Search results for "cienza"
showing 10 items of 1535 documents
Computational Intelligence and Citizen Communication in the Smart City
2016
Information and communication are at the core of the intelligent city of tomorrow, and the key components of a smart city cannot prescind from data exchanges and interconnectedness. Citizen communication is an integral part of the smart city’s development plans: freedom of information and involvement in collective decisions, e-democracy and decision-making feedback can be greatly enhanced in an intelligent city, and, among other smart city components, foster a new era of participation and wise decisions. In this contribution we describe the methodologies that can be implemented in order to correctly develop automatic recognition systems for citizen communication, paying special attention to…
Structural performances of pultruded GFRP emergency structures – Part 2: Full-scale experimental testing
2019
Abstract This paper presents an experimental testing of a pultruded glass fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) structure used for emergency applications continuing the discussion presented in a previous paper (part 1) where the study of the characteristics of material and elements are presented. First, the design of the composite structure and components and the evaluation of the structural behavior by means of numerical and analytical approach according to current regulatory codes are described. In this frame, the global and local response was observed according to load paths deriving from the design loads at limit states. Then, the experimental test on a full-scale 2D model is presented at diff…
Analysis of block random rocking on nonlinear flexible foundation
2020
Abstract In this paper the rocking response of a rigid block randomly excited at its foundation is examined. A nonlinear flexible foundation model is considered accounting for the possibility of uplifting in the case of strong excitation. Specifically, based on an appropriate nonlinear impact force model, the foundation is treated as a bed of continuously distributed springs in parallel with nonlinear dampers. The statistics of the rocking response is examined by an analytical procedure which involves a combination of static condensation and stochastic linearization methods. In this manner, repeated numerical integration of the highly nonlinear differential equations of motion is circumvent…
Path Integral approach via Laplace’s method of integration for nonstationary response of nonlinear systems
2019
In this paper the nonstationary response of a class of nonlinear systems subject to broad-band stochastic excitations is examined. A version of the Path Integral (PI) approach is developed for determining the evolution of the response probability density function (PDF). Specifically, the PI approach, utilized for evaluating the response PDF in short time steps based on the Chapman–Kolmogorov equation, is here employed in conjunction with the Laplace’s method of integration. In this manner, an approximate analytical solution of the integral involved in this equation is obtained, thus circumventing the repetitive integrations generally required in the conventional numerical implementation of …
Concepts, proto-concepts, and shades of reasoning in neural networks
2019
One of the most important functions of concepts is that of producing classifications; and since there are at least two different types of such things, we better give a preliminary short description of them both. The first kind of classification is based on the existence of a property common to all the things that fall under a concept. The second, instead, relies on similarities between the objects belonging to a certain class A and certain elements of a subclass AS of A, the so-called ‘stereotypes.’ In what follows, we are going to call ‘proto-concepts’ all those concepts whose power of classification depends on stereotypes, leaving the term ‘concepts’ for all the others. The main aim of th…
An algebra for the manipulation of conceptual spaces in cognitive agents
2013
According to Gärdenfors, the theory of conceptual spaces describes a level of representation present in some cognitive agents between a sub-conceptual and a symbolic level of representation. In contrast to a large part of contemporary philosophical speculation on these matters for which concepts and conceptual content are propositional, conceptual spaces provide a geometric framework for the representation of concepts. In this paper we introduce an algebra for the manipulation of different conceptual spaces in order to formalise the process whereby an artificial agent rearranges its internal conceptual representations as a consequence of its perceptions, which are here rendered in terms of …
A fractional-order model for aging materials: An application to concrete
2018
Abstract In this paper, the hereditariness of aging materials is modeled within the framework of fractional calculus of variable order. A relevant application is made for the long-term behavior of concrete, for which the creep function is evaluated with the aid of Model B3. The corresponding relaxation function is derived through the Volterra iterated kernels and a comparison with the numerically-obtained relaxation function of Model B3 is also reported. The proposed fractional hereditary aging model (FHAM) for concretes leads to a relaxation function that fully agrees with the well-established Model B3. Furthermore, the FHAM takes full advantage of the formalism of fractional-order calculu…
Behavior in compression of concrete cylinders externally wrapped with basalt fibers
2015
Abstract This paper gives additional information on the use of new class of composites constituted by Basalt Fiber Reinforced Polymer (BFRP) bonded with epoxy resin to concrete specimens as an alternative confinement material for compressed concrete members with respect to carbon or glass fibers. From the experimental point of view, concrete cylinders are wrapped with continuous fibers, in the form of sheets, applying both full and partial discrete wrapping with BFRP straps, and then tested in compression. For comparison, few other concrete cylinders are wrapped with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) sheets and tested in compression. The number and type of plies (full or partial wrappi…
On the use of PET-LCP copolymers as compatibilizers for PET/LCP blends
1996
Copolyesters of poly[ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with a liquid crystalline polymer (LCP), SBH 1:1:2, have been synthesized by the polycondensation, carried out in the melt at temperatures up to 300 degrees C of sebacic acid (S), 4,4'-dihydroxybiphenyl (B), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (H) in the presence of PET. The PET-SBH copolyesters have been characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, etc., and the relationships between properties and preparation conditions are discussed. The copolyesters show a biphasic nature, which is more evident for the products synthesized with a thermal profile comprising relatively lower temperatures (220-…
It’s a matter of confidence. Institutions, government stability and economic outcomes
2021
In this paper we analyse the effect of constitutional structures over policy outcomes. In particular, we exploit the heterogeneity in parliamentary systems deriving from the presence and the use of the confidence vote to investigate whether stable and unstable parliamentary systems behave differently in terms of the policies they implement. This finer partition of parliamentary systems allows us to identify effects that are more robust than the ones previously discussed in the literature. We show that the difference between presidential and parliamentary systems documented in previous works is driven by a difference between presidential and stable parliamentary systems. We suggest that poss…