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The surface characteristics of thermally and chemically modified wood, such as surface roughness, surface free energy (SFE) and wettability, are important properties that influence further manufacturing processes such as gluing and coating. The aim of this paper was to determine the influence of the surface roughness of thermally and chemically modified teak wood on their SFE, wettability and bonding quality for water-based acrylic and solvent-based alkyd varnishes. In addition, durability against subterranean termites in the field of these modified teak woods was also investigated to give a valuable information for their further application.

The woods tested in this study were fast-growing teak woods that were prepared in untreated and treated with furfuryl alcohol (FA), glycerol maleic anhydride (GMA) and thermal. SFE values were calculated using the Rabel method. The wettability values were measured based on the contact angle between varnish liquids and wood surfaces using the sessile drop method, and the Shi and Gardner model model was used to evaluate the wettability of the varnishes on the wood surface. The bonding quality of the varnishes was measured using a cross-cut test based on ASTM 3359-17 standard. In addition, durability against subterranean termites in the field of these modified teak woods was also investigated according to ASTM D 1758-06.

The results showed that furfurylated and GMA-thermal 220°C improved the durability of teak wood against termites. The furfurylated teak wood had the roughest surface with an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) value of 15.65 µm before aging and 27.11 µm after aging. The GMA-thermal 220°C treated teak wood was the smoothest surface with Ra value of 6.44 µm before aging and 13.75 µm after aging. Untreated teak wood had the highest SFE value of 46.90 and 57.37 mJ/m² before and after aging, respectively. The K values of untreated and treated teak wood increased owing to the aging treatment. The K values for the water-based acrylic varnish were lower than that of the solvent-based alkyd varnish. The untreated teak wood with the highest SFE produced the highest bonding quality (grades 4–5) for both acrylic and alkyd varnishes. The solvent-based alkyd varnish was more wettable and generated better bonding quality than the water-based acrylic varnish.

The originality of this research work is that it provides evaluation values of the durability and SFE. The SFE value can be used to quantitatively determine the wettability of paint liquids on the surface of wood and its varnish bonding quality.

The chemical plant (CP) maintenance industry has been under increasing pressure by process designers to demonstrate its evaluation and information management of model checking (MC) on the durability’s performance and design of plant control instrument. This main problem has been termed as imperfect maintenance actions (IMAs) level. Although IMAs have been explored in interdisciplinary maintenance environments, less is known about what imperfect maintenance problems currently exist and what their causes are, such as the recent explosion in the Beirut city (4 August 2020, about 181 fatalities). The aim of this paper is to identify how CP maintenance environments could integrate MC within their processes.

To achieve this aim, a comprehensive literature review of the existing conceptualisation of MC practices is reviewed and the main features of information and communication technology tools and techniques currently being employed on such IMA projects are carried out and synthesised into a conceptual framework for integrating MC in the automation system process.

The literature reveals that various CP designers conceptualise MC in different ways. MC is commonly shaped by long-term compliance to fulfil the requirement for maintaining a comfortable durability risk on imperfect maintenance schemes of CP projects. Also, there is a lack of common approaches for integrating the delivery process of MC. The conceptual framework demonstrates the importance of early integration of MC in the design phase to identify alternative methods to cogenerate, monitor and optimise MC.

Thus far, this study advances the knowledge about how CP maintenance environments can ensure MC delivery. This paper highlights the need for further research to integrate MC in CP maintenance environments. A future study could validate the framework across the design phase with different CP project designers.

The purpose of this study is to examine what makes some firms, but not others, see a crisis as an opportunity to become entrepreneurial. Specifically, it examines how two key capabilities for durability—(unabsorbed) slack resources and external market networks—influence small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)’ “opportunity confidence”, a term recently coined to denote the subjective assessment of the extent to which a crisis is a good (bad) basis for entrepreneurial activities, such as the introduction of new products/services and new market entry.

Analysis of hand-collected survey data from 138 SMEs in Greece — a country hit hard by the 2008 economic crisis.

The findings reveal that an SME's number of network contacts has a positive effect on opportunity confidence, whereas firm slack resources lack a direct effect. It is, in fact, at low levels of firm slack resources that network returns are higher, especially for older firms. An extension to the main analysis also shows that opportunity confidence is linked to firm sales growth.

