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This paper gives a bibliographical review of the finite element methods (FEMs) applied to the analysis of ceramics and glass materials. The bibliography at the end of the paper contains references to papers, conference proceedings and theses/dissertations on the subject that were published between 1977‐1998. The following topics are included: ceramics – material and mechanical properties in general, ceramic coatings and joining problems, ceramic composites, ferrites, piezoceramics, ceramic tools and machining, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, applications of ceramic/composites in engineering; glass – material and mechanical properties in general, glass fiber composites, material processing simulations, fracture mechanics and damage, and applications of glasses in engineering.

Academic libraries do not operate in a vacuum; they must co-exist with change and competition on all levels. In order to succeed, they must know their internal strengths in order to take advantage of opportunities, whilst avoiding threats and addressing weaknesses. A SWOT analysis of Jamaican academic libraries can yield strategic insights for academic library praxis in Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the globe. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Survey and discussion group were engaged for the five local academic libraries in higher education in Jamaica.

Human resources and support are the most recurrent themes in the reported strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

This paper focused on local academic libraries in higher education (university level) in Jamaica. A survey of academic libraries at all levels, and using more detailed strategic analytical tools, would be a useful follow up.

This paper provides academic library managers and the national/regional library associations with a situational analysis of Jamaican academic librarianship, which can be used to inform future planning and management of library and information services. Additionally, the findings can inform the Latin America and Caribbean section of international library documents on trends, issues and future position of academic libraries globally.

This paper is of value as it is the first published scholarly documentation on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in academic librarianship in Jamaica. In this regard, it makes a useful contribution to the dearth of literature on SWOT analyses of academic libraries per country. It may also represent a starting point for looking at solutions and emerging challenges in a Caribbean academic library environment and should help to focus on the need for continuing innovation.

From the factors that affect shear strength of reinforced concrete (RC) beams, the study examines the effect of controversial parameters, width-to-depth (b/d) and effective length-to-depth (l_eff/d) ratio on shear strength of RC slender beams.

The researchers utilized a database of 676 experimental test results from ACI-DAfStb database, Conducted regression analysis to examine relationship between b/d and l_eff/d ratios and shear strength, compare and analyze sensitivity to changes in b/d and l_eff/d ratios for the selected 12 shear models for RC beams.

Increasing b/d ratio enhanced shear strength until b/d ˜ 3, but further increases had limited impact and increasing l_eff/d ratio resulted in decreased shear strength. From comparative analysis, the models provided by various design standards were found to be safe, with EC-2 and JSCE models being conservative. From considered research models, Campione and Arslan models were conservative, while Kim and White model were observed to be unsafe. Sensitivity analysis indicated ACI318-19, JSCE, CEB-FIP-90 and Arslan models were sensitive to changes in b/d and l_eff/d ratios. National code models generally captured shear strength characteristics well. Certain models suggested a constant/decreasing b/d effect despite observed shear strength enhancement. Most models indicated improved shear strength with an increasing l_eff/d ratio, contrary to experimental findings while TS500 and Hwang models aligned with experimental results.

The study's limitations include the dependence on the available database, which may not encompass all possible experimental scenarios. Further research should aim to expand the database and investigate additional parameters that may influence shear strength in RC beams.

The findings of this study have practical implications for the design and analysis of RC beams by suggesting that the width-to-depth and length-to-depth ratios should be carefully considered to optimize shear strength. The identified models can assist engineers in selecting appropriate shear strength prediction models based on specific design scenarios.

The study contributes to the advancement of knowledge in the field of reinforced concrete beam design, which has implications for the safety and reliability of structural systems. By understanding the factors influencing shear strength, engineers can design more efficient and robust structures, ensuring the safety of buildings and infrastructure.

This study provides valuable insights into the influence of the width-to-depth and effective length-to-depth ratios on shear strength in reinforced concrete beams. It contributes to the understanding of these factors and their impact on shear strength, addressing the lack of consensus among researchers. The comparative analysis of shear models and the sensitivity analyses add value by identifying the models that align better with experimental observations. The study emphasizes the need for accurate models that account for these factors and highlights the importance of further research to refine and develop improved predictive models.

In the recent years, the industries show interest in natural and synthetic fibre-reinforced hybrid composites due to weight reduction and environmental reasons. The purpose of this experimental study is to investigate the properties of the hybrid composites fabricated by using carbon, untreated and alkaline-treated hemp fibres.

