Search results for: local raw materials

Authors: Mohammad Khoshini, Arman Khoshghalb, Meghdad Payan, Nasser Khalili

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Most of the Earth’s crust surface rocks are technically categorized as weak rocks or weakly bonded geomaterials. Deeply weathered, weakly cemented, friable and easily erodible, they demonstrate complex material behaviour and understanding the overlooked mechanical behaviour of such materials is of particular importance in geotechnical engineering practice. Weakly bonded geomaterials are so susceptible to surface shear and moisture that conventional methods of core drilling fail to extract high-quality undisturbed samples out of them. Moreover, most of these geomaterials are of high heterogeneity rendering less reliable and feasible material characterization. In order to compensate for the unpredictability of the material response, either numerous experiments are needed to be conducted or large factors of safety must be implemented in the design process. However, none of these approaches is sustainable. In this study, a method for dry core drilling of such materials is introduced to take high-quality undisturbed core samples. By freezing the material at certain moisture content, a secondary structure is developed throughout the material which helps the whole structure to remain intact during the core drilling process. Moreover, to address the heterogeneity issue, the natural material was reconstructed artificially to obtain a homogeneous material with very high similarity to the natural one in both micro and macro-mechanical perspectives. The method is verified for both micro and macro scale. In terms of micro-scale analysis, using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), pore spaces and inter-particle bonds were investigated and compared between natural and artificial materials. X-Ray Diffraction, XRD, analyses are also performed to control the chemical composition. At the macro scale, several uniaxial compressive strength tests, as well as triaxial tests, were performed to verify the similar mechanical response of the materials. A high level of agreement is observed between micro and macro results of natural and artificially bonded geomaterials. The proposed methods can play an important role to cut down the costs of experimental programs for material characterization and also to promote the accuracy of the numerical modellings based on the experimental results.

Keywords: Artificial geomaterial, core drilling, macro-mechanical behavior, micro-scale, sample preparation, SEM photography, weakly bonded geomaterials

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Authors: Andrea Corsale

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The historical and geographical regions of Banat and Crişana in Western Romania have long been characterized by a high degree of ethnic diversity. However, this traditionally complex cultural, linguistic, and religious mosaic has undergone a progressive simplification during the past century due to deportations, emigration, and assimilation, and both regions now have a large Romanian-speaking majority population. This contribution focuses on Jewish heritage in the two largest cities of these two regions, Timişoara (Banat) and Oradea (Crişana). The two cities shared some historical events but also went through different experiences, despite their relative geographic proximity. The Jewish community of Timişoara survived the Holocaust basically intact, an almost unique case in Central-Eastern Europe, but largely left the city after the war. Instead, the Jewish community of Oradea was almost completely deported and killed in Auschwitz, and a renewed post-war community gradually emigrated abroad in the following decades. The two Jewish communities are now very small in size but inherited a vast tangible and intangible heritage (synagogues, cemeteries, community buildings, characteristic architecture, memories, local traditions, and histories), partially restored and recovered in recent years. The author’s fieldwork shows that local Jewish stakeholders are aware of the potential of this heritage in terms of cultural and economic benefits, but significant weaknesses and concerns exist, as the small dimension of these communities, and their financial constraints, challenge their future role in the eventual promotion and management of this heritage, which is now basically in the hands of the non-Jewish public and private stakeholders. Projects, experiences, and views related to Jewish heritage conservation and promotion in these two contexts will be portrayed and analysed in order to contribute to a broader discussion on representations and narratives of minority heritage within cultural tourism development dynamics.

Keywords: Jewish heritage, ethnic minorities, heritage tourism, Romania

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Authors: Nursah Kutuk, Sevil Cetinkaya

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Geopolymers are becoming new concrete materials to use alongside cement, which are formed due to reaction between alumino-silicates and oxides with alkaline media. Silicates obtained from natural minerals or industrial wastes are used for geopolymer synthesis. Geopolymers have recently received wide attention because of their advantages over other cementitious material like Portland cement. Some of the advantages are high compressive strength, low environmental impact, chemical and fire resistance and thermal stability. In this study, geopolymers were prepared by using inorganic materials such as kaolinite and calcite. The experiments were carried out by varying the concentration of NaOH as 5, 10, 15 and 20 M, and at cure temperature of 22, 45 and 65 °C. Compressive strengths for each mixes at each cure temperature were measured. Results of the analyses indicated that the compressive strength of geopolymers did not increase steadily with increasing concentration of NaOH, but did increase steadily with increasing cure temperature. We examined the effect Na2SiO3/NaOH weight ratio on the properties of the geopolymers, too. It was seen that Na2SiO3/NaOH weight ratio was also important to prepare geopolymers that can be applied to construction industry.

