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Modelling Regional Scenarios for the Enlarged Europe : European Competitiveness and Global Strategies
The aim of this book is to tackle the question of what the European territory will look like over the next fifteen years by providing quali-quantitative territorial scenarios for the enlarged Europe, under different assumptions on future globalisation strategies of BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) and East and West European countries. The approach is as neutral as possible vis-à-vis the results, leaving to a new forecasting model, the MASST model, built by the authors, to produce the tendencies and behavioural paths of regional GDP and population growth in each individual European region under alternative assumptions on the competitiveness strategies of different blocks of countries. The results are accompanied by strong policy messages intended to encourage long-term strategic thinking among a wide range of actors, scientists and policy makers in response to the risks and opportunities that the European territory will face.
Modelling Distributed Systems
Process algebras are languages for the description of elementary parallel systems and are used to study the behavioural properties of distributed systems, but they often lack the ability to handle data. This textbook guides students through algebraic specification and verification of distributed systems, and some of the most prominent formal verification techniques.
Modelling and Simulation : Exploring Dynamic System Behaviour
Modelling and Simulation: Exploring Dynamic System Behaviour provides the reader with a balanced and integrated presentation of the modelling and simulation activity for both Discrete Event Dynamic Systems (DEDS) and Continuous Time Dynamic Systems (CTDS). This book presents the fundamentals necessary to understand the many important facets of the modeling and simulation methodology.
Model-based Process Supervision : A Bond Graph Approach
Model-based fault detection and isolation requires a mathematical model of the system behaviour. Modelling is important and can be difficult because of the complexity of the monitored system and its control architecture. The authors use bond-graph modelling, a unified multi-energy domain modelling method, to build dynamic models of process engineering systems by composing hierarchically arranged sub-models of various commonly encountered process engineering devices. The structural and causal properties of bond-graph models are exploited for supervisory systems design.
Mobile Robots : The Evolutionary Approach
The design and control of autonomous intelligent mobile robotic systems operating in unstructured changing environments includes many objective difficulties. There are several studies about the ways in which, robots exhibiting some degree of autonomy, adapt themselves to fit in their environments. The application and use of bio-inspired and intelligent techniques such as reinforcement learning, artificial neural networks, evolutionary computation and so forth in the design and improvement of robot designs is an emergent research topic. Researchers have obtained robots that display an amazing slew of behaviours and perform a multitude of tasks. These include perception of environment, planning and navigation in rough terrain, pushing boxes, negotiating an obstacle course, etc.
Misleading marketing communication : Assessing the impact of potentially deceptive food labelling on consumer behaviour
Presenting four complementary experimental studies targeting recurrent grey-zone scenarios on the Danish food market, the book illustrates the potential of the so-called ShopTrip test paradigm which simulates and registers real-life e-shopping behaviour as it unfolds while yielding new types of data against which opposing assessments of potential misleadingness can be matched. The results are discussed in the light of possible paths of theoretical explanation and implications for future regulative practices, including companies’ self-regulation.
Microwave Dielectric Behaviour of Wet Soils
This book, aimed for agriculture and soil physicists and those working in the areas of remote sensing, deals with the physical and dielectric properties of soils, methods of soil, dielectric measurements using microwaves and remote sensing techniques. Some of the results on soil moisture measurements, theoretical models of soil moisture data and the recently used synthetic aperture radar techniques for the purpose of remote sensing and their interpretation of soil moistures are also discussed. The course contents are developed and updated with the help of the latest literature available which will help bridge the existing need of scientists in the area.
Micromechanics of Contact and Interphase Layers
Micromechanics provides a link between the structure and the properties at different scales of observation. This book deals with micromechanical analysis of interfaces and interface layers and presents several modelling tools, ranging from the rigorous method of asymptotic expansions to practical finite element simulations, suitable for this class of problems. Two application areas are discussed. Boundary layers associated with contact of rough bodies are modelled by applying a scale transition approach in which a macroscopic interface of zero thickness is seen at the micro-scale as a layer with some finite thickness. Secondly, evolution of laminated microstructures accompanying stress-induced martensitic transformations in shape memory alloys (SMA) is analyzed as an illustration of the case when the local interfacial phenomena – here the propagation of phase transformation fronts – govern the macroscopic behaviour of a heterogeneous material.
Microgravity Two-phase Flow and Heat Transfer
Multiphase thermal systems (involving more than one phase or one component) have numerous applications in aerospace, heat-exchanger, transport of contaminants in environmental systems, and energy transport and energy conversion systems. Advances in understanding the behaviour of multiphase thermal systems could lead to higher efficiency energy production systems, improved heat-exchanger design, and safer and enhanced treatment of hazardous waste. But such advances have been greatly hindered by the strong effect of gravitational acceleration on the flow. Depending on the flow orientation and the phase velocities, gravitational forces could significantly alter the flow regime, and hence the pressure-drop and heat-transfer coefficients associated with the flow. A reduced gravity environment (or "microgravity"), provides an excellent tool to study the flow without the masking effects of gravity. This book presents for the first time a comprehensive coverage of all aspects of two-phase flow behaviour in the virtual absence of gravity.
Mechanics and Physics of Fracture : Multiscale Modeling of the Failure Behavior of Solids
Provides a comprehensive understanding of the macroscopic failure behavior of solids from the description of the microscopic failure processes and their coupling with the microstructure. Several fundamental questions were addressed: the relation between the microstructural features of materials and their fracture properties and crack trajectories; the role of damage mechanisms and non-linear deformations near the crack tip on the failure behavior of solids; and finally the role of dynamic inertial effects during fast fracture was more briefly evoked.
