Sharif Digital Repository

In this paper, we will combine the frequency hopping (FH) and the multi-carrier code division multiple access scheme (MC-CDMA) through an internal coding. The total bandwidth will be divided to a number of sub-bands with equal bandwidth. In each signalling interval, the output of a super orthogonal encoder selects one of the sub-bands for data transmission. Sub-carriers are modulated by a user specific PN sequence, and are transmitted over the selected sub-band similar to the MC-CDMA communications. We will derive the exact bit error rate of the MC-CDMA system and the new coded system. It will be shown by analysis and simulation that the proposed system performs much better than the MC-CDMA... 

A reduction in catalyst's activity with time-on-stream and the formation of side products are two of the problems associated with catalytic propane dehydrogenation (PDH). Previous studies have indicated that the presence of small amounts of oxygenated additives such as water can reduce coke formation and enhance catalyst activity. The aim of the present work was to develop an appropriate kinetic model for PDH over a commercial Pt-Sn/γ-Al 2O3 catalyst in the presence of small amounts of water. Experimental data were obtained from a previous study where catalytic PDH was carried out in a bench scale reactor system at atmospheric pressure in the temperature range of 575-620°C in the presence of... 

The aim of this study was to develop an appropriate kinetic model for propane dehydrogenation (PDH) over an industrial Pt-Sn/γ-Al 2O 3 catalyst in the presence of small amounts of oxygenated compounds. Experimental data were obtained from a previous study where catalytic PDH was carried out in a laboratory scale reactor at atmospheric pressure in the temperature range of 575-620 °C in the presence of small amounts of water or methanol. The kinetics of the main dehydrogenation reaction was described and the effects of water and methanol on coke deposition and catalyst sintering were considered in a catalyst deactivation model to explain the observed optimum level in the amount of added... 

In order to define a new temperature correction factor in this study, accurate experimental values were presented for permeability and diffusivity of carbon dioxide and methane in imidazolium-based room temperature ionic liquid: [bmim][PF6] (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate) immobilized on an inorganic membrane support. Results were presented as a function of temperature and pressure for temperatures within 300-320K and pressures below 50kPa. According to the literature, experimental values of permeability and diffusivity for CH4 in [bmim][PF6] vs. temperature are reported for the first time in this study. Results obtained for CO2 permeability revealed good agreement with data... 

This study presented a qualitative and quantitative project risk assessment using a hybrid PMBOK model developed under uncertainty conditions. Accordingly, an exploratory and applied research design was employed in this study. The research sample included 15 experienced staff working in main and related positions in Neyr Perse Company. After reviewing the literature and the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK), 32 risk factors were identified and their number reduced to 17 risks using the expert opinions via the fuzzy Delphi technique run through three stages. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that all risks were confirmed by the members of the research sample.... 

The authors consider the Multi-Skilled Project Scheduling Problem (MSPSP) as a version of the Multi-mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (MRCPSP), which extends the well-known NP-hard Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). In the MSPSP, it is made up of activities, which require specific skills to be done. Moreover, resources are staff members who master fixed skill(s). Thus, each resource requirement of an activity corresponds to the number of persons doing the corresponding skill that must be assigned to the activity during its whole processing time. The authors focus on taking into account the setup times when performing work, depending on the appointment... 

By locating a steel shear panel on the intersection point of the X-braces, concentrically or eccentrically braced shear panel (CBFSP or EBFSP) is formed. In this paper, to perform parametric study, 1-story CBFSP and EBFSP models with span length greater or less than height are considered. Using linear static analyses, the effects of size and location of the shear panel on the lateral stiffness of the frame with respect to the moment resisting frame with the same member sections are investigated. Next, for 1- And 3-story models, maximum displacement, along with base shear, and the ratio between the dissipated energy and input energy are examined under 4 ground motion records. Behavior of the... 

Steel shear panels in combination with bracing are a novel form of steel shear walls that eliminate large distributed loads to impose on primary beams along with columns. This paper presents the results of a comparative experimental program on two types of steel shear panels with and without stiffeners. For this purpose, the proposed quasi-static cyclic loading history of Federal Emergency Management Agency(FEMA) 461 was applied on two full-scale specimens. Structural steel was selected as the material of the panels, which were welded to the surrounding boundary elements. In addition, using finite element models, performed tests were simulated and scaling effects were investigated. This... 

