Search results for: subnational policy design

Authors: Rebecca Lees, Deborah Anderson

Abstract:

Whilst the majority of research into social media in education focuses on the applications for teaching and learning environments, this study looks at how such activities can be managed by investigating the current state of social media regulation within UK higher education. Social media has pervaded almost all aspects of higher education; from marketing, recruitment and alumni relations to both distance and classroom-based learning and teaching activities. In terms of who uses it and how it is used, social media is growing at an unprecedented rate, particularly amongst the target market for higher education. Whilst the platform presents opportunities not found in more traditional methods of communication and interaction, such as speed and reach, it also carries substantial risks that come with inappropriate use, lack of control and issues of privacy. Typically, organisations rely on the concept of a social contract to guide employee behaviour to conform to the expectations of that organisation. Yet, where academia and social media intersect applying the notion of a social contract to enforce governance may be problematic; firstly considering the emphasis on treating students as customers with a growing focus on the use and collection of satisfaction metrics; and secondly regarding the notion of academic’s freedom of speech, opinion and discussion, which is a long-held tradition of learning instruction. Therefore the need for sound governance procedures to support expectations over online behaviour is vital, especially when the speed and breadth of adoption of social media activities has in the past outrun organisations’ abilities to manage it. An analysis of the current level of governance was conducted by gathering relevant policies, guidelines and best practice documentation available online via internet search and institutional requests. The documents were then subjected to a content analysis in the second phase of this study to determine the approach taken by institutions to apply such governance. Documentation was separated according to audience, i.e.: applicable to staff, students or all users. Given many of these included guests and visitors to the institution within their scope being easily accessible was considered important. Yet, within the UK only about half of all education institutions had explicit social media governance documentation available online without requiring member access or considerable searching. Where they existed, the majority focused solely on employee activities and tended to be policy based rather than rooted in guidelines or best practices, or held a fallback position of governing online behaviour via implicit instructions within IT and computer regulations. Explicit instructions over expected online behaviours is therefore lacking within UK HE. Given the number of educational practices that now include significant online components, it is imperative that education organisations keep up to date with the progress of social media use. Initial results from the second phase of this study which analyses the content of the governance documentation suggests they require reading levels at or above the target audience, with some considerable variability in length and layout. Further analysis will add to this growing field of investigating social media governance within higher education.

Keywords: governance, higher education, policy, social media

Procedia PDF Downloads 179

Authors: Jiao Li

Abstract:

Language teachers have been expected to play diversified new roles in times of educational changes. Considering the critical role that materials play in teaching and learning, language teachers have been increasingly involved in developing materials. Using identity as an analytic lens, this study aims to explore language teachers’ experiences as materials developers in China, focusing on the challenges they face and responses to them. It will adopt a multimethod approach. At the first stage, about 12 language teachers who have developed or are developing materials will be interviewed to have a broad view of their experiences. At the second stage, three language teachers who are developing materials will be studied by collecting interview data, policy documents, and data obtained from online observation of their group meetings so as to gain a deeper understanding of their experiences in materials development. It is expected that this study would have implications for teacher development, materials development, and curriculum development as well.

Keywords: educational changes, teacher development, teacher identity, teacher learning, materials development

Procedia PDF Downloads 121

Authors: Subodh Kumar, Amit Varde

Abstract:

Typical on-premises high-performance computing (HPC) environments consist of a fixed number and a fixed set of computing hardware. During the design of the HPC environment, the hardware components, including but not limited to CPU, Memory, GPU, and networking, are carefully chosen from select vendors for optimal performance. High capital cost for building the environment is a prime factor influencing the design environment. A class of software called “Job Schedulers” are critical to maximizing these resources and running multiple workloads to extract the maximum value for the high capital cost. In principle, schedulers work by preventing workloads and users from monopolizing the finite hardware resources by queuing jobs in a workload. A cloud-based HPC environment does not have the limitations of fixed (type of and quantity of) hardware resources. In theory, users and workloads could spin up any number and type of hardware resource. This paper discusses the limitations of using traditional scheduling algorithms for cloud-based HPC workloads. It proposes a new set of features, called “HPC optimizers,” for maximizing the benefits of the elasticity and scalability of the cloud with the goal of cost-performance optimization of the workload.

Keywords: high performance computing, HPC, cloud computing, optimization, schedulers

Procedia PDF Downloads 84

Authors: Hilde Heim

Abstract:

The textile industry is known for its swift adoption of innovations in fashion technology (Fash-Tech). The industry is also known for its harmful effects on the environment. Opportunely, Fash-Tech is expected to facilitate the turn towards more sustainable practice. However, although several technologies have the potential for advancing sustainable practice, many industry players, whether large or small, are confused and misinformed about Fash-Tech adoption, application, and impact. Through a visual poster presentation, this project aims to map global fashion innovations along the supply chain from fibre production to waste management, thus providing a clearer picture of numbers, scale, and adoption. While the project aims to identify Fash-Tech effectiveness in reaching sustainability goals, it also identifies areas of congestion as well as insufficiency in the accessibility of Fash-Tech. This project intends to help inform future decisions in business, investment, and policy for the advancement of sustainable practice.

