Brands Of Equipment Research Articles

A comparative study of application of domestic and imported accelerators in primary hospitals

Objective To investigate the application of accelerators in primary hospitals, and to explore the advantages and disadvantages of domestic accelerators. Methods Twenty-six primary hospitals that used domestic accelerators and an equal number of primary hospitals that used imported accelerators were enrolled in the study. Comparison was made by group t test. Results (1) The mean numbers of patients treated every day were 28.08 for the 26 hospitals with imported accelerators and 39.23 for the 26 hospitals with domestic accelerators (P=0.45). (2) There was no significant relationship of hospital level with equipment brand, the number of treated patients, or treatment technology.(3) The proportions of hospitals that need to employ radiotherapy doctors, physical therapists, and technicians were 87.8%, 77.6%, and 87.8%, respectively.(4) The purchasing and maintenance costs were significantly higher for the imported accelerators than for the domestic ones (P=0.00, 0.04); there were no significant differences in product service, applicability, convenience, or stability between imported and domestic accelerators (P=0.21-1.00, 0.15-0.52, 0.07-1.00). (5) For the domestic accelerators, the repeatability was poor in the low-dose treatment, and the remote diagnosis of equipment failure was not yet achieved. Conclusions Domestic accelerators can meet the basic requirements of primary hospitals. Compared with imported ones, domestic accelerators have lower total costs but comparable indices in most investigations and tests. In terms of repeatability of the low-dose treatment, remote diagnosis, and planning system, however, domestic accelerators still have a long way to go. Key words: Accelerator, domestic; Accelerator, import; Radiotherapy; Primary hospital

The value of winning: endorsement returns in individual sports

Using the results of 1068 different golf, tennis, and track and field (in particular: running) events, this paper examines the relation between athlete performance and stock returns of firms endorsed by athletes. We find that a tournament victory is associated with significant and positive market-adjusted stock returns for the endorsed clothing brand. Regression analysis reveals that winning is associated with a more positive price reaction than finishing as runner-up. In addition, we find that returns after a victory are significantly higher for endorsed clothing brands than for equipment brands. We did not detect return differences between superstars and regular athletes, nor between frequently endorsed brands and less commonly endorsed brands.

Identification of the auditorium with successful tennis players

This paper presents the results of interviewing a sample of 229 respondents from Belgrade who are of a different gender, age and employment status. The study is a continuation of an earlier pilot study, with the help of identical questionnaires conducted through the Internet (Google form). The aim was to investigate the affinity of respondents concerning the business from which celebrities come, and to identify the similarities and differences in attitudes from which the promotional power of athletes may be evaluated. The study included a set of questions, some of which are presented in this paper: 1/ to what extent sport and sporting celebrities influence the decision of the respondents; 2/ assessing the similarity of equipment that respondents utilized if they play tennis (amateur, recreational or professional), with the equipment of their favorite players. During the answer to the second question, the respondents kept in mind certain players. The answers were analyzed by means of descriptive analysis. These studies show that a promotional power exists between the widest audiences of athletes. The study should encourage greater proficiency in the evaluation of sporting talent as scarce human resources, which, although burdened with costs, often remains unvalued, in terms of the declining nature of their athletic performance during their career. The research results show: 1 / respondents of different age and genders prefer sport as an activity from which celebrities come; 2 / 81.25% of those who play tennis identified using the brand of equipment as their favorite players, and the highest agreement in attitudes has been achieved with the variables of gender and employment. The study provides an answer to the question of which target group, within a promotional capacity, results in a conversion of sport results, and contributes to the strengthening of national identity through loyalty to proven sporting values.

TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF IRRIGATION, FERTIGATION AND PLASTIC COVER ON THE TABLE GRAPE 'ITÁLIA' IN THE SERRA GAÚCHA, STATE OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL, BRAZIL

Recent drought periods in the Serra Gaucha Region have triggered farmers´ interest in adopting irrigation (IS) and fertigation systems (FES).There is little technical information regarding irrigation features and management, high price variation, variety of irrigation equipment brands and their useful life, and there is little technical and economic irrigation data to assist farmers. The objective of the present study was to study the technical and economic feasibility of irrigation, fertigation and plastic cover for the table grape cultivar ‘Italia’ vineyards in the Serra Gaucha region, considering climatic conditions and irrigation systems used. For technical and economic feasibility of IS and FES installation in the ‘Italy’ table grape vine yards under plastic cover in the Serra Gaucha region there must be a productivity increase from 29% (IS low cost, long useful life and installed in the plant production stability phase) to 53.7% (FES automated, short useful life and installed in the first year of growing crop phase).

