Search results for: South African construction firms

Authors: Ahmed Boufedah Badissi, Ahmed Beroual, Farid Boursas

Abstract:

This research aims to elucidate the role of coarse aggregate in influencing the fresh properties of normal-strength concrete. Specifically, it is aimed to identify the optimal gradation of coarse aggregate to enhance workability. While existing literature discusses the impact of aggregate granularity on concrete workability, more numerical data or models need to quantify the relationship between workability, granularity, and coarse aggregate shape. The main objective is to create a model that describes how coarse aggregate morphology contributes to fresh concrete properties. To investigate the effect of coarse aggregate gradation on Normal Strength Concrete (NSC) workability, various combinations of coarse aggregates (4/22.4 mm) were produced in the laboratory, utilizing three elementary classes: finer coarse aggregate 4/8 mm (Fca), medium coarse aggregate 8/16 mm (Mca), and coarser coarse aggregate 16/22.4 mm (Cca). We introduced a factor, FCR (Finer to Coarser coarse aggregate Ratio), as a numerical parameter to provide a quantitative evaluation and more detailed results analysis. Quantitative characterization parameters for coarse aggregate morphology were established, exploring the influence of particle size distribution, specific surface, and aggregate shape on workability. The research findings are significant for establishing correlations between coarse aggregate morphology and concrete properties. FCR emerges as a valuable tool for predicting the impact of aggregate gradation variations on concrete. The results of this study create a valuable database for construction professionals and concrete producers, affirming that the fresh properties of NSC are intricately linked to coarse aggregate morphology, particularly gradation.

Keywords: morphology, coarse aggregate, workability, fresh properties, gradation

Procedia PDF Downloads 54

Authors: Juang R. Matangaran, Qi Adlan

Abstract:

Industrial plantation forest in Indonesia was developed in 1983, and since then, several companies have been successfully planted a total area of concessionaire approximately 10 million hectares. Currently, these plantation forests have their annual harvesting period. In the timber harvesting process, amount part of the trees generally become logging residue. Tree parts such as branches, twigs, defected stem and leaves are unused section of tree on the ground after timber harvesting. The use of heavy machines in timber harvesting area has caused damage to the forest soil. The negative impact of such machines includes loss of topsoil, soil erosion, and soil compaction. Forest soil compaction caused reduction of forest water infiltration, increase runoff and causes difficulty for root penetration. In this study, we used logging residue as soil covers on the passages passed by skidding machines in order to observe the reduction soil compaction. Bulk density of soil was measured and analyzed after several times of skidding machines passage on skid trail. The objective of the research was to analyze the effect of logging residue on reducing soil compaction. The research was taken place at one of the industrial plantation forest area of South Sumatra Indonesia. The result of the study showed that percentage increase of soil compaction bare soil was larger than soil surface covered by logging residue. The maximum soil compaction occurred after 4 to 5 passes on soil without logging residue or bare soil and after 7 to 8 passes on soil cover by logging residue. The use of logging residue coverings could reduce soil compaction from 45% to 60%. The logging residue was effective in decreasing soil disturbance of timber harvesting at the plantation forest area.

Keywords: bulk density, logging residue, plantation forest, soil compaction, timber harvesting

Procedia PDF Downloads 397

Authors: Abdul Murad Zainal Abidin, Tuan Suhaimi Salleh, Siti Nor Azila Khalid, Noryati Mustapa

Abstract:

Quarry dust is a quarry end product from rock crushing processes, which is a concentrated material used as an alternative to fine aggregates for concreting purposes. In quarrying activities, the rocks are crushed into aggregates of varying sizes, from 75mm until less than 4.5 mm, the size of which is categorized as quarry dust. The quarry dust is usually considered as waste and not utilized as a recycled aggregate product. The dumping of the quarry dust at the quarry plant poses the risk of environmental pollution and health hazard. Therefore, the research is an attempt to identify the potential of quarry dust as an alternative building material that would reduce the materials and construction costs, as well as contribute effort in mitigating depletion of natural resources. The objectives are to conduct material characterization and evaluate the properties of fresh and hardened engineering brick with quarry dust mix proportion. The microstructures of quarry dust and the bricks were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the results suggest that the shape and surface texture of quarry dust is a combination of hard and angular formation. The chemical composition of the quarry dust was also evaluated using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and compared against sand and concrete. The quarry dust was found to have a higher presence of alumina (Al₂O₃), indicating the possibility of an early strength effect for brick. They are utilizing quarry dust waste as replacement material has the potential of conserving non-renewable resources as well as providing a viable alternative to disposal of current quarry waste.

Keywords: building materials, cement replacement, quarry microstructure, quarry product, sustainable materials

Procedia PDF Downloads 175

Authors: Hannan Al-Qanai, Haitham Mustafa, Rajeswaran Sivasankar

Abstract:

Kuwait Integrated Petroleum Industries Company (KIPIC, Company), established in 2016 as a subsidiary to Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), is responsible for operating and managing the largest grassroots integrated complex for refining, petrochemicals manufacture businesses, and liquefied natural gas import facilities at Al-Zour, Kuwait. KIPIC and its Contractors/sub-contractors employ over 69,000 staff in its current projects at Al-Zour during peak construction activity. KIPIC holds a unique responsibility to the society, which includes all stakeholders, and demonstrates its social commitment in developing an integrated environment & social management system (ESMS) and ensuring sustainability. This paper mainly demonstrates the knowledge on corporate branding from a corporate social responsibility (CSR) perspective and presents the achievements and best practices of KIPIC in the field of CSR and the challenges faced in handling social issues. Moreover, the study is based on qualitative data abstracted from KIPIC Health, Safety, Security & Environment Management System (HSSE MS) procedures, audit reports, the outcome of counseling sessions, national and international laws and regulations, and International Guidelines on Environment and Social Management System (ESMS). KIPIC has committed to caring for the environmental concerns and acting on social as they do on profits and economic growth. The main findings of this paper are that the successful implementation and operationalization of CSR within an organization depends on a simple but stringent process with both top-down and bottom-up commitment.