Keywords: fashion technology, sustainability, supply chain, enterprise management

Procedia PDF Downloads 236

Authors: David Downey

Abstract:

With the introduction of additive manufacturing (3D printing) to produce titanium (Ti6Al4V) components in the medical/aerospace and automotive industries, intricate geometries can be produced with virtually complete design freedom. However, the consideration of microstructural anisotropy resulting from the additive manufacturing process becomes necessary due to this design flexibility and the need to print a geometric shape that can consist of numerous angles, radii, and swept surfaces. A femoral knee implant serves as an example of a 3D-printed near-net-shaped product. The mechanical properties of the printed components, and consequently, their machinability, are affected by microstructural anisotropy. Currently, finish-machining operations performed on titanium printed parts using selective laser melting (SLM) utilize the same cutting tools employed for processing wrought titanium components. Cutting forces for components manufactured through SLM can be up to 70% higher than those for their wrought counterparts made of Ti6Al4V. Moreover, temperatures at the cutting interface of 3D printed material can surpass those of wrought titanium, leading to significant tool wear. Although the criteria for tool wear may be similar for both 3D printed and wrought materials, the rate of wear during the machining process may differ. The impact of these issues on the choice of cutting tool material and tool lifetimes will be discussed.

Keywords: additive manufacturing, build orientation, microstructural anisotropy, printed titanium Ti6Al4V, tool wear

Procedia PDF Downloads 86

Authors: Manar Ahmed Elbadawy

Abstract:

Background: Empirical evidence suggested that improving nursing teamwork (NTW) may be the key to reducing medical error. The functioning nursing teams require open communication, mutual respect, and shared mental models to activate quality patient care. The complexity and the high demands for specialized nursing knowledge and skill also require nursing staff to consult with one another and work in teams regularly. The current study aimed to evaluate the effect of the nursing teamwork training program on nursing teamwork effectiveness. Design: A quasi-experimental (one group pretest-posttest) design was utilized. Three medical intensive care units at a teaching hospital affiliated to Cairo University Hospital, Egypt. Subjects: A convenient sample of 48 nursing staff worked at the selected units. The Nursing Teamwork Observational Checklist was used. Results: Total (NTW) mean scores exhibited quite elevation post-program implementation compared to preprogram and showed little decrease 3 months later ( = 2.52, SD = ± 0.27, mean % =51.98, = 2.72, SD = ± 0.20, mean %=72.45, = 2.67, SD = ± 0.11, mean %= 67.48 respectively). Conclusion: Implementation of (NTW) training program had a positive effect on increasing (NTW) effectiveness. Regular and frequent short-term teamwork training is important to be introduced as well as sustainable monitoring is required to ensure nursing attitudes, knowledge and skills’ change about teamwork effectiveness.

Keywords: effectiveness, nursing, teamwork, training

Procedia PDF Downloads 120

Authors: Roghieh Eskandari, Ali Motamedi

Abstract:

There is a significant demand for renovation as-built assets are aging. To plan for a desirable and comfortable indoor environment, stakeholders use simulation technics to assess potential renovation scenarios with the innovative designs. Diminished Reality (DR), which is a technique of visually removing unwanted objects from the real-world scene in real-time, can contribute to the renovation design visualization for stakeholders by removing existing structures and assets from the scene. Using DR, the objects to be demolished or changed will be visually removed from the scene for a better understanding of the intended design scenarios for stakeholders. This research proposes an integrated system for renovation plan visualization using Building Information Modelling (BIM) data and mixed reality (MR) technologies. It presents a BIM-based DR method that utilizes a textured BIM model of the environment to accurately register the virtual model of the occluded background to the physical world in real-time. This system can facilitate the simulation of the renovation plan by visually diminishing building elements in an indoor environment.

Keywords: diminished reality, building information modelling, mixed reality, stock renovation

Procedia PDF Downloads 110

Authors: Dimitrios J. Dimitriou, Maria F. Sartzetaki

Abstract:

Different transportation modes have key operational advantages and disadvantages, providing a variety of different transport options to users and passengers. This paper reviews key variables for the competition between air transport and other transport modes. The aim of this paper is to review the competition between air transport and other transport modes, providing results in terms of perceived cost for the users, for destinations high competitiveness for all transport modes. The competitor analysis variables include the cost and time outputs for each transport option, highlighting the level of competitiveness on high demanded Origin-Destination corridors. The case study presents the output of a such analysis for the OD corridor in Greece that connects the Capital city (Athens) with the second largest city (Thessaloniki) and the different transport modes have been considered (air, train, road). Conventional wisdom is to present an easy to handle tool for planners, managers and decision makers towards pricing policy effectiveness and demand attractiveness, appropriate to use for other similar cases.

