Search results for: chloride environments

Authors: Fetoon K. Algarawi, Wejdan A. Alslamah, Ahlam A. Alhabib, Afnan S. Alfehaid, Dina M. Ibrahim

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Over the past 20 years, technology was rapidly developed and no one expected what will come next. Advancements in technology open new opportunities for immersive learning environments. There is a need to transmit education to a level that makes it more effective for the student. Augmented reality is one of the most popular technologies these days. This paper is an experience of applying Augmented Reality (AR) technology using a marker-based approach in E-learning system to transmitting virtual objects into the real-world scenes. We present a marker-based approach for transmitting virtual objects into real-world scenes to explain information in a better way after we developed a mobile phone application. The mobile phone application was then tested on students to determine the extent to which it encouraged them to learn and understand the subjects. In this paper, we talk about how the beginnings of AR, the fields using AR, how AR is effective in education, the spread of AR these days and the architecture of our work. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to prove how creating an interactive e-learning system using AR technology will encourage students to learn more.

Keywords: augmented reality, e-learning, marker-based, monitor-based

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Authors: D. Gueribiz, F. Jacquemin, S. Fréour

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During their service life, composite materials are submitted to humid environments. The moisture absorbed by their matrix polymer induced internal stresses which can lead to multi-scale damage and may reduce the lifetime of composite structures. The estimation of internal stresses is based at a first on realistic evaluation of the diffusive behavior of composite materials. Generally, the modeling and simulation of the diffusive behavior of composite materials are extensively investigated through decoupled models based on the assumption of Fickien behavior. For these approaches, the concentration and the deformation (or stresses), the two state variables of the problem considered are governed by independent equations which are solved separately. In this study, a model coupling diffusive behavior with stresses state for a polymer matrix composite reinforced with impermeable fibers is proposed, the investigation of diffusive behavior is based on a more general thermodynamic approach which introduces a dependence of diffusive behavior on internal stresses state. The coupled diffusive behavior modeling was established in first for homogeneous and isotropic matrix and it is, thereafter, extended to impermeable unidirectional composites.

Keywords: composites materials, moisture diffusion, effective moisture diffusivity, coupled moisture diffusion

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Authors: Golden J. Zhang, Dongbao Zhou

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Darcy’s law is the fundamental theory in fluid dynamics and engineering applications. Although Darcy linearity was found to be valid for slow, viscous flow, non-linear and non-Darcian flow has been well documented under both small and large velocity fluid flow. Various classical models were proposed and used widely to quantify non-Darcian flow, including the well-known Forchheimer, Izbash, and Swartzendruber models. Applications, however, revealed limitations of these models. Here we propose a general model built upon the Caputo fractional derivative to quantify non-Darcian flow for various flows (laminar to turbulence).Real-world applications and model comparisons showed that the new fractional-derivative model, which extends the fractional model proposed recently by Zhou and Yang (2018), can capture the non-Darcian flow in the relatively small velocity in low-permeability deposits and the relatively high velocity in high-permeability sand. A scale effect was also identified for non-Darcian flow in fractured rocks. Therefore, fractional calculus may provide an efficient tool to improve classical models to quantify fluid dynamics in aquatic environments.

Keywords: fractional derivative, darcy’s law, non-darcian flow, fluid dynamics

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Authors: Brooklyn Rushton, Michelle Rutty, Natalie Knowles, Daniel Scott

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As people are increasingly on the search for extraordinary experiences and connections with nature, adventure tourism is experiencing significant growth and providing tourists with life-changing experiences. Unlike built attraction-based tourism, adventure tourism relies entirely on natural heritage, which leaves communities dependent on adventure tourism extremely vulnerable to environmental and climatic changes. A growing body of evidence suggests that global climate change will influence the future of adventure tourism and mountain outdoor recreation opportunities on a global scale. Across Canada, more specifically, climate change is broadly anticipated to present risks for winter-snow sports, while opportunities are anticipated to arise for green season activities. These broad seasonal shifts do not account for the indirect impacts of climate change on adventure tourism, such as the cost of adaptation or the increase of natural hazards and the associated likelihood of accidents. While some research has examined the impact of climate change on natural environments that adventure tourism relies on, a very small body of research has specifically focused on guides’ perspectives or included hard adventure tourism activities. The guiding industry is unique, as guides are trained through an elegant blend of art and science to make decisions based on experience, observation, and intuition. While quantitative research can monitor change in natural environments, guides local knowledge can provide eye-witness accounts and outline what environmental changes mean for the future sustainability of adventure tourism. This research will capture the extensive knowledge of mountain guides to better understand the implications of climate change for mountain adventure and potential adaptive responses for the adventure tourism industry. This study uses a structured online survey with open and close-ended questions that will be administered using Qualtrics (an online survey platform). This survey is disseminated to current members of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides (ACMG). Participation in this study will be exclusive to members of the ACMG operating in the outdoor guiding streams. The 25 survey questions are organized into four sections: demographic and professional operation (9 questions), physical change (4 questions), climate change perception (6 questions), and climate change adaptation (6 questions). How mountain guides perceive and respond to climate change is important knowledge for the future of the expanding adventure tourism industry. Results from this study are expected to provide important information to mountain destinations on climate change vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Expected results of this study include guides insight into: (1) experience-safety relevant observed physical changes in guided regions (i.e. glacial coverage, permafrost coverage, precipitation, temperature, and slope instability) (2) changes in hazards within the guiding environment (i.e. avalanches, rockfall, icefall, forest fires, flooding, and extreme weather events), (3) existing and potential adaptation strategies, and (4) key information and other barriers for adaptation. By gaining insight from the knowledge of mountain guides, this research can help the tourism industry at large understand climate risk and create adaptation strategies to ensure the resiliency of the adventure tourism industry.

