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The inward displacement perpendicular to the body surface produced by compression garment is an important index to evaluate pressure comfort and optimal design of tight clothing products. The purpose of this study is to explore the pressure distribution state at waist position of elastic legwear and then to solve the common problem of excessive pressure or easy slippage for waist of elastic legwear.

In this paper, the authors obtained the waist cross-section model of human body using CT scanning and mimics modeling and then simulated the pressure and displacement distribution after wearing sample four elastic legwear using finite element method. The dressing process of elastic legwear was divided into six periods (instantaneous, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12 h) in this study, and the finite element software ANSYS was used to simulate the displacement and deformation of the waist cross section. The authors finally obtained the functional relationship between pressure/displacement ratio and angle using curve fitting.

In this paper, the authors obtained the functional relationship between pressure/displacement ratio and angle using curve fitting. Comparison found that the “pressure/displacement–angle” function curve showed an almost consistent trend at any time. That was to say, when the human body was in the state of clothing pressure, the corresponding displacement value of the human body can be calculated by the curve equation under the premise of known pressure value.

This study solves the difficult problem which hard to measure displacement values by conventional methods due to the small deformation of the human body after dressing the compression garment. Conclusions also provide a theoretical reference for evaluating pressure comfort and optimizing clothing structure for the elastic legwear, and this method is also applicable to other types of compression garment.

Presents a procedure for obtaining an improved finite element solution of boundary problems by estimating the principle of exact displacement method in the finite element technique. The displacement field is approximated by two types of functions: the shape functions satisfying the homogeneous differential equilibrium equation and the full clamping element functions as a particular solution of the differential equation between the nodes. The full clamping functions represent the solution of the full clamping state on finite elements. An improved numerical solution of displacements, strains, stresses and internal forces, not only at nodes but over the whole finite element, is obtained without an increase of the global basis, because the shape functions are orthogonal with the full clamping functions. This principle is generally applicable to different finite elements. The contribution of introducing two types of functions based on the principle of the exact displacement method is demonstrated in the solution procedure of frame structures and thin plates.

Sports bras can effectively reduce breast displacement, alleviate breast pain and protect the breast. Different bra components have different effects on breast support. This study aims to explore the quantitative relationship between bra components and vibration reduction function.

To understand the effects of different bra component parameters on breast support, 30 sports bras were fabricated with precise component parameters. The dynamic vertical breast displacement when wearing each sports bra was monitored using motion capture technology. The breast displacement data from five breast positions was used to analyze the overall vertical displacement of the breast. To address variability due to differences in human anatomy, the experiments were conducted on a custom-made manikin prepared using three-dimensional printing.

Compared with bare breasts, breasts supported by bras made with high-elastic-modulus cup materials, high-elastic-modulus shoulder strap materials and polyester underbands exhibited reduced vertical displacement during physical activity. Structurally, bras with higher cup heights, shorter strap lengths and smaller underband circumferences were associated with reduced overall breast displacement during physical activity.

By systematically studying the effects of different bra components on breast support, this study provides valuable insight and recommendations for the design and materials selection of sports bras.

In this study, the effect of the column’s cross-section shape as a design parameter on resisting blast loads in reinforced concrete (RC) buildings was numerically investigated. To try to give a guideline to the design engineer about the best columns’ cross-section shape when designing an RC building that is more vulnerable to blast loads.

The finite element (FE) analysis was conducted for three RC buildings with different cross-section shapes of columns but with the same area and axial load capacity. The FE analysis was carried out using the Coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian (CEL) in Abaqus/CAE software. The effect of the blast loads resulting from the explosion of 50, 150, and 500 kg TNT bombs with a standoff distance of 3 m on all buildings was investigated.

The Findings showed that large TNT charges of more than 500 kg with a standoff distance of less than 3 m cause catastrophic damage to RC columns of any cross-section-shaped. Also, RC columns with circular cross-section shapes have the best resistance to blast loads, while RC columns with rectangular sections have the worst resistance.