Intraventricular and Skull Base Neuroendoscopy in 2012: A Global Survey of Usage Patterns and the Role of Intraoperative Neuronavigation

During the past decade, endoscopic intraventricular and skull base operations have become widely used for a variety of evolving indications. A global survey of practicing endoscopic neurosurgeons was performed to characterize patterns of usage regarding endoscopy equipment, instrumentation, and the indications for using image-guided surgery systems (IGSs). An online survey consisting of 8 questions was completed by 235 neurosurgeons with endoscopic surgical experience. Responses were entered into a database and subsequently analyzed. The median number of operations performed per year by intraventricular and skull base endoscopic surgeons was 27 and 25, respectively. Data regarding endoscopic equipment brand, diameter, and length are presented. The most commonly reported indications for IGSs during intraventricular endoscopic surgery were tumor biopsy/resection, intraventricular cyst fenestration, septostomy/pellucidotomy, endoscopic third ventriculostomy, and aqueductal stent placement. Intraventricular surgeons reported using IGSs for all cases in 16.6% and never in 24.4%. Overall, endoscopic skull base surgeons reported using IGSs for all cases in 23.9% and never in 18.9%. The most commonly reported indications for IGSs during endoscopic skull base operations were complex sinus/skull base anatomy, extended approaches, and reoperation. Many variations and permutations for performing intraventricular and skull base endoscopic surgery exist worldwide. Much can be learned by studying the patterns and indications for using various types of equipment and operative adjuncts such as IGSs.

Implementation of a multi‐brand strategy in action sports

PurposeThe present study aims to explore the efforts of a core action sports company (Board Sports Company (BSC)) to employ a multi‐brand strategy and to focus on the identity and reach of the seven distinct brands operated under the parent company. The study seeks to identify benefits and limitations of the multi‐brand strategy, as seen by company employees.Design/methodology/approachIn a single‐case design study approach, a global, private action sports company, recognized as a leader in authentic action sports footwear and apparel, was selected for study. Data were collected via in‐depth interviews with key company employees and an extensive review of secondary sources.FindingsThe adoption of a multi‐brand strategy with the operation of seven distinct brands has allowed BSC to expand to mainstream audiences, while strengthening its core target markets. Through aggressive consumer segmentation practices and the strategic utilization of a variety of distribution outlets, BSC remains competitive in a highly antagonistic business environment.Practical implicationsPossibly the greatest benefit of a multi‐brand strategy is a company's ability to diversify, while minimizing the risk of transferring potentially harmful associations among its brands. Thus, BSC has expanded its reach into the mainstream through new sports, product lines, distribution channels, and target audiences. Simultaneously, the organization has guarded the perception of authenticity of its core brands.Originality/valueThe study extends the understanding of the management of sport brands by moving beyond collegiate and professional sport organizations to focus on an athletic wear and equipment brand. It also offers insight to sport organizations that might consider expansion via the adoption of a multi‐brand strategy.

Electrical Power Failure in the Operating Room

Electrical Power Failure in the Operating Room

A radiometric study of factors affecting drug output of jet nebulizers

Jet nebulizers show an unreasonable variation in drug output and nebulization rates that leads to clinical and regulatory problems. Current evaluation methods appear inadequate for the purpose. Our objective was to evaluate Technetium-99m radiometry to study nebulizer parameters and the factors influencing it quantitatively. Drug output, output rate and residual mass and the effect of excipient, temperature, surface tension, air-jet speed, and equipment brand and aging were studied. Though nebulization of radiolabeled drugs followed first-order kinetics, the rates were significantly different; the heaviest drug (Tc-99m colloid) and Tc-99m salbutamol had the least nebulization. Nebulization rate for the first minute was invariably higher than the mean rate signifying the concentration effect of the solute. Drug residue was 35-75%. Drug output of different nebulizer chamber and air compressor brands was different to the extent of 270% and 180% respectively. ‘Aging’ of fluid chamber, cold drug fluid and obstruction in air-jet resulted in significant reduction in output, while addition of 2% saline as excipient did not change the output rate. Addition of ethyl alcohol resulted in a maximum of 260% enhancement (with Tc-99m salbutamol), while further reduction in surface tension was counterproductive irrespective of the drug used. We conclude that radiometry can provide valuable parametric information on the performance of different jet nebulizers.