Keywords: adventure tourism, climate change, environmental change, mountain hazards

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Authors: Sebastian Gerber, Julian Fesel, Christian Zimmer, Pauline Yzombard, Daniel Comparat, Michael Doser

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Molecular anions play a central role in a wide range of fields: from atmospheric and interstellar science, anionic superhalogens to the chemistry of highly correlated systems. However, up to now the synthesis of negative ions in a controlled manner at ultracold temperatures, relevant for the processes in which they are involved, is currently limited to a few Kelvin by supersonic beam expansion followed by resistive, buffer gas or electron cooling in cryogenic environments. We present a realistic scheme for laser cooling of C2- molecules to sub-Kelvin temperatures, which has so far only been achieved for a few neutral diatomic molecules. The generation of a pulsed source of C2- and subsequent laser cooling techniques of C2- molecules confined in a Penning trap are reviewed. Further, laser cooling of one anionic species would allow to sympathetically cool other molecular anions, electrons and antiprotons that are confined in the same trapping potential. In this presentation the status of the experiment and the feasibility of C2- sympathetic Doppler laser cooling, photo-detachment cooling and AC-Stark Sisyphus cooling will be reviewed.

Keywords: antiprotons, anions, cooling of ions and molecules, Doppler cooling, photo-detachment, penning trap, Sisyphus cooling, sympathetic cooling

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Authors: Helle Nissen

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Physical objects surrounding people in healthcare environments are carriers of institutional logics materialized into the objects by its producers. However, institutional logics research lacks to inform us how logics become materialized and are perceived by producers vs. users of an object. The study is based on a 3-year longitudinal case study of a Danish Public Private Innovation project aiming to co-create an innovative healthcare bed commercialized to public psychiatric hospitals. The producers are a private metal firm and industrial designers from two Danish regions. The findings demonstrate that the metal firm and designers, as producers, negotiate about materializing different logics into the bed throughout the innovation process. An aesthetic logic is prioritized most, and the producers encode it with the intention to develop a bed that looks homely and less hospital-like compared to previous and existing healthcare beds. After the bed is put into use, the aesthetic logic is decoded by the users. Their perception of it differs significantly from the producers’ intended meaning, as the healthcare bed is perceived as sterile. The study has theoretical implications: It demonstrates how logics become materialized ‘here and now’, and it reveals logics as less governed by stable and clear meanings but rather as subject to changeable perceptions.

Keywords: co-creation, healthcare innovation, commercialization, institutional logics

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Authors: Getu Hailu, Catelynn Hettick, Niklas Pieper, Paul Kim, Augustine Hamner

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Airborne transmission is a problem that all viral respiratory diseases have in common. In late 2019, a disease outbreak, now known as SARS-CoV-2, suddenly expanded across China and the rest of the world in a matter of months. Research on the spread and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 airborne particles is ongoing, as well as the development of strategies for the prevention of the spread of these pathogens using indoor air quality (IAQ) methods. By evaluating the surface area of pollutants on the surface of a mannequin in a mock-based clinic room, this study aims to better understand how altering temperature and relative humidity affect aerosol spread and contamination. Four experiments were carried out at a constant temperature of 70 degrees Fahrenheit but with four different humidity levels of 0%, 30%, 45 percent, and 60%. The mannequin was placed in direct aerosol flow since it was discovered that this was the position with the largest exposed surface area. The findings demonstrate that as relative humidity increased while the temperature remained constant, the amount of surface area infected by virus particles decreased. These findings point to approaches to reduce the spread of viral particles, such as SARS-CoV-2 and emphasize the significance of IAQ controls in enclosed environments.

