This book provides a collection of recent research works related to new trends and pathologies associated with concrete structures, in order to contribute to the systematization and dissemination of knowledge related to moisture transport, durability, construction pathology, diagnostic techniques, and the most recent advances in this domain. The book is divided into five chapters that intend to be a resume of the current state of knowledge for benefit of professional colleagues, scientists, students, practitioners, lecturers, and other interested parties to network. At the same time, these topics will be going to the encounter of a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines, such as civil, mechanical, and materials engineering.

This Festschrift is dedicated to Professor Dr.-Ing. habil. Peter Wriggers on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Thanks to his high dedication to research, over the years Peter Wriggers has built an international network with renowned experts in the field of computational mechanics. This is proven by the large number of contributions from friends and collaborators as well as former PhD students from all over the world. The diversity of Peter Wriggers network is mirrored by the range of topics that are covered by this book. To name only a few, these include contact mechanics, finite & virtual element technologies, micromechanics, multiscale approaches, fracture mechanics, isogeometric analysis, stochastic methods, meshfree and particle methods. Applications of numerical simulation to specific problems, e.g. Biomechanics and Additive Manufacturing is also covered. The volume intends to present an overview of the state of the art and current trends in computational mechanics for academia and industry.

This volume deals with the most modern and topical problems of bridge design. The topics presented allow to tackle both theoretical-analytical as well as technical-constructive aspects of the design problem, pointing out how in the case of bridges, specifically for long span bridges, the two aspects are absolutely inseparable. In modern bridges, reasons of technical and economic feasibility oblige an extreme parceling of the construction process, with the consequent need to revise, with respect to the past, both design concepts as well as the theoretical apparatus of analysis that governs it. All this can clearly be derived from reading the present volume, in which the different contributions stress theoretical and technical questions of particular interest and topicality, without claiming to approach them systematically, but offering clear procedural rules and trend indications. With reference to the theoretical approach, some of particular importance are reviewed, such as the possibility of using limit analysis, the simplification of the design process for bridges, durability, and computer aided design. For what concerns the bridge typologies and the corresponding constructive problems, the emphasis is mostly on the ones still in an evolutionary phase, that is long span suspended/stayed bridges and cantilever built bridges with prefabricated segments.

This book gathers the contributions of the international conference “Optimization and Decision Science” (ODS2018), which was held at the Hotel Villa Diodoro, Taormina (Messina), Italy on September 10 to 13, 2018, and was organized by AIRO, the Italian Operations Research Society, in cooperation with the DMI (Department of Mathematics and Computer Science) of the University of Catania (Italy). The book offers state-of-the-art content on optimization, decisions science and problem solving methods, as well as their application in industrial and territorial systems. It highlights a range of real-world problems that are both challenging and worthwhile, using models and methods based on continuous and discrete optimization, network optimization, simulation and system dynamics, heuristics, metaheuristics, artificial intelligence, analytics, and multiple-criteria decision making. Given its scope of coverage, it will benefit not only researchers and practitioners working in these areas, but also the operations research community as a whole.

More than a third of America's bridges are considered substandard--either structurally deficient, functionally obsolete or both. Offers first-rate, practical guidance regarding the inspection and rehabilitation of aging bridge infrastructure including all elements involving structure, various materials and design types. Features seismic retrofit and coverage of environmental issues. Each chapter is written by an authority on the subject. Contains top-quality, detailed line illustrations plus photographs of actual rehab projects.

Papers in Economics and Sociology is a compilation of materials authored by the Polish economist Oskar Lange. The coverage of the essays covers the interrelations between economic and social issues. The text first covers the Marxist and socialist theory, and then proceeds to tackling political economy and socialism. Next, the selection deals with economic theory, along with the mathematical models, econometrics, and statistics utilized in economic analysis. The text also covers the economic science in the service of practice. The book will be of great use to political scientists, sociologists, behavioral scientists, and economists.