Search results for: concrete hollow blocks

Authors: Gulsah Olgun, Ozgur Bozdag, Yildirim Ertutar

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This paper mainly focuses on performance assessment of buildings by associating the damage level with the damage cost. For this purpose a methodology is explained and applied to the representative mid-rise concrete building residing in Izmir. In order to consider uncertainties in occurrence of earthquakes, the structural analyses are conducted for all possible earthquakes in the region through the hazard curve. By means of the analyses, probability of the structural response being in different limit states are obtained and used to calculate expected damage cost. The expected damage cost comprises diverse cost components related to earthquake such as cost of casualties, replacement or repair cost of building etc. In this study, inter-story drift is used as an effective response variable to associate expected damage cost with different damage levels. The structural analysis methods performed to obtain inter story drifts are response spectrum method as a linear one, accurate push-over and time history methods to demonstrate the nonlinear effects on loss estimation. Comparison of the results indicates that each method provides similar values of expected damage cost. To sum up, this paper explains an approach which enables to minimize the expected damage cost of buildings and relate performance level to damage cost.

Keywords: expected damage cost, limit states, loss estimation, performance based design

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Authors: M. Karaman, H. Catalkaya

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Due to the complex nature of cyber attacks and their effects ranging from personal to governmental level, it becomes one of the priority tasks for operation planners to take into account the risks, influences and effects of cyber attacks. However it can also be embedded or integrated technically with electronic warfare planning, cyber operation planning is needed to have a sole and broadened perspective. This perspective embodies itself firstly in operational design and then military decision making process. In order to find out the ill-structured problems, understand or visualize the operational environment and frame the problem, operational design can help support cyber operation planners and commanders. After having a broadened and conceptual startup with cyber operational design, military decision making process will follow the principles of design into more concrete elements like reaching results after risk management and center of gravity analysis of our and the enemy. In this paper we tried to emphasize the importance of cyber operational design, cyber operation planning and its integration to military decision making problem. In this foggy, uncertain and unaccountable cyber security environment, it is inevitable to stay away from cyber attacks. Therefore, a cyber operational design should be formed with line of operations, decisive points and end states in cyber then a tactical military decision making process should be followed with cyber security focus in order to support the whole operation.

Keywords: cyber operational design, military decision making process (MDMP), operation planning, end state

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Authors: Amin Kamal Akhnoukh, Lois Zaki Kamel, Magued Mourad Barsoum

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The objective of this research is to mitigate and prevent the alkali silica reactivity (ASR) in highway construction projects. ASR is a deleterious reaction initiated when the silica content of the aggregate reacts with alkali hydroxides in cement in the presence of relatively high moisture content. The ASR results in the formation of an expansive white colored gel-like material which forms the destructive tensile stresses inside hardened concrete. In this research, different types of local aggregates available in the State of Arkansas were mixed and mortar bars were poured according to the ASTM specifications. Mortar bars expansion was measured versus time and aggregates with potential ASR problems were detected. Different types of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) were used in remixing mortar bars with highly reactive aggregates. Length changes for remixed bars proved that different types of SCMs can be successfully used in reducing the expansive effect of ASR. SCMs percentage by weight is highly dependent on the SCM type. The result of this study will help avoiding future losses due to ASR cracking in construction project and reduce the maintenance, repair, and replacement budgets required for highways network.

Keywords: alkali silica reaction, aggregates, misture, cracks, Mortar Bar Test, supplementary cementitious materials

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Authors: Italo Luigi de Paoli

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The use of synthetic soil for the vegetables cultivation in conditions of limited water consumption The separate collection of urban organic waste and green waste for the countries of the European Union averages 100 kg / inhabitant x year with an annual growth of about 10%. The production of quality compost averages 38% - 40% of the production of organic waste material. Most of the compost produced is used as an organic soil improver in those nutrient-poor soils in order to improve its quality. This study seeks to enhance the production of quality compost by creating a synthetic soil, where the percentages of compost on average oscillate between 50% and 60% in which, with appropriate precautions, different species of horticultural can be grown in conditions of high environmental safety without the use of pesticides and with a consumption of water used for irrigation limited to the actual evaporation of the plants. The project started in 2018 and is still ongoing, confirms its validity through a series of different horticultural productions, especially if this technology is applied where the availability of land suitable for the cultivation of vegetables is limited and where the use of water for irrigation represents a cultural criticality. Furthermore, the creation of "open field" crops, together with their automation, represents a further possibility in the concrete development of such technologies, giving the final product organoleptic characteristics equal if not superior to what the market offers today for human nutrition.

Keywords: water scarcity, compost, vegetable foods, syntetic soil

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Authors: Prince Suka Neekia Momta, Rita Iheoma Achonyeulo

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Ant Tracking seismic attribute applied over 4-seconds seismic volume revealed structural features triggered by clay diapirism, growth fault development, rapid deltaic sedimentation and intense drilling. The attribute was extracted on vertical seismic sections and time slices. Mega tectonic structures such as growth faults and clay diapirs are visible on vertical sections with obscured minor lineaments or fractures. Fractures are distinctively visible on time slices yielding recognizable patterns corroborating established geologic models. This model seismic attribute enabled the understanding of fluid flow characteristics and production responses. Three structural patterns recognized in the field include: major growth faults, minor faults or lineaments and network of fractures. Three growth faults mapped on seismic section form major deformation bands delimiting the area into three blocks or depocenters. The growth faults trend E-W, dip down-to-south in the basin direction, and cut across the study area. The faults initiating from about 2000ms extended up to 500ms, and tend to progress parallel and opposite to the growth direction of an upsurging diapiric structure. The diapiric structures form the major deformational bands originating from great depths (below 2000ms) and rising to about 1200ms where series of sedimentary layers onlapped and pinchout stratigraphically against the diapir. Several other secondary faults or lineaments that form parallel streaks to one another also accompanied the growth faults. The fracture networks have no particular trend but form a network surrounding the well area. Faults identified in the study area have potentials for structural hydrocarbon traps whereas the presence of fractures created a fractured-reservoir condition that enhanced rapid fluid flow especially water. High aquifer flow potential aided by possible fracture permeability resulted in rapid decline in oil rate. Through the application of Ant Tracking attribute, it is possible to obtain detailed interpretation of structures that can have direct influence on oil and gas production.

