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Advancements in industry and increased energy demands have led to the construction of onshore and offshore platforms. The stability of these platforms is a major challenge for geotechnical engineers. Expandable anchors have recently been proposed to address this issue. Researchers have investigated the bearing capacity of anchors with different shapes and plate numbers using experimental and numerical methods. The use of a suitable method for numerical modeling of expandable anchors is necessary to determine their performance. The current study evaluated the bearing capacity of multi-plate anchors using the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian, discrete element, and finite element methods and compares their results. The effect of an increase in the number of plates (to three), the distance between plates, the plate shape (square or circular), and the soil density (80% or 60%) on the bearing capacity of the anchors was determined. The results showed that the Eulerian model was in very good agreement with the experimental results and that the square anchor exhibited a higher bearing capacity than the circular anchor. An equation is proposed for the calculation of the bearing capacity of expandable anchors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low water levels of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) in recent decades due to droughts and anthropogenic factors have exposed large portions of the lakebed. Archaeological surveys of the newly exposed areas yielded prehistoric sites, harbours, anchorages, shipwrecks, cargoes and shoreline installations, attesting to changing maritime activity on the lake through time. The different assemblages are presented and discussed within the context of the lake's highly specific physical and climatic settings. Scarcity of shelters, onshore winds and unpredictable lake-level changes influenced human activity, as reflected in the archaeological records. Collectively, the finds represent the history of maritime activity on the Sea of Galilee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prestressed anchor cables are commonly utilized to reinforce slopes in earthquake-prone zones. The existing upper bound limit analyses of seismic slopes reinforced with prestressed anchor cables have the following limitations: (1) neglecting variable seismic excitations; (2) ignoring the three-dimensional spatial layout of cables because of using the plane-strain analysis. In this study, the time-space effects of seismic waves are analytically described by sin-cos functions incorporating wave amplification or soil damping. Based on the upper bound of plastic theory and a three-dimensional discretized failure mechanism, internal energy dissipation rate and work rates contributed by gravitational forces, variable seismic excitations, and prestressed anchor cables are computed. An energy-based function of dynamic factors of safety (DFS) is established, followed by a global optimization to identify the critical harmonic pattern of DFS. The accuracy is checked by numerical simulations where the seismic stability of an engineering slope adjacent to Yu-Huai railway is evaluated. Comparisons also show that the conventional simplified method not only cannot reflect the spatial layout of cables but also overestimate the mechanical contribution of cables. Finally, the dominant effects of the layout of cables, soil properties as well as physical parameters of seismic waves on the DFS and the critical failure mechanism are discussed. A method to evaluate the stability of seismic cable-reinforced slopes A kinematical admissible 3D failure mechanism of cable-reinforced slopes is generated Critical harmonic pattern of safety factors is explicitly obtained. Effect of cable layout, dynamic parameters and soil properties are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study examining gender inequality in relation to the representation of female television news anchors in Portugal. Topics discussed include gender stereotypes in broadcast news, the subrepresentation of women anchors in relation to the glass ceiling theory, and the gender imbalance among female and male news anchors in the four main television channels.

We study the effect of perceivers' health conditions on their judgments of the well-being of target people (their judgments of the targets' day-to-day physical difficulties) based on information about the targets' health conditions. We develop a model which suggests that this effect depends on the similarity between perceivers' and targets' health: The perceiver's well-being is used as an anchor and the judgment of the target's well-being is either assimilated toward or contrasted away from this anchor, depending on the similarity between the subject's and target's health. Based on this model we derive and test the correlation-trend hypothesis which states that the higher the similarity between perceivers' and targets' conditions, the more positive the correlation between perceivers' conditions and their judgments of the targets well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract \nHighlights As the latest development and benchmark of a gravity installed anchor (GIA), the OMNI-Max anchor stands as a cutting-edge achievement and benchmark, finding increasingly widespread use within mooring systems due to its exceptional operational performance and adaptability. Notably, while investigations into the pullout capacity of OMNI-Max anchors have been conducted extensively in clay, the relevant studies are seldom observed in sand. Actually, the mechanical properties of sand are quite different from those of clay, and sand is also widely distributed in seabed soil. Full knowledge of OMNI-Max anchors not only in clay but also in sand is necessary to a wider application of the anchors. In the present work, the large deformation finite element (LDFE) method is adopted combined with the coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) technique to study the end-bearing characteristics of the OMNI-Max anchor in sand seabeds. A bounding-surface plasticity model is taken as the constitutive model to capture the characteristics of sand. Through investigation and analysis, OMNI-Max anchors are closely related to the anchor embedment depth, the soil relative density, the anchor orientation, the loading angle and the bearing area, so the working conditions related to these five factors are designed and calculated. An explicit expression of the end-bearing capacity factor is finally derived to provide a simple and fast tool of evaluating the pullout capacity of the anchor in sand under multiple factors. Validation cases and orthogonal tests have confirmed the effectiveness and applicability of the explicit expression.LDFE analyses with CEL technique and bounding-surface plasticity constitutive modelAn explicit expression of end-bearing capacity factor for OMNI-Max anchors in sandEffectiveness and applicability of the expression confirmed by various waysPullout capacity property of OMNI-Max anchors in sand under multiple factorsA simple and fast tool of