Reinforcement corrosion is the main cause of performance deterioration of reinforced concrete(RC)structures.Limited research has been performed to investigate the life-cycle cost(LCC)of coastal bridge piers with nonun...Reinforcement corrosion is the main cause of performance deterioration of reinforced concrete(RC)structures.Limited research has been performed to investigate the life-cycle cost(LCC)of coastal bridge piers with nonuniform corrosion using different materials.In this study,a reliability-based design optimization(RBDO)procedure is improved for the design of coastal bridge piers using six groups of commonly used materials,i.e.,normal performance concrete(NPC)with black steel(BS)rebar,high strength steel(HSS)rebar,epoxy coated(EC)rebar,and stainless steel(SS)rebar(named NPC-BS,NPC-HSS,NPC-EC,and NPC-SS,respectively),NPC with BS with silane soakage on the pier surface(named NPC-Silane),and high-performance concrete(HPC)with BS rebar(named HPC-BS).First,the RBDO procedure is improved for the design optimization of coastal bridge piers,and a bridge is selected to illustrate the procedure.Then,reliability analysis of the pier designed with each group of materials is carried out to obtain the time-dependent reliability in terms of the ultimate and serviceability performances.Next,the repair time of the pier is predicted based on the time-dependent reliability indices.Finally,the time-dependent LCCs for the pier are obtained for the selection of the optimal design.展开更多
Optimal application of pavement preservation or preventive maintenance is critical for highway agencies to allocate the limited budget for different treatments. This study developed an integrated life-cycle cost analy...Optimal application of pavement preservation or preventive maintenance is critical for highway agencies to allocate the limited budget for different treatments. This study developed an integrated life-cycle cost analysis （LCCA） model to quantify the impact of pavement preservation on agency cost and vehicle operation cost （VOC） and analyzed the optimal timing of preservation treatments. The international roughness index （IRI） data were extracted from the long-term pavement performance （LTPP） program specific pavement studies 3 （SPS-3） to determine the long-term effectiveness of preservation treatments on IRI deterioration. The traffic loading and the initial IRI value significantly affects life extension and the benefit of agency cost caused by pavement preservation. The benefit in VOC is one to two orders greater in magnitude as compared to the benefit in agency cost. The optimal timing calculated based on VOC is always earlier than the optimal timing calculated based on agency cost. There are considerable differences among the optimal timing of three preservation treatments.展开更多
Water is an essential resource for agriculture and the majority of land is irrigated through borewells or wells.The power requirement for an irrigation pump motor is fed by the on-grid power supply but the availabilit...Water is an essential resource for agriculture and the majority of land is irrigated through borewells or wells.The power requirement for an irrigation pump motor is fed by the on-grid power supply but the availability of electricity in rural areas is still questionable.With rising concerns about global warming and the rise in carbon footprints,it is necessary to choose clean and green energy,thereby attaining self-sustainable life.India receives yearly a mean solar irradiation of 6.5 kWh/m^(2)day.Hence,a solar photovoltaic-water-pumping system(SPV-WPS)is a suitable alternative to grid energy;thereby,the farmers would generate electricity through the solar photovoltaic system and become self-sufficient in their energy needs.In this paper,two different agricultural fields in Tamil Nadu,India that deploy flood irrigation and drip irrigation are taken as a case study.The paper discusses the concerns on the use of grid power and their carbon footprint,design and simulation of 4-and 5.5-kW SPV-WPSs using PVsyst 7.1.1,and the advantages of using SPV-WPSs and life-cycle cost analysis on different use cases.The Government of India has introduced a special scheme to promote the installation of SPV-WPSs by offering attractive incentives through PM-Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan(KUSUM)yojana.The results of the case study show that with the use of SPV-WPSs,either with or without subsidy,the farmer could gain a minimum of 250%on the investment with a project lifetime of 25 years.展开更多
Given the growing emphasis on life-cycle analysis in bridge design,the design community is transitioning from the concept of performance-based design in structural engineering to a performance-based design approach wi...Given the growing emphasis on life-cycle analysis in bridge design,the design community is transitioning from the concept of performance-based design in structural engineering to a performance-based design approach within a life-cycle context.This approach considers various indicators,including cost,environmental impact,and societal factors when designing bridges.This shift enables a comprehensive assessment of structural resilience by exam-ining the bridge’s ability to endure various hazards throughout its lifespan.This study provides a comprehensive review of two key research domains that have emerged in the field of bridge life-cycle analysis,namely life-cycle sustainability(LCS)and life-cycle performance(LCP).The discussion on the LCS of bridges encompasses both assessment-based and optimization-based studies,while the exploration of LCP focuses on research examining structures subjected to deterioration over their service life due to deprecating phenomena such as corrosion and relative humidity changes,as well as extreme hazards like earthquakes and floods.Moreover,this study discusses the integration between LCS and LCP,highlighting how combined consideration of these factors can minimize damage costs,improve resiliency,and extend the lifespan of the structure.A detailed evaluation encompasses various life-cycle metrics,structural performance indicators,time-dependent modelling techniques,and analy-sis methods proposed in the literature.Additionally,the research identifies critical gaps and trends in life-cycle analysis within the realm of bridge engineering,providing a concise yet thorough overview for advancing con-siderations in the life-cycle design of bridges.展开更多