69 A HOMEMADE N2 SUPERCOOLING DEVICE (NITROCOOLER) ENHANCES VIABILITY AFTER VITRIFICATION OF BOVINE OOCYTES BUT NOT OF IN VITRO-PRODUCED EMBRYOS

Increasing the cooling rate is a common strategy to enhance vitrification efficiency of bovine oocytes and in vitro-produced (IVP) embryos. Under vacuum conditions, liquid N2 (LN2) temperature decreases, increasing the cooling rate during the vitrification procedure. However, commercially available brands of equipment to supercool nitrogen are expensive. The aim of this study was to verify the effectiveness of a low-cost homemade nitrogen supercooling apparatus (Nitrocooler) for vitrification of bovine oocytes and IVP embryos. The device consists of a vacuum pump coupled to a close-tight-lidded flask with a styrofoam cup filled with 300 mL of LN2. After 5 to 7 min of vacuum pumping, LN2 goes through the slushing phenomenon, turning solid. After the lid is opened, the N2 turns liquid again, but in a stable, supercooled physical state lasting for approximately 10 min, boiling off when objects are plunged into it. Nitrocooler was tested for vitrified oocytes (Experiment I), vitrified oocytes in different containers (Experiment II), and embryos in 2 different vitrification solutions (Experiment III). In Experiment I (Ciência Rural, 2006 36, 1501–1506), immature (IM, n = 172) or in vitro-matured (IVM, n = 174) oocytes were exposed to 10% ethylene glycol (EG) + 10% DMSO for 30 s, followed by 20% EG + 20% DMSO + 0.5 m sucrose for 20 s, loaded in open-pulled straws (OPS), and plunged into LN2 or Nitrocooler-pumped LN2. For both IM (8.8%) and IVM (10.6%) oocytes, Nitrocooler-pumped LN2 increased blastocyst rates (Bonferroni, P < 0.05). In Experiment II, 1454 oocytes were vitrified using Nitrocooler after loading in different containers: stainless steel straws (SSS), beveled-tip straws (BTS), open-OPS, and glass-pulled straws (GPS). Greater blastocyst rates were obtained in the SSS (10.2%) and the GPS (8.0%) treatments, both being greater than the BTS (6.1%) and OPS (6.1%) containers (Tukey, P < 0.05). In Experiment III (Acta Sci. Vet. 2006 34, 77–82), 195 IVP bovine blastocysts were vitrified with or without Nitrocooler under 2 different cryoprotectant solutions: 10% EG + 10% DMSO or 10% EG + 10% propylene glycol (PROP). Hatching rates using Nitrocooler for EG + DMSO (50.2%) or EG + PROP (54.0%) were similar (ANOVA, P > 0.05) to normal atmosphere rates using EG + DMSO (50.1%) or EG + PROP (56.0%). Under these experimental conditions, our results suggest that the greater cooling rates obtained favored an increase in oocyte viability after vitrification, whereas no such beneficial effects were detected for vitrified IVP embryos. In conclusion, Nitrocooler was proven effective as a low-cost device to supercool LN2, increasing viability after vitrification of bovine oocytes, but not of IVP embryos. Table 1.Effect of Nitrocooler apparatus on cryopreservation of bovine oocytes and embryos

Análise da dose do laser de baixa potência em equipamentos nacionais

INTRODUCTION: Low-level laser therapy is becoming more popular and there is a growing interest in its effects, as reflected in the increased number of articles published about the subject. Many therapists and researchers have used a laser dose definition based on energy density (DE). However, the variety of laser equipments may lead to differences in the therapeutic results found, since the parameters supplied by these equipments vary according to the manufacturer. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the final energy transmitted to the tissue when applying the same DE using equipment of different Brazilian brands. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seven brands of Brazilian equipment with different mean power (Pm) were evaluated by means of simulations. DE of 1J/cm2 was applied using each brand of equipment, in order to evaluate possible differences in the final energy. RESULTS: The same DE applied using different brands of Brazilian equipment supplied final energy that ranged from 10 to 90mJ. This variation in the energy was mainly due to differences in Pm. These values ranged between 5.4 and 75mW. CONCLUSIONS: This variability in the final energy that is transmitted to the tissue indicates that DE may not be the best parameter for describing the dose to be used. In addition to DE, the final energy needs also to be stated, in order to establish the dose for obtaining the best therapeutic results.

