This contribution proposes a reliability analysis framework to assess the stability of lunar lava tubes with explicit quantification of geometric shape uncertainty. A two-dimensional setting is adopted, where the variability in the cross-section geometry is modeled using a one-dimensional stationary Gaussian random field that is simulated via a Fourier series-based spatial averaging technique. The so-called gravity multiplier, a capacity-to-demand ratio for gravitational effects, is adopted as stability metric. Then, any given configuration is classified as insufficiently stable (failed) if its associated gravity multiplier is below a specified threshold. The corresponding failure probability provides an overall stability measure that explicitly accounts for geometric shape uncertainty and structural capacity requirements. To solve the reliability problem, a finite element limit analysis (FELA) technique is integrated with a stochastic simulation method. This approach not only strikes an appealing balance between efficiency and robustness, but also furnishes nontrivial insight about lava tube stability as a byproduct of the solution process. The resulting framework is designed in a modular manner, allowing different implementation aspects to be modified as needed. Numerical results suggest that the herein proposed framework can be regarded as a theoretically sound and flexible alternative for the reliability assessment of irregularly shaped lava tubes.
The invention of high-performance fibers has revolutionized the armor industry by enabling the replacement of heavy, monolithic steel plates with lightweight multilayered systems. As a result, woven fabrics, multi-layered structures and fiber-reinforced composites have become key components of modern protective solutions and the focus of intensive research. From a computational perspective, accurately and realistically capturing their dynamic response remains a major challenge. The complex mesoscale architecture of yarn interlacing, strong mechanical nonlinearity, evolving fiber-fiber interactions and the inherently multiscale behavior of multilayered composites require the use of advanced numerical methods. This review synthesizes key numerical modeling strategies, constitutive formulations, and experimental methods used in the analysis of fiber-based composites for ballistic protection. Selecting an appropriate modeling strategy can improve predictive accuracy, but often at the cost of a substantial increase in computational effort, in some cases by up to two orders of magnitude. The same problem is observed in the context of material models, whose calibration requires from 4 to even 30 parameters. In this context, particular attention is given to the influence of geometric modeling choices, material behavior description, discretization strategies and scale-transition methodologies on the predictive capability of numerical simulations. The work also discusses experimental aspects relevant to model calibration and reviews commonly used numerical simulation software. The main contribution of this work is a critical assessment of existing modeling approaches, the identification of unsolved research challenges, and a discussion of directions for further development in numerical simulations of ballistic impact in fibrous composites.
While steric control of linker conformation has proven effective for accessing new Zr-MOF structures, existing strategies have largely relied on modification of the linker core-an approach that intrinsically couples steric effects to framework connectivity, limits available functionalization sites, and often requires complex synthesis, particularly for high-connectivity linkers. Here, we introduce a conceptually distinct and adaptable strategy for topological control based on steric modulation through side-arm functionalization, which enables independent steric tuning without altering linker connectivity while remaining synthetically simple. Six amide or cyano groups positioned on the ligand side arms act as unconventional steric units to induce isolable conformational variability. This design enables the linker to flex and twist, guiding the formation of two isostructural Zr-MOFs, AM-Zr-1 and CN-Zr-1, adopting the rare underlying net 6,8-c nuh1 (or 3,8-c nuh2) with highly distorted, topologically complex porous architectures. Despite their identical connectivity, AM-Zr-1 generates a geometrically unique amide pocket that enhances CO2 binding and affords higher CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 selectivity, whereas the less bulky cyano substituents confer a more extended conformation to CN-Zr-1, resulting in higher surface area and H2 uptake. These findings highlight steric side-arm functionalization as a simple yet versatile strategy for tuning Zr-MOF topology and function.
Planning education in Poland has developed within a fragmented institutional setting, creating uncertainty about where design-related competences belong and how they are taught. This paper verifies the place of urban design-focused training within planning programmes by examining how curricula and learning outcomes frame graduates’ capacity to make informed decisions on the built environment. Using a framework that integrates contextual, systemic, and pedagogical challenges, the study combines a quantitative review of 28 university programmes, curriculum analysis, and insights from exploratory expert interviews. The findings show a structural mismatch in the classification of planning as a scientific field, a marginal presence of design-oriented content, and weak alignment between intended learning outcomes and their actual delivery, largely due to acute staffing shortages. The study provides new insight into planning education in Central Europe and helps clarify the evolving role and disciplinary boundaries of design within planning training.
Abstract Background Lifestyle diseases are commonly described as conditions arising from long-term behavioural patterns, occupational exposures, and broader civilisational and environmental determinants. Although the term is frequently used in public health and clinical literature, its conceptual boundaries remain heterogeneous and inconsistently defined. While extensive research exists on individual non-communicable diseases and lifestyle risk factors, no comprehensive scoping review has systematically mapped how “lifestyle diseases” are defined, operationalised, and studied across behavioural, occupational, environmental, and technological domains. Methods This protocol outlines a systematic scoping review that aims to map the scientific literature on lifestyle diseases, identify which clinical conditions are labelled as such, examine underlying determinants and contributing factors, describe reported prevention strategies, and identify research gaps in the field. The review will be conducted following the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley, refined by Levac et al., and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Five electronic databases (MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Web of Science, and APA PsycInfo) will be searched for peer-reviewed literature published from 1990 to the date of search execution. Eligibility criteria will be defined using a structured framework and will include studies that explicitly address or conceptualise lifestyle diseases. Discussion Findings will be synthesised descriptively and presented using thematic categorisation, tabular summaries, and graphical visualisations to map disease categories, determinants, preventive approaches, and geographic distribution. This review will provide a structured overview of how lifestyle diseases are defined and studied in the scientific literature. By clarifying conceptual boundaries and identifying research gaps, the review aims to support interdisciplinary research and inform future public health investigations.