Keywords: IAQ, ventilation, COVID-19, humidity, temperature

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Authors: Mutasim A. M. Ez Eldin, Tareq Saeid Al Zahrani, Gabel Zamil Al-Barakati, Ibrahim Mohamed AlHarthi, Marwan Mohamed Al Saikhan, Waleed Abdel Aziz Al Aklouk, Waheed Mohamed Saeid Ba Amer

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The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) of Al Madinah Al Munawarah is one of the major projects and represents a cornerstone for the new development activities for Al Madinah. The study area contains different geological units dominated by basalt and overlain by surface deposits. The surface soils vary in thickness and can be classified into well-graded SAND with silt and gravel (SW-SM), silty SAND with gravel (SM), silty GRAVEL with sand (GM), and sandy SILTY clay (CL-ML). The subsurface soil obtained from the drilled boreholes can be classified into poorly graded GRAVEL (GP), well-graded GRAVEL with sand (GW), poorly graded GRAVEL with silt (GP-GM), silty CLAYEY gravel with sand (GC-GM), silty SAND with gravel (SM), silt with SAND (ML), and silty CLAY with sand (CL-ML), sandy lean CLAY (CL), and lean CLAY (CL). The relative density of the deposit and the different gravel sizes intercalated with the soil influenced the Standard Penetration Tests (SPT) values. The SPT N values are high and approach refusal even at shallow depths. The shallow refusal depth (0.10 to 0.90m) of the Dynamic Cone Penetration Test (DCPT) was observed. Generally, the soil can be described as inactive with low plasticity and dense to very dense consistency. The basalt of the KEC site is characterized by slightly (W2) to moderately (W3) weathering, their strength ranges from moderate (S4) to very strong (S2), and the Rock Quality Designation (RQD) ranges from very poor (R5) to excellent (R1). The engineering geological map of the KEC characterized the geoengineering properties of the soil and rock materials and classified them into many zones. The high sulphate (SO₄²⁻) and chloride (Cl⁻) contents in groundwater call for protective measures for foundation concrete. The current study revealed that geohazard(s) mitigation measures concerning floods, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes should be taken into consideration.

Keywords: engineering geology, KEC, petrographic description, rock and soil investigations

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Authors: Li Li, Kai-Hsuan Chu

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It is well known that the real estate price depends on a lot of factors. Each house current value is dependent on the location, room number, transportation, living convenience, year and surrounding environments. Although, there are different experienced models for housing agent to estimate the price, it is a case by case study without overall dynamic variation investigation. However, many economic parameters may more or less influence the real estate price variation. Here, the influences of most macroeconomic parameters on real estate price are investigated individually based on least-square scheme and grey correlation strategy. Then those parameters are classified into leading indices, simultaneous indices and laggard indices. In addition, the leading time period is evaluated based on least square method. The important leading and simultaneous indices can be used to establish an artificial intelligent neural network model for real estate price variation prediction. The real estate price variation of Taipei, Taiwan during 2005 ~ 2017 are chosen for this research data analysis and validation. The results show that the proposed method has reasonable prediction function for real estate business reference.

Keywords: real estate price, least-square, grey correlation, macroeconomics

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Authors: J. Burlakovs, Y. Jani, L. Grinberga, M. Kriipsalu, O. Anne, I. Grinfelde, W. Hogland

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The worldwide future sustainable economies are oriented towards the sea: the maritime economy is becoming one of the strongest driving forces in many regions as population growth is the highest in coastal areas. For hundreds of years sea resources were depleted unsustainably by fishing, mining, transportation, tourism, and waste. European Sustainable Development Strategy is identifying and developing actions to enable the EU to achieve a continuous, long-term improvement of the quality of life through the creation of sustainable communities. The aim of this paper is to provide insight in Baltic Sea Region case studies on implemented actions on tourism industry waste and beach wrack management in coastal areas, hazardous contaminants and plastic flow treatment from waste, wastewaters and stormwaters. These projects mentioned in study promote successful prevention of contaminant flows to the sea environments and provide perspectives for creation of valuable new products from residuals for future circular economy are the step forward to green innovation winning streak.

Keywords: resilience, hazardous waste, phytoremediation, water management, circular economy

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Authors: Mayada Attia Ibrahim

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Evaluating and developing the electroplating production process is a key challenge in this type of process. The process is influenced by several factors such as process parameters, process costs, and production environments. Analyzing and optimizing all these factors together requires extensive analytical techniques that are not available in real-case industrial entities. This paper presents a practice-based framework for the evaluation and optimization of some of the crucial factors that affect the costs and production times associated with this type of process, energy costs, material costs, and product flow times. The proposed approach uses Design of Experiments, Discrete-Event Simulation, and Theory of Constraints were respectively used to identify the most significant factors affecting the production process and simulate a real production line to recognize the effect of these factors and assign possible bottlenecks. Several scenarios are generated as corrective strategies for improving the production line. Following that, data envelopment analysis CCR input-oriented DEA model is used to evaluate and optimize the suggested scenarios.

