldberg, Karen

2017-01-01

In order to develop deeper and better understandings of what constitutes effective educational practices, and to bridge the gap between research and practice, there is a need for a paradigm shift in autism educational research. The contribution of this paper is to examine the key methodological challenges that stand in the way of autism…

Grant Administrator | IDRC - International Development Research ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Job Summary A Grant Administrator is responsible to provide financial and ... and financial aspects of the project, as well as, country and institutional risks are ... and financial project data in the grants and project management system of IDRC.

Grant-Writing Bootcamp: An Intervention to Enhance the Research Capacity of Academic Women in STEM.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jessi L; Stoop, Chatanika; Young, Micaela; Belou, Rebecca; Held, Suzanne

2017-07-01

Broadening the participation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) fields is more than a social-justice issue; diversity is paramount to a thriving national research agenda. However, women face several obstacles to fully actualizing their research potential. Enhancing the research capacity and opportunity of women faculty requires purposeful changes in university practice. Therefore, we designed an intervention, a grant-writing bootcamp informed by self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan 2012), to support the participants' feelings of relatedness, autonomy, and competence. Three grant-writing bootcamps were run over an 18-month period. Using a pre- and post-test design over the span of 1 year (and contrasting results with a comparison sample who were not part of the intervention) showed that the women participating in the grant-writing bootcamp significantly increased the number of external grants submitted, the number of proposals led as principal investigator, the number of external grants awarded, and the amount of external funding dollars awarded.

Bursaries, writing grants and fellowships: a strategy to develop research capacity in primary health care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farmer Elizabeth A

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background General practitioners and other primary health care professionals are often the first point of contact for patients requiring health care. Identifying, understanding and linking current evidence to best practice can be challenging and requires at least a basic understanding of research principles and methodologies. However, not all primary health care professionals are trained in research or have research experience. With the aim of enhancing research skills and developing a research culture in primary health care, University Departments of General Practice and Rural Health have been supported since 2000 by the Australian Government funded 'Primary Health Care Research Evaluation and Development (PHCRED Strategy'. A small grant funding scheme to support primary health care practitioners was implemented through the PHCRED program at Flinders University in South Australia between 2002 and 2005. The scheme incorporated academic mentors and three types of funding support: bursaries, writing grants and research fellowships. This article describes outcomes of the funding scheme and contributes to the debate surrounding the effectiveness of funding schemes as a means of building research capacity. Methods Funding recipients who had completed their research were invited to participate in a semi-structured 40-minute telephone interview. Feedback was sought on acquisition of research skills, publication outcomes, development of research capacity, confidence and interest in research, and perception of research. Data were also collected on demographics, research topics, and time needed to complete planned activities. Results The funding scheme supported 24 bursaries, 11 writing grants, and three research fellows. Nearly half (47% of all grant recipients were allied health professionals, followed by general practitioners (21%. The majority (70% were novice and early career researchers. Eighty-nine percent of the grant recipients were

Fatigue Properties of Orthotropic Decks on Railway Bridges

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Frýba, Ladislav; Gajdoš, Lubomír

1999-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 7 (1999), s. 639-652 ISSN 0141-0296 Grant - others:XX(CZ) ERRI D 191 Keywords : railway bridges * orthotropic decks * fatigue Subject RIV: JM - Building Engineering Impact factor: 0.364, year: 1999

Dynamic assessment of bridge deck performance considering realistic bridge-traffic interaction : research brief

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

This study is to develop simulation methodology to conduct the dynamic assessment of bridge deck performance subjected to traffic. Concrete bridge decks are exposed to daily traffic loads and may experience some surface cracking caused by excessive s...

NITARP: Bridging the Gap Between the Traditional Science Classroom and Authentic Research

Science.gov (United States)

Stalnaker, Olivia K.; Evans, Sam; Rutherford, Thomas; Taylor, John; Rebull, Luisa

2018-01-01

In this poster, the differences between what occurs in the traditional secondary science classroom and what happens in the actual research world is examined. Secondary classroom teachers generally have limited, if any, research experience beyond what is presented through their undergraduate college lab coursework. A disparity exists between classroom laboratory work and professional research. Opportunities like NITARP provide research elements that bridge this gap. NITARP teams are in a unique situation, joining a small team working alongside Caltech researchers on cutting edge investigations in astrophysics. In this poster it is shown how the NITARP program provides key components and experiences to expand the skill sets that teachers bring to their classrooms, bridging the gap between the typical secondary classroom and the world of the professional researcher. The NASA/IPAC program immerses participating teachers into a year-long training experience via online and face-to-face learning that translates into enhanced instruction at the secondary level. This work was made possible through the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) and was funded by NASA Astrophysics Data Program.

Bridging the practitioner-scientist gap in group psychotherapy research.

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, Mark A; Ogrodniczuk, John; Joyce, Anthony S; Sochting, Ingrid

2010-04-01

Bridging the practitioner-scientist gap requires a different clinical research paradigm: participatory research that encourages community agency-academic partnerships. In this context, clinicians help define priorities, determine the type of evidence that will have an impact on their practice (affecting the methods that are used to produce the evidence), and develop strategies for translating, implementing, and disseminating their findings into evidence-based practice. Within this paradigm, different roles are assumed by the partners, and sometimes these roles are blended. This paper will consider the perspectives of people who assume these different roles (clinician, researcher, and clinician-researcher) with group psychotherapy as the specific focus. Finally, the establishment of a practice-research network will be discussed as a potentially promising way to better engage group therapists in research.

Bridging Transitions for Spheres and Cylinders.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Malijevský, Alexandr; Parry, A.O.

2015-01-01

Roč. 92, č. 2 (2015), s. 022407 ISSN 1539-3755 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-09914S Grant - others:EPSRC(GB) EP/J009636/1 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : phase behaviour * bridging * density functional theory Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.288, year: 2014

Research of diagnosis sensors fault based on correlation analysis of the bridge structural health monitoring system

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Shunren; Chen, Weimin; Liu, Lin; Gao, Xiaoxia

2010-03-01

Bridge structural health monitoring system is a typical multi-sensor measurement system due to the multi-parameters of bridge structure collected from the monitoring sites on the river-spanning bridges. Bridge structure monitored by multi-sensors is an entity, when subjected to external action; there will be different performances to different bridge structure parameters. Therefore, the data acquired by each sensor should exist countless correlation relation. However, complexity of the correlation relation is decided by complexity of bridge structure. Traditionally correlation analysis among monitoring sites is mainly considered from physical locations. unfortunately, this method is so simple that it cannot describe the correlation in detail. The paper analyzes the correlation among the bridge monitoring sites according to the bridge structural data, defines the correlation of bridge monitoring sites and describes its several forms, then integrating the correlative theory of data mining and signal system to establish the correlation model to describe the correlation among the bridge monitoring sites quantificationally. Finally, The Chongqing Mashangxi Yangtze river bridge health measurement system is regards as research object to diagnosis sensors fault, and simulation results verify the effectiveness of the designed method and theoretical discussions.

Active Control of Suspension Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

In this paper some recent research on active control of very long suspension bridges, is presented. The presentation is based on research work at Aalborg University, Denmark. The active control system is based on movable flaps attached to the bridge girder. Wind load on bridges with or without...... flaps attached to the girder is briefly presented. A simple active control system is discussed. Results from wind tunnel experiments with a bridge section show that flaps can be used effectively to control bridge girder vibrations. Flutter conditions for suspension bridges with and without flaps...

Analysis of the distribution and scholarly output from National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia (NIAA) research grants.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Boghdadly, K; Docherty, A B; Klein, A A

2018-06-01

The National Institute of Academic Anaesthesia (NIAA) was founded in 2008 to lead a UK strategy for developing academic anaesthesia. We aimed to assess the distribution of applications and quantify the academic returns of NIAA-supported research grants, as this has hitherto not been analysed. We sought data on the baseline characteristics of all grant applicants and recipients. Every grant recipient from 2008 to 2015 was contacted to ascertain the status of their supported research projects. We also examined Google Scholar, Scopus ® database and InCites Journal Citation Reports for citation, author and journal metrics, respectively. In total, 495 research project applications were made, with 150 grants being awarded. Data on 121 out of 150 (80.7%) grant awards, accounting for £3.5 million, were collected, of which 91 completed studies resulted in 140 publications and 2759 citations. The median (IQR [range]) time to first or only publication was 3 (2-4 [0-9]) years. The overall cost per publication was £14,970 (£7457-£24,998 [£2212-£73,755]) and the cost per citation was £1515 (£323-£3785 [£70-£36,182]), with 1 (0-2 [0-8]) publication and 4 (0-25 [0-265]) citations resulting per grant. The impact factor of journals in which publications arose was 4.7 (2.5-6.2 [0-47.8]), with the highest impact arising from clinical and basic science studies, particularly in the fields of pain and peri-operative medicine. Grants were most frequently awarded to clinical and basic science categories of study, but in terms of specialty, critical care medicine and peri-operative medicine received the greatest number of grants. Superficially, there seemed a geographical disparity, with 123 (82%) grants being awarded to researchers in England, London receiving 48 (32%) of these. However, this was in proportion to the number of grant applications received by country or city of application, such that there was no significant difference in overall success rates. There was no

32 CFR 22.310 - Statutes concerning certain research, development, and facilities construction grants.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... higher education for the performance of research and development or for the construction of research or... for research and development, or of a grant for the construction of research or other facilities... research and development or for the construction of research or other facilities are to be awarded to...

75 FR 47602 - Clinical Studies of Safety and Effectiveness of Orphan Products Research Project Grant (R01)

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-06

...] Clinical Studies of Safety and Effectiveness of Orphan Products Research Project Grant (R01) AGENCY: Food... (OPD) grant program. The goal of FDA's OPD grant program is to support the clinical development of... product will be superior to the existing therapy. FDA provides grants for clinical studies on safety and...

Comparative Research of Extra-large-span Cable-stayed Bridge with Steel Truss Girder and Steel Box Girder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tan Manjiang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To research structural performance of extra-large-span cable-stayed bridge under different section forms, with the engineering background of a 800m main-span cable-stayed bridge with steel truss girder, the cable-stayed bridge with steel box girder is designed according to the current bridge regulations when two bridges are designed in an ultimate state of the carrying capacity, so the maximum stress and minimum stress of the stress envelope diagram are substantially the same. A comprehensive comparison is given to two types of bridge on the aspect of static force, natural vibration frequency, stability, economic performance and so on. Analysis results provide future reference for the large-span cable-stayed bridge to select between the steel truss girder and the steel box girder.

10 CFR 600.381 - Special provisions for Small Business Innovation Research Grants.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Special provisions for Small Business Innovation Research... Organizations Additional Provisions § 600.381 Special provisions for Small Business Innovation Research Grants. (a) General. This section contains provisions applicable to the Small Business Innovation Reserach...

Research notes : listening to bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-09-01

The Federal Highway Administration requires owners of structurally deficient bridges to repair, replace, restrict truck loads, or conduct analysis and testing to maintain a safe highway system. Past experiments on reinforced concrete beams showed aco...

Bridging the Gap between Academic Research and Regional Development in the Basque Country

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsen, James; Larrea, Miren; Wilson, James R.; Aranguren, Mari Jose

2012-01-01

The discussion in this article focuses on how the gap between academic knowledge and regional development can be bridged, creating conditions for change processes between researchers and regional agents. Institutional entrepreneurs can create regional development organisations and research organisations, but in order to fulfil regional needs it is…

Double Super-Exchange in Silicon Quantum Dots Connected by Short-Bridged Networks

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Huashan; Wu, Zhigang; Lusk, Mark

2013-03-01

Silicon quantum dots (QDs) with diameters in the range of 1-2 nm are attractive for photovoltaic applications. They absorb photons more readily, transport excitons with greater efficiency, and show greater promise in multiple-exciton generation and hot carrier collection paradigms. However, their high excitonic binding energy makes it difficult to dissociate excitons into separate charge carriers. One possible remedy is to create dot assemblies in which a second material creates a Type-II heterojunction with the dot so that exciton dissociation occurs locally. This talk will focus on such a Type-II heterojunction paradigm in which QDs are connected via covalently bonded, short-bridge molecules. For such interpenetrating networks of dots and molecules, our first principles computational investigation shows that it is possible to rapidly and efficiently separate electrons to QDs and holes to bridge units. The bridge network serves as an efficient mediator of electron superexchange between QDs while the dots themselves play the complimentary role of efficient hole superexchange mediators. Dissociation, photoluminescence and carrier transport rates will be presented for bridge networks of silicon QDs that exhibit such double superexchange. This material is based upon work supported by the Renewable Energy Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (REMRSEC) under Grant No. DMR-0820518 and Golden Energy Computing Organization (GECO).

Bridging the Divide: Translating Landsat Research Into Usable Science

Science.gov (United States)

Rocchio, L. E.; Davis, A. L.

2006-12-01

Science has long served humankind. Breakthroughs in medicine have increased longevity and advances in technology have made modern-day conveniences possible. Yet, social benefits begotten by the environmental sciences, although critical for the survival of humanity, have not always been as widely recognized or used. To benefit today's rapidly growing population, the divides between environmental research, applied environmental science, and use of this information by decision makers must be bridged. Lessons about the translation from research to usable science can be learned from the four decades of Landsat history, and these lessons can serve as useful models for bridging the gaps between new technology, scientific research, and the use of that research and technology in real-world problem solving. In 1965, William Pecora, then-director of the U.S. Geological Survey, proposed the idea of a remote sensing satellite program to gather facts about natural resources of Earth. For the next seven years, an intense campaign showing the depth and diversity of satellite imagery applications was waged. This led to the 1972 launch of the first civilian land-observing satellite, Landsat 1. By 1975, successful application research based on Landsat 1 imagery prompted then-NASA Administrator Dr. James Fletcher to proclaim that if one space age development would save the world, it would be Landsat and its successor satellites. Thirty-four years of continual Landsat imaging and related-research has lead to the implementation of many socially beneficial applications, such as improved water management techniques, crop insurance fraud reduction, illicit crop inventories, natural disaster relief planning, continent-scale carbon estimates, and extensive cartographic advances. Despite these successes, the challenge of translating Landsat research into realized social benefits remains. Even in this geospatially-savvy era, the utility of Landsat largely escapes policymakers. Here, in an

Research on Swivel Construction Technology of 22,400 Tons in Zoucheng Thirty Meter Bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Jun; Benlin, Xiao

2018-05-01

In recent years, with the rapid development of highways and railways in our country, there have been many new bridges that need to cross the existing routes. If the conventional construction methods are used, the existing traffic will be affected and the traffic will be built above the busy traffic lines, so there is a big security risk, the construction methods must be improved and innovated. In this paper, it intends to research and develop some key technologies of swivel construction. According to the construction features to use finite element method of swivel cable-stayed bridge to analyse the cable-stayed bridge . The swivel construction process is carried out to solve the technical problems and difficulties in the construction.

The research-practice gap: bridging the schism between eating disorder researchers and practitioners.

Science.gov (United States)

Lilienfeld, Scott O; Ritschel, Lorie A; Lynn, Steven Jay; Brown, Amanda P; Cautin, Robin L; Latzman, Robert D

2013-07-01

The field of eating disorders (EDs) treatment has been beset by a marked disjunction between scientific evidence and clinical application. We describe the nature and scope of the research-practice gap in the ED field. We draw on surveys and broader literature to better understand the research-practice gap in ED treatment and reasons for resistance to evidence-based practice. We identify three sources of the research-practice gap: (1) attitudinal factors, (2) differences in the definition of "evidence," and (3) cognitive factors, especially naïve realism and confirmation bias. We affirm the role of science as a safeguard against human fallibility and as a means of bridging the research-practice gap, and delineate key principles of scientific thinking for ED researchers and practitioners. We conclude with proposals for narrowing the research-practice gap in ED treatment and enhancing the quality of interventions for ED clients. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bridging the gap from research-to-high-technology ventures with experienced entrepreneurs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Murdock, Karen; Kramer Overgaard, Majken; Jensen, Monika Luniewska

2017-01-01

the gap’ (BtG) is a model for combining the experiences, market insight and network connections of experienced entrepreneurs and the technical knowledge and capabilities of university researchers to create a stronger basis for spin-outs. Inserting market knowledge and competences in the research domain......The paper explores an alternative approach to the traditional transfer of university research output. This approach proposes a systematic search and matching of external experienced entrepreneurs with university researchers to stimulate spinning out university-developed technology. ‘Bridging...

$200,000 Grants Awarded to CCR Researchers for HIV/AIDS Studies | Poster

Science.gov (United States)

By Nancy Parrish, Staff Writer Earlier this year, the Office of AIDS Research (OAR) awarded two, two-year grants of $200,000 each to Anu Puri, Ph.D., and Robert Blumenthal, Ph.D., both of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) Nanobiology Program, and to Eric Freed, Ph.D., of the HIV Drug Resistance Program, for their research on potential new treatments for HIV.

Recent research and applications of numerical simulation for dynamic response of long-span bridges subjected to multiple loads.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhiwei; Chen, Bo

2014-01-01

Many long-span bridges have been built throughout the world in recent years but they are often subject to multiple types of dynamic loads, especially those located in wind-prone regions and carrying both trains and road vehicles. To ensure the safety and functionality of these bridges, dynamic responses of long-span bridges are often required for bridge assessment. Given that there are several limitations for the assessment based on field measurement of dynamic responses, a promising approach is based on numerical simulation technologies. This paper provides a detailed review of key issues involved in dynamic response analysis of long-span multiload bridges based on numerical simulation technologies, including dynamic interactions between running trains and bridge, between running road vehicles and bridge, and between wind and bridge, and in the wind-vehicle-bridge coupled system. Then a comprehensive review is conducted for engineering applications of newly developed numerical simulation technologies to safety assessment of long-span bridges, such as assessment of fatigue damage and assessment under extreme events. Finally, the existing problems and promising research efforts for the numerical simulation technologies and their applications to assessment of long-span multiload bridges are explored.

Students design composite bridges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stark, J.W.B.; Galjaard, J.C.; Brekelmans, J.W.P.M.

1999-01-01

The paper gives an overview of recent research on steel-concrete composite bridge design by students of Delft University of Technology doing their master's thesis. Primary objective of this research was to find possibilities for application of steel-concrete composite bridges in the Netherlands,

Efforts to Bridge the Gap between Research and Practice in Social Work: Precedents and Prospects: Keynote Address at the Bridging the Gap Symposium

Science.gov (United States)

Rubin, Allen

2015-01-01

This keynote address discusses previous and ongoing efforts to reduce the persistent gap between research and practice in social work and offers recommendations for further bridging that gap. Key among those recommendations is the need to conduct descriptive outcome studies of efforts to adapt research-supported interventions in everyday practice…

Initiation of new category of grant-in-aid for energy research by the Ministry of Education, science and culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohkado, Takashi

1980-01-01

Starting from fiscal 1980, among the grants-in-aid from the Ministry of Education, the one for energy researches was instituted with yearly budget of yen 1,400 million, intended for nuclear fusion research and other energy researches. In the guidance for the grants-in-aid in fiscal 1980, the formula of application was stated. The number of applicants was unexpectedly small, however. For the purpose of information, the following matters are described: the background for the initiation, significance and purpose of the grant-in-aid, the screening examination and its results, etc. The gist of instituting the grant-in-aid for energy researches is as follows. First, as for nuclear fusion research, assuming the advances in the next ten years, efforts are to be made in such delayed studies as those on reactor material and tritium technology. As for other energy researches, other features than the research and development having been carried out so far are to be pursued. (J.P.N.)

Effect of surfactant on kinetics of thinning of capillary bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Nowak, Emilia; Kovalchuk, Nina; Simmons, Mark

2015-11-01

Kinetics of thinning of capillary bridges is of great scientific and industrial interest being of vital importance for example in various emulsification and microfluidic processes. It is well known that the rate of bridge thinning is proportional to the interfacial tension. Therefore it is expected that the process should slow down by addition of surfactant. The kinetics of capillary bridges in the presence of surfactant was studied by the dripping of liquid from a capillary tip under conditions of nearly zero flow rate (We personal care products. The viscosity, surfactant activity and adsorption kinetics have been controlled by addition of glycerol and sodium chloride. The study has shown that the kinetics of capillary bridges are determined by dynamic surface tension rather than by its equilibrium value. In particular, the kinetics of the bridge thinning for the 0.1 g L-1 aqueous SLES solution is practically the same as that of pure water despite twice lower equilibrium surface tension. EPSRC Programme Grant, MEMPHIS, EP/K0039761/1.

Supporting public involvement in research design and grant development: a case study of a public involvement award scheme managed by a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service (RDS).

Science.gov (United States)

Boote, Jonathan D; Twiddy, Maureen; Baird, Wendy; Birks, Yvonne; Clarke, Clare; Beever, Daniel

2015-10-01

It is good practice for the public to be involved in developing health research. Resources should be available for researchers to fund the involvement of the public in the development of their grants. To describe a funding award scheme to support public involvement in grant development, managed by an NIHR Research Design Service (RDS). Case examples of how the award contributed to successful grant applications and findings from a recent evaluation of the scheme are presented. A case study of resource provision to support public involvement activities in one region of England. University and NHS-based researchers, and members of the public. Between 2009 and 2012, the RDS approved 45 public involvement funding awards (totalling nearly £19,000). These awards contributed to 27 submitted applications at the time of writing, of which 11 were successful (totalling over £7.5 million). The evaluation revealed difficulties encountered by some researchers when involving the public in grant development, which led to suggestions about how the scheme could be improved. This award scheme represents an efficient method of providing researchers with resources to involve the public in grant development and would appear to represent good value for money. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Multidisciplinary Mentoring Programs to Enhance Junior Faculty Research Grant Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Freel, Stephanie A; Smith, Paige C; Burns, Ebony N; Downer, Joanna B; Brown, Ann J; Dewhirst, Mark W

2017-10-01

Junior faculty face challenges in establishing independent research careers. Declining funding combined with a shift to multidisciplinary, collaborative science necessitates new mentorship models and enhanced institutional support. Two multidisciplinary mentorship programs to promote grant success for junior faculty were established at the Duke University School of Medicine beginning in 2011. These four-month programs-the Path to Independence Program (PtIP) for National Institutes of Health (NIH) R applicants and the K Club for NIH K applicants-use multiple senior faculty mentors and professional grant-writing staff to provide a 20-hour joint curriculum comprising a series of lectures, hands-on workshops, career development counseling, peer groups, and an internal study section. In March 2016, the authors analyzed the success rate for all NIH grants submitted by participants since program enrollment. In a 2015 postprogram survey, participants rated their feelings of support and competency across six skill factors. From October 2011 to March 2016, the programs engaged 265 senior faculty mentors, 145 PtIP participants, and 138 K Club participants. Success rates for NIH grant applications were 28% (61 awards/220 decisions) for PtIP participants-an increase over the 2010 Duke University junior faculty baseline of 11%-and 64% (38/59) for K Club participants. Respondents reported significantly increased feelings of support and self-ratings for each competency post program. The authors plan to expand the breadth of both the mentorship pool and faculty served. Broad implementation of similar programs elsewhere could bolster success, satisfaction, and retention of junior faculty investigators.

Sustainable Bridges – A European Integrated Research Project – Background Overview and Results

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Täljsten, Björn; Elfgren, Lennart

2008-01-01

of energy and release of greenhouse gases. To help our society to be more sustainable, it is important to retain and use what we already have where possible, rather than investing in new structures. Instead of tearing down old, often beautiful, railway bridges and replacing them with new ones, we need...... to preserve and upgrade them by using better assessment, monitoring and strengthening methods. This was also the aim of the European Integrated Research Project “Sustainable Bridges – Assessment for Future Traffic Demands and Longer Lives” when it was accepted for funding by the European Commission in 2003....... The project established the following three specific goals: 1. increase the transport capacity of existing railway bridges by allowing higher axle loads (up to 33 tons) for freight traffic at moderate speeds or by allowing higher speeds (up to 350 km/hour) for passenger traffic with low axle loads 2. extend...

The use of fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP in bridges as a favourable solution for the environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Żyjewski Artur

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to show the modern engineering, in which sustainability and taking care of ecology play a significant role. The authors are focused on FRP composite materials and their applications in civil engineering. Case studies showing renovation and design of new bridges with the use of FRP are presented and discussed to clarify benefits, which this solution provides. Main advantages of FRP materials in comparison with traditional ones, like concrete or steel are showed. The environmental impact of composites is described with respect to all life cycle of a product. Furthermore, some forms of waste management are covered. Last part of the paper refers to scientific description of the pedestrian bridge made of FRP, which was realized under the Fobridge research grant. The group of researchers headed by professor Chróścielewski from Gdansk University of Technology has developed a design solution of the pedestrian bridge manufactured in one production cycle. Moreover, the footbridge construction contains a significant share of a recyclable material commonly called PET. The article contains main characteristics of the structure and production process based on the resin infusion.

Automatic Bridge Control System

OpenAIRE

M. Niraimathi; S.Sivakumar; R.Vigneshwaran; R.Vinothkumar; P.Babu

2012-01-01

Bridge vibration control is an important issue whose purpose is to extend the structural service life of bridges. Normally, the bridge is modeled as an elastic beam or plate subject to a moving vehicle. However, the moving truck on a bridge is a complicated problem that must still be researched. In this paper, wepropose a new method, to overcome the huge load in the bridge a load cell is used at the entry which will monitor the load continuously at both ends. To escape from the heavy water fl...

Understanding and controlling wind-induced vibrations of bridge cables: Results from the Femern Crossing research project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Georgakis, Christos T.; Jakobsen, J. B.; Koss, Holger

of the project has been the establishment of novel vibration mitigation schemes that could be readily, economically, and effectively implemented on a cable-supported bridge that might form part of the fixed link. In support of the proposed research, Femern A/S commissioned a new climatic wind tunnel, designed......Following the successful completion of the Storebælt and Øresund Crossings, the Danish Ministry of Transport appointed Femern A/S to be in charge of preparation, investigations and planning in relation to the establishment of a fixed link across the Fehmarnbelt. To further investigate the causes...... behind the cable vibrations that were observed on the cable-supported bridges forming part of the aforementioned crossings, Femern A/S commissioned a 5-year international collaborative research project, entitled “Understanding and controlling wind-induced vibrations of bridge cables”. The ultimate goal...

Track-Bridge Longitudinal Interaction of Continuous Welded Rails on Arch Bridge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rong Chen

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Taking arch bridges, including deck, half-through, and through arch bridges (short for DAB, HTAB, and TAB as examples, mechanics analysis models of longitudinal interaction between continuously welded rails (short for CWRs and arch bridges are established. Based on the finite element method (FEM, the longitudinal interaction calculation software of CWR on arch bridges has been developed. Focusing on an HTAB, the tension, compression, and deflection conditions are calculated and analyzed. The results show that the mechanics analysis models of three types of arch bridges can truly reflect the real state of the structure; the calculation software can be used for systematic research of the CWR on arch bridge; as for HTAB, temperature difference of arch rib has a small effect on rail tension/compression, and arch bridge can be simplified as a continuous beam for rail tension/compression additional force calculation; in calculation of deflection conditions of HTAB, it is suggested that train loads are arranged on half span and full span and take the direction of load entering bridge into account. Additionally, the deflection additional force variation of CFST basket handle arch bridge is different from that of ordinary bridge.

A genre analysis of English language research grant proposal abstracts in Chile

OpenAIRE

Matzler, Pascal P

2014-01-01

The writing of English-language research genres represent a challenging task for non-native-speaker researchers. Grant proposals, in particular, are a high-stakes genre that will greatly influence a researcher’s career development opportunities; however, novice researchers are faced with an urgent lack of publicly available exemplars or teaching materials for this genre. The present study attempts to address this issue by means of Swalesian genre analysis. First, a move system analysis is app...

RESEARCH ON THE ASEISMIC BEHAVIOR OF LONG-SPAN CABLE-STAYED BRIDGE WITH DAMPING EFFECT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wu Fangwen

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The main beam of a cable-stayed bridge with a floating system may have a larger longitudinal displacement subject to earthquake effect. Thus, seismic control and isolation are crucial to bridge safety. This paper takes Huai’an Bridge, which has elastic coupling devices and viscous dampers set at the joint of the tower and the beam, as the research background. Its finite element model is established, and the elastic stiffness of elastic coupling devices and damper parameters are analyzed. Viscous damper and elastic coupling devices are simulated using Maxwell model and spring elements, and their damping effects are analyzed and compared through structural dynamic time-history analysis. Results show that viscous damper and elastic coupling device furnished at the joint of tower and beam of a cable-stayed bridge tower beam can effectively reduce the longitudinal displacement of the key part of the construction subject to earthquake effect, perfect the internal force distribution, and improve the aseismic performance. Between the two, viscous damper has better damping effects.

Impact Coefficient Analysis of Long-Span Railway Cable-Stayed Bridge Based on Coupled Vehicle-Bridge Vibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongle Li

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Compared with medium and small span bridges, very limited attention has been paid on the research of the impact coefficient of long-span railway bridges. To estimate the impact effects of long-span railway bridges subjected to moving vehicles, a real long-span railway cable-stayed bridge is regarded as the research object in this study, and a coupled model of vehicle-bridge system is established. The track irregularities are taken as the system excitation and the dynamic responses of the vehicle-bridge system are calculated. The impact effects on main girder, stayed cable, bearings, and bridge tower are discussed at various vehicle speeds. The results show that different components of the long-span railway cable-stayed bridge have different impact coefficients. Even for each part, the impact coefficient is also different at different local positions. It reveals that the impact coefficients in the actual situation may have significant differences with the related code clauses in the present design codes.

Research on Local Scour at Bridge Pier under Tidal Action

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Jianping

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Through the local scour test at bridge pier under tidal action in a long time series, this paper observes the growing trend of the deepest point of local scour at bridge pier under tidal conditions with different characteristic parameters, analyzes the impact of repeat sediment erosion and deposition in the scouring pit caused by reversing current on the development process of the scouring pit, and clarifies the relation between the tide and local scouring depth at bridge pier under steady flow conditions, so as to provide a scientific basis for bridge design and safe operation of estuary and harbor areas.

A 25-year analysis of the American College of Gastroenterology research grant program: factors associated with publication and advancement in academics.

Science.gov (United States)

Crockett, Seth D; Dellon, Evan S; Bright, Stephanie D; Shaheen, Nicholas J

2009-05-01

The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) has awarded research grants for 25 years. We assessed the characteristics of grant recipients, their current academic status, and the likelihood of publication resulting from the grant. Demographic data, the year and amount of award, title of project, and recipient's institution were extracted from ACG databases. Using ACG reports and medical literature search engines, we assessed publication based on grant-funded research, as well as career publication record. We also determined the current position of awardees. A similar analysis was performed for recipients of junior investigator awards. A total of 396 clinical research awards totaling $5,374,497 ($6,867,937 in 2008 dollars) were awarded to 341 recipients in the 25 years between 1983 and 2008. The most commonly funded areas of research were endoscopy (22% of awards) and motility/functional disorders (21%). At least one peer-reviewed publication based on grant-funded research occurred with 255 of the 368 awards (69%) for 1983-2006 [corrected]. Higher award value was associated with subsequent publication. Of the 313 awardees over the same period, 195 (62%) are currently in academic positions [corrected]. Factors associated with staying in academics included higher award value (P academics. Overall, the mean cost in grant dollars per published paper based on the research was $14,875. The majority of ACG grant recipients published the results of their research and remained in academics. Higher amount of award, holding an advanced degree, and publication were associated with careers in academics. The ACG research grant award program is an important engine of investigation, publication, and academic career development in the field of gastroenterology.

Evaluation of NSF's Program of Grants and Vertical Integration of Research and Education in the Mathematical Sciences (VIGRE)

Science.gov (United States)

National Academies Press, 2009

2009-01-01

In 1998, the National Science Foundation (NSF) launched a program of Grants for Vertical Integration of Research and Education in the Mathematical Sciences (VIGRE). These grants were designed for institutions with PhD-granting departments in the mathematical sciences, for the purpose of developing high-quality education programs, at all levels,…

Research on Fluid Viscous Damper Parameters of Cable-Stayed Bridge in Northwest China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiongjun He

2017-01-01

Full Text Available To optimize the aseismic performance of nonlinear fluid viscous dampers (FVD of cable-stayed bridge in the highly seismic zone, Xigu Yellow River Bridge in northwest China is taken as an example. Nonlinear time-history analysis method is used to research on the relation among the internal forces, displacements, and damping parameters of the 650 tonnage FVD. The method of getting the minimum of binary functions is used to obtain the optimal parameters of FVD. Also, the 1 : 1 full-scale FVD model is made and used in the constitutive relation test. Then the test result of the damping parameters can be got by normal equation method. The optimized method to obtain the damping parameters is further verified. The results indicate that seismic response in key positions of the cable-stayed bridge can be reduced by installing longitudinal nonlinear FVD between the towers and girders if choosing reasonable damping parameters C and ξ. The optimal damping parameters can be calculated accurately by the proposed method of optimizing damping parameters of nonlinear FVD, and the constitutive relation test verifies the correctness of the optimization analysis method. Conclusions concerned can be applied to the design of nonlinear FVD for cable-stayed bridges.

42 CFR 51b.605 - How will grant applications be evaluated and the grants awarded?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... HUMAN SERVICES GRANTS PROJECT GRANTS FOR PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES Grants for Research, Demonstrations... has potential to directly benefit the national venereal disease control effort? (2) Are the project...

Developing research and recruitment while fostering stakeholder engagement in a National Institutes of Mental Health-funded Interventions and Practice Research Infrastructure Programs grant for depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Stirman, Shannon Wiltsey; Goldstein, Lizabeth A; Wrenn, Glenda; Barrett, Marna; Gibbons, Mary Beth Connolly; Casiano, Delane; Thompson, Donald; Green, Patricia P; Heintz, Laura; Barber, Jacques P; Crits-Christoph, Paul

2010-01-01

In the context of a National Institutes of Mental Health-funded Interventions and Practice Research Infrastructure Programs (IP-RISP) grant for the treatment of depression, a partnership was developed between a community mental health organization and a team of researchers. This paper describes the collaborative process, key challenges, and strategies employed to meet the goals of the first phase of the grant, which included development of a working and sustainable partnership and building capacity for recruitment and research. This paper was developed through the use of qualitative interviews and discussion with a variety of IP-RISP partners. Communication with multiple stakeholders through varied channels, feedback from stakeholders on research procedures, and employing a research liaison at the clinic have been key strategies in the first phase of the grant. The strategies we employed allowed multiple stakeholders to contribute to the larger mission of the IP-RISP and helped to establish an ongoing research program within the mental health organization.

Characterization of bridge foundations workshop report.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-01

"In 2013, the Federal Highway Administration proposed a new research program for the characterization of bridge foundations. To narrow the focus and develop a research roadmap for the program, a workshop on Characterization of Bridge Foundations...

Write More Articles, Get More Grants: The Impact of Department Climate on Faculty Research Productivity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheridan, Jennifer; Savoy, Julia N; Kaatz, Anna; Lee, You-Geon; Filut, Amarette; Carnes, Molly

2017-05-01

Many studies find that female faculty in academic medicine, science, and engineering experience adverse workplace climates. This study longitudinally investigates whether department climate is associated with future research productivity and whether the associations are stronger for female than male faculty. Two waves of a faculty climate survey, institutional grant records, and publication records were collected for 789 faculties in academic medicine, science, and engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison between 2000 and 2010. Research productivity was measured as Number of Publications and Number of Grants awarded, and department climate was measured with scales for professional interactions, department decision-making practices, climate for underrepresented groups, and work/life balance. Ordinary least squares and negative binomial regression methods were used to assess gender differences in productivity, influences of department climate on productivity, and gender differences in effects of climate on productivity. Female faculty published fewer articles and were awarded fewer grants in the baseline period, but their productivity did not differ from male faculty on these measures in subsequent years. Number of Publications was positively affected by professional interactions, but negatively affected by positive work/life balance. Number of Grants awarded was positively affected by climate for underrepresented groups. These main effects did not differ by gender; however, some three-way interactions illuminated how different aspects of department climate affected productivity differently for men and women in specific situations. In perhaps the first study to assess the longitudinal impact of department climate on faculty research productivity, positive department climate is associated with significantly greater productivity for all faculty-women and men. However, some positive aspects of climate (specifically, work/life balance) may be associated with

Educators' Use of Research and Other Evidence within Local Grant Foundation Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Malin, Joel R.