Understanding what makes some firms, but not others, see a crisis as an opportunity will help build an extensive and solid knowledge base and get ready for the next big (or small) crisis, which is inevitable to occur. Besides the grants and subsidies that policymakers often provide to SMEs in times of crisis, they may also need to consider organizing actions that support the extraversion and networking of SMEs—that can be done in a variety of ways due to the rise of teleworking and online collaboration platforms since the onset of the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

This paper draws linkages between the “external enabler perspective” and the burgeoning resilience literature and illustrates empirically what makes some SMEs, but not others, view an economic crisis as a good basis for entrepreneurial activities—that is a manifestation of early-stage entrepreneurial behavior and a necessary condition before taking entrepreneurial action in times of crisis. By so doing, this study extends research on resilience that has explained the role of “capabilities for durability” as a means of surviving through a crisis by revealing that these capabilities do not necessarily translate into capabilities for renewal that will help firms to bounce forward in response to the crisis. It also points to the “dark side” of capabilities for durability and, by implication, of resilience.

Absorbing knowledge from partner firms is a key feature of marketing relationships. Recent publications have called for more dynamic and cognitive approaches in marketing relationship research. Also, established definitions of absorptive capacities have been questioned. This article aims to address propositions that take these overlooked and questioned elements into consideration, which can help explain conducts and dependencies, and affect relationship durability.

The authors put forward four propositions by combining literature on interfirm relationships and managerial cognition with evolutionary ideas from marketing and management literature.

The authors embrace a redefinition of potential absorptive capacity (the disposed capacity to absorb knowledge) and realized absorptive capacity (the absorption of knowledge actually performed). This distinction can, to some extent, be explained by the degree of cognitive attention given to the marketing relationship. Moreover, asymmetrically realized absorptive capacity vis‐à‐vis a partner substantially influences the dynamics of partners' conduct and dependency, which may vary the risk that the relationship will end.

The propositions illustrate how a motivated partner that gives more attention to the relationship is more likely to absorb more knowledge than its counterpart, which can threaten the durability of a relationship. Thus, managers need to be able to understand possible long‐term consequences of the partner's conduct in order to avoid losses of joint strategic resources and relational benefits.

By advocating an evolutionary approach, an impetus for more dynamism in marketing relationship research is presented. This study also shows the importance of including the longitudinal dimension in analysis if one wants to understand change in – and durability of – marketing relationships.

This paper makes a comparison between the electrical properties of cement grout with and without monofilament polypropylene fibre additions. The findings show a small, but significant difference between the electrolytic transport properties of cement grout with monofilament polypropylene fibre additions when compared to grout without fibre additions. The grout with fibre additions suggests a reduced probability of water and ion transmission, due to higher measured resistivity, which will result in enhanced durability and lower life cycle costs. Durability of reinforced concrete structures, is known to be closely linked to the water permeability of the concrete matrix. This potential trend for enhanced durability can be added to the other benefits of using monofilament polypropylene fibre in concrete, such as low absorption, freeze/thaw resistance, fire resistance and micro reinforcement.

The purpose of this study is to contribute with experimental study of the effects of binary and ternary combinations of river sand (RS), crushed sand (CS) and dune sand (DS) on the physical and mechanical performances of self-compacting concrete (SCC) subjected to acidic curing environments, HCl and H₂SO₄ solutions.

Five SCCs were prepared with the combinations 100% RS, 0.8RS + 0.2CS, 0.6RS + 0.2CS + 0.2DS, 0.6RS + 0.4DS and 0.6CS + 0.4DS. The porosity of sand, fluidity, deformability, stability, compressive strength and sorptivity coefficient were tested. SCCs cubic specimens with a side length of 10 cm were submerged in HCl and H₂SO₄ acids, wherein the concentration was 5%, for periods of 28, 90 and 180 days. The resistance to acid attack was evaluated by visual examination, mass loss and compressive strength loss.

The results showed that it is possible to partially substitute the RS with CS and DS in the SCC, without strongly affecting the fluidity, deformability, stability, compressive strength and durability against HCl and H₂SO₄ attack. The two combinations, 0.8RS + 0.2CS and 0.6RS + 0.2CS + 0.2DS, improved the compactness and the resistance to acid attacks of SCC. Consequently, the improvement in SCC compactness, by the combination of RS, CS and DS, decreased the sorptivity coefficient of SCC and increased its resistance to acid attacks, in comparison with that made only by RS.

The use of RS is experiencing a considerable increase in line with the development of the country. To satisfy this demand, it is necessary to substitute this sand with other materials more abundant. The use of locally available materials is a very effective way to protect the environment, improve the physico-mechanical properties and durability of SCC and it can be a beneficial economical alternative. Few studies have addressed the effect of the binary and ternary combination of RS, CS and DS on the resistance to acid attacks of SCC.