Keywords: electroplating process, simulation, design of experiment, performance optimization, theory of constraints, data envelopment analysis

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Authors: Ahmed Ferhati, Arezki Adjrad, Ratiba Mitiche-Kettab, Hakim Djafer Khodja

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The porous media are omnipresent around us that they are natural as sand, clay, rocks, or manufactured like concretes, cement, and ceramics. The variety of porous environment indicates a wide material range which can be very different from each other. Their common point is to be made up of a solid matrix and a porous space. In our case of study, we made the modeling of the flows in porous environments through the massives as in the case of an earth dam. The computer code used (PLAXIS) offer the possibility of modeling of various structures, in particular, the works in lands because that it deals with the pore water pressure due to the underground flow and the calculation of the plastic deformations. To confirm results obtained by PLAXIS, GeoStudio SEEP/W code was used. This work treats modeling of flows and mechanical and hydraulic behavior of earth dam. A general framework which can fit the calculation of this kind of structures and the coupling of the soil consolidation and free surface flows was defined. In this study; we have confronted a real case modeling of an earth dam. It was shown, in particular, that it is possible to entirely lead the calculation of real dam and to get encouraging results from the hydraulic and mechanical point of view.

Keywords: analyzes, dam, flow, modeling, PLAXIS, seep/w, slope

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Authors: Pratham Madnur, Prathamkumar Shetty, Sneha Varur, Gouri Parashetti

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In order to overcome conventional obstacles, this research paper investigates novel approaches for cricket pitch and ball detection that make use of cutting-edge technologies. The research integrates OpenCV for pitch inspection and modifies the YOLOv8 model for cricket ball detection in order to overcome the shortcomings of manual pitch assessment and traditional ball detection techniques. To ensure flexibility in a range of pitch environments, the pitch detection method leverages OpenCV’s color space transformation, contour extraction, and accurate color range defining features. Regarding ball detection, the YOLOv8 model emphasizes the preservation of minor object details to improve accuracy and is specifically trained to the unique properties of cricket balls. The methods are more reliable because of the careful preparation of the datasets, which include novel ball and pitch information. These cutting-edge methods not only improve cricket analytics but also set the stage for flexible methods in more general sports technology applications.

Keywords: OpenCV, YOLOv8, cricket, custom dataset, computer vision, sports

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Authors: H. Aljabiry, L. Bailey, S. Young

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Qatar is a desert with an average temperature 37⁰C, reaching over 40⁰C during summer. Precipitation is uncommon and mostly in winter. Qatar depends on desalination for drinking water and on groundwater and recycled water for irrigation. Water consumption and network leakage per capita in Qatar are amongst the highest in the world; re-use of treated wastewater is extremely limited with only 14% of treated wastewater being used for irrigation. This has led to the country disposing of unwanted water from various sources in lagoons situated around the country, causing concern over the possibility of environmental pollution. Accordingly, our hypothesis underpinning this research is that the quality and quantity of water in lagoons is having an impact on the groundwater reservoirs in Qatar. Lagoons (n = 14) and wells (n = 55) were sampled for both summer and winter in 2018 (summer and winter). Water, adjoining soil and plant samples were analysed for multiple elements by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Organic and inorganic carbon were measured (CN analyser) and the major anions were determined by ion chromatography. Salinization in both the lagoon and the wells was seen with good correlations between Cl⁻, Na⁺, Li, SO₄, S, Sr, Ca, Ti (p-value < 0.05). Association of heavy metals was observed of Ni, Cu, Ag, and V, Cr, Mo, Cd which is due to contamination from anthropological activities such as wastewater disposal or spread of contaminated dust. However, looking at each elements none of them exceeds the Qatari regulation. Moreover, gypsum saturation in the system was observed in both the lagoon and wells water samples. Lagoons and the water of the well are found to be of a saline type as well as Ca²⁺, Cl⁻, SO₄²⁻ type evidencing both gypsum dissolution and salinization in the system. Moreover, Maps produced by Inverse distance weighting showed an increasing level of Nitrate in the groundwater in winter, and decrease chloride and sulphate level, indicating recharge effect after winter rain events. While E. coli and faecal bacteria were found in most of the lagoons, biological analysis for wells needs to be conducted to understand the biological contamination from lagoon water infiltration. As a conclusion, while both the lagoon and the well showed the same results, more sampling is needed to understand the impact of the lagoons on the groundwater.