With policy support for carbon capture,utilization,and storage(CCUS),an integrated approach that combines energy storage fracturing,CO_(2)-enhanced oil recovery(EOR),and storage emerges as a promising direction for th...With policy support for carbon capture,utilization,and storage(CCUS),an integrated approach that combines energy storage fracturing,CO_(2)-enhanced oil recovery(EOR),and storage emerges as a promising direction for the shale oil industry.The process of energy storage fracturing induces significant changes in the pressure and saturation of the medium.However,conventional simulations often overlook the effects of fracturing and shut-in operations on the seepage field and production performance.Furthermore,fractured shale reservoirs exhibit complex non-Darcy flow characteristics due to intricate pore structures and multi-scale porous media.A comprehensive understanding of flow mechanisms is essential for effective reservoir development and CO_(2) storage.This study establishes a multi-component simulation model that encompasses the life-cycle of fracturing,shut-in,production,and CO_(2) huff-n-puff processes,thereby ensuring the continuity of the seepage field.The model accounts for the effect of nano-confinement on phase behavior by modifying the equation of state.Furthermore,the flux term is adjusted to incorporate Maxwell–Stefan diffusion,pre-/post-Darcy flow,and stress sensitivity.The embedded discrete fracture model(EDFM)is employed to simulate multiphase flow within multi-scale media,and the results from the validation model align satisfactorily with those derived from ECLIPSE.Mechanism analysis indicates that the interaction of multiple mechanisms significantly influences both production and storage performance.Under the multi-mechanism coupling,the cumulative oil production increased by 12.01%,while the utilization and storage factors increased by 62.93%and 8.93%,respectively.The role of molecular diffusion in shale oil reservoirs may be overstated,contributing only a 0.26% enhancement in oil production.Simulation results show that the energy storage fracturing strategy can increase oil production and net present value by 12.47%and 15.07%,respectively.Sensitivity analysis indicates that the CO_(2) injection rate is the main factor affecting the recovery factor,followed by CO_(2) injection time and the number of cycles,with fracturing fluid volume having the least impact.This study develops a multi-process,multi-mechanism simulation framework for multi-scale shale oil reservoirs.This framework provides a robust evaluation system for CCUS-EOR,facilitating informed decision-making in fracturing stimulation,development planning,and parameter optimization.展开更多
BACKGROUND Drug utilization research has an important role in assisting the healthcare administration to know,compute,and refine the prescription whose principal objective is to enable the rational use of drugs.Resear...BACKGROUND Drug utilization research has an important role in assisting the healthcare administration to know,compute,and refine the prescription whose principal objective is to enable the rational use of drugs.Research in developing nations relating to the cost of treatment is scarce when compared with developed countries.Thus,the drug utilization research studies from developing nations are most needed,and their number has been growing.AIM To evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs and direct medical cost analysis in patients newly diagnosed with schizophrenia.METHODS The present study was observational in type and based on a retrospective cohort to evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs using World Health Organization(WHO)core prescribing indicators and anatomical therapeutic chemical/defined daily dose indicators.We also calculated direct medical costs for a period of 6 months.RESULTS This study has found that atypical antipsychotics are the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia in every age group and subcategories of schizophrenia.The evaluation based on WHO prescribing indicators showed a low average number of drugs per prescription and low prescribing frequency of antipsychotics from the National List of Essential Medicines 2015 and the WHO Essential Medicines List 2019.The total mean drug cost of our study was 1396 Indian rupees.The total mean cost due to the investigation in our study was 1017.34 Indian rupees.Therefore,the total mean direct medical cost incurred on patients in our study was 4337.28 Indian rupees.CONCLUSION The information from the present study can be used for reviewing and updating treatment policy at the institutional level.展开更多
Typically the selection of a residential heating system focuses on first costs rather than the economic or environmental life cycle consequences.The use of life cycle assessment and life cycle cost methodologies in th...Typically the selection of a residential heating system focuses on first costs rather than the economic or environmental life cycle consequences.The use of life cycle assessment and life cycle cost methodologies in the design phase provide additional criteria for consideration when selecting a residential heating system.A comparative case study of a gas forced air and radiant solar heating system was conducted for a 3,000 square foot house located in Fort Collins,Colorado,U.S.A.The initial results of an analysis of the life cycle assessment and the life cycle cost data indicated the gas forced air system was superior,both environmentally and economically.Further data analysis pinpointed solar radiant system components for replacement in an effort to reduce both life cycle environmental emissions and costs.This analysis resulted in a hybrid radiant system using a high-efficiency gas-fired boiler,a choice that lowered both the solar radiant system’s costs and emissions.This new system had slightly lower environmental impacts than both the gas forced air system and solar radiant system.Unfortunately the hybrid system had less impact on the life cycle cost with the hybrid system substantially more expensive then the gas-forced air alternative.展开更多
In order to more effectively assess the health status of a project, the monitoring indices in a project＇s life cycle are divided into quality index, cost index, time index, satisfaction index, and sustainable develop...In order to more effectively assess the health status of a project, the monitoring indices in a project＇s life cycle are divided into quality index, cost index, time index, satisfaction index, and sustainable development index. Based on the feature of qualitative and quantitative indices combining, the PCA-PR （principal component analysis and pattern recognition） model is constructed. The model first analyzes the principal components of the life-cycle indices system constructed above, and picks up those principal component indices that can reflect the health status of a project at any time. Then the pattern recognition model is used to study these principal components, which means that the real time health status of the project can be divided into five lamps from a green lamp to a red one and the health status lamp of the project can be recognized by using the PR model and those principal components. Finally, the process is shown with a real example and a conclusion consistent with the actual situation is drawn. So the validity of the index system and the PCA-PR model can be confirmed.展开更多
Engineering structures may be exposed to one or more extreme hazards during their life-cycles.Current structural design specifications usually treat multiple hazards separately in designing structures and there is a l...Engineering structures may be exposed to one or more extreme hazards during their life-cycles.Current structural design specifications usually treat multiple hazards separately in designing structures and there is a limited probabilistic basis on extreme load combinations.Additionally,the performance of engineering structures will be deteriorated by the aggressive environments during their service periods,such as chloride attack,concrete carbonation,and wind-induced fatigue.This study presents a probabilistic methodology to assess the time-dependent failure probability of RC bridges with chloride-induced corrosion under the multiple hazards of earthquakes and strong winds.The loss of cross-section area of reinforcements and the reduction in strength of reinforcing steel and concrete cover induced by the chloride attack are considered.Moreover,the Poisson model is employed to obtain the occurrence probabilities of the individual and concurrent earthquake and strong wind events.The convolution integral is used to determine the joint probability distribution of combined load effects under simultaneous earthquakes and strong winds.Numerical results indicate that the structural failure probability under multiple hazards increases significantly during the bridge′s life-cycle due to the chloride corrosion effect.The contribution of each hazard event on the total structural failure probability varies with time.Thus,neglecting the combined influences of multiple hazards and chloride-induced corrosion may bring erroneous predictions in failure probability estimates of RC bridges.展开更多