Keywords: seismic, attributes, production, structural

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Authors: Isaac Benning

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Using technology to expand the learning space is critical for a productive mathematical discourse. This is a case study of two teachers who developed and enacted GeoGebra-based mathematics lessons following their engagement in a two-year professional development. The didactical and semiotic affordance of GeoGebra in widening the learning space for a productive mathematical discourse was explored. The approach of thematic analysis was used for lesson artefact, lesson observation, and interview data. The results indicated that constructing tools in GeoGebra provided a didactical milieu where students used them to explore mathematical concepts with little or no support from their teacher. The prompt feedback from the GeoGebra motivated students to practice mathematical concepts repeatedly in which they privately rethink their solutions before comparing their answers with that of their colleagues. The constructing tools enhanced self-discovery, team spirit, and dialogue among students. With regards to the semiotic construct, the tools widened the physical and psychological atmosphere of the classroom by providing animations that served as virtual concrete to enhance the recording, manipulation, testing of a mathematical idea, construction, and interpretation of geometric objects. These findings advance the discussion of widening the classroom for a productive mathematical discourse within the context of the mathematics curriculum of Ghana and similar Sub-Saharan African countries.

Keywords: GeoGebra, theory of didactical situation, semiotic mediation, mathematics laboratory, mathematical discussion

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Authors: W. H. Lee, T. W. Cheng, K. Y. Lin, S. W. Huang, Y. C. Ding

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Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) Slag and electric arc furnace (EAF) slag is the by-product of iron making and steel making. Each of slag with produced over 100 million tons annually in Taiwan. The type of slag has great engineering properties, such as, high hardness and density, high compressive strength, low abrasion ratio, and can replace natural aggregate for building materials. However, no matter BOF or EAF slag, both have the expansion problem, due to it contains free lime. The purpose of this study was to stabilize the BOF and EAF slag by using geopolymer technology, hoping can prevent and solve the expansion problem. The experimental results showed that using geopolymer technology can successfully solve and prevent the expansion problem. Their main properties are analyzed with regard to their use as building materials. Autoclave is used to study the volume stability of these specimens. Finally, the compressive strength of geopolymer mortar with BOF/FAF slag can be reached over 21MPa after curing for 28 days. After autoclave testing, the volume expansion does not exceed 0.2%. Even after the autoclave test, the compressive strength can be grown to over 35MPa. In this study have success using these results on ready-mixed concrete plant, and have the same experimental results as laboratory scale. These results gave encouragement that the stabilized and reutilized BOF/EAF slag could be replaced as a feasible natural fine aggregate by using geopolymer technology.

Keywords: BOF slag, EAF slag, autoclave test, geopolymer

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Authors: E. Hovad, J. H. Walther, P. Larsen, J. Thorborg, J. H. Hattel

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In sand casting of metal parts for the automotive industry such as brake disks and engine blocks, the molten metal is poured into a sand mold to get its final shape. The DISAMATIC molding process is a way to construct these sand molds for casting of steel parts and in the present work numerical simulations of this process are presented. During the process green sand is blown into a chamber and subsequently squeezed to finally obtain the sand mould. The sand flow is modelled with the Discrete Element method (DEM) and obtaining the correct material parameters for the simulation is the main goal. Different tests will be used to find or calibrate the DEM parameters needed; Poisson ratio, Young modulus, rolling friction coefficient, sliding friction coefficient and coefficient of restitution (COR). The Young modulus and Poisson ratio are found from compression tests of the bulk material and subsequently used in the DEM model according to the Hertz-Mindlin model. The main focus will be on calibrating the rolling resistance and sliding friction in the DEM model with respect to the behavior of “real” sand piles. More specifically, the surface profile of the “real” sand pile will be compared to the sand pile predicted with the DEM for different values of the rolling and sliding friction coefficients. When the DEM parameters are found for the particle-particle (sand-sand) interaction, the particle-wall interaction parameter values are also found. Here the sliding coefficient will be found from experiments and the rolling resistance is investigated by comparing with observations of how the green sand interacts with the chamber wall during experiments and the DEM simulations will be calibrated accordingly. The coefficient of restitution will be tested with different values in the DEM simulations and compared to video footages of the DISAMATIC process. Energy dissipation will be investigated in these simulations for different particle sizes and coefficient of restitution, where scaling laws will be considered to relate the energy dissipation for these parameters. Finally, the found parameter values are used in the overall discrete element model and compared to the video footage of the DISAMATIC process.

