Hong Zhang

As an emerging discrete structural model, the Hencky bar-chain/net model (HBM) has shown its advantages over other numerical methods in some problems. Owing to the discrete properties of HBM, it is also a suitable model for nano-scale structures which are currently a very hot research topic in mechanics. This book introduces the concepts and previous research of the Hencky bar-chain/net model, before demonstrating how beams, columns, arches, rectangular plates and circular plates could be successfully modelled by HBM. HBM comprises rigid bars connected by frictionless hinges with elastic rotational springs (and a system of torsional springs in the cells for plates). In the treatment of the above-mentioned structures, HBM is found to be mathematically equivalent to the first order central finite difference method (FDM). So HBM may be regarded as the physical structural model behind the FDM. This book is a compilation of the authors' research on the development of the Hencky bar-chain/net model, and is organized according to the development and application of HBM for beams, columns, frames, arches and rings, and plates. Exercises are provided at the end of each chapter to aid comprehension and guide learning. It is a useful reference for students, researchers, academics and practitioners in the field of structural analysis.

Intelligent railway alignment design offers a comprehensive exploration of intelligent railway alignment optimization It considers a a variety of critical topics, starting with the optimal selection of key technical standards for railway design, and then introduces the comprehensive geographic information model. The methods for evaluating the suitability of the railway alignment based on the comprehensive geographic information model are discussed, together with economic optimization models aimed at cost-effective railway alignment design. In addition, the book considers optimization models for managing risks related to typical geological hazards and minimizing environmental impacts. Intelligent search algorithms for solving the railway alignment optimization models are explained in detail, including corridor searching algorithms and 3D alignment searching algorithms. Additionally, the book explores concurrent optimization strategies for coordinating railway alignments with stations and large temporary engineering projects. Finally, it introduces intelligent models and methods for reconstructing and optimizing existing railway alignments, ensuring that both new and updated railways operate efficiently and sustainably.

Roads are essential components of a city. Despite their increasing importance in our daily lives, modeling and simulating road networks is challenging due to their dynamic and complex nature. The underlying order and patterns of the seemingly chaotic and diverse physical patterns of roads are still unclear. Furthermore, there is a knowledge gap regarding the relationships between the size, scale, shape, structure, and space of road networks. This book presents the state-of-the-art in computational methods for modeling the topological structure of road networks. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of this topology and provides models, indicators, and empirical studies of road network structures. The book includes six types of structural models and three types of spatial simulation models to help understand the topological structural complexity of road networks. The appendices include several examples of road networks and their universal scale-free patterns. This interdisciplinary book is helpful for individuals interested in spatial modeling, network analysis, transportation geography, and urban studies. It is also a fundamental resource for modeling and computing spatial complex systems. The book is suitable for undergraduate, graduate, and professional researchers interested in geographic modeling and urban design. The text is written with moderate mathematical detail to enhance comprehension of the concepts and principles presented. The use of maps, graphics, and examples makes the modeling and computational processes more intuitive.

In a growingly complex economic environment, people needs to develop financial intelligence in many ways. The best way to find an answer is by asking the right question. In the current market, there lacks a comprehensive book with organized knowledge for the daily financial needs in American life. The book meets the demand with a simple and clear Q&A structure. With its eleven subjects in two volumes, it helps people to clarify their needs and feed them with answers right away. All the answers are in layman's language to make it an easy and quick read. It shares with the readers the daily needs like mobile phones, credit cards, taxes, loans, to uncommon endeavors like entrepreneurship, finance, investment, insurance, and so on. Its seemingly small talk formats are perfect navigators for people coming to visit or live and try to find their way in all financial matters of the United States.

In a growingly complex economic environment, kids today need to develop financial intelligence more than ever-and the best way for them to do this is with the family. While other books on financial education stick to the basics, Financial Intelligence for Parents and Children delves much deeper and wider by providing step-by-step instructions for engaging in age-appropriate discussions about money and finances with children at every grade level, from preschool through high school. It offers you the tools you need to talk about a wide range of money matters, beginning with the ABCs of financial education and progressively building to addressing more advanced concepts. Topics covered include: Banking and creditBorrowing and spendingCollege and retirementGifting and estateEntraprenureshipInvesting and wealthJob and incomeRisk and InsuranceTaxes and economicsIt is vital that children fully understand these concepts before leaving the house and venturing out on their own. This must-have resource delivers a systematic approach to helping your children enter the vibrant world with the financial know-how. They will become productive and financially secure members of the society. This book is also available in Chinese. For more information, please check www.fqeducation.org

An innovative approach to teaching Chinese language and culture, using folk and popular songs. Offering an innovative approach to language learning, Chinese through Song helps students develop their language proficiency and music appreciation through the use of folk, popular, and art songs. Because songs emphasize the color, pronunciation, and intonation of every syllable, they can be a valuable tool for improving a student's spoken language skills. By learning and performing the songs in this book, students will expand their vocabularies and improve their pronunciation, voice projection, and language expression-all while learning about Chinese culture in a fun and stimulating way. This revised and expanded edition includes thirty songs, many of them new to this edition. They feature lucid and vivid language, as well as beautiful and relatively simple melodies. They are good for voice development and can be practiced in different modes of performance, including solos, duets, rounds, and musical dramas. Each chapter comprises up to seven sections: (1) a song, including sheet music and lyrics in Chinese characters and pinyin Romanization; (2) a line-by-line English translation; (3) a vocabulary list designed for students who have completed at least one year of Chinese; (4) cultural notes that help students understand the historical and social context of the song; (5) language notes on the use of key words and important sentence patterns; (6) singing instructions, including remarks on interpretation and performance; and (7) language exercises for both classroom practice and homework assignments. Chinese through Song may be used in several ways: as the main textbook for an interdisciplinary, intermediate-level course, emphasizing both language acquisition and musical performance; as a supplement to regular Chinese language classes, from elementary through advanced levels; as a resource for extracurricular activities (for example, a Chinese chorus or a performance at a Chinese New Year party); and as a general songbook.

While American images of China have been characterized by a fluctuating love/hate relationship, many educated urban Chinese youths also retained ambivalent feelings toward the United States in the early decades of the 20th century. The years between the end of the Second World War and the outbreak of the Korean War represented a significant period in Sino-American relations. This study places the shifting perceptions of the United States among an important political group—young, volatile, and politically active urban Chinese—into historical perspective through the examination of the origin, development, and eruption of their anti-American sentiment. These feelings would prove to be a liability to the Chinese Nationalist cause and would ultimately assist in easing the way of the Communists into urban China. In the immediate post-World War II period, American influence and presence in China reached an unprecedented peak. However, American political, military, and economic activities largely failed to generate Chinese good will; instead, such actions produced political antipathy toward the United States. The sojourn of American GIs in urban China, for example, would serve as a critical factor in arousing nationalist fervor. The Chinese Communist Party would capitalize on this groundswell and push it to the foreground during open hostilities with the United States after the outbreak of the Korean War.