The development and deployment of Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage （CCS） technology is a cornerstone of the Norwegian government＇s climate strategy. A number of projects are currently evaluated/planned along the ...The development and deployment of Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage （CCS） technology is a cornerstone of the Norwegian government＇s climate strategy. A number of projects are currently evaluated/planned along the Norwegian West Coast, one at Tjeldbergodden. COe from this project will be utilized in part for enhanced oil recovery in the Halten oil field, in the Norwegian Sea. We study a potential design of such a system. A combined cycle power plant with a gross power output of 832 MW is combined with CO2 capture plant based on a post-combustion capture using amines as a solvent. The captured CO2 is used for enhanced oil recovery （EOR）. We employ a hybrid life-cycle assessment （LCA） method to assess the environmental impacts of the system. The study focuses on the modifications and operations of the platform during EOR. We allocate the impacts connected to the capture of CO2 to electricity production, and the impacts connected to the transport and storage of CO2 to the oil produced. Our study shows a substantial reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions from power production by 80% to 75 g·（kW·h）^-1. It also indicates a reduction of the emissions associated with oil production per unit oil produced, mostly due to the increased oil production. Reductions are especially significant if the additional power demand due to EOR leads to power supply from the land.展开更多
The quantitative determination and evaluation of rock brittleness are crucial for the estimation of excavation efficiency and the improvement of hydraulic fracturing efficiency.Therefore,a“three-stage”triaxial loadi...The quantitative determination and evaluation of rock brittleness are crucial for the estimation of excavation efficiency and the improvement of hydraulic fracturing efficiency.Therefore,a“three-stage”triaxial loading and unloading stress path is designed and proposed.Subsequently,six brittleness indices are selected.In addition,the evolution characteristics of the six brittleness indices selected are characterized based on the bedding effect and the effect of confining pressure.Then,the entropy weight method(EWM)is introduced to assign weight to the six brittleness indices,and the comprehensive brittleness index Bcis defined and evaluated.Next,the new brittleness classification standard is determined,and the brittleness differences between the two stress paths are quantified.Finally,compared with the previous evaluation methods,the rationality of the proposed comprehensive brittleness index Bcis also verified.These results indicate that the proposed brittleness index Bccan reflect the brittle characteristics of deep bedded sandstone from the perspective of the whole life-cycle evolution process.Accordingly,the method proposed seems to offer reliable evaluations of the brittleness of deep bedded sandstone in deep engineering practices,although further validation is necessary.展开更多
Intelligent chatbots powered by large language models(LLMs)have recently been sweeping the world,with potential for a wide variety of industrial applications.Global frontier technology companies are feverishly partici...Intelligent chatbots powered by large language models(LLMs)have recently been sweeping the world,with potential for a wide variety of industrial applications.Global frontier technology companies are feverishly participating in LLM-powered chatbot design and development,providing several alternatives beyond the famous ChatGPT.However,training,fine-tuning,and updating such intelligent chatbots consume substantial amounts of electricity,resulting in significant carbon emissions.The research and development of all intelligent LLMs and software,hardware manufacturing(e.g.,graphics processing units and supercomputers),related data/operations management,and material recycling supporting chatbot services are associated with carbon emissions to varying extents.Attention should therefore be paid to the entire life-cycle energy and carbon footprints of LLM-powered intelligent chatbots in both the present and future in order to mitigate their climate change impact.In this work,we clarify and highlight the energy consumption and carbon emission implications of eight main phases throughout the life cycle of the development of such intelligent chatbots.Based on a life-cycle and interaction analysis of these phases,we propose a system-level solution with three strategic pathways to optimize the management of this industry and mitigate the related footprints.While anticipating the enormous potential of this advanced technology and its products,we make an appeal for a rethinking of the mitigation pathways and strategies of the life-cycle energy usage and carbon emissions of the LLM-powered intelligent chatbot industry and a reshaping of their energy and environmental implications at this early stage of development.展开更多
As the construction sector is a major energy consumer and thus a significant contributor of CO_2 emissions in China,it is important to consider carbon reduction in this industry.This study analyzed six life-cycle stag...As the construction sector is a major energy consumer and thus a significant contributor of CO_2 emissions in China,it is important to consider carbon reduction in this industry.This study analyzed six life-cycle stages and calculated the life-cycle CO_2 emissions of the construction sector in 30 Chinese provincial jurisdictions to understand the disparity among them.Results show that building materials production was the key stage for carbon reduction in the construction sector,followed by the building operation stage.External variables,e.g.,economic growth,industrial structure,urbanization,price fluctuation,and marketization,were significantly correlated with the emission intensity of the construction sector.Specifically,economic growth exhibited an inverted U-shaped relation with CO_2 emissions per capita and per area during the period examined.Secondary industry and land urbanization were negatively correlated with CO_2 emission intensity indicators from the construction sector,whereas tertiary industry and urbanization were positively correlated.Price indices and marketization had negative effects on CO_2 emission intensity.The policy implications of our findings are that cleaner technologies should be encouraged for cement providers,and green purchasing rules for the construction sector should also be established.Pricing tools(e.g.,resource taxes)could help to adjust the demand for raw materials and energy.展开更多