2016-01-01

In this study, educators' requests for foundation grant funding to purchase desired educational materials or services were examined. Specifically, this study sought to review to what extent, and in what manner, educators utilize research and other forms of evidence to support their decision making. Data analysis revealed several themes. Although…

Writing Cancer Grant Applications | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

This course focuses on how to write clear and persuasive grant applications. The purpose is to increase the quality of your grant application by successfully communicating scientific data and ideas. Emphasis is placed on how to use the title abstract and introduction sections to draw in reviewers and how to write an organized and focused proposal using specific scientific aims.

A Polish approach to FRP bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Siwowski, Tomasz; Rajchel, Mateusz

2017-12-01

The paper presents initial results of a new approach to FRP composite bridge construction that is presently being developed and tested in Poland. The concept combines lightweight concrete with FRP composites to create a durable highly optimised structure. The paper describes the bridge system itself and presents the research results on its development. The basic design is presented together with research results on its development: FEM analysis and a range of static test results of full-scale bridge beam experiments. The paper finishes with some test results of a full scale bridge that was constructed near Rzeszow in December 2015.

Research on Damage Identification of Bridge Based on Digital Image Measurement

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Yingjing; Huan, Shi; Tao, Weijun

2017-12-01

In recent years, the number of the damage bridge due to excessive deformation gradually increased, which caused significant property damage and casualties. Hence health monitoring and the damage detection of the bridge structure based on the deflection measurement are particularly important. The current conventional deflection measurement methods, such as total station, connected pipe, GPS, etc., have many shortcomings as low efficiency, heavy workload, low degree of automation, operating frequency and working time constrained. GPS has a low accuracy in the vertical displacement measurement and cannot meet the dynamic measured requirements of the current bridge engineering. This paper presents a bridge health monitoring and damage detection technology based on digital image measurement method in which the measurement accuracy is sub-millimeter level and can achieve the 24-hour automatic non-destructive monitoring for the deflection. It can be concluded from this paper that it is feasible to use digital image measurement method for identification of the damage in the bridge structure, because it has been validated by the theoretical analysis, the laboratory model and the application of the real bridge.

Practical recommendations to help students bridge the research-implementation gap and promote conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pietri, Diana M; Gurney, Georgina G; Benitez-Vina, Nancy; Kuklok, Audrey; Maxwell, Sara M; Whiting, Libby; Vina, Michael A; Jenkins, Lekelia D

2013-10-01

Seasoned conservation researchers often struggle to bridge the research-implementation gap and promote the translation of their work into meaningful conservation actions. Graduate students face the same problems and must contend with obstacles such as limited opportunities for relevant interdisciplinary training and a lack of institutional support for application of research results. However, students also have a crucial set of opportunities (e.g., access to academic resources outside their degree programs and opportunities to design research projects promoting collaboration with stakeholders) at their disposal to address these problems. On the basis of results of breakout discussions at a symposium on the human dimensions of the ocean, a review of the literature, and our own experiences, we devised recommendations on how graduate students can create resources within their academic institutions, institutionalize resources, and engage with stakeholders to promote real-world conservation outcomes. Within their academic institutions, graduate students should foster links to practitioners and promote knowledge and skill sharing among students. To institutionalize resources, students should cultivate student leaders and faculty sponsors, systematically document their program activities, and engage in strategic planning to promote the sustainability of their efforts. While conducting research, students should create connections to and engage actively with stakeholders in their relevant study areas and disseminate research results both to stakeholders and the broader public. Our recommendations can serve as a template for graduate students wishing to bridge the research-implementation gap, both during their current studies and in their future careers as conservation researchers and practitioners. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Istanbul Bridge Conference 2014

CERN Document Server

Gülkan, Polat; Mahmoud, Khaled

2016-01-01

  The book includes peer-reviewed contributions selected from presentations given at the Istanbul Bridge Conference 2014, held from August 11 – 13 in Istanbul, Turkey. It reports on the current challenges in bridge engineering faced by professionals around the globe, giving a special emphasis to recently developed techniques, innovations and opportunities. The book covers key topics in the field, including modeling and analysis methods; construction and erection techniques; design for extreme events and condition assessment and structural health monitoring. There is a balanced presentation of theory, research and practice. This book, which provides the readers with a comprehensive and timely reference guide on current practices in bridge engineering, is intended for professionals, academic researchers and students alike.

Revised Rules for Concrete Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle; Jensen, F. M.; Middleton, C.

This paper is based on research performed for the Highway Agency, London, UK under the project DPU/9/44 "Revision of Bridge Assessment Rules Based on Whole Life Performance: Concrete Bridges" It contains details of a methodology which can be used to generate Whole Life (WL) reliability profiles....... These WL reliability profiles may be used to establish revised rules for Concrete Bridges....

Surveys of current status in biomedical science grant review: funding organisations' and grant reviewers' perspectives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schroter, Sara; Groves, Trish; Højgaard, Liselotte

2010-01-01

The objectives of this research were (a) to describe the current status of grant review for biomedical projects and programmes from the perspectives of international funding organisations and grant reviewers, and (b) to explore funders' interest in developing uniform requirements for grant review...

Strategies to Prevent or Reduce Gender Bias in Peer Review of Research Grants: A Rapid Scoping Review.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea C Tricco

Full Text Available To review the literature on strategies implemented or identified to prevent or reduce gender bias in peer review of research grants.Studies of any type of qualitative or quantitative design examining interventions to reduce or prevent gender bias during the peer review of health-related research grants were included. Electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC, PsycINFO, Joanna Briggs, the Cochrane Library, Evidence Based Medicine (EBM Reviews, and the Campbell Library were searched from 2005 to April 2016. A search for grey (i.e., difficult to locate or unpublished literature was conducted and experts in the field were consulted to identify additional potentially relevant articles. Two individuals screened titles and abstracts, full-text articles, and abstracted data with discrepancies resolved by a third person consistently.After screening 5524 citations and 170 full-text articles, one article evaluating gender-blinding of grant applications using an uncontrolled before-after study design was included. In this study, 891 applications for long-term fellowships in 2006 were included and 47% of the applicants were women. These were scored by 13 peer reviewers (38% were women. The intervention included eliminating references to gender from the applications, letters of recommendations, and interview reports that were sent to the committee members for evaluation. The proportion of successful applications led by women did not change with gender-blinding, although the number of successful applications that were led by men increased slightly.There is limited research on interventions to mitigate gender bias in the peer review of grants. Only one study was identified and no difference in the proportion of women who were successful in receiving grant funding was observed. Our results suggest that interventions to prevent gender bias should be adapted and tested in the context of grant peer review to

Write More Articles, Get More Grants: The Impact of Department Climate on Faculty Research Productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Savoy, Julia N.; Kaatz, Anna; Lee, You-Geon; Filut, Amarette; Carnes, Molly

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Many studies find that female faculty in academic medicine, science, and engineering experience adverse workplace climates. This study longitudinally investigates whether department climate is associated with future research productivity and whether the associations are stronger for female than male faculty. Method: Two waves of a faculty climate survey, institutional grant records, and publication records were collected for 789 faculties in academic medicine, science, and engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison between 2000 and 2010. Research productivity was measured as Number of Publications and Number of Grants awarded, and department climate was measured with scales for professional interactions, department decision-making practices, climate for underrepresented groups, and work/life balance. Ordinary least squares and negative binomial regression methods were used to assess gender differences in productivity, influences of department climate on productivity, and gender differences in effects of climate on productivity. Results: Female faculty published fewer articles and were awarded fewer grants in the baseline period, but their productivity did not differ from male faculty on these measures in subsequent years. Number of Publications was positively affected by professional interactions, but negatively affected by positive work/life balance. Number of Grants awarded was positively affected by climate for underrepresented groups. These main effects did not differ by gender; however, some three-way interactions illuminated how different aspects of department climate affected productivity differently for men and women in specific situations. Conclusions: In perhaps the first study to assess the longitudinal impact of department climate on faculty research productivity, positive department climate is associated with significantly greater productivity for all faculty—women and men. However, some positive aspects of climate

A community translational research pilot grants program to facilitate community--academic partnerships: lessons from Colorado's clinical translational science awards.

Science.gov (United States)

Main, Deborah S; Felzien, Maret C; Magid, David J; Calonge, B Ned; O'Brien, Ruth A; Kempe, Allison; Nearing, Kathryn

2012-01-01

National growth in translational research has increased the need for practical tools to improve how academic institutions engage communities in research. One used by the Colorado Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CCTSI) to target investments in community-based translational research on health disparities is a Community Engagement (CE) Pilot Grants program. Innovative in design, the program accepts proposals from either community or academic applicants, requires that at least half of requested grant funds go to the community partner, and offers two funding tracks: One to develop new community-academic partnerships (up to $10,000), the other to strengthen existing partnerships through community translational research projects (up to $30,000). We have seen early success in both traditional and capacity building metrics: the initial investment of $272,742 in our first cycle led to over $2.8 million dollars in additional grant funding, with grantees reporting strengthening capacity of their community- academic partnerships and the rigor and relevance of their research.

Hydraulic modeling of flow impact on bridge structures: a case study on Citarum bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Siregar, R. I.

2018-02-01

Flood waves because of the rapid catchment response to high intense rainfall, breaches of flood defenses may induce huge impact forces on structures, causing structural damage or even failures. Overflowing stream that passes over the bridge, it means to discharge flood water level is smaller than the capacity of the river flow. In this study, the researches present the methodological approach of flood modeling on bridge structures. The amount of force that obtained because of the hydrostatic pressure received by the bridge at the time of the flood caused the bridge structure disrupted. This paper presents simulation of flow impact on bridge structures with some event flood conditions. Estimating the hydrostatic pressure developed new model components, to quantify the flow impact on structures. Flow parameters applied the model for analyzing, such as discharge, velocity, and water level or head that effect of bridge structures. The simulation will illustrate the capability of bridge structures with some event flood river and observe the behavior of the flow that occurred during the flood. Hydraulic flood modeling use HEC-RAS for simulation. This modeling will describe the impact on bridge structures. Based on the above modelling resulted, in 2008 has flood effect more than other years on the Citarum Bridge, because its flow overflow on the bridge.

A roadmap for bridging basic and applied research in forensic entomology.

Science.gov (United States)

Tomberlin, J K; Mohr, R; Benbow, M E; Tarone, A M; VanLaerhoven, S

2011-01-01

The National Research Council issued a report in 2009 that heavily criticized the forensic sciences. The report made several recommendations that if addressed would allow the forensic sciences to develop a stronger scientific foundation. We suggest a roadmap for decomposition ecology and forensic entomology hinging on a framework built on basic research concepts in ecology, evolution, and genetics. Unifying both basic and applied research fields under a common umbrella of terminology and structure would facilitate communication in the field and the production of scientific results. It would also help to identify novel research areas leading to a better understanding of principal underpinnings governing ecosystem structure, function, and evolution while increasing the accuracy of and ability to interpret entomological evidence collected from crime scenes. By following the proposed roadmap, a bridge can be built between basic and applied decomposition ecology research, culminating in science that could withstand the rigors of emerging legal and cultural expectations.

The Cal-Bridge Program: Increasing the Gender and Ethnic Diversity of Astrophysics Students in Southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Smecker-Hane, Tammy A.; Rudolph, Alexander L.

2016-06-01

The mission of the Cal-Bridge program is to increase the number of underrepresented minority and women students completing a bachelor’s degree and entering a PhD program in astronomy, physics, or closely-related fields. The program has created a network of faculty at diverse higher education institutions, including 5 University of California (UC) campuses, 9 California State Universities (CSUs), and 10 community colleges in southern California, dedicated to this goal. Students selected for the program are know as “Cal-Bridge Scholars” and they are given a wide variety of support: (1) scholarships in their junior/senior years at CSU and their first year of graduate school at a UC, (2) intensive mentoring by a pair of CSU and UC faculty members, (3) tutoring, when needed, (4) professional development workshops, (5) exposure to research opportunities at various universities, and (6) membership in a growing cohort of like-minded students. We report on the structure of our program, lessons learned with our current 12 Cal-Bridge scholars, and the results of our first two years of operation. Funding for this program is provided by NSF-SSTEM Grant #1356133.

Inspection Based Evaluation of a Danish Road Bridge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

In this paper it is shown how an inspection-based evaluation of a Danish road bridge may be performed using the BRIDGE1 and BRIDGE2 bridge management systems produced within the EC-supported research programme "Assessment of Performance and Optimal Strategies for Inspection and Maintenance...

Blinding Applicants in a First-Stage Peer-Review Process of Biomedical Research Grants: An Observational Study

Science.gov (United States)

Solans-Domènech, Maite; Guillamón, Imma; Ribera, Aida; Ferreira-González, Ignacio; Carrion, Carme; Permanyer-Miralda, Gaietà; Pons, Joan M. V.

2017-01-01

To blind or not researcher's identity has often been a topic of debate in the context of peer-review process for scientific publication and research grant application. This article reports on how knowing the name and experience of researchers/institutions influences the qualification of a proposal. We present our experience of managing the…

RESEARCH OF BRIDGE STRUCTURE VIBRATION CHARACTERISTICS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.P. Babak

2005-02-01

Full Text Available  Bridge structure test results with using different types of dynamic force have been considered. It has been shown, that the developed technique of registering and processing vibration signals allows obtaining thin spectrum structure. The analysis of its change that is defined by the type of structure loading applied has been carried out. Key parameters of the vibration signals registered have been defined.

DOE/Industry Matching Grant Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, John C.

2003-01-01

For the academic year 2001-2002, the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences received $50,000 of industrial contributions, matched by a DOE grant of $35,000. We used the combined DOE/Industry Matching Grant of $85,000 toward (a) undergraduate merit scholarships and research support, (b) graduate student support, and (c) partial support of a research scientist

Bridging the gap from research-to-high-technology ventures with experienced entrepreneurs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kramer Overgaard, Majken; Murdock, Karen; Jensen, Monika Luniewska

2015-01-01

t: The paper outlines an initiative undertaken to increase the number of spin-outs from a research university. The Bridging the Gap (BtG) model takes a systematic approach to identify and match experienced external entrepreneurs at a very early stage in the technological development process...... with university researchers to improve the technology spin-out process. The experiences, market insight and network connections of experienced entrepreneurs when combine with technical knowledge and capabilities of the researchers create a strong resource base for start-ups. This strong resource base can shorten...... the actual time taken to spin-out a technology and also increase the prospects for the emerging start-ups to achieve sustainable growth. The empirical evidence to support the model comes from two research departments at the Technical University of Denmark....

Host-agent-vector-environment measures for electronic cigarette research used in NIH grants.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Cazarin, Mary L; Mandal, Rachel J; Grana, Rachel; Wanke, Kay L; Meissner, Helen I

2018-01-13

The purpose of this study is to describe the focus and comprehensiveness of domains measured in e-cigarette research. A portfolio analysis of National Institutes of Health grants focusing on e-cigarette research and funded between the fiscal years 2007 and 2015 was conducted. Grant proposals were retrieved using a government database and coded using the Host-Agent-Vector-Environment (HAVE) model as a framework to characterise the measures proposed. Eighty-one projects met the criteria for inclusion in the analysis. The primary HAVE focus most commonly found was Host (73%), followed by Agent (21%), Vector (6%) and Environment (0%). Intrapersonal measures and use trajectories were the most common measures in studies that include Host measures (n=59 and n=51, respectively). Product composition was the most common area of measurement in Agent studies (n=24), whereas Marketing (n=21) was the most common (n=21) area of Vector measurement. When Environment measures were examined as secondary measures in studies, they primarily focused on measuring Peer, Occupation and Social Networks (n=18). Although all studies mentioned research on e-cigarettes, most (n=52; 64%) did not specify the type of e-cigarette device or liquid solution under study. This analysis revealed a heavy focus on Host measures (73%) and a lack of focus on Environment measures. The predominant focus on Host measures may have the unintended effect of limiting the evidence base for tobacco control and regulatory science. Further, a lack of specificity about the e-cigarette product under study will make comparing results across studies and using the outcomes to inform tobacco policy difficult. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Outline of Summary Meeting on Nuclear Fusion Research by Grant-in-Aid (1986-1989) by Monbusho

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishino, Shiori; Nakazawa, Masaharu; Iguchi, Tetsuo

1990-01-01

The Summary Meeting on Nuclear Fusion Research by Grant-in-Aid (1986∼1989) of Monbusho was held on Jan. 30∼Feb. 1, 1989 at Gakushi-kaikan in Tokyo. About 300 papers were presented on the research activities as well as some special topics. (author)

Science Granting Councils Initiative: Research uptake | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

The Science Granting Councils Initiative in sub-Saharan Africa aims to ... The strategy identifies a wide range of activities to collect, package, and share lessons ... Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), IDRC is ...

Competitive Research Grants and Industry Collaboration: A Challenge for Universities in the 1990s.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Peter

1993-01-01

The reasons for increased collaboration between Australian universities and industry are examined, focusing on competitive research grant programs developed by the government in the last decade. University and industry response to these opportunities and to issues such as intellectual property rights and publication rights are discussed. (MSE)

76 FR 8788 - National Nanotechnology Coordination Office; Bridging NanoEHS Research Efforts: A Joint US-EU...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-15

... OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY National Nanotechnology Coordination Office; Bridging NanoEHS Research Efforts: A Joint US-EU Workshop: Public Meeting AGENCY: National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, STPO. ACTION: Notice of public meeting. SUMMARY: The National Nanotechnology Coordination...

Experimental Research on Quick Structural Health Monitoring Technique for Bridges Using Smartphone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuefeng Zhao

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the recent years, with the development and popularization of smartphone, the utilization of smartphone in the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM has attracted increasing attention owing to its unique feature. Since bridges are of great importance to society and economy, bridge health monitoring has very practical significance during its service life. Furthermore, rapid damage assessment of bridge after an extreme event such as earthquake is very important in the recovery work. Smartphone-based bridge health monitoring and postevent damage evaluation have advantages over the conventional monitoring techniques, such as low cost, ease of installation, and convenience. Therefore, this study investigates the implementation feasibility of the quick bridge health monitoring technique using smartphone. A novel vision-based cable force measurement method using smartphone camera is proposed, and, then, its feasibility and practicality is initially validated through cable model test. An experiment regarding multiple parameters monitoring of one bridge scale model is carried out. Parameters, such as acceleration, displacement, and angle, are monitored using smartphone. The experiment results show that there is a good agreement between the reference sensor and smartphone measurements in both time and frequency domains.

Technical research and development of long-spanned bridges; Chodai kyoryo no gijutsu kaihatsu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakai, F.; Yamanaka, M.; Ogawa, K.; Mizukami, Y.; Kano, J.; Watanabe, K. [Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., Kobe (Japan)

1996-10-15

Outlined herein is technical development of long-spanned bridges represented by suspension and cable-stayed bridges. The design of long-spanned bridges requires theoretical analysis of flexibility in which balance after they are deformed by load is taken into consideration. The matrix finite displacement analysis program is developed for optimizing cable-stayed bridge designs and determining suspension bridge shapes as the new major functions. The analysis program, named KASTAN, is also developed for stress analysis of the structure details. A wind tunnel for structure designs is installed to analyze resistance to wind. A number of experiments have been carried out by the tunnel for the designs of segment, main tower and overall bridge models. The means of controlling wind-caused vibration include hydraulic dampers, mass dampers, and combination of high damping rubber and spacer. Cable-stayed bridges are highly flexible, their types being selected by tower height and shape, span ratio and shape of the main beam, and cable position. These bridges constructed by the company include the S-shaped ones whose main beams are supported by cables suspended by two towers of different height, and the others with H-shape towers of high columns which are connected to each other by horizontal beams. 11 refs., 15 figs.

Developing a methodology to assess the impact of research grant funding: a mixed methods approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Bloch, Carter; Sørensen, Mads P; Graversen, Ebbe K; Schneider, Jesper W; Schmidt, Evanthia Kalpazidou; Aagaard, Kaare; Mejlgaard, Niels

2014-04-01

This paper discusses the development of a mixed methods approach to analyse research funding. Research policy has taken on an increasingly prominent role in the broader political scene, where research is seen as a critical factor in maintaining and improving growth, welfare and international competitiveness. This has motivated growing emphasis on the impacts of science funding, and how funding can best be designed to promote socio-economic progress. Meeting these demands for impact assessment involves a number of complex issues that are difficult to fully address in a single study or in the design of a single methodology. However, they point to some general principles that can be explored in methodological design. We draw on a recent evaluation of the impacts of research grant funding, discussing both key issues in developing a methodology for the analysis and subsequent results. The case of research grant funding, involving a complex mix of direct and intermediate effects that contribute to the overall impact of funding on research performance, illustrates the value of a mixed methods approach to provide a more robust and complete analysis of policy impacts. Reflections on the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology are used to examine refinements for future work. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dynamic behaviour of prestressed concrete bridges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Javor, T.

1982-01-01

The paper presents the results of experimental research of dynamic effects on prestressed concrete bridges in dynamic load tests using testing vehicles. The bridges were passed over in both directions at various speeds also running over an artificial unevenness to produce impact loads. From investigated bridges are shown the dynamic quantities such as dynamic coefficients, natural frequency, logarithmical decrement of damping, etc. (orig.) [de

The Cal-Bridge Program: Supporting Diverse Graduate Students in Astrophysics

Science.gov (United States)

Smecker-Hane, Tammy A.; Rudolph, Alexander L.; Abazajian, Kevork; Povich, Matthew S.

2018-06-01

The mission of the Cal-Bridge program is to increase the number of underrepresented minority and women students completing a bachelor’s degree and entering a PhD program in astronomy, physics, or closely-related fields. To do so, we have built a network of faculty at diverse higher education institutions, including University of California (UC) campuses, California State Universities (CSUs), and community colleges dedicated to this goal. Students selected for our program are known as Cal-Bridge Scholars, and we give them a wide variety of support: (1) financial scholarships in their junior/senior years at CSU and their first year of graduate school at a UC, (2) intensive mentoring by a pair of CSU and UC faculty members, (3) tutoring, (4) professional development workshops, (5) exposure to research opportunities at various universities, and (6) membership in a growing cohort of like-minded students. In this poster, we report on our work in designing an effective mentoring program and developing tools like our mentoring and graduate application handbooks, and we discuss our tutoring program and the professional development workshops we have designed, and we report on their effectiveness. Funding for this program is provided by NSF-SSTEM Grant #1356133.

Morphological aspects of myocardial bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

Lujinović, Almira; Kulenović, Amela; Kapur, Eldan; Gojak, Refet

2013-11-01

Although some myocardial bridges can be asymptomatic, their presence often causes coronary disease either through direct compression of the "tunnel" segment or through stimulation and accelerated development of atherosclerosis in the segment proximally to the myocardial bridge. The studied material contained 30 human hearts received from the Department of Anatomy. The hearts were preserved 3 to 5 days in 10% formalin solution. Thereafter, the fatty tissue was removed and arterial blood vessels prepared by careful dissection with special reference to the presence of the myocardial bridges. Length and thickness of the bridges were measured by the precise electronic caliper. The angle between the myocardial bridge fibre axis and other axis of the crossed blood vessel was measured by a goniometer. The presence of the bridges was confirmed in 53.33% of the researched material, most frequently (43.33%) above the anterior interventricular branch. The mean length of the bridges was 14.64 ± 9.03 mm and the mean thickness was 1.23 ± 1.32 mm. Myocardial bridge fibres pass over the descending blood vessel at the angle of 10-90 degrees. The results obtained on a limited sample suggest that the muscular index of myocardial bridge is the highest for bridges located on RIA, but that the difference is not significant in relation to bridges located on other branches. The results obtained suggest that bridges located on other branches, not only those on RIA, could have a great contractive power and, consequently, a great compressive force, which would be exerted on the wall of a crossed blood vessel.

A knowledge transfer scheme to bridge the gap between science and practice: an integration of existing research frameworks into a tool for practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Verhagen, Evert; Voogt, Nelly; Bruinsma, Anja; Finch, Caroline F

2014-04-01

Evidence of effectiveness does not equal successful implementation. To progress the field, practical tools are needed to bridge the gap between research and practice and to truly unite effectiveness and implementation evidence. This paper describes the Knowledge Transfer Scheme integrating existing implementation research frameworks into a tool which has been developed specifically to bridge the gap between knowledge derived from research on the one side and evidence-based usable information and tools for practice on the other.

Plagiarism in Grant Proposals

Science.gov (United States)

Markin, Karen M.

2012-01-01

It is not news that software exists to check undergraduate papers for plagiarism. What is less well known is that some federal grant agencies are using technology to detect plagiarism in grant proposals. That variety of research misconduct is a growing problem, according to federal experts. The National Science Foundation, in its most recent…

Experimental Research on Quick Structural Health Monitoring Technique for Bridges Using Smartphone

OpenAIRE

Zhao, Xuefeng; Ri, Kwang; Han, Ruicong; Yu, Yan; Li, Mingchu; Ou, Jinping

2016-01-01

In the recent years, with the development and popularization of smartphone, the utilization of smartphone in the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has attracted increasing attention owing to its unique feature. Since bridges are of great importance to society and economy, bridge health monitoring has very practical significance during its service life. Furthermore, rapid damage assessment of bridge after an extreme event such as earthquake is very important in the recovery work. Smartphone-b...

Reliability Assessment of Concrete Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle; Middleton, C. R.

This paper is partly based on research performed for the Highways Agency, London, UK under the project DPU/9/44 "Revision of Bridge Assessment Rules Based on Whole Life Performance: concrete bridges". It contains the details of a methodology which can be used to generate Whole Life (WL) reliability...... profiles. These WL reliability profiles may be used to establish revised rules for concrete bridges. This paper is to some extend based on Thoft-Christensen et. al. [1996], Thoft-Christensen [1996] et. al. and Thoft-Christensen [1996]....

47 CFR 80.1007 - Bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone installation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone installation. 80.1007 Section 80.1007 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND... Bridge-to-Bridge Act § 80.1007 Bridge-to-bridge radiotelephone installation. Use of the bridge-to-bridge...

The early history of research funding in South Africa: From the Research Grant Board to the FRD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ndivhuwo M. Luruli

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The South African government has a long tradition of supporting research at public higher education institutions. Such support commenced in the early 20th century, although the exact nature of the support at that time is poorly documented. The oldest research funding model in the country was agency funding, which started as early as 1911 through the Royal Society of South Africa. A few years later, in 1918, a more coordinated funding body called the Research Grant Board (RGB was established in the Union of South Africa. The RGB offered competitive funding to individual academics in the natural and physical sciences. The human sciences were only supported much later with the establishment of the Council for Educational and Social Research in 1929. Here we review the history of research funding in South Africa, with a special focus on the work of the RGB between 1918 and 1938.

Chapter 10:Hardwoods for timber bridges

Science.gov (United States)

James P. Wacker; Ed T. Cesa

2005-01-01

This chapter describes the joint efforts of the Forest Service and the FHWA to administer national programs including research, demonstration bridges, and technology transfer components. Summary information on a number of Forest Service-WIT demonstration bridges constructed with hardwoods is also provided.

Describing qualitative research undertaken with randomised controlled trials in grant proposals: a documentary analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Drabble, Sarah J; O'Cathain, Alicia; Thomas, Kate J; Rudolph, Anne; Hewison, Jenny

2014-02-18

There is growing recognition of the value of conducting qualitative research with trials in health research. It is timely to reflect on how this qualitative research is presented in grant proposals to identify lessons for researchers and research commissioners. As part of a larger study focusing on how to maximise the value of undertaking qualitative research with trials, we undertook a documentary analysis of proposals of funded studies. Using the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) database we identified trials funded in the United Kingdom, ongoing between 2001 and 2010, and reporting the use of qualitative research. We requested copies of proposals from lead researchers. We extracted data from the proposals using closed and open questions, analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis respectively. 2% (89/3812) of trials in the mRCT database described the use of qualitative research undertaken with the trial. From these 89 trials, we received copies of 36 full proposals, of which 32 met our inclusion criteria. 25% used less than a single paragraph to describe the qualitative research. The aims of the qualitative research described in these proposals focused mainly on the intervention or trial conduct. Just over half (56%) of the proposals included an explicit rationale for conducting the qualitative research with the trial, the most frequent being to optimise implementation into clinical practice or to interpret trial findings. Key information about methods, expertise and resources was missing in a large minority of proposals, in particular sample size, type of analysis, and non-personnel resources. 28% specifically stated that qualitative researchers would conduct the qualitative research. Our review of proposals of successfully funded studies identified good practice but also identified limited space given to describing the qualitative research, with an associated lack of attention to the rationale for doing the qualitative research and

How to create innovation by building the translation bridge from basic research into medicinal drugs: an industrial perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Germann, Paul G; Schuhmacher, Alexander; Harrison, Juan; Law, Ronald; Haug, Kevin; Wong, Gordon

2013-03-05

The global healthcare industry is undergoing substantial changes and adaptations to the constant decline of approved new medical entities. This decrease in internal research productivity is resulting in a major decline of patent-protected sales (patent cliff) of most of the pharmaceutical companies. Three major global adaptive trends as driving forces to cope with these challenges are evident: cut backs of internal research and development jobs in the western hemisphere (Europe and USA), following the market growth potential of Asia by building up internal or external research and development capabilities there and finally, 'early innovation hunting' with an increased focus on identifying and investing in very early innovation sources within academia and small start-up companies. Early innovation hunting can be done by different approaches: increased corporate funding, establishment of translational institutions to bridge innovation, increasing sponsored collaborations and formation of technology hunting groups for capturing very early scientific ideas and concepts. This emerging trend towards early innovation hunting demands special adaptations from both the pharmaceutical industry and basic researchers in academia to bridge the translation into new medicines which deliver innovative medicines that matters to the patient. This opinion article describes the different modalities of cross-fertilisation between basic university or publicly funded institutional research and the applied research and development activities within the pharmaceutical industry. Two key factors in this important translational bridge can be identified: preparation of both partnering organisations to open up for new and sometime disruptive ideas and creation of truly trust-based relationships between the different groups allowing long-term scientific collaborations while acknowledging that value-creating differences are an essential factor for successful collaboration building.

Implementation of sustainability in bridge design, construction and maintenance.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-01

The focus of this research is to develop a framework for more sustainable design and construction : processes for new bridges, and sustainable maintenance practices for existing bridges. The framework : includes a green rating system for bridges. The...

Modelling and fatigue life assessment of orthotropic bridge deck details using FEM

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Aygül, M.; AL-Emrani, M.; Urushadze, Shota

2012-01-01

Roč. 40, July (2012), s. 129-142 ISSN 0142-1123 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 7E08098 Grant - others:evropská komise(XE) RFSR-CT-2008-00033 (BRIFAG) Institutional support: RVO:68378297 Keywords : orthotropic bridge deck * open ribs * structural hot spot stress * effective notch stress Subject RIV: JM - Building Engineering Impact factor: 1.976, year: 2012

Neighborhood Bridges: 2010-2011 Evaluation Report

Science.gov (United States)

Ingram, Debra

2011-01-01

In 2010-2011, students in twenty-five classrooms from eleven schools in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area participated in The Children's Theatre Company's Neighborhood Bridges (Bridges) program. The Children's Theatre Company contracted with the University of Minnesota's Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) to…

Development and validation of deterioration models for concrete bridge decks - phase 1 : artificial intelligence models and bridge management system.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

This research documents the development and evaluation of artificial neural network (ANN) models to predict the condition ratings of concrete highway bridge decks in Michigan. Historical condition assessments chronicled in the national bridge invento...

A technical report on structural evaluation of the Meade County reinforced concrete bridge : research [summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

Meade County Bridge is a two-lane highway reinforced concrete bridge with two girders each with 20 continuous spans. The bridge was built in 1965. It has been reported that in early years of the bridge service period, a considerable amount of cracks ...

22 CFR 63.4 - Grants to foreign participants to lecture, teach, and engage in research.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Grants to foreign participants to lecture, teach, and engage in research. 63.4 Section 63.4 Foreign Relations DEPARTMENT OF STATE PUBLIC DIPLOMACY AND EXCHANGES PAYMENTS TO AND ON BEHALF OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL...

47 CFR 80.331 - Bridge-to-bridge communication procedure.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Bridge-to-bridge communication procedure. 80..., Alarm, Urgency and Safety Procedures § 80.331 Bridge-to-bridge communication procedure. (a) Vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act transmitting on the designated navigational frequency must conduct...

Analysis of Investment Feasibility to Pedestrian Bridge in Muara Teweh - Jingah

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laode Abd. Rahman

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The research aimed to analyze the needs of the construction of the Crossing Bridge of Muara Teweh - Jingah. The type of the research including the applied research was research concerning the application of theory to solve certain problems. The location of this research was at the Bridge Crossing of Muara Teweh - Jingah in North Barito District. Data analysis technique was feasibility study. The result of the research showed that 1 the construction of the Crossing Bridge of Muara Teweh - Jingah is needed to reduce the traffic density the traffic of the daily transportation in the development area has an effort to balance the traffic volume with road capacity in order to avoid LOS decrease and increase peoples prosperity level 2 the celebration of the construction of Muara Teweh - Jingah Crossing Bridge in terms of technical and economic and cultural aspects is stated to have fulfilled the feasibility 3 the feasibility of bridge development in terms of economic and cultural aspects is fulfilled because the value of BCR is greater than 1.0 and interest rate that is applicable is equal to 12 in 2015. Finally the bridge construction is feasible to be implemented.

Enhancing the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design: Bridging the research-practice gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Wall, Jessie M; Kwee, Janelle L; Hu, Monica; McDonald, Marvin J

2017-09-01

Systematic case study designs are emerging as alternative paradigm strategies for psychotherapy and social science research. Through enhanced sensitivity to context, these designs examine idiographic profiles of causal processes. We specifically advocate the use of the hermeneutic single-case efficacy design (HSCED). HSCED has recently been used to investigate the efficacy of an existing therapy with a new population (Observed and Experiential Integration for athlete performance barriers) and an emerging therapy (Lifespan Integration Therapy). We describe innovations in HSCED that were implemented for these studies. These developments include (a) integrating psychotherapists as case developers, (b) incorporating multiple cases in one investigation, and (c) tailoring the repertoire of assessment tools. These extensions strategically incorporated principles of contextual paradigms in HSCED, thus complementing single-case designs that neglect idiographic contexts. We discuss recommendations for using HSCED in practice-based research, highlighting its potential as a bridge to address the research-practice gap.

Renovation techniques for fatigue cracked orthotropic steel bridge decks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, F.B.P.

2007-01-01

This dissertation presents the research into renovation techniques for orthotropic steel bridge decks. These techniques are needed to solve fatigue problems in the decks of these bridges, as several fatigue cracks have been detected in the deck structure of these bridges the last decade. A

Fiber reinforced polymer bridge decks : [technical summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

A number of researchers have addressed the use of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) deck as a replacement solution for deteriorated bridge decks made of traditional materials. The use of new, advanced materials such as FRP is advantageous when the bridg...

An undergraduate course to bridge the gap between textbooks and scientific research.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiegant, Fred; Scager, Karin; Boonstra, Johannes

2011-01-01

This article reports on a one-semester Advanced Cell Biology course that endeavors to bridge the gap between gaining basic textbook knowledge about cell biology and learning to think and work as a researcher. The key elements of this course are 1) learning to work with primary articles in order to get acquainted with the field of choice, to learn scientific reasoning, and to identify gaps in our current knowledge that represent opportunities for further research; 2) formulating a research project with fellow students; 3) gaining thorough knowledge of relevant methodology and technologies used within the field of cell biology; 4) developing cooperation and leadership skills; and 5) presenting and defending research projects before a jury of experts. The course activities were student centered and focused on designing a genuine research program. Our 5-yr experience with this course demonstrates that 1) undergraduate students are capable of delivering high-quality research designs that meet professional standards, and 2) the authenticity of the learning environment in this course strongly engages students to become self-directed and critical thinkers. We hope to provide colleagues with an example of a course that encourages and stimulates students to develop essential research thinking skills.

