Abstract: Disclosed herein are a module, system and technique to enhance end bearing stiffness of pile/drilled shafts. In particular, methods, systems and loading modules which account for tip resistance in overall pile/shaft capacity are provided which increase the stiffness of the bearing soil. The techniques utilize a mechanical system to preload the soil under the shaft tip, thus allowing the users to confidently account for the gained resistance at an acceptable level of movement. Each shaft/pile is preloaded during construction to verify its load carrying capability.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to proton exchange membranes such as for use in fuel cells. In one embodiment, a polyetherquinoxaline is obtained by reaction between a haloquinoxaline and at least one diol, which forms a repeating unit including an ether linkage. The polyetherquinoxaline is suitable for use in a proton exchange membrane, which can be used in a fuel cell.

Abstract: A method of determining a match between a candidate template and a super-template involves using the super-template to identify i) spatial coordinates for a plurality of minutiae that define an object, and ii) a quality associated with each minutiae. For sets of the super-template minutiae having at least two defined minutiae qualities, at least one Delaunay triangle is computed for each set. A match between the candidate template and the super-template is determined by determining a correspondence of Delaunay triangles in the candidate and super-templates, which correspondence results in an alignment of at least some minutiae of the candidate template with at least some minutiae of the super-template. Related methods, articles and apparatus are also disclosed.