Mastering Your PhD: Science Papers that Shine

Write this section last and revise it meticulously. It may be the only part of your paper that gets read, so it must contain a precise (and complete) summary of your work. abstract is a one-paragraph summary, usually less than about 200 words, of the work described in the article. It should contain the following elements: • central question (purpose) of the study. • A brief statement of what was done (methods). • A brief summary of the results. • A brief statement of the conclusions. Many computer search engines make use of the information in the abstract, so make sure the key words are included so that an Internet search will pick up your article. Introduction Many people find this section the most difficult part of the paper to write. goal of the introduction is to put your work in context. You need to include enough background information so that a reader not familiar with the field can understand the relevance of your work and how it fits into the big picture. And it has to pack this information into a small space. This means crisp, concise sentences. Introduction is where you state the purpose of your work. What research question were you attempting to answer? Why did you choose this experiment? What's the point? You also need to mention previous research on or related to the question you're asking. How did what is already known help you in planning your own experiments? Finally, be sure to state clearly your hypothesis or research question and your objectives. Read the introductions of several well-written papers in your field to get an idea of content and style. Some journals allow you to put the paper's main conclusion at the end of the introduction. Make use of this convention when you can, as it will prepare the reader for the main body of your article. Materials and methods In this section, accuracy is key, and details count. What was your experimental setup? Which type and brand of equipment did you use? How and when was the equipment calibrated? Which chemicals did you use? (Even the company you ordered them from and the batch number can be important.) Be sure to provide enough information so that other researchers can assess the validity of your work and perhaps replicate it if they choose. Again, study several well-written articles from respected journals to get a sense of what to include. If you already know which journal you plant to submit to, study the articles in a recent issue to get a feeling for content and style. Common practice is to describe methods using the passive voice: The sample was heated to 50C rather than We heated the sample to 50C. Results In the results section, you present the analyses of the data you collected. Graphs and tables are the easiest way to present this information. If your experiment resulted in a lot of numbers, try various types of graphs and tables to see which is the most effective in conveying your results. A combination of tables and graphs usually works best, so that the reader can see both actual numbers and a graphical presentation of the relationship between variables. Results section must closely match the Materials and Methods section. For example, if you present temperature data in the Results section, then the Materials and Methods section should say when and how you measured temperature. Don't confuse the Results section with the Discussion section. Results section should contain only the data you measured, as well as the graphic and tabular representation of the relationships between variables. Wait for the Discussion section to mention the patterns or trends you discovered. Creative data presentation can also highlight the trends you wish to further expound on in the Discussion section.

Objective Performance Testing and Quality Assurance of Medical Ultrasound Equipment

There is an urgent need for a measurement protocol and software analysis for objective testing of the imaging performance of medical ultrasound equipment from a user’s point of view. Methods for testing of imaging performance were developed. Simple test objects were used, which have a long life expectancy. First, the elevational focus (slice thickness) of the transducer was estimated and the in-plane transmit focus was positioned at the same depth. Next, the postprocessing look-up-table (LUT) was measured and linearized. The tests performed were echo level dynamic range (dB), contrast resolution ( i.e., gamma of display, number of gray levels/dB) and sensitivity, overall system sensitivity, lateral sensitivity profile, dead zone, spatial resolution and geometric conformity of display. The concept of a computational observer was used to define the lesion signal-to-noise ratio, SNR L (or Mahalanobis distance), as a measure for contrast sensitivity. All the measurements were made using digitized images and quantified by objective means, i.e., by image analysis. The whole performance measurement protocol, as well as the quantitative measurements, have been implemented in software. An extensive data-base browser was implemented from which analysis of the images can be started and reports generated. These reports contain all the information about the measurements, such as graphs, images and numbers. The approach of calibrating the gamma by using a linearized LUT was validated by processing simultaneously acquired rf data. The contrast resolution and echo level of the rf data had to be compressed by a factor of two and amplified by a gain factor corresponding to 12 dB. This resulted in contrast curves that were practically identical to those obtained from DICOM image data. The effects of changing the transducer center frequency on the spatial resolution and contrast sensitivity were estimated to illustrate the practical usefulness of the developed approach of quality assurance by measuring objective performance characteristics. The developed methods might be considered as a minimum set of objective quality assurance measures. This set might be used to predict clinical performance of medical ultrasound equipment, taking into account the performance at a unique point in space i.e., the coinciding depths of the elevation and in-plane (azimuth) foci. Furthermore, it should be investigated whether the approach might be used to compare objectively various brands of equipment and to evaluate the performance specifications given by the manufacturer. Last but not least, the developed approach can be used to monitor, in a hospital environment, the medical ultrasound equipment during its life cycle. The software package may be viewed and downloaded at the website http://www.umcn.nl/scientist/ (E-mail: j.thijssen@cukz.umcn.nl)

