Hasil untuk "Structural engineering (General)"

K. Lee, D. Mooney

Chaomei Chen, Zhigang Hu, Shengbo Liu et al.

ZHENG Junqiu, MA Hui, QIAO Yuelai et al.

To accurately assess the impact of structural cracks on the strength of pavement structures and establish corresponding evaluation indicators based on deflection response, field tests were conducted on multiple sections of expressways in Jiangsu Province. A falling weight deflectometer was used to test a total of 15 measurement points within a 3-meter range on both sides of each crack. The center deflection values at each measurement point were plotted into curves, and three evaluation indicators for cracks, namely deflection range, maximum influence distance on one side of the crack, and influence area, were proposed based on the characteristics of the curves. Core samples were taken directly above the selected cracks within the test sections to verify the crack types and development layers. According to the distribution and cracking conditions of the cracks in the core samples, six types of structural cracks were classified. The results show that the proposed indicators can effectively distinguish fatigue cracks from structural cracks. The coefficient of determination (R2) between deflection range and influence area is 0.75, and the Pearson correlation coefficient is 0.88. Both indicators have a good correspondence with the various stages of crack development and can be used in combination to evaluate the severity of cracks, providing practical guidance for pavement maintenance and construction.

Mauro Marcelino, Marcos Alves, Bianca Trinkenreich et al.

[Context] An evidence briefing is a concise and objective transfer medium that can present the main findings of a study to software engineers in the industry. Although practitioners and researchers have deemed Evidence Briefings useful, their production requires manual labor, which may be a significant challenge to their broad adoption. [Goal] The goal of this registered report is to describe an experimental protocol for evaluating LLM-generated evidence briefings for secondary studies in terms of content fidelity, ease of understanding, and usefulness, as perceived by researchers and practitioners, compared to human-made briefings. [Method] We developed an RAG-based LLM tool to generate evidence briefings. We used the tool to automatically generate two evidence briefings that had been manually generated in previous research efforts. We designed a controlled experiment to evaluate how the LLM-generated briefings compare to the human-made ones regarding perceived content fidelity, ease of understanding, and usefulness. [Results] To be reported after the experimental trials. [Conclusion] Depending on the experiment results.

Lekshmi Murali Rani

The study of behavioral and social dimensions of software engineering (SE) tasks characterizes behavioral software engineering (BSE);however, the increasing significance of human-AI collaboration (HAIC) brings new directions in BSE by presenting new challenges and opportunities. This PhD research focuses on decision-making (DM) for SE tasks and collaboration within human-AI teams, aiming to promote responsible software engineering through a cognitive partnership between humans and AI. The goal of the research is to identify the challenges and nuances in HAIC from a cognitive perspective, design and optimize collaboration/partnership (human-AI team) that enhance collective intelligence and promote better, responsible DM in SE through human-centered approaches. The research addresses HAIC and its impact on individual, team, and organizational level aspects of BSE.

Marc Bruni, Fabio Gabrielli, Mohammad Ghafari et al.

Prompt engineering reduces reasoning mistakes in Large Language Models (LLMs). However, its effectiveness in mitigating vulnerabilities in LLM-generated code remains underexplored. To address this gap, we implemented a benchmark to automatically assess the impact of various prompt engineering strategies on code security. Our benchmark leverages two peer-reviewed prompt datasets and employs static scanners to evaluate code security at scale. We tested multiple prompt engineering techniques on GPT-3.5-turbo, GPT-4o, and GPT-4o-mini. Our results show that for GPT-4o and GPT-4o-mini, a security-focused prompt prefix can reduce the occurrence of security vulnerabilities by up to 56%. Additionally, all tested models demonstrated the ability to detect and repair between 41.9% and 68.7% of vulnerabilities in previously generated code when using iterative prompting techniques. Finally, we introduce a "prompt agent" that demonstrates how the most effective techniques can be applied in real-world development workflows.