evaluating the pullout capacity of OMNI-Max anchors in sand [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we show the impact of the outer scale on beam wander for laser beam propagation in non-Kolmogorov turbulence. The analysis is based on a new relation between non-Kolmogorov and Kolmogorov structure constants anchored on the outer scale. This approach is based on a measurable physical entity, the outer scale, and it insures the total power of the fluctuations of the refractive index is conserved when the power law changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening items for parameter drift helps protect against serious validity threats and ensure score comparability when equating forms. Although many high-stakes credentialing examinations operate with small sample sizes, few studies have investigated methods to detect drift in small sample equating. This study demonstrates that several newly researched drift detection strategies can improve equating accuracy under certain conditions with small samples where some anchor items display item parameter drift. Results showed that the recently proposed methods mINFIT and mOUTFIT as well as the more conventional Robust-z helped mitigate the adverse effects of drifting anchor items in conditions with higher drift levels or with more than 75 examinees. In contrast, the Logit Difference approach excessively removed invariant anchor items. The discussion provides recommendations on how practitioners working with small samples can use the results to make more informed decisions regarding item parameter drift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various forms of specification criteria exist in international codes for selecting the required level of prequalification for post-installed fasteners in concrete. In general, there are inconsistencies between existing specifications that tend to be tailored to each country's/region's seismicity, design, and construction practice. This study evaluates existing approaches and provides recommendations for selecting suitable seismic performance categories for regions without such specifications with a focus on low-to-moderate seismic regions such as Australia. A detailed review of international practice is presented followed by a holistic seismic assessment of reinforced concrete buildings. Based on the findings, a specification criterion for Australia is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of the sense of belonging is a lifelong process, which has no precise patterns and depends on individual experiences and feelings. For migrant children, it becomes central during transnational transitions and socialisation. To study the anchors and thresholds that shape a transnational sense of belonging of migrant children in Poland, this paper adopts the concept of social anchoring proposed by Grzymała-Kazłowska [2016. "Social Anchoring: Immigrant Identity, Security and Integration Reconnected?." Sociology 50 (6): 1123–1139]. The study derives from child-centred qualitative research with migrant children, their parents and their teachers. The analysis introduces the four dimensions of belonging formation, namely the formal, social, emotional and symbolic, which determine how migrant schoolchildren negotiate their sense of belonging during transnational transitions. This research stresses the significance of all four dimensions for children's socialisation and underlines that belonging becomes key in children's wellbeing and sets the priorities in multiple spheres, like education, friendship, interests, leisure, or future life plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The critical penetration depth and failure displacement of vertically loaded anchor (VLA) have already been investigated. However, only few investigations focused on the double-plate VLA. Therefore, based on the finite element method, the critical penetration depth for the double-plate VLA was obtained, which is approximately 6.0 times the width of the upper fluke of the double-plate VLA. According to the reduced-scale model tests, the failure displacement of the double-plate VLA with different included angles and dimensions of the bottom fluke under shallow-embedded and deep-embedded conditions was obtained. Furthermore, the failure displacement of double-plate VLA with 30° included angle and the dimension of bottom fluke equal to that of upper fluke under shallow-embedded and deep-embedded condition is 0.29 and 0.67 times the width of upper fluke, respectively. Based on the empirical bearing capacity formula for VLA model, an improved bearing capacity formula for double-plate VLA model has been put forward; by means of the improved bearing capacity formula, the coefficient of bearing capacity for double-plate VLA under shallow-embedded and deep-embedded condition is obtained to be 5.013 and 4.106, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although fiber reinforced polymers (FRPs) have become the most widely used material to strengthened existing concrete structures in shear, premature debonding of externally bonded FRP remains a significant cause of material under-utilisation. In an effort to suppress debonding failure, research has shown that the use of ±45° bidirectional fabric patch anchors can delay the occurrence of FRP debonding. However, most research to date on patch anchors has been based on joint-level tests and the data available on full-scale beam applications has been very limited. One means by which additional data can be generated on the performance of patch anchors when applied to full-scale beams is using finite element simulations. This paper presents a 2D and 3D non-linear finite element model calibrated using available data on prestressed T-beams strengthened in shear with FRP laminates and patch anchors. The models captured the failure modes, strains in the FRP and crack patterns of the specimens very well and predicted the failure load for the control, strengthened and anchored specimens within a margin of difference of 6–9%, 4–13% and 1–2%, respectively. Parametric studies involving variation of concrete strength and FRP thickness were conducted to generate additional data and the research findings are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the existing upper bound limit analyses (UBLA) of rotational slopes reinforced with prestressed anchor cables, the mobilized axial forces of all cables are assumed to be equal to the ultimate pullout force. However, such an assumption overestimates the mechanical contribution of prestressed anchor cables, resulting in excessively high safety factors. In this technical note, we aim to tackle this issue by proposing a pseudo-plastic design concept, in which soil masses and prestressed cables are treated as plastic and elastic-plastic, respectively, when slopes collapse. A pseudo-plastic failure model of prestressed anchor cables is proposed, where the variation of tension forces and movement of anchor heads are accounted for. Several interesting conclusions are drawn as follows: (1) Contrary to the conventional plastic failure mode of cables, upper bound solutions obtained by the proposed model are much