Volume 18 (2010): Issue 1 (March 2010)

This paper presents a deterministic and probabilistic solution of damping devices for the protection of the reinforced concrete structure of a nuclear power plant (NPP) from impact loads from a container of nuclear fuel of the type TK C30 drop. The finite element idealization of the building structure is used in space. The interaction soil-structure, as well as the fluid-structure of the deactivated basin is considered in space. A steel pipe damper system is proposed for the dissipation of the kinetic energy of the container in free fall. The Newmark integration method is used for the solution of the dynamic equations. The sensitivity and probabilistic analysis of the damping devices was realized using the AntHILL and ANSYS software.

For the construction industry, globalization is a trend that means two things: many opportunities and many threats. In the conditions of globalization many management approaches, such as organization structure, strategy forming, planning, motivation and control procedures, communication channels, risk management, etc., must transform. The aim of the paper is to analyze the influence of globalization on the construction industry in Slovakia and identify the impact of globalization on construction companies in this area.

In this paper, we present the use of time series (stochastic models) in order to predict water seepage in the wells of water constructions. The aim of this paper is to assess the agreement between the predicted and measured levels of the water seepage in the wells of the Liptovska Mara water construction. We assume that the predicted values will match the values that were measured. The ability to predict the level of the water in observation wells and the total filtration stability of water constructions by using real measures in a time series is a desirable step in ensuring adequate safety with the possibility of remedying potential defects at an early stage.

For institutional and private investors, investing in real estate represents an attractive form of the consignment of their money. Real estate provides a regular source of income in the form of the rent from or interest on the credit provided. At the same time, real estate is a good investment instrument, because it provides diversified contributions and security against inflation for investors. In their efforts to diversify risk, investors are expressing growing interest in investing in the whole European Union. The success of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) in the U.S. also opened the door for investing in this market for small investors, which is the reason for the development of this type of investment company in the European arena. One problem concerning the development of European real estate investment funds is the unsolved issue of the harmonization of the legislation and regulatory safety measures, which would enable the creation of a common market for new investment products in Europe.