Keywords: discrete element method, physical properties of materials, calibration, granular flow

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Authors: Naeimehsadat Hosseininam, Rui Wang, Dishita Shah

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In recent years, new experimental approaches with the help of the new technology have bridged the gaps between the application of natural materials and creating unconventional forms. Clay has been one of the oldest building materials in all ancient civilizations. The availability and workability of clay have contributed to the widespread application of this material around the world. The aim of this experimental research is to apply the Clay 3D printing technology to create a load bearing and visually dynamic and undulating façade. Creation of different unique pieces is the most significant goal of this research which justifies the application of 3D printing technology instead of the conventional mass industrial production. This study provides an abbreviated overview of the similar cases which have used the Clay 3D printing to generate the corresponding prototypes. The study of these cases also helps in understanding the potential and flexibility of the material and 3D printing machine in developing different forms. In the next step, experimental research carried out by 3D printing of six various options which designed considering the properties of clay as well as the methodology of them being 3D printed. Here, the ratio of water to clay (W/C) has a significant role in the consistency of the material and the workability of the clay. Also, the size of the selected nozzle impacts the shape and the smoothness of the final surface. Moreover, the results of these experiments show the limitations of clay toward forming various slopes. The most notable consequence of having steep slopes in the prototype is an unpredicted collapse which is the result of internal tension in the material. From the six initial design ideas, the final prototype selected with the aim of creating a self-supported component with unique blocks that provides a possibility of installing the insulation system within the component. Apart from being an undulated façade, the presented prototype has the potential to be used as a fence and an interior partition (double-sided). The central shaft also provides a space to run services or insulation in different parts of the wall. In parallel to present the capability and potential of the clay 3D printing technology, this study illustrates the limitations of this system in some certain areas. There are inevitable parameters such as printing speed, temperature, drying speed that need to be considered while printing each piece. Clay 3D printing technology provides the opportunity to create variations and design parametric building components with the application of the most practiced material in the world.

Keywords: clay 3D printing, material capability, undulating facade, load bearing facade

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Authors: Muhammad Tariq A. Chaudhary

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Soil-structure interaction (SSI) in bridges under seismic excitation is a complex phenomenon which involves coupling between the non-linear behavior of bridge pier columns and SSI in the soil-foundation part. It is a common practice in the study of SSI to model the bridge piers as linear elastic while treating the soil and foundation with a non-linear or an equivalent linear modeling approach. Consequently, the contribution of soil and foundation to the SSI phenomenon is disproportionately highlighted. The present study considered non-linear behavior of bridge piers in FEM model of a 4-span, pile-supported bridge that was designed for five different soil conditions in a moderate seismic zone. The FEM model of the bridge system was subjected to a suite of 21 actual ground motions representative of three levels of earthquake hazard (i.e. Design Basis Earthquake, Functional Evaluation Earthquake and Maximum Considered Earthquake). Results of the FEM analysis were used to delineate the influence of pier column non-linearity and SSI on critical design parameters of the bridge system. It was found that pier column non-linearity influenced the bridge lateral displacement and base shear more than SSI for majority of the analysis cases for the class of bridge investigated in the study.

Keywords: bridge, FEM model, reinforced concrete pier, pile foundation, seismic loading, soil-structure interaction

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Authors: I. R. Keke, C. S. Nwigwe, O. S. Nwanjo, A. S. Egeruoh

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An experiment was carried out at Urban Farm and Fisheries Nigeria Ltd, Owerri Imo State South East Nigeria between February and June 2014 to induce Brood stock of Heterobranchus longifilis (mean wt 1.3kg) in concrete tanks (1.0 x 2.0 x 1.5m) in dimension using a synthetic hormone (Ovaprim) and pituitary extract from Heterobranchus longifilis. Brood stock males were selected as pituitary donors and their weights matched those of females to be injected at 1ml/kg body weight of Fish. Ovaprim, was injected at 0.5ml/kg body weight of female fish. A latency period of 12 hours was allowed after injection of the Brood stock females before stripping the egg and incubation at 23 °C. While incubating the eggs, samples were drawn and the rate of fertilization was determined. Hatching occurred within 33 hours and hatchability rate (%) was determined by counting the active hatchings. The result showed that Ovaprim injected Brood stock eggs fertilized up to 80% while the pituitary from the Heterobranchus longifilis had low fertilization and hatching success 20%. Ovaprim is imported and costly, so more effort is required to enhance the procedures for homoplastic hypophysation.

Keywords: heterobranchus longifilis, ovaprim, hypophysation, latency period, pituitary

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Authors: Nor-Edine Abriak, Ilyas Ennahal, Abdeljalil Zri, Mahfoud Benzerzour

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Nord Pas de Calais is one of the French regions that records a large volume of dredged sediment in harbors and waterways. To ensure navigation within ports and waterways, harbor and river managers are forced to find solutions to remove sediment that contamination levels exceed levels established by regulations. Therefore, this non- submersible sediment must be managed on land and will be subject to the waste regulation. In this paper, some examples of concrete achievements and experiments of reusing dredged sediment in civil engineering and sector will be illustrated. These achievements are alternative solutions to sediment landfilling and guarantee the reuse of this material in a logic of circular economy and ecological transition. It permits to preserve the natural resources increasingly scarce and resolve issues related to the accumulation of sediments in the harbor basins, rivers, dams, and lakes, etc. Examples of beneficial use of dredged material illustrated in this paper are the result of different projects reusing harbor and waterways sediments in several applications. These projects were funded under the national SEDIMATERIAUX approach. Thus the technical and environmental feasibility of the reuse of dredged sediment is demonstrated and verified; the dredged sediment reusing would meet multiple challenges of sustainable development in relation to environmental, economic, social and societal.

