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In this paper, a 3D DEM program TRUBAL, which is capable of calculating the contact between particles considering friction and local plastic deformation, is employed to study the evolution of internal structure of particle assemblies during the consolidation process. Uniaxial powder compaction process is simulated in a cubic periodic unit cell by applying the strain rate to the individual particles. The selection of the proper time steps in DEM for quasi‐static case is discussed. Results in particle scale (microscopic) are obtained and correlated to the statistical bulk response of the assembly. The effects of the microscopic properties of particles (such as friction, plastic contact) on the bulk mechanical response are examined by numerical tests. Correlations between the microscopic properties of particles and the macroscopic continuum behaviours of compacts are discussed. These discussions make it possible to fit DEM results at a macroscopic scale to the experimental measurements by adjusting the particle properties in DEM calculation. An example test is carried out to demonstrate that DEM results could be fitted properly to the experimental results, in the mean time, also provide some microscopic results which are hard to be measured. DEM has the potential to incorporate the microscopic properties of particles into a proper continuum model to perform combined macro and micro study of the powder compaction process.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the formation and growth mechanism of bulk Cu₆Sn₅ intermetallic compounds, selecting Sn‐Ag‐Cu‐Ce solders as specimens.

In order to further enhance the properties of SnAgCu solder, trace amount of rare earth Ce was selected as alloying addition into the alloy; in previous investigations, the enhancements include better wettability, physical properties, creep strength and tensile strength. In this paper, the microstructure of Sn‐Ag‐Cu‐Ce soldered joints and its interfacial intermetallic compounds were investigated. Moreover, different morphologies of Cu₆Sn₅ IMCs were enumerated and described, and Ostwald ripening theory was employed to interpret the formation mechanism of bulk Cu₆Sn₅ IMCs.

In addition, based on finite element simulation, it is found that the von Mises stress concentrate around the bulk Cu₆Sn₅ IMCs inside the Sn‐Ag‐Cu‐Ce soldered joints after three thermal cycling loading (−55‐125°C). From the stress distribution, the failure site was predicted to fracture near the bulk Cu₆Sn₅ IMCs interface. This coincides with the experimental findings significantly.

The results presented in this paper may provide a theory guide for developing novel lead‐free solders as well as reliability investigation of lead‐free soldered joints.

Cultural and creative industries (CCIs) have been argued to play an important role in achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). However, the mechanisms through which CCIs contribute to the attainment of SDGs remain underexplored. In this study, the authors adopt a network perspective to examine how the structure of a local CCI network relates to its local sustainability performance. By examining a database of 210,182 networked firms out of 1.34 million CCI firms across 294 cities in China, the authors conclude that both the scale and the density of a local CCI network improve the city’s performance in terms of attaining SDGs 8–12. The authors discuss the implications of these findings and propose future research avenues in international business.

This study analyses direct effects of risk-related factors on perceived quality for private labels.

A total of 159 usable data was collected through survey, using mall intercept method in one regional retail chain in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The results confirm that the perceived risk has a significant and negative impact on consumers’ perceptions of the quality of private labels, and that the financial risk, performance risk, and physical risk are significant determinants of overall perceived risk, thus indirectly influencing the perception of the quality of these brands.

This chapter shows that the perceived quality of private labels is significantly determined by the perceived risk to which consumers are exposed. The findings of this research can help retailers in terms of adequately defining marketing policies aimed at reducing the perceived risk that consumers are exposed to when purchasing their own brands.

To provide an improved version of SIMPLER algorithm which can enhance the convergence rate of the iterative solution procedure in the field of computational fluid dynamics analysis.

The improved version of SIMPLER algorithm is developed by modifying the coefficients of the velocity correction equation and implementing the correction of pressure within an iteration cycle.

The CSIMPLER algorithm (the improved version) can enhance the convergence rate for almost all cases tested, especially for the low under‐relaxation factor situations. The pressure correction term even can be overrelaxed to further enhance the convergence rate.

The CSIMPLER algorithm can enhance the rate of convergence to different degree for different problems. It can only be adopted to solve the incompressible fluid flow and heat transfer.

CSIMPLER is a simple and effectual method to enhance the convergence rate of the iterative process for the computational fluid dynamics analysis. The existing code of SIMPLER can be easily changed to CSIMPLER.

The paper developed an improved version of SIMPLER algorithm with some minor changes in the existing SIMPLER code.

The purpose of this paper is to numerically evaluate the reliability of SnAgCuCe solder joints compared with that of SnAgCu. A trace amount of the rare earth (RE) element Ce was added into SnAgCu solder in order to improve the reliability of lead‐free solder joints, which was evaluated based on finite element simulation and experiments.

