Argumentation in multi-agent systems ; Third International Workshop, ArgMAS 2006, Hakodate, Japan, May 8, 2006, revised selected and invited papers
Argumentation provides tools for designing, implementing and analyzing sophisticated forms of interaction among rational agents. It has made a solid contribution to the practice of multiagent dialogues. Application domains include: legal disputes, business negotiation, labor disputes, team formation, scientific inquiry, deliberative democracy, ontology reconciliation, risk analysis, scheduling, and logistics.
Applied geotechnics for construction projects ; Vol. 2 : Fundamental Principles of Soil Mechanics and the Role of Water
Addresses the fundamental principles of soil mechanics and the role of water in geotechnical projects and assessments. Applied Geotechnics for Construction Projects 2 outlines the hydraulic properties of soils and the basic concepts of water in soil, detailing the principles of permeability measurement tests and giving concrete test cases, and then goes on to outline the basic notions of soil mechanics as applied in geotechnics: from consolidation to short- and long-term notions via the swelling phenomena of clayey soils, soil shear strength and slope stability. The third chapter presents a comprehensive overview of geotechnical expertise using examples of concrete projects either with or without damage in the context of geotechnical construction works.
Applied Charged Particle Optics
Authored by a pioneer of the field, this overview of charged particle optics provides a solid introduction to the field for all physicists wishing to design their own apparatus or better understand the instruments with which they work. Applied Charged Particle Optics begins by introducing electrostatic lenses and fields used for acceleration, focussing and deflection of ions or electrons. Subsequent chapters give detailed descriptions of electrostatic deflection elements, uniform and non-uniform magnetic sector fields, image aberrations, and, finally, fringe field confinement. A chapter on applications is added.
Antennas & propagation for wireless communication systems ; 2nd ed.
Antennas and propagation are of fundamental importance to the coverage, capacity and quality of all wireless communication systems. This book provides a solid grounding in antennas and propagation, covering terrestrial and satellite radio systems in both mobile and fixed contexts. Building on the highly successful first edition, this fully updated text features significant new material and brand new exercises and supplementary materials to support course tutors. A vital source of information for practising and aspiring wireless communication engineers as well as for students at postgraduate and senior undergraduate levels, this book provides a fundamental grounding in the principles of antennas and propagation without excessive recourse to mathematics. It also equips the reader with practical prediction techniques for the design and analysis of a very wide range of common wireless communication systems.
Ancient monuments and modern identities : A critical history of archaeology in 19th and 20th century Greece
Sets out to examine the role of archaeology in the creation of ethnic, national and social identities in 19th and 20th century Greece. The essays included in this volume examine the development of interpretative and methodological principles guiding the recovery, protection and interpretation of material remains and their presentation to the public. The role of archaeology is examined alongside prevailing perceptions of the past, and is thereby situated in its political and ideological context. The book is organized chronologically and follows the changing attitudes to the past during the formation, expansion and consolidation of the Modern Greek State. The aim of this volume is to examine the premises of the archaeological discipline, and to apply reflection and critique to contemporary archaeological theory and practice.
Analytical approaches for reinforced concrete
Applies deductive reasoning, logic and mathematics to RC. Laying out, deductively, the principles of RC, it encourages researchers to re-imagine and innovate using a solid conceptual framework. Sections consider the reasoning behind key theories, as well as problems that remain unsolved.
Analysis, Modeling and Simulation of Multiscale Problems
This book reports recent mathematical developments in the Programme "Analysis, Modeling and Simulation of Multiscale Problems", which started as a German research initiative in 2006. Multiscale problems occur in many fields of science, such as microstructures in materials, sharp-interface models, many-particle systems and motions on different spatial and temporal scales in quantum mechanics or in molecular dynamics. The book presents current mathematical foundations of modeling, and proposes efficient numerical treatment.
Analysis and Control of Ultrafast Photoinduced Reactions
The present monograph summarizes, in a comprehensive way, several years of joint experimental and theoretical frontier research on ultrafast laser-induced molecular dynamics and its control. Emphasis is set on the characterization of the nuclear dynamics within molecular systems in various environments (gas phase, surfaces, solids, solution, strong fields) triggered by optical excitations spanning from the infrared to the ultraviolet. Building on the converged analysis between experiment and theory, control of chemical reactions is established by means of optimally shaped laser pulses. This paves the road toward new applications and future challenges in this rapidly developing research field.
