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Currently, there are some finite element head models developed by research groups all around the world. Nevertheless, the majority are not geometrically accurate. One of the problems is the brain geometry, which usually resembles a sphere. This may raise problems when reconstructing any event that involves brain kinematics, such as accidents, affecting the correct evaluation of resulting injuries. Thus, the purpose of this study is to develop a new finite element head model more accurate than the existing ones.

In this work, a new and geometrically detailed finite element brain model is proposed. Special attention was given to sulci and gyri modelling, making this model more geometrically accurate than currently available ones. In addition, these brain features are important to predict specific injuries such as brain contusions, which usually involve the crowns of gyri.

The model was validated against experimental data from impact tests on cadavers, comparing the intracranial pressure at frontal, parietal, occipital and posterior fossa regions.

As this model is validated, it can be now used in accident reconstruction and injury evaluation and even as a design tool for protective head gear.

The purpose of this paper is to give a review on the newest developments of high-performance finite element methods (FEMs), and exhibit the recent contributions achieved by the authors’ group, especially showing some breakthroughs against inherent difficulties existing in the traditional FEM for a long time.

Three kinds of new FEMs are emphasized and introduced, including the hybrid stress-function element method, the hybrid displacement-function element method for Mindlin–Reissner plate and the improved unsymmetric FEM. The distinguished feature of these three methods is that they all apply the fundamental analytical solutions of elasticity expressed in different coordinates as their trial functions.

The new FEMs show advantages from both analytical and numerical approaches. All the models exhibit outstanding capacity for resisting various severe mesh distortions, and even perform well when other models cannot work. Some difficulties in the history of FEM are also broken through, such as the limitations defined by MacNeal’s theorem and the edge-effect problems of Mindlin–Reissner plate.

These contributions possess high value for solving the difficulties in engineering computations, and promote the progress of FEM.

This study aims to introduce the hybrid finite element (FE) – meshfree method and multiscale variational principle into the traditional mixed FE formulation, leading to a stable mixed formulation for incompressible linear elasticity which circumvents the need to satisfy inf-sup condition.

Using the hybrid FE–meshfree method, the displacement and pressure are interpolated conveniently with the same order so that a continuous pressure field can be obtained with low-order elements. The multiscale variational principle is then introduced into the Galerkin form to obtain stable and convergent results.

The present method is capable of overcoming volume locking and does not exhibit unphysical oscillations near the incompressible limit. Moreover, there are no extra unknowns introduced in the present method because the fine-scale unknowns are eliminated using the static condensation technique, and there is no need to evaluate any user-defined stability parameter as the classical stabilization methods do. The shape functions constructed in the present model possess continuous derivatives at nodes, which gives a continuous and more precise stress field with no need of an additional smooth process. The shape functions in the present model also possess the Kronecker delta property, so that it is convenient to impose essential boundary conditions.

The proposed model can be implemented easily. Its convergence rates and accuracy in displacement, energy and pressure are even comparable to those of second-order mixed elements.

This chapter explores the stock price impact of expirations of lock-up provisions that prevent insiders from selling their shares after the Initial Public Offering (IPO). We examine 172 lock-up expirations of 142 IPOs floated on Germany’s Neuer Markt. We detect significant negative abnormal returns and a 25% increase in trading volume surrounding lock-up expiration. The negative abnormal returns are larger for firms with high volatility; superior performance after the IPO, low free float, and venture capital financed firms. The negative price reaction is significantly stronger for the expiration of voluntary lock-up agreements than for mandatory prohibitions of disposal.

The purpose of this paper is to extend a recent unsymmetric 8-node, 24-DOF hexahedral solid element US-ATFH8 with high distortion tolerance, which uses the analytical solutions of linear elasticity governing equations as the trial functions (analytical trial function) to geometrically nonlinear analysis.

Based on the assumption that these analytical trial functions can still properly work in each increment step during the nonlinear analysis, the present work concentrates on the construction of incremental nonlinear formulations of the unsymmetric element US-ATFH8 through two different ways: the general updated Lagrangian (UL) approach and the incremental co-rotational (CR) approach. The key innovation is how to update the stresses containing the linear analytical trial functions.

