External Paths Research Articles

The influence of steep faults at various avoidance distances on the stability of hard rock caverns: Physical model experiments and DEM simulations

The influence of avoidance distances from steep faults on the stability of hard rock caverns is pivotal in deep engineering, yet research in this area remains scant. This study constructed 10 physical models of granite caverns, incorporating artificial cement-filled faults at various avoidance distances ranging from 0 to 2.4 cavern diameters. Biaxial compression experiments were conducted, utilizing acoustic emission and digital image correlation techniques for monitoring. Coupled with discrete element method simulations, the analysis explored the influence mechanisms of fault-cavern distance on the failure modes of hard rock caverns. The results reveal a positive correlation between the peak strength of specimens and fault-cavern distance. As the distance approaches 0.6 cavern diameters, the fault significantly influences the displacement field, crack number, distribution, and crack initiation location within the specimens. Furthermore, even at 1.2 cavern diameters, the fault still exhibits a notable influence on the stress field, external load transfer paths, cavern failure modes, and the size distribution of spalling debris. These findings can guide the selection of sites for deep hard rock caverns, ensuring a minimum fault-cavern distance of 1.2 cavern diameters to mitigate the risks posed by steep faults to such caverns.

Environmental, Social, and Governance Performance, Platform Governance, and Value Creation of Platform Enterprises

Under the concepts of sustainable development and a sharing economy, the ESG performance of platform enterprises has played a significant role in measuring the operating status and responsible investment of platform enterprises. Platform enterprises have different typical characteristics from traditional enterprises. The mechanisms of ESG and financial performance needs to be further explored. The empirical analysis finds that: (1) the ESG performance of platform enterprises and its S index and G index has a positive impact on corporate financial performance. (2) Media attention plays a positive moderating role between the ESG and ROA. (3) Platform data governance and platform reputation governance are two internal and external paths for platform enterprises’ ESG performance to improve financial performance. (4)There is heterogeneity in the relationship between ESG and ROA in terms of platform enterprise scale and platform type. Based on the above conclusions, this paper provides reference experience for the ESG governance and value creation of platform enterprises.

HALS-770 interlayer simultaneously block internal and external degradation paths of perovskite for stability and high efficiency perovskite solar cells

The stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is a major problem limiting their application. Here, we proposed a feasible solution using bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl) sebacate (HALS-770) as top protection layer of perovskite. HALS-770 interlayer can not only improve the antioxidant ability of perovskite by removing superoxide (O2·-) with help of hindered amine groups, but also suppress the internal and external degradation path of perovskite due to the co-existence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Moreover, it can block volatilization of organic cation and the migration of Ag+ and I-, thus improve thermal stability of perovskite and alleviate destruction of Ag electrode. In addition, the heterocycles N atom and carbonyl group in HALS-770 interact with the under-coordinated Pb2+, reducing the interface defects. As a result, the unencapsulated device maintains excellent stability over 95 % of its initial efficiency after 30 days in ambient condition with about 25–50 % humidity, and possesses remarkable continuous operation stability with projected T80 > 1400 h at maximum power point tracking in glove box, much higher than those of the pristine device. Meanwhile, HALS-770 enable the PCE of 21.88 % for PSC (0.06 cm2), which is among the highest efficiencies for MAPbI3 based PSCs with p-i-n structure, and the PCE of 19.07 % for PSM (4 cm2). And it is also suitable for FAMA-based devices with n-i-p structure, enabling an efficiency of 23.03 % (0.06 cm2) and excellent stability.

Research on English Foreign Propaganda Translation and External Communication Paths Based on Multimodal Analysis Approach

Abstract In this paper, a multimodal phrase corpus is created, enabling phrases to be searched automatically. The phrase structure is constructed through phrase centroids, and multilevel linguistic measurements are obtained for vocabulary, syntax, and parts of speech styles. A joint feature analysis model for the automatic conversion of English-Chinese machine translation is constructed through distributed feature fusion and joint parameter analysis. Linear statistical features and feature analysis detection are utilized to compute the optimal solution for English-Chinese machine automatic translation text. The graph embedding technique was used to pretrain the knowledge graph and obtain information about the network structure. Combined with the graph convolution technique, deep semantic information mining was carried out to achieve efficient content matching and cultural dissemination. It has been proved that the method of this paper has an AUC value of 0.921 and a satisfaction rate between 80% and 95% in English-translated movie data. The proposed method can accurately translate information from English to foreign propaganda content, which further promotes the development of international cultural exchange and communication.