Keywords: circular economy, sediment, SEDIMATERIAUX, waterways

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Authors: Linyao Qiu, Zhiqiang Du

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As the rapid development of urbanization, economic developments, and steady population growth in China, the widespread devastation, economic damages, and loss of human lives caused by numerous forms of natural disasters are becoming increasingly serious every year. Disaster management requires available and effective cooperation of different roles and organizations in whole process including mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. Due to the imbalance of regional development in China, the disaster management capabilities of national and provincial disaster reduction centers are uneven. When an undeveloped area suffers from disaster, neither local reduction department could get first-hand information like high-resolution remote sensing images from satellites and aircrafts independently, nor sharing mechanism is provided for the department to access to data resources deployed in other place directly. Most existing disaster management systems operate in a typical passive data-centric mode and work for single department, where resources cannot be fully shared. The impediment blocks local department and group from quick emergency response and decision-making. In this paper, we introduce a collaborative platform for distributed disaster reduction. To address the issues of imbalance of sharing data sources and technology in the process of disaster reduction, we propose a multi-role oriented collaboration business mechanism, which is capable of scheduling and allocating for optimum utilization of multiple resources, to link various roles for collaborative reduction business in different place. The platform fully considers the difference of equipment conditions in different provinces and provide several service modes to satisfy technology need in disaster reduction. An integrated collaboration system based on focusing services mechanism is designed and implemented for resource scheduling, functional integration, data processing, task management, collaborative mapping, and visualization. Actual applications illustrate that the platform can well support data sharing and business collaboration between national and provincial department. It could significantly improve the capability of disaster reduction in China.

Keywords: business collaboration, data sharing, distributed disaster reduction, focusing service

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Authors: Yina F. Muñoz, Alexander Paz, Hanns De La Fuente-Mella, Joaquin V. Fariña, Guilherme M. Sales

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The primary approach for estimating bridge deterioration uses Markov-chain models and regression analysis. Traditional Markov models have problems in estimating the required transition probabilities when a small sample size is used. Often, reliable bridge data have not been taken over large periods, thus large data sets may not be available. This study presents an important change to the traditional approach by using the Small Data Method to estimate transition probabilities. The results illustrate that the Small Data Method and traditional approach both provide similar estimates; however, the former method provides results that are more conservative. That is, Small Data Method provided slightly lower than expected bridge condition ratings compared with the traditional approach. Considering that bridges are critical infrastructures, the Small Data Method, which uses more information and provides more conservative estimates, may be more appropriate when the available sample size is small. In addition, regression analysis was used to calculate bridge deterioration. Condition ratings were determined for bridge groups, and the best regression model was selected for each group. The results obtained were very similar to those obtained when using Markov chains; however, it is desirable to use more data for better results.

Keywords: concrete bridges, deterioration, Markov chains, probability matrix

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Authors: Xiao Zhang, Wensheng Xiao, Junguo Cui, Hongmin Wang

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Submersible permanent magnet linear synchronous motors (SPMLSMs) are electromagnetic devices, which can directly drive plunger pump to obtain the crude oil. Those motors have been gradually applied in oil fields due to high thrust force density and high efficiency. Since the force performance closely depends on the concrete structural parameters, the seven different structural parameters are investigated in detail. This paper presents an optimum design of an SPMLSM to minimize the detent force and maximize the thrust by using design of experiment (DOE) and genetic algorithm (GA). The three significant structural parameters (air-gap length, slot width, pole-arc coefficient) are separately screened using 27 1/16 fractional factorial design (FFD) to investigate the significant effect of seven parameters used in this research on the force performance. Response surface methodology (RSM) is well adapted to make analytical model of thrust and detent force with constraints of corresponding significant parameters and enable objective function to be easily created, respectively. GA is performed as a searching tool to search for the Pareto-optimal solutions. By finite element analysis, the proposed PMLSM shows merits in improving thrust and reducing the detent force dramatically.

Keywords: optimization, force performance, design of experiment (DOE), genetic algorithm (GA)

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Authors: Jawid Ahmad Baktash, Tadashi Shiroma, Tomokazu Nagata, Yuji Taniguchi, Morikazu Nakamura

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The goal of this paper is to explore the use of formal methods for Dynamic Routing, The purpose of network communication with dynamic routing is sending a massage from one node to others by using pacific protocols. In dynamic routing connections are possible based on protocols of Distance vector (Routing Information Protocol, Border Gateway protocol), Link State (Open Shortest Path First, Intermediate system Intermediate System), Hybrid (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol). The responsibility for proper verification becomes crucial with Dynamic Routing. Formal methods can play an essential role in the Routing, development of Networks and testing of distributed systems. Event-B is a formal technique consists of describing rigorously the problem; introduce solutions or details in the refinement steps to obtain more concrete specification, and verifying that proposed solutions are correct. The system is modeled in terms of an abstract state space using variables with set theoretic types and the events that modify state variables. Event-B is a variant of B, was designed for developing distributed systems. In Event-B, the events consist of guarded actions occurring spontaneously rather than being invoked. The invariant state properties must be satisfied by the variables and maintained by the activation of the events.

Keywords: dynamic rout RIP, formal method, event-B, pro-B

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Authors: Erika Mae L. Valencia

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Third Culture Kids (TCKs) are children who experienced a cross-cultural upbringing – being raised and lived outside their parents’ culture. As a result, TCKs experience the difficulty of building and attaining a concrete cultural identity. However, in the context of globalization and the emergence of ICTs, the internet, and mobile technology creates better ways of constructing cultural identities. This study investigates the social and cultural impacts of the internet and mobile technology on the multi-cultural identity development among selected Filipino TCKs. Moreover, this research seeks to understand how the Filipino TCKs form their identity and address their complex issue of belonging with the use of different internet platforms and mobile technology. To explore the lived experiences of Filipino TCKs, this research employs a transcendental phenomenological design. Also, this study uses purposive and snowball sampling and conduct in-depth interviews through Skype, phone call, or face-to-face. This study utilizes Pierre Bourdieu’s social capital as a theoretical lens to gain understanding of the TCKs’ identity formation process in relation to the said ICTs. This research argues that the internet and mobile technology play a significant role in facilitating multi-cultural identity formation of Filipino TCKs, as well as potentially broadening their social network through its various technological platforms.