closer to the exact solutions. (2) Variation of factors of safety (FSs) against the accumulated rotational displacement can be explained by the force-displacement curve obtained in the pullout test of prestressed anchor cables. (3) The sliding slope reinforced with cables may turn out to be stable after a slight rotational movement, which can be utilized in the economical design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Position tracking modeling and automatic control of an innovative anchor beam supporting robot are presented. Specifically, the forward and inverse kinematics model integrated with BP neural network and the mechanical-hydraulic co-simulation model based on ante-valve pressure compensation method are developed and applied. The experimental system is built to verify the models and method. The results show that position tracking precision can reach the sub-centimeter level. The influence of variable load on hydraulic flow control is weakened effectively and the stability and controllability of load sensitive system is improved. The developed model and control approach are valuable for virtual development and automated testing during the commissioning of hydraulic manipulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helical anchors are being considered an efficient alternative in offshore applications due to their advantages of being rapid, easy, and inexpensive to install. Hydraulic motors apply torque to the upper end of the screw shaft during installation. Therefore, the most important parameter to be considered during installation is the applied torque. When installing helical anchors, the uplift capacity can be estimated by knowing the torque or vice versa. Because the uncertainty of helical anchor failure mechanisms makes estimating the uplift capacity of helical anchors difficult, few theoretical studies that directly correlate uplift capacity with installation torque have been published. The aim of this study is to develop a theoretical model that describes the relationship between the uplift capacity and installation torque of helical anchors installed in sand. This model is based on an energy balance between the external work applied to the anchor during the installation process and energy dissipation due to the combined effects of penetration and frictional resistance. The research demonstrates that final installation torque, helical anchor geometry, blade pitch, soil characteristics, and helical anchor displacement all have a major role in the uplift capacity. This theoretical model's results agree well with several previous experimental and theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design of stock-anchors during the Age of Exploration (from the 15th into the 17th centuries AD), which is the primary design employed by European ships. Statistical analysis of published global finds is synthesised in conjunction with contemporary dating textual details. This study demonstrates that, while the iron-frame and wooden stock designs are comparable superficially, there are recognisable diachronic and geographical variations and features. Following a Classical Mediterranean foundation, its secondary roots can be isolated particularly to 1st millennium AD Northern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquakes have unfavorable effects of reducing uplift resistance of plate anchors. Present work investigates the seismic vertical uplift resistance of shallow buried square and rectangular plate anchors in granular soil by using the upper bound theorem of limit analysis in combination with pseudo-static approach. The influence of shear transfer at the interface between anchor plate and overlying soil has been taken into account. The uplift resistance was evaluated in terms of dimensionless factors due to component of soil weight and surcharge pressure on the ground surface for varying combinations of parameters involved in the present analysis. Results revealed that seismic uplift factors increase continuously with increasing soil friction angle and embedment ratio of anchors; whereas, the same reduce with increasing acceleration coefficients, shear factor and aspect ratio of anchors. A significant reduction was observed for higher shear factor and earthquake acceleration coefficients, especially for lower soil friction angle and embedment ratio, and for higher aspect ratio of anchors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research discusses post-installed anchors strengthened by post-installed reinforcement (PRs) under tensile loading. Both types of adhesive and expansion anchors were tested under tensile loading. The PRs are reinforcing bars that were installed in a vertical and an inclined direction around a single anchor, as different samples separately. In general, the results showed that the PRs in the vertical direction were more effective than those in the inclined direction. It was found that the tensile capacity of the adhesive anchors significantly improved using the PRs. Although, no major enhancement was recorded in the tensile capacity of the expansion anchors. For both types of anchors, the PRs prevented severe concrete breakout failure. Moreover, with the PRs, a higher ductile behavior was observed at both types of anchors. Employing PRs could be a feasible and practical method to strengthen anchorage systems in concrete and prevent severe damages in concrete substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many offshore and onshore platforms are constructed widely, especially in the energy supply sector. So far, various anchors with different shapes have been introduced for these applications to reinforce and stabilize the superstructures and related facilities. This study deals with the novel Expandable Multi-plate Mechanical Anchors (EMPMAs) and investigates their performance using physical modeling tests. Previous studies have focused on the behavior of single anchors, and there is no comprehensive experimental research on the multi-plate anchors, which is the subject of the present study. This research examines uplift capacity regarding the effect of five soil densities for loose, medium, and dense conditions and the vertical distance between two plate anchors from 0.5B to 2B. The obtained results were compared with the single plate anchor with equivalent areas. Based on the results, the highest bearing capacity is related to the EMPMA with an optimum distance of 1B in 80% relative density. In addition, by decreasing the distance between two plates, the relative density becomes a more dominant bearing capacity parameter. Furthermore, the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) method results are presented, and a new formula is proposed. Eventually, a comparative study is conducted between the results of PIV and an analytical formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GDOP minimization criterion is applied to optimize positioning configuration. In this study, two kinds of GDOPs are introduced, the first kind of GDOP does not consider the clock error, the second kind considers. Cone configuration with lowest GDOP is discussed and extended for Ultra-wideband