Keywords: welfare, corporate social responsibility, social management, sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 203

Authors: Elise Machline

Abstract:

In the late 1980’s, sustainable urban development emerged in Europe. Sustainable neighborhoods are one attempt to implement sustainable urban energy planning in the city. So, for twenty years, projects of sustainable neighborhoods (or ‘eco-neighborhoods’) have emerged in Europe. Debates about sustainability no longer restrict it to environmental concerns (to limit greenhouse gas emissions), but rather extend to the economic and social dimensions. A growing number of empirical studies demonstrate that sustainable urbanism yield rental/sale premia, as well as higher occupancy rates and thus higher asset values. For example, European eco neighborhood projects usually focus on the middle to upper classes, given the costs involved in renting or buying the dwellings built in such projects. As a result sustainable residential buildings are not affordable and their construction tends to have a gentrifying effect. An increasing number of countries are institutionalizing green strategies for affordable housing. In France, the sustainable neighborhoods ‘ecoquartier’ must meet environmental performance criteria, have a potential for economic development and, provide social and functional diversity. The issue of social diversity trough the provision of affordable housing has emerged as a dimension of public housing policies. Thus, the ecoquartier residential buildings must be both energy efficient and affordable. Through the Parisian example our study considers how the concept of social diversity and other elements of sustainability are illustrated in the ecoquartiers and whether the authorities have been able to avoid gentrification when implementing a sustainable urban policy.

Keywords: sustainable neighborhoods, social diversity, social housing policies, green buildings

Procedia PDF Downloads 350

Authors: Lazhar Belkhiri, Ammar Tiri, Lotfi Mouni

Abstract:

In this research, we analyzed the groundwater quality index in the El Milia plain, Kebir Rhumel Basin, Algeria. Thirty-three groundwater samples were collected from wells in the El Milia plain during April 2015. In this study, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) were conducted at each sampling well. Eight hydrochemical parameters such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chlorid (Cl), sulfate (SO4), bicarbonate (HCO3), and Nnitrate (NO3) were analysed. The entropy water quality index (EWQI) method was employed to evaluate the groundwater quality in the study area. Moran’s I and the ordinary kriging (OK) interpolation technique were used to examine the spatial distribution pattern of the hydrochemical parameters in the groundwater. It was found that the hydrochemical parameters Ca, Cl, and HCO3 showed strong spatial autocorrelation in the El Milia plain, indicating a spatial dependence and clustering of these parameters in the groundwater. The groundwater quality was evaluated using the entropy water quality index (EWQI). The results showed that approximately 86% of the total groundwater samples in the study area fall within the moderate groundwater quality category. The spatial map of the EWQI values indicated an increasing trend from the south-west to the northeast, following the direction of groundwater flow. The highest EWQI values were observed near El Milia city in the center of the plain. This spatial pattern suggests variations in groundwater quality across the study area, with potentially higher risks near the city center. Therefore, the results obtained in this research provide very useful information to decision-makers.

Keywords: entropy water quality index (EWQI), moran’s i, ordinary kriging interpolation, el milia plain

Procedia PDF Downloads 49

Authors: Zhao Cai-qi, Ma Jun

Abstract:

Twin steel plates-concrete composite shear walls are composed of a pair of steel plate layers and a concrete layer sandwiched between them, which have the characteristics of both reinforced concrete shear walls and steel plate shear walls. Twin steel plates-composite shear walls contain very high ultimate bearing capacity and ductility, which have great potential to be applied in the super high-rise buildings and special structures. In this paper, we analyzed the basic characteristics and stress mechanism of the twin steel plates-composite shear walls. Specifically, we analyzed the effects of the steel plate thickness, wall thickness and concrete strength on the bearing capacity of the twin steel plates-composite shear walls. The analysis results indicate that：（1）the initial shear stiffness and ultimate shear-carrying capacity is not significantly affected by the thickness of concrete wall but by the class of concrete,（2）both factors significantly impact the shear distribution of the shear walls in ultimate shear-carrying capacity. The technique of twin steel plates-composite shear walls has been successfully applied in the construction of a 88-meter Huge Statue of Buddha located in Hunan Province, China. The analysis results and engineering experiences showed that the twin steel plates-composite shear walls have great potential for future research and applications.

Keywords: twin steel plates-concrete composite shear wall, huge statue of Buddha, shear capacity, initial lateral stiffness, overturning moment bearing

Procedia PDF Downloads 396

Authors: Wendy Flory, Kazi Czarnecki, Matthijs Mercy, Mark Joswiak, Mary Beth Seasholtz

Abstract:

Polyurethane Materials are present in a wide range of industrial segments such as Furniture, Building and Construction, Composites, Automotive, Electronics, and more. Dow is one of the leaders for the manufacture of the two main raw materials, Isocyanates and Polyols used to produce polyurethane products. Dow is also a key player for the manufacture of Polyurethane Systems/Formulations designed for targeted applications. In 1990, the first analytical chemometric models were developed and deployed for use in the Dow QC labs of the polyols business for the quantification of OH, water, cloud point, and viscosity. Over the years many models have been added; there are now over 140 models for quantification and hundreds for product identification, too many to be reasonable for support. There are 29 global models alone for the quantification of OH across > 70 products at many sites. An attempt was made to consolidate these into a single model. While the consolidated model proved good statistics across the entire range of OH, several products had a bias by ASTM E1655 with individual product validation. This project summary will show the strategy for global model updates for OH, to reduce the number of models for quantification from over 140 to 5 or less using chemometric methods. In order to gain an understanding of the best product groupings, we identify clusters by reducing spectra to a few dimensions via Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection (UMAP). Results from these cluster analyses and a separate validation set allowed dow to reduce the number of models for predicting OH from 29 to 3 without loss of accuracy.