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, many hospitals were built or renovated around the world to meet the challenges posed by the rising number of infected cases. Environmental management in the ho...During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, many hospitals were built or renovated around the world to meet the challenges posed by the rising number of infected cases. Environmental management in the hospital life cycle is vital in preventing nosocomial infection and includes many infection control procedures. In certain urgent situations, a hospital must be completed quickly, and work process approval and supervision must therefore be accelerated. Thus, many works cannot be checked in detail. This results in a lack of work liability control and increases the difficulty of ensuring the fulfillment of key infection prevention measures. This study investigates how blockchain technology can transform the work quality inspection workflow to assist in nosocomial infection control under a fast delivery requirement. A blockchain-based life-cycle environmental management framework is proposed to track the fulfillment of crucial infection control measures in the design, construction, and operation stages of hospitals. The proposed framework allows for work quality checking after the work is completed, when some work cannot be checked on time. Illustrative use cases are selected to demonstrate the capabilities of the developed solution. This study provides new insights into applying blockchain technology to address the challenge of environmental management brought by rapid delivery requirements.展开更多
In this paper, a life-cycle model with retirement is set up to study how an individual chooses the optimal retiring age on account of wage growth rate, longevity and healthy state. It is proved that there exists optim...In this paper, a life-cycle model with retirement is set up to study how an individual chooses the optimal retiring age on account of wage growth rate, longevity and healthy state. It is proved that there exists optimal retiring age under given conditions. The numerical simulations are given to show how wage growth rate, longevity and healthy state affect retiring age.展开更多
We present comparative life-cycle assessments of three fiber-reinforced sheet molding compounds （SMCs） using kenaf fiber, glass fiber and soy protein resin. Sheet molding compounds for automotive applications are ty...We present comparative life-cycle assessments of three fiber-reinforced sheet molding compounds （SMCs） using kenaf fiber, glass fiber and soy protein resin. Sheet molding compounds for automotive applications are typically made of unsaturated polyester and glass fibers. Replacing these with kenaf fiber or soy protein offers potential environmental benefits. A soy-based resin, maleated acrylated epoxidized soy oil （MAESO）, was synthesized from refined soybean oil. Kenaf fiber and polyester resins were used to make SMC 1 composites, while SMC2 composites were made from kenaf fiber and a resin blend of 20% MASEO and 80% unsaturated polyester. Both exhibited good physical and mechanical properties, though neither was as strong as glass fiber reinforced polyester SMC. The functional unit was defined as mass to achieve equal stiffness and stability for the manufacture of interior parts for automobiles. The life-cycle assessments were done on SMCI, SMC2 and glass fiber reinforced SMC. The material and energy balances from producing one functional unit of three composites were collected from lab experiments and the literature. Key environmental measures were computed using SimaPro software. Kenaf fiber-reinforced SMC composites （SMC1 and SMC2） performed better than glass fiber-reinforced SMC in every environmental category. The global warming potentials of kenaf fiber-reinforced SMC （SMCI） and kenaf soy resin-based SMC （SMC2） were 45% and 58%, respectively, of glass fiber-reinforced SMC. Thus, we have demonstrated significant ecological benefit from replacing glass fiber reinforced SMC with soy-based resin and natural fiber.展开更多
With the continuous development of urban public transportation, the harmful GHG emissions and pollutants generated by itself and the consequent issues such as the losses of residents’ health, economic value and resid...With the continuous development of urban public transportation, the harmful GHG emissions and pollutants generated by itself and the consequent issues such as the losses of residents’ health, economic value and residents’ welfare have become the focus of social attention. In order to study the impacts of promoting new energy vehicles on public transportation pollution mitigation and residents’ health benefits, this paper adopts the LEAP model to build some scenarios that fulfill different development needs to quantitatively analyze the ownership of new energy buses, the reduction of pollutants and the losses of residents’ health welfare. It is concluded that promoting new energy buses comprehensively can significantly reduce the emissions of atmospheric pollutants and the economic losses of residents’ health, but cannot fully realize the targets of greenhouse gas reduction under Life Cycle Analysis.展开更多
To accurately evaluate the degradation process of prestressed concrete continuous bridges exposed to aggressive environments in life-cycle,a finite element-based approach with respect to the lifetime performance asses...To accurately evaluate the degradation process of prestressed concrete continuous bridges exposed to aggressive environments in life-cycle,a finite element-based approach with respect to the lifetime performance assessment of concrete bridges was proposed.The existing assessment methods were firstly introduced and compared.Some essential mechanics problems involved in the degradation process,such as the deterioration of materials properties,the reduction of sectional areas and the variation of overall structural performance caused by the first two problems,were investigated and solved.A computer program named CBDAS(Concrete Bridge Durability Analysis System) was written to perform the above-metioned approach.Finally,the degradation process of a prestressed concrete continuous bridge under chloride penetration was discussed.The results show that the concrete normal stress for serviceability limit state exceeds the threshold value after 60 a,but the various performance indicators at ultimate limit state are consistently in the allowable level during service life.Therefore,in the case of prestressed concrete bridges,the serviceability limit state is more possible to have durability problems in life-cycle;however,the performance indicators at ultimate limit state can satisfy the requirements.展开更多
Based on advanced computer technology, internet of things （lOT） technology, project management con- cept and professional technology and combined with the innovative theories, methods and techniques in earlier hy- d...Based on advanced computer technology, internet of things （lOT） technology, project management con- cept and professional technology and combined with the innovative theories, methods and techniques in earlier hy- dropower projects, the life-cycle risk management system of high earth-rock dam project for Nuozhadu project was developed. The system mainly includes digital dam, three-dimensional design, construction quality monito- ring, safety assessment and warning, etc, to integrally manage and analyze the dam design, constructional quality and safety monitoring information. It realized the dynamic updates of the comprehensive information and the safe- ty quality monitoring in the project life cycle, and provided the basic platform for the scientific management of the construction and operation safety of high earth-rock dam. Application in Nuozhadu earth-rock dam showed that construction safety monitoring and warning greatly helped accelerate the construction progress and improve project quality, and provided a new way for the quality safety control of high earth-rock dam.展开更多