Perspective: Transforming science into medicine: how clinician-scientists can build bridges across research's "valley of death".

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Scott F; Fischhoff, Martin A; Sakowski, Stacey A; Feldman, Eva L

2012-03-01

Significant increases in National Institutes of Health (NIH) spending on medical research have not produced corresponding increases in new treatments and cures. Instead, laboratory discoveries remain in what has been termed the "valley of death," the gap between bench research and clinical application. Recently, there has been considerable discussion in the literature and scientific community about the causes of this phenomenon and how to bridge the abyss. In this article, the authors examine one possible explanation: Clinician-scientists' declining role in the medical research enterprise has had a dilatory effect on the successful translation of laboratory breakthroughs into new clinical applications. In recent decades, the percentage of MDs receiving NIH funding has drastically decreased compared with PhDs. The growing gap between the research and clinical enterprises has resulted in fewer scientists with a true understanding of clinical problems as well as scientists who are unable to or uninterested in gleaning new basic research hypotheses from failed clinical trials. The NIH and many U.S. medical schools have recognized the decline of the clinician-scientist as a major problem and adopted innovative programs to reverse the trend. However, more radical action may be required, including major changes to the NIH peer-review process, greater funding for translational research, and significantly more resources for the training, debt relief, and early career support of potential clinician-scientists. Such improvements are required for clinician-scientists to conduct translational research that bridges the valley of death and transforms biomedical research discoveries into tangible clinical treatments and technologies.

Describing qualitative research undertaken with randomised controlled trials in grant proposals: a documentary analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background There is growing recognition of the value of conducting qualitative research with trials in health research. It is timely to reflect on how this qualitative research is presented in grant proposals to identify lessons for researchers and research commissioners. As part of a larger study focusing on how to maximise the value of undertaking qualitative research with trials, we undertook a documentary analysis of proposals of funded studies. Methods Using the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT) database we identified trials funded in the United Kingdom, ongoing between 2001 and 2010, and reporting the use of qualitative research. We requested copies of proposals from lead researchers. We extracted data from the proposals using closed and open questions, analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis respectively. Results 2% (89/3812) of trials in the mRCT database described the use of qualitative research undertaken with the trial. From these 89 trials, we received copies of 36 full proposals, of which 32 met our inclusion criteria. 25% used less than a single paragraph to describe the qualitative research. The aims of the qualitative research described in these proposals focused mainly on the intervention or trial conduct. Just over half (56%) of the proposals included an explicit rationale for conducting the qualitative research with the trial, the most frequent being to optimise implementation into clinical practice or to interpret trial findings. Key information about methods, expertise and resources was missing in a large minority of proposals, in particular sample size, type of analysis, and non-personnel resources. 28% specifically stated that qualitative researchers would conduct the qualitative research. Conclusions Our review of proposals of successfully funded studies identified good practice but also identified limited space given to describing the qualitative research, with an associated lack of attention to the rationale for

Assessment of the Reliability of Concrete Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Middleton, C. R.; Thoft-Christensen, Palle

Although there has been a considerable amount of research into different aspects of concrete bridge reliability, it has still not been widely adopted in professional practice other than in the development and calibration of codes. This situation appears to be changing as there has been a signific......Although there has been a considerable amount of research into different aspects of concrete bridge reliability, it has still not been widely adopted in professional practice other than in the development and calibration of codes. This situation appears to be changing as there has been...... adopted to assist in achieving this goal. Rather than review the specific research on this subject this paper examines a number of key issues related to the practical application of reliability analysis to the assessment of concrete bridges....

77 FR 23229 - Submission for OMB Review; Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program-Phase I-Grant...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-18

....133). This is in response to Public Law 106- 554, the ``Small Business Reauthorization Act of [[Page... DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Submission for OMB Review; Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program--Phase I--Grant Application Package SUMMARY: This application package invites small business...

Scientific innovation's two Valleys of Death: how blood and tissue banks can help to bridge the gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Sean D A

2014-12-01

Most biomedical basic research in the United States takes place at universities and research institutes and is funded by federal grants. Basic research is awarded billions of federal dollars every year, enabling new discoveries and greater understanding of the fundamental science that makes new innovations and therapies possible. However, when basic research yields an invention of practical use and the research evolves from basic to applied, the playing field changes. Pre-technology licensing federal dollars all but disappear, and innovations rely predominantly on private funding to support the full path from bench to bedside. It is along this path that the scientific advance faces two Valleys of Death. These sometimes insurmountable development stages are the product of the innovation's inherent financial, business and investment risks. Well-planned and executed in vivo studies using quality biological materials demonstrating proof-of-concept is often the key to bridging these gaps, and blood and tissue banks offer unique services and resources to enable this process.

Sun Grant Initiative Regional Biomass Feedstock Partnership Competitive Grants Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Owens, Vance [South Dakota State Univ., Brookings, SD (United States). North Central Regional Sun Grant Center

2016-12-30

The Sun Grant Initiative partnered with the US Department of Energy (DOE) in 2008 to create the Regional Biomass Feedstock Partnership Competitive Grants Program. The overall goal of this project was to utilize congressionally directed funds to leverage the North Central Regional Sun Grant’s Competitive Grant program at South Dakota State University (SDSU) to address key issues and research gaps related to development of the bioeconomy. Specific objectives of this program were to: 1. Identify research projects through a Regional Competitive Grants program that were relevant to the sustainable production, harvest, transport, delivery, and processing/conversion of cost-competitive, domestically grown biomass. 2. Build local expertise and capacity at the North Central Regional Sun Grant Center at SDSU through an internal selection of key bioenergy research projects. To achieve these, three nationwide Request for Applications (RFA) were developed: one each in 2008, 2009, and 2010. Internal, capacity building projects at SDSU were also selected during each one of these RFAs. In 2013 and 2015, two additional Proof of Concept RFAs were developed for internal SDSU projects. Priority areas for each RFA were 1) Biomass feedstock logistics including biomass harvesting, handling, transportation, storage, and densification; 2) Sustainable biomass feedstock production systems including biomass crop development, production, and life-cycle analysis; 3) Biomass production systems that optimize biomass feedstock yield and economic return across a diverse landscape while minimizing negative effects on the environment and food/feed production; and 4) Promotion of knowledge-based economic development in science and technology and to advance commercialization of inventions that meet the mission of the Sun Grant Initiative. A total of 33 projects were selected for funding through this program. Final reports for each of these diverse projects are included in this summary report

BUILDING A BETTER GLUTEAL BRIDGE: ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF HIP MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING MODIFIED SINGLE-LEG BRIDGES.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehecka, B J; Edwards, Michael; Haverkamp, Ryan; Martin, Lani; Porter, Kambry; Thach, Kailey; Sack, Richard J; Hakansson, Nils A

2017-08-01

Gluteal strength plays a role in injury prevention, normal gait patterns, eliminating pain, and enhancing athletic performance. Research shows high gluteal muscle activity during a single-leg bridge compared to other gluteal strengthening exercises; however, prior studies have primarily measured muscle activity with the active lower extremity starting in 90 ° of knee flexion with an extended contralateral knee. This standard position has caused reports of hamstring cramping, which may impede optimal gluteal strengthening. The purpose of this study was to determine which modified position for the single-leg bridge is best for preferentially activating the gluteus maximus and medius. Cross-Sectional. Twenty-eight healthy males and females aged 18-30 years were tested in five different, randomized single-leg bridge positions. Electromyography (EMG) electrodes were placed on subjects' gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris of their bridge leg (i.e., dominant or kicking leg), as well as the rectus femoris of their contralateral leg. Subjects performed a maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for each tested muscle prior to performing five different bridge positions in randomized order. All bridge EMG data were normalized to the corresponding muscle MVIC data. A modified bridge position with the knee of the bridge leg flexed to 135 ° versus the traditional 90 ° of knee flexion demonstrated preferential activation of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius compared to the traditional single-leg bridge. Hamstring activation significantly decreased (p bridge by flexing the active knee to 135 ° instead of 90 ° minimizes hamstring activity while maintaining high levels of gluteal activation, effectively building a bridge better suited for preferential gluteal activation. 3.

Rethinking Physics for Biologists: A design-based research approach

Science.gov (United States)

Sawtelle, Vashti

2015-03-01

Biology majors at the University of Maryland are required to take courses in biology, chemistry, and physics - but they often see these courses as disconnected. Over the past three years the NEXUS/Physics course has been working to develop an interdisciplinary learning environment that bridges the disciplinary domains of biology and physics. Across the three years we have gone from teaching in a small class with one instructor to teaching in a large lecture hall with multiple instructors. We have used a design-based research approach to support critical reflection of the course at multiple-time scales. In this presentation I will detail our process of collecting systematic data, listening to and valuing students' reasoning, and bridging diverse perspectives led. I will demonstrate how this process led to improved curricular design, refined assessment objectives, and new design heuristics. This work is supported by NSF-TUES DUE 11-22818, the HHMI NEXUS grant, and a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (DGE 0750616).

Self-Consolidating Concrete for Prestressed Bridge Girders : Research Brief

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-01

Self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is commonly used as an alternative to conventional concrete (CC) in precast, prestressed concrete (PSC) bridge girders. The high strength, highly workable mixture can flow through dense reinforcement to fill formwork...

Developing the Librarians' Role in Supporting Grant Applications and Reducing Waste in Research: Outcomes from a Literature Review and Survey in the NIHR Research Design Service

Science.gov (United States)

Edmunds Otter, Mary L.; Wright, Judy M.; King, Natalie V.

2017-01-01

Librarians and information specialists' involvement during the development of grant applications for external funding can save researchers' time, provide specialist support, and contribute to reducing avoidable waste in research. This article presents a survey of information specialists working for the National Institute for Health Research's…

A Collaborative Approach to Bridging the Research-Policy Gap through the Development of Policy Advice Software

Science.gov (United States)

Milne, Barry John; Lay-Yee, Roy; McLay, Jessica; Tobias, Martin; Tuohy, Pat; Armstrong, Ann; Lynn, Robert; Pearson, Janet; Mannion, Oliver; Davis, Peter

2014-01-01

We have developed a software-based tool to support a dynamic micro-simulation model of life-course development (to age 13) as an aid to policy makers assessing the impact of policies affecting children. We demonstrate how this approach bridges the research-policy gap by creating: (1) an easy transfer of evidence in a form that policymakers can use…

Myocardial Bridge

Science.gov (United States)

... Center > Myocardial Bridge Menu Topics Topics FAQs Myocardial Bridge En español Your heart is made of muscle, ... surface of the heart. What is a myocardial bridge? A myocardial bridge is a band of heart ...

A quasi-vehicle/bridge interaction model for high speed railways

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Yau, J. D.; Frýba, Ladislav

2015-01-01

Roč. 31, č. 2 (2015), s. 217-225 ISSN 1727-7191 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA103/08/1340 Grant - others:National Science Council in Taiwan(TW) NSC 102-2923-E-032-002-MY3 Institutional support: RVO:68378297 Keywords : high speed train * quasi-VBI model * resonance * vehicle-bridge interaction Subject RIV: JM - Building Engineering Impact factor: 0.828, year: 2015 http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9645645&fileId=S1727719114000896

Verification of LRFD Bridge Design and Analysis Software for INDOT

OpenAIRE

Varma, Amit H.; Seo, Jungil

2009-01-01

NCHRP Process 12-50 was implemented to evaluate and verify composite steel I-girder bridge design software used commonly in Indiana. A test-bed of twenty one bridges was developed with the guidance from an Indiana Department of Transportation appointed research advisory panel (RAP). The test-bed included five simple-span and sixteen multi-span bridge superstructures. More than 80 parameters were required to define a bridge and they include bridge span, girder spacing, number of beams, section...

Six new projects will bridge gap between CERN and society

CERN Multimedia

Anaïs Rassat, Knowledge Transfer Group

2016-01-01

Knowledge Transfer Fund awarded over six hundred thousand Swiss francs to six projects in 2016.   Computer racks at the CERN Data Centre, the heart of CERN’s entire scientific, administrative, and computing infrastructure. CERN has awarded funding to six new projects with the aim to bridge the gap between technology and society. Over 600,000 CHF (€ 542,766) of capital was granted through its competitive Knowledge Transfer Fund (KT Fund). The fund is issued as part of CERN’s goal to maximize its overall impact on society. The selected projects cover new applications for CERN technology in a broad range of fields beyond high-energy physics, ranging from cancer diagnostics and aerospace applications, to next-generation cloud computing, radiation safety, and digital preservation. The technologies were developed at CERN as part of the variety of high-energy physics needs, and arise from several research departments: Engineering, Information Technology, Be...

Bridges Over Troubled Waters: Theoretical Linguistics And ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper tries to construct a bridge between the concerns of theoretical linguistics and those of multilingualism and code-switching (CS) research. It argues that the primary special point of interaction between these fields lies in the question of potential equivalence between elements or categories, bridging across ...

Behavior and analysis of an integral abutment bridge.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-01

As a result of abutment spalling on the integral abutment bridge over 400 South Street in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) instigated research measures to better understand the behavior of integral abutment bridges. ...

ATLAS PhD Grants 2015

CERN Multimedia

Marcelloni De Oliveira, Claudia

2015-01-01

ATLAS PHd Grants - We are excited to announce the creation of a dedicated grant scheme (thanks to a donation from Fabiola Gianotti and Peter Jenni following their award from the Fundamental Physics Prize foundation) to encourage young and high-caliber doctoral students in particle physics research (including computing for physics) and permit them to obtain world class exposure, supervision and training within the ATLAS collaboration. This special PhD Grant is aimed at graduate students preparing a doctoral thesis in particle physics (incl. computing for physics) to spend one year at CERN followed by one year support also at the home Institute.

Grant Closeout Requirements and Reports

Science.gov (United States)

Requirements and reports to comply with grant closeout, including Final Federal Financial Report (FFR, SF425); Final Research Performance Progress Report (FRPPR); Interim Research Performance Progress Report (IRPPR); Final Invention Statement (FIS, HHS

Bridging the Gap Between Policy and Research Infrastructure: Risk and Vulnerability Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Hugo, Wim; Rogers, Annabelle

2017-04-01

IPCC for translating climate science into policy - (IPCC, 2007), or less formally - such as the move to develop Essential Biodiversity Variables, loosely designed to support Aichi Targets (Pereira et al., 2013) or the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2016). In the paper, we examine a number of these frameworks, map them onto a generic framework for the translation of research output into policy and decision support, and discuss an example from the South African Risk and Vulnerability Atlas in detail. References Craig R. Fox & Sim B. Sitkin (2015). Bridging the divide between behavioral science & policy, Behavioral Science & Policy, Spring 2015, https://behavioralpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/1-1/Bridging-the-divide-between-behavioral-science-and-policy.pdf IPCC (2007). Conceptual framework for the identification and assessment of key vulnerabilities, https://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/ch19s19-1-2.html Pereira et al. (2013). Essential Biodiversity Variables, Science 18 Jan 2013: Vol. 339, Issue 6117, pp. 277-278 DOI: 10.1126/science.1229931 Preston, B.L., Mustelin, J. & Maloney, M.C. Mitig Adapt Strateg Glob Change (2015) 20: 467. doi:10.1007/s11027-013-9503-x Reid WV (2004) Bridging the Science-Policy Divide. PLoS Biol 2(2): e27. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0020027 UN (2016). Sustainable Development Goals, http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

Plasma Colloquium Travel Grant Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazeltine, R.D.

1998-01-01

OAK B188 Plasma Colloquium Travel Grant Program. The purpose of the Travel Grant Program is to increase the awareness of plasma research. The new results and techniques of plasma research in fusion plasmas, plasma processing space plasmas, basic plasma science, etc, have broad applicability throughout science. The benefits of these results are limited by the relatively low awareness and appreciation of plasma research in the larger scientific community. Whereas spontaneous interactions between plasma scientists and other scientists are useful, a focused effort in education and outreach to other scientists is efficient and is needed. The academic scientific community is the initial focus of this effort, since that permits access to a broad cross-section of scientists and future scientists including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and research staff

Implementation of sustainable and green design and construction practices for bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-01

The focus of this research is to develop a framework for more sustainable design and construction : processes for new bridges, and sustainable maintenance practices for existing bridges. The framework : includes a green rating system for bridges. The...

Evaluation of Different Software Packages in Flow Modeling under Bridge Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Taghi Dastorani

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This study is an independent and a comparative research concerning the accuracy, capability and suitability of three well-known packages ofISIS, MIKE11 and HEC-RAS as hydraulic river modeling software packages for modeling the flow through bridges. The research project was designed to assess the ability of each software package to model the flow through bridge structures. It was carried out using the data taken from experiments completed by a 22-meter laboratory flume at theUniversityofBirmingham. The flume has a compound cross section containing a main channel and two flood plains on either side. For this study a smooth main channel and a smooth floodplain have been assumed. Two types of bridges are modeled in this research; a multiple opening semi-circular arch bridge and a single opening straight deck bridge. For each bridge, two different simulations were carried out using two different upstream boundaries as low flow and high flow simulations. According to the results, all three packages were able to model arch and US BPR bridges but in some cases they presented different results. The highest water elevation upstream the bridge (maximum afflux was the main parameter to be compared to the measured values.ISISand HEC-RAS (especially HEC-RAS seem to be more efficient to model arch bridge. However, in some cases, MIKE 11 produced considerably higher results than those of the other two packages. To model USBPR bridge, all three packages produced reasonable results. However, the results by HEC-RAS are the best when the outputs are compared to the experimental data.

Influence of Icing on Bridge Cable Aerodynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Koss, Holger; Frej Henningsen, Jesper; Olsen, Idar

2013-01-01

In recent years the relevance of ice accretion for wind-induced vibration of structural bridge cables has been recognised and became a subject of research in bridge engineering. Full-scale monitoring and observation indicate that light precipitation at moderate low temperatures between zero and -5......°C may lead to large amplitude vibrations of bridge cables under wind action. For the prediction of aerodynamic instability quasi-steady models have been developed estimating the cable response magnitude based on structural properties and aerodynamic force coefficients for drag, lift and torsion...... forces of different bridge cables types. The experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel facility capable amongst others to simulate incloud icing conditions....

Basic research in support of innovative fuels design for the Generation IV systems (F-BRIDGE project)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valot, Carole; Bertolus, Marjorie; Konings, Rudy; Somers, Joe; Groot, Sander de

2010-01-01

F-BRIDGE (Basic Research in support of Innovative Fuels Design for the GEN IV systems) is a 4-year project which started in 2008. It seeks to bridge the gap between basic research and technological applications for generation IV nuclear reactor systems. One of the challenges for the next generation of reactors is to significantly increase the efficiency in designing innovative fuels. The object of the F-BRIDGE project is to complement the empirical approach by a physically-based description of fuel and cladding materials to enable a rationalization of the design process and a better selection of promising fuel systems. Advanced modelling and separate effects experiments are carried out in order to obtain more exact physical descriptions of ceramic fuels and cladding, at relevant scales from the atomic to the macroscopic scale. Research is also focused on assessing and improving 'sphere-pac' fuel, a composite-ceramics concept which has shown promise. The project activities can be broken down into four main areas: (i) Basic research investigations using a multi-scale approach in both experimentation and modelling to enable the generation of missing basic data, the identification of relevant mechanisms and the development of appropriate models; (ii) Transfer between technological issues and basic research by bringing together within the same project materials scientists, engineers and end-users; (iii) Assessment of the drawbacks and benefits of the sphere-pac fuel application to various Generation IV systems; (iv) Education and training to promote research in the field of fuel materials, to ensure the exchange of results and ideas among the participants and to link the project with other related European or international initiatives. The project relies on the complementary expertise of 19 partners: nuclear and non nuclear research organisations, universities, a nuclear engineering company, as well as technology and project management consultancy small and medium

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and the Storebælt Bridge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gimsing, Niels Jørgen

1999-01-01

With the completion of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and the Storebælt East Bridge the development of the suspension bridge technology in the 20th century has manifested itself in two impressive structures. With the present echnology may bridges of similar (and also more modest) dimensions...... will undoubtedly be built far into the next century. For bridges going beyond the spans of existing bridges it is, however, likely that new concepts will be developed....

75 FR 53701 - Clinical Studies of Safety and Effectiveness of Orphan Products Research Project Grant (R01...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-N-0394] Clinical Studies of Safety and Effectiveness of Orphan Products Research Project Grant (R01); Correction AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS. ACTION: Notice; correction. SUMMARY: The Food and Drug...

GaggleBridge: collaborative data analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Battke, Florian; Symons, Stephan; Herbig, Alexander; Nieselt, Kay

2011-09-15

Tools aiding in collaborative data analysis are becoming ever more important as researchers work together over long distances. We present an extension to the Gaggle framework, which has been widely adopted as a tool to enable data exchange between different analysis programs on one computer. Our program, GaggleBridge, transparently extends this functionality to allow data exchange between Gaggle users at different geographic locations using network communication. GaggleBridge can automatically set up SSH tunnels to traverse firewalls while adding some security features to the Gaggle communication. GaggleBridge is available as open-source software implemented in the Java language at http://it.inf.uni-tuebingen.de/gb. florian.battke@uni-tuebingen.de Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

A review on bridge dynamic displacement monitoring using global positioning system and accelerometer

Science.gov (United States)

Yunus, Mohd Zulkifli Mohd; Ibrahim, Nuremira; Ahmad, Fatimah Shafinaz

2018-02-01

This paper reviews previous research on bridge dynamic displacement monitoring using Global Positioning System (GPS) and an accelerometer for Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) of bridge. These include the review of the advantages and disadvantages of the measurement as well as the methodology of the measurements used in the recent research study. This review could provide a preliminary decision overview for students or researchers before initiating a research related to the bridge dynamic displacement monitoring.

Bridge Management Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

In this paper bridge management systems are discussed with special emphasis on management systems for reinforced concrete bridges. Management systems for prestressed concrete bridges, steel bridges, or composite bridges can be developed in a similar way....

42 CFR 86.12 - Application for a grant.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Application for a grant. 86.12 Section 86.12 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES GRANTS FOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH Occupational Safety and Health Training Grants §...

Bridging knowledge, policies and practices across the ageing and disability fields: a protocol for a scoping review to inform the development of a taxonomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nalder, Emily Joan; Putnam, Michelle; Salvador-Carulla, Luis; Spindel, Andria; Batliwalla, Zinnia; Lenton, Erica

2017-10-25

Bridging is a term used to describe activities, or tasks, used to promote collaboration and knowledge exchange across fields. This paper reports the protocol for a scoping review which aims to identify and characterise peer reviewed evidence describing bridging activities, between the ageing and disability fields. The purpose is to clarify the concepts underpinning bridging to inform the development of a taxonomy, and identify research strengths and gaps. A scoping review will be conducted. We will search Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts and the Cochrane Library, to identify peer reviewed publications (reviews, experimental, observational, qualitative designs and expert commentaries) describing bridging activities. Grey literature, and articles not published in English will be excluded. Two investigators will independently complete article selection and data abstraction to minimise bias. A data extraction form will be iteratively developed and information from each publication will be extracted: (1) bibliographic, (2) methodological, (3) demographic, and (4) bridging information. Qualitative content analysis will be used to describe key concepts related to bridging. To our knowledge, this will be the first scoping review to describe bridging of ageing and disability knowledge, services and policies. The findings will inform the development of a taxonomy to define models of bridging that can be implemented and further evaluated to enable integrated care and improve systems and services for those ageing with disability. Ethics is not required because this is a scoping review of published literature. Findings will be disseminated through stakeholder meetings, conference presentations and peer reviewed publication. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly

Building Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

The report Building Bridges adresses the questions why, how and for whom academic audience research has public value, from the different points of view of the four working groups in the COST Action IS0906 Transforming Audiences, Transforming Societies – “New Media Genres, Media Literacy and Trust...... in the Media”, “Audience Interactivity and Participation”, “The Role of Media and ICT Use for Evolving Social Relationships” and “Audience Transformations and Social Integration”. Building Bridges is the result of an ongoing dialogue between the Action and non-academic stakeholders in the field of audience......, Brian O’Neill, Andra Siibak, Sascha Trültzsch-Wijnen, Nicoletta Vittadini, Igor Vobič and Frauke Zeller. Stakeholder feedback from: Michelle Arlotta (DeAgostini), Andreea M. Costache (Association of Consumers of Audiovisual Media in Catalonia/TAC), Francesco Diasio (AMARC Europe), Marius Dragomir (Open...

Determination of in-situ strength on selected bridge element concrete girder and slab of Nagtahan bridge using rebound hammer test

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uy, Bernadette Betsy B.; Banaga, Renato T.

2013-01-01

This study examined the extent of the damage due to fire on the affected areas of the bridge structure. The need to assess the damage of the Nagtahan Bridge is very useful to provide appropriate measures in the repair or in the reinforcement of the bridge, hence will ensure its strength and integrity. The study included two (2) spans of the bridge deck/slab with specific locations of the bridge that were subjected for testing. The Rebound Hammer was used as a preliminary test in evaluating the bridge condition. Its capability is to assess the in-place uniformity of concrete, to delineate regions in a structure of poor quality or deteriorated concrete, and to estimate the in-place strength; and ultimately, for relative comparison between the different structures of the bridge. With the use of the NDT Rebound Hammer Test, the researchers were able to determine whether or not the in-situ strength of the bridge's concrete has been weakened due to fire. The DPW-Standard Specification is the government acceptable manual, containing the acceptance criteria, used as the basis for standard construction procedures in the department.(author)

Measurements of bridges' vibration characteristics using a mobile phone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. M. C. Pravia

Full Text Available ABSTRACTThis research presents an alternative way to perform a bridge inspection, which considers the dynamics parameters from the structure. It shows an experimental phase with use of a mobile phone to extract the accelerations answers from two concrete bridges, from those records is feasible to obtain natural frequencies using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT.Numerical models with uses finite element model (FEM allow to determine the natural frequencies from the two concrete bridges and compare with the experimental phase of each one. The final results shows it's possible to use mobiles phones to extract vibration answers from concrete bridges and define the structural behavior of bridges from natural frequencies, this procedure could be used to evaluate bridges with lower costs.

Using Matching Grants to Facilitate Corporate-University Research Linkages: A Preliminary Examination of Outcomes from One Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Stephen

1990-01-01

A study used public finance theory to evaluate Ontario's matching grants in support of university-industry interaction, which encourage faculty to seek new research and development contracts facilitating technology transfer activities. Results suggest it may not be an effective mechanism. Conceptual and methodological obstacles to assessing these…

Measurement of bridge deck layout prior to concrete placement : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

The main objective of this research was to develop a method of measuring and : producing as built bridge drawings. This was the first step in the feasibility : assessment for automated bridge deck paving. The research goes to show the : standard meth...

Synthesis and evaluation of lightweight concrete research relevant to the AASHTO LRFD bridge design specifications : potential revisions for definition and mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-01

Much of the fundamental basis for the current lightweight concrete provisions in the AASHTO LRFD Bridge : Design Specifications is based on research of lightweight concrete (LWC) from the 1960s. The LWC that was : part of this research used tradition...

Bridging the Gap: The Role of Research in Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, M. L.; Michael, P. J.

2001-12-01

Teaching in K-12 science classrooms across the country does not accurately model the real processes of science. To fill this gap, programs that integrate science education and research are imperative. Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic (TEA) is a program sponsored and supported by many groups including NSF, the Division of Elementary, Secondary, and Informal Education (ESIE), and the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). It places teachers in partnerships with research scientists conducting work in polar regions. TEA immerses K-12 teachers in the processes of scientific investigation and enables conveyance of the experience to the educational community and public at large. The TEA program paired me with Dr. Peter Michael from the University of Tulsa to participate in AMORE (Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge Expedition) 2001. This international mission, combining the efforts of the USCGC Healy and RV Polarstern, involved cutting-edge research along the geologically and geophysically unsampled submarine Gakkel Ridge. While in the field, I was involved with dredge operations, CTD casts, rock cataloging/ processing, and bathymetric mapping. While immersed in these aspects of research, daily journals documented the scientific research and human aspects of life and work on board the Healy. E-mail capabilities allowed the exchange of hundreds of questions, answers and comments over the course of our expedition. The audience included students, numerous K-12 teachers, research scientists, NSF personnel, strangers, and the press. The expedition interested and impacted hundreds of individuals as it was proceeding. The knowledge gained by science educators through research expeditions promotes an understanding of what research science is all about. It gives teachers a framework on which to build strong, well-prepared students with a greater awareness of the role and relevance of scientific research. Opportunities such as this provide valauble partnerships that bridge

Simple model of cable-stayed bridge deck subjected to static wind loading

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Yi-Lung; Wang, Yang Cheng

1997-05-01

Cable-stayed bridges have been known since 18th century with aesthetics design. The structural system and the structural behavior are significantly different from those of continuous bridges. Compared to continuous bridge, cable- stayed bridges have more flexure bridge deck than those of continuous bridges.On the other hand, cable-stayed bridges have less stiffness to resist wind loading especially for lateral loads. The first considering of bridge engineering is safety. In 1940's, Tacoma Narrows Suspension Bridge destroyed by wind loading is a good example even though it is not a cable-stayed bridge. After the bridge was destroyed, a lot of research articles have been published regarding cable supported bridge subjected to wind loading. In recent days, high strength materials have been served. The bridge engineers use the advantages to expand the span length of cable-stayed bridges. Due to the span length increased and the use of high strength materials, cable- stayed bridges have more significant nonlinear behavior subjected to wind loading. In this paper, a slice bridge deck of cable-stayed bridge connected to internal support cables is considered. The deck has been considered to be subjected to lateral static wind loading. Since cables can not take compressive force, the deck has strongly nonlinear behavior even though the materials are linear elastic. Several primary load combinations have ben considered in this paper such as the bridge deck supposed to be moved horizontally without rotation or the bridge deck supposed to be moved horizontally with rotational deformation. The mathematical formulas and the numerical solutions are found and represented in graphical forms. The results can be provided to bridge designers and researchers for further study of this type of structure subjected to wind loading.

Bridging the gap between academic research and regulatory health risk assessment of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Beronius, Anna; Hanberg, Annika; Zilliacus, Johanna; Rudén, Christina

2014-12-01

Regulatory risk assessment is traditionally based primarily on toxicity studies conducted according to standardized and internationally validated test guidelines. However, health risk assessment of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is argued to rely on the efficient integration of findings from academic research. The aim of this review was to provide an overview of current developments to facilitate the use of academic research in regulatory risk assessment of chemicals and how certain aspects of study design and reporting are particularly important for the risk assessment process. By bridging the gap between academic research and regulatory health risk assessment of EDCs, scientific uncertainty in risk assessment conclusions can be reduced, allowing for better targeted policy decisions for chemical risk reduction. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Railroad Bridges

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — Bridges-Rail in the United States According to The National Bridge Inspection Standards published in the Code of Federal Regulations (23 CFR 650.3), a bridge isA...

The role of leadership in bridging the cultural divide within university-industry cooperative research centres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mahdad, Maral; Bogers, Marcel; Piccaluga, Andrea

The purpose of this study is to understand the role of leadership in bridging the cultural gap within university-industry cooperative research centres. Many different aspects of university-industry collaborations have been researched, but the role of leadership in such organizations has not been...... and employees representatives from both the company and the university within eight joint laboratories of Telecom Italia. We find that leadership theories help to shed light on the performance of university-industry collaboration. We specifically identify charismatic leadership at the individual level followed...... provide specific insights that advance the literature in management of university-industry collaborations as well as leadership theories....

Implementation of Bridge Management System on Interurban Bridge in Maluku Province

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erwin Marasabessy

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Bridges as transport infrastructures play a vital role in smoothing traffic flows. The success of a bridge in playing its role and serving its function depends on its management. The Directorate General of Highways of the Ministry of Public Work has used a system to manage bridges known as the Bridge Management System (BMS. The system allows a systematic plan and provides a uniform procedure for all bridge operation activities on the national and provincial level. Data from Implementation Agency of National Inter-Urban Roads of Area IX, Northern Maluku in 2011 indicates that the total length of national roads in Maluku Province is 15,238.01 M, with a total of 562 bridges. In Ambon Island, especially, there are 52 bridges totaling 1,176.25 m in length. The study was conducted at several inter-urban bridges in Maluku Province of Ambon Island: Wai Batu Merah, Wai Ruhu, Wai Lawa, Wai Yari and Wai Tua bridges. Assessment of bridge structure conditions was conducted visually to determine the conditions of the existing bridges comprehensively by referring to the Bridge Management System (BMS complemented with a computer-based Bridge Management Information System (BMIS. Condition scores for the five bridges—Wai Batu Merah, Wai Ruhu, Wai Lawa, Wai Yari, and Wai Tua, according to Bridge Management System, are 2, 1, 2, 1, and 2 respectively. The scores of the five bridges indicate that their physical condition can be categorized as good or with minor defects. Based on technical screening, the proposed treatment for Wai Batu Merah, Wai Ruhu, Wai Lawa, dan Wai Tua bridges is the rehabilitation of their sub-elements. As for the Wai Yari Bridge, the treatment will be maintained regularly. The defect repair costs are IDR 149,138,238.00, IDR 81,048,000.00, IDR 174,579,106.10, IDR 79,233,324.01 and IDR 238,323,258.60 for Wai Batu, Wai Ruhu, Wai Lawa, Wai Yari, and Wai Tua Bridges, respectively.

Nanotechnology applications and implications research supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency STAR grants program.

Science.gov (United States)

Savage, Nora; Thomas, Treye A; Duncan, Jeremiah S

2007-10-01

Since 2002, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been funding research on the environmental aspects of nanotechnology through its Science to Achieve Results (STAR) grants program. In total, more than $25 million has been awarded for 86 research projects on the environmental applications and implications of nanotechnology. In the applications area, grantees have produced promising results in green manufacturing, remediation, sensors, and treatment using nanotechnology and nanomaterials. Although there are many potential benefits of nanotechnology, there has also been increasing concern about the environmental and health effects of nanomaterials, and there are significant gaps in the data needed to address these concerns. Research performed by STAR grantees is beginning to address these needs.

Assessment of the Reliability of Concrete Slab Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle; Jensen, F. M.; Middleton, C. R.

This paper is based on research performed for the Highways Agency, London, UK under the project DPU/9/44 "Revision of Bridge Assessment Rules Based on Whole Life Performance: Concrete Bridges". It contains details of a methodology which can be used to generate Whole Life (WL) reliability profiles....

Sensing and Rating of Vehicle–Railroad Bridge Collision

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vemuganti, Shreya; Ozdagli, Ali I.; Liu, Bideng

2017-01-01

Overhead collisions of trucks with low-clearance railway bridges cause more than half of the railway traffic interruptions over bridges in the United States. Railroad owners are required to characterize the damage caused by such events and assess the safety of subsequent train crossings. However...... and remotely quantify damage. This research proposes an impact rating strategy based on the information that best describes the consequences of vehicle-railway bridge collisions. A series of representative impacts were simulated using numerical finite element models of a steel railway bridge. Railway owners...... provided information about the bridge and impact characterization based on railway industry experience. The resulting nonlinear dynamic responses were evaluated with the proposed rating strategy to assess the effect of these impacts. In addition, a neural network methodology was implemented on a simplified...

Flexibility-based damage detection for in-service highway bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Dahal, Sushil; Jang, Shinae; Mensah-Bonsu, Priscilla

2012-04-01

Highway bridges are the backbones of a country's road network infrastructure. In order to efficiently maintain these important structures, structural health monitoring (SHM) can be implemented to impart a more deterministic management procedure. To date, many damage detection strategies have been developed and implemented on lab-scale or simple bridge structures however, damage detection research has rarely been conducted taking full scale in-service structures into account with ambient vibration. Among the different approaches modal flexibility method is one of the sensitive tools for damage detection which has been widely used over the last two decades. This paper presents a damage detection based on the stochastic damage locating vector (SDLV) method for an in-service highway bridge using ambient vibration data from long-term SHM. The target bridge was equipped with a long-term SHM system as a part of a research project of the University of Connecticut. The ambient vibration data during 2001 and 2005 are used to identify the damage on the highway bridge. Finally, the potential damage locations are determined using the SDLV method with the limited number of sensors.