Keywords: geopolymers, compressive strength, kaolinite, calcite

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Authors: D. V. S. Praneeth, V. R. Sankar Cheela, Brajesh Dubey

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Coal Combustion (CC) residues are the major by-products from thermal power plants. The disposal of ash on to land creates havoc to environment and humans. The leaching of the constituent elements pollutes ground water. Beneficiary use of coal combustion residues in structural components is being investigated as a part of this study. This application reduces stress on the convention materials in the construction industry. The present study involves determination of leaching parameters of the CC residues. Batch and column studies are performed based on Leaching Environmental Assessment Framework (LEAF) protocol. The column studies are conducted to simulate the real time percolation conditions in the field. The structural and environmental studies are performed to determine the usability of CC residues as bricks. The physical, chemical, geo environmental and mechanical properties of the alternate materials are investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction analysis (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy tests were conducted to determine the characteristics of CC residue ash and bricks.

Keywords: coal combustion residues, LEAF, leaching, SEM

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Authors: Mohamad Saab, Sidi Souvi

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In a major nuclear accident, the released fission products (FPs) and the structural materials are likely to influence the transport of iodine in the reactor coolant system (RCS) of a pressurized water reactor (PWR). So far, the thermodynamic data on cesium and silver species used to estimate the magnitude of FP release show some discrepancies, data are scarce and not reliable. For this reason, it is crucial to review the thermodynamic values related to cesium and silver materials. To this end, we have used state-of-the-art quantum chemical methods to compute the formation enthalpies and entropies of AgHMoO₄, CsHMoO₄, and AgCsMoO₄ in the gas phase. Different quantum chemical methods have been investigated (DFT and CCSD(T)) in order to predict the geometrical parameters and the energetics including the correlation energy. The geometries were optimized with TPSSh-5%HF method, followed by a single point calculation of the total electronic energies using the CCSD(T) wave function method. We thus propose with a final uncertainty of about 2 kJmol⁻¹ standard enthalpies of formation of AgHMoO₄, CsHMoO₄, and AgCsMoO₄.

Keywords: nuclear accident, ASTEC code, thermochemical database, quantum chemical methods

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Authors: Ankita Tiwari, Jyoti Saini, Subhasis Ghosh

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For many years, researchers have been fascinated by the subject of how properties evolve as dimensionality is lowered. Early on, it was shown that the presence of a significant magnetic anisotropy might compensate for the lack of long-range (LR) magnetic order in a low-dimensional system (d < 3) with continuous symmetry, as proposed by Hohenberg-Mermin and Wagner (HMW). Strong magnetic anisotropy allows an LR magnetic order to stabilize in two dimensions (2D) even in the presence of stronger thermal fluctuations which is responsible for the absence of Heisenberg ferromagnetism in 2D. Van der Waals (vdW) ferromagnets, including CrI₃, CrTe₂, Cr₂X₂Te₆ (X = Si and Ge) and Fe₃GeTe₂, offer a nearly ideal platform for studying ferromagnetism in 2D. Fe₃GeTe₂ is the subject of extensive investigation due to its tunable magnetic properties, high Curie temperature (Tc ~ 220K), and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy. Many applications in the field of spintronics device development have been quite active due to these appealing features of Fe₃GeTe₂. Although it is known that LR-driven ferromagnetism is necessary to get around the HMW theorem in 2D experimental realization, Heisenberg 2D ferromagnetism remains elusive in condensed matter systems. Here, we show that Fe₃GeTe₂ hosts both localized and delocalized spins, resulting in itinerant and local-moment ferromagnetism. The presence of LR itinerant interaction facilitates to stabilize Heisenberg ferromagnet in 2D. With the help of Rhodes-Wohlfarth (RW) and generalized RW-based analysis, Fe₃GeTe₂ has been shown to be a 2D ferromagnet with itinerant magnetism that can be modulated by an external magnetic field. Hence, the presence of both local moment and itinerant magnetism has made this system interesting in terms of research in low dimensions. We have also rigorously performed critical analysis using an improvised method. We show that the variable critical exponents are typical signatures of 2D ferromagnetism in Fe₃GeTe₂. The spontaneous magnetization exponent β changes the universality class from mean-field to 2D Heisenberg with field. We have also confirmed the range of interaction via the renormalization group (RG) theory. According to RG theory, Fe₃GeTe₂ is a 2D ferromagnet with LR interactions.