The CEL technique was used to investigate the effect of columns’ cross-section shape on resisting blast loads on full-scale RC buildings. Also, this research gives a guideline to the design engineer about the best columns’ cross-section shape when designing an RC building that is more vulnerable to blast loads.

In the years 2003–2008, the Russian economy experienced a period of strong and sustained growth, which was accompanied by large worker turnover and rising informality. We investigate whether the burden of informality falls disproportionately on job separators (displaced workers and quitters) in the Russian labor market in the form of informal employment and undeclared wages in formal jobs. We also pursue the issues whether displaced workers experience more involuntary informal employment than workers who quit and whether informal employment persists. We find a strong positive link between separations and informal employment as well as shares of undeclared wages in formal jobs. Our results also show that displacement entraps some of the workers in involuntary informal employment. Those who quit, in turn, experience voluntary informality for the most part, but there seems a minority of quitting workers who end up in involuntary informal jobs. This scenario does not fall on all separators but predominantly on those with low human capital. Finally, informal employment is indeed persistent since separating from an informal job considerably raises the probability to be informal in the subsequent job.

The aim of this study is to investigate the horizontal displacement effects of foundation pit excavation on adjacent metro stations and shield tunnel composite structures. It seeks to develop a theoretical calculation method capable of accurately assessing these engineering impacts, aiming to provide practical assistance for engineering applications.

This study introduces a model for shield tunnel segments incorporating rotation and misalignment, considering the constraints of metro stations. It establishes a displacement model for tunnel-station combinations during foundation pit excavation, deriving a formula for calculating station-proximal tunnel horizontal displacements. The method's accuracy is validated against field data from three engineering cases. The research also explores variations in tunnel displacement, inter-ring shear force, misalignment and rotation angle under different spatial relationships between pits, tunnels and stations.

This study models uneven deformation between stations and tunnels due to bending stiffness and shear constraints. It enhances the misalignment model with station-induced shear effects and introduces coefficients for their mutual interaction. Results show varied responses based on pit-station-tunnel positioning: minimal displacement near pit edges (coefficients around 0.1) and significant effects near pit centers (coefficients from 0.4 to 0.5). “Whip effect” from station constraints affects tunnel displacement, shear force, misalignment and rotation, with fluctuations decreasing with distance from excavation areas.

This study demonstrates significant originality and value. It introduces a novel displacement model for tunnel-station combinations considering station constraints, addressing theoretical calculations of horizontal displacement effects from foundation pit excavation on metro stations and shield tunnel structures. Through validation with field data and parameter studies, the concept of influence coefficients is proposed, offering insights into variations in structural responses under different spatial relationships. This research provides crucial technical support and decision-making guidance for optimizing designs and facilitating practical construction in similar engineering projects.

The occurrences of disasters have become a common phenomenon in the world and there is evidence that the frequency and intensity of disasters are increasing. There have been more than 7,000 disaster events and around 265 million displacements in the period from 2008 to 2018, which constitutes more than three times of conflict and violence-related displacements (Disaster Displacement – A global review, 2019). Natural disasters are responsible for nearly 60,000 deaths per year on average and are responsible for 0.1% of global deaths. Various forms of natural disasters pose significant threats to lives, livelihoods, economic development, and ecological diversity around the world. Similar to the world scenario, Sri Lanka has a similar situation. Sri Lanka has been identified as a drought hot spot. Nearly, 15,000 people per million are at risk of disaster-induced displacement every year in Sri Lanka. During the Tsunami, in 2004, 31,000 human lives were lost, and more than a million people were displaced. Thus, natural disasters cause a huge negative impact on society and the economy in Sri Lanka. In this context, the main objectives of this study are to overview the disasters and displacements that have occurred during the last two decades and to explore the livelihood activities of the affected people and their best practices of disaster resilience. Secondary data were used to overview the disasters and displacements of the last two decades and the related policy framework of the country. Primary data were used to identify livelihood activities and disaster-resilient strategies of the affected people. In-depth interviews were conducted with an unstructured questionnaire from 15 recovered families who have been affected by Tsunami and landslides that occurred in the country. The purposive sampling method was used to select families from the most disaster-affected areas. Descriptive methods were used to analyze the data. The study revealed five recovery strategies followed by displaced people from tsunamis and landslides. Those are continuing with the previous livelihood activities as much as possible, moving to different livelihood activities, moving to different areas to find better jobs, attaining external assistance, and self-management on household finance. Finally, policy guidelines for building resilience in communities that will help to enhance their capacity to cope and recover from vulnerability are proposed in improving their lives.