Keywords: identity, internet, third culture kids, mobile technology

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Authors: Carina Emminger, Umut D. Cakmak, Evrim Burkut, Rene Preuer, Ingrid Graz, Zoltan Major

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Damping accompanies us daily in everyday life and is used to protect (e.g., in shoes) and make our life more comfortable (damping of unwanted motion) and calm (noise reduction). In general, damping is the absorption of energy which is either stored in the material (vibration isolation systems) or changed into heat (vibration absorbers). In case of the last, the damping mechanism can be split in active, passive, as well as semi-active (a combination of active and passive). Active damping is required to enable an almost perfect damping over the whole application range and is used, for instance, in sport cars. In contrast, passive damping is a response of the material due to external loading. Consequently, the material composition has a huge influence on the damping behavior. For elastomers, the material behavior is inherent viscoelastic, temperature, and frequency dependent. However, passive damping is not adjustable during application. Therefore, it is of importance to understand the fundamental viscoelastic behavior and the dissipation capability due to external loading. The objective of this work is to assess the limitation and applicability of viscoelastic material damping for applications in which currently coil-over shock absorbers are utilized. Coil-over shock absorbers are usually made of various mechanical parts and incorporate fluids within the damper. These shock absorbers are well-known and studied in the industry, and when needed, they can be easily adjusted during their product lifetime. In contrary, dampers made of – ideally – a single material are more resource efficient, have an easier serviceability, and are easier manufactured. However, they lack of adaptability and adjustability in service. Therefore, a case study with a remote-controlled sport car was conducted. The original shock absorbers were redesigned, and the spring-dashpot system was replaced by both an elastomer and a thermoplastic-elastomer, respectively. Here, five different formulations of elastomers were used, including a pure and an iron-particle filled thermoplastic poly(urethan) (TPU) and blends of two different poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS). In addition, the TPUs were investigated as full and hollow dampers to investigate the difference between solid and structured material. To get comparative results each material formulation was comprehensively characterized, by monotonic uniaxial compression tests, dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DTMA), and rebound resilience. Moreover, the new material-based shock absorbers were compared with spring-dashpot shock absorbers. The shock absorbers were analyzed under monotonic and cyclic loading. In addition, an impact loading was applied on the remote-controlled car to measure the damping properties in operation. A servo-hydraulic high-speed linear actuator was utilized to apply the loads. The acceleration of the car and the displacement of specific measurement points were recorded while testing by a sensor and high-speed camera, respectively. The results prove that elastomers are suitable in damping applications, but they are temperature and frequency dependent. This is a limitation in applicability of viscous material damper. Feasible fields of application may be in the case of micromobility, like bicycles, e-scooters, and e-skateboards. Furthermore, the viscous material damping could be used to increase the inherent damping of a whole structure, e.g., in bicycle-frames.

Keywords: damper structures, material damping, PDMS, TPU

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Authors: Marco Soto-Arriaza, Eduardo Cena-Ahumada, Jaime Melendez-Rojel

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Background: Liposomes have been widely used as a model of lipid bilayer to study the physicochemical properties of biological membrane, encapsulation, transport and release of different molecules. Furthermore, extensive research has focused on improving the efficiency in the transport of drugs, developing tools that improve the release of the encapsulated drug from liposomes. In this context, the enzymatic activity of PLA₂, despite having been shown to be an effective tool to promote the release of drugs from liposomes, is still an open field of research. Aim: The aim of the present study is to explore the effect of cholesterol (Cho) and amphipathic di- and tri-block copolymers, on calcein release mediated by enzymatic activity of PLA2 in Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes under physiological conditions. Methods: Different dispersions of DPPC, cholesterol, di-block POE₄₅-PCL₅₂ or tri-block PCL₁₂-POE₄₅-PCL₁₂ were prepared by the extrusion method after five freezing/thawing cycles; in Phosphate buffer 10mM pH 7.4 in presence of calcein. DPPC liposomes/Calcein were centrifuged at 15000rpm 10 min to separate free calcein. Enzymatic activity assays of PLA₂ were performed at 37°C using the TBS buffer pH 7.4. The size distribution, polydispersity, Z-potential and Calcein encapsulation of DPPC liposomes was monitored. Results: PLA₂ activity showed a slower kinetic of calcein release up to 20 mol% of cholesterol, evidencing a minimum at 10 mol% and then a maximum at 18 mol%. Regardless of the percentage of cholesterol, up to 18 mol% a one-hundred percentage release of calcein was observed. At higher cholesterol concentrations, PLA₂ showed to be inefficient or not to be involved in calcein release. In assays where copolymers were added in a concentration lower than their cmc, a similar behavior to those showed in the presence of Cho was observed, that is a slower kinetic in calcein release. In both experimental approaches, a one-hundred percentage of calcein release was observed. PLA₂ was shown to be sensitive to the 4-(4-Octadecylphenyl)-4-oxobutenoic acid inhibitor and calcium, reducing the release of calcein to 0%. Cell viability of HeLa cells decreased 7% in the presence of DPPC liposomes after 3 hours of incubation and 17% and 23% at 5 and 15 hours, respectively. Conclusion: Calcein release from DPPC liposomes, mediated by PLA₂ activity, depends on the percentage of cholesterol and the presence of copolymers. Both, cholesterol up to 20 mol% and copolymers below it cmc could be applied to the regulation of the kinetics of antitumoral drugs release without inducing cell toxicity per se.