Keywords: Van der Waal ferromagnet, 2D ferromagnetism, phase transition, itinerant ferromagnetism, long range order

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Authors: Sudip Mondal, Biswanath Mondal, Sudit S. Mukhopadhyay, Apurba Dey

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Bioactive materials improve devices for a long lifespan but have mechanical limitations. Mechanical characterization is one of the very important characteristics to evaluate the life span and functionality of the scaffold material. After implantation of scaffold material the primary stage rejection of scaffold occurs due to non biocompatible effect of host body system. The second major problems occur due to the effect of mechanical failure. The mechanical and biocompatibility failure of the scaffold materials can be overcome by the prior evaluation of the scaffold materials. In this study chemically treated Labeo rohita scale is used for synthesizing hydroxyapatite (HAp) biomaterial. Thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) is carried out to ensure thermal stability. The chemical composition and bond structures of wet ball-milled calcined HAp powder is characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. Fish scale derived apatite materials consists of nano-sized particles with Ca/P ratio of 1.71. The biocompatibility through cytotoxicity evaluation and MTT assay are carried out in MG63 osteoblast cell lines. In the cell attachment study, the cells are tightly attached with HAp scaffolds developed in the laboratory. The result clearly suggests that HAp material synthesized in this study do not have any cytotoxic effect, as well as it has a natural binding affinity for mammalian cell lines. The synthesized HAp powder further successfully used to develop porous scaffold material with suitable mechanical property of ~0.8GPa compressive stress, ~1.10 GPa a hardness and ~ 30-35% porosity which is acceptable for implantation in trauma region for animal model. The histological analysis also supports the bio-affinity of processed HAp biomaterials in Wistar rat model for investigating the contact reaction and stability at the artificial or natural prosthesis interface for biomedical function. This study suggests the natural sourced fish scale-derived HAp material could be used as a suitable alternative biomaterial for tissue engineering application in near future.

Keywords: biomaterials, hydroxyapatite, scaffold, mechanical property, tissue engineering

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Authors: Anuoluwapo S. Taiwo, David S. Ayre, Morteza Khorami, Sameer S. Rahatekar

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This investigation aims to characterize the effect of Corn Cob (CC), an agricultural waste, for potential use as a filler material, reducing cement in natural fibre-reinforced cement composite boards used for building applications in low-cost housing estates in developing countries. The corn cob is readily and abundantly available in many West African States. However, this agricultural waste product has not been put to any effective use. Hence, the objective of the current research is to convert this massive agro-waste resource into a potential material for use as filler materials reducing cement contents in fibre-cement board production. Kraft pulp fibre-reinforced cement composite boards were developed with the incorporation of the corn cob powder at varying percentages of 1 – 4% as filler materials to reduce the cement content, using a laboratory-simulated vacuum de-watering process. The mechanical properties of the developed cement boards were characterized through a three-point bending test, while the fractured morphology of the cement boards was examined through a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Results revealed that the flexural strength of the composite board improved significantly with an optimum enhancement of 39% when compared to the reference sample without corn cob replacement, however, the flexural behaviour (ductility) of the composite board was slightly affected by the addition of the corn cob powder at higher percentage. SEM observation of the fractured surfaces revealed good bonding at the fibre-matrix interface as well as a ductile-to-brittle fracture mechanism. Overall, the composite board incorporated with 2% corn cob powder as filler materials had the optimum properties which satisfied the minimum requirements of relevant standards for fibre cement flat sheets.

Keywords: agricultural waste, building applications, fibre-cement board, kraft pulp fibre, sustainability

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Authors: Andrea Palazzo, Daniel Macek, Veronika Malinova

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Contour processing is the new technology challenge for architects and construction companies. The many advantages it promises make it one of the most interesting solutions for construction in terms of automation of building processes. The technology for 3D printing houses offers many application possibilities, from low-cost construction, to being considered by NASA for visionary projects as a good solution for building settlements on other planets. Another very important point is that clients, as architects, will no longer have many limits in design concerning ideas and creativity. The prices for real estate are constantly increasing and the lack of availability of construction materials as well as the speculation that has been created around it in 2021 is bringing prices to such a level that in the future real estate developers risk not being able to find customers for these ultra-expensive homes. Hence, this paper starts with the introduction of 3D printing, which now has the potential to gain an important position in the market, becoming a valid alternative to the classic construction process. This technology is not only beneficial from an economic point of view but it is also a great opportunity to have an impact on the environment by reducing CO2 emissions. Further on in the article we will also understand if, after the COP 26 (2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference), world governments could also push towards building technologies that reduce the waste materials that are needed to be disposed of and at the same time reduce emissions with the contribution of governmental funds. This paper will give us insight on the multiple benefits of 3D printing and emphasise the importance of finding new solutions for materials that can be used by the printer. Therefore, based on the type of material, it will be possible to understand the compatibility with current regulations and how the authorities will be inclined to support this technology. This will help to enable the rise and development of this technology in Europe and in the rest of the world on actual housing projects and not only on prototypes.

