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This chapter explores a descriptive theory of multidimensional travel behaviour, estimation of quantitative models, and demonstration in an agent-based microsimulation.

A descriptive theory on multidimensional travel behaviour is conceptualised. It theorizes multidimensional knowledge updating, search start/stopping criteria, and search/decision heuristics. These components are formulated or empirically modelled and integrated in a unified and coherent approach.

The theory is supported by empirical observations and the derived quantitative models are tested by an agent-based simulation on a demonstration network.

Based on artificially intelligent agents, learning and search theory, and bounded rationality, this chapter makes an effort to embed a sound theoretical foundation for the computational process approach and agent-based microsimulations. A pertinent new theory is proposed with experimental observations and estimations to demonstrate agents with systematic deviations from the rationality paradigm. Procedural and multidimensional decision-making are modelled. The numerical experiment highlights the capabilities of the proposed theory in estimating rich behavioural dynamics.

Building the relationship between retting termination and pectin content remained in the fiber is crucial for ensuring the identity quality of retted flax. In order to measure the pectin content, pectin must be removed thoroughly from the fiber. The purpose of this paper is to find the most suitable method to extract pectin from flax phloem fiber.

Methods of extracting pectin from fruits were employed to ensure the complete removal of pectin from flax for the first time, including extraction with ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, hydrochloric acid and ion exchange resin. Traditional ammonium oxalate-KOH method was adopted as control. Each procedure was optimized according to the yield of pectin. A characteristic chromogenic technique for determining the exact pectin amount was used, which ensured the precise measurement of pectin extracted.

Results showed that comparing with the traditional ammonium oxalate-KOH method, methods of hydrochloric acid and ion exchange resin extract >95 percent (w/w) pectin and the extract conditions are much milder.

Bulk of literatures have covered the problem of how to define the quality of retted flax. But the flax industry in China still uses sensory method to check the retting termination. Connect the fiber quality with pectin content is a brand new idea. Also, the exaction method employed from fruit pectin extract is applied in flax pectin for the first time. These methods are essential for building the relationship between the pectin content and retting termination and also significant for discovering the suitable enzyme for enzyme retting.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the behavior of ultra-thin film formation at the start-up of motion for different acceleration rates and final entrainment speed, including the effect of intermolecular forces; solvation and Van der Waals’ in addition to hydrodynamic action for the elastohydrodynamic lubrication of point contact problems.

The equation of motion of the ball is considered to account for the applied force on the ball during the start-up of motion. The Newton–Raphson with Gauss–Seidel iterative method is used to solve the Reynolds, film thickness and load balance equations simultaneously. In addition to hydrodynamic effects, solvation and Van der Waals’ forces are taken into account in the calculation of bearing capacity.

The simulation results showed that the effects of acceleration rate are important for ultra-thin film formation at the start-up of motion. Increasing the rate of acceleration results in a higher value of central film thickness during the start-up of motion than the corresponding steady-state film thickness value reached at the final entrainment speed. The effects of intermolecular forces are important to prevent metal-to-metal contact during the inactive period of motion, where a constant value of film thickness is achieved regardless of the value of the acceleration rate or final entrainment speed.

The behavior of ultra-thin film formation at start-up of motion, including the effect of intermolecular forces; solvation and Van-der-Waals’ along with hydrodynamic action, are evaluated after different acceleration rates and final entrainment speeds.