Comparação de três receptores GPS para uso em agricultura de precisão

Diversos equipamentos que se utilizam dos sinais transmitidos pelo Sistema de Posicionamento Global (GPS) têm sido empregados na Agricultura de Precisão. Neste estudo, foi feita uma comparação de três receptores comerciais no intuito de verificar suas acurácias. As principais qualidades medidas foram a repetibilidade dos dados e a estabilidade do sistema. O estudo foi conduzido em campo aberto, na área experimental da ESALQ/USP, com três linhas paralelas de 50 m espaçadas 10 m entre si. A coleta de dados foi feita no dia 25-9-2002, totalizando seis repetições da comparação dos três sistemas. Os dados foram coletados simultaneamente, de acordo com a melhor configuração da constelação de satélites, sendo que os três sistemas apresentaram resultados distintos. O GPS "A" (oito canais, sem correção diferencial) apresentou a maior variabilidade e a menor repetibilidade, com desvios de quase 10 m numa mesma linha. O sistema "B", com sinal de correção diferencial (DGPS "B", 12 canais), apresentou acurácia superior ao "A", com desvios de, no máximo, 6 m, mas com repetibilidade significativa. O GPS "C" (12 canais, com algoritmo otimizado) apresentou a maior acurácia e desvio máximo de 2 m. Assim, os dois últimos sistemas são adequados para a aplicação dos conceitos da Agricultura de Precisão.

Construction Equipment Management Practices of Major Contractors in Saudi Arabia

Construction equipment constitutes a major resource for a contractor. This paper presents the results of a survey performed to unfold the practices followed by contractors in Saudi Arabia in managing their construction equipment. It was possible to find that contractors in Saudi Arabia follow practices similar to those followed by top contractors in the USA. They were found to identify needs, evaluate alternative proposals quantitatively and qualitatively, and make decisions to acquire equipment. During its useful life, contractors maintain accurate records and subject equipment to preventive and scheduled maintenance programs. The contractors also use several economic analysis techniques to determine the economic life, pricing, rate of returns, accounting, etc. of equipment. This information and other parameters are used in equipment replacement evaluation. Finally, the contractors standardize equipment on equipment brand or on the family engine.

Playing For Keeps

This article discusses how secure archiving systems ensure that a company’s valuable data is kept safe. Many companies rely on an old standby, magnetic tape, as their backup medium because it holds a lot of information for the investment. Hewlett-Packard Co., IBM, and Seagate Technology LLC have jointly put forward a format they call Linear Tape-Open (LTO), a format to be shared through an open-licensing process. This way the customers can buy hardware and software from several suppliers, and read all their files, regardless of the brand of equipment they were recorded on. In short, the developers hope to make it easier for customers to choose and use data-storage products. Kinematic elements for motion and stress simulation behave dynamically like regular solid elements and can transmit forces, but stresses are not calculated for these elements, so processing times are greatly reduced.

Events Defined by Duration and Severity, With an Application to Network Reliability

Communications networks are highly reliable and almost never experience widespread failures. But from time to time performance degrades and the probability that a call is blocked or fails to reach its destination jumps from nearly 0 to an unacceptable level. High but variable blocking may then persist for a noticeable period of time. Extended periods of high blocking, or events, can be caused by congestion in response to natural disasters, fiber cuts, equipment failures, and software errors, for example. Because the consequences of an event depend on the level of blocking and its persistence, lists of events at specified blocking and duration thresholds, such as 50% for 30 minutes or 90% for 15 minutes, are often maintained. Reliability parameters at specified blocking and duration thresholds, such as the mean number of events per year and mean time spent in events, are estimated from the lists of reported events and used to compare network service providers, transmission facilities, or brands of equipment, for example. This article shows how data obtained with two-stage sampling can be used to estimate blocking probabilities as a function of time. The estimated blocking probabilities are then used to detect and characterize events and to estimate reliability parameters at specified blocking and duration thresholds. Our estimators are model-free, except for one step in a sampling bias correction, and practical even if there are hundreds of millions of observations. Pointwise confidence intervals for reliability parameters as a function of blocking and duration thresholds are built using a kind of “partial bootstrapping” that is suitable for very large sets of data. The performance of the algorithm for event detection and the estimators of reliability parameters are explored with simulated data. An application to comparison of two network service providers is given in this article, and possible adaptations for other monitoring problems are sketched.

