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The diurnal temperature range (DTR) is a significant indicator of climate change, and a previous study has shown its impact on human health. However, research investigating the influence of DTR on road traffic accidents is scarce. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the impact of changes in DTR on road traffic accidents. The present study employs two methods to address the complexities of road accidents. Firstly, panel data from 20 cities and counties in Taiwan are utilized, and the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model is employed for estimation. Secondly, distributed lag non-linear models (DLNMs) are used with quasi-Poisson regression analysis to assess the DTR's lagged and non-linear relationships with road accidents using time series data from six Taiwanese metropolitan cities. The study results indicate that a decrease of 1 °C in DTR raises long-term road traffic accidents by 17.1%. In the short term, the impact of declining DTR on road accidents is around 4%. Moreover, the effect of low DTR values differs in each city in Taiwan. Three cities had high levels of road accidents, as evidenced by an increase in the relative risk value; two cities had moderate responses; and one city had a relatively lower response compared to high DTR values. Finally, based on the cumulative relative risk estimations, the study found that a low diurnal temperature range is linked to a high road traffic accident rate, especially during the lag-specific 0–5 months. The findings of this study offer fresh evidence of the negative impact of climate factor on road traffic accidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the strain development in reinforcing bars within the plastic hinge regions of beams and columns, with the main objective of modifying the current acceptance criteria for mechanical bar splices to accommodate high-strength reinforcement. The investigation utilizes numerical analysis based on moment–curvature and deformation analysis of typical beam and column sections in a special moment frame. The results indicate that the use of higher grade reinforcement, such as Grade 550 or 690, results in lower strain demands in the plastic hinge regions compared to Grade 420 reinforcement. To validate the modified seismic loading protocol, over 100 samples of mechanical coupling systems were tested in Taiwan. The test results demonstrate that the majority of these systems can successfully complete the modified seismic loading protocol and are suitable for use in critical plastic hinge regions of special moment frames. However, caution is advised for slender mortar-grouted coupling sleeves, as they were unable to fulfill the seismic loading protocols. These sleeves may be conditionally used in plastic hinge regions of precast columns, provided they meet specific conditions and demonstrate seismic performance through structural testing. The findings of this study offer valuable insight into the design and application of mechanical splices in high-strength reinforcement scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic fragility curves represent the seismic vulnerability of structures and are used to quickly evaluate structural damage in earthquakes. In this study, seismic fragility analyses for the sheet-pile wharves of Port of Hualien, Taiwan were performed. Representative earthquakes in Taiwan were scaled to various levels of peak ground acceleration (PGA) as the input motions. Nonlinear finite element analyses were performed using PLAXIS 2D for the seismic responses of sheet-pile wharves, and the modelling approach was verified to be satisfactory by simulating a 1-g scale-model shaking table test. According to the thresholds of the displacement of sheet-pile wall for different damage states, the conditional exceedance probabilities of each damage state at various PGA levels, namely, the fragility curves, were obtained. They were approximated by lognormal cumulative distribution function and were parameterized for rapid estimate of earthquake loss. Furthermore, the damage probabilities of the studied sheet-pile wharves during a M L 6.2 earthquake occurred in Hualien in 2018 were estimated using the parameterized fragility curves, and a realistic result was obtained. • Seismic fragility analysis performed for sheet-pile wharves of Port of Hualien. • Nonlinear FEA performed using PLAXIS for seismic responses of sheet-pile wharves. • FE Modeling approach verified by simulating a 1-g scale-model shaking table test. • Conditional exceedance probabilities of each damage state obtained at various PGAs. • Fragility curves parameterized by the lognormal cumulative distribution function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the linear and nonlinear causality among nuclear energy consumption (NEC), non-nuclear energy consumption (N-NEC), and real gross domestic product (RGDP) for Taiwan data from 1980–2010. The Hiemstra and Jones (1994) test for nonlinear causality reveals the absence of linear Granger causality among NEC, N-NEC and RGDP which supports the unidirectional causality from NEC (RGDP) to RGDP (N-NEC). This result provides empirical evidence for the energy policy formulators to encourage NEC and limit N-NEC to achieve economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: This study applies artificial neural network (ANN) to explore the relationships between the performance of R&D projects and its determinants. The results indicate that the quality of project environment has an inverse U-shaped effect on the performance of R&D projects, and both project managers'' skills and the effectiveness of teamwork have monotonic positive influences on it. Besides, this study utilizes self-organizing map (SOM) to classify the Taiwanese information and electronics companies into three groups and further provides some suggestions. In addition, this paper uses an in-depth interview of qualitative research to explore why the quality of project environment has an inverse U-shaped effect on the R&D project performance, and finds out the main reason. There are two managerial implications in this study. First, the relationships between the performance of R&D projects and its determinants are not always linear in the complex and uncertain environment nowadays. Second, companies must care about the inverse U-shaped effect of the quality of project environment on the performance of R&D projects, although they can enhance the extent of project managers'' skills and the effectiveness of their teamwork as much as possible. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a generalized reduced-order nonlinear model subjected to multi-support seismic excitation. The hysteretic, nonlinear, relationship of piers is phenomenologically captured by a calibrated Bouc-Wen model. This generalized reduced-order model is benchmarked against legacy physical experimental tests performed at the University of Bristol. A deterministic approach using real spatiotemporal ground motions recorded at the SMART-1 array, Taiwan, is employed as an alternative to a stochastic methodology used in current provision codes. This is so that the influence of nonlinearity and ground motion aleatory and epistemic effects are fully captured. Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) is then performed to identify the performance levels at which this system transitions from elastic to inelastic behaviour. A parametric study is then performed to explore the effect of the spatial variability of the ground motion while bridge alignment, valley profile and ground motion intensity are modified. Results indicate that bridges over shallow valleys with a central rise are prone to significant analysis errors if multi-support excitation is not employed. • A generalized reduced-order nonlinear model of a multi-span bridge under asynchronous excitation is proposed. • Hysteretic behavior of piers is facilitated by a generalized Bouc-Wen model. • The effect of certain valley profiles on bridge responses to the spatial variability of ground motions is significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ground motion prediction is widely accepted in seismic hazard studies. Ground motionsimulations are conducted by combining stochastic method and one-dimensionalequivalent-linear method in this study. Stochastic ground motion simulation technique caneffectively consider the source, path and site effect, which depends on physical-basedseismological knowledge. Site effect involves the propagation of earthquake motions fromthe bedrock, passing through the overlying soil layers to the ground surface. The variations oflocal site conditions have different characteristics of the earthquake motions; so it isimportant to consider such effect for site correction in any simulation method. Frequencydomain equivalent linear analysis is one of the most common approaches used forperforming one-dimensional site response analysis and produce nonlinear soil response aswell. Thus, numerical modeling of site response program, SHAKE, is used to carry out the soilnonlinearity problem in this study. Firstly, seismic data from the Large Scale Seismic Test(LSST) array in Lotung, Taiwan are checked with one-dimensional simulations. Secondly,stochastic ground motion simulation is performed and verified to obtain simulatedaccelerograms at a rock site. Then these accelerograms are regard as the input motions forequivalent-linear method to obtain simulated accelerograms at soil surface of LSSTarray. Finally, site correction is performed using outcrop input motions at differentdepths to identify quantitatively simulation errors. When comparing the responsespectrum and the peak ground acceleration to the reality, results seem to be theoverall good approximation. But the approximation to the reality for the results of thewaveforms is poor due to random phase from stochastic simulation technique. And allthe results also show that site effects have major influence in structural analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]