Mechanical Behaviour of Engineering Materials : Metals, Ceramics, Polymers, and Composites
How do engineering materials deform when bearing mechanical loads? To answer this crucial question, the book bridges the gap between continuum mechanics and materials science. The different kinds of material deformation (elasticity, plasticity, fracture, creep, fatigue) are explained in detail. The book also discusses the physical processes occurring during the deformation of all classes of engineering materials (metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites) and shows how these materials can be strengthened to meet the design requirements. It provides the knowledge needed in selecting the appropriate engineering material for a certain design problem. The reader will thus learn how to critically employ design rules and thus to avoid failure of mechanical components.
Mathematics and Mechanics of Granular Materials
Granular or particulate materials arise in almost every aspect of our lives, including many familiar materials such as tea, coffee, sugar, sand, cement and powders. At some stage almost every industrial process involves a particulate material, and it is usually the cause of the disruption to the smooth running of the process. In the natural environment, understanding the behaviour of particulate materials is vital in many geophysical processes such as earthquakes, landslides and avalanches. This book is a collection of current research from some of the major contributors in the topic of modelling the behaviour of granular materials. Papers from every area of current activity are included, such as theoretical, numerical, engineering and computational approaches. This book illustrates the numerous diverse approaches to one of the outstanding problems of modern continuum mechanics.
Islamic Bioethics : Problems and Perspectives
This book presents a critical analysis of the debate at the religious, legal and political level sparked off by the introduction of new biomedical technologies (cloning, genetics, organ transplants, IVF, etc.) in Muslim countries. It compares the positions of "classic" Muslim law and contemporary religious authorities; laws in Muslim countries; the attitudes and concrete behaviour of populations, families and individuals, as well as the regulations of medical associations, bioethics committees etc..
Inverse Problems in Vibration
In this new edition the scope of the book has been widened to include topics such as isospectral systems- families of systems which all exhibit some specified behaviour; applications of the concept of Toda flow; new, non-classical approaches to inverse Sturm-Liouville problems; qualitative properties of the modes of some finite element models; damage identification.
International legal theory and the cognitive turn
Significant changes in social sciences often herald changes in legal theory, including in international legal theory. In light of the cognitive turn in social sciences, this volume seeks to explore the implications of this ‘turn’ for international legal theories. Cognitive and behavioural studies are making inroads into international law literature and international policy-making,
Interior Point Methods for Linear Optimization
Linear Optimization (LO) is one of the most widely applied and taught techniques in mathematics, with applications in many areas of science, commerce and industry. The dramatically increased interest in the subject is due mainly to advances in computer technology and the development of Interior Point Methods (IPMs) for LO. This book provides a unified presentation of the field. The authors present a self-contained comprehensive interior point approach to both the theory of LO and algorithms for LO (design, convergence, complexity, asymptotic behaviour and computational issues). A common thread throughout the book is the role of strictly complementary solutions, which play a crucial role in the interior point approach and distinguishes the new approach from the classical Simplex-based approach
Integrated Capacity and Price Control in Revenue Management : A Fuzzy System Approach
Due to tough competition and increased customer-orientation, companies must improve their management of revenue objectives. In the context of a fluctuating demand and the unknown price behaviour of customers, the practice-oriented development of a revenue management approach for an integrated control of capacities and prices becomes essential. Michael Becher develops a concept for an integrated capacity and price control in revenue management. His concept is based on fuzzy expert controllers and complies with the defined business and application requirements. The resulting approach is evaluated in three applications: capacity control in waste incineration industry, price control in hotels and integrated capacity and price control in goods distribution. The results show that the amount of coverage can be increased due to the application of the proposed concept.
Integral bridges : a fundamental approach to the time–temperature loading problem
In recent years, integral bridges have become increasingly popular in the UK. The Highways Agency standard now requires, where possible, that all new bridges with a length of less than sixty metres should be of integral form. In addition, it has been found that, due especially to the problems and costs associated with failed expansion joints, integral bridges are not only cost effective but also have a longer lifespan. Integral Bridges was commissioned by the Highways Agency to produce guidance for bridge designers by addressing the thermally induced soil/structure interaction problem created by environmental changes of temperature and the associated cyclical displacements imposed on the granular backfill to the bridge abutments. It develops a better theoretical understanding of the cyclic performance, in particular the strain racheting in the backfill soil when in contact with a stiff structure. It also identifies the governing soil parameters and examines their influence in the interaction problem, develops numerical modelling procedures to predict interactive soil behaviour, and identifies and quantifies the controlling features of bridge structures relevant to the interaction problem.
Information and communication technologies in tourism 2006 ; Proceedings of the International Conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, 2006
This collection of papers presented at the 13th ENTER Conference represents a unique opportunity of sharing knowledge with researchers bridging the fields of travel and tourism, and information and communication technologies. This year’s 40 full research papers and 23 work in progress presentations cover the following topics: meta research and education; guides and information systems; website design; behaviour analysis; website evaluation; usability and accessibility; technology adoption by enterprises; pricing; information requirements; knowledge management; decision support and recommender systems; website evaluation; customer support and service; technology adoption by customers; business models, and marketing.
Impact of Institutions on Lending : Informal Constraints and Enforcement of Bank Regulation in Mongolia
Chuluunbaatar Enkhzaya examines the "inadequate" behaviour of banks in Mongolia by analysing the institutional framework of the banking system, especially in lending. She focuses on the genesis of informal institutions of lending and their interaction with formal institutions of lending. Herewith, informal institutions such as the attitude to risk were indirectly observed by diagnosing the "action-regulating" knowledge of bankers. In order to ensure an effective allocation of the scarce financial resources of Mongolia the author therefore suggests a change - as simultaneous as possible - of formal and informal rules.
