Method Combination (method + combination)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


A Methodology for Assessing Transportation Network Terrorism Risk with Attacker and Defender Interactions

COMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2010
Pamela M. Murray-Tuite
Decision makers need a methodology that can capture the complex attacker,defender interactions and help them understand the overall effects on the transportation system, as well as the consequences of asset failure. This article presents such a methodology, which uses probabilities of target,attack method combinations that are degree of belief based and updated using Bayes' Theorem after evidence of the attack is obtained. Monte Carlo simulation generates the probability of link capacity effects by sampling from distributions of capacity reductions due to preevent security measures, substitutions, target failure, and postevent security measures. The average capacity reduction for a particular target,attack method combination serves as an input to the traffic assignment,simulation package DYNASMART-P to determine travel time effects. The methodology is applied to a sample network based on the northern Virginia area. Results based on notional data indicated that preevent security measures reduced attack probabilities, but in some cases increased the mobility consequences. Thus, decision makers must carefully evaluate the effects of their decisions. [source]


Determining elastic constants of transversely isotropic rocks using Brazilian test and iterative procedure

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR NUMERICAL AND ANALYTICAL METHODS IN GEOMECHANICS, Issue 3 2008
Yen-Chin Chou
Abstract The elastic constants of rocks are the basic parameters for rock mechanics, and play a very important role in engineering design. There are many laboratory methods to determine the elastic constants of transversely isotropic rocks, and the Brazilian test is a popular method. This paper presented a method combination of the Brazilian test, back calculation, and iterative procedure to evaluate the five independent elastic constants of transversely isotropic rocks in laboratory. The strain data at the centre of discs were obtained using Brazilian test. The stresses at the centre of discs were computed using numerical programs. By using back calculation, the temporary elastic constants were computed after the stresses and stains were substituted into elastic mechanics equations. After iterative procedure, the convergent values of the elastic constants can be obtained. One numerical example and three experimental cases were proposed to show the applicability of this method. The convergent values of the five independent elastic constants can be obtained in no more than 10 iterative cycles. The results coming from numerical analysis method exhibited satisfactory outcome in accordance with those of generalized reduced gradient method. The merits of this method include convenient specimen preparation of the Brazilian test, simple iterative procedure, and readily available commercially numerical programs, so that this method can be easily popularized in research and engineering analysis. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


In-line analysis of a fluid bed pellet coating process using a combination of near infrared and Raman spectroscopy

JOURNAL OF CHEMOMETRICS, Issue 7-8 2010
Andrey Bogomolov
Abstract Near infrared (NIR) and Raman spectroscopic analyzers applied through an immersion Lighthouse Probe (LHP) were used for simultaneous in-line monitoring of a fluid bed pellet coating process. Multivariate curve resolution analysis of data, collected from four pilot-scale batches, has shown that the two techniques deliver complementary information about the process and their combination may be synergistic. This data analysis enabled a much better understanding of some of the process observations and also gave some interesting insights into the best way to use the techniques themselves. PLS regression analysis of the product moisture and the quantity of coating material sprayed was performed using NIR and Raman data blocks both separately and in combination. The performance of method combination compared to individual techniques is analyzed and discussed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Application of tandem mass spectrometry combined with gas chromatography and headspace solid-phase dynamic extraction for the determination of drugs of abuse in hair samples

RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 5 2003
Dirk W. Lachenmeier
A new method combination, headspace solid-phase dynamic extraction coupled with gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HS-SPDE/GC/MS/MS), is introduced to determine drugs of abuse in hair samples. This highly automated procedure utilizes SPDE for pre-concentration and on-coating derivatization as well as GC and triple quadrupole MS/MS for selective and sensitive detection. All these steps, apart from washing and cutting of the hair samples, are performed without manual intervention on a robot-like autosampler. SPDE is a solventless extraction technique related to solid-phase microextraction (SPME). The analytes are absorbed from the sample headspace directly into a hollow needle with an internal coating of polydimethylsiloxane by repeated aspirate/dispense cycles. The HS-SPDE/GC/MS/MS procedure was applied to the analysis of methadone, the trimethylsilyl derivatives of cannabinoids and the trifluoroacetyl derivatives of amphetamines and designer drugs. The method was shown to be sensitive with detection limits between 6 and 52 pg/mg hair matrix and precision between 0.4 and 7.8% by the use of an internal standard technique. Linearity was obtained from 0.1,20,ng/mg with coefficients of correlation between 0.995 and 0.999. Compared with conventional methods of hair analysis, HS-SPDE/GC/MS/MS is easier to use, substantially faster, with the degree of sensitivity and reproducibility demanded in clinical and forensic toxicology. The main advantage of the SPDE technique in relation to SPME is the robustness of the capillary. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


A Methodology for Assessing Transportation Network Terrorism Risk with Attacker and Defender Interactions

COMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2010
Pamela M. Murray-Tuite
Decision makers need a methodology that can capture the complex attacker,defender interactions and help them understand the overall effects on the transportation system, as well as the consequences of asset failure. This article presents such a methodology, which uses probabilities of target,attack method combinations that are degree of belief based and updated using Bayes' Theorem after evidence of the attack is obtained. Monte Carlo simulation generates the probability of link capacity effects by sampling from distributions of capacity reductions due to preevent security measures, substitutions, target failure, and postevent security measures. The average capacity reduction for a particular target,attack method combination serves as an input to the traffic assignment,simulation package DYNASMART-P to determine travel time effects. The methodology is applied to a sample network based on the northern Virginia area. Results based on notional data indicated that preevent security measures reduced attack probabilities, but in some cases increased the mobility consequences. Thus, decision makers must carefully evaluate the effects of their decisions. [source]