Monitoring bridge scour using fiber optic sensors : research project capsule.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-01

The interstate highway network is an : important national asset. Bridges : constituting critical nodes within : transportation networks are the : backbone of the transportation : infrastructure. It is well known that : scour is one of the major cours...

Using Genre to Bridge Research, Professional Writing, and Public Writing at University of North Dakota: A Program Profile

Science.gov (United States)

Basgier, Christopher

2017-01-01

To illustrate how genre pedagogy and public writing pedagogy can inform one another, this program profile describes the second-semester composition course at University of North Dakota, ENGL 130: College Composition II: Writing for Public Audiences. In this course, genre works as a rhetorical bridge across an interlinked sequence of research,…

Long-term bridge performance high priority bridge performance issues.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-10-01

Bridge performance is a multifaceted issue involving performance of materials and protective systems, : performance of individual components of the bridge, and performance of the structural system as a whole. The : Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP)...

Navigating the Road to Success: A Systematic Approach to Preparing Competitive Grant Proposals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Theresa Mackenzie

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose Difficulty in securing research funding has been cited as one barrier to the involvement of more librarians and information professionals in conducting original research. This article seeks to support the work of librarians who wish to secure research funding by describing a systematic approach to the creation of successful grant applications.Approach The authors draw on more than fifteen years collective experience in supporting the development of successful research grant proposals. Eleven grant‐writing best practicesor ‘key approaches’ are described, and a planning timeline is suggested.Conclusions: Use of these best practices can assist researchers in creating successful research grant proposals that will also help streamline the research process once it is underway. It is important to recognize the competitive nature of research grant competitions, obtain feedback from an internal review panel, and use feedback from funding agencies to strengthen future grant applications.

Latent Class Models in action: bridging social capital & Internet usage.

Science.gov (United States)

Neves, Barbara Barbosa; Fonseca, Jaime R S

2015-03-01

This paper explores how Latent Class Models (LCM) can be applied in social research, when the basic assumptions of regression models cannot be validated. We examine the usefulness of this method with data collected from a study on the relationship between bridging social capital and the Internet. Social capital is defined here as the resources that are potentially available in one's social ties. Bridging is a dimension of social capital, usually related to weak ties (acquaintances), and a source of instrumental resources such as information. The study surveyed a stratified random sample of 417 inhabitants of Lisbon, Portugal. We used LCM to create the variable bridging social capital, but also to estimate the relationship between bridging social capital and Internet usage when we encountered convergence problems with the logistic regression analysis. We conclude by showing a positive relationship between bridging and Internet usage, and by discussing the potential of LCM for social science research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

47 CFR 80.163 - Operator requirements of the Bridge-to-Bridge Act.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Operator requirements of the Bridge-to-Bridge... Requirements § 80.163 Operator requirements of the Bridge-to-Bridge Act. Each ship subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must have on board a radio operator who holds a restricted radiotelephone operator permit or...

Bridge condition assessment based on long-term strain monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, LiMin; Sun, Shouwang

2011-04-01

In consideration of the important role that bridges play as transportation infrastructures, their safety, durability and serviceability have always been deeply concerned. Structural Health Monitoring Systems (SHMS) have been installed to many long-span bridges to provide bridge engineers with the information needed in making rational decisions for maintenance. However, SHMS also confronted bridge engineers with the challenge of efficient use of monitoring data. Thus, methodologies which are robust to random disturbance and sensitive to damage become a subject on which many researches in structural condition assessment concentrate. In this study, an innovative probabilistic approach for condition assessment of bridge structures was proposed on the basis of long-term strain monitoring on steel girder of a cable-stayed bridge. First, the methodology of damage detection in the vicinity of monitoring point using strain-based indices was investigated. Then, the composition of strain response of bridge under operational loads was analyzed. Thirdly, the influence of temperature and wind on strains was eliminated and thus strain fluctuation under vehicle loads is obtained. Finally, damage evolution assessment was carried out based on the statistical characteristics of rain-flow cycles derived from the strain fluctuation under vehicle loads. The research conducted indicates that the methodology proposed is qualified for structural condition assessment so far as the following respects are concerned: (a) capability of revealing structural deterioration; (b) immunity to the influence of environmental variation; (c) adaptability to the random characteristic exhibited by long-term monitoring data. Further examination of the applicability of the proposed methodology in aging bridge may provide a more convincing validation.

Bridge health monitoring metrics : updating the bridge deficiency algorithm.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-10-01

As part of its bridge management system, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) must decide how best to spend its bridge replacement funds. In making these decisions, ALDOT managers currently use a deficiency algorithm to rank bridges that ...

47 CFR 80.309 - Watch required by the Bridge-to-Bridge Act.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Watch required by the Bridge-to-Bridge Act. 80... Safety Watches § 80.309 Watch required by the Bridge-to-Bridge Act. In addition to the watch requirement contained in § 80.148, all vessels subject to the Bridge-to-Bridge Act must keep a watch on the designated...

Economical bridge solutions based on innovative composite dowels and integrated abutments ecobridge

CERN Document Server

Băncilă, Radu

2015-01-01

This book is an outcome of the research project “ECOBRIDGE – Demonstration of ECOnomical BRIDGE solutions based on innovative composite dowels and integrated abutments – RFCS – CT 2010-00024”, which has been co-funded by the Research Fund for Coal and Steel (R.F.C.S.) of the European Community. The main topics of the book are the following: design of integral bridges, innovative composite dowels for the shear transmission, construction of bridges, structural analysis of bridges and monitoring. The book joins the technical experience and the contributions of the involved research partners. The technical content of all the papers is present-day in the field of the design, construction and monitoring of innovative composite bridges. The efficient design and construction improve and consolidate the market position of steel construction and steel producing industry. In addition, the advanced forms of construction are contributing to savings in material and energy consumption for the structure during prod...

Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE: Engaging Underrepresented Students in Physics and Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolph, Alexander L.; Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE Teams

2018-01-01

We describe two programs, Cal-Bridge and CAMPARE, with the common mission of increasing participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy, through summer research opportunities, in the case of CAMPARE, scholarships in the case of Cal-Bridge, and significant mentoring in both programs, creating a national impact on their numbers successfully pursuing a PhD in the field.In 8 years, the CAMPARE program has sent 112 students, >80% from underrepresented groups, to conduct summer research at one of 14 major research institutions throughout the country. Of the CAMPARE scholars who have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, almost two-thirds (65%) have completed or are pursuing graduate education in physics, astronomy, or a related field, at institutions including UCLA, UC Riverside, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, USC, Stanford, Univ. of Arizona, Univ. of Washington, Univ. of Rochester, Michigan State Univ., Georgia Tech, Georgia State Univ., Kent State, Indiana Univ., Univ. of Oregon, Syracuse Univ., Montana State Univ., and the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-PhD program.Now entering its fourth year, the Cal-Bridge program is a CSU-UC Bridge program comprised of >140 physics and astronomy faculty from 9 University of California (UC), 15 California State University (CSU), and 30 California Community College (CCC) campuses throughout California. In the first four years, 34 Cal-Bridge Scholars have been selected, including 22 Hispanic, 3 African-American and 13 women students, 10 of whom are from URM groups. Thirty (30) of the 34 Cal-Bridge Scholars are first generation college students. In the last two years, 11 of 13 Cal-Bridge Scholars have begun PhD programs in physics or astronomy at top PhD programs nationally. Three (3) of these 11 scholars have won NSF Graduate Research Fellowships; one more received an Honorable Mention. The next cohort applies this fall.Cal-Bridge provides much deeper mentoring and professional development experiences over the last

Field performance of timber bridges. 7, Connell Lake stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

L. E. Hislop; M. A. Ritter

The Connell Lake bridge was constructed in early 1991 on the Tongass National Forest, Alaska, as a demonstration bridge under the Timber Bridge Initiative. The bridge is a stress-laminated deck structure with an approximate 36-ft length and 18-ft width and is the first known stress-laminated timber bridge constructed in Alaska. Performance of the bridge was monitored...

Monitoring Bridge Dynamic Responses Using Fiber Bragg Grating Tiltmeters.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Feng; Chen, Gang S; Hulsey, J Leroy

2017-10-20

In bridge health monitoring, tiltmeters have been used for measuring rotation and curvature; however, their application in dynamic parameter identification has been lacking. This study installed fiber Bragg grating (FBG) tiltmeters on the bearings of a bridge and monitored the dynamic rotational angle. The dynamic features, including natural frequencies and mode shapes, have been identified successfully. The innovation presented in this paper is the first-time use of FBG tiltmeter readings to identify the natural frequencies of a long-span steel girder bridge. The identified results have been verified using a bridge finite element model. This paper introduces a new method for the dynamic monitoring of a bridge using FBG tiltmeters. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed in the conclusion.

Monitoring Bridge Dynamic Responses Using Fiber Bragg Grating Tiltmeters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Xiao

2017-10-01

Full Text Available In bridge health monitoring, tiltmeters have been used for measuring rotation and curvature; however, their application in dynamic parameter identification has been lacking. This study installed fiber Bragg grating (FBG tiltmeters on the bearings of a bridge and monitored the dynamic rotational angle. The dynamic features, including natural frequencies and mode shapes, have been identified successfully. The innovation presented in this paper is the first-time use of FBG tiltmeter readings to identify the natural frequencies of a long-span steel girder bridge. The identified results have been verified using a bridge finite element model. This paper introduces a new method for the dynamic monitoring of a bridge using FBG tiltmeters. Limitations and future research directions are also discussed in the conclusion.

Undergraduate research involving human subjects should not be granted ethical approval unless it is likely to be of publishable quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, Cathal T; McDonald, Lisa J; McCormack, Niamh P

2014-06-01

Small-scale research projects involving human subjects have been identified as being effective in developing critical appraisal skills in undergraduate students. In deciding whether to grant ethical approval to such projects, university research ethics committees must weigh the benefits of the research against the risk of harm or discomfort to the participants. As the learning objectives associated with student research can be met without the need for human subjects, the benefit associated with training new healthcare professionals cannot, in itself, justify such risks. The outputs of research must be shared with the wider scientific community if it is to influence future practice. Our survey of 19 UK universities indicates that undergraduate dissertations associated with the disciplines of medicine, dentistry and pharmacy are not routinely retained in their library catalogues, thus closing a major avenue to the dissemination of their findings. If such research is unlikely to be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at a conference, or otherwise made available to other researchers, then the risks of harm, discomfort or inconvenience to participants are unlikely to be offset by societal benefits. Ethics committees should be satisfied that undergraduate research will be funnelled into further research that is likely to inform clinical practice before granting ethical approval.

Longer Lasting Bridge Deck Overlays

Science.gov (United States)

2018-04-01

The objective of this report is to determine the most effective method for bridge deck overlay construction and repair by assessing current practices; examining new products and technologies; and reviewing NCHRP (National Cooperative Highway Research...

Implementing falls prevention research into policy and practice: an overview of a new National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Grant.

Science.gov (United States)

Lord, Stephen R; Delbaere, Kim; Tiedemann, Anne; Smith, Stuart T; Sturnieks, Daina L

2011-06-01

Preventing falls and fall-related injuries among older people is an urgent public health challenge. This paper provides an overview of the background to and research planned for a 5-year National Health and Medical Research Council Partnership Grant on implementing falls prevention research findings into policy and practice. This program represents a partnership between key Australian falls prevention researchers, policy makers and information technology companies which aims to: (1) fill gaps in evidence relating to the prevention of falls in older people, involving new research studies of risk factor assessment and interventions for falls prevention; (2) translate evidence into policy and practice, examining the usefulness of new risk-identification tools in clinical practice; and (3) disseminate evidence to health professionals working with older people, via presentations, new evidence-based guidelines, improved resources and learning tools, to improve the workforce capacity to prevent falls and associated injuries in the future.

Building the Clinical Bridge: An Australian Success

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marianne Wallis

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Nursing effectiveness science includes primary, secondary, and translational, clinically focused research activities which aim to improve patient or client outcomes. It is imperative, for the successful conduct of a program of nursing effectiveness science, that a clinical bridge is established between academic and healthcare service facilities. An Australian example of the development of a robust clinical bridge through the use of jointly funded positions at the professorial level is outlined. In addition, an analysis of the practical application of Lewin’s model of change management and the contribution of both servant and transformational leadership styles to the bridge building process is provided.

Bridging the Research to Practice Gap: A Case Study Approach to Understanding EIBI Supports and Barriers in Swedish Preschools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lise ROLL-PETTERSSON

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The present study examined proximal and distal barriers and supports within the Swedish service system that may affect implementation of early and intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI for children with autism. A case study approach with roots in ethnography was chosen to explore this issue. Two preschools exemplifying ‘high quality practice’ were studied and information was collected through multiple sources during a 12 month period, this included participant observations, direct observations, semi-structured interviews with key informants; paraprofessionals, parents, special educators, habilitation specialists and a focus group interview. Interview transcripts and field notes were combined and analyzed using an abductive grounded theory approach. Findings highlight the relevance of researchers understanding and taking into consideration the effect that distal variables have on implementation within proximal settings. A theoretical model of factors affecting implementation was conceptualised to include: staff entry knowledge and competence, development through supervision, the role of the preschool administrator, as well as distal influences and inter-organizational tensions, values, and bridges. Findings are discussed within the context of implementation science. Implications for future research are discussed as well as areas in need of further development to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Outline of research program on thorium fuel supported by grant-in-aid for energy research of ministry of education, science and culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibata, Toshikazu

1984-01-01

Since 1980, the Research Program on Thorium Fuel has been performed under the support of Grant-in-Aid for Energy Research of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japanese Government on the university basis including several tens professors. The main results have been published in the English-written report, ''Research on Thorium Fuel (SPEY-9, 1984)''. This report describes the outline and review of the symposium held on January 31, 1984. It consists of nuclear data, reactor physics, thorium fuel, irradiation of thorium, down-stream, biological effect, molten salt reactor engineering and others. It has been the first trial to perform such a big systematic cooperative studies in nuclear field on the university basis in Japan. (author)

Knowledge mobilization in bridging patient-practitioner-researcher boundaries: A systematic integrative review protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Cowdell, Fiona; Booth, Andrew; Appleby, Ben

2017-11-01

To review published literature to identify when and how patients and healthcare practitioners have been involved in knowledge mobilization activity and the impact this may have had on their care. Improving patient outcomes, satisfaction and quality of care is increasingly reliant on shared decision-making between health professionals and patients. Knowledge mobilization, at its simplest: "moving knowledge to where it can be most useful" is a growing field of academic study. To date, it appears that much effort has focused on moving knowledge from researchers to healthcare practitioners. Knowledge mobilization to patients is currently under-researched. Integrative review. Methods of integrative review will be used to address the review problem. PRISMA guidelines were used as a general framework to guide structuring and reporting the review. Elements of method-specific reporting guidelines for specific streams of evidence will be used as required. This review will aim to provide a broad and deep understanding of patient-practitioner-researcher engagement in knowledge mobilization activity. This synthesis of the extant literature should offer insights into the optimum characteristics of methods for bridging patient-practitioner-researcher boundaries in knowledge mobilization action. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hysteretic behavior of prestressed concrete bridge pier with fiber model.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui-li; Feng, Guang-qi; Qin, Si-feng

2014-01-01

The hysteretic behavior and seismic characteristics of the prestressed concrete bridge pier were researched. The effects of the prestressed tendon ratio, the longitudinal reinforcement ratio, and the stirrup reinforcement ratio on the hysteretic behavior and seismic characteristics of the prestressed concrete bridge pier have been obtained with the fiber model analysis method. The analysis show some results about the prestressed concrete bridge pier. Firstly, greater prestressed tendon ratio and more longitudinal reinforcement can lead to more obvious pier's hysteresis loop "pinching effect," smaller residual displacement, and lower energy dissipation capacity. Secondly, the greater the stirrup reinforcement ratio is, the greater the hysteresis loop area is. That also means that bridge piers will have better ductility and stronger shear capacity. The results of the research will provide a theoretical basis for the hysteretic behavior analysis of the prestressed concrete pier.

Grants Solutions -

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — The Grants Center of Excellence The Grants Center of Excellence (COE) delivers end-to-end grants management products and support to over 17 Federal partner agencies....

Peer Review Practices for Evaluating Biomedical Research Grants: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.

Science.gov (United States)

Liaw, Lucy; Freedman, Jane E; Becker, Lance B; Mehta, Nehal N; Liscum, Laura

2017-08-04

The biomedical research enterprise depends on the fair and objective peer review of research grants, leading to the distribution of resources through efficient and robust competitive methods. In the United States, federal funding agencies and foundations collectively distribute billions of dollars annually to support biomedical research. For the American Heart Association, a Peer Review Subcommittee is charged with establishing the highest standards for peer review. This scientific statement reviews the current literature on peer review practices, describes the current American Heart Association peer review process and those of other agencies, analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of American Heart Association peer review practices, and recommends best practices for the future. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

The research-practice relationship in ergonomics and human factors--surveying and bridging the gap.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Amy Z Q; Shorrock, Steven T

2011-05-01

Significant discord has been aired regarding the widening research-practice gap in several disciplines (e.g. psychology, healthcare), especially with reference to research published in academic journals. The research-practice gap has profound and wide-ranging implications for the adequacy of ergonomics and human factors (E/HF) research and the implementation of research findings into practice. However, no substantive research on this issue has been identified in E/HF. Using an online questionnaire, practitioners were asked about their application of scientific research findings published in peer-reviewed journals and to suggest ways to improve research application in practice. A total of 587 usable responses were collected, spanning 46 countries. This article describes some of the key differences and correlations concerning reading, usefulness and barriers to application among respondents, who varied in terms of organisational type, percentage of work time devoted to application vs. research, society membership and experience. Various solutions proposed by the survey respondents on ways to bridge the research-practice gap are discussed. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The relationship between research and practice in E/HF has long been a subject of discussion, with commentators pointing to tension and possible implications for the adequacy of the discipline. Findings from a cross-sectional survey provide ergonomics practitioners' views on research, leading to discussion of strategies for achieving better integration.

Bridge scour conference shares knowledge and innovations : Tech Transfer Spotlight

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

The National Cooperative Highway Research Programs Domestic Scan (NCHRP Project 20-68A) on bridge scour risk management brought more than 30 national bridge scour experts together for a week in July 2016 to examine ways to prevent and remediate br...

Network level bridges maintenance planning using Multi-Attribute Utility Theory

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Allah Bukhsh, Zaharah; Stipanovic, Irina; Klanker, Giel; O' Connor, Alan; Doree, Andre

2018-01-01

Bridge infrastructure managers are facing multiple challenges to improve the availability and serviceability of ageing infrastructure, while the maintenance planning is constrained by budget restrictions. Many research efforts are ongoing, for the last few decades, ranging from development of bridge

Design and Analysis of Collapsible Scissor Bridge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Biro Mohamad Nabil Aklif

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Collapsible scissor bridge is a portable bridge that can be deployed during emergency state to access remote areas that are affected by disaster such as flood. The objective of this research is to design a collapsible scissor bridge which is able to be transported by a 4x4 vehicle and to be deployed to connect remote areas. The design is done by using Solidworks and numerical analysis for structural strength is conducted via ANSYS. The research starts with parameters setting and modelling. Finite element analysis is conducted to analyze the strength by determining the safety factor of the bridge. Kutzbach equation is also analyzed to ensure that the mechanism is able to meet the targeted degree of motion. There are five major components of the scissor structure; pin, deck, cross shaft and deck shaft. The structure is controlled by hydraulic pump driven by a motor for the motions. Material used in simulation is A36 structural steel due to limited library in ANSYS. However, the proposed material is Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP composites as they have a high strength to weight ratio. FRP also tends to be corrosion resistance and this characteristic is useful in flooded area.

Research on construction technology for orthotropic steel deck pavement of Haihe River Chunyi Bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Y. C.; Qian, Z. D.; Zhang, M.

2017-01-01

In order to ensure the good service quality of orthotropic steel deck pavement of Haihe River Chunyi Bridge in Tianjin, and to reduce the occurrence of pavement diseases like lateral and longitudinal cracks, the key working procedures such as steel deck cleaning, anticorrosive coating, bonding layer spraying, seam cutting, epoxy asphalt concrete’s mixing, transportation, paving and compaction were studied. The study was based on the main features of epoxy asphalt concrete which is the pavement materials of Haihe River Chunyi Bridge, and combined with the basic characteristics and construction conditions of Haihe River Chunyi Bridge. Furthermore, some processing measures like controlling time and temperature, continuous paving with two pavers, lateral feeding, and improving the compaction method were proposed. The project example shows that the processing measures can effectively solve the technical difficulties in the construction of orthotropic steel deck pavement of Haihe River Chunyi Bridge, can greatly improve the construction speed and quality, and can provide reference for the same kinds of orthotropic steel deck pavement construction.

Networking Africa's science granting councils | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Networking Africa's science granting councils ... to support research and evidence-based policies that contribute to social and economic development. ... exchanges and forums, online training, on-site coaching, and collaborative research.

Bridges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zant, W.

2017-01-01

We estimate to what extent bridges in Mozambique lead to transport cost reductions and attribute these reductions to key determinants, in particular road distance, road quality and crossing borders. For identification we exploit the introduction of a road bridge over the Zambezi river, in August

Nonlinear models of suspension bridges

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Malík, Josef

2006-01-01

Roč. 321, č. 2 (2006), s. 828-850 ISSN 0022-247X Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30860518 Keywords : suspension bridges * principle of minimum energy Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.758, year: 2006

Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This initiative seeks to strengthen the capacities of science granting councils in East Africa and other selected sub-Saharan African countries. The goal is to contribute to economic and social development in the region through research and evidence-based policies. About the science granting councils initiative The Science ...

Blasting detonators incorporating semiconductor bridge technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bickes, R.W. Jr.

1994-05-01

The enormity of the coal mine and extraction industries in Russia and the obvious need in both Russia and the US for cost savings and enhanced safety in those industries suggests that joint studies and research would be of mutual benefit. The author suggests that mine sites and well platforms in Russia offer an excellent opportunity for the testing of Sandia`s precise time-delay semiconductor bridge detonators, with the potential for commercialization of the detonators for Russian and other world markets by both US and Russian companies. Sandia`s semiconductor bridge is generating interest among the blasting, mining and perforation industries. The semiconductor bridge is approximately 100 microns long, 380 microns wide and 2 microns thick. The input energy required for semiconductor bridge ignition is one-tenth the energy required for conventional bridgewire devices. Because semiconductor bridge processing is compatible with other microcircuit processing, timing and logic circuits can be incorporated onto the chip with the bridge. These circuits can provide for the precise timing demanded for cast effecting blasting. Indeed tests by Martin Marietta and computer studies by Sandia have shown that such precise timing provides for more uniform rock fragmentation, less fly rock, reduce4d ground shock, fewer ground contaminants and less dust. Cost studies have revealed that the use of precisely timed semiconductor bridges can provide a savings of $200,000 per site per year. In addition to Russia`s vast mineral resources, the Russian Mining Institute outside Moscow has had significant programs in rock fragmentation for many years. He anticipated that collaborative studies by the Institute and Sandia`s modellers would be a valuable resource for field studies.

Evaluating Research Ethics Training in the Maryland Sea Grant REU Program

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, M. R.; Kumi, G. A.; Kumi, B. C.; Moser, F. C.

2016-02-01

The NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is an opportunity to cultivate responsible research practices in researchers at an early stage in their career. However, teaching responsible research conduct and science ethics in this program has been challenging because of a lack of consensus regarding which instructional methods are most effective for educating students about ethical concepts and establishing the process of ethical decision-making. Over the last 15 years, Maryland Sea Grant's REU ethics program has evolved by exploring different teaching models and looking for ways to effectively engage upper level undergraduates throughout their summer experience in ethical responsibility training. Since 2007, we have adopted a concerted experiential learning approach that includes an ethics seminar, role playing, case studies, and reflection. Currently, our summer long ethics training includes: 1) an interactive seminar; 2) a workshop with role playing and case studies; 3) 1-2 readings; and 4) a roundtable discussion with faculty mentors and their mentees to discuss researchers' real-world experiences with ethical dilemmas. Within the last 3 years, we have expanded our student learning outcomes assessments by administering pre- and post-program surveys to assess ethical skills students acquire through the program. Reevaluations administered three and six years after the REU experience will measure long term effectiveness of the training. Results from the first group of students reveal a greater awareness of ethical issues following our summer program. Students show a high level of competence about "black and white" issues (falsification, fabrication, plagiarism), but are more challenged by ethical "gray areas" such as data ownership and authorship. Results suggest many undergraduates come to research programs with basic ethics training, but benefit from our additional focus on complex ethical dilemmas.

Field performance of timber bridges. 4, Graves Crossing stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

J. P. Wacker; M. A. Ritter

The Graves Crossing bridge was constructed October 1991 in Antrim County, Michigan, as part of the demonstration timber bridge program sponsored by the USDA Forest Service. The bridge is a two-span continuous, stress-laminated deck superstructure and it is 36-ft long and 26-ft wide. The bridge is one of the first stress-laminated deck bridges to be built of sawn lumber...

Myocardial Bridging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Min Yuan

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Myocardial bridging is rare. Myocardial bridges are most commonly localized in the middle segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The anatomic features of the bridges vary significantly. Alterations of the endothelial morphology and the vasoactive agents impact on the progression of atherosclerosis of myocardial bridging. Patients may present with chest pain, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia and even sudden death. Patients who respond poorly to the medical treatment with β-blockers warrant a surgical intervention. Myotomy is a preferred surgical procedure for the symptomatic patients. Coronary stent deployment has been in limited use due to the unsatisfactory long-term results.

The hepatic bridge.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugarbaker, Paul H

2018-07-01

The hepatic bridge forms a tunnel of liver parenchyma that may obscure peritoneal metastases associated with the round ligament. Visualization and then resection of nodules associated with this structure is necessary. The incidence of a hepatic bridge and the extent that it covered the round ligament was determined in consecutive patients. Extent of coverage of the round ligament by the hepatic bridge was determined: Class 1 indicates up to one-third of the round ligament obscured, Class 2 up to two-thirds and Class 3 more than two-thirds. In 102 patients in whom the round ligament of the liver could be completely visualized, 50 had a hepatic bridge. Class 1 was 22 (44%) of the bridges, Class 2 was 16 (32%) and Class 3 was 12 (24%). A hepatic bridge was more frequently present in 28 of 45 male patients (62%) vs. 22 of 57 female patients (38%). Approximately one-half of our patients having cytoreductive surgery for peritoneal metastases were observed to have a hepatic bridge. Up to 56% of these patients have Class 2 or 3 hepatic bridge and may require division of the hepatic bridge to completely visualize the contents of the tunnel created by this structure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

Office of Grants Administration (OGA)

Science.gov (United States)

OGA manages all NCI business-related activities associated with the negotiation, award, and administration of NCI grants and cooperative agreements to help financially support cancer research activities throughout the United States and around the world.

Edwin Grant Dexter: an early researcher in human behavioral biometeorology

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Alan E.

2015-06-01

Edwin Grant Dexter (1868-1938) was one of the first researchers to study empirically the effects of specific weather conditions on human behavior. Dexter (1904) published his findings in a book, Weather influences. The author's purposes in this article were to (1) describe briefly Dexter's professional life and examine the historical contexts and motivations that led Dexter to conduct some of the first empirical behavioral biometeorological studies of the time, (2) describe the methods Dexter used to examine weather-behavior relationships and briefly characterize the results that he reported in Weather influences, and (3) provide a historical analysis of Dexter's work and assess its significance for human behavioral biometeorology. Dexter's Weather influences, while demonstrating an exemplary approach to weather, health, and behavior relationships, came at the end of a long era of such studies, as health, social, and meteorological sciences were turning to different paradigms to advance their fields. For these reasons, Dexter's approach and contributions may not have been fully recognized at the time and are, consequently, worthy of consideration by contemporary biometeorologists.

Bridge resource program.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

The mission of Rutgers Universitys Center for Advanced Infrastructure and Transportation (CAIT) Bridge Resource Program (BRP) is to provide bridge engineering support to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)s Bridge Engineering an...

A Bridge Deflection Monitoring with GPS

Science.gov (United States)

Figurski, M.; Gałuszkiewicz, M.; Wrona, M.

2007-01-01

This paper introduces results of investigation carried on by The Applied Geomatics Section in Military University of Technology. Research includes possibilities of monitoring dynamic behavior of a bridge using high rate GPS data. Whole event was executed with collaboration of The Road and Bridge Management and The Warsaw Geodesy Company. Interdisciplinary approach with this project allows authors to get reliable information about investigating constructions and their respond for true traffic loading detected by GPS receivers. Way of compute data and used software (TRACK) are also shown in this paper.

Integral abutment bridges under thermal loading : numerical simulations and parametric study.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

Integral abutment bridges (IABs) have become of interest due to their decreased construction and maintenance costs in : comparison to conventional jointed bridges. Most prior IAB research was related to substructure behavior, and, as a result, most :...

Bridged graphite oxide materials

Science.gov (United States)

Herrera-Alonso, Margarita (Inventor); McAllister, Michael J. (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor); Prud'homme, Robert K. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

Bridged graphite oxide material comprising graphite sheets bridged by at least one diamine bridging group. The bridged graphite oxide material may be incorporated in polymer composites or used in adsorption media.

Tobacco Dependence Treatment Grants: A Collaborative Approach to the Implementation of WHO Tobacco Control Initiatives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margaret B. Nolan

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The number of global tobacco-related deaths is projected to increase from about 6 million to 8 million annually by 2030, with more than 80% of these occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs. The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC came into force in 2005 and Article 14 relates specifically to the treatment of tobacco dependence. However, LMICs, in particular, face several barriers to implementing tobacco dependence treatment. This paper is a descriptive evaluation of a novel grant funding mechanism that was initiated in 2014 to address these barriers. Global Bridges. Healthcare Alliance for Tobacco Dependence Treatment aims to create and mobilize a global network of healthcare professionals and organizations dedicated to advancing evidence-based tobacco dependence treatment and advocating for effective tobacco control policy. A 2014 request for proposals (RFP focused on these goals, particularly in LMICs, where funding for this work had been previously unavailable. 19 grants were awarded by Global Bridges to organizations in low- and middle-income countries across all six WHO regions. Virtually all focused on developing a tobacco dependence treatment curriculum for healthcare providers, while also influencing the political environment for Article 14 implementation. As a direct result of these projects, close to 9,000 healthcare providers have been trained in tobacco dependence treatment and an estimated 150,000 patients have been offered treatment. Because most of these projects are designed with a “train-the-trainer” component, two years of grant funding has been a tremendous catalyst for accelerating change in tobacco dependence treatment practices throughout the world. In order to foster such exponential growth and continue to maintain the impact of these projects, ongoing financial, educational, and professional commitments are required.

Laboratory and field testing of an accelerated bridge construction demonstration bridge : US Highway 6 bridge over Keg Creek.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-01

The US Highway 6 Bridge over Keg Creek outside of Council Bluffs, Iowa is a demonstration bridge site chosen to put into practice : newly-developed Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) concepts. One of these new concepts is the use of prefabricated ...

Reserves in load capacity assessment of existing bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Žitný, Jan; Ryjáček, Pavel

2017-09-01

High percentage of all railway bridges in the Czech Republic is made of structural steel. Majority of these bridges is designed according to historical codes and according to the deterioration, they have to be assessed if they satisfy the needs of modern railway traffic. The load capacity assessment of existing bridges according to Eurocodes is however often too conservative and especially, braking and acceleration forces cause huge problems to structural elements of the bridge superstructure. The aim of this paper is to review the different approaches for the determination of braking and acceleration forces. Both, current and historical theoretical models and in-situ measurements are considered. The research of several local European state norms superior to Eurocode for assessment of existing railway bridges shows the big diversity of used local approaches and the conservativeness of Eurocode. This paper should also work as an overview for designers dealing with load capacity assessment, revealing the reserves for existing bridges. Based on these different approaches, theoretical models and data obtained from the measurements, the method for determination of braking and acceleration forces on the basis of real traffic data should be proposed.

Guardrails for Use on Historic Bridges: Volume 2—Bridge Deck Overhang Design

OpenAIRE

Frosch, Robert J.; Morel, Adam J.

2016-01-01

Bridges that are designated historic present a special challenge to bridge engineers whenever rehabilitation work or improvements are made to the bridges. Federal and state laws protect historically significant bridges, and railings on these bridges can be subject to protection because of the role they play in aesthetics. Unfortunately, original railings on historic bridges do not typically meet current crash-test requirements and typically do not meet current standards for railing height and...

Science For Sendai - Bridging the gap between research and application

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, J.

2015-12-01

Disasters have an enormous cost in lives and livelihoods, but the use of rigorous evidence-based scientific approaches to minimise their impact remains poor. Vast amounts of science which could be readily applied for disaster risk reduction (DRR) is under-utilised, if used at all. Previous international agreements have failed to change this picture, but there is a clear call from the international community that the 2015 Sendai framework should make a difference; it is thus re-appraising how to bridge the chasm that exists between DRR relevant scientists and potential users of their research. There is widespread recognition of the need for risk affected countries and communities to engage in science-based decision-making, but several barriers, such as a lack of infrastructure or necessary skills, institutions, and enforcement of science-based policies require significant attention. There are now incentives for governments to respond: the framework has science embedded throughout and it sets-out national targets against which science uptake can be monitored; similarly, widening access to insurance also demands sound science. Advances such as open-data and models, increasing computational capacity, expanding networks, evolving diverse mobile technologies and the other multiple facets of the big data agenda, also should drive change. So, how does the scientific community need to adapt? Whilst vast amounts of 'DRR-relevant' science has been produced, too little of it can be readily used in DRR science. Much remains highly disciplinary and focused on analysis of limited distributions or single processes with a small number of agents; by contrast real-world DRR problems are commonly complex, with multiple drivers and uncertainties. There is a major need for a trans-disciplinary DRR-focused risk research agenda to evolve. Not only do research funders need to develop and resource risk research, but researchers themselves need to identify that focussing on the bigger risk

Systematic Review: Bridging the Gap in RPN-to-RN Transitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Suva, Grace; Sager, Shelley; Mina, Elaine Santa; Sinclair, Nancy; Lloyd, Monique; Bajnok, Irmajean; Xiao, Sarah

2015-07-01

To review the evidence examining the influences of successful education and professional role transition for registered practical nurses (RPNs) pursuing a baccalaureate degree in nursing (BScN) and registered nurse (RN) licensure through RPN-to-RN bridging programs. Systematic review of papers published between 1995 and 2014 that evaluated students' education and professional role transitions from RPN to RN. Thirty-nine papers were selected that observed or studied the change or transition in designation from RPN to RN, or its equivalent, through bridging programs and analyzed thematically according to Meleis, Sawyer, Im, Hilfinger Messias, and Schumacher's transition model. Personal, community, and social conditions related to preparation for entry, program enrolment, and postgraduate clinical integration influence successful education and professional role transitions for RPN-to-RN bridging students. Providing key transition supports may enhance the potential for successful student transition into and throughout a bridging program, but further research is necessary to enhance this understanding and to recommend best practices for optimizing students' success. The evidence from this review identifies facilitators and barriers to successful education and professional role transition for RPN-to-RN bridging students, and identifies important considerations for future research. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Dynamic assessment of bridge deck performance considering realistic bridge-traffic interaction

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

Concrete bridge decks are directly exposed to daily traffic loads and may experience some surface cracking caused by excessive stress or fatigue accumulation, which requires repair or replacement. Among typical bridges in North America, bridge decks ...