An Introduction to the Theory of Piezoelectricity
This volume is intended to provide researchers and graduate students with the basic aspects of the continuum modeling of electroelastic interactions in solids. A concise treatment of linear, nonlinear, static and dynamic theories and problems is presented. The emphasis on formulation and understanding of problems useful in device applications rather than solution techniques of mathematical problems. The mathematics used in this book is minimal.
An Introduction to Soil Mechanics
Offers a superb introduction to theoretical and practical soil mechanics. Special attention is given to the risks of failure in civil engineering, and themes covered include stresses in soils, groundwater flow, consolidation, testing of soils, and stability of slopes. The basic principles of applied mechanics, that are frequently used, are offered in the appendices. The author’s considerable experience of teaching soil mechanics is evident in the many features of the book: it is packed with supportive color illustrations, helpful examples and references.
Alla ricerca della via più breve : Un'avventura matematica = Finding the shortest way : A mathematical adventure
Il libro narra la vicenda di Rut, quindicenne, trasferitasi da poco in Germania con la famiglia, al seguito del padre che lavora per un’azienda internazionale produttrice di Software. Sarà proprio il padre a regalare a Rut un computer nuovo, mentre a scuola attraversa un periodo di crisi.E’ l’inizio di un’avventura. Nel computer è installato Vim: un programma che ascolta, capisce e risponde alle domande che la ragazza, inizialmente incredula, fa. Raccontata da Vim, la matematica prende una forma completamente nuova, sorprendente e affascinante.
Algorithms on Trees and Graphs : With Python Code
Introduces graph algorithms on an intuitive basis followed by a detailed exposition using structured pseudocode, with correctness proofs as well as worst-case analyses. Centered around the fundamental issue of graph isomorphism, the content goes beyond classical graph problems of shortest paths, spanning trees, flows in networks, and matchings in bipartite graphs. Advanced algorithmic results and techniques of practical relevance are presented in a coherent and consolidated way. Numerous illustrations, examples, problems, exercises, and a comprehensive bibliography support students and professionals in using the book as a text and source of reference. Furthermore, Python code for all algorithms presented is given in an appendix. Topics and features: Algorithms are first presented on an intuitive basis, followed by a detailed exposition using structured pseudocode / Correctness proofs are given, together with a worst-case analysis of the algorithms / Full implementation of all the algorithms in Python / An extensive chapter is devoted to the algorithmic techniques used in the book / Solutions to all the problems
Algorithmic Aspects of Wireless Sensor Networks ; 2nd International Workshop, ALGOSENSORS 2006, Venice, Italy, July 15, 2006, Revised Selected Papers
This volume contains the contributed papers and invited talks presented at the 1stInternational Workshop on Algorithmic Aspect sof Wireless Sensor Networks (ALGOSENSORS 2004), which was held July 16, 2004, in Turku, Finland, - located with the 31st International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming (ICALP 2004). Wireless ad hoc sensor networks have become a very important research subject due to their potential to provide diverse services in numerous appli- tions. The realization of sensor networks requires intensive technical research and development e?orts, especially in power-aware scalable wireless ad hoc c- munications protocols, due to their unusual application requirements and severe constraints. On the other hand, a solid theoretical background seems necessary for sensor networks to achieve their full potential. It is an algorithmic challenge to achieve e?cient and robust realizations of such large, highly dynamic, complex, n- conventional networking environments
AI*IA 2005 : Advances in artificial intelligence ; 9th congress of the Italian Association for Artificial Intelligence Milan, Italy, September 21-23, 2005, Proceedings
This volume collects the papers selected for presentation at the IX Congress of the Italian Association for Arti?cial Intelligence (AI*IA), 2005 On the one hand this congress continues the tradition of AI*IA in organizing its biannual s- enti?c meeting from 1989; on the other hand, this edition is a landmark in the involvement of the international community of arti?cial intelligence (AI), directly involving a broad number of experts from several countries in the P- gramCommittee. Moreover,the peculiar nature of scienti?c researchin arti?cial intelligence (which is intrinsically international) and several consolidated int- national collaborations in projects and mobility programs allowed the collection and selection of papers from many di?erent countries, all around the world, enlarging the visibility of the Italian contribution within this research ?eld. Arti?cial intelligence is today a growing complex set of conceptual, theor- ical, methodological, and technological frameworks, o?ering innovative com- tational solutions in the design and development of computer-based systems. Within this perspective, researchers working in this area must tackle a broad range of knowledge about methods, results, and solutions coming from di?erent classical areas of this discipline. The congress was designed as a forum allowing researchers to present and discuss specialized results as general contributions to AI growth.