Keywords: hydroxyl, global model, model maintenance, near infrared, polyol

Procedia PDF Downloads 129

Authors: Tarek Hassan, Sanaa Abouras

Abstract:

Some factors such as interaction of migration process, cultural identity have an impact in a way that may lead to cultural disinheritance. Even if migrants' culture would not be lost, it may be affected by the new society culture. Therefore, it is anticipated that migration of an ethnic group would impact the culture of that group. Nubians; an ethnic group originated in South Egypt, have experienced migration that took place in the sixties of the past century. Nubians were forced to leave their origin land and relocate to Kom Ombo; an Egyptian town to the north of Aswan. The effect of migration on national culture, social homogeneity or the interest of social contact influences the attitudes of natives towards migration. Hence, it is very important for societies to help migrants to adapt to the new culture and at the same time not to impede migrants' effort to maintain their own culture. This study aims to investigate the effect of internal migration on the culture of Egyptian Nubians in order to predict if Nubian can maintain their own culture after the migration. Research question: what is the cultural influence of Nubians' migration from Egyptian Nubia to their new destinations? The researchers' hypothesis: there is mutual influence between the two cultures of Nubians and non-Nubians in Egypt. Results supported researchers' hypothesis as they observed that the Nubians managed to reserve balance between the maintenance of their own culture and the adoption of some cultural features of the community of their new destination(s). Also, the study examined why Nubians adhere to their culture although they left their land forever. Questionnaire and interviews were used to collect data from 80 informants; 40 Nubians and 40 non-Nubians in Kom-Ombo and the two cities of Cairo and Alexandria. Results suggested that there is obvious mutual cultural impact between Nubians and non-Nubians. The findings of this study would trigger the researchers to conduct further research on minorities for the deeper understanding of the impact of/on the culture of minorities.

Keywords: culture change, culture influence, culture maintenance, minority migration

Procedia PDF Downloads 220

Authors: Sung Uk Park, Young Su Kang, Sangmo Kang, Young Kweon Suh

Abstract:

Mineral product, waste concrete (fine aggregates), waste in the optical field, industry, and construction employ separators to separate solids and classify them according to their size. Various sorting machines are used in the industrial field such as those operating under electrical properties, centrifugal force, wind power, vibration, and magnetic force. Study on separators has been carried out to contribute to the environmental industry. In this study, we perform CFD analysis for understanding the basic mechanism of the separation of waste concrete (fine aggregate) particles from air with a machine built with a rotor with blades. In CFD, we first performed two-dimensional particle tracking for various particle sizes for the model with 1 degree, 1.5 degree, and 2 degree angle between each blade to verify the boundary conditions and the method of rotating domain method to be used in 3D. Then we developed 3D numerical model with ANSYS CFX to calculate the air flow and track the particles. We judged the capability of particle separation for given size by counting the number of particles escaping from the domain toward the exit among 10 particles issued at the inlet. We confirm that particles experience stagnant behavior near the exit of the rotating blades where the centrifugal force acting on the particles is in balance with the air drag force. It was also found that the minimum particle size that can be separated by the machine with the rotor is determined by its capability to stay at the outlet of the rotor channels.

Keywords: environmental industry, separator, CFD, fine aggregate

Procedia PDF Downloads 589

Authors: Tahir Ali Akbar, Hirra Jabbar

Abstract:

Land cover change analysis plays a significant role in understanding the trends of urban sprawl and land use transformation due to anthropogenic activities. In this study, the spatio-temporal dynamics of major land covers were analyzed in the last twenty years (1988-2016) for District Lahore located in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. The Landsat satellite imageries were downloaded from USGS Global Visualization Viewer of Earth Resources Observation and Science Center located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota USA. The imageries included: (i) Landsat TM-5 for 1988 and 2001; and (ii) Landsat-8 OLI for 2016. The raw digital numbers of Landsat-5 images were converted into spectral radiance and then planetary reflectance. The digital numbers of Landsat-8 image were directly converted into planetary reflectance. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to classify the processed images into six major classes of water, buit-up, barren land, shrub and grassland, sparse vegetation and dense vegetation. The NDVI output results were improved by visual interpretation using high-resolution satellite imageries. The results indicated that the built-up areas were increased to 21% in 2016 from 10% in 1988. The decrease in % areas was found in case of water, barren land and shrub & grassland. There were improvements in percentage of areas for the vegetation. The increasing trend of urban sprawl for Lahore requires implementation of GIS based spatial planning, monitoring and management system for its sustainable development.

Keywords: land cover changes, NDVI, remote sensing, urban sprawl

Procedia PDF Downloads 311

Authors: Lingfei Sun

Abstract:

Based on the significant value of ecology, the strategic planning for ecological civilization construction was mentioned in the 17th and 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. How to generate economic value based on the environmental capacity is not only an economic decision but also a political decision to make. Boshan took the full use of “Ecology” and transformed it as an inexhaustible green resource to benefit people, reflecting the sustainable value of new agriculture development mode. The Strawberry Harvest Festival and Blueberry Harvest Festival hosted approximately 96,000 and 54,000 leisure tourists respectively in 2014. For the Kiwi Harvest Festival in August 2014, in average, it attracted about 4600 tourists per day, which generated daily kiwi sales of 50,000 lbs and 3 million RMB (About 476,000 USD) of daily revenue. The purpose of this study is to elaborate the modes of agritourism development, by analyzing the cases in rural area of Boshan, China. Interviews with the local government officers were applied to discover operation mode of agritourism operation. The financial data was used to demonstrate the strength of government policy and improvement of the income of rural people. The result indicated that there are mainly three types of modes: the Intensive Mode, the Model Mode and the Mixed Mode, supported by case study respectively. With the boom of tourism, the development of agritourism in Boshan relies on the agriculture encouraging policy of China and the effort of local government; meanwhile, large scale of cultivation and the product differentiation are the crucial elements for the success of rural agritourism projects.