Through the combination of two types of seismic resisting systems including braced frames and steel shear walls, braced steel shear panel systems can be formed. This new lateral load-resisting system solves some of the defects of current special steel shear walls, such as imposing significant loads on boundary elements along with gravity load effects. Analysis and design of this new structural system underline the importance of having simple and precise finite-element models. To this aim, this paper presents two types of equivalent braced frames termed ‘overall equivalent brace’ and ‘equivalent mid-brace’. The equations of brace area, material strength and strain-hardening ratio are obtained... 

Summary Conventional design methods do not ensure that the desired collapse mechanism is developed at target displacement. In this paper, a case study is presented to analyze concentrically braced frames with steel shear panel (CBFSP). Also, extensive investigation in the failure modes are made, to have the global yielding mode at the final state. For this purpose, each of one-story, three-story, six-story and nine-story CBFSP models were decomposed into three parts where the members' closed-form equations of internal forces were identified and superimposed. On the basis of the kinematic theorem of plastic collapse, the possible mechanisms and the related energy equations were defined to... 

This paper introduces a new earthquake-resistant building design featuring eccentrically braced frames with steel wall shear panels. It also proposes closed-form expressions for analysis and extension of the existing failure mode control design method for the new structural system. Closed-form equations for internal forces were obtained, and probable failure mechanisms and corresponding lateral load multipliers for secondary effects were identified. Selection of member profiles was completed by the mechanism equilibrium curve concept. Pushover modelling was then performed with plastic hinge distribution corresponding to failure mechanisms. Only small differences were found between the... 

Due to special constraints in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks (such as bandwidth limitation) and because of their highly dynamic characteristics, a single node cannot provide a reliable multimedia stream to the receivers. Several multi-sender algorithms are proposed to reliably deliver a media stream to the receiver through the intrinsically unreliable P2P networks. Based on upload bandwidths and availability of peers as well as the bandwidths of the links connecting the senders and the receiver, PROMISE selects a set of active senders to maximize the expected bit-rate delivered to the receiver. By careful investigation of PROMISE, in this paper, we present why and how it deviates from finding... 

The general goal of the facility layout problem is to arrange a given number of facilities to minimize the total cost associated with the known or projected interactions between them. One of the special classes of the facility layout problem is the Single Row Facility Layout Problem (SRFLP), which consists of finding an optimal linear placement of rectangular facilities with varying dimensions on a straight line. This paper first presents and proves a theorem to find the optimal solution of a special case of SRFLP. The results obtained by this theorem prove to be very useful in reducing the computational efforts when a new algorithm based on tabu search for the SRFLP is proposed in this... 

In this paper, we have discussed the results of sensitivity analysis in a payoff matrix of the Matching Pennies game. After representing the game as a LP model, the sensitivity analysis of the elements of the payoff matrix is presented. The game value and the optimal strategies for different values of parameters are determined and compared  

In this paper we introduce a novel population-based binary optimization technique, which works based on consensus of interacting multi-agent systems. The agents, each associated with an opinion vector, are connected through a network. They can influence each other, and thus their opinions can be updated. The agents work collectively with their neighbors to solve an optimization task. Here we consider a specific opinion update rule and various topologies for the connection network. Our experiments on a number of benchmark non-convex cost functions show that ring topology results in the best performance as compared to others. We also compare the performance of the proposed method with a number... 

Delaminated composite beam under general edge loading conditions is studied. Based on a technical engineering theory an analytical procedure for calculation of strain energy release rate and its separation into modes I and II of delamination is presented. By choosing a suitable displacement field based on second-order shear-thickness deformation theory and using the principle of minimum total potential energy, the equations of equilibrium are obtained along with the appropriate boundary conditions. The J integral and its definition for different modes of fracture is used for calculation of strain energy release rate and its separation into different modes. Double cantilever beam (DCB)... 

The necessity of dynamic equivalents for power system analysis has been well known since the expansion of large interconnected power networks, and has been discussed during the last decades. The present paper proposes a new method for constructing dynamic equivalents of power systems. In this method, at the first step the "study system" is modeled completely via a single machineinfinite bus modeling procedure. Then the "external system" is identified as a MIMO feedback block of this model in such a manner that can include dynamic effects of the latter on the behavior of the former. The method is successfully experimented on a part of the Iranian southern network. Copyright © 2007 The...