positioning. For three-dimensional scenarios, the configuration sets with lowest GDOP can be obtained based on the first kind of GDOP. Furthermore, the constraint statistics are considered to optimize global GDOP distribution in the positioning regions. We can believe that the cone configuration with constraints is effective to optimize the deployment of anchors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents numerical solutions for determining the uplift capacity of strip plate anchors embedded at different positions either from the toe or crest of cohesive-frictional soil slope. Finite element method based on lower bound theorem of limit analysis in combination with second-order cone programming has been used for obtaining the solutions. Dimensionless uplift factors are used for estimating the ultimate uplift resistance of anchors due to contribution of cohesion, unit weight and angle of internal friction of soil. For different edge-distance of anchor either from the crest or toe of the slope, computations are carried out for different combinations of internal friction angle of soil, angle and height of sloping surface, normalised strength of soil, and embedment ratio of anchors. The uplift capacity has been found to remain the same within a zone extending from the middle of the slope towards both toe and crest of sloping ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a limit equilibrium solution for calculating the ultimate pullout resistance of shallow vertical plate anchors in sand, considering the combined effects of anchor embedment ratio, sand shear strength, sand-anchor interface strength and anchor aspect ratio. The geometry of the failure mechanism in the solution reflects observations from model tests. The ultimate failure load of a strip plate anchor was then determined by global equilibrium analysis of the passive and active failure soil wedge. The two-dimensional limit equilibrium solution is extended for rectangular plate anchors by introducing the shape factors of Ovesen and Strømann. The solution is compared with a database of 102 pullout model tests of vertical plate anchors in sand assembled from the literature and some limit analysis results. The comparison results suggest that the proposed solution can provide a reliable analytical tool for the ultimate pullout capacity prediction of shallow vertical plate anchors buried in sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steel plate-concrete joints are often applied in strengthening of engineering structures. Eighteen steel plate-concrete joints (connection length of 260–520 mm, width of 80 mm) were tested, which were classified into three types: (a) anchor-connected specimens (BC specimens), in which the steel plates and concrete were connected with anchors; (b) adhesive-connected specimens (AC specimens), in which the steel plates and concrete were connected with adhesive; (c) anchor- and adhesive-connected specimens (BAC specimens), in which the steel plates and concrete were connected with both anchors and adhesive. The following conclusions were drawn. (1) For the same connection length, the ultimate loads of the BAC specimens (e.g. 127 kN) were approximately 78% of the sum of those BC and AC specimens (e.g. 112 and 53 kN). (2) For the BAC specimens, almost all of the load was borne by the adhesive and the anchor hardly shared any load before the specimens reached the peak load. (3) A modified semi-theoretical and semi-empirical formula (C-T model) has been used, which was used to predict the ultimate load of the BAC and AC specimen with satisfactory precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite numerous applications of helical anchors in slope stabilisation and retaining wall construction, a limited number of studies have been conducted on their performance. In the present study, the results of investigating 4 types of helical anchors and three configurations of reinforcement are presented. The tests were carried out on sandy soil using a test box, load cell, indicator, and 5 dial gauges. The present work aims to evaluate the effect of anchor geometry and its configuration on wall displacement. In all tests, particle image velocimetry (PIV) method was applied to study the shape of the slip surface. The results showed that diamond configuration outperforms square one in terms of bearing capacity, wall crest displacement, and its deformation. Moreover, in all tests, an increase in the number of helices resulted in a descending trend in bearing capacity increase and a decrease in wall displacement, suggesting the reduction of efficiency by increasing the number of plates. The results also show that anchor configurations and the number of helices are more effective than the number of anchors in increasing the bearing capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to compare L4/5 range of motions of fusion constructs using anchored cages. Twelve human cadaveric spine were tested in intact condition, and divided into TLIF and PLIF groups. Testing consisted in applying pure moments in flexion-extension, lateral bending and axial rotation. The computation of intersegmental motion was assessed using 3 D biplanar radiographs. In TLIF group, the addition of contralateral transfacet decreased flexion-extension motion (39%; p = 0.036) but without difference with the ipsilateral pedicle screw construction (53%; p = 0.2). In PLIF group, the addition of interspinous anchor reduced flexion-extension motion (12%; p = 0.036) but without difference with the bilateral pedicle screw construction (17%; p = 0.8). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large scale shaking table test was carried out to study the failure modes of the slope stabilized by frame beam with prestressed anchors. Based on the Hilbert–Huang Transform (HHT), the damage identification analysis was performed by using the marginal spectrum obtained from the acceleration responses. The results from the tests show that the seismic damage of the slope stabilized by the frame beam with prestressed anchors mainly occurs at the top of the sliding mass and on the free surface of the slope. The upper part of the sliding layer begins to damage under the seismic excitation with low amplitudes. Because of existing anchor cable and frame beam, the middle and lower parts of the slope display better seismic performance. The seismic failure mode of the slope stabilized by frame beam with prestressed anchors is mainly expressed by the penetration of tensile cracks and longitudinal cracks at the top of the sliding mass, collapse and hollowing of free surface at the upper part of the slope, and overall slippage of sliding mass. The slope has an elevation amplification effect on the amplitude of the Hilbert energy spectrum and changes the time-frequency distribution of the energy spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since labelled samples of hyperspectral images (HSIs) may be unavailable in practical remote sensing applications, large-scale HSI clustering is very important. Due to the huge amount of data brought by the rich spectral and spatial information in large-scale HSIs, HSI clustering