Keywords: amphipathic copolymers, calcein release, cholesterol, DPPC liposome, phospholipase A₂

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Authors: Galih Permana, Yuskar Lase

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In recent years, damping device has been experimentally studied to replace diagonally reinforced coupling beams, to mitigate rebar congestion problem. This study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of various damping devices in a high-rise building. The type of damping devices evaluated is Viscoelastic Damper (VCD) and Rotational Friction Damper (RFD), with study case of a 15-story reinforced concrete apartment building with a dual system (column-beam and shear walls). The analysis used is a nonlinear time history analysis with 11 pairs of ground motions matched to the Indonesian response spectrum based on ASCE 41-17 and ASCE 7-16. In this analysis, each damper will be varied with a different position, namely the first model, the damper will be installed on the entire floor and in the second model, the damper will be installed on the 5th floor to the 9th floor, which is the floor with the largest drift. The results show that the model using both dampers increases the level of structural performance both globally and locally in the building, which will reduce the level of damage to the structural elements. But between the two dampers, the coupling beam that uses RFD is more effective than using VCD in improving building performance. The damper on the coupling beam has a good role in dissipating earthquakes and also in terms of ease of installation.

Keywords: building, coupling beam, damper, nonlinear time history analysis

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Authors: Mannal Tariq

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Construction industry is making progress at a high pace. The trend of the world is getting more biased towards the high rise buildings. Deep beams are one of the most common elements in modern construction having small span to depth ratio. Deep beams are mostly used as transfer girders. This experimental study consists of 16 reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams. These beams were divided into two groups; A and B. Groups A and B consist of eight beams each, having 381 mm (15 in) and 457 mm (18 in) depth respectively. Each group was further subdivided into four sub groups each consisting of two identical beams. Each subgroup was comprised of solid/control beam (without opening), opening above neutral axis (NA), at NA and below NA. Except for control beams, all beams with openings were strengthened with carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) vertical strips. These eight groups differ from each other based on depth and location of openings. For testing sake, all beams have been loaded with two symmetrical point loads. All beams have been designed based on strut and tie model concept. The outcome of experimental investigation elaborates the difference in the shear behaviour of deep beams based on depth and location of circular openings variation. 457 mm (18 in) deep beam with openings above NA show the highest strength and 381 mm (15 in) deep beam with openings below NA show the least strength. CFRP sheets played a vital role in increasing the shear capacity of beams.

Keywords: CFRP, deep beams, openings in deep beams, strut and tie modal, shear behaviour

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Authors: René Čechmánek, Vladan Prachař, Ludvík Lederer, Jiří Loskot

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Thin-walled elements with a matrix set on a base of high-valuable Portland cement with dispersed reinforcement from alkali-resistant glass fibres are used in a range of applications as claddings of buildings and infrastructure constructions as well as various architectural elements of residential buildings. Even if their elementary thickness and therefore total weight is quite low, architects and building companies demand on even further decreasing of the bulk density of these fibre-cement elements for the reason of loading elimination of connected superstructures and easier assembling in demand conditions. By the means of various kinds of light-weight aggregates it is possible to achieve light-weighing of thin-walled fibre-cement composite elements. From the range of possible fillers with different material properties granulated expanded glass worked the best. By the means of laboratory testing an effect of two fillers based on expanded glass on the fibre reinforced cement composite was verified. Practical applicability was tested in the production of commonly manufactured glass fibre reinforced concrete elements, such as channels for electrical cable deposition, products for urban equipment and especially various cladding elements. Even if these are not structural elements, it is necessary to evaluate also strength characteristics and resistance to environment for their durability in certain applications.

Keywords: fibre-cement composite, granulated expanded glass, light-weighing

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Authors: Maria Stepankova, Lucie Vistejnova, Pavel Klein, Tereza Blassova, Marketa Slajerova, Radek Sedlacek, Martin Bartos, Jaroslav Chlupac

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Background: Clinical outcome benefits of the segment rib fracture surgical therapy are well known and follow from better stabilization of the chest wall. Despite this, some authors still incline to conservative therapy and point out to possible rib fracture healing failure in connection with the bone vascular supply disturbance caused by metal plate implantation. This suggestion met neither experimental nor clinical verification and remains the object of discussion. In our pilot study we investigated the titanium plate fixation effect on the rib fracture healing in porcine model and its histological, biomechanical and radiological aspects. Materials and Method: Two porcine models (experimental group) underwent the operative chest wall stabilization with a titanium plate implantation after osteotomy. Two other porcine models (control group) were treated conservatively after osteotomy. Three weeks after surgery, all animals were sacrificed, treated ribs were explanted and the histological analysis, µCT imaging and biomechanical testing of the calluses tissue were performed. Results: In µCT imaging, experimental group showed a higher cortical bone volume compared to the control group. Histological analysis using the non-decalcified bone tissue blocks demonstrated more maturated callus with higher newly-formed osseous tissue ratio in experimental group in comparison to controls. In contrast, no significant differences in bone blood vessels supply in both groups were observed. This finding suggests that the bone blood supply in experimental group was not impaired. Biomechanical analysis using 3-point bending test demonstrated significantly higher bending stiffness and the maximum force in experimental group. Conclusion: Based on our observation, it could be concluded, that the titanium plate fixation of the rib fractures leads to faster bone callus maturation whereas does not cause the vascular supply impairment after 3 weeks and thus has a beneficial effect on the rib fracture healing.