Marvin Wyrich, Lloyd Montgomery

A well-rounded software engineer is often defined by technical prowess and the ability to deliver on complex projects. However, the narrative around the ideal Software Engineering (SE) candidate is evolving, suggesting that there is more to the story. This article explores the non-technical aspects emphasized in SE job postings, revealing the sociotechnical and organizational expectations of employers. Our Thematic Analysis of 100 job postings shows that employers seek candidates who align with their sense of purpose, fit within company culture, pursue personal and career growth, and excel in interpersonal interactions. This study contributes to ongoing discussions in the SE community about the evolving role and workplace context of software engineers beyond technical skills. By highlighting these expectations, we provide relevant insights for researchers, educators, practitioners, and recruiters. Additionally, our analysis offers a valuable snapshot of SE job postings in 2023, providing a scientific record of prevailing trends and expectations.

T. E. Saaed, G. Nikolakopoulos, J. Jonasson et al.

Pablo Llamazares Blanco

Las incursiones en la arquitectura del artista estadounidense Donald Judd fueron una constante en el devenir de su trayectoria. Las investigaciones espaciales con sus objetos específicos y su gran interés por la práctica constructiva lo favorecieron. A través de esta investigación, se presenta uno de esos proyectos arquitectónicos en los que Judd tuvo una participación directa, como fue el pabellón no construido para el Kunsthaus Bregenz. Un proyecto poco conocido cuya definición se vio condicionada por las directrices del arquitecto Peter Zumthor, responsable de la configuración completa de la institución. A partir de ese planteamiento, el estudio parte de la consulta directa del material original conservado en los archivos de la Judd Foundation en Marfa, Texas, y se adentra en las transferencias creativas entre el arte y la arquitectura, en el análisis de una singular propuesta que no llegó a ejecutarse. La excesiva autonomía del diseño de Judd no consiguió adecuarse a los criterios fijados por Zumthor, que acabaría asumiendo la realización del pabellón. Pese al intento frustrado de colaboración, el transcurso del encargo revela los intereses de dos figuras como Judd y Zumthor trabajando en un mismo proyecto, al tiempo que descubre la gestación arquitectónica del Kunsthaus Bregenz.

Ashish Kumar, Sarada Prasad Pradhan, Siddhant Singh et al.

This paper examines the stability of rock slopes along the broad gauge (BG) line near Darekasa (approximately 1.0 km from Darekasa Station towards the western side). Unsafe slopes and rockfalls can hinder train travel, causing commuters difficulties. A field survey and lab experiments determined the rock slope’s stabilizing factors. Kinematic analysis and finite element modeling evaluated slope stability and design. On-site joint orientations were estimated with a Brunton compass (Nautical Mart Inc., Roorkee, India). Stereonet plots show wedge and planar failure patterns. The RS2 software was used to generate a finite element model for critical slope sections utilizing the combined continuum interface method and to determine critical shear strength reduction factors (SSRFs) with a two-dimensional plain strain method. The stabilization of the subject area was evaluated based on these findings. The purpose of rockfall protection is to prevent the fall of any individual blocks caused by the creation of local wedges. During numerical calculations for the global stability of a slope, these types of failures are not detectable. Along the stretch, this scenario demands drapery/rockfall netting. To preserve the slope against instability and rockfall, corrective measures consisting of reinforced double-twisted hexagonal mesh, rhomboidal cable net, and self-drilling anchors were implemented.

Liviu PRUNA, Andrei SLONOVSCHI

The paper presents a set of equations that stands to the basis of a computer program and to the software themselves, that offers to the user the possibility to automatic draw the arcs used to approximate the representation of a chamfer hexagonal prism. Also, the authors present the way to use software that generates the arcs that approximate hyperbolas resulting on a chamfered hexagonal prism.

Jukka Ruohonen, Kalle Hjerppe

Participatory citizen platforms are innovative solutions to digitally better engage citizens in policy-making and deliberative democracy in general. Although these platforms have been used also in an engineering context, thus far, there is no existing work for connecting the platforms to requirements engineering. The present paper fills this notable gap. In addition to discussing the platforms in conjunction with requirements engineering, the paper elaborates potential advantages and disadvantages, thus paving the way for a future pilot study in a software engineering context. With these engineering tenets, the paper also contributes to the research of large socio-technical software systems in a public sector context, including their implementation and governance.

Nadia Alshahwan, Mark Harman, Inna Harper et al.