I examine changes in the incidence and consequences of job loss between 1981 and 2001 using data from the Displaced Workers Surveys (DWS) from 1984 to 2002. The overall rate of job loss has a strong counter-cyclical component, but the job-loss rate was higher than might have been expected during the mid-1990’s given the strong labor market during that period. While the job-loss rate of more-educated workers increased, less-educated workers continue to have the highest rates of job loss overall. Displaced workers have a substantially reduced probability of employment and an increased probability of part-time employment subsequent to job loss. The more educated have higher post-displacement employment rates and are more likely to be employed full-time. The probabilities of employment and full-time employment among those reemployed subsequent to job loss increased substantially in the late 1990s, suggesting that the strong labor market eased the transition of displaced workers. Reemployment rates dropped sharply in the recession of 2001. Those re-employed, even full-time and regardless of education level, suffer significant earnings declines relative to what they earned before they were displaced. Additionally, foregone earnings growth (the growth in earnings that would have occurred had the workers not been displaced), is an important part of the cost of job loss for re-employed full-time job losers. There is no evidence of a decline during the tight labor market of the 1990s in the earnings loss of displaced workers who were reemployed full-time. In fact, earnings losses of displaced workers have been increasing since the mid 1990s.

Wars have a negative impact on higher education as they harm staff and students and lead to a financial burden on institutions. Mobility and displacement events, such as the recent Taliban takeover of Kabul, have a significant impact on education, especially for Afghan students who were forced to flee. Displacement has a psychological impact on students and teachers, including fear, anxiety, and cultural challenges. Despite support from some organizations, the long-term impact of displacement on education remains uncertain. However, there is no quantitative data on the displacement of Afghan students in August 2021 due to the Taliban takeover of Kabul. Collecting and analyzing these data could help determine the impact of displacement on Afghan students and inform policymakers about the long-term consequences of such events. The chapter is based on interactions with these students over 18 months and provides an insight into the lives of these students after their displacement, their challenges, and their goals for the future. The views and opinions expressed in this chapter are those of the author and should not be attributed to any organizations or institutions. From the experiences of these students, it is clear that displacement is a difficult transition and presents many challenges. Nevertheless, these students are hopeful about the future and continue to strive toward their goals. This resilience and determination in the face of adversity is a testament to the strength of these students and should be admired. This knowledge has shaped the content of this chapter as well as the researcher’s thoughts and perspectives on the subject.

This chapter presents research and analysis on the Institute for Economics and Peace’s (IEP’s) index in the Ecological Threat Report (ETR). In the analysis, 178 countries are examined at the sub-national level, accounting for 99.9% of the global population. The estimate consists of five indicators that aggregate to yield an index of ecological threats. These five indicators are water risk, the prevalence of stunting, the impact of natural disasters, projected population growth and projected temperature rise. The ETR is a tool that can be used to identify the countries that are at the highest risk of ecological threats. The index identifies that 30 countries facing the highest level of ecological threats as well as low levels of resilience are home to 1.26 billion people. At the end of 2020, in these 30 countries, 68% of the total people were forcibly displaced beyond their borders. As these 30 countries suffer collectively from the highest ecological threats and without the reversal of ecological degradation, displacement is very likely to continue. Without urgent development, ecological threats will continue to create humanitarian emergencies and will likely increase without a sustained effort to reverse the current trend.