Forces in wingwalls from thermal expansion of skewed semi-integral bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

Jointless bridges, such as semi-integral and integral bridges, have become more popular in recent years because of their simplicity in the construction and the elimination of high costs related to joint maintenance. Prior research has shown that skew...

Expected damages of retrofitted bridges with RC jacketing

Science.gov (United States)

Montes, O.; Jara, J. M.; Jara, M.; Olmos, B. A.

2015-07-01

The bridge infrastructure in many countries of the world consists of medium span length structures built several decades ago and designed for very low seismic forces. Many of them are reinforced concrete structures that according to the current code regulations have to be rehabilitated to increase their seismic capacity. One way to reduce the vulnerability of the bridges is by using retrofitting techniques that increase the strength of the structure or by incorporating devices to reduce the seismic demand. One of the most common retrofit techniques of the bridges substructures is the use of RC jacketing; this research assesses the expected damages of seismically deficient medium length highway bridges retrofitted with reinforced concrete jacketing, by conducting a parametric study. We select a suite of twenty accelerograms of subduction earthquakes recorded close to the Pacific Coast in Mexico. The original structures consist of five 30 m span simple supported bridges with five pier heights of 5 m, 10 m, 15 m 20 and 25 m and the analyses include three different jacket thickness and three steel ratios. The bridges were subjected to the seismic records and non-linear time history analyses were carried out by using the OpenSEEs Plataform. Results allow selecting the reinforced concrete jacketing that better improves the expected seismic behavior of the bridge models.

Expected damages of retrofitted bridges with RC jacketing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montes, O; Jara, J M; Jara, M; Olmos, B A

2015-01-01

The bridge infrastructure in many countries of the world consists of medium span length structures built several decades ago and designed for very low seismic forces. Many of them are reinforced concrete structures that according to the current code regulations have to be rehabilitated to increase their seismic capacity. One way to reduce the vulnerability of the bridges is by using retrofitting techniques that increase the strength of the structure or by incorporating devices to reduce the seismic demand. One of the most common retrofit techniques of the bridges substructures is the use of RC jacketing; this research assesses the expected damages of seismically deficient medium length highway bridges retrofitted with reinforced concrete jacketing, by conducting a parametric study. We select a suite of twenty accelerograms of subduction earthquakes recorded close to the Pacific Coast in Mexico. The original structures consist of five 30 m span simple supported bridges with five pier heights of 5 m, 10 m, 15 m 20 and 25 m and the analyses include three different jacket thickness and three steel ratios. The bridges were subjected to the seismic records and non-linear time history analyses were carried out by using the OpenSEEs Plataform. Results allow selecting the reinforced concrete jacketing that better improves the expected seismic behavior of the bridge models. (paper)

Bridging the Gap of Practice and Research: A Preliminary Investigation of Evidence-based Practice for Library and Information Science Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

吳寂絹 Chi-Chuan Wu

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The gap between practice and research is commonly found in disciplines with both ofprofessional practitioners and academic researchers. How to bridge the gap is also acontinuing concern in the field of Library and Information Studies. This article describes therecent development of Evidence-based Practice for Library and Information ScienceResearch (EBLIP, and provides analysis of the journal EBLIP including its authors’backgrounds, methods, and topics. The results show that the United States and Canadaare the two major nations of contributors; more than 70% of first authors are librarians; 76%of the articles were contributed by one single institute, co-authorship by cross-nationinstitutes were rarely seen, and demonstrates local research interests; type of co-authoredagency is primarily among libraries; 60% methods employed include questionnaires,interviews and content analysis; the coverage of topics is rather broad, and the top threecategories of research topics include Information Literacy & Instruction, Information Needs& Seeking Behavior, and Reference Services / Digital Reference Services (15%, 10%, and8%; many datasets were obtained from real library practice, and 72% of articles provide specific implications for applications which highlight the value of implementation. Manylibrarians have the research capability, and this article serves as a purpose to introduce theevidence-based research and encourage more such research done in Taiwan. Hopefully itmay benefit and further enhance the quality of library decision-making and their professionalimage.

Cable Supported Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gimsing, Niels Jørgen

Cable supported bridges in the form of suspension bridges and cable-stayed bridges are distinguished by their ability to overcome large spans.The book concentrates on the synthesis of cable supported bridges, covering both design and construction aspects. The analytical part covers simple methods...... to quantify the different structural configurations and allows a preliminary optimization of the main structure.Included are the most recent advances in structural design, corrosion protection of cables, aerodynamic safety, and erection procedures....

NLM Informationist Grant – Web Assisted Tobacco Intervention for Community College Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Linda Hasman

2013-05-01

Full Text Available In 2012 the National Library of Medicine awarded several academic medical libraries informationist grants to become embedded with a research team for the purposes of data management. The University of Rochester Medical Center was among those recipients. This article will give background on the research project and team that won the grant, discuss the process of applying for the grant, identify the data management role that the informationist librarians have agreed to work on, how they embedded into the research team, and relay lessons learned thus far in the project.

Development of flexural vibration inspection techniques to rapidly assess the structural health of rural bridge systems

Science.gov (United States)

Brian K. Brashaw; Robert Vatalaro; Xiping Wang; Kevin Sarvela; James P. Wacker

2008-01-01

Approximately 4,000 vehicle bridges in the State of Minnesota contain structural timber members. Recent research at the University of Minnesota Duluth Natural Resources Research Institute (UMD NRRI) has been conducted on vibration testing of timber bridges as a means of developing rapid in-place testing techniques for assessing the structural health of bridges. The...

Uncertain CERN cash means UK physicists face grant freeze.

CERN Document Server

1996-01-01

Britain's funding agency Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council is uncertain about its ability to cover membership costs to the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN). This has resulted in suspension of research grants to university physicists and astronomers. Funding will be available only for genuine hardship, and for major national and international astronomical projects that have already been sanctioned. The new four-year rolling grants to university-based particle physics group is withheld.

Bridge Programs in Illinois: Results of the 2010 Illinois Bridge Status Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, J. L.; Harmon, T.

2010-01-01

This report provides a summary of major results of the Illinois Bridge Status Survey, administered online between April and June 2010. The purpose of the survey was to understand the extent to which bridge programs are being implemented in Illinois, as well as to build an online directory of bridge programs. Bridge programs are an emerging…

Field performance of timber bridges. 6, Hoffman Run stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

M. A. Ritter; P. D. Hilbrich Lee; G. J. Porter

The Hoffman Run bridge, located just outside Dahoga, Pennsylvania, was constructed in October 1990. The bridge is a simple-span, single-lane, stress-laminated deck superstructure that is approximately 26 ft long and 16 ft wide. It is the second stress-laminated timber bridge to be constructed of hardwood lumber in Pennsylvania. The performance of the bridge was...

Medicinal Cannabis in California: An Interview with Igor Grant, MD.

Science.gov (United States)

Piomelli, Daniele; Grant, Igor

2016-01-01

Dr. Igor Grant, MD, is distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry and director of the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program and the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California, San Diego. Dr. Grant is a neuropsychiatrist who graduated from the University of British Columbia School of Medicine (1966), and received specialty training in psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania (1967-1971), and additional training in neurology at the Institute of Neurology (1980-1981), London, U.K. Dr. Grant's academic interests focus on the effects of various diseases on brain and behavior, with an emphasis on translational studies in HIV, and drugs of abuse. He has contributed to ∼700 scholarly publications and is principal investigator of several NIH studies, including an NIDA P50 (Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center-TMARC), and is codirector of the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Center (HNRC).

42 CFR 52h.8 - What are the review criteria for grants?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... research, from a scientific or technical standpoint; (b) The adequacy of the approach and methodology... SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW OF RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT PROJECTS § 52h.8 What are the review criteria for grants? In carrying out its review under § 52h.7, the scientific peer...

Drill pipe bridge plug

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winslow, D.W.; Brisco, D.P.

1991-01-01

This patent describes a method of stopping flow of fluid up through a pipe bore of a pipe string in a well. It comprises: lowering a bridge plug apparatus on a work string into the pipe string to a position where the pipe bore is to be closed; communicating the pipe bore below a packer of the bridge plug apparatus through the bridge plug apparatus with a low pressure zone above the packer to permit the fluid to flow up through the bridge plug apparatus; engaging the bridge plug apparatus with an internal upset of the pipe string; while the fluid is flowing up through the bridge plug apparatus, pulling upward on the work string and the bridge plug apparatus and thereby sealing the packer against the pipe bore; isolating the pipe bore below the packer from the low pressure zone above the packer and thereby stopping flow of the fluid up through the pipe bore; disconnecting the work string from the bridge plug apparatus; and maintaining the bridge plug apparatus in engagement with the internal upset and sealed against the pipe bore due to an upward pressure differential applied to the bridge plug apparatus by the fluid contained therebelow

34 CFR 648.2 - Who is eligible for a grant?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... support of doctoral dissertation research with one or more degree-granting institutions. (b) A formal... grant under this part for study at a school or department of divinity. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1135, 1135a) ...

Aerodynamic problems of cable-stayed bridges spanning over one thousand meters

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Chen Airong; Ma Rujin; Wang Dalei

2009-01-01

Tbe elongating of cable-stayed bridge brings a series of aerodynamic problems. First of all, geometric nonlin-ear effect of extreme long cable is much more significant for cable-stayed bridge spanning over one thousand meters. Lat-eral static wind load will generate additional displacement of long cables, which causes the decrease of supporting rigidi-ty of the whole bridge and the change of dynamic properties. Wind load, being the controlling load in the design of ca-hie-stayed bridge, is a critical problem and needs to be solved. Meanwhile, research on suitable system between pylon and deck indicates fixed-fixed connection system is an effective way for improvement performance of cable-stayed bridges under longitudinal wind load. In order to obtain aerodynamic parameters of cable-stayed bridge spanning over one thou-sand meters, identification method for flutter derivatives of full bridge aero-elastic model is developed in this paper. Furthermore, vortex induced vibration and Reynolds number effect are detailed discussed.

Seismic Responses of a Cable-Stayed Bridge with Consideration of Uniform Temperature Load

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Junjun Guo

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The effects of temperature load on the dynamic responses of cable-stayed bridges have attracted the attention of researchers in recent years. However, these investigations mainly focus on the influence of temperature on the dynamic characteristics of structures, such as vibration mode and frequency. This paper discusses the effects of uniform temperature changes on the seismic responses of a cable-stayed bridge. A three dimensional finite element model of a cable-stayed bridge using OpenSees is established for nonlinear time history analysis, and uniform temperature load is applied to the prototype bridge before the conducting of seismic excitation. Three ground motion records are selected from the PEER strong motion database based on the design spectrum. Case studies are then performed considering the varying temperature and the connections between the deck and pylons of the bridge. The result shows that the seismic responses of the bridge are significantly increased with the consideration of temperature load. Meanwhile, the types between the deck and pylon also have notable impacts on the seismic responses of the bridge with and without temperature changes. This research could provide a reference for designers during the design phase of cable-stayed brides.

Investigation and Taguchi Optimization of Microbial Fuel Cell Salt Bridge Dimensional Parameters

Science.gov (United States)

Sarma, Dhrupad; Barua, Parimal Bakul; Dey, Nabendu; Nath, Sumitro; Thakuria, Mrinmay; Mallick, Synthia

2018-01-01

One major problem of two chamber salt bridge microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is the high resistance offered by the salt bridge to anion flow. Many researchers who have studied and optimized various parameters related to salt bridge MFC, have not shed much light on the effect of salt bridge dimensional parameters on the MFC performance. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to investigate the effect of length and cross sectional area of salt bridge and the effect of solar radiation and atmospheric temperature on MFC current output. An experiment has been designed using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array, taking length and cross sectional area of salt bridge as factors having three levels. Nine MFCs were fabricated as per the nine trial conditions. Trials were conducted for 3 days and output current of each of the MFCs along with solar insolation and atmospheric temperature were recorded. Analysis of variance shows that salt bridge length has significant effect both on mean (with 53.90% contribution at 95% CL) and variance (with 56.46% contribution at 87% CL), whereas the effect of cross sectional area of the salt bridge and the interaction of these two factors is significant on mean only (with 95% CL). Optimum combination was found at 260 mm salt bridge length and 506.7 mm2 cross sectional area with 4.75 mA of mean output current. The temperature and solar insolation data when correlated with each of the MFCs average output current, revealed that both external factors have significant impact on MFC current output but the correlation coefficient varies from MFC to MFC depending on salt bridge dimensional parameters.

The Interdisciplinary Business Doctorate for Executives: A Novel Way to Bridge Academic Research and Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Grandon Gill

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The paper presents an over view of a new type of degree program that is rapidly emerging and gaining acceptance in the U.S.: the business doctorate for executives. Roughly a dozen of these programs currently exist at institutions accredited by AACSB International, the nation's premier accrediting agency. Although they are research-focused, like their Ph.D counterparts, they are quite different in a number of ways. Among the most important of these: they target applicants with substantial executive experience, they are part time and assume their participants will continue working while in the program, they are interdisciplinary in focus and their emphasis is generally on applying research methods to practical business problems, as opposed to producing published research articles. As a consequence, they are well-positioned to serve as a bridge that increases partnering between academic research and practice. After summarizing the general nature of these programs, the paper considers the structure and objectives of the new Doctor of Business Administration (DBA program being offered by the Muma College of Business at the University of South Florida.

Hybrid Bridge Structures Made of Frp Composite and Concrete

Science.gov (United States)

Rajchel, Mateusz; Siwowski, Tomasz

2017-09-01

Despite many advantages over the conventional construction materials, the contemporary development of FRP composites in bridge engineering is limited due to high initial cost, low stiffness (in case of glass fibers) and sudden composite failure mode. In order to reduce the given limitations, mixed (hybrid) solutions connecting the FRP composites and conventional construction materials, including concrete, have been tested in many countries for 20 years. Shaping the hybrid structures based on the attributes of particular materials, aims to increase stiffness and reduce cost without losing the carrying capacity, lightness and easiness of bridges that includes such hybrid girders, and to avoid the sudden dangerous failure mode. In the following article, the authors described examples of hybrid road bridges made of FRP composite and concrete within the time of 20 years and presented the first Polish hybrid FRP-concrete road bridge. Also, the directions of further research, necessary to spread these innovative, advanced and sustainable bridge structures were indicated.

Bridging Anticoagulation

Science.gov (United States)

... clinical centers in the United States, Canada, and Brazil. A more detailed description of the study is ... Your Personal Message Send Message Share on Social Media Bridging Anticoagulation The BRIDGE Study Investigators Circulation. 2012; ...

You Can Get Grants!

Science.gov (United States)

Novelli, Joan

1994-01-01

Presents strategies to help elementary teachers win grants for the classroom. The article includes information on grant sources, where to find out more about grants, and how to write winning grants. Examples of successful grant projects are provided, and announcement of a $500 Instructor grant competition is included. (SM)

How Does Institutional Grant Aid Impact College Choice? Research Brief

Science.gov (United States)

Hurwitz, Michael

2012-01-01

New evidence on how students' choice of postsecondary institution is sensitive to grant aid offers from the colleges and universities. Institutional aid sensitivity is largest for students from the least wealthy families but does not vary by race/ethnicity or measured academic ability. A technical appendix is included.

Soft-switching PWM full-bridge converters topologies, control, and design

CERN Document Server

Ruan, Xinbo

2014-01-01

Soft-switching PWM full-bridge converters have been widely used in medium-to-high power dc-dc conversions for topological simplicity, easy control and high efficiency. Early works on soft-switching PWM full-bridge converter by many researchers included various topologies and modulation strategies.  However, these works were scattered, and the relationship among these topologies and modulation strategies had not been revealed. This book intends to describe systematically the soft-switching techniques for pulse-width modulation (PWM) full-bridge converters, including the topologies, control and

Plans for crash-tested wood bridge railings for concrete decks

Science.gov (United States)

Michael A. Ritter; Ronald K. Faller; Barry T. Rosson; Paula D. Hilbrich Lee; Sheila Rimal. Duwadi

1998-01-01

As part of a continuing cooperative research between the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility (MwRSF); the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (FPL); and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), several crashworthy wood bridge railings and approach railing transitions have been adapted for use on concrete bridge decks. These railings meet testing and...

Involuntary retirement, bridge employment, and satisfaction with life: A longitudinal investigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dingemans, E.; Henkens, K.

2014-01-01

The increased popularity of bridge employment has raised questions about its consequences for well-being in late adult life. This research explored the consequences of bridge employment for the level of life satisfaction of older adults during the retirement transition period. Changes in life

Contracts, grants and funding summary of supersonic cruise research and variable-cycle engine technology programs, 1972 - 1982

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffman, S.; Varholic, M. C.

1983-01-01

NASA-SCAR (AST) program was initiated in 1972 at the direct request of the Executive Office of the White House and Congress following termination of the U.S. SST program. The purpose of SCR was to conduct a focused research and technology program on those technology programs which contributed to the SST termination and, also, to provide an expanded data base for future civil and military supersonic transport aircraft. Funding for the Supersonic Cruise Research (SCR) Program was initiated in fiscal year 1973 and terminated in fiscal year 1981. The program was implemented through contracts and grants with industry, universities, and by in-house investigations at the NASA/OAST centers. The studies included system studies and five disciplines: propulsion, stratospheric emissions impact, materials and structures, aerodynamic performance, and stability and control. The NASA/Lewis Variable-Cycle Engine (VCE) Component Program was initiated in 1976 to augment the SCR program in the area of propulsion. After about 2 years, the title was changed to VCE Technology program. The total number of contractors and grantees on record at the AST office in 1982 was 101 for SCR and 4 for VCE. This paper presents a compilation of all the contracts and grants as well as the funding summaries for both programs.

Bridging the Gap

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kramer Overgaard, Majken; Broeng, Jes; Jensen, Monika Luniewska

Bridging the Gap (BtG) is a 2-year project funded by The Danish Industry Foundation. The goal of Bridging the Gap has been to create a new innovation model which will increase the rate at which Danish universities can spinout new technology ventures.......Bridging the Gap (BtG) is a 2-year project funded by The Danish Industry Foundation. The goal of Bridging the Gap has been to create a new innovation model which will increase the rate at which Danish universities can spinout new technology ventures....

Long Span Bridges in Scandinavia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gimsing, Niels Jørgen

1998-01-01

The first Scandinavian bridge with a span of more than 500 m was the Lillebælt Suspension Bridge opened to traffic in 1970.Art the end of the 20th century the longest span of any European bridge is found in the Storebælt East Bridge with a main span of 1624 m. Also the third longest span in Europe...... is found in Scandinavia - the 1210 m span of the Höga Kusten Bridge in Sweden.The Kvarnsund Bridge in Norway was at the completion in 1991 the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world, and the span of 530 m is still thge longest for cable-stayed bridges in concrete. The Øresund Bridge with its sapn of 490...

First-Time Knowledge Brokers in Health Care: The Experiences of Nurses and Allied Health Professionals of Bridging the Research-Practice Gap

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Nicola

2013-01-01

This study describes the experiences of nurses and allied health professionals as first-time knowledge brokers, attempting to bridge the research-practice gap within health care. A qualitative study using in-depth interviews and documentary analysis was conducted. The data was analysed using a thematic analysis strategy. Participants were 17…

Canada-Africa grants spur novel ideas, networks | IDRC ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2016-06-22

Jun 22, 2016 ... Canada-Africa grants spur novel ideas, networks ... networks involving African and Canadian academic researchers. ... Remarkable new research into HIV prevention among the "choice disabled" — vulnerable groups less ...

Bridging the Transition Gap

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-23

period and provide recommendations to guide future research and policy development. 4 DEFINING THE TRANSITIONAL SECURITY GAP There have been...BRIDGING THE TRANSITION GAP A Monograph by MAJ J.D. Hansen United States Army School of Advanced Military Studies United States Army...suggestions for reducing this burden to Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704

Sun Grant Initiative : great strides toward a sustainable and more energy-independent future

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

The Sun Grant Initiative publication, developed by the U.S. Department of Transportation, offers a glimpse of how the Sun Grant Initiative Centers are advancing alternative fuels research. Transportation plays a significant role in biofuels research,...

Integral Abutment and Jointless Bridges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian-Claudiu Comisu

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Integral bridges, or integral abutment and jointless bridges, as they are more commonly known in the USA, are constructed without any movement joints between spans or between spans and abutments. Typically these bridges have stub-type abutments supported on piles and continuous bridge deck from one embankment to the other. Foundations are usually designed to be small and flexible to facilitate horizontal movement or rocking of the support. Integrally bridges are simple or multiple span ones that have their superstructure cast integrally with their substructure. The jointless bridges cost less to construct and require less maintenance then equivalent bridges with expansion joints. Integral bridges present a challenge for load distribution calculations because the bridge deck, piers, abutments, embankments and soil must all be considered as single compliant system. This paper presents some of the important features of integral abutment and jointless bridge design and some guidelines to achieve improved design. The goal of this paper is to enhance the awareness among the engineering community to use integral abutment and jointless bridges in Romania.

The Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bellovary, Jillian M.; Stassun, Keivan; Holley-Bockelmann, Kelly; Montez, Rodolfo; Myers Stroud, Dina; Burger, Arnold

2015-01-01

We describe the Fisk-Vanderbilt Masters-to-PhD Bridge program as a successful model for effective partnerships with minority-serving institutions toward addressing the problem of the underrepresentation of minorities in the physical sciences. Since 2004 the program has admitted 79 students, 68 of them underrepresented minorities (48% female), with a retention rate to STEM Ph.D. programs of 82% (compared to the national average of 50%). We summarize the main features of the program including two of its core strategies: (1) partnering a minority-serving institution and a major research university through collaborative research, and (2) using the master's degree as a deliberate stepping stone to the PhD. We specifically discuss our mentoring and student tracking strategies, and note that a large number of our materials available online as part of the Bridge Program Architects Toolkit: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/gradschool/bridge/tools.htm.

MR damping system on Dongting Lake cable-stayed bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Z. Q.; Wang, X. Y.; Ko, J. M.; Ni, Y. Q.; Spencer, Billie F., Jr.; Yang, G.

2003-08-01

The Dongting Lake Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge crossing the Dongting Lake where it meets the Yangtze River in southern central China. After this bridge was completed in 1999, its cables were observed to be sensitive to rain-wind-induced vibration, especially under adverse weather conditions of both rain and wind. To investigate the possibility of using MR damping systems to reduce cable vibration, a joint project between the Central South University of China and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University was conducted. Based on the promising research results, the bridge authority decided to install MR damping systems on the longest 156 stay cables. The installation started in July 2001 and finished in June 2002, making it the world's first application of MR dampers on cable-stayed bridge to suppress the rain-wind-induced cable vibration. As a visible and permanent aspect of bridge, the MR damping system must be aesthetically pleasing, reliable, durable, easy to maintain, as well as effective in vibration mitigation. Substantial work was done to meet these requirements. This paper describes the implementation of MR damping systems for cable vibration reduction.

Bridge deterioration models to support Indiana's bridge management system.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-01

An effective bridge management system that is equipped with reliable deterioration models enables agency engineers to carry out : monitoring and long-term programming of bridge repair actions. At the project level, deterioration models help the agenc...

Low cost structural health monitoring of bridges using wireless sensors : research summary.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

Problem: Structural health monitoring is critical to protecting bridges against aging, : failures, and potentially collapse. However, instrumentiation techniques : suffer from non-scalability due to the high cost of instrumentation devices : and inst...

School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Grants

Science.gov (United States)

EPA's IPM in schools grant program supports projects that include research, development, monitoring, public education, training, demonstrations, or studies to support recipients’ efforts to increase IPM adoption by public and tribal schools (K-12).

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's grant-making programme for global health.

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, David; Kembhavi, Gayatri; Patel, Jinesh; Luintel, Akish

2009-05-09

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a major contributor to global health; its influence on international health policy and the design of global health programmes and initiatives is profound. Although the foundation's contribution to global health generally receives acclaim, fairly little is known about its grant-making programme. We undertook an analysis of 1094 global health grants awarded between January, 1998, and December, 2007. We found that the total value of these grants was US$8.95 billion, of which $5.82 billion (65%) was shared by only 20 organisations. Nevertheless, a wide range of global health organisations, such as WHO, the GAVI Alliance, the World Bank, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, prominent universities, and non-governmental organisations received grants. $3.62 billion (40% of all funding) was given to supranational organisations. Of the remaining amount, 82% went to recipients based in the USA. Just over a third ($3.27 billion) of funding was allocated to research and development (mainly for vaccines and microbicides), or to basic science research. The findings of this report raise several questions about the foundation's global health grant-making programme, which needs further research and assessment.

Bridge Therapy Outcomes in Patients With Mechanical Heart Valves.

Science.gov (United States)

Delate, Thomas; Meisinger, Stephanie M; Witt, Daniel M; Jenkins, Daniel; Douketis, James D; Clark, Nathan P

2017-11-01

Bridge therapy is associated with an increased risk of major bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism (TE) without a corresponding reduction in TE. The benefits of bridge therapy in patients with mechanical heart valve (MHV) prostheses interrupting warfarin for invasive procedures are not well described. A retrospective cohort study was conducted at an integrated health-care delivery system. Anticoagulated patients with MHV interrupting warfarin for invasive diagnostic or surgical procedures between January 1, 2006, and March 31, 2012, were identified. Patients were categorized according to exposure to bridge therapy during the periprocedural period and TE risk (low, medium, and high). Outcomes validated via manual chart review included clinically relevant bleeding, TE, and all-cause mortality in the 30 days following the procedure. There were 547 procedures in 355 patients meeting inclusion criteria. Mean cohort age was 65.2 years, and 38% were female. Bridge therapy was utilized in 466 (85.2%) procedures (95.2%, 77.3%, and 65.8% of high, medium, and low TE risk category procedures, respectively). The 30-day rate of clinically relevant bleeding was numerically higher in bridged (5.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.9%-8.3%) versus not bridged procedures (1.2%; 95% CI, bridge therapy is common among patients with MHV and may be associated with increased bleeding risk. Further research is needed to determine whether bridge therapy reduces TE in patients with MHV interrupting warfarin for invasive procedures.

Field investigations of historic covered timber bridges in the USA

Science.gov (United States)

James Wacker; Travis Hosteng; Brent. Phares

2012-01-01

The Federal Highway Administration is sponsoring a comprehensive research program on Historic Covered Timber Bridges in the USA. This national program's main purpose is to develop improved methods to preserve, rehabililate, and restore the timber bridge trusses that were developed during the early 1800s, and in many cases are still in service today. The overall...

About the Office of Grants Administration

Science.gov (United States)

OGA supports grants and cooperative agreements awarded to scientific institutions, small businesses, and individuals to help build, maintain, and enhance a cohesive and comprehensive cancer research agenda. Learn more about OGA and its program structure.

Academic Talent Selection in Grant Review Panels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arensbergen, P. van; Weijden, I. van der; Besselaar, P van den; Prpic, K.; Weijden, I. van der; Aseulova, N.

2014-01-01

Career grants are an important instrument for selecting and stimulating the next generation of leading researchers. Earlier research has mainly focused on the relation between past performance and success. In this study we investigate the evidence of talent and how the selection process takes place.

Grants Process Overview

Science.gov (United States)

This infographic shows the steps in the National Institutes of Health and National Cancer Institute Grants Process. The graphic shows which steps are done by the Principle Investigator, Grantee Institution, and by NIH. The process is represented by a circular flow of steps. Starting from the top and reading clockwise: The Principle Investigator “Initiates Research Idea and Prepares Application” The Grantee Institution “Submits Application” NIH “NIH Center For Scientific Review, Assigns To NCI And To Study Section” NIH “Scientific Review Group (NCI OR CSR) Evaluates for Scientific Merit” NIH “National Cancer Advisory Board Recommends Action” NIH “NCI Evaluates Program Relevance And Need” NIH “NCI Makes Funding Selections And Issues Grant Awards” (NIH) NIH “NCI Monitors Programmatic and Business Management Performance of the Grant” The Grantee Institution “Manages Funds” The Principle Investigator “Conducts Research” Source: www.cancer.gov Icons made by Freepik from http://www.flaticon.com is licensed by CC BY3.0”

Determination of barge impact probabilities for bridge design : [summary].

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

University of Florida researchers developed a revised barge impact probability expression applicable for the design of bridge structures located on Florida waterways. University of Florida researchers obtained barge flotilla traffic data and barge-to...

Existing Steel Railway Bridges Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Vičan, Josef; Gocál, Jozef; Odrobiňák, Jaroslav; Koteš, Peter

2016-12-01

The article describes general principles and basis of evaluation of existing railway bridges based on the concept of load-carrying capacity determination. Compared to the design of a new bridge, the modified reliability level for existing bridges evaluation should be considered due to implementation of the additional data related to bridge condition and behaviour obtained from regular inspections. Based on those data respecting the bridge remaining lifetime, a modification of partial safety factors for actions and materials could be respected in the bridge evaluation process. A great attention is also paid to the specific problems of determination of load-caring capacity of steel railway bridges in service. Recommendation for global analysis and methodology for existing steel bridge superstructure load-carrying capacity determination are described too.

To apply or not to apply: a survey analysis of grant writing costs and benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

von Hippel, Ted; von Hippel, Courtney

2015-01-01

We surveyed 113 astronomers and 82 psychologists active in applying for federally funded research on their grant-writing history between January, 2009 and November, 2012. We collected demographic data, effort levels, success rates, and perceived non-financial benefits from writing grant proposals. We find that the average proposal takes 116 PI hours and 55 CI hours to write; although time spent writing was not related to whether the grant was funded. Effort did translate into success, however, as academics who wrote more grants received more funding. Participants indicated modest non-monetary benefits from grant writing, with psychologists reporting a somewhat greater benefit overall than astronomers. These perceptions of non-financial benefits were unrelated to how many grants investigators applied for, the number of grants they received, or the amount of time they devoted to writing their proposals. We also explored the number of years an investigator can afford to apply unsuccessfully for research grants and our analyses suggest that funding rates below approximately 20%, commensurate with current NIH and NSF funding, are likely to drive at least half of the active researchers away from federally funded research. We conclude with recommendations and suggestions for individual investigators and for department heads.

To apply or not to apply: a survey analysis of grant writing costs and benefits.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ted von Hippel

Full Text Available We surveyed 113 astronomers and 82 psychologists active in applying for federally funded research on their grant-writing history between January, 2009 and November, 2012. We collected demographic data, effort levels, success rates, and perceived non-financial benefits from writing grant proposals. We find that the average proposal takes 116 PI hours and 55 CI hours to write; although time spent writing was not related to whether the grant was funded. Effort did translate into success, however, as academics who wrote more grants received more funding. Participants indicated modest non-monetary benefits from grant writing, with psychologists reporting a somewhat greater benefit overall than astronomers. These perceptions of non-financial benefits were unrelated to how many grants investigators applied for, the number of grants they received, or the amount of time they devoted to writing their proposals. We also explored the number of years an investigator can afford to apply unsuccessfully for research grants and our analyses suggest that funding rates below approximately 20%, commensurate with current NIH and NSF funding, are likely to drive at least half of the active researchers away from federally funded research. We conclude with recommendations and suggestions for individual investigators and for department heads.

76 FR 37191 - Notice of Competition for University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program Grants

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-24

... capability, the use of peer review, and effective partnerships to advance diversity. The Research and... Competition for University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program Grants AGENCY: Research and Innovative... conduct a competition for University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program grants for the purpose of...

Shifting Demographics among Research Project Grant Awardees at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marc F Charette

Full Text Available The present study was initiated because of concerns expressed by NHLBI-funded mid-career investigators regarding perceived difficulties in the renewal of their grant awards. This led us to ask: "Are mid-career investigators experiencing disproportionate difficulties in the advancement of their professional careers?" Our portfolio analysis indicates that there has been a significant and evolving shift in the demographics of research project grant (RPG awardees at NHLBI. In 1998, mid-career (ages 41-55 investigators constituted approximately 60% of all investigators with the remaining 40% being equally divided between early-stage (ages 24-40 investigators and established (ages 56 to 70 and older investigators. However, since 1998, the proportion of established RPG awardees has been increasing in a slowly progressive and strikingly linear fashion. At the same time the proportion of early-stage awardees fell precipitously until 2006 and then stabilized. During the same period, the proportion of mid-career awardees, which had been relatively stable through 2006, began to fall significantly. In examining potential causes of these demographic shifts we have identified certain inherent properties within the RPG award system that appear to promote an increasingly more established awardee population and a persistent decrease in the proportion of mid-career investigators. A collateral result of these demographic shifts, when combined with level or declining funding, is a significant reduction in the number of RPG awards received by NHLBI mid-career investigators and a corresponding decrease in the number of independent research laboratories.

NASA Operation IceBridge Flies Into the Classroom!

Science.gov (United States)

Kane, M.

2017-12-01

Field research opportunities for educators is leveraged as an invaluable tool to increase public engagement in climate research and the geosciences. We investigate the influence of educator's authentic fieldwork by highlighting the post-field impacts of a PolarTREC Teacher who participated in two campaigns, including NASA Operation IceBridge campaign over Antarctica in 2016. NASA's Operation IceBridge has hosted PolarTREC teachers since 2012, welcoming five teachers aboard multiple flights over the Arctic and one over Antarctica. The continuity of teacher inclusion in Operation IceBridge campaigns has facilitated a platform for collaborative curriculum development and revision, integration of National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) data into multiple classrooms, and given us a means whereby students can interact with science team members. I present impacts to my teaching and classrooms as I grapple with "Big Data" to allow students to work directly with lidar and radar data, I examine public outreach impacts through analytics from virtual networking tools including social media, NASA's Mission Tools Suite for Education, and field blog interactions.

Field performance of timber bridges. 5, Little Salmon Creek stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

M. A. Ritter; J. A. Kainz; G. J. Porter

The Little Salmon Creek bridge was constructed in November 1988 on the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. The bridge is a simple span, single-lane, stress-laminated deck superstructure that is approximately 26-ft long and 16-ft wide. The bridge is unique in that it is the first known stress-laminated timber bridge to be constructed of hardwood lumber. The...

Field performance of timber bridges. 9, Big Erick`s stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

J. A. Kainz; J. P. Wacker; M. Nelson

The Big Erickas bridge was constructed during September 1992 in Baraga County, Michigan. The bridge is 72 ft long, 16 ft wide, and consists of three simple spans: two stress-laminated deck approach spans and a stress-laminated box center span. The bridge is unique in that it is one of the first known stress-laminated timber bridge applications to use Eastern Hemlock...

Research on structural dynamic characteristics of continuous steel box girder-bridge with lager ratio of wide-span

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yin Haijun

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Structure natural frequency and mode of vibration can not only reflect the structure modal parameters of dynamic properties, but also incarnate the dynamic evaluation characteristics of bridge structure. This paper applies ANSYS to establish the finite element model based on a continuous steel box girder bridge in order to obtain the corresponding modal analysis parameters. Through the environmental stimulation test, The results show that height of the steel box girder and the setting of diaphragm plate is reasonable, transverse space of piers not merely provide enough support but also ensure lateral stability of the bridge, as well as offering aside the maximum lateral clearance of the existing road. Meanwhile, the calculation results have important engineering practical values. which can provide basic data for the design, construction and maintenance of similar Bridges.

Promoting Learning by Inquiry Among Undergraduates in Soil Sciences: Scaffolding From Project-based Courses to Student-Staff Research Grants by the National Research Agency in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ismaily, Said; Kacimov, Anvar; Al-Maktoumi, Ali

2016-04-01

Three strategies in a soil science undergraduate programme with inquiry-based learning (IBL) principles at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, are presented. The first strategy scaffolds courses into three phases: with direct instructional guidance, structured IBL, and finally, guided to open IBL. The second strategy involves extra-curricular activities of undergraduates, viz. conducting workshops on soils for pupils in grades 7-9 with their teachers. The third strategy promotes the teaching-research nexus through collaboration between the undergraduates and faculty within a student-supporting, government-funded programme through 1-year long research grants of up to 5,500 US/project. The efficiency of the strategies was evaluated by students' evaluations of courses and instructors and questionnaire-based surveys. Statistics of students' responses in teaching evaluations of IBL courses showed a significantly higher level of satisfaction compared with regular courses taught in the department and college. In surveys of other constituencies of the program, viz. the secondary schools, more than 90% of respondents "agreed" or "strongly agreed" that they had learned new information/secrets about soils. The indicators of success in the third strategy are: winning a highly competitive grant and, moreover, earning an even more competitive annual national award for the best executed research project. The two top graduates of the IBL soil programme progressed into the MSc programme with the university and national scholarships. Key words: inquiry based learning, soil science undergraduate program, scaffold of courses, outreach activities, teaching-research nexus, evaluation of program's efficiency

Extreme Changes in Stream Geomorphic Conditions induced by Fluvial Scour in Bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Özcan, O.; Ozcan, O.