In this paper we address the following question: How can we use Large Language Models (LLMs) to improve code independently of a human, while ensuring that the improved code - does not regress the properties of the original code? - improves the original in a verifiable and measurable way? To address this question, we advocate Assured LLM-Based Software Engineering; a generate-and-test approach, inspired by Genetic Improvement. Assured LLMSE applies a series of semantic filters that discard code that fails to meet these twin guarantees. This overcomes the potential problem of LLM's propensity to hallucinate. It allows us to generate code using LLMs, independently of any human. The human plays the role only of final code reviewer, as they would do with code generated by other human engineers. This paper is an outline of the content of the keynote by Mark Harman at the International Workshop on Interpretability, Robustness, and Benchmarking in Neural Software Engineering, Monday 15th April 2024, Lisbon, Portugal.

Oleksandr Kosenkov, Michael Unterkalmsteiner, Jannik Fischbach et al.

Context: Regulatory acts are a challenging source when eliciting, interpreting, and analyzing requirements. Requirements engineers often need to involve legal experts who, however, may often not be available. This raises the need for approaches to regulatory Requirements Engineering (RE) covering and integrating both legal and engineering perspectives. Problem: Regulatory RE approaches need to capture and reflect both the elementary concepts and relationships from a legal perspective and their seamless transition to concepts used to specify software requirements. No existing approach considers explicating and managing legal domain knowledge and engineering-legal coordination. Method: We conducted focus group sessions with legal researchers to identify the core challenges to establishing a regulatory RE approach. Based on our findings, we developed a candidate solution and conducted a first conceptual validation to assess its feasibility. Results: We introduce the first version of our Artifact Model for Regulatory Requirements Engineering (AM4RRE) and its conceptual foundation. It provides a blueprint for applying legal (modelling) concepts and well-established RE concepts. Our initial results suggest that artifact-centric RE can be applied to managing legal domain knowledge and engineering-legal coordination. Conclusions: The focus groups that served as a basis for building our model and the results from the expert validation both strengthen our confidence that we already provide a valuable basis for systematically integrating legal concepts into RE. This overcomes contemporary challenges to regulatory RE and serves as a basis for exposure to critical discussions in the community before continuing with the development of tool-supported extensions and large-scale empirical evaluations in practice.

Yujie Wang, Yaozu Liu, Hui Li et al.

The development of three-dimensional (3D) covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with large pores and high surface areas is of great importance for various applications. However, it remains a major challenge due to the frequent structural interpenetration and pore collapse after the removal of guest species situated in the pores. Herein, we report for the first time a series of 3D mesoporous COFs through a general method of steric hindrance engineering. By placing methoxy and methyl groups strategically on the monomers, we can obtain non-interpenetrated 3D COFs of diamondoid structures with permanent mesopores (up to 26.5 Å) and high surface areas (> 3000 m2 g-1), which are far superior to those of reported conventional COFs with the same topology. This work thus opens a new avenue to create 3D large-pore COFs for potential applications in adsorption and separation of large inorganic, organic, and biological molecules.

Endong Zhang, Philana Phan, Zongmin Zhao

Cellular nanovesicles which are referred to as cell-derived, nanosized lipid bilayer structures, have emerged as a promising platform for regulating immune responses. Owing to their outstanding advantages such as high biocompatibility, prominent structural stability, and high loading capacity, cellular nanovesicles are suitable for delivering various immunomodulatory molecules, such as small molecules, nucleic acids, peptides, and proteins. Immunomodulation induced by cellular nanovesicles has been exploited to modulate immune cell behaviors, which is considered as a novel cell-free immunotherapeutic strategy for the prevention and treatment of diverse diseases. Here we review emerging concepts and new advances in leveraging cellular nanovesicles to activate or suppress immune responses, with the aim to explicate their applications for immunomodulation. We overview the general considerations and principles for the design of engineered cellular nanovesicles with tailored immunomodulatory activities. We also discuss new advances in engineering cellular nanovesicles as immunotherapies for treating major diseases.

Santosh Gupta, Santosh Gupta, Akriti Sharma et al.