Keywords: additive manufacturing, contour crafting, development, new regulation, printing material

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Authors: Edith Lotachukwu Ochege

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Nations stay together when citizens share enough values and preferences and can communicate with each other. Homogeneity among people can be built with education, teaching a common language to facilitate communication, infrastructure for easier travel, but also by brute force such as prohibiting local cultures. This paper discusses the role of language education in nation building. It defines education, highlights the functions of language. Furthermore, it expresses socialization agents that aid culture which are all embodied in language, problems of nation building.

Keywords: nation building, language education, function of language, socialization

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Authors: Mingaile Jurkute, Vilnius University

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The memory of the Lithuanian partisan war (1944-1953) underwent extremely dramatic transformations. During this war, the image of the resistance and a partisan was one of the key elements of Lithuanian identity. Its importance is evidenced by the extremely large legacy of songs about partisans, no other topic has collected so much folklore in Lithuania. In the Soviet years, this resistance was practically forced to be forgotten. Terror and Soviet laws have forced people to stop talking about the events, even in the family circle. In addition, the Soviets created their own propaganda story, reinterpreting the Lithuanian partisan war, presenting partisans as bandits who brutally tortured and murdered locals. But even in the Soviet years, the memory could neither be completely suppressed, nor completely transformed into wishful shape. The analysis of fiction and cinema shows that the traumatic memory of real events rushed to the surface, thus transforming the very propagandistic narrative. After the restoration of the Republic of Lithuania in 1990, the Lithuanian partisan war was gradually returned to the central place of Lithuanian history. After 2014 the nationalist heroic narrative about Lithuanian partisans became the central narrative of modern Lithuanian history. Nevertheless, interviews I conducted in Lithuanian villages reveal that the memory of local communities and families preserves quite different experiences that do not fit into neither the Soviet narrative nor the heroic one. Such experiences include, for example, partisan violence against local families. This paper is about the efforts of two political ideologies (the Soviet and the Lithuanian patriotic) to use the history of the Lithuanian partisans for their own needs, and the attempts of small communities (mostly families) to resist these efforts. The research reveals that family memory, even when opposed to aggressive state memory policies, can preserve counter-narratives by exploiting unexpected objects beyond the control of the state, such as nature and wildlife. Basically, the paper analyses the limits of the instrumentalization of memory, even by extremely aggressive political regimes.

Keywords: collective memory, post-memory, violence, military conflict, family memory

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Authors: Tahani Farah, Hanène Souli, Jean-Marie Fleureau, Guillaume Kermouche, Jean-Jacques Fry, Benjamin Girard, Denis Aelbrecht

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In this work, the bio-clogging of two soils with different granulometries is presented. The durability of the clogging is also studied under cycles of hydraulic head and under cycles of desaturation- restauration. The studied materials present continuous grain size distributions. The first one corresponding to the "material 1", presents grain sizes between 0.4 and 4 mm. The second material called "material 2" is composed of grains with size varying between 1 and 10 mm. The results show that clogging occurs very quickly after the injection of nutrition and an outlet flow near to 0 is observed. The critical hydraulic head is equal to 0.76 for "material 1", and 0.076 for "material 2". The durability tests show a good resistance to unclogging under cycles of hydraulic head and desaturation-restauration for the "material 1". Indeed, the flow after the cycles is very low. In contrast, "material 2", shows a very bad resistance, especially under the hydraulic head cycles. The resistance under the cycles of desaturation-resaturation is better but an important increase of the flow is observed. The difference of behavior is due to the granulometry of the materials. Indeed, the large grain size contributes to the reduction of the efficiency of the bio-clogging treatment in this material.

