Steel arch-rectangular support has a wide range of applications in Polish coal mines due to its asymmetrical shape. The frame has an arched outline on one side of the side wall, while on the opposite side it is rectangular. As a result, the support is ideal for securing set up room and recovery room. It can also be successfully used to secure three-way intersections of underground workings. To a large extent, however, the importance of these advantages is diminished by relatively low load-bearing parameters, resulting from a partially straight canopy, as well as the asymmetrical distribution of the load acting on the support in underground conditions. In order to ensure the proper and optimal operation of such frames, in addition to the standard requirements for roof supports, additional conditions must be met. The basic requirement is to support the end of the canopy on the corner of the excavation. This article presents examples of arch-rectangular supports, their applications as well as laboratory tests and strength analysis of the frames and its elements. These tests allowed the requirements regarding the construction of the frame, the selection of the support and the conditions of building in the excavation to be specified.

The paper presents the dynamic model of an A-frame, which is a kind of an offshore crane with a portal construction. The rigid finite element method (RFEM) has been used in discretization of the flexible substructure. An application of optimisation methods to define the drive function course of the hoisting winch is presented. The goal of the optimisation is to ensure stabilization of the load’s position. In order to achieve appropriate numerical effectiveness, the optimisation problem has been solved for a simplified model of an A-frame. Comparison of numerical results obtained for different types of objective functions and types of drive functions is presented in the paper as well.

Research activities of Polish research groups in a period of 2015–2019 on reference frames and reference networks are reviewed and summarised in this paper. The summary contains the results concerning the implementation of latest resolutions on reference systems of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics and the International Union of Astronomy with special emphasis on the changes in the Astronomical Almanac of the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Warsaw. It further presents the status of the implementation of the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ETRS89) in Poland, monitoring the terrestrial reference frame, operational work of GNSS permanent IGS/EPN stations in Poland, operational work of the laser ranging station in Poland of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), active GNSS station network for the realization of ETRS89 in Poland, validation of recent ETRS89 realization, expressed in ETRF2000 in Poland, and maintenance of the vertical control in Poland (PL-KRON86-NH). Extensive research activities are observed in the field of maintenance and modernization of gravity control not only in Poland, but also in Sweden and in Denmark, as well as establishment of gravity control in Ireland based on absolute gravity survey. The magnetic control in Poland was also regularly maintained. The bibliography of the related works is given in references.

The article raised issues related to the design and execution of low-energy objects in Polish conditions. Based on the designed single-family house, adapted to the requirements of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management ("NF40" standard), the tools to assist investment decisions by investors were shown. An economic analysis and a multi-criteria analysis were performed using AHP method which had provided an answer to the question whether it is worthwhile to bear higher investment costs in order to adjust to the standards of energy-efficient buildings that fulfil a minimal energy consumption's requirements contained in Polish law. In addition, the variant of object that had optimal characteristics due to the different preferences of investors was indicated. This paper includes analysis and observations on the attempts to unify that part of the building sector, which so far is considered to be personalized, and objects in accordance with the corresponding idea are designed as "custom-made".

This paper addresses the problem of tampering detection and discusses methods used for authenticity analysis of digital audio recordings. Presented approach is based on frame offset measurement in audio files compressed and decoded by using perceptual audio coding algorithms which employ modified discrete cosine transform. The minimum values of total number of active MDCT coefficients occur for frame shifts equal to multiplications of applied window length. Any modification of audio file, including cutting off or pasting a part of audio recording causes a disturbance within this regularity. In this study the algorithm based on checking frame offset previously described in the literature is expanded by using each of four types of analysis windows commonly applied in the majority of MDCT based encoders. To enhance the robustness of the method additional histogram analysis is performed by detecting the presence of small value spectral components. Moreover, computation of maximum values of nonzero spectral coefficients is employed, which creates a gating function for the results obtained based on previous algorithm. This solution radically minimizes a number of false detections of forgeries. The influence of compression algorithms' parameters on detection of forgeries is presented by applying AAC and Ogg Vorbis encoders as examples. The effectiveness of tampering detection algorithms proposed in this paper is tested on a predefined music database and compared graphically using ROC-like curves.

Single-frame methods of determining the attitude of a nanosatellite are compared in this study. The methods selected for comparison are: Single Value Decomposition (SVD), q method, Quaternion ESTimator (QUEST), Fast Optimal Attitude Matrix (FOAM) − all solving optimally the Wahba’s problem, and the algebraic method using only two vector measurements. For proper comparison, two sensors are chosen for the vector observations on-board: magnetometer and Sun sensors. Covariance results obtained as a result of using those methods have a critical importance for a non-traditional attitude estimation approach; therefore, the variance calculations are also presented. The examined methods are compared with respect to their root mean square (RMS) error and variance results. Also, some recommendations are given.

The paper presents the author’s non-linear FEM solution of an initially stressless deformed flat frame element, in which the nodes are situated along the axis of the bar initially straight. It has been assumed that each node may sustain arbitrary displacements and rotation. The solution takes into account the effect of shear, the geometrical non-linearity with large displacements (Green-Lagrange’s strain tensor) and moderate rotations (i.e. such ones which allow a linear-elastic behaviour of the material) and alternative small rotations when the second Piola-Kirchhoff stress tensor is applied. This solution is based on [1], concerning beams without any initial bow imperfections. The convergence of the obtained results at different numbers of nodes and Gauss points in the element was tested basing on the example of circular arcs with a central angle of 120°÷180°. The analysis concerned elements with two, three, five, seven, nine and eleven nodes, for the same number of points of numerical integration and also with one more or less. Moreover, the effect of distributing the load on the convergence of the results was analyzed.