Keywords: bone vascular supply, chest wall stabilization, fracture healing, histological analysis, titanium plate implantation

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Authors: Scott Andersen

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Perhaps simply and rather unadornedly, consciousness is having multiple goals for action and the continuously adjudication of such goals to implement action, referred to as the Maps of Meaning (MoM) Consciousness Theory. The MoM theory triangulates through three parallel corollaries, action (behavior), mechanism (morphology/pathophysiology), and goals (teleology). (1) An organism’s consciousness contains a fluid, nested goals. These goals are not intentionality, but intersectionality, embodiment meeting the world. i.e., Darwinian inclusive fitness or randomization, then survival of the fittest. These goals form via gradual descent under inclusive fitness, the goals being the abstraction of a ‘match’ between the evolutionary environment and organism. Human consciousness implements the brain efficiency hypothesis, genetics, epigenetics, and experience crystallize efficiencies, not necessitating best or objective but fitness, i.e., perceived efficiency based on one’s adaptive environment. These efficiencies are objectively arbitrary, but determine the operation and level of one’s consciousness, termed extreme thrownness. Since inclusive fitness drives efficiencies in physiologic mechanism, morphology and behavior (action) and originates one’s goals, embodiment is necessarily entangled to human consciousness as its the intersection of mechanism or action (both necessitating embodiment) occurring in the world that determines fitness. Perception is the operant process of consciousness and is the consciousness’ de facto goal adjudication process. Goal operationalization is fundamentally efficiency-based via one’s unique neuronal mapping as a byproduct of genetics, epigenetics, and experience. Perception involves information intake and information discrimination, equally underpinned by efficiencies of inclusive fitness via extreme thrownness. Perception isn’t a ‘frame rate,’ but Bayesian priors of efficiency based on one’s extreme thrownness. Consciousness and human consciousness is a modular (i.e., a scalar level of richness, which builds up like building blocks) and dimensionalized (i.e., cognitive abilities become possibilities as emergent phenomena at various modularities, like stratified factors in factor analysis). The meta dimensions of human consciousness seemingly include intelligence quotient, personality (five-factor model), richness of perception intake, and richness of perception discrimination, among other potentialities. Future consciousness research should utilize factor analysis to parse modularities and dimensions of human consciousness and animal models.

Keywords: consciousness, perception, prospection, embodiment

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Authors: Bunakiye R. Japheth, Ogude U. Cyril

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Since the process of transforming user requirements to modeling constructs are not very well supported by domain-specific frameworks, it became necessary to integrate domain requirements with the specific architectures to achieve an integrated customizable solutions space via artifact orientation. Domain-specific modeling language specifications of model-driven engineering technologies focus more on requirements within a particular domain, which can be tailored to aid the domain expert in expressing domain concepts effectively. Modeling processes through domain-specific language formalisms are highly volatile due to dependencies on domain concepts or used process models. A capable solution is given by artifact orientation that stresses on the results rather than expressing a strict dependence on complicated platforms for model creation and development. Based on this premise, domain-specific methods for producing artifacts without having to take into account the complexity and variability of platforms for model definitions can be integrated to support customizable development. In this paper, we discuss methods for the integration capabilities and necessities within a common structure and semantics that contribute a metamodel for artifact-orientation, which leads to a reusable software layer with concrete syntax capable of determining design intents from domain expert. These concepts forming the language formalism are established from models explained within the oil and gas pipelines industry.

Keywords: control process, metrics of engineering, structured abstraction, semantic model

Procedia PDF Downloads 124

Authors: Kristin Murray

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The proposed paper exams prologues in 20th and 21st century American literature in order to show how Native American writer Tommy Orange’s Prologue in his 2018 novel There, Thereis different. In an interview about his 2018 novel There, There, explains he feels “a kind of burden to catch the general reader up with what really happened, because history has got it so wrong and still continue to” (Laubernds). Orange, thus, includes a “Prologue” in his novel to do this work, catching readers upon Native Americans and their history. Prologues are usually from the narrator’s voice, a character’s voice, or even from a fictionalized version of the author, but the tone of Orange’s “Prologue” is that of a non-fictional first-person essayist. Examining prologues in American literature posits Orange’s prologue outside the norm. This paper also examines other introductory sections, the preface, in particular. The research and examination reveal that Orange is adding his personal voice in the Prologue to the multiple narratorsof the novel, and his is the voice of a writer who knows that his audience comes to his novel with a plethora of misinformation. The truths he tells are horrifying and hopeful. He tells of Thanksgiving as a “land deal” and a “successful massacre,” but he also tellsreaders how urban Indians have found a sense of the land, even through concrete. Native American writers contributed and still contribute to the genre of autobiography in ways that have changed our understanding of this genre. This examination of Orange’s Prologue reveals the new and unexpected way to view this often under-examined introductory section, the prologue.

Keywords: native american literature, prologues, prefaces, 20th century american literature

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Authors: Maryam Firouzmandi, Moosa Miri

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Aim and background: esthetic and structural reconstruction of anterior teeth may require the application of different restoration material. In this regard combination of direct composite veneer and ceramic crown is a common treatment option. Despite the initial matching, their long term harmony in term of optical and surface characteristics is a matter of concern. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare optical and surface characteristic of direct composite polished and glazed ceramic materials after exposure to tooth brush abrasion and staining solution. Materials and Methods: ten 2 mm thick disk shape specimens were prepared from IPS empress direct composite and twenty specimens from IPS e.max CAD blocks. Composite specimens and ten ceramic specimens were polished by using D&Z composite and ceramic polishing kit. The other ten specimens of ceramic were glazed with glazing liquid. Baseline measurement of roughness, CIElab coordinate, and luminance were recorded. Then the specimens underwent thermocycling, tooth brushing, and coffee staining. Afterword, the final measurements were recorded. Color coordinate were used to calculate ΔE76, ΔE00, translucency parameter, and contrast ratio. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA and post hoc LSD test. Results: baseline and final roughness of the study group were not different. At baseline, the order of roughness for the study group were as follows: composite < glazed ceramic < polished ceramic, but after aging, no difference. Between ceramic groups was not detected. The comparison of baseline and final luminance was similar to roughness but in reverse order. Unlike differential roughness which was comparable between the groups, changes in luminance of the glazed ceramic group was higher than other groups. ΔE76 and ΔE00 in the composite group were 18.35 and 12.84, in the glazed ceramic group were 1.3 and 0.79, and in polished ceramic were 1.26 and 0.85. These values for the composite group were significantly different from ceramic groups. Translucency of composite at baseline was significantly higher than final, but there was no significant difference between these values in ceramic groups. Composite was more translucency than ceramic at baseline and final measurement. Conclusion: Glazed ceramic surface was smoother than polished ceramic. Aging did not change the roughness. Optical properties (color and translucency) of the composite were influenced by aging. Luminance of composite, glazed ceramic, and polished ceramic decreased after aging, but the reduction in glazed ceramic was more pronounced.