Keywords: agriculture, agritourism, economy, rural area development

Procedia PDF Downloads 305

Authors: Mangana B. Rampheri, Timothy Dube, Farai Dondofema, Tatenda Dalu

Abstract:

Identifying and delineating groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs) is critical to the well understanding of the GDEs spatial distribution as well as groundwater allocation. However, this information is inadequately understood due to limited available data for the most area of concerns. Thus, this study aims to address this gap using remotely sensed, analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and in-situ data to identify and delineate GDEs in Khakea-Bray Transboundary Aquifer. Our study developed GDEs index, which integrates seven explanatory variables, namely, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), Land-use and landcover (LULC), slope, Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), flow accumulation and curvature. The GDEs map was delineated using the weighted overlay tool in ArcGIS environments. The map was spatially classified into two classes, namely, GDEs and Non-GDEs. The results showed that only 1,34 % (721,91 km2) of the area is characterised by GDEs. Finally, groundwater level (GWL) data was used for validation through correlation analysis. Our results indicated that: 1) GDEs are concentrated at the northern, central, and south-western part of our study area, and 2) the validation results showed that GDEs classes do not overlap with GWL located in the 22 boreholes found in the given area. However, the results show a possible delineation of GDEs in the study area using remote sensing and GIS techniques along with AHP. The results of this study further contribute to identifying and delineating priority areas where appropriate water conservation programs, as well as strategies for sustainable groundwater development, can be implemented.

Keywords: analytical hierarchy process (AHP), explanatory variables, groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs), khakea-bray transboundary aquifer, sentinel-2

Procedia PDF Downloads 102

Authors: E. Cintura, M. I. Gomes

Abstract:

Nowadays, sustainable development issues have a key role in the planning of the man-made environment. Ensuring this development means limiting the impact of human activity on nature. It is essential to secure healthy places and good living conditions. For these reasons, indoor air quality and building materials play a fundamental role in sustainable architectural projects. These factors significantly affect human health: they can radically change the quality of the internal environment and energy consumption. The use of natural materials such as earth has many beneficial aspects in comfort and indoor air quality. As well as advantages in the environmental impact of the construction, they ensure a low energy consumption. Since they are already present in nature, their production and use do not require a high-energy consumption. Furthermore, they have a high thermo-hygrometric capacity, being able to absorb moisture, contributing positively to indoor conditions. Indoor air quality is closely related to relative humidity. For these reasons, it can be affirmed that the use of earth materials guarantees a sustainable development and at the same time improves the health of the building users. This paper summarizes several researches that demonstrate the importance of indoor air quality for human health and how it strictly depends on the building materials used. Eco-efficient plasters are also considered: earth and ash mortar. The bibliography consulted has the objective of supporting future experimental and laboratory analyzes. It is necessary to carry on with research by the use of simulations and testing to confirm the hygrothermal properties of eco-efficient plasters and therefore their ability to improve indoor air quality.

Keywords: hygroscopicity, hygrothermal comfort, mortar, plaster

Procedia PDF Downloads 134

Authors: Haniyeh Okhovat, Mahmood Hosseini, Omid Kaveh Ahangari, Mona Zaryoun

Abstract:

Shavadoon is a type of underground living space, formerly used in urban residences of Dezful and Shooshtar cities in southwestern Iran. In spite of their high efficiency in creating cool spaces for hot summers of that area, Shavadoons were abandoned, like many other components of vernacular architecture, as a result of the modernism movement. However, Shavadoons were used by the local people as shelters during the 8-year Iran-Iraq war, and although several cases of bombardment happened during those years, no case of damage was reported in those two cities. On this basis, and regarding the high seismicity of Iran, the use of Shavadoons as post-disasters shelters can be considered as a good issue for research. This paper presents the results of a thorough study conducted on these spaces and their seismic behavior. First, the architectural aspects of Shavadoon and their construction technique are presented. Then, the results of seismic evaluation of a sample Shavadoon, conducted by a series of time history analyses, using Plaxis software and a set of selected earthquakes, are briefly explained. These results show that Shavadoons have good stability against seismic excitations. This stability is mainly because of the high strength of conglomerate materials inside which the Shavadoons have been excavated. On this basis, and considering other merits of this components of vernacular architecture in southwest of Iran, it is recommended that the revival of these components is seriously reconsidered by both architects and civil engineers.

Keywords: Shavadoon, Iran high seismicity, Conglomerate, Modeling in Plaxis, Vernacular sustainable architecture

Procedia PDF Downloads 300

Authors: Ayelet Siman-Tov, Shlomo Kaniel

Abstract:

Objectives: The research validates a multivariate model that predicts parental adjustment to coping successfully with an autistic child. The model comprises four elements: parental stress, parental resources, parental adjustment and the child's autism symptoms. Background and aims: The purpose of the current study is the construction and validation of a model for the adjustment of parents and a child with autism. The suggested model is based on theoretical views on stress and links personal resources, stress, perception, parental mental health and quality of marriage and child adjustment with autism. The family stress approach focuses on the family as a system made up of a dynamic interaction between its members, who constitute interdependent parts of the system, and thus, a change in one family member brings about changes in the processes of the entire family system. From this perspective, a rise of new demands in the family and stress in the role of one family member affects the family system as a whole. Materials and methods: 176 parents of children aged between 6 to 16 diagnosed with ASD answered several questionnaires measuring parental stress, personal resources (sense of coherence, locus of control, social support), adjustment (mental health and marriage quality) and the child's autism symptoms. Results: Path analysis showed that a sense of coherence, internal locus of control, social support and quality of marriage increase the ability to cope with the stress of parenting an autistic child. Directions for further research are suggested.