is still a challenging task. Among the methods designed for large-scale HSIs clustering, the anchor graph-based methods simultaneously inherit the merits of graph-based clustering and reduce the computational complexity by introducing anchor samples to graph construction. However, the affinity matrix computed by inaccurate distances between anchor samples and other HSI samples can hardly obtain satisfactory clustering performance. To solve this problem, we propose a novel approach for large-scale HSI clustering, namely, spectral clustering with anchor graph based on set-to-set distances (SCAG-SSD) derived from local covariance matrix representation (LCMR). First, superpixels and LCMR features of HSI are obtained via the entropy rate superpixel algorithm and maximum noise fraction, respectively. Second, pure and anomalous samples of each superpixel are distinguished via the distances of LCMR features, and then anchor samples are selected via statistics of the distances between pure samples in each superpixel. In this way, selected anchor samples are representative enough to link all the HSI samples. Third, pure samples in each superpixel, anomalous and anchor samples with their corresponding nearest neighbouring samples are all regarded as different sets. The set-to-set distance is achieved by weighting the LCMR-based distances between samples of two sets. Finally, fast anchor graph clustering is conducted based on set-to-set distances to obtain final clustering maps. Extensive experiments conducted on three publicly available benchmark HSIs demonstrate that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art clustering accuracy with comparable efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil anchors are among the most widely used reinforcements to stabilize unstable soil mass or stabilize and anchor structures built in onshore and offshore regions. Anchors are generally installed in soil and rocky environments by penetration and embedment methods. These methods are classified into two main groups of grouted and mechanical anchors. In the present study, Expandable Mechanical Plate Anchors (EMPLAs), a new generation of mechanical anchors, are introduced and their bearing capacities are evaluated. EMPLAs can be implemented, locked, and activated in the soil more cheaply and with a lower driving force. Previous studies have validated the efficiency of these anchorages based on the experimental test results. Here, it is tried to evaluate the effect of properties of anchor plates such as their shape and curvature on the locking mechanism, as well as the ultimate bearing capacity of reinforcement and drop rate of locking force under a constant pullout speed rate. Furthermore, the ultimate bearing capacity of the anchors is calculated using two methods of 1) the well-known theories for calculating the tensile bearing capacity of plate anchors in cohesionless soil and 2) numerical modeling using finite element software. The results from both methods showed that the plate curvature intensity had a great impact on the plates opening rate and, consequently, faster locking and activation of the reinforcement at the higher embedment depth. Eventually, the effective zone of the soil at the top of the expandable plates during a 90° rotation of the plates and lockage of the reinforcement was monitored using the Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reduced scale laboratory tests were conducted to assess effects of anchor embedment ratio ( H / B), geocell width ratio ( B g / B), geocell height ratio ( h / B) and geometrical shapes of anchors on uplift behavior shallow horizontal plate anchors reinforced with/without geocell material in cohesionless soil. It was determined that the effects of geometrical shapes of anchors having equivalent surface area on the uplift behavior of plate anchors with/without geocell reinforcement were negligible. An increase in the B g / B and h / B of geocell yields to an increase in both the uplift capacity and the residual capacity of anchor of shallow horizontal plate anchors while heave on the soil surface spreads to larger area. The effectiveness of geocell reinforcement was evaluated in terms of improved ratio ( UCIR) varying from 1.04 to 6.01 at given values of anchor displacement ratio (S/B), B g / B , h / B and H / B. Simply, optimum geocell width ratio ( B g / B) of 2.4 was obtained. Additionally, failure surface and dispersion angle of anchors obtained via the help of miniature laboratory test were compared with the results of the reduced scale laboratory test. Finally, a theoretical approach was established to predict the uplift capacity of shallow horizontal plate anchors reinforced with/without geocell in cohesionless soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing graph-based, semi-supervised hyperspectral image (HSI) classification models often suffer from prolonged execution time due to high computational complexity. In this work, we first propose a fast anchor graph regularization (FAGR) model for large scale, HSI classification. FAGR employs a simple anchor-based graph construction procedure and a new adjacency matrix among anchors to dramatically reduce the computational complexity while attaining good classification performance. In order to further improve the classification accuracy of hyperspectral images, we propose a novel semi-supervised anchor graph ensemble (SAGE) model. SAGE is an ensemble realization of multiple FAGR with each component FAGR operating on a randomly selected subset of features. Ameta classifier is applied to aggregate the outputs of component classifiers to yield an ensemble classification result. We performed extensive experimentations using three real-world HSI datasets, to compare the performance of FAGR and SAGE against several existing graph-based HSI classifiers. The experiment results show that the proposed SAGE achieves 95.78% classification accuracy on the Indian Pines dataset using limited labeled samples, out-performing existing models in terms of shorter execution time and better classification accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In everyday communication, where-questions are answered by place descriptions. To answer where-questions automatically, computers should be able to generate relevant place descriptions that satisfy inquirers' information needs. Human-generated answers to where-questions constructed based on a few anchor places that characterize the location of inquired places. The challenge for automatically generating such relevant responses stems from selecting relevant anchor places. In this paper, we present templates that allow to characterize the human-generated answers and to imitate their structure. These templates are patterns of generic geographic information derived and encoded from the largest available machine comprehension dataset, MS MARCO v2.1. In our approach, the toponyms in the questions and answers of the dataset are encoded into sequences of generic information. Next, sequence prediction methods are used to model the relation between the generic information in the questions and their answers. Finally, we evaluate the