Case Study Of Failure Research Articles

Losing STEAM: A Case Study of Failure in School Reform

This study examines issues encountered during a school’s first year implementing science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM) curriculum. The school year began with multiple changes in leadership, including the appointment of a School Operations Manager and Teacher on Special Assignment, who took on respective roles of principal and assistant principal. Tension between school and district leadership, a teacher’s arrest, and lack of adequate training for the school’s teachers contributed to the failure of the eighth-grade level’s first-quarter STEAM unit. This study delves into events leading up to—and tensions surrounding—the team’s decision to begin a new unit in the second quarter.

Newburgh’s “Last Chance”: The Elusive Promise of Urban Renewal in a Small and Divided City

This article is a case study of failure at the federal, state, and local levels. In 1956, Newburgh, New York, undertook an ambitious, arguably oversized, urban renewal program. Between 1962 and 1974, city officials successfully cleared roughly 120 acres of prime waterfront real estate for redevelopment, displacing a largely black population. But combined with economic recession and changing federal and state policies, conflict between and among white city officials and black residents prevented reconstruction. Newburgh's greatest assets were its scenic waterfront and historic architecture. Clearance of the former led to destruction of the latter. Newburgh's waterfront remains largely empty even today.

An Advanced Statistical Method for Point Process Modelling With Missing Event Histories

Researchers are always challenged in developing history-dependent point process models for recurrence events such as system failures when the early event history is missing. The raison d'être in most cases is the estimation of model parameters. Even for simple renewal point processes, the model estimation is difficult since the distribution of backward recurrence time is not explicitly given, except for the limiting distribution case. To fill the gap, this article establishes an effective statistical method for parameter estimation for history-dependent point process models with partial missing history. The proposed method addresses the missing history issue through a data augmentation (DA) technique integrated with a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation technique. The key novelty is the creation of an acceptance/rejection criterion to assure the validity of the augmented missing history. Next, the augmented and observed histories are combined to form a `complete' history which is in turn used for model estimation. The estimated parameters are then used to generate new missing history. An iterative procedure is implemented to warrant stationary distributions for the estimates after burn-in. The validity and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated using two simulation studies and one real-life case study of modelling municipal water pipe failures from different model estimation perspectives.

A Case Study of Slope Failure Induced by Rainfall During Super-Typhoon

A Case Study of Slope Failure Induced by Rainfall During Super-Typhoon

Probabilistic analysis of flood embankment stability: the case study of the Adige River embankment in Italy

Flooding is a worldwide phenomenon. Over the last few decades the world has experienced a rising number of devastating flood events and the trend in such natural disasters is increasing. Furthermore, escalations in both the probability and magnitude of flood hazards are expected as a result of climate change. Flood defence embankments are one of the major flood defence measures and stability assessment for these structures is therefore a very important process. Traditional deterministic approaches to stability analysis do not allow taking into account and quantifying the uncertainties in soil characterisation. For this reason they may not be sufficient to capture the failure of flood embankments. The paper presents a probabilistic approach for the stability analysis of flood embankments taking into account the probabilistic distribution of soil hydro-mechanical properties. The approach is validated against the failure case study of the Adige river embankment in Italy, by comparing the probability of failure of two sections, within and outside the failure segment respectively.

Land Degeneration due to Water Infiltration and Sub-Erosion: A Case Study of Soil Slope Failure at the National Geological Park of Qian-an Mud Forest, China

Sustainable development of the natural landscape has received an increasing attention worldwide. Identifying the causes of land degradation is the primary condition for adopting appropriate methods to preserve degraded landscapes. The National Geological Park of Qian-an mud forest in China is facing widespread land degradation, which not only threatens landscape development but also endangers many households and farmlands. Using the park as a research object, we identified the types of slope failure and the factors that contribute to their occurrence. During June 2017, a detailed field survey conducted in a representative area of the studied region found two main types of slope failure: soil cave piping and vertical collapse. Physicochemical properties of the soil samples were measured in the laboratory. Results show that soil slope failure is controlled by three factors: (1) the typical geological structure of the mud forest area represented by an upper layer of thick loess sub-sandy soil and the near-vertical slope morphology; (2) particular soil properties, especially soil dispersibility; and (3) special climate conditions with distinct wet and dry seasons.

‘We Lost the Plot’: Failed Organizational Change at Nortel Networks

We conducted a case study of a prominent corporate failure, Nortel Networks. We sought to determine whether and when employees were cognizant of organizational decline in advance of external warnin...

