Therapeutic metaphors in engineering: how to cure a building structure

Cognitive linguistics have conscientiously pointed out the pervasiveness of conceptual mappings, particularly as conceptual blending and integration, that underlie language and that are unconsciously used in everyday speech (Fauconnier 1997, Fauconnier & Turner 2002; Rohrer 2007; Grady, Oakley & Coulson 1999). Moreover, as a further development of this work, there is a growing interest in research devoted to the conceptual mappings that make up specialized technical disciplines. Lakoff & Núñez 2000, for example, have produced a major breakthrough on the understanding of concepts in mathematics, through conceptual metaphor and as a result not of purely abstract concepts but rather of embodiment. On the engineering and architecture front, analyses on the use of metaphor, blending and categorization in English and Spanish have likewise appeared in recent times (Úbeda 2001, Roldán 1999, Caballero 2003a, 2003b, Roldán & Ubeda 2006, Roldán & Protasenia 2007). The present paper seeks to show a number of significant conceptual mappings underlying the language of architecture and civil engineering that seem to shape the way engineers and architects communicate. In order to work with a significant segment of linguistic expressions in this field, a corpus taken from a widely used technical Spanish engineering journal article was collected and analysed. The examination of the data obtained indicates that many tokens make a direct reference to therapeutic conceptual mappings, highlighting medical domains such as diagnosing,treating and curing. Hence, the paper illustrates how this notion is instantiated by the corresponding bodily conceptual integration. In addition, we wish to underline the function of visual metaphors in the world of modern architecture by evoking parts of human or animal anatomy, and how this is visibly noticeable in contemporary buildings and public works structures.

Estudio de redes WSN y su aplicación a la ingeniería civil

Las redes inalámbricas están experimentando un gran crecimiento en el campo de la instrumentación electrónica. En concreto las redes de sensores inalámbricas (WSN de Wireless Sensor Network) suponen la opción más ventajosa para su empleo en la instrumentación electrónica ya que sus principales características se acoplan perfectamente a las necesidades. Las WSN permiten la utilización de un número relativamente alto de nodos, están orientadas a sistemas de bajo consumo y funcionamiento con baterías y poseen un ancho de banda adecuado para las necesidades de la instrumentación electrónica. En este proyecto fin de carrera se ha realizado un estudio de las tecnologías inalámbricas disponibles, se han comparado y se ha elegido la tecnología ZigBeeTM por considerarse la más adecuada y la que más se ajusta a las necesidades descritas. En el desarrollo de mi vida profesional se han conectado dos campos teóricamente distantes como son la instrumentación electrónica y la ingeniería civil. En este proyecto se hace una descripción de la instrumentación que se utiliza para controlar estructuras como presas, túneles y puentes y se proponen casos prácticos en los que las redes WSN aportan valor añadido a instrumentación actual y a los sistemas de comunicaciones utilizados. Se definen tanto los sistemas de comunicaciones utilizados actualmente como una serie de sensores utilizados para medir los principales parámetros a controlar en una obra civil. Por último se ha desarrollado una aplicación de prueba de una red ZigBeeTM basada en equipos comerciales del fabricante Digi. consiste en una aplicación desarrollada en entorno web que maneja de forma remota, a través de Internet, las entradas y salidas digitales y analógicas de los nodos que forman la red. Se forma una red ZigBeeTM con un coordinador, un router y un dispositivo final. El Coordinador está integrado en un Gateway que permite acceder a la red ZigBeeTM a través de internet y conocer el estado de los nodos que forman la red. Con los comandos adecuados se puede leer el estado de las entradas y salidas analógicas y digitales y cambiar el estado de una salida digital. ABSTRACT. Wireless networks are experiencing tremendous growth in the field of electronic instrumentation. In particular wireless sensor networks represent the most advantageous for use in electronic instrumentation since its main characteristics fit perfectly to the needs. The WSN allow the use of a relatively large number of nodes, are aimed at low-power systems and battery operation and have an adequate bandwidth for the needs of electronic instrumentation. In this project has made a study of available wireless technologies have been compared and chosen ZigBeeTM technology was considered the most appropriate to the needs described. In the course of my professional life have connected two fields are theoretically distant as electronic instrumentation and civil engineering. In this project, there is a description of the instrumentation used to control structures such as dams, tunnels and bridges and proposes practical cases in which WSN networks add value to current instrumentation and communications systems used. There are defined as communications systems now being used as a set of sensors used to measure the main parameters to be controlled in a civil structure. Finally, I have developed a test application based ZigBeeTM networking equipment maker Digi trading. It consists of a Web-based application developed to manage remotely, via the Internet, the digital and analog inputs and outputs nodes forming the network. ZigBeeTM It forms a network with a coordinator, router and end device. The Coordinator is built into a gateway that allows access to the ZigBeeTM network through internet and know the status of the nodes forming the network. With the appropriate command can read the status of the digital inputs and outputs and change the state of a digital output.