2016-12-01

The numerous complexities associated with bridge scour have caused scour to be one of the most active topics of stream geomorphic research. The assessment of local scouring mechanism around bridge piers provides information for decision-making regarding the pile footing design, predicting the safety of bridges under critical scoured conditions, and as a result, may help prevent unnecessary loses. In the study, bridge design plans and HEC-RAS modeling were used for the assessment of changes in stream geomorphic conditions. The derived fluvial scour depths were compared with the field measurements and the empirical formula which is based on stream flow discharge rate, streambed condition and shape of river. Preliminary results revealed that bridge damage resulting from the flood event in 2003 induced substantial scour around bridge piles. Afterwards, significant stream bed change was observed under the influence of fluvial scour in another flood occurred in 2009. Consequently, geomorphic conditions of the stream bed should be considered in the structural design of the bridges.

Commercial border crossing and wait time measurement at Laredo World Trade Bridge and the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

This research is to establish a baseline and on-going measurement of border crossing times and : delay by measuring travel times for commercial trucks crossing the port of entry (POE) from : Mexico into Texas at the Laredo World Trade Bridge and the ...

Existing Steel Railway Bridges Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vičan Josef

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The article describes general principles and basis of evaluation of existing railway bridges based on the concept of load-carrying capacity determination. Compared to the design of a new bridge, the modified reliability level for existing bridges evaluation should be considered due to implementation of the additional data related to bridge condition and behaviour obtained from regular inspections. Based on those data respecting the bridge remaining lifetime, a modification of partial safety factors for actions and materials could be respected in the bridge evaluation process. A great attention is also paid to the specific problems of determination of load-caring capacity of steel railway bridges in service. Recommendation for global analysis and methodology for existing steel bridge superstructure load-carrying capacity determination are described too.

Framework for a comprehensive bridge management and information system.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

"The purpose of this research project was to provide a framework for the development of a Bridge : Management Information System (BMIS). Researchers developed a synthesis of current BMIS development : activities and identified sources of data availab...

Light-weight aluminium bridges and bridge decks. An overview of recent applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maljaars, J.; Soetens, F.; Kluyver, D. de

2008-01-01

The last decades have shown a large increase in the application of aluminium alloys for light-weight bridges. For bridge construction, aluminium alloys have some specific advantages, but also some points of attention. This paper deals with some recent projects of aluminium bridges, and for these

This Bridge Called My Leadership: An Essay on Black Women as Bridge Leaders in Education

Science.gov (United States)

Horsford, Sonya Douglass

2012-01-01

The purpose of this essay is to contextualize the existing research literature on leadership for diversity, equity, and social justice in education with "bridge leadership" as historically practiced by Black women leaders in the USA. Its primary aim is to demonstrate how the intersection of race and gender as experienced by the Black…

Development of bridge girder movement criteria for accelerated bridge construction.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

End diaphragms connect multiple girders to form a bridge superstructure system for effective resistance to earthquake loads. Concrete : girder bridges that include end diaphragms consistently proved to perform well during previous earthquake events. ...

Bridging the research to practice gap: A case study approach to understanding eıbı supports and barriers in Swedish preschools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lise Roll-Petterson

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The present study examined proximal and distal barriers and supports within the Swedish service system that may affect implementation of early and intensive behavioral intervention (EIBI for children with autism. A case study approach with roots in ethnography was chosen to explore this issue. Two preschools exemplifying ‘high quality practice’ were studied and information was collected through multiple sources during a 12 month period, this included participant observations, direct observations, semi-structured interviews with key informants; paraprofessionals, parents, special educators, habilitation specialists and a focus group interview. Interview transcripts and field notes were combined and analyzed using an abductive grounded theory approach. Findings highlight the relevance of researchers understanding and taking into consideration the effect that distal variables have on implementation within proximal settings. A theoretical model of factors affecting implementation was conceptualised to include: staff entry knowledge and competence, development through supervision, the role of the preschool administrator, as well as distal influences and inter-organizational tensions, values, and bridges. Findings are discussed within the context of implementation science. Implications for future research are discussed as well as areas in need of further development to bridge the gap between research and practice.

Development of a guide for prioritization of railway bridges for repair and replacement.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

The objective of this study was to develop evaluation bases for the repair, rehabilitation, and replacement of existing : railway bridges. Considering the importance of bridges to the railway network, the research involved the review and : analysis o...

Researcher Story: Stuttering

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Toolkits Grants & Funding Grants Home Page Funding Forms Library Due Dates How to Apply About Grants Policy & ... Education Research in NIH Labs & Clinics Training Opportunities Library Resources Research Resources Clinical Research Resources Safety, Regulation ...

System identification and structural health monitoring of bridge structures

OpenAIRE

Islami, Kleidi

2013-01-01

This research study addresses two issues for the identification of structural characteristics of civil infrastructure systems. The first one is related to the problem of dynamic system identification, by means of experimental and operational modal analysis, applied to a large variety of bridge structures. Based on time and frequency domain techniques and mainly with output-only acceleration, velocity or strain data, modal parameters have been estimated for suspension bridges, masonry arch bri...

Self-Consolidating Concrete for Prestressed Bridge Girders

Science.gov (United States)

2017-07-01

This document reports the findings of a research project designed to better understand material and structural performance of prestressed bridge girders made with Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC) from Wisconsin. SCC has high potential to be used for...

DOE Matching Grant Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsoukalas, L.

2002-01-01

Funding used to support a portion of the Nuclear Engineering Educational Activities. Upgrade of teaching labs, student support to attend professional conferences, salary support for graduate students. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has funded Purdue University School of Nuclear Engineering during the period of five academic years covered in this report starting in the academic year 1996-97 and ending in the academic year 2000-2001. The total amount of funding for the grant received from DOE is $416K. In the 1990's, Nuclear Engineering Education in the US experienced a significant slow down. Student enrollment, research support, number of degrees at all levels (BS, MS, and PhD), number of accredited programs, University Research and Training Reactors, all went through a decline to alarmingly low levels. Several departments closed down, while some were amalgamated with other academic units (Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, etc). The School of Nuclear Engineering at Purdue University faced a major challenge when in the mid 90's our total undergraduate enrollment for the Sophomore, Junior and Senior Years dropped in the low 30's. The DOE Matching Grant program greatly strengthened Purdue's commitment to the Nuclear Engineering discipline and has helped to dramatically improve our undergraduate and graduate enrollment, attract new faculty and raise the School of Nuclear Engineering status within the University and in the National scene (our undergraduate enrollment has actually tripled and stands at an all time high of over 90 students; total enrollment currently exceeds 110 students). In this final technical report we outline and summarize how the grant was expended at Purdue University

Identifying hidden sexual bridging communities in Chicago.

Science.gov (United States)

Youm, Yoosik; Mackesy-Amiti, Mary Ellen; Williams, Chyvette T; Ouellet, Lawrence J

2009-07-01

-average AIDS prevalence, above-average bridging and AIDS prevalence, and above-average bridging and below-average AIDS prevalence (hidden bridgers). The majority of the 1,068 study participants were male (63%), African American (74%), and very poor, and the median age was 44 years. Most (85%) were sexually active, and 725 provided useable geographic information regarding 1,420 sexual partnerships that involved 57 Chicago community areas. Eight community areas met or came close to meeting the definition of hidden bridgers. Six areas were near the city's periphery, and all eight areas likely had high inflows or outflows of low-income persons displaced by gentrification. The results suggest that further research on this method is warranted, and we propose a means for public health officials in other cities to duplicate the analysis.

Heavy Vehicles on Minor Highway Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Søren R. K.; Kirkegaard, Poul Henning; Enevoldsen, I.

The present paper worked out as a part of a research project on "Dynamic amplification factor of vehicle loadings on smaller bridges" establishes a two-dimensional spectral description of the road roughness surface based on measurements from a Danish road using so-called Profilograph used by Dani...

Crossing borders via mental bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Keil, Dirk

The project studies cross-border regional integration in Europe drawing on the example of the emerging Danish-German Femern Belt Region. It focuses on cross-border networking within public administration as part of regional integra- tion. My central question is how national-cultural differences...... influence coopera- tion, coordination and collaboration in administrative cross-border networks. In this connection the project asks after the perception of regional integration seen from the different national backgrounds. The research concentrates on the group of decision makers within the field of public...... administration, and in specific on the attempt to initiate and promote cross-border regional integration via the building of mental bridges between Danish and German parts of the Femern Belt Region. Here one of the first projects aiming primarily at building mental bridges in the Femern Belt Region...

Patenting productivity and intellectual property policies at Research I universities: An exploratory comparative study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pilar Mendoza

2005-01-01

Full Text Available In the 1980s, the US government encouraged the cooperation of industries with universities in order to bridge funding gaps and cope with global competitive markets through legislations that allow universities to start spin-off businesses and to generate profits from patents. At the turn of the century, university partnerships with the private sector have greatly increased through research grants, licensing patents, and in some cases, the formation of new firms'mainly at research universities and in the hard sciences. In response to these entrepreneurial opportunities, university administrators developed intellectual property policies to facilitate the commercialization of research. The purpose of this study is to explore the differences across IP policies among nine research universities as potential sources of influence on faculty engagement in for-profit research ventures according to existing models of faculty role performance and achievement.

Field performance of timber bridges. 17, Ciphers stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

James P. Wacker; James A. Kainz; Michael A. Ritter

In September 1989, the Ciphers bridge was constructed within the Beltrami Island State Forest in Roseau County, Minnesota. The bridge superstructure is a two-span continuous stress-laminated deck that is approximately 12.19 m long, 5.49 m wide, and 305 mm deep (40 ft long, 18 ft wide, and 12 in. deep). The bridge is one of the first to utilize red pine sawn lumber for...

Non-destructive inspection protocol for reinforced concrete barriers and bridge railings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chintakunta, Satish R. [Engineering and Software Consultants, Inc., 14123 Robert Paris Ct., Chantilly, VA 20151 (United States); Boone, Shane D. [Federal Highway Administration, Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101 (United States)

2014-02-18

Reinforced concrete highway barriers and bridge railings serve to prevent errant vehicles from departing the travel way at grade separations. Despite the important role that they play in maintaining safety and their ubiquitous nature, barrier inspection rarely moves beyond visual inspection. In August 2008, a tractor-trailer fatally departed William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after it dislodged a section of the bridge barrier. Investigations following the accident identified significant corrosion of the anchor bolts attaching the bridge railing to the bridge deck. As a result of the information gathered during its investigation of the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration concerning Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of concrete bridge railings. The Center for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) at Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, VA is currently evaluating feasibility of using four technologies - ground penetrating radar (GPR), ultrasonic pulse-echo, digital radiography and infrared thermal imaging methods to develop bridge inspection methods that augment visual inspections, offer reliable measurement techniques, and are practical, both in terms of time and cost, for field inspection work. Controlled samples containing predefined corrosion levels in reinforcing steel were embedded at barrier connection points for laboratory testing. All four NDE techniques were used in the initial phase I testing. An inspection protocol for detecting and measuring the corrosion of reinforced steel embedded in the anchorage system will be developed as part of phase II research. The identified technologies shall be further developed for field testing utilizing a structure with a barrier in good condition and a structure with a barrier in poor condition.

Non-destructive inspection protocol for reinforced concrete barriers and bridge railings

Science.gov (United States)

Chintakunta, Satish R.; Boone, Shane D.

2014-02-01

Reinforced concrete highway barriers and bridge railings serve to prevent errant vehicles from departing the travel way at grade separations. Despite the important role that they play in maintaining safety and their ubiquitous nature, barrier inspection rarely moves beyond visual inspection. In August 2008, a tractor-trailer fatally departed William Preston Lane, Jr. Memorial Bridge after it dislodged a section of the bridge barrier. Investigations following the accident identified significant corrosion of the anchor bolts attaching the bridge railing to the bridge deck. As a result of the information gathered during its investigation of the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made recommendations to the Federal Highway Administration concerning Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of concrete bridge railings. The Center for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) at Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, VA is currently evaluating feasibility of using four technologies - ground penetrating radar (GPR), ultrasonic pulse-echo, digital radiography and infrared thermal imaging methods to develop bridge inspection methods that augment visual inspections, offer reliable measurement techniques, and are practical, both in terms of time and cost, for field inspection work. Controlled samples containing predefined corrosion levels in reinforcing steel were embedded at barrier connection points for laboratory testing. All four NDE techniques were used in the initial phase I testing. An inspection protocol for detecting and measuring the corrosion of reinforced steel embedded in the anchorage system will be developed as part of phase II research. The identified technologies shall be further developed for field testing utilizing a structure with a barrier in good condition and a structure with a barrier in poor condition.

Training physician investigators in medicine and public health research.

Science.gov (United States)

Gourevitch, Marc N; Jay, Melanie R; Goldfrank, Lewis R; Mendelsohn, Alan L; Dreyer, Benard P; Foltin, George L; Lipkin, Mack; Schwartz, Mark D

2012-07-01

We have described and evaluated the impact of a unique fellowship program designed to train postdoctoral, physician fellows in research at the interface of medicine and public health. We developed a rigorous curriculum in public health content and research methods and fostered linkages with research mentors and local public health agencies. Didactic training provided the foundation for fellows' mentored research initiatives, which addressed real-world challenges in advancing the health status of vulnerable urban populations. Two multidisciplinary cohorts (6 per cohort) completed this 2-year degree-granting program and engaged in diverse public health research initiatives on topics such as improving pediatric care outcomes through health literacy interventions, reducing hospital readmission rates among urban poor with multiple comorbidities, increasing cancer screening uptake, and broadening the reach of addiction screening and intervention. The majority of fellows (10/12) published their fellowship work and currently have a career focused in public health-related research or practice (9/12). A fellowship training program can prepare physician investigators for research careers that bridge the divide between medicine and public health.

Remarks on crack-bridging concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bao, G.; Suo, Z.

1992-01-01

The article draws upon recent work by us and our colleagues on metal and ceramic matrix composites for high temperature engines. The central theme here is to deduce mechanical properties, such as toughness, strength and notch-ductility, from bridging laws that characterize inelastic processes associated with fracture. A particular set of normalization is introduced to present the design charts, segregating the roles played by the shape, and the scale, of a bridging law. A single material length, γ 0 E/σ 0 , emerges, where γ 0 is the limiting-separation, σ 0 the bridging-strength, and E the Young's modulus of the solid. It is the huge variation of this length-from a few manometers for atomic bond, to a meter for cross-over fibers - that underlies the richness in material behaviors. Under small-scale bridging conditions, γ 0 E/σ 0 is the only basic length scale in the mechanics problem and represents, with a pre-factor about 0.4, the bridging zone size. A catalog of small-scale bridging solutions is compiled for idealized bridging laws. Large-scale bridging introduces a dimensionless group, a/(γ 0 E/σ 0 ), where a is a length characterizing the component. The group plays a major role in all phenomena associated with bridging, and provides a focus of discussion in this article. For example, it quantifies the bridging scale when a is the unbridged crack length, and notch-sensitivity when a is hole radius. The difference and the connection between Irwin's fracture mechanics and crack bridging concepts are discussed. It is demonstrated that fracture toughness and resistance curve are meaningful only when small-scale bridging conditions prevail, and therefore of limited use in design with composites. Many other mechanical properties of composites, such as strength and notch-sensitivity, can be simulated by invoking large-scale bridging concepts. 37 refs., 21 figs., 3 tabs

Development of a wireless monitoring system for fracture-critical bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Fasl, Jeremiah; Samaras, Vasilis; Reichenbach, Matthew; Helwig, Todd; Wood, Sharon L.; Potter, David; Lindenberg, Richard; Frank, Karl

2011-04-01

This paper provides a summary of ongoing research sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) that seeks to improve inspection practices for steel bridges by providing the technology and methodology for real-time monitoring. In order to reduce the time and cost of installing a monitoring system, the research team elected to use wireless communications within the sensor network. The investigation considered both IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.15.4 communications protocols and identified the latter as more practical for bridge monitoring applications. Studies were conducted to investigate possible improvements in the network performance using high-gain antennas. Results from experiments conducted outside and on bridges with different antennas are presented in this paper. Although some benefits were observed using high-gain antennas, the inconsistent performance and higher cost relative to the current stock, omni-directional antennas does not justify their use.

Service Life and Maintenance Modelling of Reinforced Concrete Bridge Decks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

Recent research in the area of assessment and maintenance of reinforced concrete bridge decks is presented in this paper. Three definitions of service lifetime are introduced and the difficult problem of assessing the service life is discussed. A stochastic modelling of corrosion and corrosion...... cracking is introduced and the site dependency of corrosion is stressed. Finally, a recently developed optimal repair strategy for bridges is briefly explained....

Damping Identification of Bridges Under Nonstationary Ambient Vibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sunjoong Kim

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This research focuses on identifying the damping ratio of bridges using nonstationary ambient vibration data. The damping ratios of bridges in service have generally been identified using operational modal analysis (OMA based on a stationary white noise assumption for input signals. However, most bridges are generally subjected to nonstationary excitations while in service, and this violation of the basic assumption can lead to uncertainties in damping identification. To deal with nonstationarity, an amplitude-modulating function was calculated from measured responses to eliminate global trends caused by nonstationary input. A natural excitation technique (NExT-eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA was applied to estimate the damping ratio for a stationarized process. To improve the accuracy of OMA-based damping estimates, a comparative analysis was performed between an extracted stationary process and nonstationary data to assess the effect of eliminating nonstationarity. The mean value and standard deviation of the damping ratio for the first vertical mode decreased after signal stationarization. Keywords: Damping, Operational modal analysis, Traffic-induced vibration, Nonstationary, Signal stationarization, Amplitude-modulating, Bridge, Cable-stayed, Suspension

49 CFR 236.312 - Movable bridge, interlocking of signal appliances with bridge devices.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Movable bridge, interlocking of signal appliances with bridge devices. 236.312 Section 236.312 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to... SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND APPLIANCES Interlocking Standards § 236.312 Movable bridge, interlocking of signal...

[Clinical research of arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique for delaminated rotator cuff tear].

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Jiangtao; Xu, Cong; Liu, Xianglin; Wang, Jiansong; Li, Zhihuai; Lü, Yongming

2017-10-01

To explore the effectiveness of the arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique in treatment of the delaminated rotator cuff tear. Between May 2013 and May 2015, 54 patients with the delaminated rotator cuff tears were recruited in the study. They were randomly allocated into 2 groups to receive repair either using arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique (trial group, n =28) or using arthroscopic whole-layer suture bridge technique (control group, n =26). There was no significant difference in gender, age, injured side, tear type, and preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Constants score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) score, and the range of motion of shoulder joint between 2 groups ( P >0.05). Postoperative functional scores, range of motion, and recurrence rate of tear in 2 groups were observed and compared. The operation time was significant longer in trial group than in control group ( t =8.383, P =0.000). All incisions healed at stage Ⅰ without postoperative complication. All the patients were followed up 12 months. At 12 months postoperatively, the UCLA score, ASES score, VAS score, Constant score, and the range of motion were significantly improved when compared with the preoperative values in 2 groups ( P 0.05). Four cases (14.3%) of rotator cuff tear recurred in trial group while 5 cases (19.2%) in control group, showing no significant difference ( χ 2 =0.237, P =0.626). Compared with the arthroscopic whole-layer suture bridge technique, arthroscopic separate double-layer suture bridge technique presents no significant difference in the shoulder function score, the range of motion, and recurrence of rotator cuff tear, while having a longer operation time.

Cooperativity of complex salt bridges

OpenAIRE

Gvritishvili, Anzor G.; Gribenko, Alexey V.; Makhatadze, George I.

2008-01-01

The energetic contribution of complex salt bridges, in which one charged residue (anchor residue) forms salt bridges with two or more residues simultaneously, has been suggested to have importance for protein stability. Detailed analysis of the net energetics of complex salt bridge formation using double- and triple-mutant cycle analysis revealed conflicting results. In two cases, it was shown that complex salt bridge formation is cooperative, i.e., the net strength of the complex salt bridge...

Comprehensive evaluation of fracture critical bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-02-01

Two-girder steel bridges are classified as fracture critical bridges based on the definition given in the AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications. In a fracture critical bridge a failure of a tension member leads to collapse of the bridge. However, ...

Recent Developments on Wireless Sensor Networks Technology for Bridge Health Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guang-Dong Zhou

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Structural health monitoring (SHM systems have shown great potential to sense the responses of a bridge system, diagnose the current structural conditions, predict the expected future performance, provide information for maintenance, and validate design hypotheses. Wireless sensor networks (WSNs that have the benefits of reducing implementation costs of SHM systems as well as improving data processing efficiency become an attractive alternative to traditional tethered sensor systems. This paper introduces recent technology developments in the field of bridge health monitoring using WSNs. As a special application of WSNs, the requirements and characteristics of WSNs when used for bridge health monitoring are firstly briefly discussed. Then, the state of the art in WSNs-based bridge health monitoring systems is reviewed including wireless sensor, network topology, data processing technology, power management, and time synchronization. Following that, the performance validations and applications of WSNs in bridge health monitoring through scale models and field deployment are presented. Finally, some existing problems and promising research efforts for promoting applications of WSNs technology in bridge health monitoring throughout the world are explored.

Timber in Bridge Structures

OpenAIRE

Detkin, Viktoria

2016-01-01

The purpose of this final year project was to study the properties of timber as a structural material and the suitability of wood in load bearing members for bridge structures. For a case study, an existing timber bridge was selected. Due to its condition the bridge should be replaced. The design of a new bridge with steel beams holding a glulam deck was made. During the case study the replacement of steel beams by glulam timber ones was discussed. Some calculations were made in order to ...

Bridge SHM system based on fiber optical sensing technology

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Sheng; Fan, Dian; Fu, Jiang-hua; Huang, Xing; Jiang, De-sheng

2015-09-01

The latest progress of our lab in recent 10 years on the area of bridge structural health monitoring (SHM) based on optical fiber sensing technology is introduced. Firstly, in the part of sensing technology, optical fiber force test-ring, optical fiber vibration sensor, optical fiber smart cable, optical fiber prestressing loss monitoring method and optical fiber continuous curve mode inspection system are developed, which not only rich the sensor types, but also provides new monitoring means that are needed for the bridge health monitoring system. Secondly, in the optical fiber sensing network and computer system platform, the monitoring system architecture model is designed to effectively meet the integration scale and effect requirement of engineering application, especially the bridge expert system proposed integration of sensing information and informatization manual inspection to realize the mode of multi index intelligence and practical monitoring, diagnosis and evaluation. Finally, the Jingyue bridge monitoring system as the representative, the research on the technology of engineering applications are given.

Accelerated bridge construction utilizing precast pier caps on state highway 69 over Turkey Creek, Huerfano County, CO.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-07-01

The purpose of this report is to document Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques on IBRD : (Innovative Bridge Research and Development) project 102470 for the construction of Bridge N-16-Q : on State Highway 69 over Turkey Creek. The constr...

Field performance of timber bridges. 16, North Siwell Road stress-laminated bridge

Science.gov (United States)

J. A. Kainz

The North Siwell Road bridge was constructed during December 1994 in Hinds County, Mississippi. The bridge is a single-span, stress-laminated T-beam structure that measures 9.1 m (30 ft) long and 8.7 m (28.5 ft) wide. Performance of the bridge was monitored for 24 months, beginning at the time of installation. Monitoring involved gathering and evaluating data relative...

Field performance of timber bridges. 10, Sanborn Brook stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

P. D. Hilbrich Lee; J. P. Wacker; M. A. Ritter

The Sanborn Brook bridge was constructed in August 1991, 10 miles northeast of Concord, New Hampshire, as part of the demonstration timber bridge program of the USDA Forest Service. The bridge is a simple-span, double-lane, stress-laminated deck superstructure constructed from Southern Pine lumber and is approximately 25 ft long and 28 ft wide with a skew of 14 degrees...

Hardwoods for timber bridges : a national program emphasis by the USDA Forest Service

Science.gov (United States)

James P. Wacker; Ed Cesa

2005-01-01

This paper describes the joint efforts of the Forest Service and the FHWA to administer national programs including research, demonstration bridges, and technology transfer components. Summary information on a number of Forest Service-WIT demonstration bridges constructed with hardwoods is also provided.

Simulation of multivariate diffusion bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bladt, Mogens; Finch, Samuel; Sørensen, Michael

We propose simple methods for multivariate diffusion bridge simulation, which plays a fundamental role in simulation-based likelihood and Bayesian inference for stochastic differential equations. By a novel application of classical coupling methods, the new approach generalizes a previously...... proposed simulation method for one-dimensional bridges to the mulit-variate setting. First a method of simulating approzimate, but often very accurate, diffusion bridges is proposed. These approximate bridges are used as proposal for easily implementable MCMC algorithms that produce exact diffusion bridges...

Interdisciplinary Research on Climate Change: Past Trends and Challenges for the Future

Science.gov (United States)

Marlon, J. R.; Mitchell, R.

2009-12-01

Interdisciplinary research is crucial to understanding complex and urgent environmental problems, particularly climate change. Universities are increasingly hosting trans-, multi-, and inter-disciplinary workshops and conferences and developing innovative interdisciplinary training programs (e.g., NSF’s IGERT program) to foster such research. Yet, much doctoral training remains highly disciplinary with very little evidence of graduate training producing transformative research that bridges the natural/social-science divide. Indeed, strong cultural and institutional obstacles often deter or preclude doctoral students from conducting such research. Here we analyze the past three decades of climate-change related dissertation abstracts to assess the balance between disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarship among young climate change scholars. We analyze trends in the number of dissertations in natural vs. social science disciplines and code the abstracts of over 500 recent dissertations to assess how many dissertations reference one or more disciplines beyond the PhD-granting one. This research is sponsored by the Dissertations Initiative for the Advancement of Climate Change Research (DISCCRS).

The effect of span length and girder type on bridge costs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Batikha Mustafa

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Bridges have an important role in impacting the civilization, growth and economy of cities from ancient time until these days due to their function in reducing transportation cost and time. Therefore, development of bridges has been a knowledge domain in civil engineering studies in terms of their types and construction materials to confirm a reliable, safe, economic design and construction. Girder-bridge of concrete deck and I-beam girder has been used widely for short and medium span bridges because of ease and low-cost of fabrication. However, many theoretical and practical investigations are still undertaken regarding the type of beam girder; i.e steel composite or prestressed concrete. This paper evaluates the effect of bridge span and the type of girder on the capital cost and life cycle costs of bridges. Three types of girders were investigated in this research: steel composite, pre-tensioned pre-stressed concrete and post-tensioned pre-stressed concrete. The structural design was analyzed for 5 span lengths: 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40m. Then, the capital construction cost was accounted for 15 bridges according to each span and construction materials. Moreover, the maintenance required for 50 years of bridge life was evaluated and built up as whole life costs for each bridge. As a result of this study, the influence of both span length and type of girder on initial construction cost and maintenance whole life costs were assessed to support the decision makers and designers in the selection process for the optimum solution of girder bridges.

Steel-soil composite bridge

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Du, Guangli; Pettersson, Lars; Karoumi, Raid

2017-01-01

viability, while their environmental performance is overlooked. Today’s designers are urged to seek new design options to reduce the environmental burdens. Sweden owns more than 24574 bridges and most of them are short spans. Among them, the slab frame bridge (CFB) is a common solution. Soil steel composite...... bridge (SSCB), alternatively, is a functionally equivalent solution to CFB and shows advantages in low cost and easy construction. This paper compares the environmental performance between these two bridge types based on life cycle assessment (LCA). The analysis and result shows that, the SSCB...

Building water bridges in air: Electrohydrodynamics of the floating water bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Marín, Álvaro G.; Lohse, Detlef

2010-12-01

The interaction of electrical fields and liquids can lead to a phenomenon that defies intuition. Some famous examples can be found in electrohydrodynamics as Taylor cones, whipping jets, or noncoalescing drops. A less famous example is the floating water bridge: a slender thread of water held between two glass beakers in which a high voltage difference is applied. Surprisingly, the water bridge defies gravity even when the beakers are separated at distances up to 2 cm. In this paper, experimental measurements and simple models are proposed and discussed for the stability of the bridge and the source of the flow, revealing an important role of polarization forces on the stability of the water bridge. On the other hand, the observed flow can only be explained due to the non-negligible free charge present in the surface. In this sense, the floating water bridge can be considered as an extreme case of a leaky dielectric liquid [J. R. Melcher and G. I. Taylor, Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 1, 111 (1969)].

Small grant management in health and behavioral sciences: Lessons learned.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakraida, Teresa J; D'Amico, Jessica; Thibault, Erica

2010-08-01

This article describes considerations in health and behavioral sciences small grant management and describes lessons learned during post-award implementation. Using the components by W. Sahlman [Sahlman, W. (1997). How to write a great business plan. Harvard Business Review, 75(4), 98-108] as a business framework, a plan was developed that included (a) building relationships with people in the research program and with external parties providing key resources, (b) establishing a perspective of opportunity for research advancement, (c) identifying the larger context of scientific culture and regulatory environment, and (d) anticipating problems with a flexible response and rewarding teamwork. Small grant management included developing a day-to-day system, building a grant/study program development plan, and initiating a marketing plan. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Bridges

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — The NBI is a collection of information (database) describing the more than 600,000 of the Nation's bridges located on public roads, including Interstate Highways,...

Wright-Fisher diffusion bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Robert C; Jenkins, Paul A; Spanò, Dario

2017-10-06

The trajectory of the frequency of an allele which begins at x at time 0 and is known to have frequency z at time T can be modelled by the bridge process of the Wright-Fisher diffusion. Bridges when x=z=0 are particularly interesting because they model the trajectory of the frequency of an allele which appears at a time, then is lost by random drift or mutation after a time T. The coalescent genealogy back in time of a population in a neutral Wright-Fisher diffusion process is well understood. In this paper we obtain a new interpretation of the coalescent genealogy of the population in a bridge from a time t∈(0,T). In a bridge with allele frequencies of 0 at times 0 and T the coalescence structure is that the population coalesces in two directions from t to 0 and t to T such that there is just one lineage of the allele under consideration at times 0 and T. The genealogy in Wright-Fisher diffusion bridges with selection is more complex than in the neutral model, but still with the property of the population branching and coalescing in two directions from time t∈(0,T). The density of the frequency of an allele at time t is expressed in a way that shows coalescence in the two directions. A new algorithm for exact simulation of a neutral Wright-Fisher bridge is derived. This follows from knowing the density of the frequency in a bridge and exact simulation from the Wright-Fisher diffusion. The genealogy of the neutral Wright-Fisher bridge is also modelled by branching Pólya urns, extending a representation in a Wright-Fisher diffusion. This is a new very interesting representation that relates Wright-Fisher bridges to classical urn models in a Bayesian setting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lane Changing Control to Reduce Traffic Load Effect on Long-Span Bridges

OpenAIRE

Caprani, Colin C; Enright, Bernard; Carey, Colm

2012-01-01

Long span bridges are critical parts of a nation’s infrastructure network and congested traffic loading is the governing form of traffic loading. Groups of trucks travelling in conveys are created when fast-er moving vehicles, such as cars, change lane. In this research the authors investigate how the control of these lane-changing events can help reduce the traffic load effects on long span bridges. Real traffic data is used to simulate a traffic stream on a virtual road and bridge using a m...

CAMPARE and Cal-Bridge: Two Institutional Networks Increasing Diversity in Astronomy

Science.gov (United States)

Rudolph, Alexander L.; Impey, Chris David; Phillips, Cynthia B.; Povich, Matthew S.; Prather, Edward E.; Smecker-Hane, Tammy A.

2015-01-01

We describe two programs, CAMPARE and Cal-Bridge, with the common mission of increasing participation of groups traditionally underrepresented in astronomy, particularly underrepresented minorities and women, through summer research opportunities, in the case of CAMPARE, scholarships in the case of Cal-Bridge, and significant mentoring in both programs, leading to an increase in their numbers successfully pursuing a PhD in the field.CAMPARE is an innovative REU-like summer research program, currently in its sixth year, comprising a network of comprehensive universities and community colleges in Southern California and Arizona (most of which are minority serving institutions), and ten major research institutions (University of Arizona Steward Observatory, the SETI Institute, JPL, Caltech, and the five Southern California UC campuses, UCLA, UCI, UCSD, UCR, and UCSB).In its first five summers, CAMPARE sent a total of 49 students from 10 different CSU and community college campuses to 5 research sites of the program. Of these 49 participants, 25 are women and 24 are men; 22 are Hispanic, 4 are African American, and 1 is Native American, including 6 female Hispanic and 2 female African-American participants. Twenty-one (21) CAMPARE participants have graduated from college, and more than half (11) have attended or are attending a graduate program, including 8 enrolled in PhD or Master's-to-PhD programs. Over twenty CAMPARE students have presented at the AAS and other national meetings.The Cal-Bridge program is a diverse network of higher education institutions in Southern California, including 5 UC campuses, 8 CSU campuses, and 7 community colleges dedicated to the goal of increasing the number of underrepresented minority and female students attending graduate school in astronomy or related fields. We have recently selected our inaugural group of five 2014 Cal-Bridge Scholars, including four women (two Hispanic and one part Native American), and one Hispanic man

AFM plough YBCO micro bridges: substrate effects

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Elkaseh, A

2009-04-01

Full Text Available AFM nanolithography was used as a novel cutting technique to define micro-size YBCO superconducting constrictions. Researchers studied the substrate effects on MgO and STO substrates and showed that the observed Shapiro steps from the bridges on STO...

[Morphology research of the rat sciatic nerve bridged by collage-heparin sulfate scaffold].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shu-sen; Hu, Yun-yu; Luo, Zhuo-jing; Chen, Liang-wei; Liu, Hui-ling; Meng, Guo-lin; Lü, Rong; Xu, Xin-zhi

2005-04-15

To observe the treating effect of collage-heparin sulfate after the 10 mm rat sciatic nerve defect was bridged by it. A new kind of nervous tissue engineering scaffold was produced by freeze-drying technique from collagen-heparin sulfate. Thirty-two SD rats were randomly divided into A, B, C and D groups. Sciatic nerve defect in group A was bridged by collagen-heparin sulfate. In group B, sciatic nerve was bridged by auto-nerve transplantation. Group C was the blank control group. Animals in group D were normal. And 10 mm sciatic nerve defect was bridged in the experiment. Thirty-six weeks after the operation, the experimental animals were detected by HRP labeled retrograde trace, HE staining, toluidine staining, silvering staining, S100, GAP-43 and NF immunohistological staining, MBP immunofluorescence staining and transmission electron microscope to observe the nerve regeneration inducing effect of this new scaffold. Nine months after operation, the collage-heparin sulfate scaffold was replaced by newly regenerated nerve. The number of HRP labeled spinal cord anterior horn cells and the area of sensation nerve fiber at the posterior horn were similar with that was repaired by auto-nerve. GAP-43, NF and S100 labeled regenerated nerve fiber had passed the total scaffold and entered the distal terminal. The regenerated nerve fibers were paralleled, lineage arranged, coincide with the prearranged regenerating "channel" in the collagen-heparin sulfate scaffold. MBP immunofluorescence staining also proved that the newly regenerated nerve fiber could be ensheathed. In the experimental group, the area of myelinated nerve fiber and the thickness of the myelin sheath had no obvious difference with that of the group repaired by auto-nerve, except that the density of the regenerated myelinated sheath fiber was lower than that of the control group. Nervous tissue engineering scaffold produced by collagen-heparin sulfate can guide the regeneration of nerve fibers. The nerve

The current state of funded NIH grants in implementation science in genomic medicine: a portfolio analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Megan C; Clyne, Mindy; Kennedy, Amy E; Chambers, David A; Khoury, Muin J

2017-10-26

PurposeImplementation science offers methods to evaluate the translation of genomic medicine research into practice. The extent to which the National Institutes of Health (NIH) human genomics grant portfolio includes implementation science is unknown. This brief report's objective is to describe recently funded implementation science studies in genomic medicine in the NIH grant portfolio, and identify remaining gaps.MethodsWe identified investigator-initiated NIH research grants on implementation science in genomic medicine (funding initiated 2012-2016). A codebook was adapted from the literature, three authors coded grants, and descriptive statistics were calculated for each code.ResultsForty-two grants fit the inclusion criteria (~1.75% of investigator-initiated genomics grants). The majority of included grants proposed qualitative and/or quantitative methods with cross-sectional study designs, and described clinical settings and primarily white, non-Hispanic study populations. Most grants were in oncology and examined genetic testing for risk assessment. Finally, grants lacked the use of implementation science frameworks, and most examined uptake of genomic medicine and/or assessed patient-centeredness.ConclusionWe identified large gaps in implementation science studies in genomic medicine in the funded NIH portfolio over the past 5 years. To move the genomics field forward, investigator-initiated research grants should employ rigorous implementation science methods within diverse settings and populations.Genetics in Medicine advance online publication, 26 October 2017; doi:10.1038/gim.2017.180.