Keywords: competitor analysis, transport economics, transport generalized cost, quantitative modelling

Procedia PDF Downloads 241

Authors: Hemabushan K., Manikandan

Abstract:

In a swirl atomizer, fluid undergoes a swirling motion as a result of centrifugal force created by opposed tangential inlets in the swirl chamber. The angular momentum of fluid continually increases as it reaches the exit orifice and forms a hollow sheet. Which disintegrates to form ligaments and droplets respectively as it flows downstream. This type of atomizers used in rocket injectors and oil burner furnaces. In this present investigation a swirl atomizer with two opposed tangential inlets has been designed. Water as working fluid, experiments had been conducted for the fluid injection pressures in regime of 0.033 bar to 0.519 bar. The fluid has been pressured by a 0.5hp pump and regulated by a pressure regulator valve. Injection pressure of fluid has been measured by a U-tube mercury manometer. The spray pattern and the droplets has been captured with a high resolution camera in black background with a high intensity flash highlighting the fluid. The unprocessed images were processed in ImageJ processing software for measuring the droplet diameters and its shape characteristics along the downstream. The parameters such as mean droplet diameter and distribution, wave pattern, rupture distance and spray angle were studied for this atomizer. The above results were compared with theoretical results and also analysed for deviation with design parameters.

Keywords: swirl atomizer, injector, spray, SWIRL

Procedia PDF Downloads 486

Authors: Abiodun Odusote

Abstract:

This paper gives content to the Provisions of Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it offers new perspectives on the nature of fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy and the duties of citizens. It makes inquiries into the justiciability of these rights and examines the reasoning of the Nigerian courts in the interpretation and enforcement of the rights. The paper examines the emerging jurisprudence in India and South Africa and lessons are drawn from their respective models of enforcement of similar rights. The paper concludes by proposing more creative and novel alternatives to the enforcement and enjoyments of these rights, including: enforcement through Acts of Parliament, enforcement through other Constitutional provisions, indirect enforcement, enforcement through regional and international courts, enforcement by constructive engagement, and enforcement through electoral process. Overall, it is shown that there are available a variety of practical and effective ways of improving the realization and enjoyment of the provisions of Chapter II of the CFRN.

Keywords: constructive-engagement, indirect enforcement, judicial activism, justiciability, social rights

Procedia PDF Downloads 454

Authors: Catherine Mary Abou-Zaid

Abstract:

This quantitative study discusses the concerns with the self-directed learning (SDL) skills of the undergraduate nursing students in a medical university in Bahrain. The nursing undergraduate student SDL study was conducted taking all 4 years and compiling data collected from the students themselves by survey questionnaire. The aim of the study is to understand and change the attitudes of self-directed learning among the undergraduate students. The SDL of the undergraduate student nurses has been noticed to be lacking and motivation to actually perform without supervision while out-with classrooms are very low. Their use of the resources available on the virtual learning environment and also within the university is not as good as it should be for a university student at this level. They do not use them to their own advantage. They are not prepared for the transition from high school to an academic environment such as a university or college. For some students it is the first time in their academic lives that they have faced sharing a classroom with the opposite sex. For some this is a major issue and we as academics need to be aware of all issues that they come to higher education with. Design Methodology: The design methodology that was chosen was a quantitative design using convenience sampling of the students who would be asked to complete survey questionnaire. This sampling method was chosen because of the time constraint. This was completed by the undergraduate students themselves while in class. The questionnaire was analyzed by the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), the results interpreted by the researcher and the findings published in the paper. The analyzed data will also be reported on and from this information we as educators will be able to see the student’s weaknesses regarding self-directed learning. The aims and objectives of the research will be used as recommendations for the improvement of resources for the students to improve their SDL skills. Conclusion: The results will be able to give the educators an insight to how we can change the self-directed learning techniques of the students and enable them to embrace the skills and to focus more on being self-directed in their studies rather than having to be put on to a SDL pathway from the educators themselves. This evidence will come from the analysis of the statistical data. It may even change the way in which the students are selected for the nursing programme. These recommendations will be reported to the head of school and also to the nursing faculty.

Keywords: self-directed learning, undergraduate students, transition, statistical package for social sciences (SPSS), higher education

Procedia PDF Downloads 310

Authors: Mohamad H. Atyeh, Ahmad Khaldi

Abstract:

The main objective of this research is to measure the relationship between the Kuwait stock Exchange (KSE) index and its two marketing sectors after the new market classification. The findings of this research are important for Public economic policy makers as they need to know if the new system (new classification) is efficient and to what level, to monitor the markets and intervene with appropriate measures. The data used are the daily index of the whole Kuwaiti market and the daily closing price, number of deals and volume of shares traded of two marketing sectors (consumer goods and consumer services) for the period from the 13th of May 2012 till the 12th of December 2016. The results indicate a positive direct impact of the closing price, volume and deals indexes of the consumer goods and the consumer services companies on the overall KSE index, volume and deals of the Kuwaiti stock market (KSE).

Keywords: correlation, market capitalization, Kuwait Stock Exchange (KSE), marketing sectors, stock performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 323

Authors: Ondrej Lufinka, Jan Kaderabek, Juraj Prstek, Jiri Skala, Kamil Kosturik

Abstract:

This paper deals with the problem of using Autonomous Robotic Platforms (ARP) for the ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) testing in automotive. There are different possibilities of the testing already in development, and lately, the autonomous robotic platforms are beginning to be used more and more widely. Autonomous Robotic Platform discussed in this paper explores the hardware and software design possibilities related to the field of embedded systems. The paper focuses on its chapters on the introduction of the problem in general; then, it describes the proposed prototype concept and its principles from the embedded HW and SW point of view. It talks about the key features that can be used for the innovation of these platforms (e.g., modularity, omnidirectional movement, common and non-traditional sensors used for localization, synchronization of more platforms and cars together, or safety mechanisms). In the end, the future possible development of the project is discussed as well.