Keywords: stress, adjustment, resources, Autism, parents, coherence

Procedia PDF Downloads 129

Authors: Sophy Ann Xavier, Lakshmi A

Abstract:

Gentrification is the process of altering a neighborhood's character through the influx of wealthier people and establishments. This idea has subsequently been expanded to encompass brand-new, high-status construction projects that involve regenerating brownfield sites or demolishing and rebuilding residential neighborhoods. Inequality is made worse by Gentrification in ways that go beyond socioeconomic position. The elderly, members of racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and mental health all suffer disproportionately when they are displaced. Cities must cultivate openness, diversity, and inclusion in their collaborations, as well as cooperation on objectives and results. The papers compiled in this issue concentrate on the new gentrification discussions, the rising residential allure of central cities, and the indices to measure this process according to its various varieties. The study makes an effort to fill the research gap in the area of gentrification studies, which is the absence of a set of indices for measuring Gentrification in a specific area. Studies on Gentrification that contain maps of historical change highlight trends that will aid in the production of displacement risk maps, which will guide future interventions by allowing residents and policymakers to extrapolate into the future. Additionally, these maps give locals a glimpse into the future of their communities and serve as a political call to action in areas where residents are expected to be displaced. This study intends to pinpoint metrics and approaches for measuring Gentrification that can then be applied to create a spatiotemporal map of a region and tactics for its inclusive planning. An understanding of various approaches will enable planners and policymakers to select the best approach and create the appropriate plans.

Keywords: gentrification, indices, methods, quantification

Procedia PDF Downloads 72

Authors: Shalini Singh, Sanjay K. Srivastava, Govind, Mukhtar. A. Khan, P. K. Singh

Abstract:

Nanotechnology is revolutionizing the development of biosensors. Nanomaterials and nanofabrication technologies are increasingly being used to design novel biosensors. Sensitivity and other attributes of biosensors can be improved by using nanomaterials with unique chemical, physical, and mechanical properties in their construction. Silicon is a promising biomaterial that is non-toxic and biodegradable and can be exploited in chemical and biological sensing. Present study demonstrated the streptavidin–biotin interaction on silicon surfaces with different topographies such as flat and nanostructured silicon (nanowires) surfaces. Silicon nanowires with wide range of surface to volume ratio were prepared by electrochemical etching of silicon wafer. The large specific surface of silicon nanowires can be chemically modified to link different molecular probes (DNA strands, enzymes, proteins and so on), which recognize the target analytes, in order to enhance the selectivity and specificity of the sensor device. The interaction of streptavidin with biotin was carried out on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) functionalized silicon surfaces. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) studies have been performed to characterize the surface characteristics to ensure the protein attachment. Silicon nanowires showed the enhance protein attachment, as compared to flat silicon surface due to its large surface area and good molecular penetration to its surface. The methodology developed herein could be generalized to a wide range of protein-ligand interactions, since it is relatively easy to conjugate biotin with diverse biomolecules such as antibodies, enzymes, peptides, and nucleotides.

Keywords: FTIR, silicon nanowires, streptavidin-biotin, XPS

Procedia PDF Downloads 407

Authors: Muhammad Ishaqa, Quanchao Zhanga, Qian Wangb

Abstract:

The Indus Valley Civilization is predominantly found in the northeast of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the northwest of India and is considered one of the four ancient civilizations of the Old World, as well as the first urban civilization in South Asia. In 1920, John Marshall and other archaeologists established the existence of this civilization. Over the course of a century, India and Pakistan have made significant advancements in their joint archaeological investigation and excavation, contributing to the study of the Indus Valley Civilization. Given the importance of early discovery and confirmation of this civilization, our research focuses on the academic history of its archaeology by gathering published research material. Our research begins by collecting research data associated with the Indus Valley Civilization and documenting the process of archaeological investigations and excavations from the 19th century until the present day. We also summarize the archaeological works conducted during different periods. Furthermore, we present the primary academic views on the Indus Civilization from the 19th century until the present, explaining their developmental process and highlighting recent research. This forms a foundation for further study. We discovered that the archaeological research of the Indus Civilization is significantly influenced by Western archaeology and has yet to establish an independent, local research system. We delve into the three primary sites of the Indus Valley Civilization - Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, and Chanhudaro - discussing their history and archaeological excavation records. Our findings indicate that the Indus Civilization is solely dependent on archaeology, distinguishing it from the Sumerian Civilization and verifying that it originates from the Bronze Age of the Indus Valley. Lastly, we examine the primary academic issues associated with the Indus Civilization in greater depth. These issues include climate environment, political system, primitive religion, and academic contribution.