Keywords: bio-clogging, granulometry, permeability, nutrition

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Authors: Gustave Semugaza, Anne Zora Gierth, Tommy Mielke, Marianela Escobar Castillo, Nat Doru C. Lupascu

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The generation of Construction and Demolition Waste (CDW) has globally increased enormously due to the enhanced need in construction, renovation, and demolition of construction structures. Several studies investigated the use of CDW materials in the production of new concrete and indicated the lower mechanical properties of the resulting concrete. Many other researchers considered the possibility of using the Hydrated Cement Powder (HCP) to replace a part of Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), but only very few investigated the use of Recycled Concrete Powder (RCP) from CDW. The partial replacement of OPC for making new concrete intends to decrease the CO₂ emissions associated with OPC production. However, the RCP and HCP need treatment to produce the new concrete of required mechanical properties. The thermal treatment method has proven to improve HCP properties before their use. Previous research has stated that for using HCP in concrete, the optimum results are achievable by heating HCP between 400°C and 800°C. The optimum heating temperature depends on the type of cement used to make the Hydrated Cement Specimens (HCS), the crushing and heating method of HCP, and the curing method of the Rehydrated Cement Specimens (RCS). This research assessed the quality of recycled materials by using different techniques such as X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG), Scanning electron Microscopy (SEM), and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF). These recycled materials were thermally pretreated at different temperatures from 200°C to 1000°C. Additionally, the research investigated to what extent the thermally treated recycled cement could partially replace the OPC and if the new concrete produced would achieve the required mechanical properties. The mechanical properties were evaluated on the RCS, obtained by mixing the Dehydrated Cement Powder and Recycled Powder (DCP and DRP) with water (w/c = 0.6 and w/c = 0.45). The research used the compressive testing machine for compressive strength testing, and the three-point bending test was used to assess the flexural strength.

Keywords: hydrated cement powder, dehydrated cement powder, recycled concrete powder, thermal treatment, reactivation, mechanical performance

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Authors: Mohd Maniruzzaman, Md. Monjurul Alam, Md. Hafezur Rahaman, Anika Amir Mohona

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The consumption of water by various industries is increasing day by day, and the wastewaters from them are increasing as well. These wastewaters consist of various kinds of color, dissolved solids, toxic heavy metals, residual chlorine, and other non-degradable organic materials. If these wastewaters are exposed directly to the environment, it will be hazardous for the environment and personal health. So, it is very necessary to treat these wastewaters before exposing into the environment. In this research, we have demonstrated the successful processing and utilization of fully bio-based cellulose micro crystal (CMC) composite for the removal of heavy metals, dyes, and salinity from industrial wastewaters. Banana rachis micro-cellulose were prepared by acid hydrolysis (H₂SO₄) of banana (Musa acuminata L.) rachis fiber, and Bijoypur raw clay were treated by organic solvent tri-ethyl amine. Composites were prepared with varying different composition of banana rachis nano-cellulose and modified Bijoypur (north-east part in Bangladesh) clay. After the successful characterization of cellulose micro crystal (CMC) and modified clay, our targeted filter was fabricated with different composition of cellulose micro crystal and clay in the locally fabricated packing column with 7.5 cm as thickness of composites fraction. Waste-water was collected from local small textile industries containing basic yellow 2 as dye, lead (II) nitrate [Pb(NO₃)₂] and chromium (III) nitrate [Cr(NO₃)₃] as heavy metals and saline water was collected from Khulna to test the efficiency of banana rachis cellulose micro crystal-clay composite for removing the above impurities. The filtering efficiency of wastewater purification was characterized by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (X-RD), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. Finally, our all characterizations data are shown with very high expected results for in industrial application of our fabricated filter.

Keywords: banana rachis, bio-based filter, cellulose micro crystal-clay composite, wastewaters, synthetic dyes, heavy metal, water salinity

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Authors: Zatil Afifah Omar, Siti Nur Izati Azmi, Kathi Swaran, Navin Kumar

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Lost circulation has always been one of the greatest problems faced by drilling companies during drilling operations due to excessive drilling Fluids losses. Loss of circulation leads to Huge cost and non-productive time. The objective of this study is to evaluate the sealing efficiency of a proprietary blend of synthetic rubber as loss circulation material in comparison with a conventional product such as calcium carbonate, graphite, cellulosic, and nutshells. Sand Bed Tester with a different proprietary blend of synthetic rubber compositions has been used to determine the effectiveness of the LCM in preventing drilling fluids losses in a lab scale. Test results show the proprietary blend of synthetic rubber have good bridging properties and sealing Off fractures of various sizes. The finish product is environmentally friendly with lower production lead time and lower production cost compared to current conventional loss circulation materials used in current drilling operations.

