The objective of this study was to understand and develop procedures for the use of the AISC 2005 Specification's Direct Analysis Method for the analysis and design of heavy-industry industrial structures, to layout a systematic approach for the engineer to analyze and design using this method, and to determine if there will be any consequences to the practicing engineer in using this method. The relevant 13th Edition AISC stability analysis methods (Effective Length,First-Order, and Direct Analysis Methods) were researched in the 2005 Specification aswell as in available technical literature, and then were critically evaluated by their applicability and limitations. This study will help serve as a guide for the systematic approach for the practicing engineer to apply this method to analyze and design such complex steel frame structures using the computer-aided software called GTSTRUDL. To accomplish this purpose, two analytical models were studied using the Direct Analysis Method. The first model was a simple industrial structure and the second model was a more complex nuclear power plant boiler building.

Na década de 1990, as estatais foram classificadas como o grande mal de que padecia a economia brasileira. E contra ele, havia um antídoto: a privatização. Em Volta Redonda, “cidade da Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN)”, este antídoto foi intensamente discutido, questionado, combatido e defendido. Por agentes distintos em um mesmo momento. Em momentos distintos por um mesmo agente. Visando a compreensão das ações tomadas por um desses agentes, o Sindicato dos Metalúrgicos, o presente estudo buscou na literatura os preceitos da perspectiva de dependência de recursos, difundida por Pfeffer; Salancik (1978). Após a revisão de literatura, foi realizado um estudo de caso histórico, baseado em investigações bibliográfica e documental, onde é descrita a trajetória da entidade desde a sua criação, enfatizando o período da privatização e seus reflexos. Ao confrontar o estudo de caso histórico com a teoria apresentada, pode ser concluído que a perspectiva de dependência de recursos se mostrou eficaz em explicar grande parte das interações do Sindicato com a CSN. Tal eficácia pode ser verificada, especialmente, durante os períodos em que a relação Sindicato-CSN sofreu importantes mudanças, como a entrada da Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) no Sindicato, o processo de privatização e o processo de reestruturação da CSN em 1996. / In the 1990s, state owned companies were identified as the Brazilian economy's greatest evil, and the antidote against it was privatization. In Volta Redonda, "the city of the Companhia Siderúrgica Nacional (CSN)", this antidote was strongly discussed, questioned, opposed, and supported, by different agents in a same moment, by the same agent in different moments. In order to understand the behavior of one of these agents – the ironworkers' trade union – this study used the principles of the resource dependence perspective, spread by Pfeffer; Salancik (1978). Firstly, the literature about the topic was reviewed, followed afterwards by a historical case study - developed based on the bibliography found and also documented investigations - describing the history of the trade union since its foundation, and giving emphasis to the privatization's period and its results. The conclusion shows that the resource dependence perspective was effective in explaining most of the trade union's interactions with CSN. This efficacy can be verified specially during the period that the relationship between the trade union and the CSN went through important changes, like for example the ingress of the Central Única dos Trabalhadores (CUT) in the trade union, the privatization process and CSN's downsizing in 1996. / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Instituto COPPEAD de Administração, Rio de Janeiro, 2005 / Bibliografia: p. 158-166

The thesis "Economic utilization of industrial structures with focus on railway stations" analyses all possibilities of sustainable use of industrial buildings with a focus on specific example of the Ţiţkov freight station. Based on the general characteristics of both industrial heritage and brownfields are defined steps which are necessary for the protection of valuable locations without present use. The whole process is described in the context of positive and negative externalities. The most important problem is financing the revitalization of problematic objects. The practical part of the thesis describes the previous issues connected to the Ţiţkov freight station including major studies of its potential utilization.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Structural design standards based on the principles of structural reliability are gaining worldwide acceptance and are fast becoming the new basis of structural safety verification. The application of these principles to establish a standardised basis for structural design using partial factor limit states design procedures is done in the European Standard for the Basis of Structural Design EN 1990 from which it is adapted to the South African Basis of Design Standard for Building and Industrial Structures SANS 10160-1. The basis of design requirements stipulated in EN 1990 and SANS 10160-1 apply to all aspects of structural design: This includes reliability levels of structural performance and their differentiation and management; identification of various limit states and design situations; the specification of all