The composites were tested for strengths under tensile, flexural, impact and shear loadings, and the water absorption characteristics were also observed. The finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out to analyse the elastic behaviour of the composites and predict the strength by using ANSYS 15.0.

From the experimental results, it is observed that the hybrid composites can withstand the maximum tensile strength of 61.4 MPa, flexural strength of 122.4 MPa, impact strength of 4.2 J/mm² and shear strength of 25.5 MPa. From the FEA results, it is found that the maximum stress during tensile, flexural and impact loading is 47.5, 2.1 and 1.03 MPa, respectively.

The results of the untreated and alkaline-treated hemp-carbon fibre composites were compared and found that the alkaline-treated composites perform better in terms of mechanical properties. Then, the ANSYS-predicted values were compared with the experimental results, and it was found that there is a high correlation occurs between the untreated and alkali-treated hemp-carbon fibre composites. The internal structure of the broken surfaces of the composite samples was analysed using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis.

This paper aims to investigate the performance of two novel numerical methods, the face-based smoothed finite element method (FS-FEM) and the edge-based smoothed finite element method (ES-FEM), which employ linear tetrahedral elements, for the purpose of strength assessment of a high-speed train hollow axle.

The calculation of stress for the wheelset, comprising an axle and two wheels, is facilitated through the application of the European axle strength design standard. This standard assists in the implementation of loading and boundary conditions and is exemplified by the typical CRH2 high-speed train wheelset. To evaluate the performance of these two methods, a hollow cylinder cantilever beam is first used as a benchmark to compare the present methods with other existing methods. Then, the strength analysis of a real wheelset model with a hollow axle is performed using different numerical methods.

The results of deflection and stress show that FS-FEM and ES-FEM offer higher accuracy and better convergence than FEM using linear tetrahedral elements. ES-FEM exhibits a superior performance to that of FS-FEM using linear tetrahedral elements, showing accuracy and convergence close to FEM using hexahedral elements.

This study channels the novel methods (FS-FEM and ES-FEM) in the static stress analysis of a railway wheelset. Based on the careful testing of FS-FEM and ES-FEM, both methods hold promise as more efficient tools for the strength analysis of complex railway structures.

Manufacturing of products loaded with torque in an incremental process should take into account the strength in relation to the internal structure of the details. Incremental processes allow for obtaining various internal structures, both in the production process itself and as a result of designing a three-dimensional computer-aided design model with programmable strength. Finite element analysis (FEA) is often used in the modeling process, especially in the area of topological optimization. There is a lack of data for numerical simulation processes, especially for the design of products loaded with torque and manufactured additive manufacturing (AM). The purpose of this study is to present the influence of the internal structure of samples produced in the material extrusion (MEX) technology on the tested parameters in the process of unidirectional torsion and to present the practical application of the obtained results on the example of a spline connection.

The work involved a process of unidirectional torsion of samples with different internal structures, produced in the MEX technology. The obtained results allowed for the FEA of the spline connection, which was compared with the test of unidirectional torsion of the connection.

The performance of the unidirectional torsion test and the obtained results allowed us to determine the influence of the internal structure and its density on the achieved values of the tested parameters of the analyzed prototype materials. The performed FEA of the spline connection reflects the deformation of the produced connection in the unidirectional torsion test.

There are no standards for the torsional strength of elements manufactured from polymeric materials using MEX methods, which is why the industry often does not use these methods due to the need to spend time on research, which is associated with high costs. In addition, the industry is vary of unknown solutions and limits their use. Therefore, it is important to determine, among others, the strength parameters of components manufactured using incremental methods, including MEX, so that they can be widely used because of their great potential and thus gain trust among the recipient market. In addition, taking into account the different densities of the applied filling structure of the samples made of six prototype materials commonly available from manufacturers allowed us to determine its effect on the torsional strength. The presented work can be the basis for constructors dealing with the design of elements manufactured in the MEX technology in terms of torsional strength. The obtained results also complement the existing material base in the FEA software and perform the strength analysis before the actual details are made to verify the existing irregularities that affect the strength of the details. The analysis of unidirectional torsion made it possible to supplement the material cards, which often refer to unprocessed material, e.g. in MEX processes.