Reducing first appointment delays for electron radiotherapy patients by improving the treatment planning pathway: a quality improvement project

Clatterbridge Cancer Centre (CCC) is a specialist hospital trust in England with three sites.Delay to the start of an appointment for radiotherapy, especially the first appointment (a ‘New Start’) is...

Technology External Cause or Individual Internal Cause? Multiple Ways to Improve the Online Learning Effectiveness of Tourism and Hospitality Management Students

Online learning platforms have become important learning tools, and online learning replaced face-to-face teaching as the primary learning method of students during COVID-19. However, there have been few systematic studies on learning effectiveness and its influential factors. This study was based on fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore the joint effects of multiple factors on online learning effectiveness for tourism and hospitality students from the dual perspective of the platform and individual. The results revealed five antecedent combinations that led to high-quality online learning, which were categorized into “platform-individual” internal and external promotion paths and “function-interaction” platform environment promotion paths. Moreover, there were substitution effects in the paths to high-quality online learning; specifically, perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) were substitutable, and perceived playfulness (PP), learning attitude (LA), and self-efficacy (SE) could replace each other. Finally, self-efficacy was not a necessary condition for efficient online learning. Our findings highlight substitution relationships among the influencing factors of online learning effectiveness from a configuration perspective and further reveal the internal micromechanisms of achieving high-quality online learning.

Research Context and Prospect of Green Railways in China Based on Bibliometric Analysis

The CiteSpace bibliometric software was used to quantitatively analyze the research papers on green railways retrieved from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database during 1985–2021. Combined with content association analysis, the development stages, frontier hotspots, and evolutionary trends of green railway research in China were summarized in the Chinese context. The results show that in the past 36 years, China’s green railway research has experienced four main stages: the emerging stage (1985–1997), the horizontal expansion stage (1998–2010), the vertical deepening stage (2010–2015), and integrated expansion stage (2016–present). The research topics emerging in the four stages are green design and green construction, green channel and green logistics, energy conservation and emission reduction and green evaluation, multimodal transportation, and green development. In general, the research topics are diversified, but green construction of railway infrastructures and green manufacturing of railway equipment have been the research hotspots all the time. Both external and internal paths drive the transmutation of academic frontiers, and the push effect of the external path is more evident than the internal path. Interdisciplinary integration and innovation gradually become a new force to promote green railway research. As the railway development slowly enters a “big operation era”, it can be inferred that the development trend of green railway research could throw light on the following three areas: from the research perspective and topics, it should be based on a framework of life cycle management to explore, systematically and deeply, the correlation and integration of railway green design, green construction, green operation and maintenance; in terms of the research content, more focus should be on new theories, new methods, and new technologies of railway green operation and green maintenance on the basis of railway green design, construction, and manufacturing research, such as railway green operation strategies and evaluation systems and green transportation organization theories and methods; from innovation paths, academic progress still needs both external and internal paths, interdisciplinary integration and innovation as the primary internal driving force to promote green railway research, and more focus on the use of big data and artificial intelligence and other technologies to innovate green railway development.

A Research on Open Innovation of High-tech Enterprises in the New Era

In recent years, open innovation is to coordinate the internal and external resources of an enterprise, and earn extra profits through both internal and external market paths. This model has been warmly welcomed by the business community. However, under the background of taking innovation as a national strategy, the independent intellectual property rights possessed by the enterprises themselves have become more important. High-tech enterprises are the main force of enterprise innovation. The measurement of a regional economic structure and the degree of modernization are important indicators of the competitiveness of an industry, and also an important indicator of the economic development and the level of science and technology in a place. Therefore, the article takes the open innovation of high-tech enterprises in the new era as the research object.