Keywords: advanced driver assistance systems, ADAS, autonomous robotic platform, embedded systems, hardware, localization, modularity, multiple robots synchronization, omnidirectional movement, safety mechanisms, software

Procedia PDF Downloads 138

Authors: Mohsen Azarmjoo, Yasaman Azarmjoo, Zahra Alikhani Koopaei

Abstract:

This article introduces devices that can transfer sunlight to buildings that do not have access to direct sunlight during the day. The transmission and reflection of sunlight are done through the movement of movable mirrors. The focus of this article is on two models of sun tracker systems designed and built by the Macad team. In fact, this article will reveal the distinction between the two Macad devices and the previously built competitor device. What distinguishes the devices built by the Macad team from the competitor's device is the different mode of operation and the difference in the location of the sensors. Given that the devices have the same results, the Macad team has tried to reduce the defects of the competitor's device as much as possible. The special feature of the second type of device built by the Macad team has enabled buildings with different construction positions to use sun tracking systems. This article will also discuss diagrams of the path of sunlight transmission and more details of the device. It is worth mentioning that fixed mirrors are also placed next to the main devices. So that the light shining on the first device is reflected to these mirrors, this light is guided within the light receiver space and is transferred to the different parts around by steel sheets built in the light receiver space, and finally, these spaces benefit from sunlight.

Keywords: design, construction, mechatronic device, sun tracker system, sun tracker, sunlight

Procedia PDF Downloads 75

Authors: Rachit Ahuja, Ayush Chugh

Abstract:

Aerodynamic forces and moments, as well as tire-road forces largely affects the maneuverability of the vehicle. Car manufacturers are largely fascinated and influenced by various aerodynamic improvements made in formula cars. There is constant effort of applying these aerodynamic improvements in road vehicles. In motor racing, the key differentiating factor in a high performance car is its ability to maintain highest possible acceleration in appropriate direction. One of the main areas of concern in motor racing is balance of aerodynamic forces and stream line the flow of air across the body of the vehicle. At present, formula racing cars are regulated by stringent FIA norms, there are constrains for dimensions of the vehicle, engine capacity etc. So one of the fields in which there is a large scope of improvement is aerodynamics of the vehicle. In this project work, an attempt has been made to design a formula- student (FS) car, improve its aerodynamic characteristics through steady state CFD simulations and simultaneously calculate its lap time. Initially, a CAD model of a formula student car is made using SOLIDWORKS as per the given dimensions and a steady-state external air-flow simulation is performed on the baseline model of the formula student car without any add on device to evaluate and analyze the air-flow pattern around the car and aerodynamic forces using FLUENT Solver. A detailed survey on different add-on devices used in racing application like: - front wing, diffuser, shark pin, T- wing etc. is made and geometric model of these add-on devices are created. These add-on devices are assembled with the baseline model. Steady state CFD simulations are done on the modified car to evaluate the aerodynamic effects of these add-on devices on the car. Later comparison of lap time simulation of the formula student car with and without the add-on devices is done with the help of MATLAB. Aerodynamic performances like: - lift, drag and their coefficients are evaluated for different configuration and design of the add-on devices at different speed of the vehicle. From parametric CFD simulations on formula student car attached with add-on devices, there is a considerable amount of drag and lift force reduction besides streamlining the airflow across the car. The best possible configuration of these add-on devices is obtained from these CFD simulations and also use of these add-on devices have shown an improvement in performance of the car which can be compared by various lap time simulations of the car.

Keywords: aerodynamic performance, front wing, laptime simulation, t-wing

Procedia PDF Downloads 193

Authors: Hamed Chavoshi Pour, Javad Sadeghinejad

Abstract:

The spinal cord is a long structure that starts at the end of the medulla oblongata and is located within the vertebral canal. Physiologically, the spinal cord connects the brain with the peripheral nervous system for sensory and motor activities. The cervical spinal cord is an area of particular interest in medicine and veterinary medicine due to the high prevalence of diseases in this region. This study describes the morphometric features of the cervical spinal cord in rabbits using design-unbiased stereology. The cervical spinal cords of five male rabbits were dissected, and slabs were taken according to systematic uniform random sampling. Each slab was embedded in paraffin and cut into a 6-µm thick section, and stained with cresyl violet 0.1% for stereological estimations. The total spinal cord volume, volume fraction of grey and white matter, and also dorsal and ventral horns were estimated using point counting and Cavalieri's estimator. The total cervical spinal cord volume was 0.98 ± 0.07 cm³. The relative volume of white matter and grey matter was 70.6 ± 1.7% and 29.31 ± 1.67%, respectively. The dorsal horn and ventral horn volume were 13.86 ± 1.36% and 14.9 ± 0.62% of the whole cervical spinal cord. This knowledge of rabbit spinal cord findings may serve as a foundation for a translational model in spinal cord experimental research and provide basic findings for the diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord disorders.