Whole-organ re-engineering is the most challenging goal yet to be achieved in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. One essential factor in any transplantable and functional tissue engineering is fabricating a perfusable vascular network with macro- and micro-sized blood vessels. Whole-organ development has become more practical with the use of the decellularized organ biomatrix (DOB) as it provides a native biochemical and structural framework for a particular organ. However, reconstructing vasculature and re-endothelialization in the DOB is a highly challenging task and has not been achieved for constructing a clinically transplantable vascularized organ with an efficient perfusable capability. Here, we critically and articulately emphasized factors that have been studied for the vascular reconstruction in the DOB. Furthermore, we highlighted the factors used for vasculature development studies in general and their application in whole-organ vascular reconstruction. We also analyzed in detail the strategies explored so far for vascular reconstruction and angiogenesis in the DOB for functional and perfusable vasculature development. Finally, we discussed some of the crucial factors that have been largely ignored in the vascular reconstruction of the DOB and the future directions that should be addressed systematically.

Muhammad Hasan, Yanjun Shang, Qingsen Meng

Abstract Thorough and accurate assessment of rock mass units is important for development of engineering infrastructures and groundwater resources assessments. Rock mass units are widely evaluated by reliable geomechanical parameters namely rock quality designation (RQD) and rock core index (RCI). Conventionally, these parameters are acquired via an extensive number of geotechnical tests. Such tests, however, suffer efficiency for data coverage, cost, equipment and topographic constrictions, and hence cause ambiguity in geological models for a detailed evaluation of rock mass integrity. Conversely, geophysical surveys offer fast, more user-friendly, less invasive, more cost-effective and less time-consuming approach for geological investigations. The past research confirms a useful link between geophysical and geotechnical parameters. But, none of the past studies provides a suitable and generalized relation between these parameters which can reduce geotechnical model uncertainty mostly caused by inadequate data and subsurface heterogeneity. This paper proposes a meaningful and feasible method to obtain geomechanical parameters using a certain number of drillings and geophysical data of four different sites. Based on electrical resistivity obtained from electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and controlled-source audio-frequency magneto telluric (CSAMT), this research provides the general and adaptable formulas for geotechnical parameter estimation and reduces geological model uncertainty for more detailed 2D/3D imaging of RQD and RCI covering the whole sites where even no drilling data exists. Thus, the investigated sites are assessed laterally and vertically along each geophysical profile via distinct value ranges of geological parameters for a thorough and reliable evaluation of rock mass units in highly heterogeneous setting. Our research reduces the ambiguity caused by structural heterogeneities and scarce data, fills the gap between inadequate well tests and the true geological models, and gives new insights into the rock mass units for proper engineering design and groundwater exploitation.

Великанов Петр Геннадьевич, Артюхин Юрий Павлович

Определение собственных и вынужденных колебаний рамных конструкций, моделируемых стержнями с распределенными массами (бесконечное число степеней свободы), довольно затруднительно. Поэтому в статье модель рамы наделяют конечным числом степеней свободы: массу помещают в некоторое число узлов, которые упруго взаимодействуют со стержнями, не имеющими массы. Стержни работают только на изгиб. Продольные перемещения не учитываются, так как частота продольных колебаний на два порядка выше частоты изгибных колебаний. Такая модель позволяет составить выражения кинетической и потенциальной энергии и затем с помощью уравнений Лагранжа 2-го рода получить систему дифференциальных уравнений колебаний многоэтажных зданий. В статье с использованием функций Грина, матриц жесткости, масс, податливости и др. была решена задача о свободных колебаниях Г-образной рамы. Полученные приближенные результаты при сравнении с малоизвестными точными результатами показали хорошую сходимость, особенно при увеличении числа степеней свободы (количества сосредоточенных масс, моделирующих распределенную массу стержней Г-образной рамы).

Yaohou Fan, Chetan Arora, Christoph Treude

Stop words, which are considered non-predictive, are often eliminated in natural language processing tasks. However, the definition of uninformative vocabulary is vague, so most algorithms use general knowledge-based stop lists to remove stop words. There is an ongoing debate among academics about the usefulness of stop word elimination, especially in domain-specific settings. In this work, we investigate the usefulness of stop word removal in a software engineering context. To do this, we replicate and experiment with three software engineering research tools from related work. Additionally, we construct a corpus of software engineering domain-related text from 10,000 Stack Overflow questions and identify 200 domain-specific stop words using traditional information-theoretic methods. Our results show that the use of domain-specific stop words significantly improved the performance of research tools compared to the use of a general stop list and that 17 out of 19 evaluation measures showed better performance. Online appendix: https://zenodo.org/record/7865748