Keywords: ceramic, tooth-brush abrasion, staining solution, composite resin

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Authors: Angelika Dierolf, K. Rischer, A. Gonzalez-Roldan, P. Montoya, F. Anton, M. Van der Meulen

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Placebo analgesia is a powerful cognitive endogenous pain modulation mechanism with high relevance in pain treatment. Older people would benefit, especially from non-pharmacologic pain interventions, since this age group is disproportionately affected by acute and chronic pain, while pharmacological treatments are less suitable due to polypharmacy and age-related changes in drug metabolism. Although aging is known to affect neurobiological and physiological aspects of pain perception, as for example, changes in pain threshold and pain tolerance, its effects on cognitive pain modulation strategies, including placebo analgesia, have hardly been investigated so far. In the present study, we are assessing placebo analgesia in 35 older adults (60 years and older) and 35 younger adults (between 18 and 35 years). Acute pain was induced with short transdermal electrical pulses to the inner forearm, using a concentric stimulating electrode. Stimulation intensities were individually adjusted to the participant’s threshold. Next to the stimulation site, we applied sham transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Participants were informed that sometimes the TENS device would be switched on (placebo condition), and sometimes it would be switched off (control condition). In reality, it was always switched off. Participants received alternating blocks of painful stimuli in the placebo and control condition and were asked to rate the intensity and unpleasantness of each stimulus on a visual analog scale (VAS). Pain-related evoked potentials were recorded with a 64-channel EEG. Preliminary results show a reduced placebo effect in older compared to younger adults in both behavioral and neurophysiological data. Older people experienced less subjective pain reduction under sham TENS treatment compared to younger adults, as evidenced by the VAS ratings. The N1 and P2 event-related potential components were generally reduced in the older group. While younger adults showed a reduced N1 and P2 under sham TENS treatment, this reduction was considerably smaller in older people. This reduced placebo effect in the older group suggests that cognitive pain modulation is altered in aging and may at least partly explain why older adults experience more pain. Our results highlight the need for a better understanding of the efficacy of non-pharmacological pain treatments in older adults and how these can be optimized to meet the specific requirements of this population.

Keywords: placebo analgesia, aging, acute pain, TENS, EEG

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Authors: Safitri W. Nur, Prathisto Panuntun L. Unggul, M. Ivan Adi Perdana, R. Dary Wira Mahadika

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On soft soil areas, high embankment as a preloading needed to improve the bearing capacity of the soil. For sustainable development, the construction of embankment must not disturb the area around of them. So, the influence area must be known before the contractor applied their embankment design. For several cases in Indonesia, the area around of embankment construction is housing resident and other building. So that, the influence area must be identified to avoid the differential settlement occurs on the buildings around of them. Differential settlement causes the building crack. Each building has a limited tolerance for the differential settlement. For concrete buildings, the tolerance is 0,002 – 0,003 m and for steel buildings, the tolerance is 0,006 – 0,008 m. If the differential settlement stands on the range of that value, building crack can be avoided. In fact, the settlement around of embankment is assumed as zero. Because of that, so many problems happen when high embankment applied on soft soil area. This research used the superposition method combined with plaxis analysis to know the influences area around of embankment in some location with the differential characteristic of the soft soil. The undisturbed soil samples take on 55 locations with undisturbed soil samples at some soft soils location in Indonesia. Based on this research, it was concluded that the effects of embankment variation are if more gentle the slope, the influence area will be greater and vice versa. The largest of the influence area with h initial embankment equal to 2 - 6 m with slopes 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, 1:6, 1:7, 1:8 is 32 m from the edge of the embankment.

Keywords: differential settlement, embankment, influence area, slope, soft soil

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Authors: Deborah Garcia-Magna

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The use of new technologies has become widespread in the last decade, giving rise to various risks associated with the transfer of personal data and the publication of sensitive material on social media. There are already several supranational instruments that seek to protect the citizens involved in this growing traffic of personal information and, especially, the most vulnerable people, such as minors, who are also the ones who make the most intense use of these new means of communication. In this sense, the configuration of the concept of privacy as a legal right has necessarily been influenced by these new social uses and supranational instruments. The researcher considers correct the decision to introduce sexting as a new criminal behaviour in the Penal Code in 2015, but questions the concrete manner in which it has been made. To this end, an updated review of the various options that our legal system already offered is made, assessing whether these legal options adequately addressed the new social needs and guidelines from jurisprudence and other supranational instruments. Some important issues emerge as to whether the principles of fragmentarity and subsidiarity may be violated since the new article 197.7 of the Spanish Penal Code could refer to very varied behaviours and protect not only particularly vulnerable persons. In this sense, the research focuses on issues such as the concept of 'seriousness' of the infringement of privacy, the possible reckless conduct of the victim, who hang over its own private material to third parties, the affection to other legal rights such as freedom and sexual indemnity, the possible problems of concurrent offences, etc.

Keywords: criminal law reform, ECHR jurisprudence, right to privacy, sexting

Procedia PDF Downloads 182