Aging, shaking, and cracking of infrastructures : From mechanics to concrete dams and nuclear structures
Focuses on the safety assessment of existing structures subjected to multi-hazard scenarios through advanced numerical methods. Whereas the focus is on concrete dams and nuclear containment structures, the presented methodologies can also be applied to other large-scale ones. This book is composed of seven sections: Fundamentals: theoretical coverage of solid mechnics, plasticity, fracture mechanics, creep, / seismology, dynamic analysis, probability and statistics / Damage: that can affect concrete structures, such as cracking of concrete, AAR, chloride ingress, and rebar corrosion, / Finite Element: formulation for both linear and nonlinear analysis including stress, heat and fracture mechanics, / Engineering Models: for soil/fluid-structure interaction, uncertainty quantification, probablilistic and random finite element analysis, machine learning, performance based earthquake engineering, ground motion intensity measures, seismic hazard analysis, capacity/fragility functions and damage indeces, / Applications to dams through potential failure mode analyses, risk-informed decision making, deterministic and probabilistic examples, / Applications to nuclear structures through modeling issues, aging management programs, critical review of some analyses, / Other applications and case studies: massive RC structures and bridges, detailed assessment of a nuclear containment structure evaluation for license renewal.
Ages, generations and the social contract : The demographic challenges facing the welfare state
Our societies are ageing. The Family is changing. Labour force behaviour is evolving. How is the organisation of family and collective solidarity adapting in this context of longer life spans, low fertility, and work that is simultaneously scarce and abundant? The welfare states are currently facing three main challenges: ensure satisfactory living conditions for the elderly without increasing the cost burden on the active population, reduce social inequality, and maintain equity between successive generations. In this book, researchers from different countries compare their experiences and offer contrasting views on the future of social protection. They consider the theoretical aspects of the intergenerational debate, relations between generations within the family, the living standards of elderly people, and the question of social time.
Advances in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles : State of the Art and the Road to Autonomy
There has been tremendous emphasis in unmanned aerial vehicles, both of fixed (airplanes) and rotary wing (vertical take off and landing, helicopters) types over the past ten years. Applications span both civilian and military domains, the latter being the most important at this stage. This edited book provides a solid and diversified reference source related to basic, applied research and development on small and miniature unmanned aerial vehicles, both fixed and rotary wing. As such, the book offers background information on the evolution of such vehicles over the years, followed by modeling and control fundamentals that are of paramount importance due to unmanned aerial vehicle model complexity, nonlinearity, coupling, inhirent instability and parameter values uncertainty. Aspects of navigation, including visual-based navigation and target tracking are discussed, followed by applications to attitude estimation on micro unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous solar unmanned aerial vehicle, biomimetic sensing for autonomous flights in near-earth environments, localization of air-ground wireless sensor networks, decentralized formation tracking, design of an unmanned aerial vehicle for volcanic gas sampling and design of an on-board processing controller for miniature helicopters.
Advances in solid state physics ; Vol. 47
The present volume 47 of the Advances in Solid State Physics contains the written version of a large number of the invited talks of the 2007 Spring Meeting of the Arbeitskreis Festkörperphysik which was held in Regensburg, Germany, from March 26 to 30, 2007 in conjunction with the 71st Annual Meeting of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft.It gives an overview of the present status of solid state physics where low-dimensional systems such as quantum dots and quantum wires are dominating. The importance of magnetic materials is reflected by the large number of contributions in the part dealing with ferromagnetic films and particles. One of the most exciting achievements of the last couple of years is the successful application of electrical contacts to and the investigation of single layers of graphene.
Advances in solid state physics ; Vol. 46
Many topical talks given at the numerous symposia are included. Most of these were organized collaboratively by several of the divisions of the Arbeitskreis. The topis range from zero-dimensional physics in quantum dots, molecules and nanoparticles over one-dimensional physics in nanowires and 1d systems to more applied subjects like optoelectronics and materials science in thin films.
Advances in solid state physics ; Vol. 45
The book presents, to some extent, the status of the field of solid-state physics in 2005 not only in Germany but also internationally. It is ''nanoscience'', namely the physics of quantum dots and wires, electrical transport, optical properties, spin transport in nanostructures, and magnetism on the nanoscale, that is of central interest to the physics community. Also, soft matter and biological systems are covered.



