Keywords: Indus Valley civilization, archaeology, Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro

Procedia PDF Downloads 48

Authors: Peter O. Nwadike, Sylvia O. Anyadoh-Nwadike, Chukwunonyerem Ogwunga, I. N. S. Dozie

Abstract:

Purpose: This study was aimed at determining the knowledge and attitude of female workers in six selected rural Local Government Areas of Imo State (Ezinihitte Mbaise, Ngor Okpala, Ohaji/Egbema, Ideato South, Ihitte Uboma and Obowo) towards cervical cancer and its screening. Methodology: Data was collected using a validated open-ended, semi-structured questionnaire. After responses to the questionnaire were received, a seminar on Cervical cancer and its screening was delivered to the respondents. Afterward, a second set of the same questionnaires was administered to the same respondents. A total of 460 women of reproductive age were randomly selected upon their informed consent. Data obtained/responses were analyzed using simple percentages. The chi-square test was used to assess the relationship by testing the hypothesis. Result: Results revealed that, before the seminar, a high average percentage of 72.2% (332) of respondents had not heard of cervical cancer while 27.8% (128) had heard. Of those who know about Cervical cancer, an average of 70.3% (90) showed low knowledge. The majority of respondents, 366 (79.6%), had poor attitudes toward screening. They mostly implicated lack of awareness 205 (44.6%) and lack of funds 104 (22.6%) as major reasons for not participating in the screening test. Few 128 (27.8%) agreed to go for screening and vaccination. After the awareness, 400 (87%) agreed to go for the screening test and vaccination if free/affordable. None of the participants had ever been screened. A significant relationship between attitude to cervical cancer and level of knowledge and academic level and attitude to cervical cancer screening was obtained. Conclusion: This calls for continued enlightenment about cervical cancer screening, especially as soon as sexual activity begins.

Keywords: cervical cancer, rural areas, Imo state, knowledge, attitude

Procedia PDF Downloads 14

Authors: Rasaq Bello, Grace Akintola Sunday, Yemi Sikiru Onifade

Abstract:

Groundwater is required for the continuity of life and sustainability of the ecosystem. Hence, this research was purposed to assess groundwater quality for domestic use in Kaltungo Local Government Area, Gombe State. The work was also aimed at determining the thickness and resistivity of the topsoil, areas suitable for borehole construction, quality and potentials of groundwater in the study area. The study area extends from latitude N10015’38” - E11008’01” and longitude N10019’29” - E11013’05”. The data was acquired using the Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) method and processed using IP12win software. Twenty (20) Vertical Electrical Soundings were carried out with a maximum current electrode separation (AB) of 150m. The VES curves generated from the data reveal that all the VES points have five to six subsurface layers. The first layer has a resistivity value of 7.5 to 364.1 Ωm and a thickness ranging from 0.8 to 7.4m, and the second layer has a resistivity value of 1.8 to 600.3 Ωm thickness ranging from 2.6 to 31.4m, the third layer has resistivity value of 23.3 to 564.4 Ωm thickness ranging from 10.3 to 77.8m, the fourth layer has resistivity value of 19.7 to 640.2 Ωm thickness ranging from 8.2m to 120.0m, the fifth layer has resistivity value of 27 to 234 Ωm thickness ranging from 8.2 to 53.7m and the six-layer is the layer that extended beyond the probing depth. The VES curves generated from the data revealed KQHA curve type for VES 1, HKQQ curve for VES 4, HKQ curve for VES 5, KHA curve for VES 11, QQHK curve for VES 12, HAA curve for VES 6 and VES 19, HAKH curve for VES 7, VES 8, VES 10 and VES 18, HKH curve for VES 2, VES 3, VES 9, VES 13, VES 14, VES 15, VES 16, VES 17 and VES 20. Values of the Coefficient of Anisotropy, Reflection Coefficient, and Resistivity Contrast obtained from the Dar-Zarrouk parameters indicated good water prospects for all the VES points in this study, with VES points 4, 9 and 18 having the highest prospects for groundwater exploration.

Keywords: formation parameters, groundwater, resistivity, resistivity contrast, vertical electrical sounding

Procedia PDF Downloads 43

Authors: Deng Tingting

Abstract:

The coordinated and integrated development of regions is an inevitable requirement for China to move towards high-quality, sustainable development. As one of the regions with the best economic foundation and the strongest economic strength in western China, it is a typical area with national importance and strong network connection characteristics in terms of the comprehensive effect of linking the inland hinterland and connecting the western and national urban networks. The integrated development of the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle is of great strategic significance for the rapid and high-quality development of the western region. In the context of new urbanization, this paper takes 16 urban units within the economic circle as the research object, based on the 5-year panel data of population, regional economy, and spatial construction and development from 2016 to 2020, using the entropy method and Theil index to analyze the three target layers, and cause analysis. The research shows that there are temporal and spatial differences in the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, and there are significant differences between the core city and the surrounding cities. Therefore, by reforming and innovating the regional coordinated development mechanism, breaking administrative barriers, and strengthening the "polar nucleus" radiation function to release the driving force for economic development, especially in the gully areas of economic development belts, not only promote the coordinated development of internal regions but also promote the coordinated and sustainable development of the western region and take a high-quality development path.

Keywords: Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle, new urbanization, coordinated regional development, Theil Index

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: A. Majczak, G. Baranski, K. Pietrykowski

Abstract:

Due to the growing popularity of light aircraft, it has become necessary to develop aircraft engines for this type of construction. One of engine system, designed to increase efficiency and reduce weight, is the engine with opposed pistons. In such an engine, the combustion chamber is formed by two pistons moving in one cylinder. Therefore, this type of engines run in a two-stroke cycle, so they have many advantages such as high power and torque, high efficiency, or a favorable power-to-weight ratio. Tests of one of the available aircraft engines with opposing piston system fueled with diesel oil were carried out on an engine dynamometer equipped with an eddy current brake and the necessary measuring and testing equipment. In order to get to know the basic parameters of the engine, the tests were carried out under partial load conditions for the following torque values: 40, 60, 80, 100 Nm. The rotational speed was changed from 1600 to 2500 rpm. Measurements were also taken for designated points of propeller characteristics. During the tests, the engine torque, engine power, fuel consumption, intake manifold pressure, and oil pressure were recorded. On the basis of the measurements carried out for particular loads, the power curve, hourly and specific fuel consumption curves were determined. Characteristics of charge pressure as a function of rotational speed as well as power, torque, hourly and specific fuel consumption curves for propeller characteristics were also prepared. The obtained characteristics make it possible to select the optimal points of engine operation.