performance of predicting templates for answers to where-questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The birth of the nautical chart in the late medieval period is seen as a watershed moment in the history of cartography. So far, however, the artisanal practices that permitted the proliferation of sea charts have remained poorly understood and little evidence has been recovered from extant charts on which to base the production history of the surviving charts. This article describes a systematic exploration of the techniques employed in the copying of coastlines on manuscript charts between the fourteenth and early seventeenth centuries. Attention is drawn to the ways different processes shaped contemporary late-medieval and early-modern understanding of the Mediterranean and what the techniques may reveal of that thinking. By reframing the charts in terms of their characteristics as drawings and placing map making in the broader context of two-dimensional graphic art, and by making use of the ever-growing corpus of high-resolution digital reproductions, we gain new insights into the chartmakers' changing approaches to the transmission of geographical information. At the same time, a number of directions for further research are opened up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, performance of the reinforced concrete beam column joints with two design criteria, i.e., gravity load design and ductile design is evaluated. Effect of detailing with bent reinforcement and with end anchors in joint region is studied using full scale experiments under reverse cyclic loading. The crack formation, load–displacement hysteresis behavior, energy dissipation, strength and stiffness degradation, etc. are studied. The plastic zone formation in beam region of the end anchor specimen is much wider and prominent than the bent reinforcement specimens. Both the ductile specimens provide almost same shear deformation and energy dissipation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study numerically the equilibrium configurations of nematic liquid crystals confined in cylindrical cavities with strong and weak homeotropic anchoring conditions, respectively, on the basis of the elastic continuum theory and the difference iterative method. The lyotropic chromonic liquid crystal disodium cromoglycate exhibits a completely different spontaneous chiral configuration from 5CB due to the large ratio of the saddle-splay elastic constant to the twist elastic constant. We show that how the elastic constants affect the director alignment in chiral structure with strong homeotropic anchoring conditions. For the weak homeotropic anchoring conditions, the theoretically predicted transition from a twisted and escaped radial to an escaped twisted configuration of DSCG and the transition from an escaped radial to a UA configuration of 5CB, on reduction of the anchoring coefficient below a certain threshold, are confirmed to occur at A∼10−8J/m2. Remarkably, it provides a more accurate theoretical analysis for the prediction of director configurations in cylindrical cavities under different conditions in experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-stressed anchor cables are widely used in slope engineering for effectively improving slope stability as a reinforcement measure. Based on assumptions of stresses on a slip surface, this work proposes a new limit equilibrium (LE) method to analyse the stability of slopes reinforced with anchor cables. Meanwhile, the nonlinear Mohr–Coulomb (M–C) strength criterion has been adopted to describe the slope sliding for shear failure of the slip surface. Then, after comparison and analysis of several examples, the feasibility of the proposed method is verified. Compared with the traditional LE methods, the proposed method has a simple calculation process without iterative loop calculation of the slope factor of safety, and a reasonable solution can also be obtained. Furthermore, the slope reinforced by anchor cables with more than a row can be simplified into a slope with a row to analyse its stability because the same stability would be obtained for the reinforced slope with different reinforcement patterns under an equivalent reinforcement relation. Thereafter, to facilitate the engineering application and optimize the design of anchor cable parameters, the stability charts of the reinforced slope under the linear M–C strength criterion are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative plate anchor, increasing its bearing section area during uplift is introduced in this paper. In this experimental study, the influence of the embedment ratio (depth of embedment/anchor width) of the plate anchor and anchor width (120, 150, 180, 250 mm) on the anchor pullout capacity and anchor displacement during an uplift test is investigated. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) is used to study soil deformation around the anchor at the maximum pullout load's instant. The pullout loads predicted by prevalent theoretical methods have been compared with obtained experimental values. According to PIV analysis, two failure surfaces are observed and two equations are presented to estimate the ultimate pullout load of the shallow and deep opening plate anchor. It was observed that the pullout capacity ( P u) was significantly influenced by anchor embedment ratio, but the anchor displacement corresponding to the maximum pullout load ( d u) increased slightly as the embedment ratio increased. As the anchor width (B) increased, P u and d u increased, but the breakout factor (dimensionless pullout load) decreased. For shallow anchors, the sand deformation zone lines formed a curve that extended to the soil surface. For deep anchors, the sand deformation zone formed a truncated cone in the soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LPS-responsive beige-like anchor protein (LRBA) deficiency is a monogenic primary immunodeficiency characterized by a heterogeneous spectrum of clinical manifestations associated with immune dysregulation. In this study, we reported clinical, immunologic, and genetic evaluation of two Iranian patients from unrelated families, both suffering from recurrent respiratory tract infections, failure to thrive, interstitial lung disease, autoimmune cytopenia, and hypogammaglobulinemia. Pulmonary abscess in one patient and persistent enteropathy in another were also observed. Further investigations revealed causative mutations in the exon (c.2166_2766del) and intron (c.4730–3 T > G) of the LRBA gene. These results may provide further elucidation of the clinical phenotypes and responsible genetic factors of LRBA deficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conversational interactants rely on each other to cooperate with ongoing actions and activities both structurally (alignment) and affectively (affiliation). They monitor one another's cooperative behaviors to detect any (potential) problems in alignment and affiliation. The present study describes one interactional strategy Japanese speakers use to deal with detected problems in three nonmain sequences (i.e., side, preexpansion, and