Modeling and simulation of ductile damage in forged steel used to encapsulate high-level radioactive waste

Andra, the French national radioactive waste management agency, is in charge of studying the disposal of high-level and long-lived intermediate-level waste (HLW and ILW-LL) in a deep geological repository. According to the reference concept, it is planned to encapsulate high-level waste in non-alloy P285NH steel overpacks before inserting them into horizontal steel cased micro-tunnels. This work is a part of the study about the long-term behavior of a welded steel overpack subjected to external hydrostatic pressure and several localized loading paths. Indeed, the main objective of this work is to develop the most suitable model for non-alloy steel P285NH to be used in the prediction of the long-term overpack behavior. Dealing with a ductile steel, elastoplastic constitutive equations accounting for mixed nonlinear isotropic and kinematic hardening strongly coupled with ductile isotropic damage are adopted. They are formulated based on the classical thermodynamics of irreversible processes framework with state variables at the macroscopic scale, (Germain, 1973) (Lemaitre 1985, Saanouni 2012). In this paper, a new coupling formulation between the scalar isotropic ductile damage and the deviatoric and spherical part of the Cauchy stress and elastic strain tensors is proposed. In order to calibrate the developed model on P285NH steel, multiple tensile tests are performed using classical cylindrical specimens, notched specimens and double notched specimens. In the last part, some experimental fields are measured using digital image correlation. Application is made to a simplified overpack represented by thick walled cylinder subject to compressive loading path. A FEM (Finite Element method) crushing operation of an overpack’s cylindrical part has simulated and analysed.

Factorization in the multirefined tangent method

When applied to statistical systems showing an arctic curve phenomenon, the tangent method assumes that a modification of the most external path does not affect the arctic curve. We strengthen this statement and also make it more concrete by observing a factorization property: if Z n+k denotes a refined partition function of a system of n + k non-crossing paths, with the endpoints of the k most external paths possibly displaced, then at dominant order in n, it factorizes as where is the contribution of the k most external paths. Moreover if the shape of the arctic curve is known, we find that the asymptotic value of is fully computable in terms of the large deviation function L introduced in Debin et al (2019 J. Stat. Mech. 113107) (also called Lagrangean function). We present detailed verifications of the factorization in the Aztec diamond and for alternating sign matrices by using exact lattice results. Reversing the argument, we reformulate the tangent method in a way that no longer requires the extension of the domain, and which reveals the hidden role of the L function. As a by-product, the factorization property provides an efficient way to conjecture the asymptotics of multirefined partition functions.

Towards data-driven constitutive modelling for granular materials via micromechanics-informed deep learning

The analytical description of path-dependent elastic-plastic responses of a granular system is highly complicated because of continuously evolving microstructures and strain localisation within the system undergoing deformation. This study offers an alternative to the current analytical paradigm by developing micromechanics-informed machine-learning based constitutive modelling approaches for granular materials. A set of critical variables associated with the constitutive behaviour of granular materials are identified through an incremental stress-strain relationship analysis. Depending on the strategy to exploit the priori micromechanical knowledge, three different training strategies are explored. The first model uses only the measurable external variables to make stress predictions; the second model utilises a directed graph to link all the external strain sequences and internal microstructural evolution variables into a single prediction model comprised of a series of sub-mappings, and the third model explicitly integrates the physically important non-temporal properties with external strain paths into training through an enhanced Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU). These three models show satisfactory agreement with unseen test specimens based on multi-directional loading cases. The basic features and potential applications of each model are explained. Furthermore, the key factors for constitutive training and limitations of the current work are also discussed in detail.

Asphalt-Mixture Force Chains Length Distribution and Skeleton Composition Investigation Based on Computational Granular Mechanics

AbstractIn asphalt mixtures, external loading transfer paths can be deemed as force chains. The force chains difference can be used to evaluate skeleton structure. In this study, various asphalt mi...