Keywords: groundwater quality, lagoon, treated wastewater, water management, wastewater treatment, wetlands

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Authors: Rupas Kumar M., Saravana Kumar M., Amarendra Kumar S., Likhita Komal V., Sree Deepthi M.

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The demand for water is increasing at an alarming rate due to rapid urbanization and increase in population. Due to freshwater scarcity, Groundwater became the necessary source of potable water to major parts of the world. This problem of freshwater scarcity and groundwater dependency is very severe particularly in developing countries and overpopulated regions like India. The present study aimed at evaluating the Ground Water Quality Index (GWQI), which represents overall quality of water at certain location and time based on water quality parameters. To evaluate the GWQI, sixteen water quality parameters have been considered viz. colour, pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, turbidity, total hardness, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, nitrate, sulphate, iron, manganese and fluorides. The groundwater samples are collected from Kadapa City in Andhra Pradesh, India and subjected to comprehensive physicochemical analysis. The high value of GWQI has been found to be mainly from higher values of total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, turbidity, alkalinity, hardness, and fluorides. in the present study, citrus limetta (sweet lemon) peel powder has used as a coagulant and GWQI values are recorded in different concentrations to improve GWQI. Sensitivity analysis is also carried out to determine the effect of coagulant dosage, mixing speed and stirring time on GWQI. The research found the maximum percentage improvement in GWQI values are obtained when the coagulant dosage is 100ppm, mixing speed is 100 rpm and stirring time is 10 mins. Alum is also used as a coagulant aid and the optimal ratio of citrus limetta and alum is identified as 3:2 which resulted in best GWQI value. The present study proposes Citrus limetta peel powder as a potential natural coagulant to treat Groundwater and to improve GWQI.

Keywords: alum, Citrus limetta, ground water quality index, physicochemical analysis

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Authors: Majed M. Mustafa, Abdulrahman A. Altassan

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In recent years, ensuring accessibility for all individuals, particularly those with mobility impairments, has gained significant attention in Saudi Arabia. This research aims to evaluate wheelchair accessibility in shopping centers, malls, and stores across the kingdom, highlighting its critical role in promoting inclusivity and equal access. The study will focus on the availability and quality of ramps, automatic doors, lifts, accessible restrooms, and overall ease of navigation for wheelchair users. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research will employ site assessments, user surveys, and interviews with facility managers to gather comprehensive data. Preliminary findings indicate that while some facilities have made strides in accessibility, there are still numerous areas requiring improvement. The study will provide targeted recommendations to enhance accessibility, ensuring that all users can navigate shopping environments with ease and dignity. Conclusively, this research underscores the need for continuous efforts and policy enhancements to achieve universal design standards in public spaces within Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: automatic doors, equal access, ramp quality, wheelchair accessibility

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Authors: Omid Khodabakhshi, Amir Rozdel

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The subject of cloud computing security research has allocated a number of challenges and competitions because the data center is comprised of complex private information and are always faced various risks of information disclosure by hacker attacks or internal enemies. Accordingly, the security of virtual machines in the cloud computing infrastructure layer is very important. So far, there are many software solutions to develop security in virtual machines. But using software alone is not enough to solve security problems. The purpose of this article is to examine the challenges and security requirements for accessing and storing data in an insecure cloud environment. In other words, in this article, a structure is proposed for the implementation of highly isolated security-sensitive codes using secure computing hardware in virtual environments. It also allows remote code validation with inputs and outputs. We provide these security features even in situations where the BIOS, the operating system, and even the super-supervisor are infected. To achieve these goals, we will use the hardware support provided by the new Intel and AMD processors, as well as the TPM security chip. In conclusion, the use of these technologies ultimately creates a root of dynamic trust and reduces TCB to security-sensitive codes.

Keywords: code, cloud computing, security, virtual machines

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Authors: Ohood Alshammary

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This study explores the current situation of teacher professional development, focusing on challenges experienced by English language teachers at a Saudi Arabian university. The study examines the current context of English language department (ELD) teachers in relation to PD activities available and the nature of the challenges they face in their attempts to engage in PD. The study adopted an interpretive approach to understanding the current situation of teachers working at the English language department (ELD) at one Saudi Arabian university. The study's findings reveal that participating teachers were aware of the significance of PD but were disappointed that the voices of teachers were not heard. The research reveals many challenges; lack of autonomy, insufficient time, heavy workloads, unsupportive working environments, and PD activities that were not considered necessary by the participants. Teachers viewed PD as subject to a top-down system, causing them to feel professionally undermined, lacking autonomy, and forced to comply with university rules. The study makes several recommendations for improving the PD experience and helping raise institutional awareness of the need to encourage teacher engagement and recommend enhancements to ELD teachers' professional development based on teachers' perspectives.