Keywords: loss circulation materials, drilling operation, sealing efficiency, LCM

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Authors: Gul Jan

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It is the first quantitative ethno-botanical analysis and conservation issues of medicinal flora of Alpine and Sub-alpine, Hindikush region of Pakistan. The objective of the study aims to report, compare the uses and highlight the ethno-Botanical significance of medicinal plants for treatment of various diseases. A total of 250 (242 males and 8 females) local informants including 10 Local Traditional Healers were interviewed. Information was collected through semi-structured interviews, analyzed and compared by quantitative ethno-botanical indices such as Jaccard index (JI), Informant Consensus Factor (ICF), use value (UV) and Relative frequency of citation (RFC).Thorough survey indicated that 57 medicinal plants belongs to 43 families were investigated to treat various illnesses. The highest ICF is recorded for digestive system (0.69%), Circolatory system (0.61%), urinary tract system, (0.53%) and respiratory system (0.52%). Used value indicated that, Achillea mellefolium (UV = 0.68), Aconitum violaceum (UV = 0.69), Valeriana jatamansi (UV = 0.63), Berberis lyceum (UV = 0.65) and are exceedingly medicinal plant species used in the region. In comparison, highest similarity index is recorded in these studies with JI 17.72 followed by 16.41. According to DMR output, Pinus williciana ranked first due to multipurpose uses among all species and was found most threatened with higher market value. Unwise used of natural assets pooled with unsuitable harvesting practices have exaggerated pressure on plant species of the research region. The main issues causative to natural variety loss found were over grazing of animals, forest violation, wild animal hunting, fodder, plant collection as medicine, fuel wood, forest fire, and invasive species negatively affect the natural resources. For viable utilization, in situ and ex situ conservation, skillful collecting, and reforestation project may be the resolution. Further wide field management research is required.

Keywords: quantitative analysis, conservations issues, medicinal flora, alpine and sub-alpine, Hindukush region

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Authors: Abriak Yassine, Zri Abdeljalil, Benzerzour Mahfoud., Hadj Sadok Rachid, Abriak Nor-Edine

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In this study, firstly, the study of the capacity reuse of dredged sediments and treated sediments with lime or cement were used in an establishment layer and the base layer of the roadway. Also, the analysis of mineral changes caused by the addition of lime or cement on the way as described in the mechanical results of stabilised sediments. After determining the quantity of lime and cement required to stabilise the sediment, the compaction characteristics were studied using the modified Proctor method. Then the evolution of the three parameters, that is, ideal water content and maximum dry density had been determined. Mechanical exhibitions can be assessed across the resistance to compression, flexibility modulus and the resistance under traction. The resistance of the formulation treated with cement addition (ROLAC®645) increase with the quantity of ROLAC®645. Traction resistances and the elastic modulus were utilized to assess the potential of the formulation as road construction materials utilizing classification diagram. The results show the various formulations with ROLAC® 645may be employed in subgrades and foundation layers for roads.

Keywords: cement, dredged, sediment, foundation layer, resistance

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Authors: Khemnath Kharel

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Forest itself is a factory as well as product. It supplies tangible and intangible goods and services. It supplies timber, fuel wood, fodder, grass leaf litter as well as non timber edible goods and medicinal and aromatic products additionally provides environmental services. These environmental services are of local, national, or even global importance. In Nepal more than 19 thousands community forests are providing environmental service in less economic benefit than actual efficiency. There is a risk of cost of management of those forest exceeds benefits and forests get converted to open access resources in future. Most of the environmental goods and services don’t have markets which mean no prices at which they are available to the consumers therefore the valuation of these services goods and services establishment of paying mechanism for such services and insure the benefit to community is more relevant in local as well as global scale. There are few examples of carbon trading in domestic level to meet the country wide emission goal. In this contest the study aims to explore the public attitude towards carbon offsetting and their responsibility over service providers. This study helps in promotion of environment service awareness among general people and service provider; community forest. The research helps to unveil the carbon pool scenario in community forest and willingness to pay for carbon offsetting of people who are consuming more energy than general people and emitting relatively more carbon in atmosphere. The study has assessed the carbon pool status in two community forest. In the study in two community forests carbon pools were assessed following the guideline “Forest Carbon Inventory Guideline 2010” prescribed by Ministry of Forest and soil Conservation, Nepal. Final out comes of analysis in intensively managed area of Hokse CF recorded as 103.58 tons C /ha with 6173.30 tons carbon stock. Similarly in Hariyali CF carbon density was recorded 251.72 mg C /ha. The total carbon stock of intensively managed blocks in Hariyali CF is 35839.62 tons carbon.