Keywords: stereology, spinal cord, rabbit, cervical

Procedia PDF Downloads 72

Authors: Karishma Kashyap, Subha D. Parida

Abstract:

Rapid population growth and urbanization is creating pressure throughout the world. This has a dramatic effect on a lot of elements which include water, food, transportation, energy, infrastructure etc. as few of the key services. Built environment sector is growing concurrently to meet the needs of urbanization. Due to such large scale development of buildings, there is a need for them to be monitored and managed efficiently. Along with appropriate management, climate adaptation is highly crucial as well because buildings are one of the major sources of greenhouse gas emission in their operation phase. Buildings to be adaptive need to provide a triple bottom approach to sustainability i.e., being socially, environmentally and economically sustainable. Hence, in order to deliver these sustainability outcomes, there is a growing understanding and thrive towards switching to green buildings or renovating new ones as per green standards wherever possible. Academic institutions in particular have been following this trend globally. This is highly significant as universities usually have high occupancy rates because they manage a large building portfolio. Also, as universities accommodate the future generation of architects, policy makers etc., they have the potential of setting themselves as a best industry practice model for research and innovation for the rest to follow. Hence their climate adaptation, sustainable growth and performance management becomes highly crucial in order to provide the best services to users. With the objective of evaluating appropriate management mechanisms within academic institutions, a feasibility study was carried out in a recent 5-Star Green Star rated university building (housing the School of Construction) in Victoria (south-eastern state of Australia). The key aim was to understand the behavioral and social aspect of the building users, management and the impact of their relationship on overall building sustainability. A survey was used to understand the building occupant’s response and reactions in terms of their work environment and management. A report was generated based on the survey results complemented with utility and performance data which were then used to evaluate the management structure of the university. Followed by the report, interviews were scheduled with the facility and asset managers in order to understand the approach they use to manage the different buildings in their university campuses (old, new, refurbished), respective building and parameters incorporated in maintaining the Green Star performance. The results aimed at closing the communication and feedback loop within the respective institutions and assist the facility managers to deliver appropriate stakeholder engagement. For the wider design community, analysis of the data highlights the applicability and significance of prioritizing key stakeholders, integrating desired engagement policies within an institution’s management structures and frameworks and their effect on building performance

Keywords: building optimization, green building, post occupancy evaluation, stakeholder engagement

Procedia PDF Downloads 352

Authors: John Hardy

Abstract:

The domestic security environment in Europe has changed dramatically in recent years. Since January 2015, a significant number of domestic security threats that emerged in Europe were located in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom. While some threats were detected in the planning phase, many also resulted in terrorist attacks. Authorities in all three countries instituted special or emergency measures to provide additional security to their populations. Each country combined an additional policing presence with a specific military operation to contribute to a comprehensive security response to domestic threats. This study presents a cross-case analysis of three countries’ civilian and military responses to domestic security threats in Europe. Each case study features a unique approach to combining civilian and military capabilities in similar domestic security operations during the same time period and threat environment. The research design focuses on five variables relevant to the relationship between civilian and military roles in each security response. These are the distinction between policing and military roles, the legal framework for the domestic deployment of military forces, prior experience in civil-military coordination, the institutional framework for threat assessments, and the level of public support for the domestic use of military forces. These variables examine the influence of domestic social, political, and legal factors on the design of combined civil-military operations in response to domestic security threats. Each case study focuses on a specific operation: Operation Vigilant Guard in Belgium, Operation Sentinel in France, and Operation Temperer in the United Kingdom. The results demonstrate that the level of distinction between policing and military roles and the existence of a clear and robust legal framework for the domestic use force by military personnel significantly influence the design and implementation of civilian and military roles in domestic security operations. The findings of this study indicate that Belgium, France and the United Kingdom experienced different design and implementation challenges for their domestic security operations. Belgium and France initially had less-developed legal frameworks for deploying the military in domestic security operations than the United Kingdom. This was offset by public support for enacting emergency measures and the strength of existing civil-military coordination mechanisms. The United Kingdom had a well-developed legal framework for integrating civilian and military capabilities in domestic security operations. However, its experiences in Ireland also made the government more sensitive to public perceptions regarding the domestic deployment of military forces.

Keywords: counter-terrorism, democracy, homeland security, intelligence, militarization, policing

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: Huey-Kuo Chen

Abstract:

This paper applies directional marginal productivity model to study the shadow price of emissions by transportation modes in the years of 2011 and 2013 with the aim to provide a reference for policy makers to improve the emission of pollutants. One input variable (i.e., energy consumption), one desirable output variable (i.e., vehicle kilometers traveled) and three undesirable output variables (i.e., carbon dioxide, sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides) generated by road transportation modes were used to evaluate directional marginal productivity and directional shadow price for 18 transportation modes. The results show that the directional shadow price (DSP) of SOx is much higher than CO2 and NOx. Nevertheless, the emission of CO2 is the largest among the three kinds of pollutants. To improve the air quality, the government should pay more attention to the emission of CO2 and apply the alternative solution such as promoting public transportation and subsidizing electric vehicles to reduce the use of private vehicles.