postexpansion sequences). In the practice I call anchoring shared knowledge, the action (or activity) initiator uses the utterance-final desho to request ratification of shared knowledge from the recipient. Positioning of this request relative to the main action makes the desho-speaker's action interpretable to the recipient as seeking alignment to and affiliation with the main action. The study demonstrates (a) the interactants' constant attention to alignment and affiliation, (b) their orientation to the relevance of local practices to the main action or activity, and (c) the complex interrelationships between epistemics, actions, and social relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay examines teaching failure in the context of COVID-19. It uses autoethnography to convey and explore the impact the pandemic has on teaching, as situated against and within my life-long dream to be a teacher. I explore four performances as a teacher that resulted from the transition at my institution from on the ground to fully remote instruction. Overall, I consider the ways COVID-19 has disrupted what it means to participate in communication instruction and to be a teacher, more generally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a consensus Monte Carlo algorithm that scales existing Bayesian nonparametric models for clustering and feature allocation to big data. The algorithm is valid for any prior on random subsets such as partitions and latent feature allocation, under essentially any sampling model. Motivated by three case studies, we focus on clustering induced by a Dirichlet process mixture sampling model, inference under an Indian buffet process prior with a binomial sampling model, and with a categorical sampling model. We assess the proposed algorithm with simulation studies and show results for inference with three datasets: an MNIST image dataset, a dataset of pancreatic cancer mutations, and a large set of electronic health records. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes an analytical solution for determining the ultimate vertical uplift resistance of a group of two and multiple number of close-spaced shallow rectangular anchor plates embedded horizontally in sand. The analysis was performed by using an upper bound theorem of limit analysis with the employment of the kinematically admissible three-dimensional (3D) rigid wedge collapse mechanisms. Results are obtained in terms of dimensionless uplift factors Fγ and Fq due to the components of soil self-weight and surcharge pressure acting on the ground surface for a wide range of parameters. It was found that the magnitude of uplift factors decreases substantially with a decrease in the clear spacing between the anchors, soil friction angle, and embedment ratio, and an increase in the aspect ratio of anchors. Further, it was noticed that when the clear spacing between the anchors is greater than or equal to the certain critical value, the interaction effect of anchors vanishes and the magnitude of uplift factors associated with a group of anchors becomes equal to that of single isolated anchors. The present solutions are found to compare reasonably well with those theoretical, numerical, and experimental results available in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work develops a theoretical model based on a rational mechanical model and the failure mechanism of anchor piles in the seabed, by which the failure mode and pullout capacity of anchor piles under inclined loading can be predicted in the soils with both cohesive and cohesionless properties. Experimental and numerical results are employed to validate the theoretical predictions. Parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of different parameters on the failure mode and pullout capacity of anchor piles, to demonstrate the applicability and efficiency of the theoretical model and to gain further knowledge of the anchor properties. An analytical method is also proposed to evaluate the optimal position of the attachment point of anchor piles, and confirmed by relevant studies in either cohesive or cohesionless soils. A novel theoretical model is proposed to analyze the failure mode and pullout capacity of anchor piles. The model is applied to inclined loading and to soils with both cohesive and cohesionless properties. Efficiency and applicability of the model are validated through comparative and parametric studies. A simple expression is proposed to predict the optimal position of the attachment point for anchor piles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of geographical information systems (GISs) for making sense of geospatial data has a long history at Stellenbosch University's Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and has become an anchor identity of the department. As part of the department's centennial celebrations, this article reflects on the circumstances and events that contributed to the evolution of GIS at Stellenbosch University (SU) by highlighting some milestones and achievements. Within this historical context, the paper provides a review of the current state of geographical information science (GISc) training and research at SU and attempts to forecast the role of geographers and GISc practitioners in the fourth industrial revolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The keying mechanism of plate anchors (PLA) embedded into granular sandy soils is investigated in this work using the discrete element method (DEM) modeling to simulate microscale response and to observe the emergent macroscale behavior. Parameters (e.g., padeye eccentricity, loading direction) that influence anchor keying are analyzed in the simulations. The load-displacement response and embedment losses during keying are evaluated and compared to published experimental results from the literature. The keying mechanism of the PLA for different padeye eccentricities and loading directions are investigated. The DEM results are found to have the same trends as published experimental results. The embedment loss has a bilinear response with the padeye eccentricity which is in accordance with the experimental results reported in the literature. Embedment losses increase linearly with increasing loading directions. Microscale observations of mobilized particle friction, particle rotation, contact force network, and steering coefficient during keying are used to provide insights into the keying mechanisms. The potential for particle mobilization is reached more quickly for the larger padeye eccentricities. The particle rotation is the major keying mechanism for all the cases in the simulations. Finally, the granular assembly adjacent to the PLA is steering from horizontal to vertical for all padeye eccentricities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil reinforcement employing geosynthetics is significantly influenced by interactions which are governed by friction and adhesion at interface. To enhance interactions at soil–geogrid interface under direct shear conditions, effects of attaching elements as anchors to reinforcement has been evaluated. A well and poorly graded sand, one