The Case Study of Pragmatic Failure in Second Language of Pakistani Students

The current study explores the pragmatic failure in the second language (L2) of Pakistani learners at the graduate level. Pragmatic failure occurs mainly because of the lack of the cultural awareness and knowledge, and it offers an angle for the discussion in this study. However, the development of L2 learners’ pragmatic competence plays a significant role in accomplishment of communicative competence. This study was aimed to examine the relationship between pragmatics and language proficiency. The data were selected from two universities, i.e., University of Management and Technology, Lahore, and Minhaj University Lahore. The sample of 80 L2 learners participated in this study, and forty students were selected from each university. They were studying English as L2 for four years, respectively. All learners were Urdu speakers and their age ranged from 22 to 28. To assess participants’ language proficiency, Oxford Quick Placement Test (1999) was employed. The data were analyzed through the SPSS software (version 22) to answer the research questions. The descriptive analysis is utilized to find out the results. In order to evaluate the data, One Way ANOVA was run to see the level of significance among the three groups, i.e., High, Mid and Low. It is 0.445 between High and Mid group, and finally the level of significance between Low and Mid group is 0.001. The results reveal that L2 Pakistani learners have a lot of problems not only in pragmatic competence but in language proficiency as well. However, there is a significant relationship between pragmatics and language proficiency. And finally, it is found that there is no difference between male and female learners in pragmatic field, and eventually we came to this conclusion that pragmatic feature of English is predictable, namely, those students who are in a high level of language proficiency do better in pragmatic situations.

Case study of slope failure during construction of an open pit mine in Indonesia

This paper presents back-analyses of a failed slope at an open pit lignite mine in Muara Enim, Indonesia. The slope, which was being raised by the dumping of excavated material, failed at a dump height of 24 m, well before reaching the design height of 80 m. The primary cause of failure was determined to be the presence of a previously unknown weak layer in the foundation, combined with high excess pore pressures generated by a relatively fast dumping rate. The failure resulted in significant disruption of the mining operation, in addition to environmental problems and a high cost of remediation. Finite element analyses were performed to gain a better understanding of the influence of the weak layer at the time of the failure. The case history emphasizes the need for a thorough site investigation and the risks associated with fast dumping on saturated weak clay overlain by a stiff residual soil layer with low permeability.

Failure analysis of a damaged diesel motor crankshaft

A case study of a catastrophic failure of a diesel motor crankshaft is presented. The aim of this failure analysis is to investigate the root cause of this important mechanical component. This crankshaft belonged to a particular vehicle (140 cv, at 4000 rpm, 1968 cm3 displacement) that fractured after 180,000 km and 8 years in service. The motor was disassembled, and the crankpin No. 3 and the main bearing cap No. 4 were broken. Defects of material and machining defects were not found at the crack initiation sites by optical and SEM microscope. Results shown that the crankpin and the main bearing cap clearly failed by fatigue, and the root cause seems to be related with deficient tightening of the main bearing cap No. 4, which fractured due to a crack developed on the its outer side. The main journal No. 4 did run out of support, and the crankthrow No. 3 increased the alternating stress amplitude, whereby an inevitable catastrophic crankshaft failure happened.

When a Veterans’ Treatment Court Fails: Lessons Learned from a Qualitative Evaluation

ABSTRACTMore than 500 veterans treatment courts (VTCs) provide thousands of eligible veterans across the nation alternative means of resolving criminal charges through a therapeutic, judicially supervised programs. The majority of those VTCs mandate that veteran participants work with a volunteer veteran mentor throughout their tenure in VTC programs. Mentoring has been heralded as a critical and valuable component of VTCs, and it is believed that mentoring discourages substance abuse and promotes adherence to substance abuse interventions. But very little is known about how mentoring actually works. Scant research documents how mentors interact with mentees, what their responsibilities are, or what impact they have on veterans’ progress through rigorous VTC protocols. Through interview data collected following the death of a veteran mentee in a northeastern Study VTC, this research provides in-depth analysis of how mentors and mentees understand their responsibilities with respect to illicit substance use and violations of VTCs’ sobriety requirements. This article provides background data on VTCs and veterans who participate in them, then explores interview and documentary data as part of a case study of a policy failure in the Study VTC. The article concludes with recommendations that could improve mentor/mentee relationships and VTC participants’ access to treatment.