The release of a new artificial intelligence(AI)model,ironically,evokes a biblical memory.What has transpired in the past few days echoes the biblical story of David versus Goliath,in which the massive and wellarmed G...The release of a new artificial intelligence(AI)model,ironically,evokes a biblical memory.What has transpired in the past few days echoes the biblical story of David versus Goliath,in which the massive and wellarmed Goliath is defeated by the comparatively puny David,who comes to the battle with only his staff and sling.展开更多
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos.51921006 and 51725801Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under Grant No.FRFCU5710093320Heilongjiang Touyan Innovation Team Program。
文摘Reinforcement corrosion is the main cause of performance deterioration of reinforced concrete(RC)structures.Limited research has been performed to investigate the life-cycle cost(LCC)of coastal bridge piers with nonuniform corrosion using different materials.In this study,a reliability-based design optimization(RBDO)procedure is improved for the design of coastal bridge piers using six groups of commonly used materials,i.e.,normal performance concrete(NPC)with black steel(BS)rebar,high strength steel(HSS)rebar,epoxy coated(EC)rebar,and stainless steel(SS)rebar(named NPC-BS,NPC-HSS,NPC-EC,and NPC-SS,respectively),NPC with BS with silane soakage on the pier surface(named NPC-Silane),and high-performance concrete(HPC)with BS rebar(named HPC-BS).First,the RBDO procedure is improved for the design optimization of coastal bridge piers,and a bridge is selected to illustrate the procedure.Then,reliability analysis of the pier designed with each group of materials is carried out to obtain the time-dependent reliability in terms of the ultimate and serviceability performances.Next,the repair time of the pier is predicted based on the time-dependent reliability indices.Finally,the time-dependent LCCs for the pier are obtained for the selection of the optimal design.
文摘Optimal application of pavement preservation or preventive maintenance is critical for highway agencies to allocate the limited budget for different treatments. This study developed an integrated life-cycle cost analysis （LCCA） model to quantify the impact of pavement preservation on agency cost and vehicle operation cost （VOC） and analyzed the optimal timing of preservation treatments. The international roughness index （IRI） data were extracted from the long-term pavement performance （LTPP） program specific pavement studies 3 （SPS-3） to determine the long-term effectiveness of preservation treatments on IRI deterioration. The traffic loading and the initial IRI value significantly affects life extension and the benefit of agency cost caused by pavement preservation. The benefit in VOC is one to two orders greater in magnitude as compared to the benefit in agency cost. The optimal timing calculated based on VOC is always earlier than the optimal timing calculated based on agency cost. There are considerable differences among the optimal timing of three preservation treatments.
文摘Water is an essential resource for agriculture and the majority of land is irrigated through borewells or wells.The power requirement for an irrigation pump motor is fed by the on-grid power supply but the availability of electricity in rural areas is still questionable.With rising concerns about global warming and the rise in carbon footprints,it is necessary to choose clean and green energy,thereby attaining self-sustainable life.India receives yearly a mean solar irradiation of 6.5 kWh/m^(2)day.Hence,a solar photovoltaic-water-pumping system(SPV-WPS)is a suitable alternative to grid energy;thereby,the farmers would generate electricity through the solar photovoltaic system and become self-sufficient in their energy needs.In this paper,two different agricultural fields in Tamil Nadu,India that deploy flood irrigation and drip irrigation are taken as a case study.The paper discusses the concerns on the use of grid power and their carbon footprint,design and simulation of 4-and 5.5-kW SPV-WPSs using PVsyst 7.1.1,and the advantages of using SPV-WPSs and life-cycle cost analysis on different use cases.The Government of India has introduced a special scheme to promote the installation of SPV-WPSs by offering attractive incentives through PM-Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan(KUSUM)yojana.The results of the case study show that with the use of SPV-WPSs,either with or without subsidy,the farmer could gain a minimum of 250%on the investment with a project lifetime of 25 years.
文摘Given the growing emphasis on life-cycle analysis in bridge design,the design community is transitioning from the concept of performance-based design in structural engineering to a performance-based design approach within a life-cycle context.This approach considers various indicators,including cost,environmental impact,and societal factors when designing bridges.This shift enables a comprehensive assessment of structural resilience by exam-ining the bridge’s ability to endure various hazards throughout its lifespan.This study provides a comprehensive review of two key research domains that have emerged in the field of bridge life-cycle analysis,namely life-cycle sustainability(LCS)and life-cycle performance(LCP).The discussion on the LCS of bridges encompasses both assessment-based and optimization-based studies,while the exploration of LCP focuses on research examining structures subjected to deterioration over their service life due to deprecating phenomena such as corrosion and relative humidity changes,as well as extreme hazards like earthquakes and floods.Moreover,this study discusses the integration between LCS and LCP,highlighting how combined consideration of these factors can minimize damage costs,improve resiliency,and extend the lifespan of the structure.A detailed evaluation encompasses various life-cycle metrics,structural performance indicators,time-dependent modelling techniques,and analy-sis methods proposed in the literature.Additionally,the research identifies critical gaps and trends in life-cycle analysis within the realm of bridge engineering,providing a concise yet thorough overview for advancing con-siderations in the life-cycle design of bridges.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52341401)the National Key Research and Development Program of China under grant(No.2022YFE0206700)+4 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42302272)the State-funded Postdoctoral Fellowship Program(No.GZB20230862)the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum,Beijing(No.2462023XKBH006)the Science Foundation of China University of Petroleum,Beijing(No.2462021YJRC012)the Open Project Program of Key Laboratory of Groundwater Resources and Environment(Jilin University),Ministry of Education(No.202306ZDKF05).
