r. taghizadeh

The application of new technologies has a significant effect on increasing the efficiency and improving the productivity of production factors in various industries, such as the mining industry. This requires implementing correct and practical strategies, and any incorrect procedure can cause companies and businesses to waste resources. Accordingly, the main aim of this study is to determine attractive strategies for the use of so-called fourth-generation technologies (industry 4.0) in the mining sector of Iran. To do this, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problem was employed. Therefore, this study presents a new method for evaluating and prioritizing smart mine strategies using a combination of Z-number theory and fuzzy weighted VIKOR technique with a fuzzy cognitive map (FCM). In this regard, questionnaires containing five strategies (options) and 11 criteria were designed and presented to a team of eight experts. The results obtained from the prioritization of the proposed hybrid model confirm that the strategy of "provision of government incentives to mines to use up-to-date technologies" is the most appropriate alternative for implementing industries 4.0 in large-scale mines in Iran. Furthermore, a parametric sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the effectiveness of the proposed strategies. Results showed that the proposed strategy is a fixed mechanism for ranking smart mining engineering strategies. Meanwhile, the weight of the strategy does not affect their ranking.

Regarding variety of mineral resources, reserves tonnage, economic potentials, and geographical conditions of West Azerbaijan province, there are substantial opportunities in the province. By analyzing and selecting proper strategies and their implementation, the mining sector could operate as the leading sector of the regional economy. Assessing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the mining sector in this region by employing the SWOT method were the main objectives of this research. To achieve the goals, these factors were evaluated by the contribution of elites of the sector in the beginning. By applying external and internal factor evaluation matrix, external and internal evaluation matrix and SWOT method, the most significant factors were evaluated. Subsequently, the strategy direction for the mining sector was determined, and the attractive strategies were developed. The different options were evaluated by implementing the QSPM matrix, and the superior strategies were selected. The results indicated that the strategy of joint ventures with foreign leading companies of dimension stone was recommended as the most attractive strategy due to new technologies transformation and variety in dimension stone products.

Masonry arch bridges are among important and old bridges in the Iranian railway network. Retrotting and renovation of these bridges are important, not only due to their vital role in the national railway network, but also as most of them are highly valued from an architectural as well as cultural and historical point of view. In this paper, an external reinforcing method for strengthening masonry arch bridges is presented and particularly examined for Gha ankooh Bridge, located at kilometer 427 of the Tehran -Tabriz railway. A 3D nite element model of the bridge developed using SAP2000-v14 software. Using this model the proper retrotting plan is determined. In addition the in uence of the ratio of the elastic modulus of masonry materials to lled materials on the internal stresses over the bridge body is investigated. The results shows that by increasing this ratio, the stresses increased over the external surface of the arch and as a results a proper retrotting scheme can be achieved using lesser materials and lower costs.