Tackling Societal Challenges with Open Innovation

Open innovation includes external knowledge sources and paths to market as complements to internal innovation processes. Open innovation has to date been driven largely by business objectives, but the imperative of social challenges has turned attention to the broader set of goals to which open innovation is relevant. This introduction discusses how open innovation can be deployed to address societal challenges—as well as the trade-offs and tensions that arise as a result. Against this background we introduce the articles published in this Special Section, which were originally presented at the sixth Annual World Open Innovation Conference.

Innovation ecosystem: cooperation of the agricultural market entities in the light of empirical research conducted on the basis of Group Azoty Pulawy innovation consortium

Traditionally, the innovation process has been of a closed nature because research or development projects are generated inside the company and brought to the market by a company. However, Chesbrough (2003) formulated the open innovation paradigm, assuming that companies can and should use external and internal ideas as well as external and internal market paths in search of new opportunities for their development. Openness to innovation requires cooperation with other market players, therefore some kind of partnership is necessary to co-create value with various stakeholders. The partners share their knowledge and experience as well as the benefits of jointly conducted innovative projects. Managing this type of partnership is now considered one of the key competences of the organization. However, the issue of managing the innovation ecosystem as the most mature form of open innovation has been relatively poorly researched. We do not know much about what organizational and legal solutions are adopted by companies in partnerships for the development of innovation, what a model of cooperation could look like or how to manage such a partnership. How far should we formalize these processes? While searching for answers to these questions, the author decided to conduct empirical research in 2019 among the consortium members of Group Azoty Puławy (nitrogen fertilizers production), based on an in-depth, partially structured interview, supported by an analysis of several selected innovation ecosystems of global chemical groups (BASF, MONSANTO, SOLVAY and YARA). Group Azoty Puławy is part of Group Azoty, the second largest producer of mineral fertilizers in Europe. In 2019, Group Azoty Puławy generated revenues of EUR 845.4 million and profit of EUR 70.7 million. The results for the first nine months of 2020 were EUR 533.7 million and EUR 37.2 million, respectively (Group Azoty Puławy interim reports 2020; 2021). The subject of the research was a consortium established in 2011 by Group Azoty Puławy in order to implement joint innovation projects. In the period between 2011 and 2016, consortium members submitted 22 initiatives, 6 of which were completed by 2016. After five years of operation, the consortium consisted of 12 members, including 5 representatives of scientific institutions, 3 producers of agricultural products and 4 organizations representing agricultural entrepreneurs. The purpose of the research was to assess the degree of openness of project participants to cooperation during the construction phase and the management phase of the consortium. The research of innovation consortium of the Group Azoty Puławy shows the following: During the construction phase, the members of the consortium were open to the accession of new partners, however selectively, i.e. according to the leader’s instructions. The selection of partners was complementary and concerned entities serving the same market segment as leaders. During the management phase of the consortium, the solution that gave the leader the greatest power had the largest number of followers. Most of the respondents were in favour of a formalized cooperation strategy, i.e. the one based on standardizing relations between partners. The respondents were open to both formal (specific, contractual) and informal (relational) mechanisms in building and managing a partnership.

A repositioning organizational knowledge dynamics by functional upgrading and downgrading strategy in global value chain

Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) are often marked by limited resources, a high dependence on others, and a scope of business that gets narrower as they seek to adapt to the current dynamic and knowledge-intensive context. Additionally, in their relationship with multinational enterprises (MNEs), SMEs are driven to a continuous specialization of their knowledge and technological resource bases. They so source global knowledge by positioning along a global value chain of those MNES. Especially SMEs employ a repositioning organizational knowledge dynamics by functional upgrading and downgrading strategy. In order to address the query on dynamic capabilities in knowledge management (KM) in different inter-organizational collaborations in the global value chain, this study shows that the choice between functional upgrading or downgrading can determine a more effective cross-innovation strategy which enables SMEs to exploit external paths to the market by revealing or selling their ideas, knowledge and technologies. Such strategies can reveal opportunities for SMEs to increase their network to find an optimum position in the market. SMEs, in turn, become more specialised in their offerings, moving up or down the global value chain, leveraging on a combination of dynamic and technological capabilities along with high degree of involvement in knowledge management process. This scenario is investigated through the study of 532 European knowledge-intensive SMEs via structural equation modelling. Hence, results offer relevant implications for policy-makers and SMEs managers in better employing the organizational ambidexterity for the repositioning strategy in the global value chain.