Keywords: adult learning., professional development, PD challenge, teacher perspective

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Authors: Usman Ghani

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Feedback is a vital element for improving student learning in a simulation-based training as it guides and refines learning through scaffolding. A number of studies in literature have shown that students’ learning is enhanced when feedback is provided with personalized tutoring that offers specific guidance and adapts feedback to the learner in a one-to-one environment. Thus, emulating these adaptive aspects of human tutoring in simulation provides an effective methodology to train individuals. This paper presents the results of a study that investigated the effectiveness of automating different types of feedback techniques such as Knowledge-of-Correct-Response (KCR) and Answer-Until- Correct (AUC) in software simulation for learning basic information technology concepts. For the purpose of comparison, techniques like simulation with zero or no-feedback (NFB) and traditional hands-on (HON) learning environments are also examined. The paper presents the summary of findings based on quantitative analyses which reveal that the simulation based instructional strategies are at least as effective as hands-on teaching methodologies for the purpose of learning of IT concepts. The paper also compares the results of the study with the earlier studies and recommends strategies for using feedback mechanism to improve students’ learning in designing and simulation-based IT training.

Keywords: simulation, feedback, training, hands-on, labs

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Authors: Liang-Hsuan Chen, Sheng-Shing Nien

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This study aims to develop approaches to formulate intuitionistic fuzzy regression (IFR) models for many decision-making applications in the fuzzy environments using intuitionistic fuzzy observations. Intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (IFNs) are used to characterize the fuzzy input and output variables in the IFR formulation processes. A mathematical programming problem (MPP) is built up to optimally determine the IFR parameters. Each parameter in the MPP is defined as a couple of alternative numerical variables with opposite signs, and an intuitionistic fuzzy error term is added to the MPP to characterize the uncertainty of the model. The IFR model is formulated based on the distance measure to minimize the total distance errors between estimated and observed intuitionistic fuzzy responses in the MPP resolution processes. The proposed approaches are simple/efficient in the formulation/resolution processes, in which the sign of parameters can be determined so that the problem to predetermine the sign of parameters is avoided. Furthermore, the proposed approach has the advantage that the spread of the predicted IFN response will not be over-increased, since the parameters in the established IFR model are crisp. The performance of the obtained models is evaluated and compared with the existing approaches.

Keywords: fuzzy sets, intuitionistic fuzzy number, intuitionistic fuzzy regression, mathematical programming method

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Authors: Melba D. Horton

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Algae are identified as an alternative source of biofuel because of their ubiquitous distribution in aquatic environments. Diatoms are unique forms of algae characterized by silicified cell walls which have gained prominence in various technological applications. Polk County is home to a multitude of ponds and lakes but has not been explored for the presence of diatoms. Considering the condition of the waters brought about by predominant phosphate mining activities in the area, this research was conducted to determine if endemic diatoms are present and explore their potential for low-cost mass production. Using custom-built photobioreactors, water samples from various lakes provided by the Polk County Parks and Recreation and from nearby ponds were used as the source of diatoms together with other algae obtained during collection. Results of the initial culture cycles were successful, but later an overgrowth of other algae crashed the diatom population. Experiments were conducted in the laboratory to tease out some factors possibly contributing to the die-off. Generally, the total biomass declines after two culture cycles and the causative factors need further investigation. The lipid yield is minimum; however, the high frustule production after die-off adds value to the overall benefit of the harvest.

Keywords: diatoms, algae, biofuel, lipid, photobioreactor, frustule

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Authors: Ainara Lopez-Ortega, Raquel Bayon, Elena Rodriguez, Amaya Igartua

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The materials used in offshore structural applications are continuously subjected to aggressive environmental conditions that accelerate their degradation, thus shortening their useful life. Wear, corrosion and the effect of marine microorganisms are the main processes taking place in marine environments, and whenever they occur simultaneously the durability of materials is strongly reduced. In the present work, the tribocorrosion behaviour of a High-Strength Low-Alloy (HSLA) steel and three coatings commonly used for protecting offshore components has been studied by means of unidirectional tribological tests in synthetic seawater. The coatings were found to enhance the tribological response of the uncoated steel and provide the system with improved corrosion resistance, in terms of smaller material losses and reduction of friction coefficients. The tests were repeated after ageing the materials in a salt-fog cabinet, and the aging process was found to slightly affect the performance of two of the coatings, in terms of higher material losses, meanwhile the third coating was not affected.