Keywords: carbon, offsetting, sequestration, valuation

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Authors: Rhaetian Bern D. Azaula

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The Philippines' indigenous population, estimated to be 10%-20%, is protected by the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA), passed in 1997. However, due to their isolation and limited access to basic services such as health education or needs for health assistance, the law's implementation remains a challenge. As traditional medicine continues to play a significant role in society as the prevention and treatment of some illnesses, it is still customary and widely used to use plants in both traditional and modern ways; however, commercially prepared drugs are progressively advanced as time goes by. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the indigenous community at Barangay Magsikap General Nakar, Quezon, and analyze the factors that affect the respondent’s preferences in an indigenous community and reasons for patronizing traditional and commercially prepared medicines and proposes updated health education strategies and instructional materials. Slovin's formula was utilized to reduce the total population representation, followed by stratified sampling for proportional allocation of respondents. The study selects respondents (1) from an Indigenous Community in Barangay Magsikap, General Nakar, Quezon, (2) aged 60 and above, and (3) who are willing to participate. The researcher utilized a checklist-based questionnaire with a Tagalog version, and a Likert Scale was utilized to assess the respondent's choices on selected items. The researcher obtained informed consent from the indigenous community's regional and local office, the chieftain of the tribe, and the respondents, ensuring confidentiality in the collection and retrieval of data. The study revealed that respondents aged 60-69, males with no formal education, are unemployed and have no income source. They prefer traditional medicines due to their affordability, availability, and cultural practices but lack safe preparation, dosages, and contraindications of used medicines. Commercially prepared medications are acknowledged, but respondents are not fully aware of proper administration instructions and dosage labels. Recommendations include disseminating approved herbal medicines and ensuring proper preparation, indications, and contraindications.

Keywords: traditional medicine, commercially prepared medicine, indigenous community, elderly adult

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Authors: Hailemikael Negussie, Sebla Arın Ensarioğlu

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In February 2023 Southeastern Türkiye and Northwestern Syria were hit by two consecutive earthquakes with high magnitude leaving thousands dead and thousands more homeless. The housing crisis in the affected areas has resulted in the need for a fast and qualified solution. There are a number of solutions, one of which is the use of modular designs to rebuild the cities that have been affected. Modular designs are prefabricated building components that can be quickly and efficiently assembled on-site, making them ideal to build structures with faster speed and higher quality. These structures are flexible, adaptable, and can be customized to meet the specific needs of the inhabitants, in addition to being more energy-efficient and sustainable. The prefabricated nature also assures that the quality of the products can be easily controlled. The reason for the collapse of most of the buildings during the earthquakes was found out to be the lack of quality during the construction stage. Using modular designs allows a higher control over the quality of the construction materials being used. The use of modular designs for a project of this scale presents some challenges, including the high upfront cost to design and manufacture components. However, if implemented correctly, modular designs can offer an effective and efficient solution to the urgent housing needs. The aim of this paper is to explore the potential of modular housing for mid- and long-term earthquake-resistant housing needs in the affected disaster zones after the earthquakes of February 2023. In the scope of this paper the adaptability of modular, prefabricated housing designs for the post-disaster environment, the advantages and disadvantages of this system will be examined. Elements such as; the current conditions of the region where the destruction happened, climatic data, topographic factors will be examined. Additionally, the paper will examine; examples of similar local and international modular post-earthquake housing projects. The region is projected to enter a rapid reconstruction phase in the following periods. Therefore, this paper will present a proposal for a system that can be used to produce safe and healthy urbanization policies without causing new aggrievements while meeting the housing needs of the people in the affected regions.

Keywords: post-disaster housing, earthquake-resistant design, modular design, housing, Türkiye

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Authors: Husnain Yousaf, Rudy Swennen, Hannes Claes, Muhammad Amjad

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In recent years, the Lower Triassic Main Buntsandstein sandstones in the southern Netherlands Basins have become a point of interest for their deep geothermal potential. To identify the most suitable reservoir for geothermal exploration, the diagenesis and factors affecting reservoir quality, such as porosity and permeability, are assessed. This is done by combining point-counted petrographic data with conventional core analysis. The depositional environments play a significant role in determining the distribution of lithofacies, cement, clays, and grain sizes. The position in the basin and proximity to the source areas determine the lateral variability of depositional environments. The stratigraphic distribution of depositional environments is linked to both local topography and climate, where high humidity leads to fluvial deposition and high aridity periods lead to aeolian deposition. The Middle Buntsandstein Sandstones in the southern part of the Netherlands shows high porosity and permeability in most sandstone intervals. There are various controls on reservoir quality in the examined sandstone samples. Grain sizes and total quartz content are the primary factors affecting reservoir quality. Conversely, carbonate and anhydrite cement, clay clasts, and intergranular clay represent a local control and cannot be applied on a regional scale. Similarly, enhanced secondary porosity due to feldspar dissolution is locally restricted and minor. The analysis of textural, mineralogical, and petrophysical data indicates that the aeolian and fluvial sandstones represent a heterogeneous reservoir system. The ephemeral fluvial deposits have an average porosity and permeability of <10% and <1mD, respectively, while the aeolian sandstones exhibit values of >18% and >100mD.