文摘With policy support for carbon capture,utilization,and storage(CCUS),an integrated approach that combines energy storage fracturing,CO_(2)-enhanced oil recovery(EOR),and storage emerges as a promising direction for the shale oil industry.The process of energy storage fracturing induces significant changes in the pressure and saturation of the medium.However,conventional simulations often overlook the effects of fracturing and shut-in operations on the seepage field and production performance.Furthermore,fractured shale reservoirs exhibit complex non-Darcy flow characteristics due to intricate pore structures and multi-scale porous media.A comprehensive understanding of flow mechanisms is essential for effective reservoir development and CO_(2) storage.This study establishes a multi-component simulation model that encompasses the life-cycle of fracturing,shut-in,production,and CO_(2) huff-n-puff processes,thereby ensuring the continuity of the seepage field.The model accounts for the effect of nano-confinement on phase behavior by modifying the equation of state.Furthermore,the flux term is adjusted to incorporate Maxwell–Stefan diffusion,pre-/post-Darcy flow,and stress sensitivity.The embedded discrete fracture model(EDFM)is employed to simulate multiphase flow within multi-scale media,and the results from the validation model align satisfactorily with those derived from ECLIPSE.Mechanism analysis indicates that the interaction of multiple mechanisms significantly influences both production and storage performance.Under the multi-mechanism coupling,the cumulative oil production increased by 12.01%,while the utilization and storage factors increased by 62.93%and 8.93%,respectively.The role of molecular diffusion in shale oil reservoirs may be overstated,contributing only a 0.26% enhancement in oil production.Simulation results show that the energy storage fracturing strategy can increase oil production and net present value by 12.47%and 15.07%,respectively.Sensitivity analysis indicates that the CO_(2) injection rate is the main factor affecting the recovery factor,followed by CO_(2) injection time and the number of cycles,with fracturing fluid volume having the least impact.This study develops a multi-process,multi-mechanism simulation framework for multi-scale shale oil reservoirs.This framework provides a robust evaluation system for CCUS-EOR,facilitating informed decision-making in fracturing stimulation,development planning,and parameter optimization.
文摘BACKGROUND Drug utilization research has an important role in assisting the healthcare administration to know,compute,and refine the prescription whose principal objective is to enable the rational use of drugs.Research in developing nations relating to the cost of treatment is scarce when compared with developed countries.Thus,the drug utilization research studies from developing nations are most needed,and their number has been growing.AIM To evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs and direct medical cost analysis in patients newly diagnosed with schizophrenia.METHODS The present study was observational in type and based on a retrospective cohort to evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs using World Health Organization(WHO)core prescribing indicators and anatomical therapeutic chemical/defined daily dose indicators.We also calculated direct medical costs for a period of 6 months.RESULTS This study has found that atypical antipsychotics are the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia in every age group and subcategories of schizophrenia.The evaluation based on WHO prescribing indicators showed a low average number of drugs per prescription and low prescribing frequency of antipsychotics from the National List of Essential Medicines 2015 and the WHO Essential Medicines List 2019.The total mean drug cost of our study was 1396 Indian rupees.The total mean cost due to the investigation in our study was 1017.34 Indian rupees.Therefore,the total mean direct medical cost incurred on patients in our study was 4337.28 Indian rupees.CONCLUSION The information from the present study can be used for reviewing and updating treatment policy at the institutional level.
文摘Typically the selection of a residential heating system focuses on first costs rather than the economic or environmental life cycle consequences.The use of life cycle assessment and life cycle cost methodologies in the design phase provide additional criteria for consideration when selecting a residential heating system.A comparative case study of a gas forced air and radiant solar heating system was conducted for a 3,000 square foot house located in Fort Collins,Colorado,U.S.A.The initial results of an analysis of the life cycle assessment and the life cycle cost data indicated the gas forced air system was superior,both environmentally and economically.Further data analysis pinpointed solar radiant system components for replacement in an effort to reduce both life cycle environmental emissions and costs.This analysis resulted in a hybrid radiant system using a high-efficiency gas-fired boiler,a choice that lowered both the solar radiant system’s costs and emissions.This new system had slightly lower environmental impacts than both the gas forced air system and solar radiant system.Unfortunately the hybrid system had less impact on the life cycle cost with the hybrid system substantially more expensive then the gas-forced air alternative.
基金The Social Science Fund of Hebei Province (No.200607011)the Key Science and Technology Project of Hebei Province(No.07213529)
文摘In order to more effectively assess the health status of a project, the monitoring indices in a project＇s life cycle are divided into quality index, cost index, time index, satisfaction index, and sustainable development index. Based on the feature of qualitative and quantitative indices combining, the PCA-PR （principal component analysis and pattern recognition） model is constructed. The model first analyzes the principal components of the life-cycle indices system constructed above, and picks up those principal component indices that can reflect the health status of a project at any time. Then the pattern recognition model is used to study these principal components, which means that the real time health status of the project can be divided into five lamps from a green lamp to a red one and the health status lamp of the project can be recognized by using the PR model and those principal components. Finally, the process is shown with a real example and a conclusion consistent with the actual situation is drawn. So the validity of the index system and the PCA-PR model can be confirmed.