Keywords: marginal productivity, road transportation modes, shadow price, undesirable outputs

Procedia PDF Downloads 141

Authors: Emmanuel Ogala

Abstract:

Cloud computing has been envisioned as the next-generation architecture of Information Technology (IT) enterprise. In contrast to traditional solutions where IT services are under physical, logical and personnel controls, cloud computing moves the application software and databases to the large data centres, where the management of the data and services may not be fully trustworthy. This is due to the fact that the systems are opened to the whole world and as people tries to have access into the system, many people also are there trying day-in day-out on having unauthorized access into the system. This research contributes to the improvement of cloud computing security for better operation. The work is motivated by two problems: first, the observed easy access to cloud computing resources and complexity of attacks to vital cloud computing data system NIC requires that dynamic security mechanism evolves to stay capable of preventing illegitimate access. Second; lack of good methodology for performance test and evaluation of biometric security algorithms for securing records in cloud computing environment. The aim of this research was to evaluate the performance of an integrated security system (ISS) for securing exams records in cloud computing environment. In this research, we designed and implemented an ISS consisting of three security mechanisms of biometric (fingerprint), auto-PIN and password into one stream of access control and used for securing examination records in Kogi State University, Anyigba. Conclusively, the system we built has been able to overcome guessing abilities of hackers who guesses people password or pin. We are certain about this because the added security system (fingerprint) needs the presence of the user of the software before a login access can be granted. This is based on the placement of his finger on the fingerprint biometrics scanner for capturing and verification purpose for user’s authenticity confirmation. The study adopted the conceptual of quantitative design. Object oriented and design methodology was adopted. In the analysis and design, PHP, HTML5, CSS, Visual Studio Java Script, and web 2.0 technologies were used to implement the model of ISS for cloud computing environment. Note; PHP, HTML5, CSS were used in conjunction with visual Studio front end engine design tools and MySQL + Access 7.0 were used for the backend engine and Java Script was used for object arrangement and also validation of user input for security check. Finally, the performance of the developed framework was evaluated by comparing with two other existing security systems (Auto-PIN and password) within the school and the results showed that the developed approach (fingerprint) allows overcoming the two main weaknesses of the existing systems and will work perfectly well if fully implemented.

Keywords: performance evaluation, fingerprint, auto-pin, password-based, security systems, cloud computing environment

Procedia PDF Downloads 134

Authors: Lei Chen, Jian Jiao, Tingdi Zhao

Abstract:

Failures of automotive electric/electronic systems, which are universally considered to be safety-critical and software-intensive, may cause catastrophic accidents. Analysis and verification of failures in these kinds of systems is a big challenge with increasing system complexity. Model-checking is often employed to allow formal verification by ensuring that the system model conforms to specified safety properties. The system-level effects of failures are established, and the effects on system behavior are observed through the formal verification. A hazard analysis technique, called Systems-Theoretic Process Analysis, is capable of identifying design flaws which may cause potential failure hazardous, including software and system design errors and unsafe interactions among multiple system components. This paper provides a concept on how to use model-checking integrated with Systems-Theoretic Process Analysis to perform failure analysis and verification of automotive electric/electronic systems. As a result, safety requirements are optimized, and failure propagation paths are found. Finally, an automotive electric/electronic system case study is used to verify the effectiveness and practicability of the method.

Keywords: failure analysis and verification, model checking, system-theoretic process analysis, automotive electric/electronic system

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Andrew Cummings, Rhianne Boag, Sarah Bryson, Gordon Turner

Abstract:

Packages designed for transport of radioactive material must satisfy rigorous safety regulations specified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Higher Activity Waste (HAW) transport packages have to maintain containment of their contents during normal and accident conditions of transport (NCT and ACT). To ensure containment criteria is satisfied these packages are required to be leak-tight in all transport conditions to meet allowable activity release rates. Package design safety reports are the safety cases that provide the claims, evidence and arguments to demonstrate that packages meet the regulations and once approved by the competent authority (in the UK this is the Office for Nuclear Regulation) a licence to transport radioactive material is issued for the package(s). The standard approach to demonstrating containment in the RWM transport safety case is set out in BS EN ISO 12807. In this document a method for measuring a leak rate from the package is explained by way of a small interspace test volume situated between two O-ring seals on the underside of the package lid. The interspace volume is pressurised and a pressure drop measured. A small interspace test volume makes the method more sensitive enabling the measurement of smaller leak rates. By ascertaining the activity of the contents, identifying a releasable fraction of material and by treating that fraction of material as a gas, allowable leak rates for NCT and ACT are calculated. The adherence to basic safety principles in ISO12807 is very pessimistic and current practice in the demonstration of transport safety, which is accepted by the UK regulator. It is UK government policy that management of HAW will be through geological disposal. It is proposed that the intermediate level waste be transported to the geological disposal facility (GDF) in large cuboid packages. This poses a challenge for containment demonstration because such packages will have long seals and therefore large interspace test volumes. There is also uncertainty on the releasable fraction of material within the package ullage space. This is because the waste may be in many different forms which makes it difficult to define the fraction of material released by the waste package. Additionally because of the large interspace test volume, measuring the calculated leak rates may not be achievable. For this reason a justification for a lower releasable fraction of material is sought. This paper considers the use of aerosol processes to reduce the releasable fraction for both NCT and ACT. It reviews the basic coagulation and removal processes and applies the dynamic aerosol balance equation. The proposed solution includes only the most well understood physical processes namely; Brownian coagulation and gravitational settling. Other processes have been eliminated either on the basis that they would serve to reduce the release to the environment further (pessimistically in keeping with the essence of nuclear transport safety cases) or that they are not credible in the conditions of transport considered.