Assessment of resolution and intercenter reproducibility of results of genotyping Staphylococcus aureus by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of SmaI macrorestriction fragments: a multicenter study.

Twenty well-characterized isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus were used to study the optimal resolution and interlaboratory reproducibility of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of DNA macrorestriction fragments. Five identical isolates (one PFGE type), 5 isolates that produced related PFGE subtypes, and 10 isolates with unique PFGE patterns were analyzed blindly in 12 different laboratories by in-house protocols. In several laboratories a standardized PFGE protocol with a commercial kit was applied successfully as well. Eight of the centers correctly identified the genetic homogeneity of the identical isolates by both the in-house and standard protocols. Four of 12 laboratories failed to produce interpretable data by the standardized protocol, due to technical problems (primarily plug preparation). With the five related isolates, five of eight participants identified the same subtype interrelationships with both in-house and standard protocols. However, two participants identified multiple strain types in this group or classified some of the isolates as unrelated isolates rather than as subtypes. The remaining laboratory failed to distinguish differences between some of the related isolates by utilizing both the in-house and standardized protocols. There were large differences in the relative genome lengths of the isolates as calculated on the basis of the gel pictures. By visual inspection, the numbers of restriction fragments and overall banding pattern similarity in the three groups of isolates showed interlaboratory concordance, but centralized computer analysis of data from four laboratories yielded percent similarity values of only 85% for the group of identical isolates. The differences between the data sets obtained with in-house and standardized protocols could be the experimental parameters which differed with respect to the brand of equipment used, imaging software, running time (20 to 48 h), and pulsing conditions. In conclusion, it appears that the standardization of PFGE depends on controlling a variety of experimental intricacies, as is the case with other bacterial typing procedures.

A value analysis model for farm equipment manufacturers

We develop and empirically validate a procedure specifically designed to allow farm equipment manufacturers to assess their customer value relative to the competition. Using a combination of psychometric procedures for evaluating farmer judgments (confirmatory factor analysis and conjoint analysis), we develop a comprehensive value analysis model which incorporates many features unique to the farm equipment market. Our approach allows for individual differences in farmer perceptions and preferences of equipment brands and can be implemented in markets where only a few competitors exist. Good empirical results were obtained in a study of the combine harvester market. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Immediate Plasma Potassium Levels in Treating Diabetic Ketoacidosis

To the Editor. —I am surprised at your publication of the case report by Leventhal and Goldman,1without alteration of the thrust of the remarks made by the authors regarding a specific brand of equipment used. Ion-specific electrodes are used to measure a variety of substances, one of which is potassium. It is common to find this technology in hospital laboratories. Plasma is acceptable for measurement. Turn-around times should be rapid. The problem addressed in the case report is likely one of intrahospital communication (90 minutes for the stat report of electrolyte glucose, urea nitrogen, and creatinine levels is much too long). Did the authors draw the original blood sample for the laboratory in heparin or did they send the laboratory a clot tube? Did they indicate that the tests should be done and the results should be reported stat? Was the blood-gas analyzer immediately available to the authors

Jet grouting: snail's pace of adoption : Andromalos, K B; Pettit, P J Civ Engng, N YV56, N12, Dec 1986, P40–43

Jet grouting, a remarkable method of improving soils that has been used overseas for the past 15 years, is described. It is applicable to modifying relatively soft soils to achieve general ground improvement, or to construct subgrade structural or loadbearing members without prior excavation. Its chief uses include underpinning existing structures threatened by subsidence, providing seepage control, making cofferdams, and, limiting subsidence over tunnel excavation sites. The product used is soilcrete, made by intimate, hydraulic-induced mixing of cement slurry with the native soil. The properties of the soilcrete, the shape of which depends on the brand of equipment, depend on the native soil and the way the process is applied. Of the several techniques available, this article describes the process of greatest commercial importance, a Japanese technique. Various applications of jet grouting are described. The advantages and disadvantages of the method are noted. The more interesting U.S. projects to date are described.