Keywords: aircraft, diesel, engine testing, opposed piston

Procedia PDF Downloads 148

Authors: Jacob J. Shila, Xiaoyu O. Wu

Abstract:

As the applications of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) continue to increase across the world, it is critical to understand the factors that contribute to incidents and accidents associated with these systems. Given the variety of daily applications that could utilize the operations of the UAV (e.g., medical, security operations, construction activities, landscape activities), the main discussion has been how to safely incorporate the UAV into the national airspace system. The types of UAV incidents being reported range from near sightings by other pilots to actual collisions with aircraft or UAV. These incidents have the potential to impact the rest of aviation operations in a variety of ways, including human lives, liability costs, and delay costs. One of the largest causes of these incidents cited is the human factor; other causes cited include maintenance, aircraft, and others. This work investigates the key human factors associated with UAV incidents. To that end, the data related to UAV incidents that have occurred in the United States is both reviewed and analyzed to identify key human factors related to UAV incidents. The data utilized in this work is gathered from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) drone database. This study adopts the human factor analysis and classification system (HFACS) to identify key human factors that have contributed to some of the UAV failures to date. The uniqueness of this work is the incorporation of UAV incident data from a variety of applications and not just military data. In addition, identifying the specific human factors is crucial towards developing safety operational models and human factor guidelines for the UAV. The findings of these common human factors are also compared to similar studies in other countries to determine whether these factors are common internationally.

Keywords: human factors, incidents and accidents, safety, UAS, UAV

Procedia PDF Downloads 233

Authors: Savas Yildiz

Abstract:

The article assesses the performance of international aid donors to determine the sub-national distribution of their aid projects dependent on recipient countries’ governance. The present paper extends the scope from a cross-country perspective to a more detailed analysis by looking at the effects of institutional qualities on the sub-national distribution of foreign aid. The analysis examines geo-referenced aid project in 37 countries and 404 regions at the first administrative division level in Sub-Saharan Africa from the World Bank (WB) and the African Development Bank (ADB) that were approved between the years 2000 and 2011. To measure the influence of institutional qualities on the distribution of aid the following measures are used: control of corruption, government effectiveness, regulatory quality and rule of law from the World Governance Indicators (WGI) and the corruption perception index from Transparency International. Furthermore, to assess the importance of ethnic heterogeneity on the sub-national distribution of aid projects, the study also includes interaction terms measuring ethnic fragmentation. The regression results indicate a general skew of aid projects towards regions which hold capital cities, however, being incumbent presidents’ birth region does not increase the allocation of aid projects significantly. Nevertheless, with increasing quality of institutions aid projects are less skewed towards capital regions and the previously estimated coefficients loose significance in most cases. Higher ethnic fragmentation also seems to impede the possibility to allocate aid projects mainly in capital city regions and presidents’ birth places. Additionally, to assess the performance of the WB based on its own proclaimed goal to aim the poor in a country, the study also includes sub-national wealth data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DSH), and finds that, even with better institutional qualities, regions with a larger share from the richest quintile receive significantly more aid than regions with a larger share of poor people. With increasing ethnic diversity, the allocation of aid projects towards regions where the richest citizens reside diminishes, but still remains high and significant. However, regions with a larger share of poor people still do not receive significantly more aid. This might imply that the sub-national distribution of aid projects increases in general with higher ethnic fragmentation, independent of the diverse regional needs. The results provide evidence that institutional qualities matter to undermine the influence of incumbent presidents on the allocation of aid projects towards their birth regions and capital regions. Moreover, even for countries with better institutional qualities the WB and the ADB do not seem to be able to aim the poor in a country with their aid projects. Even, if one considers need-based variables, such as infant mortality and child mortality rates, aid projects do not seem to be allocated in districts with a larger share of people in need. Therefore, the study provides further evidence using more detailed information on the sub-national distribution of aid projects that aid is not being allocated effectively towards regions with a larger share of poor people to alleviate poverty in recipient countries directly. Institutions do not have any significant influence on the sub-national distribution of aid towards the poor.

Keywords: aid allocation, georeferenced data, institutions, spatial analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 113

Authors: Adedayo Jeremiah Adeyekun, Samuel Oluwagbemiga Ishola

Abstract:

This research aims to study the use of traditional building materials for the repair and refurbishment of historic buildings in India and to provide an authentic treatment of historical buildings that will be highly considered by taking into consideration the new standards of rehabilitating process. This can be proven to be an effective solution over modern impervious material due to its compatibility with traditional building methods and materials. For example, their elastoplastic properties allow accommodating movement due to settlement or moisture/temperature changes without cracking. The use of lime also enhances workability, water retention and bond characteristics. Lime is considered to be a natural, traditional material, but it is also sustainable and energy-efficient, with production powered by biomass and emissions up to 25% less than cementitious materials. However, there is a lack of comprehensive data on the impact of lime‐based materials on the energy efficiency and thermal properties of traditional buildings and structures. Although lime mortars, renders and plasters were largely superseded by cement-based products in the first half of the 20th century, lime has a long and proven track record dating back to ancient times. This was used by the Egyptians in 4000BC to construct the pyramids. This doesn't mean that lime is an outdated technology, nor is it difficult to be used as a material. In fact, lime has a growing place in modern construction, with increasing numbers of designers choosing to use lime-based products because of their special properties. To carry out this research, some historic buildings will be surveyed and information will be derived from the textbooks and journals related to Architectural restoration.