Keywords: coatings, corrosion, high-strength low-alloy steel, seawater, tribocorrosion

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Authors: Chukwuma Anya, Mekwa Eme

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Foundation is popularly defined as the lowest load-bearing part of a building, typically below the ground level. It serves as an underlying base which acts as the principle on which every building stands. There are various types of foundations in practice, which includes the strip, pile, pad, and raft foundations, and each of these have their various applications in building construction. However due to lack of professional knowledge, cost, or scheduled time frame to complete a certain project, some of these foundation types are some times neglected or used interchangeably, resulting to misuse or abuse of the building materials man, power, and some times altering the stability, balance and aesthetics of most buildings. This research work is aimed at educating the academic community on the proper application of the various foundation types to suit different environments such as the rain forest, desert, swampy area, rocky area etc. A proper application of the foundation will ensure the safety of the building from acid grounds, damping and weakening of foundation, even building settlement and stability. In addition to those, it will improve aesthetics, maintain cost effectiveness both construction cost and maintenance cost. Finally it will ensure the safety of the building and its inhabitants. At the end of this research work we will be able to differentiate the various foundation types and there proper application in the design and construction of buildings.

Keywords: foundation, application, stability, aesthetics

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Authors: Sulaiman D. Al Sabei, Amy M. Ross, Christopher S. Lee

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Nurse leaders play a fundamental role in transforming healthcare system and improving quality of patient care. Several healthcare organizations have called to increase the number of nurse leaders across all levels and in every practice setting. Identification of factors influencing nurses’ willingness to lead can inform healthcare leaders and policy makers of potentially illuminating strategies for establishing favorable work environments that motivate nurses to engage in leadership roles. The aim of this study was to investigate determinants of nurses’ willingness to engage in future leadership roles. The study was conducted at a public hospital in the Sultanate of Oman. A total of 171 registered nurses participated. A multilevel modeling was conducted. Findings revealed that 80% of nurses were likely to seek out opportunities to engage in leadership roles. The quality of the nurse-physician collegial relationships was a significant predictor of nurses’ willingness to lead. Establishing a work environment’s culture of positive nurse-physician relationships is critical to enhance nurses’ work attitude and engage them in leadership roles.

Keywords: interprofessional relationship, leadership, motivation, nurses

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Authors: Robin C. Ladwig

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Work experiences and satisfaction as well as the feeling of belonging has been narrowly explored from the perspective of trans and gender diverse individuals. Hence, the study investigates the relationship of values, attitudes, and norms of occupational environments and the working identity of trans and gender diverse people of the Australian workforce. Based on 22 semi-structured interviews with trans and gender diverse individuals regarding their work and career experiences, a first insight about their feeling of belonging through commonality in the workplace could be established. Communality between the values, attitudes and norms of a trans and gender diverse individuals working identities and profession, organization and working environment could increase the feeling of belonging. Further reflection and evaluation of trans and gender diverse identities in the workplace need to be considered to create an equitable and inclusive workplace of the future. Consequently, an essential development step for the future of work and its fundamental values of diversity, inclusion, and belonging will consist of the acknowledgement and inclusion of trans and gender diverse people as part of a broader social identity of the workplace.

Keywords: belonging, future of work, working identity, trans and gender diverse identity

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Authors: Mohd. Khaidir Abu Talib, Noriyuki Yasufuku, Ryohei Ishikura

Abstract:

It is well recognized that peat can impede the proper hydration of cement because of high organic content, presence of humic acid and less solid particles. That means the large amount of cement is required in order to neutralize the acids or otherwise the process of the peat stabilization remains retarded. Nevertheless, adding a great quantity of cement into the peat is absolutely an unfriendly and uneconomical solution. Sugarcane production is world number one commodities and produced a lot of bagasse. Bagasse is burnt to generate power required for diverse activities in the factory and leave bagasse ash as a waste. Increasing concern of disposal of bagasse residual creates interest to explore the potential application of this material. The objective of this study is to develop alternative binders that are environment friendly and contribute towards sustainable management by utilizing sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) in the stabilization of peat soil. Alongside SCBA, Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), calcium chloride (CaCl2) and silica sand (K7) were used as additives to stabilize the peat that sampled from Hokkaido, Japan. In obtaining the optimal mix design, specimens of stabilized peat were tested in unconfined compression. It was found that stabilized peat comprising 20% and 5% (PCB1-20 and PCB2-5) partial replacement of OPC with SCBA 1 and SCBA 2 attain the maximum unconfined compressive strength (UCS) and discovered greater than untreated soil (P) and UCS of peat-cement (PC) specimen. At the optimal mix design, the UCS of the stabilized peat specimens increased with increasing of curing time, preloading during curing, OPC dosage and K7 dosage. For PCB1-20 mixture, inclusion of a minimum OPC dosage of 300 kg/m3 and K7 dosage of 500 kg/m3 along with curing under 20kPa pressure is recommendable for the peat stabilization to be effective. However for PCB2-5 mixture, it suggested to use more OPC and K7 dosage or alternatively increase the preloading during curing to 40kPa in order to achieve minimum strength target. It can be concluded that SCBA 1 has better quality than SCBA 2 in peat stabilization especially the contribution made by its fine particle size.

