In the past decades, more and more precast piers have been used in actual engineering, which brings convenience in construction and standardization of production. However, precast piers still have some shortcomings, such as shear slip between segments and poor energy dissipation. Thus, a self-centering mortise-tenon segmental bridge pier was proposed in this paper. To research the seismic performance of the self-centering mortise-tenon segment piers, three scaled model piers with their scale ratio as 1:3 were designed and prefabricated, namely as a cast-in-place model pier (CP) and 2 self-centering mortise-tenon segment model piers (designated as MTSP1 and MTSP2) with the initial pretension of 1302 MPa and 1488 MPa, respectively. The cyclic pseudo-static tests of the three piers were carried out. The comparison analysis was made respecting to the test results including the damage form, hysteretic characteristics, skeleton curve, energy dissipation capacity, residual displacement and equivalent stiffness of the three specimens. It was shown that MTSP specimens had higher horizontal bearing capacity. While the yield load, ultimate load, displacement ductility coefficient and initial stiffness of MTSP1 and MTSP2 were higher than those of CP. The MTSP had better performance considering the above aspects. The mean value of the residual displacement of MTSP2 was lower than that of CP 21.14 % and 29. 72 % respectively, as the drift ratio reaching 5 %. The MTSP specimens had better self-centering capacity due to the increased pretension stress which reducing the residual displacement greatly. The energy dissipation reinforcements improved the energy dissipation capacity of the segmental assembled piers. Based on the ABAQUS model, the numerical simulation was carried out and compared with the experimental data. MTSP had great energy dissipation capacity and self-centering capacity. It was suggested that MTSP should be used to make up for the deficiency of segmental assembled pier and improve the seismic performance of segmental assembled pier.

For fabricating a high gradient aspherics, we have designed a ZDCCOS complex, which consist of a CNC Polisher and a CQG1J digital wavefront interferometer. The Polisher has S degrees of freedom. The computer makes a small tool to move in three dimensions and drive the workpiece to sway, and turn around simultaneously to keep the pad in the normal directions of the workpiece surface. We designed a special dual-rotation tool and presented a new model to calculate the removal function of which. The model was verified by the experiments. The track programming algorithm was also designed to make the tools to move on spatial concentric circles, during the fabrication processes. The work piece was a 3OO mm, F5.9 focus lens, the aspheric degree of which was up to 46 rim. But only after 8 hours 43 minutes continuous fine grinding, and about 15 hours polishing, the surface error was decreased to I . (Rms. X=0.6328 rim).

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<p><b>This thesis discusses the impact of video games on the tourism motivation of Chinese video game players, focusing on the Assassin’s Creed series of games. Four research questions are considered: What is the difference between the travelers’ tourism motivations and non-travelers’ tourism motivations in Chinese Assassin’s Creed players in terms of push and pull factors? What is the relationship between demographic characteristics and tourism motivations? Do gamer typologies have impact on Chinese Assassin’s Creed players’ tourism motivations? What impact does time and frequencies of playing Assassin’s Creed have on players’ tourism motivations in terms of push and pull factors?</b></p> <p>The review of literature focuses on video game players, video games and tourism, popular culture tourism and tourism motivation. The thesis identifies gaps in knowledge about the tourism motivations of Chinese video game players, and the relationship between tourism motivations and player typologies and participation in the game (time and frequency). As non-travelers are included in the data collection, it is found that the tourism motivation of non-travelers is also a knowledge gap through reviewing literature.</p> <p>Motivational push and pull factors as the theoretical basis of this research and the study focuses on the Assassin’s Creed games series. The study uses a quantitative method and collects data through an online survey of Chinese gamers recruited through three Assassin’s Creed online communities. The first stage of data collection focused on those who had travelled to France, Italy or the UK, the locations appearing in four of the Assassin’s Creed games. 29 useable responses were collected. The second stage broadened the sample to include those gamers who had not travelled to these places (termed non-travelers). This generated 131 useable responses, making 160 respondents in total.</p> <p>For Chinese video game players, novelty was the most important push factor motivating travel to the Western European countries appearing in the Assassin’s Creed games. The location attribute was the most important pull factor. There is no difference in the reported tourism motivation of travelers and non-travelers. Comparing tourism motivations by age, sociality and location attributes were not different, however, respondents aged 18 to 25 had higher importance in novelty and game-related push and pull tourism motivation factors than older gamers. There was no significant difference between male and female players' tourism push and pull motivations. Based on gaming motivation, the respondents are divided into two types: hardcore players (having multiple gaming motivations) and casual players (play games for passing time). Hardcore players give higher importance to tourism motivations than casual players. More-involved players give higher importance to tourism push motivations relating to video game than less-involved players. In popular culture tourism research, there are few explorations related to video games. The research on video games and tourism has mainly focused on the gamification of tourism marketing and travel experience. This thesis is one of a few studies of gamers and tourism. Thesis derived the new knowledge for understanding video gamers’ tourism motivations.</p>

<p><b>This thesis discusses the impact of video games on the tourism motivation of Chinese video game players, focusing on the Assassin’s Creed series of games. Four research questions are considered: What is the difference between the travelers’ tourism motivations and non-travelers’ tourism motivations in Chinese Assassin’s Creed players in terms of push and pull factors? What is the relationship between demographic characteristics and tourism motivations? Do gamer typologies have impact on Chinese Assassin’s Creed players’ tourism motivations? What impact does time and frequencies of playing Assassin’s Creed have on players’ tourism motivations in terms of push and pull factors?</b></p> <p>The review of literature focuses on video game players, video games and tourism, popular culture tourism and tourism motivation. The thesis identifies gaps in knowledge about the tourism motivations of Chinese video game players, and the relationship between tourism motivations and player typologies and participation in the game (time and frequency). As non-travelers are included in the data collection, it is found that the tourism motivation of non-travelers is also a knowledge gap through reviewing literature.</p> <p>Motivational push and pull factors as the theoretical basis of this research and the study focuses on the Assassin’s Creed games series. The study uses a quantitative method and collects data through an online survey of Chinese gamers recruited through three Assassin’s Creed online communities. The first stage of data collection focused on those who had travelled to France, Italy or the UK, the locations appearing in four of the Assassin’s Creed games. 29 useable responses were collected. The second stage broadened the sample to include those gamers who had not travelled to these places (termed non-travelers). This generated 131 useable responses, making 160 respondents in total.</p> <p>For Chinese video game players, novelty was the most important push factor motivating travel to the Western European countries appearing in the Assassin’s Creed games. The location attribute was the most important pull factor. There is no difference in the reported tourism motivation of travelers and non-travelers. Comparing tourism motivations by age, sociality and location attributes were not different, however, respondents aged 18 to 25 had higher importance in novelty and game-related push and pull tourism motivation factors than older gamers. There was no significant difference between male and female players' tourism push and pull motivations. Based on gaming motivation, the respondents are divided into two types: hardcore players (having multiple gaming motivations) and casual players (play games for passing time). Hardcore players give higher importance to tourism motivations than casual players. More-involved players give higher importance to tourism push motivations relating to video game than less-involved players. In popular culture tourism research, there are few explorations related to video games. The research on video games and tourism has mainly focused on the gamification of tourism marketing and travel experience. This thesis is one of a few studies of gamers and tourism. Thesis derived the new knowledge for understanding video gamers’ tourism motivations.</p>