Keywords: aerosol processes, Brownian coagulation, gravitational settling, transport regulations

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Gaurav Datta, Sourav Ghosh, Rahul Roy

Abstract:

The incorporation of silica fume into the normal concrete is a routine one in the present days to produce the tailor made high strength and high performance concrete. The design parameters are increasing with the incorporation of silica fume in conventional concrete and the mix proportioning is becoming complex. The main objective of this paper has been made to investigate the different mechanical properties like compressive strength, permeability, porosity, density, modulus of elasticity, compacting factor, slump of concrete incorporating silica fume. In this present paper 5 (five) mix of concrete incorporating silica fume is cast to perform experiments. These experiments were carried out by replacing cement with different percentages of silica fume at a single constant water-cementitious materials ratio keeping other mix design variables constant. The silica fume was replaced by 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% for water-cementitious materials (w/cm) ratio for 0.40. For all mixes compressive strengths were determined at 24 hours, 7 and 28 days for 100 mm and 150 mm cubes. Other properties like permeability, porosity, density, modulus of elasticity, compacting factor, and slump were also determined for five mixes of concrete.

Keywords: high performance concrete, high strength concrete, silica fume, strength

Procedia PDF Downloads 284

Authors: Milind Patil

Abstract:

Present paper is a discussion on Hindi-Marathi Morphological Analysis and generating rules for Machine Translation on the basis of Machine Readable Dictionary (MRD). This used Transformative Generative Grammar (TGG) rules to design the MRD. As per TGG rules, the suffix of a particular root word is based on its Tense, Aspect, Modality and Voice. That's why the suffix is very important for the word meanings (or root meanings). The Hindi and Marathi Language both have relation with Indo-Aryan language family. Both have been derived from Sanskrit language and their script is 'Devnagari'. But there are lots of differences in terms of semantics and grammatical level too. In Marathi, there are three genders, but in Hindi only two (Masculine and Feminine), the Natural gender is absent in Hindi. Likewise other grammatical categories also differ in their level of use. For MRD the suffixes (or Morpheme) are of particular root word for GNP (Gender, Number and Person) are based on its natural phenomena. A particular Suffix and Morphine change as per the need of person, number and gender. The design of MRD also based on this format. In first, Person, Number, Gender and Tense are key points than root words and suffix of particular Person, Number Gender (PNG). After that the inferences are drawn on the basis of rules that is (V.stem) (Pre.T/Past.T) (x) + (Aux-Pre.T) (x) → (V.Stem.) + (SP.TM) (X).

Keywords: MRD, TGG, stem, morph, morpheme, suffix, PNG, TAM&V, root

Procedia PDF Downloads 320

Authors: Dogan Can Hatunoglu, Cengiz Hakan Gurkanlı, Hatice Merve Demirci

Abstract:

Today, the maker movement is regarded as a socio-cultural movement that represents designing and building objects for innovations. In these creativity-based activities of the movement, individuals from different backgrounds such as; inventors, programmers, craftspeople, DIY’ers, tinkerers, engineers, designers, and hackers, form a community and work collaboratively for mutual, open-source innovations. Today, with the accessibility of recently emerged technologies and digital fabrication tools, the Maker Movement is continuously expanding its scope and has evolved into a new experience, and for many, it is now considered as new kind of industrial revolution. In this new experience, makers create new things within their community by using new digital tools and technologies in spots called makerspaces. In these makerspaces, activities of learning, experience sharing, and mentoring are evolved into maker events. Makers who share common interests in making benefit from makerspaces as meeting and working spots. In literature, there are many sources on Maker Movement, maker communities, and their activities, especially in the field of business administration. However, there is a gap in the literature about the maker communities in Turkey. This research aims to be an information source on the dynamics and process design of “making” activities in Turkish maker communities and also aims to provide insights to sustain and enhance local maker communities in the future. Within this aim, semi-structured interviews were conducted with founders and facilitators from selected Turkish maker communities. (1) The perception towards Maker Movement, makers, activity of making, and current situation of maker communities, (2) motivations of individuals who participate the maker communities, and (3) key drivers (collaboration and decision-making in design processes) of maker activities from the perspectives of main actors (founders, facilitators) are all examined deeply with question on personal experiences and perspectives. After a qualitative approached data analysis concerning the maker communities in Turkey, this research reveals that there are two main conclusions regarding (1) the foundation of the Turkish maker mindset and (2) emergence of self-sustaining communities.

Keywords: Maker Movement, maker community, makerspaces, open-source design, sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 139

Authors: Sasiwimol Auepong, Raywat Tanadkithirun

Abstract:

In this work, the problem that squirrels ruin durian, which is an economical fruit in Thailand, is considered. We seek the strategy for the durian farmers to eliminate the squirrels under the consideration that squirrels also provide ecosystem service. The population dynamics of squirrels are constructed to have carrying capacity since we consider the population in a confined area. A performance index indicating the total benefit of a given elimination strategy is provided. It comprises the cost of countermeasures, the loss of resources, and the ecosystem service provided by squirrels. The optimal performance index is numerically solved through the variational inequality using the finite difference method. The optimal strategy to control the squirrel population is also given numerically.

