This paper investigates the limits and efficacies of the Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) material for strengthening mid-rise RC buildings against seismic actions. Turkey, the region of the highest seismic risk in Europe, is chosen as the case-study country, the building stock of which consists in its vast majority of mid-rise RC residential and/or commercial buildings. Strengthening with traditional methods is usually applied in most projects, as ordinary construction materials and no specialized workmanship are required. However, in cases of tight time constraints, architectural limitations, durability issues or higher demand for ductile performance, FRP material is often opted for since the most recent Turkish Earthquake Code allows engineers to employ this advanced-technology product to overcome issues of inadequate ductility or shear capacity of existing RC buildings. The paper compares strengthening of a characteristically typical mid-rise Turkish RC building by two methods, i.e., traditional column jacketing and FRP strengthening, evaluating their effectiveness with respect to the requirements of the Turkish Earthquake Code. The effect of FRP confinement is explicitly taken into account in the numerical model, unlike the common procedure followed according to which the demand on un-strengthened members is established and then mere section analyses are employed to meet the additional demands.
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''This research aims to address a post-earthquake urgent strengthening measure to enhance the residual seismic capacity of earthquake-damaged reinforced concrete wall structures with coupling beams. The study consists of a series of tests on half-scale prototype coupling beams with various detailing options, including confined with reduced confinement, partially confined, and unconfined bundles, under cyclic loading conditions. The methodology employed involved subjecting the specimens to displacement-controlled reversal tests, and carefully monitoring their response using strain gauges and potentiometers. The main results obtained reveal that GFRP wrapping significantly enhances the seismic performance of earthquake-damaged coupling beams, even in cases where specimens experienced strength loss and main reinforcement rupture. The strengthened beams exhibit commendable ductility, maintaining high levels of deformation capacity, and satisfying the requirements of relevant seismic design codes. The significance of the study lies in providing valuable insights into the behavior and performance of damaged coupling beams and assessing the effectiveness of GFRP wrapping as a rapid and practical post-earthquake strengthening technique. The findings can be particularly useful for developing urgent post-earthquake strengthening strategies for high-rise buildings with structural walls. The method may be particularly useful for mitigating potential further damage in aftershocks and eventual collapse. In conclusion, this study represents a significant advancement in understanding the post-earthquake behaviors of coupling beams and provides valuable guidance for practitioners in making informed decisions regarding post-earthquake strengthening projects. The findings contribute to the overall safety and resilience of structures in earthquake-prone regions.''
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In Social Work research there is a strong debate on the distinctiveness and methodological quality, and how to address the dilemma of rigour and practice relevance. Given the nature of Social Work the field has developed a characteristic research culture that puts emphasis on giving voice to service users and disseminating research knowledge in practice, especially in a stream of so called practice-based research. However, there is no consensus on how to best contribute to the practice of Social Work through research and at the same time producing rigourous scientific outcomes, resulting in methodological pluralism. Studying the perceptions of Social Work researchers on their role, the aims and values of Social Work research and their research approach, provides insight into the methodological pluralism of Social Work research. Thirty-four professors specialising in practice-based Social Work research participated in a Q methodology study. Q methodology combines qualitative and quantitative methods. It helped reveal and describe divergent views as well as consensus. The analysis led to the identification of three differing viewpoints on Social Work research, which have been given the following denominators: The Substantiator, The Change Agent and The Enlightener. The viewpoints provide researchers in the field of Social Work with a framework in which they can position themselves in the methodological pluralism. Researchers state that the viewpoints are helpful in clarifying perspectives on good research, facilitate the discourse on methodological choices to further develop and strengthen Social Work research as a scientific discipline
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Advances in technology are opening up new learning opportunities, consequently having an impact on conventional teaching and learning concepts. The roles of teachers, students and universities are also being transformed worldwide. The Academy for Leisure & Events of BUas has always been part of the above quest.Therefore, it is crucial that teaching methods and learning experiences in higher education are dynamic and continuously incorporate innovative approaches as well as integrate new technologies. After all, it is essential to be prepared for the way students learn nowadays and for the future demand coming.It is now more important than ever, especially considering the challenging coronavirus times we are in, for Breda University of Applied Sciences – as a partner of this project – to actively contribute to strengthening staff capacities in innovative teaching and learning methods and digital skills. For instance by offering training courses in a blended model, combining face-to-face teacher training with MOOCs and e-learning.As designing meaningful experiences has always been at the heart of the mission and work ofthe Academy for Leisure & Events, this project builds upon further extension of networks in teaching and learning innovation in national and international higher education contexts.Partners:FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Universidad de Lima, Universidad Catolica San Pablo, Universidad de Piura, Universidad Austral de Chile, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Universidad Vina del Mar
Due to the exponential growth of ecommerce, the need for automated Inventory management is crucial to have, among others, up-to-date information. There have been recent developments in using drones equipped with RGB cameras for scanning and counting inventories in warehouse. Due to their unlimited reach, agility and speed, drones can speed up the inventory process and keep it actual. To benefit from this drone technology, warehouse owners and inventory service providers are actively exploring ways for maximizing the utilization of this technology through extending its capability in long-term autonomy, collaboration and operation in night and weekends. This feasibility study is aimed at investigating the possibility of developing a robust, reliable and resilient group of aerial robots with long-term autonomy as part of effectively automating warehouse inventory system to have competitive advantage in highly dynamic and competitive market. To that end, the main research question is, “Which technologies need to be further developed to enable collaborative drones with long-term autonomy to conduct warehouse inventory at night and in the weekends?” This research focusses on user requirement analysis, complete system architecting including functional decomposition, concept development, technology selection, proof-of-concept demonstrator development and compiling a follow-up projects.
In het kader van het Hoogwaterbeschermingsprogramma (HWBP) neemt de vraag naar klei voor het versterken van dijken toe, echter is het aanbod beperkt. Dit voorstel richt zich op ontwikkelen van nieuwe duurzame en kosteneffectieve technieken die het mogelijk maken om zout sediment uit estuaria in te kunnen zetten voor de dijkversterkingsopgave. Gebiedseigen materiaal, met name het zoute slib, kan worden ingezet voor klei productie in lokale dijkverzwaring en draagt bij aan duurzaam grondstoffenverbruik, klimaatadaptatie en de ecologische kwaliteit van estuaria. Met het project “Ontzouten rijpend slib voor Deltabescherming” gaan het lectoraat Sustainable River Management van de HAN, Ecoshape, Netics in samenwerking met partijen verenigd in het interbestuurlijk project IBP-VLOED onderzoeken hoe zout slib (kosten)effectief kan worden ontdaan van het zout, zodat het gebruikt kan worden in de regionale dijkversterkingsopgave. In IBP-Vloed zijn alle relevante nationale en regionale (semi)overheden, kennisinstellingen en belangenorganisaties vertegenwoordigd die zich richten op hergebruik van slib uit het Eems-Dollard estuarium. Beoogd wordt om een geschikte kosteneffectieve en schaalbare ontzoutingsmethode (strategie) te ontwikkelen die rekening houdt met de samenhang van de governing parameters en de heterogeniteit in samenstelling en structuur van het zoute slib uit estuaria zoals het Eems-Dollard gebied. De resultaten worden gepresenteerd tijdens een workshop en gebundeld in de vorm van best practices.