the basic variables; separate treatment of actions and material-based resistance. However, application of these requirements is then primarily focused on actions whilst the provision for structural concrete is then left to the materials based design standards. This two-part thesis describes a systematic assessment of the degree to which the application of the reliability framework presented in the basis of design requirements has been achieved in the present generation of structural concrete design standards. More importantly, attempts are made to identify ways in which the process can be advanced. Special attention is drawn to issues that are specific to South African conditions and practice in structural concrete. Part One of the thesis focuses on the key elements of the reliability framework presented in EN 1990 and traces to what extent the requirements have been propelled through the design stipulations of the Eurocode Standard for Design of Concrete Structures EN 1992-1-1. The implications of the different reference level of reliability between the Eurocode default value of ß = 3.8 and that characteristic of South African practice ß = 3.0 through various issues are highlighted. The use and advantage of explicit treatment of reliability performance on reliability management related to some aspects of quality control are explored. A critical aspect is the shear prediction model providing unconservative estimates of shear resistance. Part Two of the thesis focuses on characterising the model factor of the EN 1992-1-1 shear prediction model for members requiring design shear reinforcement. This is done by a comparison to a compiled experimental database with special focus on situations with high reinforcement ratios. The significance of the modelling uncertainty in shear prediction is verified by this comparison. The use of the more conceptually rational modified compression field theory (MCFT) to improve on the quality of shear predictions is investigated and proves to yield more precise values with lower scatter hence making it a more reliable tool for predicting shear. The MCFT can then be used as reference for the reliability calibration and possible improvement for the Eurocode procedure. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Strukturele ontwerpstandaarde gebaseer op die beginsels van strukturele betroubaarheid verkry wêreldwye aanvaarding en word vinnig die nuwe basis van strukturele veiligheid bevestiging. Die toepassing van hierdie beginsels om ʼn gestandaardiseerde basis vir strukturele ontwerp is bevestig deur gebruik te maak van gedeeltelike-faktorbeperkende stadiums ontwerpprosedures in die Europese Standaard vir die Basis van Strukturele Ontwerp EN 1990 waarvandaan dit herbewerk is na die Suid-Afrikaanse Basis van Ontwerp Standaarde vir Bou en Industriële Strukture SANS 10160-1. Die basis van ontwerpvereistes bepaal in EN 1990 en SANS 10160-1 is van toepassing op alle aspekte van strukturele ontverp: Dit sluit inbetroubaarheidsvlakke van struktureele prestasie en hul diversifikasie en bestuur; identifikasie van verskeie beperkende state en ontwerpsituasies; die spesifikasie van al die basiese veranderlikes; afsonderlike behandeling van aksies en materiaal-gebaseerde weerstand. Desnieteenstaande, die toepassing van hierdie voorwaardes is dan hoofsaaklik gefokus op aksies terwyl die voorsiening van strukturele beton is dan gelaat op die materiaalgebaseerde ontwerpstandaarde. Hierdie tweeledige verhandeling beskryf ʼn stelselmatige beoordeling van die graad waartoe die toepassing van die betroubaarheidsraamwerk aangebied word in die basis van ontwerpvereistes bereik in die huidige generasie van strukturele beton-ontwerp standaarde is. Meer belangrik, pogings is aangewend om die maniere hoe die proses bevorder kan word te identifiseer. Spesiale aandag word gevestig op kwessies wat spesifiek op Suid-Afrikaanse toestande en praktyke in strukturele beton toepaslik is. Deel Een van die verhandeling fokus op die sleutel-dele van die betroubaarheidsraamwerk aangebied in EN 1990 en skets die mate waartoe die vereistes aangespoor word deur die ontwerp voorskrifte van die Eurocode Standard for the Design of Concrete Structures EN 1992-1-1. Die implikasie van die verskillende verwysingsvlakke van betroubaarheid tussen die Eurocode standaardwaarde van ß = 3.8 en die eienskap van Suid-Afrikaanse praktyk ß = 3.0 deur verskillende kwessies word uitgelig. Die gebruik en voordeel van spesifieke behandeling van betroubaarheidsuitvoering op betroubaarheidsbestuur verwantskap met sekere aspekte van kwaliteit kontrole word ondersoek. ʼn Kritiese aspek is die model vir die voorspelling van skuif-weerstand wat die onkonserwatiewe beramings vir skuif-weerstand gee. Deel Twee van die verhandeling fokus op karakterisering die modelfaktor van die EN 1992- 1-1 skuif-weerstand voorspellings-model. Dit word gedoen deur ʼn vergelyking na ʼn saamgestelde eksperimentele databasis met spesifieke fokus op situasies met hoe herbevestigingsvergelykings. Die oorheersing van die modellering- onsekerheid in skuifweerstand voorspelling is bevestig deur hierdie vergelyking. Die gebruik van ʼn meer konseptuele rasionele gemodifiseerde druk-veld teorie (bekend as MCFT) om die kwaliteit van skuif voorspelling te verbeter is ondersoek en verskaf ‘n meer presiese waarde met laer verspreiding wat lei tot ʼn meer betroubaree instrument om skuif mee te voorspel. Die MCFT word dan gebruik as verwysing vir die betroubaarheid-samestelling en moontlike verbetering van die Eurocode prosedures.