Keywords: controlled stochastic differential equation, durian, finite difference method, performance index, singular stochastic control model, squirrel

Procedia PDF Downloads 85

Authors: Salman Obaidoon, Mohamed Hassan, Omer Bakather

Abstract:

As environmental regulations increase, the need for a clean and inexpensive energy is becoming necessary these days using an available raw material with high efficiency and low emissions of toxic gases. This paper presents a study on modifying a gas turbine power plant fired by diesel, which is located in Saudi Arabia in order to increase the efficiency and capacity of the station as well as decrease the rate of emissions. The studied power plant consists of 30 units with different capacities and total net power is 1470 MW. The study was conducted on unit number 25 (GT-25) which produces 72.3 MW with 29.5% efficiency. In the beginning, the unit was modeled and simulated by using WinSim Design II software. In this step, actual unit data were used in order to test the validity of the model. The net power and efficiency obtained from software were 76.4 MW and 32.2% respectively. A difference of about 6% was found in the simulated power plant compared to the actual station which means that the model is valid. After the validation of the model, the simple gas turbine power plant was converted to a combined cycle power plant (CCPP). In this case, the exhausted gas released from the gas turbine was introduced to a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), which consists of three heat exchangers: an economizer, an evaporator and a superheater. In this proposed model, many scenarios were conducted in order to get the optimal operating conditions. The net power of CCPP was increased to 116.4 MW while the overall efficiency of the unit was reached to 49.02%, consuming the same amount of fuel for the gas turbine power plant. For the purpose of comparing the rate of emissions of carbon dioxide on each model. It was found that the rate of CO₂ emissions was decreased from 15.94 kg/s to 9.22 kg/s by using the combined cycle power model as a result of reducing of the amount of diesel from 5.08 kg/s to 2.94 kg/s needed to produce 76.5 MW. The results indicate that the rate of emissions of carbon dioxide was decreased by 42.133% in CCPP compared to the simple gas turbine power plant.

Keywords: combined cycle power plant, efficiency, heat recovery steam generator, simulation, validation, WinSim design II software

Procedia PDF Downloads 270

Authors: Ronghui (Kevin) Zhou

Abstract:

This research intends to explore the enactment of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), in term of the ESD concept, in primary schools in China, and investigate the factors that have positively or negatively impacted the outcome of ESD in urban primary schools in China. The proposed research question is: how is the ESD concept perceived and enacted by the local education stakeholders. This research is conducted in multiple primary schools in China and has questionnaired and interviewed multiple education stakeholders, including school principals, school teachers, and bureau from the municipal Ministry of Education. Factor analysis, regression analysis, and critical discourse analysis are adopted to interpret and analyze the data. The preliminary findings suggest that contested ESD definition, education system pressures, education policy enforcement, and power dynamics between stakeholders are the key factors that have determined to what degree is ESD enacted, and to what extent is ESD practiced in primary schools in China.

Keywords: education for sustainable development, China, primary education, case study

Procedia PDF Downloads 163

Authors: Jan Schwennen, Harlad Schmid, Juergen Fleischer

Abstract:

Lightweight design plays an important role in the automotive industry. Especially the combination of metal and CFRP shows great potential for future vehicle concepts. This requires joining technologies that are cost-efficient and appropriate for the materials involved. Previous investigations show that integrating load introduction elements during CFRP part manufacturing offers great advantages in mechanical performance. However, it is not yet clear how to integrate the elements in an automated process without harming the fiber structure. In this paper, a test rig is build up to investigate the effect of different parameters during insert integration experimentally. After a short description of the experimental equipment, preliminary tests are performed to determine a set of important process parameters. Based on that, the planning of design of experiments is given. The interpretation and evaluation of the test results show that with a minimization of the insert diameter and the peak angle less harm on the fiber structure can be achieved. Furthermore, a maximization of the die diameter above the insert shows a positive effect on the fiber structure. At the end of this paper, a theoretical description of alternative peak shaping is given and then the results get validated on the basis of an industrial reference part.

Keywords: CFRP, fabrics, insert, load introduction element, integration

Procedia PDF Downloads 236

Authors: N. Bouhamou, F. Mostefa, A. Mebrouki, N. Belas

Abstract:

Every year, millions of cube meters are dredged from dams and restraints as an entertaining and prevention procedure all over the world. These dredged sediments are considered as natural waste leading to an environmental, ecological and even an economical problem in their processing and deposing. Nevertheless, in the context of the sustainable development policy, a way of management is opened aiming to the valorization of sediments as a building material and particularly as a new binder that can be industrially exploited and that improve the physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics of the concrete. This study is a part of the research works realized in the civil engineering department at the university of Mostaganem (Algeria), on the impact of the dredged mud of Fergoug dam on the behaviour of self-consolidating concrete in fresh and hardened state, such as the mechanical performance of SCC and its impact on the differed deformations (shrinkage). The work aims to valorize this mud in SCC and to show eventual interactions between constituents. The results obtained presents a good perspectives in order to perform SCC based in calcined mud.

Keywords: sediment, calcination, reuse, self-consolidating concrete, fresh state, hard state, shrinkage

Procedia PDF Downloads 383