In this study, several variants create and choose of a local quasi-geoid model in Poland have been considered. All propositions have a source in European Gravimetric Geoid models – EGG2008 and EGG2015, which are purely gravimetric models of reference surface. In the course of this work, each model has been analyzed in various ways: without any corrections, by parallel shifting of residuals, by the 7-parameter conformal transformation and by fitting residuals by 4- and 5-parameter trigonometric polynomials. Eventual corrections were based on points of national GNSS/levelling networks (EUVN, EUVN_DA, POLREF, EUREF and ASG-EUPOS eccentric points). As a final result of this study, a comparison of the accuracy of selected models has been carried out by RMSE statistics and maps showing spatial distribution of residuals and histograms. Validation has shown that the maximum achievable accuracy of the EGG models is approximately 2 cm for the ETRF2000 reference system and approximately 8 cm for ETRF89. In turn, fitting with the use of different mathematical methods results in an improvement of the standard deviation of residues to the level of 1.3–1.4 cm. The conclusions include an evaluation of considerations for and against the use of models based only on EGG realizations and, on the other hand, fitted to the points of Polish vertical network. Its usefulness is strictly connected with needs of the definition of up to date quasi-geoid model for the new realization of heights system in Poland, based on EVRF2007 frame.

Super-resolution image reconstruction utilizes two algorithms, where one is for single-frame image reconstruction, and the other is for multi-frame image reconstruction. Singleframe image reconstruction generally takes the first degradation and is followed by reconstruction, which essentially creates a problem of insufficient characterization. Multi-frame images provide additional information for image reconstruction relative to single frame images due to the slight differences between sequential frames. However, the existing super-resolution algorithm for multi-frame images do not take advantage of this key factor, either because of loose structure and complexity, or because the individual frames are restored poorly. This paper proposes a new SR reconstruction algorithm for images using Multi-grained Cascade Forest. Multi-frame image reconstruction is processed sequentially. Firstly, the image registration algorithm uses a convolutional neural network to register low-resolution image sequences, and then the images are reconstructed after registration by the Multi-grained Cascade Forest reconstruction algorithm. Finally, the reconstructed images are fused. The optimal algorithm is selected for each step to get the most out of the details and tightly connect the internal logic of each sequential step. This novel approach proposed in this paper, in which the depth of the cascade forest is procedurally generated for recovered images, rather than being a constant. After training each layer, the recovered image is automatically evaluated, and new layers are constructed for training until an optimal restored image is obtained. Experiments show that this method improves the quality of image reconstruction while preserving the details of the image.

Tension-strut systems consist of thin cables and membranes capable of carrying only tensile forces and compressed struts cooperating with them. They make very effective use of strength properties of materials. They are lightweight and common in large span structures such as bridges and stadium roofs. However, they may also be advantageous in reinforcing and repairing historical buildings as they conform to conservation law in force. This paper presents a few examples of such applications of tension-strut system. Stabilization of historic brick and stone vaults with buttresses and iron bowstrings often turns out inadequate to resist thrust forces transmitted from the vault to the walls which cause cracks and deformations of the vault. Properly designed tension-strut structure can resist the thrust forces calculated in a theoretical way. Moreover, it can be hidden in the attic of building. Old timber roof structures are usually deformed and excessively deflected. Skilfully assembled tensionstrut systems enable straightening and geometrical adjustment of a roof structure. Although similar threats and structural damages occur in most buildings which are a few hundred years old, individual design solutions are required in each case. Historical investigation and detailed measurement of geometry and deflections have to be made before choosing the apprioprate method of reinforcing the old structure.

The purpose of this study is to investigate a structure’s response to blast loading when composite columns are used instead of conventional reinforced concrete (RC) cross sections and when a conventional structure is retrofitted with braces. The study includes conducting dynamic analyses on three different structures: a conventional reference RC structure, a modified structure utilizing composite columns, and a modified structure retrofitted with steel braces. The two modified structures were designed in order to investigate their performance when subjected to blast loading compared to the conventional design. During the dynamic analyses, the structures were exposed to simulated blast loads of multiple intensities using the finite-element modelling software, SeismoStruct. To evaluate their performance, the responses of the modified structures were analyzed and compared with the response of the conventional structure. It was concluded that both the structure with composite columns and the steel brace structure experienced less damage than the conventional model. The best performance was obtained through the steel brace structure.

Steel frame wind bracing systems are usually made of hot rolled profiles connected to frame elements directly or through a gusset plate. The behaviour of angle bracing members is generally complex since controlled by tension or compression, bending and torsion. The common practice is to transform the problem of complex behaviour into the buckling strength of a truss member. This paper deals with an analytical formulation of the force-deformation characteristic of a single angle brace subjected to compression. A strut model takes into consideration the effect of brace end connections and softening effect of its force-deformation characteristic. Two different boundary conditions, typical for engineering practice, are dealt with. Experimental program of testing the behaviour of angle brace in portal sub-frame specimens is described. Results of experimental investigations are presented. They are used for the validation of developed model. Conclusions are formulated with reference to the application of validated brace model in the analysis of braced steel frameworks.

In this paper, a frame structure based on the locally resonant (LR) mechanism of phononic crystals (PCs) is designed on account of the wide application of frame structures in high-rise buildings, and the band structures, displacement fields of eigenmodes, and transmission power spectrums of corresponding finite structure are calculated by finite element (FE) method. Numerical results and further analysis demonstrate that a full band gap with low starting frequency can be opened by the frame structure formed by periodically combining soft and hard materials, and the starting frequency can be further lowered with the adjustment of corresponding geometric parameters, which provides a theoretical basis for the studies on vibration insulation and noise reduction of high-rise buildings.