Does openness to innovation matter? The moderating role of open innovation between organizational ambidexterity and innovation performance

ABSTRACT Based on organizational ambidexterity theory and knowledge-based view, this study presents a conceptual framework that links organizational ambidexterity, open innovation and innovation performance together and tested this framework by distributing questionnaires to senior managers in East and Mid-China to assess related variables. The empirical study analysis based on 274 returned questionnaires finds a non-linear relationship between organizational ambidexterity and innovation performance and the moderating effects of inbound and outbound open innovation on the ambidexterity-performance relationship. To effectively use organizational ambidexterity, firms need open innovation to use external ideas as well as internal ideas, and to take advantage of both internal and external paths to market.

Can we detect Gaussian curvature by counting paths and measuring their length?

The aim of this paper is to associate a measure for certain sets ofpaths in the Euclidean planeR2with fixed starting and ending points. Then,working on parameterized surfaces with a specific Riemannian metric, wedefine and calculate the integral of the length over the set ofpaths obtainedas the image of the initial paths inR2under the given parameterization.Moreover, we prove that this integral is given by the averageof the lengthsof the external paths times the measure of the set of paths if,and only if, thesurface has Gaussian curvature equal to zero.

O Sistema de Circulação como Estratégia Projetual. Análise do Projeto Espaço Natura de Roberto Loeb

Este artigo apresenta uma análise do Espaço Natura, de autoria do arquiteto Roberto Loeb, com foco no sistema de circulação. A premissa é que a circulação é parte integrante do programa de necessidades, e expressa conceitos fundamentais sobre a concepção formal e espacial do projeto. A intenção é demonstrar estratégias projetuais que nortearam o projeto. Assim, a partir da apreciação do sistema de circulação foi possível identificar qualidades espaciais decorrentes da valorização dos percursos, internos e externos, das visuais e da relação espaço-tempo-movimento dos usuários. Os resultados obtidos revelam procedimentos adotados pelo arquiteto que tornaram possível ultrapassar as questões meramente funcionais de uma indústria.

External knowledge search paths in open innovation processes of small and medium enterprises

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge by exploring how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) search for external knowledge in their open innovation processes, and how the search can be advanced.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory research employs a qualitative multiple case study design. A literature review of open innovation in SMEs and external knowledge search is used to build the premises of this study. Semi-structured interviews with eight SMEs are employed to collect subsequent exploratory empirical data.FindingsThis exploratory study revealed that SMEs adopted a combination of cognitive and experiential search heuristics where cognitive search was practiced during the innovation research process when searching for external knowledge, whilst experiential search was practiced during the innovation development process. Concerning the search space, this study found that SMEs mainly explored local knowledge, and occasionally pursued distant knowledge when confronted with complex problems. The reason for the above behavior was explained to be related to the reduction of costs and risks associated with innovation activities.Originality/valueExternal knowledge plays a pivotal role in open innovation. Although extant studies have shed some light on how large firms search for external knowledge, however, it is not clear how SMEs search for external knowledge. Moreover, this study focuses on learning about both the search space and the search heuristics at both the research and the development stages of the innovation process.

Ultraprecision Real-Time Displacements Calculation Algorithm for the Grating Interferometer System.

Grating interferometry is an environmentally stable displacement measurement technique that has significant potential for identifying the position of the wafer stage. A fast and precise algorithm is required for real-time calculation of six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) displacement using phase shifts of interference signals. Based on affine transformation, we analyze diffraction spot displacement and changes in the internal and external effective optical paths of the grating interferometer caused by the displacement of the wafer stage (DOWS); then, we establish a phase shift-DOWS model. To solve the DOWS in real time, we present a polynomial approximation algorithm that uses the frequency domain characteristics of nonlinearities to achieve model reduction. The presented algorithm is verified by experiment and ZEMAX simulation.