The opportunities and tensions of historic preservation and transit oriented development (TOD)

The article examines two research questions concerning historic preservation and TOD. First, what are the opportunities for and challenges to developing TODs in historic areas. Transit locations are often located in older historic areas and a restored or adaptively reused historic building can be an asset to a TOD because of the amenity it affords and its preservation of the linkage to the history of a place. There are other opportunities, such as the TOD capitalizing on an historic area's attractive and unique architectural style. At the same time, there may be tensions because as a TOD aims to maximize density near transit, pressure may mount to demolish lower density historic buildings.Second, what tools have been useful to preservationists, planners, developers, and communities for preserving historic buildings in TOD locations? Case studies of success and failure to combine historic preservation and TOD in six communities nationally in the United States showed that while the synthesis can be challenging it is feasible and results in distinctive and attractive developments. A key strategy included combining the federal historic tax credit and other subsidies. We observed other useful approaches, such as engaging stakeholders and place-making via local art and other means. Varying local conditions, however, argue against one set approach.

Case study of failure of long prestressed precast concrete girder during lifting

Improvements in concrete technology, reinforcing systems and manufacturing enable the use of longer reinforced precast concrete girders, contributing to the competitiveness of this solution for bridge decks. The weight of the girders should be limited in order to achieve an optimum between span length, transportation costs and lifting costs. The current tendency in design is to minimize the width of the flanges of the girder. This makes the element more flexible to lateral deformation and increases the risk of lateral instability in temporary situations without lateral supports. This is reflected in an increment of the number of accidents and damages associated with such phenomenon. The main objective of this study is to describe a real case study of lateral instability of a 46 m long prestressed concrete girder during lifting operations as well as to perform a parametric study to understand the limits of the problem observed. In addition to presenting the case study, simplified formulations and numerical simulations are used to assess the safety margins against lateral instability. Special attention is paid to the evaluation of the provisions gathered in codes and guidelines regarding the lateral stability since they might not cover extreme cases.

The use of artificial intelligence by the U.S. Navy: case study of a failure

This article analyzes an attempt to use computing technology, including AI, to improve the combat readiness of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. The method of introducing new technology, as well as the reaction of the organization to the use of the technology, is examined to discern the reasons for the rejection by the carrier's personnel of a technically sophisticated attempt to increase mission capability. This effort to make advanced computing technology, such as expert systems, an integral part of the organizational environment and, thereby, to significantly alter traditional decision-making methods failed for two reasons: (1) the innovation of having users, as opposed to the navy research and development bureaucracy, perform the development function was in conflict with navy operational requirements and routines and (2) the technology itself was either inappropriate or perceived by operational experts to be inappropriate for the tasks of the organization. Finally, this article suggests those obstacles that must be overcome to successfully introduce state-of-the-art computing technology into any organization.

Brazil’s entrepreneurial power in world politics: The role of great powers and regional politics for successful entrepreneurship

In this paper, we apply the concept of entrepreneurial powers to analyze Brazil’s participation and influence in international crises. Following Ravenhill (this journal issue), we consider three dimensions of entrepreneurship: (a) the intention to convince others according to an actor’s interests; (b) the use of skilful politicians and bureaucracies to persuade partners; and (c) a proactive foreign policy that “sells” its position regarding the issues at stake. We argue that two other factors should be considered for a more encompassing view of entrepreneurial powers. First, the position of the involved great power on the crisis or in its negotiation. Second, that regional politics matter to entrepreneurial powers. We develop our argument using two case studies of success and failure respectively: the 1995 Cenepa War between Peru and Ecuador mediated by Brazil, and the 2010 Iranian nuclear deal sponsored by Brazil and Turkey.

Why Does Polycentric Governance Work for Some Project Sites and Not Others? Explaining the Sustainability of Tramline Projects in the Philippines

Why are some tramlines, as human‐made common pool resources, sustained while others are not, even under a similar polycentric governance structure? Do the institutional design principles of the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework explain these different outcomes? The National Tramline Program is a national rural infrastructure development project started in 2009 by the research institute of the Department of Agriculture in the Philippines. Using originally collected survey data and employing mixed methods, we examine the determinants of the operational status of tramlines by comparing successful and failed cases. Building upon the IAD framework and polycentric governance for common pool resource management, we demonstrate that in addition to the farmers’ commitment to collective actions, the institutional characteristics of micro‐institutions, namely, the democratic selection of a leader for the farmers’ associations, are key to sustaining tramlines. Furthermore, case studies of both success and failure illustrate that the active involvement of municipal local governments and the presence of coordination among related agencies at various levels are essential for maintaining tramlines as human‐made common pool resources.