O presente estudo teve como objetivos elaborar o mapeamento descritivo da cultura organizacional (valores, práticas e heróis) de uma empresa de energia localizada no estado do Rio de Janeiro, identificar as principais dimensões da cultura organizacional, a possibilidade de clusters culturais e, testar empiricamente até que ponto diferenças estatisticamente mensuráveis podem ser influenciadas por diferenças de valores, práticas e heróis, bem como por fatores como, a posição hierárquica de seus membros, o fato de serem funcionários terceirizados ou não, senioridade e o nível educacional. A pesquisa foi baseada no trabalho de Hofstede et al. (1990) e Hilal (2002 e 2006) sobre as dimensões da cultura organizacional e existência de clusters culturais dentro da organização. A pesquisa possuiu duas fases. A primeira fase foi composta de cinco entrevistas qualitativas exploratórias com altos executivos da companhia que serviram para ajustar o conteúdo dos questionários da segunda fase. A segunda fase consistiu em uma survey de papel e caneta aplicada em 1.628 (um mil seiscentos e vinte e oito) funcionários operacionais para coletar informações sobre valores, práticas e heróis. Os resultados da pesquisa mostram a existência de dois clusters de cultura, ou seja, nem todos os valores e práticas são compartilhados pelos funcionários da organização. As duas principais causas constatadas para esse fenômeno estão vinculadas à capilaridade das ações do plano de transformação iniciado em 2004 pela alta-gerência e, a alta taxa de utilização de mão de obra terceirizada. Adicionalmente, o presente estudo também demonstrou existir uma diferença substancial nas percepções de cultura organizacional sob a ótica gerencial (entrevistas qualitativas), na maioria das vezes relacionadas ao comportamento desejado, quando confrontada com os valores e práticas em uso (resultados da pesquisa quantitativa). / This study had the objective of elaborating the descriptive mapping of theorganizational culture (values, practices and heroes) of a distributor company of electric energy located in the state of Rio de Janeiro, also identifying the main organizational culture dimensions, the possibility of cultural clusters and empirically test how statistically measurable differences can be influenced by diferences perceived in values, practices and heroes, as well as factors as the hierarchical position of its members, the fact that the employees be outsourced or not, seniority and educational level. The research was based on the work of Hofstede et al. (1990) and Hilal (2002 and 2006) on the cultural dimensions of organizational culture and on the existence of clusters inside the organization. The research had two stages. The first stage involved five qualitative exploratory interviews with high company executives, which were used to adjust the contents of the survey of the second stage. The second stage consisted of a paper and pencil survey applied to 1.628 (one thousand six hundred and twenty eight) operational employees to collect information about values, practices and heroes. The results of the research show the existence of two cultural clusters, in other words, not all the practices, values, and heroes are shared by all the employees of the company. The two main causes that explain this phenomenon are related to the capillarity of the actions of the transformation plan initiated in 2004 by the highmanagement and, the high rate of outsourced labor. Additionally, the present study also indicate the existence of a substantial difference in the way the organizational culture of the company is perceived by management (qualitative interviews), mostly related to desired behaviors, and the perspective of non-managerial employees, mostly reflected in the practical values in use (quantitative research / survey). / Bibliografia: p. 189-195. / Inclui notas de rodapé. / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 2007.

<p> A moment resisting frame is one of the most commonly used lateral load resisting system in modem structures because it is suitable for low and medium rise buildings and industrial structures. It can be designed to behave in a ductile manner under seismic loads. </p> <p> Masonry infills have traditionally been used in buildings as partitions and for architectural or aesthetic reasons. They are normally considered as non-structural elements, and their effect on the structural system has been ignored in the design. However, even though they are considered non-structural elements, there is mounting evidence that they interact with the frame when the structures are subjected to lateral loads Infill walls have been identified as a contributing factor to catastrophic structural failures during earthquakes. Frame-infill interaction can induce brittle shear failures of reinforced concrete columns by creating a short column. Furthermore, infills can over-strengthen the upper stories of a structure and when they fail a soft first storey is created, which is highly undesirable from the earthquake resistance standpoint. </p> <p> There is a need for an efficient and accurate computational model to simulate the nonlinear hysteretic force-deformation behaviour of masonry infills, which is also suitable for implementation in time-history analysis of large structures. The aim is to develop a simplified advanced and cost-effective model for nonlinear time history analysis and seismic design of masonry infill frame structures. </p> <p> The objective of this research was to develop a practical and economical technique applicable for global analysis of general three-dimensional reinforced concrete infilled frames under lateral loads. Novel finite element model for the infill and the surrounding frame was developed using a special finite element configuration to represent the masonry panel. Some prescribed failure planes in different directions were defined depending on the common failure mode of masonry panels. Moreover, some of contact elements were used on the failure planes to connect among the panel elements, and between the panel elements and the boundary reinforced concrete frame. Different material models were used to represent the behaviour of concrete, reinforcing steel, mortar joints and inclined saw-tooth cracks in the infill panel. Different material models were used to describe the behaviour through and perpendicular to the prescribed failure planes. The proposed model and the used material models were described in details in the first part of this research. </p> <p> The proposed finite element model was verified against experimental and analytical results previously published by others. Different frames configurations, reinforcing details, boundary conditions and material properties were consider in that section to verify the capability of the proposed model to simulate the behaviour of different frames. The overall behaviour "Load-deflection relationship", failure point and failure mode were compared with the experimental and analytical results. Satisfactory agreement with the previously published results was obtained. </p> <p> The study investigates the capability of the proposed model to simulate the behaviour of infilled frames subjected to cyclic loads. Hysteretic loops obtained by using the new model were verified against experimental and analytical results and good correlation were obtained. The failure modes and crack patterns were compared with the experimental results and good agreements were obtained. The proposed model failed to capture some shear cracks in the RC frames as per the experimental results. </p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)