Uncertainties in the modal estimation from output-only data in civil structures

Cualquier estructura vibra según unas frecuencias propias definidas por sus parámetros modales (frecuencias naturales, amortiguamientos y formas modales). A través de las mediciones de la vibración en puntos clave de la estructura, los parámetros modales pueden ser estimados. En estructuras civiles, es difícil excitar una estructura de manera controlada, por lo tanto, las técnicas que implican la estimación de los parámetros modales sólo registrando su respuesta son de vital importancia para este tipo de estructuras. Esta técnica se conoce como Análisis Modal Operacional (OMA). La técnica del OMA no necesita excitar artificialmente la estructura, atendiendo únicamente a su comportamiento en servicio. La motivación para llevar a cabo pruebas de OMA surge en el campo de la Ingeniería Civil, debido a que excitar artificialmente con éxito grandes estructuras no sólo resulta difícil y costoso, sino que puede incluso dañarse la estructura. Su importancia reside en que el comportamiento global de una estructura está directamente relacionado con sus parámetros modales, y cualquier variación de rigidez, masa o condiciones de apoyo, aunque sean locales, quedan reflejadas en los parámetros modales. Por lo tanto, esta identificación puede integrarse en un sistema de vigilancia de la integridad estructural. La principal dificultad para el uso de los parámetros modales estimados mediante OMA son las incertidumbres asociadas a este proceso de estimación. Existen incertidumbres en el valor de los parámetros modales asociadas al proceso de cálculo (internos) y también asociadas a la influencia de los factores ambientales (externas), como es la temperatura. Este Trabajo Fin de Máster analiza estas dos fuentes de incertidumbre. Es decir, en primer lugar, para una estructura de laboratorio, se estudian y cuantifican las incertidumbres asociadas al programa de OMA utilizado. En segundo lugar, para una estructura en servicio (una pasarela de banda tesa), se estudian tanto el efecto del programa OMA como la influencia del factor ambiental en la estimación de los parámetros modales. Más concretamente, se ha propuesto un método para hacer un seguimiento de las frecuencias naturales de un mismo modo. Este método incluye un modelo de regresión lineal múltiple que permite eliminar la influencia de estos agentes externos. A structure vibrates according to some of its vibration modes, defined by their modal parameters (natural frequencies, damping ratios and modal shapes). Through the measurements of the vibration at key points of the structure, the modal parameters can be estimated. In civil engineering structures, it is difficult to excite structures in a controlled manner, thus, techniques involving output-only modal estimation are of vital importance for these structure. This techniques are known as Operational Modal Analysis (OMA). The OMA technique does not need to excite artificially the structure, this considers its behavior in service only. The motivation for carrying out OMA tests arises in the area of Civil Engineering, because successfully artificially excite large structures is difficult and expensive. It also may even damage the structure. The main goal is that the global behavior of a structure is directly related to their modal parameters, and any variation of stiffness, mass or support conditions, although it is local, is also reflected in the modal parameters. Therefore, this identification may be within a Structural Health Monitoring system. The main difficulty for using the modal parameters estimated by an OMA is the uncertainties associated to this estimation process. Thus, there are uncertainties in the value of the modal parameters associated to the computing process (internal) and the influence of environmental factors (external), such as the temperature. This Master’s Thesis analyzes these two sources of uncertainties. That is, firstly, for a lab structure, the uncertainties associated to the OMA program used are studied and quantified. Secondly, for an in-service structure (a stress-ribbon footbridge), both the effect of the OMA program and the influence of environmental factor on the modal parameters estimation are studied. More concretely, a method to track natural frequencies of the same mode has been proposed. This method includes a multiple linear regression model that allows to remove the influence of these external agents.

Professional papers on Indian engineering.

Vol. 11 of the 2d ser. consists of one number only (no. 43).

American civil engineers' handbook,

"This edition closely follows the plan and the scope of the first four editions of which the late Mansfield Merriman was editor-in-chief."--Pref. to 5th ed.

Structural models for architectural and engineering education,

Includes bibliography.

Contact-impact problems. Volume I - engineering report and user's manual. Final report.

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C.

Research and development program for highway construction engineering management. Final report.

Federal Highway Administration, Washington, D.C.

Transactions of the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Vols. 29-30 include papers of the International Engineering Congress, Chicago, 1893; v. 54 includes papers of the International Engineering Congress, St. Louis, 1904.

Modern installation for testing of large assemblies under static and fatigue loading. Description of installation at Fritz Engineering laboratory, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,

"Not for publication."

Waste disposal from water and wastewater treatment processes; proceedings, tenth Sanitary Engineering Conference,

Mode of access: Internet.

The civil engineer's pocket-book,

Contains advertising matter.

Engineering classification of in-situ rock

Cover title.

Announcement of the College of Engineering.

Description based on: 1923/1924.

Reports of the late John Smeaton, F. R. S., made on various occasions, in the course of his employment as a civil engineer ...

Mode of access: Internet.