This study aims to discuss the causes of short-lived structuring of contemporary buildings. The life expectancy of structures may be theoretically predefined during the state of the design. This time period, known as the service life of structures, is determined by the load or the deformation level at which irreversible failures of the bearing structure may occur. On the other hand, planned obsolescence and perceived obsolescence, observed in the western world since the first half of 20th century, are currently setting an economic reality and are part of an expanded framework that, apart from architectural structures, extends to all design fields. The effects of short-lived structuring on environmental and energy terms are presented and theoretical and experimental recommendations from the literature are cited, as well as recommendations that have already been successfully applied in some countries.

This study aims to discuss the issues associated with short-lived structuring, durability and obsolescence of contemporary structures. For this purpose, theoretical and experimental recommendations from the literature are cited, via an extensive state of the art research.

Short-lived structuring has been a field of research during recent years. Terms such as durability are being introduced into Design Codes, while trends like perceived obsolescence and environmental impact raise issues for research. Moreover, the results of short-lived structuring are becoming more and more apparent, indicating an unsustainable reality. Issues like maintenance of structures, sustainability in design, corrosion effects, repair techniques and building waste management are an important field of research among the engineering community. In this study, the parameters affecting the lifespan of contemporary structures have been discussed.

The effects of short-lived structuring on environmental and energy terms are presented and theoretical and experimental recommendations from the literature are cited. The parameters studied herein concern material properties and design approach but also environmental and energy-related ones.

The purpose of the study is to show an improvement in resistance (permeability) and durability (residual strength) of modified wood compared to natural wood.

A relevance way to increase the durability and resistance of wood is processing with polymers. Novosibirsk State Technical University, Novosibirsk State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (Sibstrin) and the Norilsk State Industrial Institute researched the resistance of elements of mine treatment plants made of wood modified with synthetic polymers. The study was carried out according to V.A. Kucherenko. Modification of such species as birch and pine can significantly increase wood resources by extending its service life and improving its physical and mechanical properties. Latex-organosilicon modifier was used as a modifier.

Latex clogs the capillaries of wood, preventing the penetration of aggressive solutions into it, and potassium methyl silicate interacts with hydrophilic OH groups, increasing the water-repellent properties of the surface of cells and wood capillaries.

The results of long-term and predictive tests of modified wood in aggressive environments of treatment facilities are presented. As a result, diffusion of aggressive media into the wood becomes more difficult and its resistance and durability increase.

Purpose is to design the energy harvesters and to know the limit of the application of load on the PZT material. Fatigue failures of the designed products is merely bothering the modern engineers and scientists for the research communities of all fields. Especially in the field of Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS), durability of low power systems is very important under the climates of both at high temperature and low temperature zones. And also continuous electrical power requirement is important for the MEMS and wireless sensor networks. Electricity is the greatest crisis in the world on one side and on the other side, durability of smart devices such as mobile phones, laptops, compact devices, computer spare parts are unrecyclicable batteries for reducing the rate of pollution in the environment.

By considering these problems, authors have taken up a research in finding the first fatigue characteristics, which are fatigue failure and durability of ferroelectric material as lead zirconate titanate, and then designed the scavenging device by using harmonically excited vibrations for getting optimum power output which is about 15.6 mW.

Under the resonance operated condition at the frequency of about 50 Hz, a prototype of scavenging device is about 90 V AC peak-to-peak voltage and the durability of scavenging device is 9.715 years.

Durability of PZT at different environmental conditions plays a very important role for the continuous function of low power devices. The output of PZT may change when the working time increases in addition with the mechanical properties.

Spray-applied fire-resistive materials (SFRMs) are the most commonly used passive fire protection for steel structure in the USA. However, they are often called into question because of their poor durability (cohesive and adhesive) performance. Being an inherently brittle material with low tensile strength, SFRM tends to dislodge and delaminate under extreme loads and service loads. Such loss of fire protection greatly endangers the steel structures, especially under multi-hazards like post-earthquake/impact fires. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new technology of a ductile cement-based SFRM, namely, spray-applied fire-resistive engineered cementitious composite (SFR-ECC) that overcomes the aforementioned problems and contributes toward enhanced fire safety of steel structures.

SFR-ECC has been developed as a durable alternative to conventional SFRM by adopting engineered cementitious composite (ECC) technology in the material design process. Various experimental studies have also been conducted to fully evaluate the performance of SFR-ECC.

It is found that SFR-ECC possesses much better durability performance under both static and high-rate loading compared to conventional SFRMs. With many unique properties, applications of SFR-ECC for pre-fabrication of passive fire protection are also found to be feasible.

This paper is a comprehensive introduction of the newly developed SFR-ECC. It summarizes the key properties of SFR-ECC and provides a useful guideline for further investigation and field application of SFR-ECC.