geogrid type, anchors with three different size and clamping lengths of 2, 4 and 6 cm from shear surface were used. Samples were prepared with a relative density of 80% and tested dry under normal pressures of 12.5, 25 and 50 kPa using large direct shear test. Factors investigated included soil grading and particle size, anchor size and anchorage length together with normal pressures. Results shows by attachment of anchors to upper geogrid surface, shear resistance to failure is significantly enhanced with increase in normal pressure and anchor size. This is attributed to soil-anchor friction at interfaces, mobilisation of soil passive resistance in front of anchors and tensile strength of reinforcement. Non-uniform sand having larger and angular particles resulted in more effective interactions with geogrid and anchors at interfaces and resulted in greater resistance to shear failure under direct shear loading. Soil particle size and anchorage length were found to be less influential factors on soil–geogrid interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Israel, youth movements (YMs) comprise a main agent for nonformal education of youth and a youth-engagement framework in which civic engagement can be expanded to address environmental challenges. A major source of sociocultural diversity among YMs is their religious identity, based on the categorizations of secular, religious, and ultraorthodox. We compared, among these groups, the environmental literacy (EL) characteristics of "young-guides" and YM-leaders' perspectives of sustainability in relation to their YM. Differences among groups were found in the young-guides' EL: members of secular YMs demonstrated greater EL and openness to including pro-environmental activities within their YM. "Judaism as a platform for addressing sustainability" emerged as a major theme from leaders' interviews. Implications for meaningful incorporation of sustainability and EE within the groups are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ras proteins must localize to the plasma membrane (PM) for biological function. The membrane anchor of the K-Ras4B isoform comprises a farnesylated and methylated C-terminal cysteine together with an adjacent hexa-lysine polybasic domain (PBD). Traditionally, polybasic sequences have been thought to interact electrostatically with negatively charged membranes showing no specificity for anionic lipid head groups. By contrast we recently showed that the K-Ras membrane anchor actually exhibits a very high degree of specificity for phosphatidylserine (PtdSer). The selectivity for PtdSer is determined by a combinatorial code comprising the PBD sequence plus the prenyl anchor. Lipid binding specificity is therefore altered by PBD point mutations that in turn modulate signaling output. For example, mutating Lys177 or Lys178 to glutamine switches K-Ras4B lipid affinity from PtdSer to phosphoinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). Changing the lipid anchor from farnesyl to geranylgeranyl or the PBD lysines to arginines also changes lipid binding specificity. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations reveal the structural basis for these K-Ras anchor lipid-binding preferences. Here we examine the PM interactions of a series of geranylgeranylated PBD mutants and provide further evidence that the precise PBD sequence and prenyl lipid determines lipid sorting specificity of the K-Ras anchor and hence biological function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical anchor plates are often provided to increase the performance of various geotechnical engineering structures such as sheet pile walls, bulkheads, bridge abutments and offshore structures. Hence, the safe design of such structures needs a better understanding of the 3D behaviour of the anchor plate. This paper presents and discusses the results obtained from a series of 3D finite-difference analyses of vertical square anchor plate embedded in cohesionless soil. The 3D model is found to closely predict experimental pullout load–displacement relationship. The failure mechanism observed in the numerical model is found to be very similar to the failure reported in experimental studies. For a given embedment depth, the stiffness of the breakout factor–displacement response substantially reduces with increase in anchor plate size. However, the ultimate reduction in anchor capacity is found to approximately 8% with an increase in anchor size from 0.1 to 1 m. Numerical analysis reveals that at deeper embedment depth, the friction angle of sand is the critical parameter in enhancing the performance of anchor plate. The obtained 3D model results are then compared with the published results and are found to be reasonably in good agreement with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a numerical study carried out in the context of the development of a new application of plate anchors for landslide stabilisation. The plates are positioned on the slope's ground surface and linked to a deeper stable layer with a steel grouted bar, thus acting as discontinuous elements contrasting the slope movement. This technique is less expensive compared to standard retaining structures, especially in medium and deep landslides. Moreover, plate anchors can bear large displacements of the unstable moving mass without losing efficiency. Evaluating the stabilising force and its optimisation in relation to the plate shape are of great interest. Numerous studies have investigated the bearing capacity of rectangular and circular thin plates at small strains, but the performance of alternative shapes, such as cones or truncated cones, has never been considered. The numerical study here presented applies the Material Point Method to investigate the behaviour of plate anchors with different 3D shapes at large displacements. The numerical model is validated with the results of some small-scale laboratory tests. The pull-out resistance, the soil stress and displacement fields around the plate and the group effect have been investigated, thus obtaining preliminary indications for the design of these elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unbalanced differential item functioning (DIF) occurs when the items favoring group 1 are not balanced by items favoring group 2. This creates false differences in the total score used for matching examinee subgroups or inaccuracy in the scaling used to bring the groups to commensurable metrics. Historically, unbalanced DIF has been addressed by removing DIF items from the set of anchor items, often called purification. A recently developed alignment procedure minimizes the impact of the DIF items in scaling the groups without removing them. In this study, when the data followed a two-parameter model, the results using alignment or a purified anchor were generally comparable when the DIF was balanced or when the DIF was unbalanced but no more than 20% of the items contained DIF. With a larger percentage of unbalanced DIF, the alignment procedure yielded more accurate estimates of the group means and the magnitude of the DIF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]