基金Supported by:Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under Grant No.2021QN1022。
文摘Engineering structures may be exposed to one or more extreme hazards during their life-cycles.Current structural design specifications usually treat multiple hazards separately in designing structures and there is a limited probabilistic basis on extreme load combinations.Additionally,the performance of engineering structures will be deteriorated by the aggressive environments during their service periods,such as chloride attack,concrete carbonation,and wind-induced fatigue.This study presents a probabilistic methodology to assess the time-dependent failure probability of RC bridges with chloride-induced corrosion under the multiple hazards of earthquakes and strong winds.The loss of cross-section area of reinforcements and the reduction in strength of reinforcing steel and concrete cover induced by the chloride attack are considered.Moreover,the Poisson model is employed to obtain the occurrence probabilities of the individual and concurrent earthquake and strong wind events.The convolution integral is used to determine the joint probability distribution of combined load effects under simultaneous earthquakes and strong winds.Numerical results indicate that the structural failure probability under multiple hazards increases significantly during the bridge′s life-cycle due to the chloride corrosion effect.The contribution of each hazard event on the total structural failure probability varies with time.Thus,neglecting the combined influences of multiple hazards and chloride-induced corrosion may bring erroneous predictions in failure probability estimates of RC bridges.
文摘The development and deployment of Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage （CCS） technology is a cornerstone of the Norwegian government＇s climate strategy. A number of projects are currently evaluated/planned along the Norwegian West Coast, one at Tjeldbergodden. COe from this project will be utilized in part for enhanced oil recovery in the Halten oil field, in the Norwegian Sea. We study a potential design of such a system. A combined cycle power plant with a gross power output of 832 MW is combined with CO2 capture plant based on a post-combustion capture using amines as a solvent. The captured CO2 is used for enhanced oil recovery （EOR）. We employ a hybrid life-cycle assessment （LCA） method to assess the environmental impacts of the system. The study focuses on the modifications and operations of the platform during EOR. We allocate the impacts connected to the capture of CO2 to electricity production, and the impacts connected to the transport and storage of CO2 to the oil produced. Our study shows a substantial reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions from power production by 80% to 75 g·（kW·h）^-1. It also indicates a reduction of the emissions associated with oil production per unit oil produced, mostly due to the increased oil production. Reductions are especially significant if the additional power demand due to EOR leads to power supply from the land.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52034009 and 51974319)the Yue Qi Distinguished Scholar Project(No.2020JCB01)。
文摘The quantitative determination and evaluation of rock brittleness are crucial for the estimation of excavation efficiency and the improvement of hydraulic fracturing efficiency.Therefore,a“three-stage”triaxial loading and unloading stress path is designed and proposed.Subsequently,six brittleness indices are selected.In addition,the evolution characteristics of the six brittleness indices selected are characterized based on the bedding effect and the effect of confining pressure.Then,the entropy weight method(EWM)is introduced to assign weight to the six brittleness indices,and the comprehensive brittleness index Bcis defined and evaluated.Next,the new brittleness classification standard is determined,and the brittleness differences between the two stress paths are quantified.Finally,compared with the previous evaluation methods,the rationality of the proposed comprehensive brittleness index Bcis also verified.These results indicate that the proposed brittleness index Bccan reflect the brittle characteristics of deep bedded sandstone from the perspective of the whole life-cycle evolution process.Accordingly,the method proposed seems to offer reliable evaluations of the brittleness of deep bedded sandstone in deep engineering practices,although further validation is necessary.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(72061127004 and 72104164)the System Science and Enterprise Development Research Center(Xq22B04)+1 种基金financial support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council(EPSRC)Programme(EP/V030515/1)financial support from the Science and Technology Support Project of Guizhou Province([2019]2839).
文摘Intelligent chatbots powered by large language models(LLMs)have recently been sweeping the world,with potential for a wide variety of industrial applications.Global frontier technology companies are feverishly participating in LLM-powered chatbot design and development,providing several alternatives beyond the famous ChatGPT.However,training,fine-tuning,and updating such intelligent chatbots consume substantial amounts of electricity,resulting in significant carbon emissions.The research and development of all intelligent LLMs and software,hardware manufacturing(e.g.,graphics processing units and supercomputers),related data/operations management,and material recycling supporting chatbot services are associated with carbon emissions to varying extents.Attention should therefore be paid to the entire life-cycle energy and carbon footprints of LLM-powered intelligent chatbots in both the present and future in order to mitigate their climate change impact.In this work,we clarify and highlight the energy consumption and carbon emission implications of eight main phases throughout the life cycle of the development of such intelligent chatbots.Based on a life-cycle and interaction analysis of these phases,we propose a system-level solution with three strategic pathways to optimize the management of this industry and mitigate the related footprints.While anticipating the enormous potential of this advanced technology and its products,we make an appeal for a rethinking of the mitigation pathways and strategies of the life-cycle energy usage and carbon emissions of the LLM-powered intelligent chatbot industry and a reshaping of their energy and environmental implications at this early stage of development.
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41101567)
文摘As the construction sector is a major energy consumer and thus a significant contributor of CO_2 emissions in China,it is important to consider carbon reduction in this industry.This study analyzed six life-cycle stages and calculated the life-cycle CO_2 emissions of the construction sector in 30 Chinese provincial jurisdictions to understand the disparity among them.Results show that building materials production was the key stage for carbon reduction in the construction sector,followed by the building operation stage.External variables,e.g.,economic growth,industrial structure,urbanization,price fluctuation,and marketization,were significantly correlated with the emission intensity of the construction sector.Specifically,economic growth exhibited an inverted U-shaped relation with CO_2 emissions per capita and per area during the period examined.Secondary industry and land urbanization were negatively correlated with CO_2 emission intensity indicators from the construction sector,whereas tertiary industry and urbanization were positively correlated.Price indices and marketization had negative effects on CO_2 emission intensity.The policy implications of our findings are that cleaner technologies should be encouraged for cement providers,and green purchasing rules for the construction sector should also be established.Pricing tools(e.g.,resource taxes)could help to adjust the demand for raw materials and energy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71732001,51878311,72271106,U21A20151,and 71821001)Engineering Fronts Project(2021-HYZD-5-13)+1 种基金Major Science&Technology Project of Hubei(2020ACA006)China Scholarship Council(202006160115).