National Bridge Inventory System (NBI)

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — The NBI System is the collection of bridge inspection information and costs associated with bridge replacements of structurally deficient bridges on and off the NHS....

Extracorporeal Life Support Bridge to Ventricular Assist Device: The Double Bridge Strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Marasco, Silvana F; Lo, Casey; Murphy, Deirdre; Summerhayes, Robyn; Quayle, Margaret; Zimmet, Adam; Bailey, Michael

2016-01-01

In patients requiring left ventricular assist device (LVAD) support, it can be difficult to ascertain suitability for long-term mechanical support with LVAD and eventual transplantation. LVAD implantation in a shocked patient is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Interest is growing in the utilization of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) as a bridge-to-bridge support for these critically unwell patients. Here, we reviewed our experience with ECLS double bridging. We hypothesized that ECLS double bridging would stabilize end-organ dysfunction and reduce ventricular assist device (VAD) implant perioperative mortality. We conducted a retrospective review of prospectively collected data for 58 consecutive patients implanted with a continuous-flow LVAD between January 2010 and December 2013 at The Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Twenty-three patients required ECLS support pre-LVAD while 35 patients underwent LVAD implantation without an ECLS bridge. Preoperative morbidity in the ECLS bridge group was reflected by increased postoperative intensive care duration, blood loss, blood product use, and postoperative renal failure, but without negative impact upon survival when compared with the no ECLS group. ECLS stabilization improved end-organ function pre-VAD implant with significant improvements in hepatic and renal dysfunction. This series demonstrates that the use of ECLS bridge to VAD stabilizes end-organ dysfunction and reduces VAD implant perioperative mortality from that traditionally reported in these "crash and burn" patients. Copyright © 2015 International Center for Artificial Organs and Transplantation and Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Bridge or a Chasm?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Nešpor, Zdeněk

2003-01-01

Roč. 5, č. 2 (2003), s. 22-23 ISSN 1211-8303 Grant - others:GA-(CZ) startovací projekt AV Z7028912-I002 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z7028912 Keywords : citizenship * immigrants * Czech Republic 1989- Subject RIV: AO - Sociology, Demography

Evaluation of high temperature superconductive thermal bridges for space borne cryogenic detectors

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Elaine P.

1996-01-01

Infrared sensor satellites are used to monitor the conditions in the earth's upper atmosphere. In these systems, the electronic links connecting the cryogenically cooled infrared detectors to the significantly warmer amplification electronics act as thermal bridges and, consequently, the mission lifetimes of the satellites are limited due to cryogenic evaporation. High-temperature superconductor (HTS) materials have been proposed by researchers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Langley's Research Center (NASA-LaRC) as an alternative to the currently used manganin wires for electrical connection. The potential for using HTS films as thermal bridges has provided the motivation for the design and the analysis of a spaceflight experiment to evaluate the performance of this superconductive technology in the space environment. The initial efforts were focused on the preliminary design of the experimental system which allows for the quantitative comparison of superconductive leads with manganin leads, and on the thermal conduction modeling of the proposed system. Most of the HTS materials were indicated to be potential replacements for the manganin wires. In the continuation of this multi-year research, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the sources of heat transfer on the thermal bridges that have been neglected in the preliminary conductive model and then to develop a methodology for the estimation of the thermal conductivities of the HTS thermal bridges in space. The Joule heating created by the electrical current through the manganin wires was incorporated as a volumetric heat source into the manganin conductive model. The radiative heat source on the HTS thermal bridges was determined by performing a separate radiant interchange analysis within a high-T(sub c) superconductor housing area. Both heat sources indicated no significant contribution on the cryogenic heat load, which validates the results obtained in the preliminary conduction

Bridge maintenance to enhance corrosion resistance and performance of steel girder bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Moran Yanez, Luis M.

The integrity and efficiency of any national highway system relies on the condition of the various components. Bridges are fundamental elements of a highway system, representing an important investment and a strategic link that facilitates the transport of persons and goods. The cost to rehabilitate or replace a highway bridge represents an important expenditure to the owner, who needs to evaluate the correct time to assume that cost. Among the several factors that affect the condition of steel highway bridges, corrosion is identified as the main problem. In the USA corrosion is the primary cause of structurally deficient steel bridges. The benefit of regular high-pressure superstructure washing and spot painting were evaluated as effective maintenance activities to reduce the corrosion process. The effectiveness of steel girder washing was assessed by developing models of corrosion deterioration of composite steel girders and analyzing steel coupons at the laboratory under atmospheric corrosion for two alternatives: when high-pressure washing was performed and when washing was not considered. The effectiveness of spot painting was assessed by analyzing the corrosion on steel coupons, with small damages, unprotected and protected by spot painting. A parametric analysis of corroded steel girder bridges was considered. The emphasis was focused on the parametric analyses of corroded steel girder bridges under two alternatives: (a) when steel bridge girder washing is performed according to a particular frequency, and (b) when no bridge washing is performed to the girders. The reduction of structural capacity was observed for both alternatives along the structure service life, estimated at 100 years. An economic analysis, using the Life-Cycle Cost Analysis method, demonstrated that it is more cost-effective to perform steel girder washing as a scheduled maintenance activity in contrast to the no washing alternative.

Bridging the Gap for High-Coherence, Strongly Coupled Superconducting Qubits

Science.gov (United States)

Yoder, Jonilyn; Kim, David; Baldo, Peter; Day, Alexandra; Fitch, George; Holihan, Eric; Hover, David; Samach, Gabriel; Weber, Steven; Oliver, William

Crossovers can play a critical role in increasing superconducting qubit device performance, as long as device coherence can be maintained even with the increased fabrication and circuit complexity. Specifically, crossovers can (1) enable a fully-connected ground plane, which reduces spurious modes and crosstalk in the circuit, and (2) increase coupling strength between qubits by facilitating interwoven qubit loops with large mutual inductances. Here we will describe our work at MIT Lincoln Laboratory to integrate superconducting air bridge crossovers into the fabrication of high-coherence capacitively-shunted superconducting flux qubits. We will discuss our process flow for patterning air bridges by resist reflow, and we will describe implementation of air bridges within our circuits. This research was funded in part by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) and by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering under Air Force Contract No. FA8721-05-C-0002. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of ODNI, IARPA, or the US Government.

Future perspectives in melanoma research. Meeting report from the "Melanoma Research: a bridge Naples-USA. Naples, December 6th-7 th2010"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maio Michele

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Progress in understanding the molecular basis of melanoma has made possible the identification of molecular targets with important implications in clinical practice. In fact, new therapeutic approaches are emerging from basic science and it will be important to implement their rapid translation into clinical practice by active clinical investigation. The first meeting of Melanoma Research: a bridge Naples-USA, organized by Paolo A. Ascierto (INT, Naples, Italy and Francesco Marincola (NIH, Bethesda, USA took place in Naples, on 6-7 December 2010. This international congress gathered more than 30 international and Italian faculty members and was focused on recent advances in melanoma molecular biology, immunology and therapy, and created an interactive discussion across Institutions belonging to Government, Academy and Pharmaceutical Industry, in order to stimulate new approaches in basic, translational and clinical research. Four topics of discussion were identified: New pathways in Melanoma, Biomarkers, Clinical Trials and New Molecules and Strategies.

Critical traffic loading for the design of prestressed concrete bridge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, M.I.U.

2009-01-01

A study has been carried out to determine critical traffic loadings for the design of bridge superstructures. The prestressed concrete girder bridge already constructed in Lahore is selected for the analysis as an example. Standard traffic loadings according to AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) and Pakistan Highway Standards are used for this purpose. These include (1) HL-93 Truck, (2) Lane and (3) Tandem Loadings in addition to (4) Military tank loading, (5) Class-A, (6) Class-B and (7) Class-AA loading, (8) NLC (National Logistic Cell) and (9) Volvo truck loadings. Bridge superstructure including transom beam is analyzed Using ASD and LRFD (Load and Resistance Factor Design) provisions of AASHTO specifications. For the analysis, two longer and shorter spans are selected. This includes the analysis of bridge deck; interior and exterior girder; a typical transom beam and a pier. Dead and live loading determination is carried out using both computer aided and manual calculations. Evaluation of traffic loadings is done for all the bridge components to find out the critical loading. HL-93 loading comes out to be the most critical loading and where this loading is not critical in case of bridge decks; a factor of 1.15 is introduced to make it equivalent with HL-93 -Ioading. SAP-2000 (Structural Engineering Services of Pakistan) and MS-Excel is employed for analysis of bridge superstructure subjected to this loading. Internal forces are obtained for the structural elements of the bridge for all traffic loadings mentioned. It is concluded that HL-93 loading can be used for the design of prestressed concrete girder bridge. Bridge design authorities like NHA (National Highway Authority) and different cities development authorities are using different standard traffic loadings. A number of suggestions are made from the results of the research work related to traffic loadings and method of design. These recommendations may be

A Summary Review of Correlations between Temperatures and Vibration Properties of Long-Span Bridges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guang-Dong Zhou

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The shift of modal parameters induced by temperature fluctuation may mask the changes of vibration properties caused by structural damage and result in false structural condition identification. Thoroughly understanding the temperature effects on vibration properties of long-span bridges becomes an especially important issue before vibration-based damage detection methodologies are applied in real bridges. This paper presents an overview of current research activities and developments in the field of correlations between temperatures and vibration properties of long-span bridges. The theoretical derivation methods using classical structural dynamics and closed-form formulations are first briefly introduced. Then the trend analysis methods that are intended to extract the degree of variability in vibration property under temperature variation for different bridges by numerical analysis, laboratory test, or field monitoring are reviewed in detail. Following that, the development of quantitative models to quantify the temperature influence on vibration properties is discussed including the linear model, nonlinear model, and learning model. Finally, some promising research efforts for promoting the study of correlations between temperatures and vibration properties of long-span bridges are suggested.

Business grants

Science.gov (United States)

Twelve small businesses who are developing equipment and computer programs for geophysics have won Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grants from the National Science Foundation for their 1989 proposals. The SBIR program was set up to encourage the private sector to undertake costly, advanced experimental work that has potential for great benefit.The geophysical research projects are a long-path intracavity laser spectrometer for measuring atmospheric trace gases, optimizing a local weather forecast model, a new platform for high-altitude atmospheric science, an advanced density logging tool, a deep-Earth sampling system, superconducting seismometers, a phased-array Doppler current profiler, monitoring mesoscale surface features of the ocean through automated analysis, krypton-81 dating in polar ice samples, discrete stochastic modeling of thunderstorm winds, a layered soil-synthetic liner base system to isolate buildings from earthquakes, and a low-cost continuous on-line organic-content monitor for water-quality determination.

Strength monitoring of bridge constructions and features of its application. Part 2. Continuous monitoring of bridge construction status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ovchinnikov Igor Georgievich

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The article describes a system of continuous monitoring of bridge constructions — a system of observation over the operating conditions and behavior of the bridge structure, which is aimed at ensuring the preservation of its functional application properties within the specified limits, realized on the continuous, long-term basis with the use of instrumentation and ensures on-line presentation of information on the status of structure. To illustrate, one may consider the existing systems of continuous monitoring for a number of bridge constructions in the United States, Japan, Europe, South Korea, Greece and Russia. The article suggests to examine the systems of continuous monitoring of «Commodore John Barry» truss bridge, «Akashi-Kaikyo» suspension bridge, «Siggenthal» reinforced-concrete arch bridge, «Nimhe» suspension bridge, «Jindo»cable-stayed bridge, «Yandzhon» suspension bridge, «Banghwa» bridge, «Seohae» bridge and «Rio-Antirrio» bridge. In addition one may consider monitoring of the longitudinal launching of the bridge superstructures over the Volga River near the village Pristannoye in Saratov region. Finally, it was drawn the conclusion that monitoring of bridge constructions from the standpoint of their consumers is aimed at solving such important problems as preservation of bridge structures, increase in service life of bridge structures through timely detection of faults and their elimination, as well as preservation of bridge structure carrying capacity by controlling their behavior during the operation and improving the efficiency of expenditure of monetary resources for repair activities by correct determination of time and type of the necessary repair.

Field performance of timber bridges. 15, Pueblo County, Colorado, stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

L. E. Hislop

The Pueblo County 204B bridge was constructed in March 1990 in Pueblo, Colorado, as a demonstration bridge under the USDA Forest Service Timber Bridge Initiative. The stress-laminated deck superstructure is approximately 10 m long, 9 m wide, and 406 mm deep, with a skew of 10 degrees. Performance monitoring was conducted for 3 years, beginning at...

Analysis, prediction, and case studies of early-age cracking in bridge decks

Science.gov (United States)

ElSafty, Adel; Graeff, Matthew K.; El-Gharib, Georges; Abdel-Mohti, Ahmed; Mike Jackson, N.

2016-06-01

Early-age cracking can adversely affect strength, serviceability, and durability of concrete bridge decks. Early age is defined as the period after final setting, during which concrete properties change rapidly. Many factors can cause early-age bridge deck cracking including temperature change, hydration, plastic shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage, and drying shrinkage. The cracking may also increase the effect of freeze and thaw cycles and may lead to corrosion of reinforcement. This research paper presents an analysis of causes and factors affecting early-age cracking. It also provides a tool developed to predict the likelihood and initiation of early-age cracking of concrete bridge decks. Understanding the concrete properties is essential so that the developed tool can accurately model the mechanisms contributing to the cracking of concrete bridge decks. The user interface of the implemented computer Excel program enables the user to input the properties of the concrete being monitored. The research study and the developed spreadsheet were used to comprehensively investigate the issue of concrete deck cracking. The spreadsheet is designed to be a user-friendly calculation tool for concrete mixture proportioning, temperature prediction, thermal analysis, and tensile cracking prediction. The study also provides review and makes recommendations on the deck cracking based mainly on the Florida Department of Transportation specifications and Structures Design Guidelines, and Bridge Design Manuals of other states. The results were also compared with that of other commercially available software programs that predict early-age cracking in concrete slabs, concrete pavement, and reinforced concrete bridge decks. The outcome of this study can identify a set of recommendations to limit the deck cracking problem and maintain a longer service life of bridges.

Statistical variations in chloride diffusion in concrete bridges

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Tikalsky, P.; Pustka, D.; Marek, Pavel

2005-01-01

Roč. 102, č. 3 (2005), s. 481-486 ISSN 0889-3241 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20710524 Keywords : bridge deck * corrosion * durability Subject RIV: JM - Building Engineering Impact factor: 0.544, year: 2005

Principles of Bridge Reliability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle; Nowak, Andrzej S.

The paper gives a brief introduction to the basic principles of structural reliability theory and its application to bridge engineering. Fundamental concepts like failure probability and reliability index are introduced. Ultimate as well as serviceability limit states for bridges are formulated......, and as an example the reliability profile and a sensitivity analyses for a corroded reinforced concrete bridge is shown....

Design and construction of superstructure in prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridge. ; Aomori Bay Bridge. PC shachokyo jobuko no sekkei to seko. ; Aomori Bay Bridge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ishibashi, T.; Fujimori, S.; Oba, M.; Tsuyoshi, T. (East Japan Railway Co., Tokyo (Japan))

1991-12-01

Aomori Bay Bridge is a 1,219m long elevated bridge, a part of No.2 Bay Highway of 1,993m in total length crossing over Aomori railway station which was planned in ordecr to integrate the port facilities of Aomori Harbor and expedite cargo traffic smoothly. Of this Bay Bridge, its main bridge portion crossing over Aomori railway station and the sea area was planned as a continuous prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridge of 498m in total length and consisting of three portions including the central portion in which the main span between the central bridge piers was 240m. It is scheduled to open in the summer of 1992. With regard to the design of this bridge, special care for the view of the bridge has been taken covering from the structure style to the accessories. For this bridge, a large scale underground continuous wall solid base with a box-shaped section consisting of 6 chambers was adopted for the base of a main tower. It has the cantilever suspension structure of the wide girder with the inverted Y-shaped pylons. For its stav cable, was adopted a large capacity stay cable with standard tensile strength of 1,942 fabricated on the site and for its covering tube, a FRP tube was adopted. In this article, the construction of the main girder and stay cables, and the construction control during their installation by projection are reported. 7 refs., 14 figs., 9 tabs.

Bridging the gap between HRA research and HRA practice: A Bayesian network version of SPAR-H

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Groth, Katrina M.; Swiler, Laura P.

2013-01-01

The shortcomings of Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) have been a topic of discussion for over two decades. Repeated attempts to address these limitations have resulted in over 50 HRA methods, and the HRA research community continues to develop new methods. However, there remains a gap between the methods developed by HRA researchers and those actually used by HRA practitioners. Bayesian Networks (BNs) have become an increasingly popular part of the risk and reliability analysis framework over the past decade. BNs provide a framework for addressing many of the shortcomings of HRA from a researcher perspective and from a practitioner perspective. Several research groups have developed advanced HRA methods based on BNs, but none of these methods has been adopted by HRA practitioners in the U.S. nuclear power industry or at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In this paper we bridge the gap between HRA research and HRA practice by building a BN version of the widely used SPAR-H method. We demonstrate how the SPAR-H BN can be used by HRA practitioners, and we also demonstrate how it can be modified to incorporate data and information from research to advance HRA practice. The SPAR-H BN can be used as a starting point for translating HRA research efforts and advances in scientific understanding into real, timely benefits for HRA practitioners

A view from practice : What audit firm leaders expect from audit research and how they see their role in strengthening the bridge between practice and science

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bik, O.P.G.

2016-01-01

The eight largest audit firms in the Netherlands (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC and Baker Tilly Berk, BDO, Grant Thornton and Mazars jointly) have taken the initiative to establish the Foundation for Auditing Research (FAR) by providing the necessary research funds and research data. Stichting

The CRACK programme: a scientific alliance for bridging healthcare research and public health policies in Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Corrao

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Healthcare utilisation databases, and other secondary data sources, have been used with growing frequency to assess health outcomes and healthcare interventions worldwide. Their increased popularity as a research tool is due to their timely availability, the large patient populations covered, low cost, and applicability for studying real-world clinical practice. Despite the need to measure Italian National Health Service performance both at regional and national levels, the wealth of good quality electronic data and the high standards of scientific research in this field, healthcare research and public health policies seem to progress along orthogonal dimensions in Italy. The main barriers to the development of evidence-based public health include the lack of understanding of evidence-based methodologies by policy makers, and of involvement of researchers in the policy process. The CRACK programme was launched by some academics from the Lombardy Region. By extensively using electronically stored data, epidemiologists, biostatisticians, pharmacologists and clinicians applied methods and evidence to several issues of healthcare research. The CRACK programme was based on their intention to remove barriers that thwart the process of bridging methods and findings from scientific journals to public health practice. This paper briefly describes aim, articulation and management of the CRACK programme, and discusses why it might find articulated application in Italy.

Symmetric and asymmetric capillary bridges between a rough surface and a parallel surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yongxin; Michielsen, Stephen; Lee, Hoon Joo

2013-09-03

Although the formation of a capillary bridge between two parallel surfaces has been extensively studied, the majority of research has described only symmetric capillary bridges between two smooth surfaces. In this work, an instrument was built to form a capillary bridge by squeezing a liquid drop on one surface with another surface. An analytical solution that describes the shape of symmetric capillary bridges joining two smooth surfaces has been extended to bridges that are asymmetric about the midplane and to rough surfaces. The solution, given by elliptical integrals of the first and second kind, is consistent with a constant Laplace pressure over the entire surface and has been verified for water, Kaydol, and dodecane drops forming symmetric and asymmetric bridges between parallel smooth surfaces. This solution has been applied to asymmetric capillary bridges between a smooth surface and a rough fabric surface as well as symmetric bridges between two rough surfaces. These solutions have been experimentally verified, and good agreement has been found between predicted and experimental profiles for small drops where the effect of gravity is negligible. Finally, a protocol for determining the profile from the volume and height of the capillary bridge has been developed and experimentally verified.

Rapid bridge construction technology : precast elements for substructures.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-01

The goal of this research was to propose an alternate system of precast bridge substructures which can : substitute for conventional cast in place systems in Wisconsin to achieve accelerated construction. : Three types of abutment modules (hollow wal...

78 FR 45973 - Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-30

... CFR Part 36, Nondiscrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving... MSHA logo may be applied to the grant-funded material including posters, videos, pamphlets, research...

Field testing and structural analysis of Burr arch covered bridges in Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas Rammer; James Wacker; Travis Hosteng; Justin Dahlberg; Yaohua Deng

2016-01-01

The Federal Highway Administration sponsored a comprehensive research program on Historic Covered Timber Bridges in the USA. This national program's main purpose is to develop improved methods to preserve, rehabilitate, and restore timber bridge trusses that were developed during the early 1800s and, in many cases, are still in service today. One of the many...

Vertical impedance measurements on concrete bridge decks for assessing susceptibility of reinforcing steel to corrosion

Science.gov (United States)

Bartholomew, Paul D.; Guthrie, W. Spencer; Mazzeo, Brian A.

2012-08-01

Corrosion is a pressing problem for aging concrete infrastructure, especially bridge decks. Because of its sensitivity to factors that affect corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete, resistivity is an important structural health indicator for reinforced concrete structures. In this research, an instrument was developed to measure vertical impedance on concrete bridge decks. Measurements of vertical impedance on slabs prepared in the laboratory, on slabs removed from decommissioned bridge decks, and on an in-service bridge deck in the field demonstrate the utility of the new apparatus.

Grant Peer Review: Improving Inter-Rater Reliability with Training.

Science.gov (United States)

Sattler, David N; McKnight, Patrick E; Naney, Linda; Mathis, Randy

2015-01-01

This study developed and evaluated a brief training program for grant reviewers that aimed to increase inter-rater reliability, rating scale knowledge, and effort to read the grant review criteria. Enhancing reviewer training may improve the reliability and accuracy of research grant proposal scoring and funding recommendations. Seventy-five Public Health professors from U.S. research universities watched the training video we produced and assigned scores to the National Institutes of Health scoring criteria proposal summary descriptions. For both novice and experienced reviewers, the training video increased scoring accuracy (the percentage of scores that reflect the true rating scale values), inter-rater reliability, and the amount of time reading the review criteria compared to the no video condition. The increase in reliability for experienced reviewers is notable because it is commonly assumed that reviewers--especially those with experience--have good understanding of the grant review rating scale. The findings suggest that both experienced and novice reviewers who had not received the type of training developed in this study may not have appropriate understanding of the definitions and meaning for each value of the rating scale and that experienced reviewers may overestimate their knowledge of the rating scale. The results underscore the benefits of and need for specialized peer reviewer training.

Florida Tech professor gets three-year grant

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

"Dr. Marc Baarmand, Florida Tech associate professor of physics, has received a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Division of High Energy Physics, to conduct research with the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment" (1/3 page).

Field performance of timber bridges. 8, Lynches Woods Park stress-laminated deck bridge

Science.gov (United States)

J. P. Wacker; M. A. Ritter; D. Conger

The Lynches Woods Park bridge was constructed during the summer of 1990 in Newberry, South Carolina. It is a single-span, single-lane, stress-laminated deck superstructure that measures approximately 30 ft long, 16 ft wide, and 14 in. deep. The bridge is unique in that is one of the first known stress-laminated deck bridges to be constructed of Southern Pine lumber...

Getting a Grant: Sources of Funding and How To Pursue Them

Science.gov (United States)

Lum, Christie

2005-01-01

There are many different agencies and organizations which provide funding for those involved in research, community development, education, the provision of health and social services, and other activities. This publication is designed to serve as an introduction for counselors to sources of grant funding and particular grant programs, and to the…

Salt-bridge energetics in halophilic proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayek, Arnab; Sen Gupta, Parth Sarthi; Banerjee, Shyamashree; Mondal, Buddhadev; Bandyopadhyay, Amal K

2014-01-01

Halophilic proteins have greater abundance of acidic over basic and very low bulky hydrophobic residues. Classical electrostatic stabilization was suggested as the key determinant for halophilic adaptation of protein. However, contribution of specific electrostatic interactions (i.e. salt-bridges) to overall stability of halophilic proteins is yet to be understood. To understand this, we use Adaptive-Poison-Boltzmann-Solver Methods along with our home-built automation to workout net as well as associated component energy terms such as desolvation energy, bridge energy and background energy for 275 salt-bridges from 20 extremely halophilic proteins. We then perform extensive statistical analysis on general and energetic attributes on these salt-bridges. On average, 8 salt-bridges per 150 residues protein were observed which is almost twice than earlier report. Overall contributions of salt-bridges are -3.0 kcal mol-1. Majority (78%) of salt-bridges in our dataset are stable and conserved in nature. Although, average contributions of component energy terms are equal, their individual details vary greatly from one another indicating their sensitivity to local micro-environment. Notably, 35% of salt-bridges in our database are buried and stable. Greater desolvation penalty of these buried salt-bridges are counteracted by stable network salt-bridges apart from favorable equal contributions of bridge and background terms. Recruitment of extensive network salt-bridges (46%) with a net contribution of -5.0 kcal mol-1 per salt-bridge, seems to be a halophilic design wherein favorable average contribution of background term (-10 kcal mol-1) exceeds than that of bridge term (-7 kcal mol-1). Interiors of proteins from halophiles are seen to possess relatively higher abundance of charge and polar side chains than that of mesophiles which seems to be satisfied by cooperative network salt-bridges. Overall, our theoretical analyses provide insight into halophilic signature in its

Using Terrestrial Laser Scanners to Calculate and Map Vertical Bridge Clearance

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, C.; Arditi, D.; Chen, Z.

2013-08-01

The vertical clearance of a bridge over a highway is important in preventing oversized vehicles from hitting the bridge. The vertical clearance of a bridge is traditionally measured by using surveying equipment such as leveling rods and total stations. Typically, measurements are taken at multiple locations in order to determine the minimum vertical clearance under the bridge. This process is time and labor consuming. Also, these measurements may not be accurate because of the traffic, the uneven surface, and the reading error caused by the surveyor. Additionally, when one is faced with a multitude of reports especially in large projects with multiple ramps and bridges, it is not easy and it often takes a long time to find the bridge under study. This research provides a highly accurate measurement of the vertical bridge clearance by using terrestrial laser scanners. The clearance can be measured in the office by processing the collected point cloud data. The minimum vertical clearance is easily identified and the measurement is visualized and geo-referenced. An approach to reduce data noise caused by traffic is also introduced in this study. In addition, to help reduce the confusion of finding the bridge under study and to facilitate access to the clearance data, the clearance measurements are geo-referenced to an online mapping system. This system allows access to the final deliverable very easily through a single web portal. Finally, Illinois Department of Transportation's Circle Interchange is used to demonstrate this new method.

Bridge the Gap

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marselis, Randi

2017-01-01

This article focuses on photo projects organised for teenage refugees by the Society for Humanistic Photography (Berlin, Germany). These projects, named Bridge the Gap I (2015), and Bridge the Gap II (2016), were carried out in Berlin and brought together teenagers with refugee and German...

Bridging a gap between theory and practice in mathematics teacher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jóelsdóttir, Lóa Björk; Errebo-Hansen, Dorthe; Westphael, Henning

Bridging the dichotomy of theory and practices has long been a key issue of the research in teacher education both in general and within mathematics education (Østergaard, 2016). In the15th ICMI Study (Even & Ball, 2009) there is brief discussion of this dichotomy in (Ponte et al, 2009) but mainly...... the perspective is either on students learning from practice or students learning in an educational programme, which we see as an example of the dichotomy between theory and practices often seen in research of mathematics teacher education. In studies, focusing on bridging the gap often it is seen being...

Bridge technology report

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

Please note this is a Short Discount publication. As LANs have proliferated, new technologies and system concepts have come to the fore. One of the key issues is how to interconnect networks. One means of interconnection is to use a 'bridge'. Other competing technologies are repeaters, routers, and gateways. Bridges permit traffic isolation, connect network segments together and operate at the MAC layer. Further, because they operate at the MAC layer, they can handle a variety of protocols such as TCP/IP, SNA, and X.25. This report focuses on the specific technology of bridging two netw

Progress of optical sensor system for health monitoring of bridges at Chongqing University

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, W.; Fu, Y.; Zhu, Y.; Huang, S.

2005-02-01

With decades of research experience on optical sensors, Optoelectronic Technology Lab of Chongqing University (OTLCU) has studied on a variety of sensors system designed for practical use in health monitoring. In OTLCU, embedded and surface mounted fiber Fabry-Perot strain sensor has been developed for monitoring the local strain of both concrete and steel truss bridge. Optoelectronic deflect meter, with a group of optical level sensor in a series connected pipe, was developed for deflection monitoring and line shape monitoring of the bridges. Laser deflect meter, with a laser pointer and a sensors array, has been also developed for a dynamic deflection monitoring of the bridges. To monitoring the 2-Dimentional displacement of the bridge, a self-calibrating imaging system was developed. All these sensor systems have been applied in different bridges successfully. This paper briefly describes principle of these optical sensing systems, and also gives some representative results of the system in practical application of bridges.

A new multiconstraint method for determining the optimal cable stresses in cable-stayed bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

Asgari, B; Osman, S A; Adnan, A

2014-01-01

Cable-stayed bridges are one of the most popular types of long-span bridges. The structural behaviour of cable-stayed bridges is sensitive to the load distribution between the girder, pylons, and cables. The determination of pretensioning cable stresses is critical in the cable-stayed bridge design procedure. By finding the optimum stresses in cables, the load and moment distribution of the bridge can be improved. In recent years, different research works have studied iterative and modern methods to find optimum stresses of cables. However, most of the proposed methods have limitations in optimising the structural performance of cable-stayed bridges. This paper presents a multiconstraint optimisation method to specify the optimum cable forces in cable-stayed bridges. The proposed optimisation method produces less bending moments and stresses in the bridge members and requires shorter simulation time than other proposed methods. The results of comparative study show that the proposed method is more successful in restricting the deck and pylon displacements and providing uniform deck moment distribution than unit load method (ULM). The final design of cable-stayed bridges can be optimised considerably through proposed multiconstraint optimisation method.

A New Multiconstraint Method for Determining the Optimal Cable Stresses in Cable-Stayed Bridges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Asgari

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Cable-stayed bridges are one of the most popular types of long-span bridges. The structural behaviour of cable-stayed bridges is sensitive to the load distribution between the girder, pylons, and cables. The determination of pretensioning cable stresses is critical in the cable-stayed bridge design procedure. By finding the optimum stresses in cables, the load and moment distribution of the bridge can be improved. In recent years, different research works have studied iterative and modern methods to find optimum stresses of cables. However, most of the proposed methods have limitations in optimising the structural performance of cable-stayed bridges. This paper presents a multiconstraint optimisation method to specify the optimum cable forces in cable-stayed bridges. The proposed optimisation method produces less bending moments and stresses in the bridge members and requires shorter simulation time than other proposed methods. The results of comparative study show that the proposed method is more successful in restricting the deck and pylon displacements and providing uniform deck moment distribution than unit load method (ULM. The final design of cable-stayed bridges can be optimised considerably through proposed multiconstraint optimisation method.

Accelerated Aging of Polymer Composite Bridge Materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carlson, Nancy Margaret; Blackwood, Larry Gene; Torres, Lucinda Laine; Rodriguez, Julio Gallardo; Yoder, Timothy Scott

1999-03-01

Accelerated aging research on samples of composite material and candidate ultraviolet (UV) protective coatings is determining the effects of six environmental factors on material durability. Candidate fastener materials are being evaluated to determine corrosion rates and crevice corrosion effects at load-bearing joints. This work supports field testing of a 30-ft long, 18-ft wide polymer matrix composite (PMC) bridge at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Durability results and sensor data from tests with live loads provide information required for determining the cost/benefit measures to use in life-cycle planning, determining a maintenance strategy, establishing applicable inspection techniques, and establishing guidelines, standards, and acceptance criteria for PMC bridges for use in the transportation infrastructure.

Using Randomized Clinical Trials to Determine the Impact of Reading Intervention on Struggling Adolescent Readers: Reports of Research from Five Nationally Funded Striving Readers Grants

Science.gov (United States)

Loadman, William; Sprague, Kim; Hamilton, Jennifer; Coffey, Deb; Faddis, Bonnie

2010-01-01

In 2005, the U.S. Department of Education awarded eight Striving Readers grants to projects around the country. The goal of Striving Readers is to improve literacy skills and achievement for struggling readers in middle and high school and to increase the research base using randomized clinical research to address improvement in adolescent…

Numerical investigation into thermal load responses of steel railway bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Saravana Raja Mohan, K.; Sreemathy, J. R.; Saravanan, U.

2017-07-01

Bridge design requires consideration of the effects produced by temperature variations and the resultant thermal gradients in the structure. Temperature fluctuation leads to expansion and contraction of bridges and these movements are taken care by providing expansion joints and bearings. Free movements of a member can be restrained by imposing certain boundary condition but at the same time considerable allowances should be made for the stresses resulting from this restrained condition since the additional deformations and stresses produced may affect the ultimate and serviceability limit states of the structure. If the reaction force generated by the restraints is very large, then its omission can lead to unsafe design. The principal objective of this research is to study the effects of temperature variation on stresses and deflection in a steel railway bridge. A numerical model, based on finite element analysis is presented for evaluating the thermal performance of the bridge. The selected bridge is analyzed and the temperature field distribution and the corresponding thermal stresses and strains are calculated using the finite element software ABAQUS. A thorough understanding of the thermal load responses of a structure will result in safer and dependable design practices.

Field performance of timber bridges. 12, Christian Hollow stress-laminated box-beam bridge

Science.gov (United States)

J. P. Wacker; S. C. Catherman; R. G. Winnett

In January 1992, the Christian Hollow bridge was constructed in Steuben County, New York. The bridge is a single-span, stress-laminated box-beam superstructure that is 9.1 m long, 9.8 m wide, and 502 mm deep (30 ft long, 32 ft wide, and 19-3/4 in. deep). The performance of the bridge was continuously monitored for 28 months, beginning shortly after installation....

Repair systems for deteriorated bridge piles : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-04-01

The objective of this research project is to develop a durable repair system for deteriorated steel bridge piles that : can be implemented without the need for dewatering. A rigorous survey of the relevant practice nationwide was : conducted to infor...

Road Bridges and Culverts, Bridge dataset only includes bridges maintained by Johnson County Public Works in the unincorporated areas, Published in Not Provided, Johnson County Government.

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Local Govt | GIS Inventory — Road Bridges and Culverts dataset current as of unknown. Bridge dataset only includes bridges maintained by Johnson County Public Works in the unincorporated areas.

