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Aging infrastructures became a serious social problem. This brought out the increased need for the legislation of a new strict guideline for infrastructure management. Although existing guidelines provided basics of how to evaluate and manage the condition of infrastructures, they needed improvements for their evaluation procedures. Most guidelines mainly focused on the structural condition of infrastructures and did not properly reflect service aspects of infrastructures such as performance, public demand, capacity, etc., which were significantly valuable to public. Regardless of the importance, these factors were often neglected in infrastructure evaluations, because they were quite subjective and difficult to quantify in rational manner. Thus, this study proposed a framework to properly identify and evaluate the service indicators. This study showed that service indicators could be grouped into two categories and properly evaluated using AHP and Fuzzy. Overall, proposed framework is expected to assist governmental agency in establishing effective investment strategies for infrastructure improvements.

"2 June 1971." ; Shipping list no.: 93-0063-P. ; "Supersedes TM 55-1500-204-ESC, 17 July 1969." ; Mode of access: Internet. ; 14

We examined the importance of website serviceability of online travel agencies (OTAs). We collected data from 283 users of OTA websites in the USA. Statistical differences were found for 8 out of 10 website serviceability items that were examined. In addition, 2 dimensions of functional
website serviceability and technical website serviceability were derived from the website serviceability items. Last, both dimensions of website serviceability positively affected customer satisfaction, which, in turn, positively affected brand attachment and loyalty. These results will be
useful for developing effective and efficient marketing strategies.

"29 May 1969." ; Shipping list no.: 87-427-P. ; Caption title. ; Mode of access: Internet. ; 14

This article focuses on masonry arch railway bridges. The main topic is the algorithm, which was developed for the purpose of a non-linear arch bridge analysis. The sensitivity analysis of the input parameters of the calculation was carried out. Subsequently, the study was carried out for the comparison of four calculation methods. For this comparison, a set of arch bridges were chosen. Two methods used commercial software, and the other two methods were developed. One of the developed algorithms uses a simple linear calculation. The second developed algorithm uses an iterative approach to handle material and geometrical non-linearity. The first commercial software method uses 2D non-linear models, the second method is a limit collapse analysis using the software LimitState:RING. These three methods were developed to handle the SLS (serviceability limit state) criteria, and their results were compared to the result of LCC at the ULS (ultimate LS) using LimitState:RING.

On a global scale, limited financing for the development and operation of infrastructure projects has pushed authorities to encourage private investors to enter public-private partnerships (PPPs). In this respect, procurement of infrastructure projects such as bridges, water plants, airports, and roads has been adopted through PPPs. This has also applied to the oil-rich country of Libya which experienced severe economic and political problems in the past decade. This paper presents a systematic framework for risk assessment and appraisal of PPPs infrastructure projects. This framework is capable of identifying probable adverse effects that represent key influential factors on the private sector in a socio-economic environment and related to key performance indicators (KPIs) in order to assess the operational efficiency in developing and financing infrastructure projects. This framework proposes a new integrated system that comprises of the following: fault tree, artificial neural networks, and analytical network process. The aim of this system is to ensure sustainable availability of finances that are considered essential for the development of PPPs infrastructure projects in Libya. considering different alternative funding models, it suggests a means of auditing PPPs structure to carry out improved performance for PPPs projects in Libya.

On a global scale, limited financing for the development and operation of infrastructure projects has pushed authorities to encourage private investors to enter public-private partnerships (PPPs). In this respect, procurement of infrastructure projects such as bridges, water plants, airports, and roads has been adopted through PPPs. This has also applied to the oil-rich country of Libya which experienced severe economic and political problems in the past decade. This paper presents a systematic framework for risk assessment and appraisal of PPPs infrastructure projects. This framework is capable of identifying probable adverse effects that represent key influential factors on the private sector in a socio-economic environment and related to key performance indicators (KPIs) in order to assess the operational efficiency in developing and financing infrastructure projects. This framework proposes a new integrated system that comprises of the following: fault tree, artificial neural networks, and analytical network process. The aim of this system is to ensure sustainable availability of finances that are considered essential for the development of PPPs infrastructure projects in Libya. considering different alternative funding models, it suggests a means of auditing PPPs structure to carry out improved performance for PPPs projects in Libya.

"15 July 1975." ; Shipping list no.: 86-360-P. ; "This manual supersedes TM 11-1520-271-ESC, 22 April 1969"--P. 1. ; Caption title. ; Mode of access: Internet. ; 14

The following are available online at http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/24/10278/s1: Excel file with input data for the parametric numerical study ; Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), i.e., concrete produced with recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) has been heavily investigated recently, and the structural design of RAC is entering into design codes. Nonetheless, the service load deflection behavior of RAC remains a challenge due to its larger shrinkage and creep, and lower modulus of elasticity. A novel solution to this challenge is the use of layered concrete, i.e., casting of horizontal layers of different concretes. To investigate the potential benefits and limits of layered concrete, this study contains a numerical parametric assessment of the time-dependent sustained service load deflections and environmental impacts of homogeneous and layered NAC and RAC one-way slabs. Four types of reinforced concrete slabs were considered: homogeneous slabs with 0%, 50% and 100% of coarse RCA (NAC, RAC50 and RAC100, respectively) and layered L-RAC100 slabs with the bottom and top halves consisting of RAC100 and NAC, respectively. In the deflection study, different statical systems, concrete strength classes and relative humidity conditions were investigated. The results showed that the layered L-RAC100 slabs performed as well as, or even better than, the NAC slabs due to the differential shrinkage between the layers. In terms of environmental performance, evaluated using a "cradle-to-gate" Life Cycle Assessment approach, the L-RAC100 slabs also performed as well as, or slightly better than, the NAC slabs. Therefore, layered NAC and RAC slabs can be a potentially advantageous solution from both structural and environmental perspectives. ; This study has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 836270 and from the United States Department of State through the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Grant "Optimization of Stratified Recycled Concrete Structures Based on Numerical Analyses and Life Cycle Assessment." Any opinions, findings, conclusions, and/or recommendations in the paper are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the funding organizations. ; Peer Reviewed ; Postprint (published version)

The article gives theoretical and experimental grounds to the relevant technique of defining the requirements to physical serviceability of experts of higher education technical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defence. The essence of the developed and approved technique is the authentic and objective estimation of serviceability of experts by use of compound criterion (practical skills on service and repair of engineering technical systems taking into account the level of endurance and dexterity development; theoretical knowledge of operation and repair of systems of military equipment; organizing skills; pedagogical qualities; the test of growing difficulty), the comparison is based on the check of the factor of self-descriptiveness. ; The article gives theoretical and experimental grounds to the relevant technique of defining the requirements to physical serviceability of experts of higher education technical institutions of the Russian Ministry of Defence. The essence of the developed and approved technique is the authentic and objective estimation of serviceability of experts by use of compound criterion (practical skills on service and repair of engineering technical systems taking into account the level of endurance and dexterity development; theoretical knowledge of operation and repair of systems of military equipment; organizing skills; pedagogical qualities; the test of growing difficulty), the comparison is based on the check of the factor of self-descriptiveness.