The paper aims to review recent developments for analysis of deteriorating stiffened panels subjected to static and explosive forces.

The first part reviews numerical procedures developed for stiffened panels subjected to explosive forces. The structural idealization, the theoretical basis, and the merits of these methods are discussed. The second part reviews the probabilistic procedures developed for analysis of deteriorating stiffened panels. The third part reviews recent work developed in several finite element modelling philosophies for analysis of stiffened panels. The influence of various parameters affecting the structural performance, such as geometric and material imperfections, corrosion, residual stresses, etc. is discussed. The fourth part reviews hybrid procedures developed to provide approximate solutions for the designers. Numerical procedure is presented using combination of energy formulations and mathematical programming techniques to model the interaction between the box girder components.

Localized damage largely affects the performance of stiffened panels and must be accounted for in the design phase. Little emphasis was given in the published literature to developing simplified analytical models that can be used in practice to compute the residual strength of the stiffened panels under these types of loadings. Furthermore, analytical expressions are required to compute the reduction in the stiffness induced due to the structural or material defects. These expressions must be dependent on the type of damage. It must be noted that some of this damages is localized in nature and must be accounted for by using specialized functions to assess the structural defect accurately. Research work is required in this direction.

The paper provides useful resource material for the engineers in practice regarding recent techniques developed to assess damaged stiffened panels subject to static and explosive loadings. The paper reviews work developed over the past 20 years that can be used as a baseline for future developments.

Very limited literature dealt with the ultimate strength of damaged stiffened structure under static and explosive forces. No guidelines are available in current design codes to assess the damage in predicting the strength of deteriorating stiffened panels.

This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the analysis and design of machine elements; bolts and screws, belts and chains, springs and dampers, brakes, gears, bearings, gaskets and seals are handled. The range of applications of finite elements on these subjects is extremely wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore the aim of this paper is to give FE researchers/users only an encyclopaedic view of the different possibilities that exist today in the various fields mentioned above. An Appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on finite element applications in the analysis/design of machine elements for 1977‐1997.

This chapter presents a data envelopment analysis (DEA) based relative financial strength (RFS) indicator using accounting data that is predictive of stock market performance of public firms. Such an indicator is indispensable in the fundamental analysis of firms for stock portfolio selections. This methodology requires optimally configuring inputs and outputs for the DEA model such that the strength indicator is maximally correlated with observed stock returns. This optimized RFS indicator providing the maximum predictive strength of stock returns is determined by factors such as asset utilization, leverage, profitability, and growth rates, in addition to the well-known factor, book-to-market ratio. Computational evidence is provided using more than 800 firms covering all major sectors of the U.S. stock market. Using quarterly financial data, we employ the RFS indicator to devise portfolios that yield superior financial performance relative to using portfolios of sector-based funds.

The purpose of this study a fast procedure for the structural analysis of gas turbine blades in aircraft engines. In this connection, investigations on the behavior of gas turbine blades concentrate on the analysis and evaluation of starting dynamics and fatigue strength. Besides, the influence of structural mistuning on the vibration characteristics of the single blade is analyzed and discussed.

A basic computation cycle is generated from a flight profile to describe the operating history of the gas turbine blade properly. Within an approximation approach for high-frequency vibrations, maximum vibration amplitudes are computed by superposition of stationary frequency responses by means of weighting functions. In addition, a two-way coupling approach determines the influence of structural mistuning on the vibration of a single blade. Fatigue strength of gas turbine blades is analyzed with a semi-analytical approach. The progressive damage analysis is based on MINER’s damage accumulation assuming a quasi-stable behavior of the structure.

The application to a gas turbine blade shows the computational capabilities of the approach presented. Structural characteristics are obtained by robust and stable computations using a detailed finite element model considering different load conditions. A high quality of results is realized while reducing the numerical costs significantly.

The method used for analyzing the starting dynamics is based on the assumption of a quasi-static state. For structures with a sufficiently high stiffness, such as the gas turbine blades in the present work, this procedure is justified. The fatigue damage approach relies on the existence of a quasi-stable cyclic stress condition, which in general occurs for isotropic materials, as is the case for gas turbine blades.

Owing to the use of efficient analysis methods, a fast evaluation of the gas turbine blade within a stochastic analysis is feasible.

The fast numerical methods and the use of the full finite element model enable performing a structural analysis of any blade structure with a high quality of results.