A finite element method and an Anand constitutive model were employed to analyze the reliability of SnAgCuCe and SnAgCu solder joints in fine pitch quad flat packages under thermal cycling. The mechanical properties and reliability of solder joints were characterized by using thermal fatigue and creep tests, while the microstructure of the solder alloy and SnAgCu/SnAgCuCe solder joints were also investigated in the experimental procedure.

The simulation results indicated that SnAgCuCe solder joints had better reliability than SnAgCu. In addition, the experimental results accorded well with those of simulation, the thermal fatigue property and creep resistance of solder joints was increased by adding cerium. SnAgCuCe alloy can get its microstructure refinement improved and the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer at the solder/Cu interface decreased significantly compared to that of SnAgCu.

The findings provide certain guidelines to the reliability evaluation of solder joints when applying novel RE containing solder alloys in practical electronics industry applications. In the meantime, the reason for the superior reliability of SnAgCuCe solder joints can be explained from the property and microstructural point‐of‐view.

A comparative study is performed to reveal the convergence characteristics and the robustness of four variants in the semi‐implicit method for pressure‐linked equations (SIMPLE)‐family: SIMPLE, SIMPLE revised (SIMPLER), SIMPLE consistent (SIMPLEC), and SIMPLE extrapolation (SIMPLEX). The focus is concentrated in the solution at fine grid system. Four typical fluid flow and heat transfer problems are taken as the numerical examples (lid‐driven cavity flow, flow in an axisymmetric sudden expansion, flow in an annulus with inner surface rotating and the natural convection in a square enclosure). It is found that an appropriate convergence condition should include both mass conservation and momentum conservation requirements. For the four problems computed, the SIMPLEX always requires the largest computational time, the SIMPLER comes the next, and the computational time of SIMPLE and SIMPLEC are the least. As far as the robustness is concerned, the SIMPLE algorithm is the worst, the SIMPLER comes the next and the robustness of SIMPLEX and SIMPLEC are superior to the others. The SIMPLEC algorithm is then recommended, especially for the computation at a fine grid system. Brief discussion is provided to further reveal the reasons which may account for the difference of the four algorithms.

This study investigates the economic outcomes of the strategic deviation (SD), the fundamental and crucial question in institutional theory and strategic management. Previous studies have yielded contradictory findings. This study reconciles conflicting results by distinguishing the effects of the SD on financial and market performance, examining the mechanism of financing constraints and the boundary condition of institutional investor heterogeneity.

This research collected data from Chinese A-shares listed manufacturing firms from 2009 to 2021 from the CSMAR and Wind databases. This study conducted empirical tests using OLS models with Stata 15.

Empirical results demonstrate that the SD has different impacts on different dimensions of performance. The SD negatively impacts financial performance while positively impacts market performance. Financing constraints mediate the main effects. Moreover, transactional institutional investors positively moderate the negative effect of the SD on financial performance, whereas stable institutional investors negatively moderate the positive effect of the SD on market performance.

By systematically revealing how the SD has different effects on financial and market performance, this study reconciles the debate on the SD between institutional theorists and strategy scholars. This research makes contributions to the research stream by providing reasonable explanations for conflicting conclusions. Furthermore, by introducing the overlooked perspective of financing constraints, this research identifies crucial mediating mechanisms and highlights the double-edged effect of financing constraints, enriching our understanding of financing constraints. Finally, this study investigates the moderating effects of institutional investor heterogeneity, thereby making valuable contributions to the comprehension of boundary conditions.

The purpose of this paper is to establish a new two-phase Discrete Element Method (DEM) model to investigate the movement of fresh concrete which consists of mortar and aggregate. The established DEM model was adopted to simulate the mixing process of fresh concrete based on the commercial software package PFC3D. The trajectories of particles and particle clusters were recorded to analyze the mixing behavior from different scales. On one hand, the macro-scale movement was obtained to make the mixing process visualization. On the other hand, the relative micro movement of the single particle and particle clusters was also monitored to further study the mixing mechanism of the fresh concrete.

A new two-phase DEM model was designed to simulate the movement of fresh concrete which consists of mortar and aggregate. The linear-spring dashpot model was used to model all the contacts between particle and particle/wall to characterize the viscidity of fresh concrete. Moreover, two sets of parallel bond models were employed to characterize the contact between the mortar particles and mortar/coarse aggregate particles, namely the pbond1 and pbond2. The hybrid treatment enables the current DEM model to handle the yield behavior.

The mixing process of fresh concrete is mainly composed by the transportation in the x-direction and the overturn and fall off in the y- and z-directions. With these movements in different directions, the concrete particles can be fully mixed in the mixing drum.

A new two-phase DEM model was proposed and used to simulate the mixing process of fresh concrete. The outcomes of the simulation would be helpful for making the transporting truck visualization and the movement behavior of fresh concrete observable. The model can provide dynamic information of particles to reveal the interaction mechanism of fresh concrete in the truck mixer which is extremely difficult to obtain on-line in physical experiments or building site.