What might Normalisation Process Theory bring to policy implementation studies? Learning lessons and uncovering questions through a case study of the profound implementation failure of a new policing policy

AbstractNormalisation Process Theory (NPT), used nationally and internationally to explore implementation within health services research, is used for the first time within policing to understand profound policy implementation failure and to generate broader discussion of policy implementation theory. The policy in question (Police to Primary Care [P2PC]) was an intervention designed to notify GPs when women are assessed by police as at high risk of future domestic abuse. Designed to improve interagency communication, it took place amidst radical organisational change.Using qualitative interviews with domestic abuse specialist and frontline officers, this paper addresses how NPT helps to explain the (non)implementation of P2PC, how such an analysis differs from other policy implementation approaches, and what this means for our understandings of policy implementation more broadly.NPT proved useful in understanding mechanisms leading to (non)implementation of the intervention: fuzzy alignment with existing practice, faulty communication of purpose, and inattention to discretionary implementation spaces. It helped us understand why the intervention came to be invisible. Dwarfed by its organisational context, made institutionally hard to read by a lack of formal protocols, and given restricted view to police officers, it was compromised by a failure to instigate systems of organisational learning.More broadly, NPT helped reveal practices intersecting top‐down and bottom‐up implementation theory. The paper concludes by asking how NPT and theories of street‐level bureaucracy might be better used in tandem and, particularly, how this might help explorations of policy implementation where human actors are joined by technological actors in interpreting and making policy in vivo.

Resiliency of HPC Interconnects: A Case Study of Interconnect Failures and Recovery in Blue Waters

Availability of the interconnection network in high-performance computing (HPC) systems is fundamental to sustaining the continuous execution of applications at scale. When failures occur, interconnect recovery mechanisms orchestrate complex operations to recover network connectivity between the nodes. As the scale and design complexity of HPC systems increase, so does the system's susceptibility to failures during execution of interconnect-recovery procedures. This study characterizes the recovery procedures of the Gemini interconnect network, the largest Gemini network built by Cray, on Blue Waters, a 13.3 petaflop supercomputer at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). We propose a propagation model that captures interconnect failures and recovery procedures to help understand types of failures and their propagation in both the system and applications during recovery. The measurements show that recovery procedures occur very frequently and that the unsuccessful execution of recovery procedures, when additional failures occur during recovery, causes system-wide outages (SWOs, 28 out of 101) and application failures (3.4 percent of all running applications).

Numerical Evaluation of Slope Stability measures: A Case Study of Birham Landslide, Murree, Pakistan.

Slope failures endanger the public safety and one of major hazard considered in mountainous terrain. In this paper, slope stability measures have been evaluated using the limit equilibrium method (LEM). A case study of slope failure from Birham land slide, Murree, Pakistan has been modelled using SLOPE/W program. In-situ boring tests are performed to collect laboratory test specimens. Geotechnical properties (i.e. shear strength and stiffness parameters) for the idealised slope sections are based onlaboratory tests performed on the collected in-situ specimens. Slope stability measures are evaluated in terms of factor of safety (FoS) for static and dynamic loading. Pseudo-static method is used for dynamic analysis, considering the Peak ground acceleration (PGA) from seismic hazard map of Pakistan. Results shows that static and dynamic FoS of original slope are inadequate therefore resistance to slip surface of original unstable slope is provided by slope geometry modification with pile reinforcement. Based on these remedial measures, computed FoS of modified slope are found to be sufficient for static and dynamic slope stability.

Case Study of the Contact Failure of an Oil Temperature Sensor of an Automotive Transmission

In this study, we investigated the cause of the contact failure phenomenon of an oil temperature sensor whose signal error occurred intermittently as the vehicle in which it was installed was driving. The electrical contact failed sensor was disassembled and the contact surfaces observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). In this present oil temperature sensor, the difference in the thermal expansion coefficient of the male-female terminal and vibration during driving which arose when the vehicle was driven caused fretting corrosion at the contact area. The fretting corrosion caused an intermittent signal error. It is judged that the lead wire of the flexible thin plate is structurally vulnerable to vibration during driving, which further causes fretting of the contact point. Therefore, it is necessary to design an additional structural supplement to fix the flexible terminal of the sensor system.