文摘During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency, many hospitals were built or renovated around the world to meet the challenges posed by the rising number of infected cases. Environmental management in the hospital life cycle is vital in preventing nosocomial infection and includes many infection control procedures. In certain urgent situations, a hospital must be completed quickly, and work process approval and supervision must therefore be accelerated. Thus, many works cannot be checked in detail. This results in a lack of work liability control and increases the difficulty of ensuring the fulfillment of key infection prevention measures. This study investigates how blockchain technology can transform the work quality inspection workflow to assist in nosocomial infection control under a fast delivery requirement. A blockchain-based life-cycle environmental management framework is proposed to track the fulfillment of crucial infection control measures in the design, construction, and operation stages of hospitals. The proposed framework allows for work quality checking after the work is completed, when some work cannot be checked on time. Illustrative use cases are selected to demonstrate the capabilities of the developed solution. This study provides new insights into applying blockchain technology to address the challenge of environmental management brought by rapid delivery requirements.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71271158)
文摘In this paper, a life-cycle model with retirement is set up to study how an individual chooses the optimal retiring age on account of wage growth rate, longevity and healthy state. It is proved that there exists optimal retiring age under given conditions. The numerical simulations are given to show how wage growth rate, longevity and healthy state affect retiring age.
文摘We present comparative life-cycle assessments of three fiber-reinforced sheet molding compounds （SMCs） using kenaf fiber, glass fiber and soy protein resin. Sheet molding compounds for automotive applications are typically made of unsaturated polyester and glass fibers. Replacing these with kenaf fiber or soy protein offers potential environmental benefits. A soy-based resin, maleated acrylated epoxidized soy oil （MAESO）, was synthesized from refined soybean oil. Kenaf fiber and polyester resins were used to make SMC 1 composites, while SMC2 composites were made from kenaf fiber and a resin blend of 20% MASEO and 80% unsaturated polyester. Both exhibited good physical and mechanical properties, though neither was as strong as glass fiber reinforced polyester SMC. The functional unit was defined as mass to achieve equal stiffness and stability for the manufacture of interior parts for automobiles. The life-cycle assessments were done on SMCI, SMC2 and glass fiber reinforced SMC. The material and energy balances from producing one functional unit of three composites were collected from lab experiments and the literature. Key environmental measures were computed using SimaPro software. Kenaf fiber-reinforced SMC composites （SMC1 and SMC2） performed better than glass fiber-reinforced SMC in every environmental category. The global warming potentials of kenaf fiber-reinforced SMC （SMCI） and kenaf soy resin-based SMC （SMC2） were 45% and 58%, respectively, of glass fiber-reinforced SMC. Thus, we have demonstrated significant ecological benefit from replacing glass fiber reinforced SMC with soy-based resin and natural fiber.
文摘With the continuous development of urban public transportation, the harmful GHG emissions and pollutants generated by itself and the consequent issues such as the losses of residents’ health, economic value and residents’ welfare have become the focus of social attention. In order to study the impacts of promoting new energy vehicles on public transportation pollution mitigation and residents’ health benefits, this paper adopts the LEAP model to build some scenarios that fulfill different development needs to quantitatively analyze the ownership of new energy buses, the reduction of pollutants and the losses of residents’ health welfare. It is concluded that promoting new energy buses comprehensively can significantly reduce the emissions of atmospheric pollutants and the economic losses of residents’ health, but cannot fully realize the targets of greenhouse gas reduction under Life Cycle Analysis.
基金Project(2006.318.223.02-01) supported by the Ministry of Transportation and Communications through the Scientific and Technological Funds of ChinaProject(2007AA11Z104) supported by the High Technology Research and Development of ChinaProject(20090072110045) supported by the Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of China
文摘To accurately evaluate the degradation process of prestressed concrete continuous bridges exposed to aggressive environments in life-cycle,a finite element-based approach with respect to the lifetime performance assessment of concrete bridges was proposed.The existing assessment methods were firstly introduced and compared.Some essential mechanics problems involved in the degradation process,such as the deterioration of materials properties,the reduction of sectional areas and the variation of overall structural performance caused by the first two problems,were investigated and solved.A computer program named CBDAS(Concrete Bridge Durability Analysis System) was written to perform the above-metioned approach.Finally,the degradation process of a prestressed concrete continuous bridge under chloride penetration was discussed.The results show that the concrete normal stress for serviceability limit state exceeds the threshold value after 60 a,but the various performance indicators at ultimate limit state are consistently in the allowable level during service life.Therefore,in the case of prestressed concrete bridges,the serviceability limit state is more possible to have durability problems in life-cycle;however,the performance indicators at ultimate limit state can satisfy the requirements.
文摘Based on advanced computer technology, internet of things （lOT） technology, project management con- cept and professional technology and combined with the innovative theories, methods and techniques in earlier hy- dropower projects, the life-cycle risk management system of high earth-rock dam project for Nuozhadu project was developed. The system mainly includes digital dam, three-dimensional design, construction quality monito- ring, safety assessment and warning, etc, to integrally manage and analyze the dam design, constructional quality and safety monitoring information. It realized the dynamic updates of the comprehensive information and the safe- ty quality monitoring in the project life cycle, and provided the basic platform for the scientific management of the construction and operation safety of high earth-rock dam. Application in Nuozhadu earth-rock dam showed that construction safety monitoring and warning greatly helped accelerate the construction progress and improve project quality, and provided a new way for the quality safety control of high earth-rock dam.
文摘The release of a new artificial intelligence(AI)model,ironically,evokes a biblical memory.What has transpired in the past few days echoes the biblical story of David versus Goliath,in which the massive and wellarmed Goliath is defeated by the comparatively puny David,who comes to the battle with only his staff and sling.