Laboratory Testing of Precast Bridge Beck Panel Transverse Connections for Use in Accelerated Bridge Construction

OpenAIRE

Porter, Scott D.

2009-01-01

Precast concrete bridge deck panels have been used for decades to accelerate bridge construction. Cracking of the transverse connection between panels is a common problem that can damage deck overlays and cause connection leaking leading to corrosion of lower bridge elements. To better understand the behavior of bridge deck transverse female-to-female connections, shear and moment lab testing were performed at Utah State University for the Utah Department of Transportation. Two existing UDOT ...

Do AAO-HNSF CORE Grants Predict Future NIH Funding Success?

Science.gov (United States)

Eloy, Jean Anderson; Svider, Peter F; Kanumuri, Vivek V; Folbe, Adam J; Setzen, Michael; Baredes, Soly

2014-08-01

To determine (1) whether academic otolaryngologists who have received an American Academy of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Centralized Otolaryngology Research Efforts (CORE) grant are more likely to procure future National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding; (2) whether CORE grants or NIH Career Development (K) awards have a stronger association with scholarly impact. Historical cohort. Scholarly impact, as measured by the h-index, publication experience, and prior grant history, were determined for CORE-funded and non-CORE-funded academic otolaryngologists. All individuals were assessed for NIH funding history. Of 192 academic otolaryngologists with a CORE funding history, 39.6% had active or prior NIH awards versus 15.1% of 1002 non-CORE-funded faculty (P productivity than those with CORE funding history. Both cohorts had higher scholarly impact values than previously published figures among academic otolaryngologists, highlighting that both CORE grants and NIH K-grants awards are effective career development resources. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2014.

Human Errors and Bridge Management Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle; Nowak, A. S.

on basis of reliability profiles for bridges without human errors are extended to include bridges with human errors. The first rehabilitation distributions for bridges without and with human errors are combined into a joint first rehabilitation distribution. The methodology presented is illustrated...... for reinforced concrete bridges....

A bridge with a view, a view with a bridge : Identifying design considerations for bridges to strengthen regional identity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smits, J.E.P.; van der Hoeven, F.D.

2015-01-01

This paper discusses design considerations for creating high quality infrastructural artefacts with an emphasis on bridges. The authors pursue a design study and analysis approach to highlight the specifics of infrastructure design for regional identity, based on their own work on a bridge

Precast concrete elements for accelerated bridge construction : laboratory testing, field testing, evaluation of a precast concrete bridge, Madison County bridge.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

The importance of rapid construction technologies has been recognized by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Iowa : DOT Office of Bridges and Structures. Recognizing this a two-lane single-span precast box girder bridge was constructed ...

The violin bridge as filter.

Science.gov (United States)

Bissinger, George

2006-07-01

The violin bridge filter role was investigated using modal and acoustic measurements on 12 quality-rated violins combined with systematic bridge rocking frequency f(rock) and wing mass decrements deltam on four bridges for two other violins. No isolated bridge resonances were observed; bridge motions were complex (including a "squat" mode near 0.8 kHz) except for low frequency rigid body pivot motions, all more or less resembling rocking motion at higher frequencies. A conspicuous broad peak near 2.3 kHz in bridge driving point mobility (labeled BH) was seen for good and bad violins. Similar structure was seen in averaged bridge, bridge feet, corpus mobilities and averaged radiativity. No correlation between violin quality and BH driving point, averaged corpus mobility magnitude, or radiativity was found. Increasing averaged-over-f(rock) deltam(g) from 0 to 0.12 generally increased radiativity across the spectrum. Decreasing averaged-over-deltam f(rock) from 3.6 to 2.6 kHz produced consistent decreases in radiativity between 3 and 4.2 kHz, but only few-percent decreases in BH frequency. The lowest f(rock) values were accompanied by significantly reduced radiation from the Helmholtz A0 mode near 280 Hz; this, combined with reduced high frequency output, created overall radiativity profiles quite similar to "bad" violins among the quality-rated violins.

Measurement of Non-Stationary Characteristics of a Landfall Typhoon at the Jiangyin Bridge Site

OpenAIRE

He, Xuhui; Qin, Hongxi; Tao, Tianyou; Liu, Wenshuo; Wang, Hao

2017-01-01

The wind-sensitive long-span suspension bridge is a vital element in land transportation. Understanding the wind characteristics at the bridge site is thus of great significance to the wind- resistant analysis of such a flexible structure. In this study, a strong wind event from a landfall typhoon called Soudelor recorded at the Jiangyin Bridge site with the anemometer is taken as the research object. As inherent time-varying trends are frequently captured in typhoon events, the wind characte...

Simulation of capillary bridges between nanoscale particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Dörmann, Michael; Schmid, Hans-Joachim

2014-02-04

Capillary forces are very important as they exceed in general other adhesion forces. But at the same time the exact calculation of these forces is very complex, so often assumptions and approximations are used. Previous research was done with regard to micrometer sized particles, but the behavior of nanoscale particles is different. Hence, the results for micrometer sized particles cannot be directly transferred when considering nanoscale particles. Therefore, a simulation method was developed to calculate numerically the shape of a rotationally symmetrical capillary bridge between two spherical particles or a particle and a plate. The capillary bridge in the gap between the particles is formed due to capillary condensation and is in thermodynamic equilibrium with the gas phase. Hence the Kelvin equation and the Young-Laplace equation can be used to calculate the profile of the capillary bridge, depending on the relative humidity of the surrounding air. The bridge profile consists of several elements that are determined consecutively and interpolated linearly. After the shape is determined, the volume and force, divided into capillary pressure force and surface tension force, can be calculated. The validation of this numerical model will be shown by comparison with several different analytical calculations for micrometer-sized particles. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that two often used approximations, (1) the toroidal approximation and (2) the use of an effective radius, cannot be used for nanoscale particles without remarkable mistake. It will be discussed how the capillary force and its components depend on different parameters, like particle size, relative humidity, contact angle, and distance, respectively. The rupture of a capillary bridge due to particle separation will also be presented.

Data of piezoelectric vibration energy harvesting of a bridge undergoing vibration testing and train passage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul Cahill

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The data presented in this article is in relation to the research article “Vibration energy harvesting based monitoring of an operational bridge undergoing forced vibration and train passage” Cahill et al. (2018 [1]. The article provides data on the full-scale bridge testing using piezoelectric vibration energy harvesters on Pershagen Bridge, Sweden. The bridge is actively excited via a swept sinusoidal input. During the testing, the bridge remains operational and train passages continue. The test recordings include the voltage responses obtained from the vibration energy harvesters during these tests and train passages. The original dataset is made available to encourage the use of energy harvesting for Structural Health Monitoring.

Role of multiprotein bridging factor 1 in archaea: bridging the domains?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koning, de B.; Blombach, F.; Wu Hao,; Brouns, S.J.J.; Oost, van der J.

2009-01-01

MBF1 (multiprotein bridging factor 1) is a highly conserved protein in archaea and eukaryotes. It was originally identified as a mediator of the eukaryotic transcription regulator BmFTZ-F1 (Bombyx mori regulator of fushi tarazu). MBF1 was demonstrated to enhance transcription by forming a bridge

Causes of Early Age Cracking on Concrete Bridge Deck Expansion Joint Repair Sections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jared R. Wright

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Cracking of newly placed binary Portland cement-slag concrete adjacent to bridge deck expansion dam replacements has been observed on several newly rehabilitated sections of bridge decks. This paper investigates the causes of cracking by assessing the concrete mixtures specified for bridge deck rehabilitation projects, as well as reviewing the structural design of decks and the construction and curing methods implemented by the contractors. The work consists of (1 a comprehensive literature review of the causes of cracking on bridge decks, (2 a review of previous bridge deck rehabilitation projects that experienced early-age cracking along with construction observations of active deck rehabilitation projects, and (3 an experimental evaluation of the two most commonly used bridge deck concrete mixtures. Based on the literature review, the causes of concrete bridge deck cracking can be classified into three categories: concrete material properties, construction practices, and structural design factors. The most likely causes of the observed early-age cracking were found to be inadequate curing and failure to properly eliminate the risk of plastic shrinkage cracking. These results underscore the significance of proper moist curing methods for concrete bridge decks, including repair sections. This document also provides a blueprint for future researchers to investigate early-age cracking of concrete structures.

23 CFR 650.809 - Movable span bridges.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Movable span bridges. 650.809 Section 650.809 Highways FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERING AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS BRIDGES, STRUCTURES, AND HYDRAULICS Navigational Clearances for Bridges § 650.809 Movable span bridges. A fixed bridge...

Model for bridging the translational "valleys of death" in spinal cord injury research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barrable B

2014-04-01

bridging the “valleys of death” in the research continuum, with the intention of improving health outcomes for people with SCI and decreasing the financial impact on the health care system. This model may be generalizable to other health conditions and the lessons learned in developing the praxis model may assist other organizations dealing with similar translational research challenges. Keywords: spinal cord injuries, clinical outcomes, translational research, implementation, knowledge mobilization, praxis model

Steel plate reinforcement of orthotropic bridge decks

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teixeira de Freitas, S.

2012-01-01

The PhD research is focused on the reinforcement of fatigue cracked orthotropic steel bridge decks (OBD) by adding a second steel plate to the existing deck. The main idea is to stiffen the existing deck plate, which will reduce the stresses at the fatigue sensitive details and extend the fatigue

Sustainable Bridge Infrastructure Procurement

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Safi, Mohammed; Du, Guangli; Simonsson, Peter

2016-01-01

The lack of a flexible but systematic approach for integrating lifecycle aspects into bridge investment decisions is a major obstacle hindering the procurement of sustainable bridge infrastructures. This paper addresses this obstacle by introducing a holistic approach that agencies could use...... to procure the most “sustainable” (lifecycle-efficient) bridge through a fair design-build (D-B) tendering process, considering all the main aspects: life-cycle cost (LCC), service life-span, aesthetic demands and environmental impacts (LCA)....

Comparison of several innovative bridge cable surface modifications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kleissl, Kenneth; Georgakis, Christos T.

Over the last two decades, several bridge cable manufacturers have introduced surface modifications on the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) sheathing that is installed for the protection of inner cable strands or wires. The modifications are based on research undertaken predominantly in Europe...

Frost susceptibility of sub-base gravel used in Pearl-Chain Bridges: an experimental investigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Mia Schou Møller; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard; Andersen, Iben Brøndum

2016-01-01

This study investigates frost susceptibility of sub-base gravel determined by the ASTM D5918-13 standard as a conservative estimate of the frost heave risk of fill in overfilled arch bridges, particularly in Pearl-Chain Bridges. Frost heave of granular materials has been of great research interes...

Modal Identification and Damage Detection on a Concrete Highway Bridge by Frequency Domain Decomposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brincker, Rune; Andersen, P.; Zhang, L.

2002-01-01

As a part of a research project co-founded by the European Community, a series of 15 damage tests were performed on a prestressed concrete highway bridge in Switzerland. The ambient response of the bridge was recorded for each damage case. A dense array of instruments allowed the identification...

Modal Identification and Damage Detection on a Concrete Highway Bridge by Frequency Domain Decomposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brincker, Rune; Andersen, Palle; Zhang, Lingmi

2007-01-01

As a part of a research project co-founded by the European Community, a series of 15 damage tests were performed on a prestressed concrete highway bridge in Switzerland. The ambient response of the bridge was recorded for each damage case. A dense array of instruments allowed the identification...

Nonlinearity in oscillating bridges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filippo Gazzola

2013-09-01

Full Text Available We first recall several historical oscillating bridges that, in some cases, led to collapses. Some of them are quite recent and show that, nowadays, oscillations in suspension bridges are not yet well understood. Next, we survey some attempts to model bridges with differential equations. Although these equations arise from quite different scientific communities, they display some common features. One of them, which we believe to be incorrect, is the acceptance of the linear Hooke law in elasticity. This law should be used only in presence of small deviations from equilibrium, a situation which does not occur in widely oscillating bridges. Then we discuss a couple of recent models whose solutions exhibit self-excited oscillations, the phenomenon visible in real bridges. This suggests a different point of view in modeling equations and gives a strong hint how to modify the existing models in order to obtain a reliable theory. The purpose of this paper is precisely to highlight the necessity of revisiting the classical models, to introduce reliable models, and to indicate the steps we believe necessary to reach this target.

19 CFR 351.504 - Grants.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ANTIDUMPING AND COUNTERVAILING DUTIES Identification and Measurement of Countervailable Subsidies § 351.504 Grants. (a) Benefit. In the case of a grant, a benefit exists in the amount of the grant. (b) Time of receipt of benefit. In the case of a grant, the...

Nondestructive testing for bridge diagnosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oshima, Toshiyuki; Mikami, Shuichi; Yamazaki, Tomoyuki

1997-01-01

There are many motivations for bridge diagnosis using Nondestructive testing (NDT) to monitor its integrity. The measured frequency and damping on real bridge are compared in one figure as a function of span length and general aspects are explained. These date were measured in every construction of bridges and applied to design new bridges. Ultrasonic testing is also well used for concrete and steel members mainly to detect internal damages or delaminations. Detail analysis on reflected waves gives us more accurate information about the defect. Experimental results are shown as examples in this paper.

Bridging basic science and clinical research: the EASL Monothematic Conference on Translational Research in Viral Hepatitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Boettler, Tobias; Moradpour, Darius; Thimme, Robert; Zoulim, Fabien

2014-09-01

The EASL Monothematic Conference on Translational Research in Viral Hepatitis brought together a group of leading scientists and clinicians working on both, basic and clinical aspects of viral hepatitis, thereby building bridges from bench to bedside. This report recapitulates the presentations and discussions at the conference held in Lyon, France on November 29-30, 2013. In recent years, great advances have been made in the field of viral hepatitis, particularly in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The identification of IL28B genetic polymorphisms as a major determinant for spontaneous and treatment-induced HCV clearance was a seminal discovery. Currently, hepatologists are at the doorstep of even greater advances, with the advent of a wealth of directly acting antivirals (DAAs) against HCV. Indeed, promising results have accumulated over the last months and few years, showing sustained virological response (SVR) rates of up to 100% with interferon-free DAA combination therapies. Thus, less than 25 years after its identification, HCV infection may soon be curable in the vast majority of patients, highlighting the great success of HCV research over the last decades. However, viral hepatitis and its clinical complications such as liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain major global challenges. New therapeutic strategies to tackle hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection are needed, as current therapies have undeniable limitations. Nucleoside/nucleotide analogues (NUC) can efficiently control HBV replication and reduce or even reverse liver damage. However, these drugs have to be given for indefinite periods in most patients to maintain virological and biochemical responses. Although sustained responses off treatment can be achieved by treatment with (pegylated) interferon-α, only about 10-30% of patients effectively resolve chronic hepatitis B. It was the goal of this conference to review the progress made over the last

Modal Parameter Identification and Numerical Simulation for Self-anchored Suspension Bridges Based on Ambient Vibration

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Bing; Sun, Li Guo

2018-06-01

This paper chooses the Nanjing-Hangzhou high speed overbridge, a self-anchored suspension bridge, as the research target, trying to identify the dynamic characteristic parameters of the bridge by using the peak-picking method to analyze the velocity response data under ambient excitation collected by 7 vibration pickup sensors set on the bridge deck. The ABAQUS is used to set up a three-dimensional finite element model for the full bridge and amends the finite element model of the suspension bridge based on the identified modal parameter, and suspender force picked by the PDV100 laser vibrometer. The study shows that the modal parameter can well be identified by analyzing the bridge vibration velocity collected by 7 survey points. The identified modal parameter and measured suspender force can be used as the basis of the amendment of the finite element model of the suspension bridge. The amended model can truthfully reflect the structural physical features and it can also be the benchmark model for the long-term health monitoring and condition assessment of the bridge.

The development of a bridging social capital questionnaire for use in population health research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Villalonga-Olives

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Bridging social capital is defined as the connections between individuals who are dissimilar with respect to socioeconomic and other characteristics. There is an important gap in the literature related to its measurement. We describe the development and validation of a questionnaire to measure bridging social capital. We focused the development of the questionnaire to be suitable for use in Latino immigrant populations in the U.S. The structure of the questionnaire comprised the following: Socialization in the job place (5 items; Membership in community activities (16 items; Participation in community activities (5 items; Contact with similar/different people (7 items; Assistance (17 items; Trust of institutions, corporations and other people(14 items; and Trust of intimate people (3 items. First, we used focus groups (N=17 participants to establish content validity with an inductive thematic analysis to identify themes and subthemes. Changes were made to the questionnaire based on difficulty, redundancy, length and semantic equivalence. Second, we analyzed the questionnaire's psychometric properties (N=138. We tested internal consistency with Cronbach alpha and construct validity with a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA for each sub-scale to test theoretical unity; discriminant validity to observe differences between participants from high and low SES backgrounds and different language; and content validity with an independent expert panel. Cronbach alphas ranged from 0.80 (Assistance to 0.92 (Trust. CFA results indicated that CFI and TLI were higher than 0.90 in almost all the scales, with high factor loadings. The Wilcoxon tests indicated that there were statistically significant mean differences between SES and language groups (p<0.00. The independent expert panel determined that the questionnaire had good content validity. This is the first demonstration of a psychometrically validated questionnaire to measure bridging social capital in an

Salt bridges: geometrically specific, designable interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Donald, Jason E; Kulp, Daniel W; DeGrado, William F

2011-03-01

Salt bridges occur frequently in proteins, providing conformational specificity and contributing to molecular recognition and catalysis. We present a comprehensive analysis of these interactions in protein structures by surveying a large database of protein structures. Salt bridges between Asp or Glu and His, Arg, or Lys display extremely well-defined geometric preferences. Several previously observed preferences are confirmed, and others that were previously unrecognized are discovered. Salt bridges are explored for their preferences for different separations in sequence and in space, geometric preferences within proteins and at protein-protein interfaces, co-operativity in networked salt bridges, inclusion within metal-binding sites, preference for acidic electrons, apparent conformational side chain entropy reduction on formation, and degree of burial. Salt bridges occur far more frequently between residues at close than distant sequence separations, but, at close distances, there remain strong preferences for salt bridges at specific separations. Specific types of complex salt bridges, involving three or more members, are also discovered. As we observe a strong relationship between the propensity to form a salt bridge and the placement of salt-bridging residues in protein sequences, we discuss the role that salt bridges might play in kinetically influencing protein folding and thermodynamically stabilizing the native conformation. We also develop a quantitative method to select appropriate crystal structure resolution and B-factor cutoffs. Detailed knowledge of these geometric and sequence dependences should aid de novo design and prediction algorithms. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

An Expert System for Concrete Bridge Management

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brito, J. de; Branco, F. A.; Thoft-Christensen, Palle

1997-01-01

The importance of bridge repair versus new bridge construction has risen in recent decades due to high deterioration rates that have been observed in these structures. Budgets both for building new bridges and keeping the existing ones are always limited. To help rational decision-making, bridge...... management systems are presently being implemented by bridge authorities in several countries. The prototype of an expert system for concrete bridge management is presented in this paper, with its functionality relying on two modules. The inspection module relies on a periodic acquisition of field...... information complemented by a knowledge-based interactive system, BRIDGE-1. To optimize management strategies at the headquarters, the BRIDGE-2 module was implemented, including three submodules: inspection strategy, maintenance and repair....

Model predictive control for a dual active bridge inverter with a floating bridge

OpenAIRE

Chowdhury, Shajjad; Wheeler, Patrick W.; Gerada, C.; Patel, Chintan

2016-01-01

This paper presents a Model Predictive Control technique applied to a dual active bridge inverter where one of the bridges is floating. The proposed floating bridge topology eliminates the need for isolation transformer in a dual inverter system and therefore reduces the size, weight and losses in the system. To achieve multilevel output voltage waveforms the floating inverter DC link capacitor is charged to the half of the main DC link voltage. A finite-set Model Predictive Control technique...

Bridge over troubled water?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Gunnar Lind Haase; Nannestad, Peter; Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard

2008-01-01

The problem of integrating non-Western immigrants into Western welfare states is the focus of this paper. To address this issue, we suggest a social capital approach in which we apply the conceptual pair of bridging social capital (BR), which connects an individual to the broader social structure...... relationship between the levels of bridging and bonding capital, suggesting that bonding social capital in the immigrant group does not seem to impede the establishment of the bridging social capital needed for integration....

Bridge and steel structures. History and vision on bridge erection; Kyoryo kokozobutsu. Kasetsu gijutsu no shorai

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mukai, S.; Hayashi, T. [Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd., Tokyo (Japan)

1998-08-20

This paper describes the progress of bridge erection technology. It introduces the results of cable erection, rotated/extruded erection, and cantilever erection. The cable erection is a multi point suspension erection using cables. For the rotated/extruded erection, the monolithic construction is conducted on a working yard set in a right angle to the construction position, and the horizontal beams of the bridge piers (corbel girders) are constructed by the rotated method using a slewing base incorporated around the bridge piers at one side. For the construction of stiffening girders of Innoshima-ohashi Bridge of Honshu-Shikoku Joint Bridge in 1978, trussed face bar blocks were extruded from the main tower in order using a travel crane. For the suspension bridges and cable stayed bridges, main towers were erected using various types of cranes. The erection of Tamashima-ohashi Bridge with a weight of 500 ton using an offshore floating crane is introduced as a large block method. Analysis methods and measurement techniques at the site are used in order to analyze the shape in each step under the erection and to ensure the accurate final complete shape. Reduction of the construction cost, improvement of erection technology, and technology development for large-scale projects are subjects in the future. 22 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

Modelling the flow structure in local scour around bridge pier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghani, U.

2014-01-01

Bridge pier scouring is an important issue of any bridge design work. If it is not taken into account properly, then results will be disastrous. A number of bridges have failed due to clear water local scouring of piers. This research paper presents a numerical model study in which an attempt has been made to explore the flow variables which exist in and around a scoured bridge pier. A finite volume based model of bridge pier was developed using 3D (Three Dimensional) numerical code FLUENT and GAMBIT. After validation process, different discharge values were considered and its impact on three dimensional characteristics of flow such as stream-wise velocities on longitudinal and transverse sections, turbulance circulation cells, and boundary shear stresses was investigated. It was observed that increasing the discharge results in more turbulance around the pier on its downstream side and turbulence properties are intensified in such a situation. However, the primary velocities on the downstream side remain almost unchanged. The results have been presented in the form of contours, vector of primary velocities and x-y plots of bed shear stresses. This study can be used for enhanced understanding of flow features and improvement of formulae for prediction of scour holes around piers. (author)

78 FR 21262 - Grants to States for Construction or Acquisition of State Homes

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-10

... Unit Renovation/Replacement.'' The note to Sec. 59.50(a)(1), which contains a chart to aid readers..., Dental health, Drug abuse, Foreign relations, Government contracts, Grant programs--health, Grant... and dental schools, Medical devices, Medical research, Mental health programs, Nursing homes...

Dragon bridge - the world largest dragon-shaped (ARCH steel bridge as element of smart city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chinh Luong Minh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dragon Bridge - The world’s largest dragon-shaped steel bridge, with an installation cost of $85 million USD, features 6 lanes for two separate directions, 666 meters of undulating steel in the shape of a dragon in the Ly Dynasty, the symbol of prosperity in Vietnamese culture. This unique and beautifully lit bridge, which also breathes fire and sprays water. It’s the purposeful integration of the lighting hardware articulates the dragon’s form, and the fire-breathing dragon head. This project transcends the notion of monumental bridge with dynamic colour-changing lighting, creating an iconic sculpture in the skyline that is both reverent and whimsical. The signature feature of the bridge was the massive undulating support structure resembling a dragon flying over the river. The dragon is prominent in Vietnamese culture as a symbol of power and nobility. Dragon Bridge stands out as a model of innovation. It has received worldwide attention in the design community and from the global media for its unique arch support system. Dragon Bridge serves as an example of how aesthetic quality of a design can serve cultural, economic and functional purposes. The article presents design solutions of the object and the evaluation of the technical condition before putting the facility into service.

Experimental investigation of different fill materials in arch bridges with particular focus on Pearl-Chain Bridges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Mia Schou Møller; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard; Hertz, Kristian Dahl

2016-01-01

Pearl-Chain Bridge technology is a recently developed prefabricated arch solution for road and railway bridges allowing faster, more environmentally friendly, and cheaper bridge construction. This study compared the strength and durability properties of three different types of fill material...

Bridging the gap among healthcare workers and decision-makers ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Bridging the gap among healthcare workers and decision-makers through improved ... Through this project, researchers will build on insights gained from previous ... and identify the critical factors required for the scale-up and integration of the ...

Bridge element deterioration rates.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-10-01

This report describes the development of bridge element deterioration rates using the NYSDOT : bridge inspection database using Markov chains and Weibull-based approaches. It is observed : that Weibull-based approach is more reliable for developing b...

Bridge-Vehicle Impact Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-01

Bridges in New York State have been experiencing close to 200 bridge hits a year. These : accidents are attributed to numerous factors including: improperly stored equipment on trucks; : violation of vehicle posting signs; illegal commercial vehicles...

Bridge vehicle impact assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

Bridges in New York State have been experiencing close to 200 bridge hits a year. These : accidents are attributed to numerous factors including: improperly stored equipment on trucks; : violation of vehicle posting signs; illegal commercial vehicles...

Wireless Smart Sensor Network System Using SmartBridge Sensor Nodes for Structural Health Monitoring of Existing Concrete Bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Gaviña, J. R.; Uy, F. A.; Carreon, J. D.

2017-06-01

There are over 8000 bridges in the Philippines today according to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Currently, visual inspection is the most common practice in monitoring the structural integrity of bridges. However, visual inspections have proven to be insufficient in determining the actual health or condition of a bridge. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) aims to give, in real-time, a diagnosis of the actual condition of the bridge. In this study, SmartBridge Sensor Nodes were installed on an existing concrete bridge with American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Type IV Girders to gather vibration of the elements of the bridge. Also, standards on the effective installation of SmartBridge Sensor Nodes, such as location and orientation was determined. Acceleration readings from the sensor were then uploaded to a server, wherein they are monitored against certain thresholds, from which, the health of the bridge will be derived. Final output will be a portal or webpage wherein the information, health, and acceleration readings of the bridge will be available for viewing. With levels of access set for different types of users, the main users will have access to download data and reports. Data transmission and webpage access are available online, making the SHM system wireless.

Evaluating public involvement in research design and grant development: Using a qualitative document analysis method to analyse an award scheme for researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

Baxter, Susan; Muir, Delia; Brereton, Louise; Allmark, Christine; Barber, Rosemary; Harris, Lydia; Hodges, Brian; Khan, Samaira; Baird, Wendy

2016-01-01

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research Design Service (RDS) for Yorkshire and Humber has been running a public involvement funding scheme since 2008. This scheme awards researchers a small amount of money to help them get involvement from patients and/or the public. Involvement activities take place at the time when researchers are planning studies, and when they are completing application forms to request funding for a proposed research project. After the public involvement activities researchers are asked to write a report for the RDS describing what they did with the public involvement funding. This study analysed those reports using an approach which included members of a public involvement panel in the data analysis process. The aim of the work was to see what the views and experiences of researchers who received funding were, and what might be learned for the future of the scheme. Twenty five reports were analysed. Four main themes were identified, these described: the added value of public involvement; aspects to consider when planning and designing public involvement; different roles of public contributors; and aspects of valuing public member contributions. The group approach to analysis was successful in enabling involvement of a variety of individuals in the process. The findings of the study provide evidence of the value of public involvement during the development of applications for research funding. The results also indicate that researchers recognise the variety in potential roles for the public in research, and acknowledge how involvement adds value to studies. Background A regional Research Design Service, funded by the National Institute for Health Research, introduced a small grant in 2008, to support public involvement (often known as patient and public involvement [PPI]) activities during the development of applications for research funding. Successful applicants are requested to submit a report detailing how the grant

Probabilistic Fatigue Life Updating for Railway Bridges Based on Local Inspection and Repair.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Young-Joo; Kim, Robin E; Suh, Wonho; Park, Kiwon

2017-04-24

Railway bridges are exposed to repeated train loads, which may cause fatigue failure. As critical links in a transportation network, railway bridges are expected to survive for a target period of time, but sometimes they fail earlier than expected. To guarantee the target bridge life, bridge maintenance activities such as local inspection and repair should be undertaken properly. However, this is a challenging task because there are various sources of uncertainty associated with aging bridges, train loads, environmental conditions, and maintenance work. Therefore, to perform optimal risk-based maintenance of railway bridges, it is essential to estimate the probabilistic fatigue life of a railway bridge and update the life information based on the results of local inspections and repair. Recently, a system reliability approach was proposed to evaluate the fatigue failure risk of structural systems and update the prior risk information in various inspection scenarios. However, this approach can handle only a constant-amplitude load and has limitations in considering a cyclic load with varying amplitude levels, which is the major loading pattern generated by train traffic. In addition, it is not feasible to update the prior risk information after bridges are repaired. In this research, the system reliability approach is further developed so that it can handle a varying-amplitude load and update the system-level risk of fatigue failure for railway bridges after inspection and repair. The proposed method is applied to a numerical example of an in-service railway bridge, and the effects of inspection and repair on the probabilistic fatigue life are discussed.

FEMA Grants Program Directorate - Preparedness (Non-Disaster) and Assistance to Firefighter Grants

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Homeland Security — The Grant Programs Directorate (GPD) strategically and effectively administers and manages FEMA grants to ensure critical and measurable results for customers and...

How well does early-career investigators' cardiovascular outcomes research training align with funded outcomes research?

Science.gov (United States)

Crowley, Matthew J; Al-Khatib, Sana M; Wang, Tracy Y; Khazanie, Prateeti; Kressin, Nancy R; Krumholz, Harlan M; Kiefe, Catarina I; Wells, Barbara L; O'Brien, Sean M; Peterson, Eric D; Sanders, Gillian D

2018-02-01

Outcomes research training programs should prepare trainees to successfully compete for research funding. We examined how early-career investigators' prior and desired training aligns with recently funded cardiovascular (CV) outcomes research. We (1) reviewed literature to identify 13 core competency areas in CV outcomes research; (2) surveyed early-career investigators to understand their prior and desired training in each competency area; (3) examined recently funded grants commonly pursued by early-career outcomes researchers to ascertain available funding in competency areas; and (4) analyzed alignment between investigator training and funded research in each competency area. We evaluated 185 survey responses from early-career investigators (response rate 28%) and 521 funded grants from 2010 to 2014. Respondents' prior training aligned with funded grants in the areas of clinical epidemiology, observational research, randomized controlled trials, and implementation/dissemination research. Funding in community-engaged research and health informatics was more common than prior training in these areas. Respondents' prior training in biostatistics and systematic review was more common than funded grants focusing on these specific areas. Respondents' desired training aligned similarly with funded grants, with some exceptions; for example, desired training in health economics/cost-effectiveness research was more common than funded grants in these areas. Restricting to CV grants (n=132) and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-funded grants (n=170) produced similar results. Identifying mismatch between funded grants in outcomes research and early-career investigators' prior/desired training may help efforts to harmonize investigator interests, training, and funding. Our findings suggest a need for further consideration of how to best prepare early-career investigators for funding success. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

In-Place Preservative Treatments for Covered Bridges

Science.gov (United States)

Stan Lebow; Jeff Morrell

2014-01-01

Covered bridges can be vulnerable to damage from fungal decay and insect attack. This paper describes procedures for selecting and applying in-place treatments to prevent or arrest biodegradation, and summarizes recent research evaluating some of these treatments. Wood moisture is the key to decay and termite attack, and the first line of defense against...

Identification of causes and solution strategies for deck cracking in jointless bridges : research report.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-01

Bridges have traditionally relied on a system of expansion joints and flexible bearings to accommodate movements due to temperature, creep, and shrinkage loading. Joints and elements in their vicinity experience a high amount of degradation; thus mod...

Trends in funding for research on pain: a report on the National Institutes Of Health grant awards over the years 2003 to 2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradshaw, David H; Empy, Court; Davis, Phillip; Lipschitz, David; Dalton, Peter; Nakamura, Yoshio; Chapman, C Richard

2008-12-01

In recent years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has experienced unprecedented reductions in its customary annual budget increases. Consequently, researchers, health care policy planners and others have a pressing need for accurate information on NIH funding patterns. We created a unique and objective system for compiling, classifying, and analyzing data on NIH grant awards and funding for research on pain, nausea, and dyspnea using naïve observers, cross-validation by multiple raters, and face validation by experts. We present results of our method and analyses for the period from 2003 to 2007. Following a 12% increase from 2003 to 2004, funding for pain research fell by 9.4% per year on average over the next 3 years. The percent of the total NIH budget going to support pain research increased to 0.78% in 2004 but fell to 0.61% in 2007. A piecewise regression model confirmed the declining trend represented a significant fit to the data (R(2)=0.98, p=0.024). Separate breakdowns by Institutes showed similar patterns. Analyses of nausea and dyspnea research support revealed small but steady increases over the same period. Declining support for pain research disproportionate to decreases in the NIH budget signals a need for measures to promote funding for meritorious applications. Results of 5 year trends in numbers of grants and funding for research in pain, nausea, and dyspnea by the NIH show overall declines for pain but slight increases for nausea and dyspnea. Declining support for pain research that exceeds the reductions in the total NIH budget signals a need for measures to increase pain research funding.

Horizontal bridges in polar dielectric liquids

Science.gov (United States)

Woisetschläger, Jakob; Wexler, Adam D.; Holler, Gert; Eisenhut, Mathias; Gatterer, Karl; Fuchs, Elmar C.

2012-01-01

When a high-voltage direct-current is applied to two beakers filled with polar liquid dielectrica like water or methanol, a horizontal bridge forms between the two beakers. By repeating a version of Pellat's experiment, it is shown that a horizontal bridge is stable by the action of electrohydrodynamic pressure. Thus, the static and dynamic properties of the phenomenon called a `floating water bridge' can be explained by the gradient of Maxwell pressure, replenishing the liquid within the bridge against any drainage mechanism. It is also shown that a number of liquids can form stable and long horizontal bridges. The stability of such a connection, and the asymmetry in mass flow through such bridges caused by the formation of ion clouds in the vicinity of the electrodes, is also discussed by two further experiments.

LTBP bridge performance primer.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-01

"The performance of bridges is critical to the overall performance of the highway transportation system in the United States. However, many critical aspects of bridge performance are not well understood. The reasons for this include the extreme diver...

Seismic enhancement of multi-span continuous bridges subjected to three-directional excitations

Science.gov (United States)

Aryan, H.; Ghassemieh, M.

2015-04-01

Considering the seismic ground motions as the excitations in only two principal horizontal directions of the bridges and ignoring the third vertical direction is a disregard for the seismic conditions of the region and the bridge distance from epicenter. Numerous cases of substantial damages have been reported among the bridges tremendously suffered from being exposed to the simultaneous three-directional seismic ground motions. Besides the significant compression and tension damages in the columns due to the presence of vertical excitation, it could lead to unexpected shear and flexural failures in the columns and other components as well. Because the axial force variation in the columns due to three-directional excitations, could affect the demands and capacities of the bridge’s components. With respect to this issue, several studies on the bridge damages during the earthquakes have urged researchers to offer efficient methods for bridges handling of the three-directional seismic excitations. Thus, this paper presents and evaluates a superelastic based system for designing as well as retrofitting the multi-span continuous (MSC) bridges that can cope with two- and three-directional seismic excitations. Efficiency evaluation of the proposed system is conducted through various nonlinear time history analyses on a three-dimensional model of a detailed MSC bridge using a suite of developed ground motions for the bridge region. Also, all the analyses are fulfilled based on variation of one influential design characteristic of the proposed system in order to achieve the optimal design. Several pertinent assessment parameters are used during the evaluation of the proposed system. Finally, the efficiency of the new system subjected to the vertical and horizontal seismic excitations is confirmed according to reduction of the bridge responses and improvement in nonlinear performance of the columns in comparison with the as-built bridge results.