Keywords: peat stabilization, sugarcane bagasse ash utilization, partial cement replacement, unconfined strength

Procedia PDF Downloads 519

Authors: Sankaran Rajendran

Abstract:

Remote sensing plays a vital role in mapping of resources and monitoring of environments of the earth. In the present research study, mapping and monitoring of clay siltations occurred in the Alkhod Dam of Muscat, Sultanate of Oman are carried out using low-cost multispectral Landsat and ASTER data. The dam is constructed across the Wadi Samail catchment for ground water recharge. The occurrence and spatial distribution of siltations in the dam are studied with five years of interval from the year 1987 of construction to 2014. The deposits are mainly due to the clay, sand, and silt occurrences derived from the weathering rocks of ophiolite sequences occurred in the Wadi Samail catchment. The occurrences of clays are confirmed by minerals identification using ASTER VNIR-SWIR spectral bands and Spectral Angle Mapper supervised image processing method. The presence of clays and their spatial distribution are verified in the field. The study recommends the technique and the low-cost satellite data to similar region of the world.

Keywords: Alkhod Dam, ASTER siltation, Landsat, remote sensing, Oman

Procedia PDF Downloads 419

Authors: Qamar Iqbal

Abstract:

Companies strive to improve their forecasting methods to predict the fluctuations in customer demand. These fluctuation and variation in demand affect the manufacturing operations and can limit a company’s ability to fulfill customer demand on time. Companies keep the inventory buffer and maintain the stocking levels to reduce the impact of demand variation. A mid-size company deals with thousands of stock keeping units (skus). It is neither easy and nor efficient to control and manage each sku. Inventory classification provides a tool to the management to increase their ability to support customer demand. The paper presents a framework that shows how inventory classification can play a role to increase supply chain responsiveness. A case study will be presented to further elaborate the method both for build-to-order and build-to-forecast manufacturing environments. Results will be compared that will show which manufacturing setting has advantage over another under different circumstances. The outcome of this study is very useful to the management because this will give them an insight on how inventory classification can be used to increase their ability to respond to changing customer needs.

Keywords: inventory classification, supply chain responsiveness, forecast, manufacturing environment

Procedia PDF Downloads 583

Authors: Yosiya Chanta, Jantrararuk Tovaranont

Abstract:

Species distribution model (SDMs) is one of the powerful tools used to create a suitability map used to predict and address ecology and conservation approaches. MaxEnt is a tool used among SDMs that is highly popular because it only uses presence data. Zanthoxylum rhetsa has more than 200 species distributed in the tropics. Most commonly found in cooler forest environments, there are 8-9 species found in Thailand. In northern Thailand, 3 varieties are commonly grown: Zanthoxylum myriacanthum, Zanthoxylum rhetsa and Zanthoxylum armatum. In the northern regions, these varieties are mainly used as a spice and as a cooking ingredient. MaxEnt has been used in this study to predict potential habitats for these Zanthoxylums in current and future times (2041and 2060). Suitable habitats are predicted using data from the EC-Earth3-Veg general circulation model with 19 climatic variables. The results indicate that the suitability of future habitats of Zanthoxylum rhetsa may expand into the lower northern part of Thailand. The habitat suitability map obtained from the MaxEnt tool shows that the Precipitation of Wettest Quarter (Bio16) is the most important climatic variable influencing the current and future spread of Zanthoxylum rhetsa.

Keywords: MaxEnt, Zanthoxylum rhets, species distribution modelling, climate change

Procedia PDF Downloads 76

Authors: Tokihiko Akita, Seiichi Mita

Abstract:

A millimeter-wave radar is the most robust against adverse environments, making it an essential environment recognition sensor for automated driving. However, the reflection signal is sparse and unstable, so it is difficult to obtain the high recognition accuracy. Deep learning provides high accuracy even for them in recognition, but requires large scale datasets with ground truth. Specially, it takes a lot of cost to annotate for a millimeter-wave radar. For the solution, utilizing a simulator that can generate an annotated huge dataset is effective. Simulation of the radar is more difficult to match with real world data than camera image, and recognition by deep learning with higher-order features using the simulator causes further deviation. We have challenged to improve the accuracy of traffic participant classification by fusing simulator and real-world data with domain adaptation technique. Experimental results with the domain adaptation network created by us show that classification accuracy can be improved even with a few real-world data.

Keywords: millimeter-wave radar, object classification, deep learning, simulation, domain adaptation

Procedia PDF Downloads 76