Several numerical examples for 3D structures show that both resulting nonlinear elements, US-ATFH8-UL and US-ATFH8-CR, perform very well, no matter whether regular or distorted coarse mesh is used, and exhibit much better performances than those conventional symmetric nonlinear solid elements.

The success of the extension of element US-ATFH8 to geometrically nonlinear analysis again shows the merits of the unsymmetric finite element method with analytical trial functions, although these functions are the analytical solutions of linear elasticity governing equations.

Lao PDR, as the sole land‐locked country in South East Asia, is dependent upon available infrastructure in neighbouring countries for fast and efficient import of goods. The validity of a cost model for multimodal transport, which was originally proposed by Beresford and Dubey (1990) and developed by Beresford (1999), is tested against a real case in international logistics, namely the import of wine from Marseilles in France to Vientiane in Lao PDR. The main elements of the model are as follows: cost, time, distance, transport mode and intermodal transfer. The model is tested using real data over a series of alternative routes between Marseilles and Vientiane. The selection of appropriate international logistics system will have a direct impact on the efficiency of Lao PDR import channels. The research findings clearly demonstrate that the “sea‐road” combination via Danang Port in Vietnam is the most competitive in terms of costs while the “sea‐rail‐road” option via port Klang in Malaysia and through Thailand offers the fastest transit time.

States that one weakness of new product introduction (NPI) is the elapsed time required to bring the product to market. Many manufacturing companies are losing the competitive race in this area to the speedy and effective execution process, which other successful companies (for example, some Japanese electronic manufacturers) use. Analyzes two sets of companies: those that bring the products to market early; and those which do so late. Describes the advantages of a company bringing product into the marketplace before its competitors, and how a company can wrestle away a larger share of the marketplace. Also provides some closed form algorithms for computing projected shares of sales volume. Using this formula, a company can compute what sales volume a company can lock‐in by introducing a product to market when demand or need for a product is at its peak. Also provides a computational means for calculating possible loss of revenues when a company is not able to bring a product timely to the marketplace.

The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology of comparing concession projects developed in different transport sub-sectors. The methodology is tested in the comparison of three different cases, each of which represent a particular mode of transport: a road development project, a city tramway project and a port lock construction initiative.

A fuzzy logic approach methodology is applied in carrying out the comparison between cases. Granulation is achieved by employing a Contextual (Ws) Risk Analysis Framework, as risks constitute the basis to public private partnership (PPP) structure. Linguistic variables are then used to describe the comparative findings.

The methodology presented allows for the comparison of three cases from different transport sub-sectors. Identification of similarities provides the potential to transfer experience from one sector to the other. With respect to the three cases studied, it was identified that traffic risk seems to be passed on to the private operators in relation to the level of exclusivity. Finally, PPP projects initiated by central government (as opposed to those initiated by local governments) seem to be more finance-driven than service-driven.

As the number of cases to be compared increases, quantitative comparative analysis fuzzy set values can be included in order to carry out a full analysis. The present approach should be considered introductory, as fuzzy sets are not generated due to the limited number of surveys (cases) compared (hence the term “pre-fuzzy”).

The methodology presented and the cases tested indicate the possibility for knowledge/experience transfer and the transferability of best practices.

Cross-sub-sectoral comparisons for transport PPP projects have not been identified in literature.

The compact shelving discussed in this article is defined as moveable shelving driven, in the main, by electric power. The shelving eliminates all but one aisle in any set of ranges of shelving. Most such shelving moves in a perpendicular direction on rails mounted on the floor. Moveable compact shelving provides a successful permanent answer to the storage and preservation problems that afflict many libraries. Its advantages greatly outweigh its minor disadvantages. “Any library which installs such a system will find that it has made a prudent and cost‐effective investment.”

THIS number will appear at the beginning of the Leeds Conference. Although there is no evidence that the attendance will surpass the record attendance registered at the Birmingham Conference, there is every reason to believe that the attendance at Leeds will be very large. The year is one of importance in the history of the city, for it has marked the 300th anniversary of its charter. We hope that some of the festival spirit will survive into the week of the Conference. As a contributor has suggested on another page, we hope that all librarians who attend will do so with the determination to make the Conference one of the friendliest possible character. It has occasionally been pointed out that as the Association grows older it is liable to become more stilted and formal; that institutions and people become standardized and less dynamic. This, if it were true, would be a great pity.