Keywords: lime, materials, historic, buildings, sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 161

Authors: Domenico Chizzoniti, Monica Moscatelli, Letizia Cattani, Luca Preis

Abstract:

A primary healthcare facility in developing countries should be a multifunctional space able to respond to different requirements: Flexibility, modularity, aggregation and reversibility. These basic features could be better satisfied if applied to an architectural artifact that complies with the typological, figurative and constructive aspects of the context in which it is located. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to identify a procedure that can define the figurative aspects of the architectural structure of the health prototype for the marginal areas of developing countries through a critical approach. The application context is the rural areas of the Northeast of Bahia in Brazil. The prototype should be located in the rural district of Quingoma, in the municipality of Lauro de Freitas, a particular place where there is still a cultural fusion of black and indigenous populations. Based on the historical analysis of settlement strategies and architectural structures in spaces of public interest or collective use, this paper aims to provide a procedure able to identify the categories and rules underlying typological and figurative aspects, in order to detect significant and generalizable elements, as well as materials and constructive techniques typically adopted in the rural areas of Brazil. The object of this work is therefore not only the recovery of certain constructive approaches but also the development of a procedure that integrates the requirements of the primary healthcare prototype with its surrounding economic, social, cultural, settlement and figurative conditions.

Keywords: architectural typology, developing countries, local construction techniques, primary health care.

Procedia PDF Downloads 313

Authors: Joanne Sin Wei Yeoh, Quynh Lê, Rosa McManamey

Abstract:

Food security indicates the ability of individuals, households and communities to acquire food that is healthy, sustainable, affordable, appropriate and accessible. Despite Australia’s current ability to produce enough food to feed a population larger than its current population, there has been substantial evidence over the last decades to demonstrate many Australians struggle to feed themselves, including those from a cultural and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. The study aimed to investigate migrants’ perceptions and experiences on food security in Tasmania. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 migrants residing in North, South and North West Tasmania, who were recruited through purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the interview data. Four main themes were identified from the interview data: (1) Understanding of food security; (2) Experiences with the food security in Tasmania; (3) Factors that influence migrants’ food security in Tasmania; and (4) Acculturation strategies. Various sub-themes have emerged under each of these four major themes. Though the findings indicate participants are satisfied with their current food security in Tasmania, they still encounter some challenges in food availability, accessibility, and affordability in Tasmania. Factors that influence migrants’ food security were educational background, language barrier, socioeconomic status, geographical isolation, and cultural background. By using different acculturation strategies, migrants managed to adapt to the new food culture. In addition, social and cultural capitals were also treated as vital roles in improving migrants’ food security. The findings indicate migrants residing in Tasmania face different challenges on food security. They use different strategies for food security while acculturating into a new environment. The findings may provide useful information for migrants in Australia and various private organisations or relevant government departments that address food security for migrants.

Keywords: experiences, food security, migrants, perceptions

Procedia PDF Downloads 417

Authors: Ambalika Ekka

Abstract:

In today’s world, the growing demand for urban built forms has resulted in the production and consumption of building materials i.e. embodied energy in building construction, leading to pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore, new buildings will offer a unique opportunity to implement more energy efficient building without compromising on building performance of the building. Embodied energy of building materials forms major contribution to embodied energy in buildings. The paper results in an approach towards designing an energy efficient apartment building through embodied energy assessment. This paper discusses the trend of residential development in Rourkela, which includes three case studies of the contemporary houses, followed by architectural elements, number of storeys, predominant material use and plot sizes using primary data. It results in identification of predominant material used and other characteristics in urban area. Further, the embodied energy coefficients of various dominant building materials and alternative materials manufactured in Indian Industry is taken in consideration from secondary source i.e. literature study. The paper analyses the embodied energy by estimating materials and operational energy of proposed building followed by altering the specifications of the materials based on the building components i.e. walls, flooring, windows, insulation and roof through res build India software and comparison of different options is assessed with consideration of sustainable parameters. This paper results that autoclaved aerated concrete block only reaches the energy performance Index benchmark i.e. 69.35 kWh/m² yr i.e. by saving 4% of operational energy and as embodied energy has no particular index, out of all materials it has the highest EE 23206202.43  MJ.

Keywords: energy efficient, embodied energy, EPI, building materials

Procedia PDF Downloads 182

Authors: Malleshappa Japagal, Srinivas Chitragar

Abstract:

The use of waste plastic in pavement is becoming important alternative worldwide for disposal of plastic as well as to improve the stability of pavement and to meet out environmental issues. However, there are still concerns on fatigue and fracture resistance of Hot Mix Asphalt with the addition of plastic waste, (HMA-Plastic mixes) and moisture damage potential. The present study was undertaken to evaluate fracture resistance of HMA-Plastic mixes using semi-circular bending (SCB) test and moisture damage potential by Indirect Tensile strength (ITS) test using retained tensile strength (TSR). In this study, a dense graded asphalt mix with 19 mm nominal maximum aggregate size was designed in the laboratory using Marshall Mix design method. Aggregates were coated with different percentages of waste plastic (0%, 2%, 3% and 4%) by weight of aggregate and performance evaluation of fracture resistance and Moisture damage was carried out. The following parameters were estimated for the mixes: J-Integral or Jc, strain energy at failure, peak load at failure, and deformation at failure. It was found that the strain energy and peak load of all the mixes decrease with an increase in notch depth, indicating that increased percentage of plastic waste gave better fracture resistance. The moisture damage potential was evaluated by Tensile strength ratio (TSR). The experimental results shown increased TRS value up to 3% addition of waste plastic in HMA mix which gives better performance hence the use of waste plastic in road construction is favorable.

Keywords: hot mix asphalt, semi circular bending, marshall mix design, tensile strength ratio

Procedia PDF Downloads 299