Keywords: reservoir quality, diagenesis, porosity, permeability, depositional environments, Buntsandstein, Netherlands

Procedia PDF Downloads 63

Authors: Helen Bartsch, Markus Feldmann

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The dimensioning of steel structures subject to fatigue loads, such as wind turbines, bridges, masts and towers, crane runways and weirs or components in crane construction, is often dominated by fatigue verification. The fatigue details defined by the welded connections, such as butt or cruciform joints, longitudinal welds, welded-on or welded-in stiffeners, etc., are decisive. In Europe, the verification is usually carried out according to EN 1993-1-9 on a nominal stress basis. The basis is the detailed catalog, which specifies the fatigue strength of the various weld and construction details according to fatigue classes. Until now, a relation between fatigue classes and weld imperfection sizes is not included. Quality levels for imperfections in fusion-welded joints in steel, nickel, titanium and their alloys are regulated in EN ISO 5817, which, however, doesn’t contain direct correlations to fatigue resistances. The question arises whether some imperfections might be tolerable to a certain extent since they may be present in the test data used for detail classifications dating back decades ago. Although current standardization requires proof of satisfying limits of imperfection sizes, it would also be possible to tolerate welds with certain irregularities if these can be reliably quantified by non-destructive testing. Fabricators would be prepared to undertake carefully and sustained weld inspection in view of the significant economic consequences of such unfavorable fatigue classes. This paper presents investigations on the fatigue behavior of common welded details containing imperfections. In contrast to the common nominal stress concept, local fatigue concepts were used to consider the true stress increase, i.e., local stresses at the weld toe and root. The actual shape of a weld comprising imperfections, e.g., gaps or undercuts, can be incorporated into the fatigue evaluation, usually on a numerical basis. With the help of the effective notch stress concept, the fatigue resistance of detailed local weld shapes is assessed. Validated numerical models serve to investigate notch factors of fatigue details with different geometries. By utilizing parametrized ABAQUS routines, detailed numerical studies have been performed. Depending on the shape and size of different weld irregularities, fatigue classes can be defined. As well load-carrying welded details, such as the cruciform joint, as non-load carrying welded details, e.g., welded-on or welded-in stiffeners, are regarded. The investigated imperfections include, among others, undercuts, excessive convexity, incorrect weld toe, excessive asymmetry and insufficient or excessive throat thickness. Comparisons of the impact of different imperfections on the different types of fatigue details are made. Moreover, the influence of a combination of crucial weld imperfections on the fatigue resistance is analyzed. With regard to the trend of increasing efficiency in steel construction, the overall aim of the investigations is to include a more economical differentiation of fatigue details with regard to tolerance sizes. In the long term, the harmonization of design standards, execution standards and regulations of weld imperfections is intended.

Keywords: effective notch stress, fatigue, fatigue design, weld imperfections

Procedia PDF Downloads 260

Authors: Michael Lekan-Kehinde, Abimbola Asojo, Bonnie Sanborn

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Good acoustic performance has been identified as one of the critical Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) factors for student learning and development by the National Research Council. Childhood presents the opportunity for children to develop lifelong skills that will support them throughout their adult lives. Acoustic performance of a space has been identified as a factor that can impact language acquisition, concentration, information retention, and general comfort within the environment. Increasingly, students learn by communication between both teachers and fellow students, making speaking and listening crucial. Neurodiversity - while initially coined to describe individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) - widely describes anyone with a different brain process. As the understanding from cognitive and neurosciences increases, the number of people identified as neurodiversity is nearly 30% of the population. This research looks at guidelines and standard for spaces with good acoustical quality and relates it with the experiences of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), their parents, teachers, and educators through a mixed methods approach, including selected case studies interviews, and mixed surveys. The information obtained from these sources is used to determine if selected materials, especially properties relating to sound absorption and reverberation reduction, are equally useful in small, medium sized, and large learning spaces and methodologically approaching. The results describe the potential impact of acoustics on Neurodiverse students, considering factors that determine the complexity of sound in relation to the auditory processing capabilities of ASD students. In conclusion, this research extends the knowledge of how materials selection influences the better development of acoustical environments for autism students.

Keywords: acoustics, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), children, education, learning, learning spaces, materials, neurodiversity, sound

Procedia PDF Downloads 107

Authors: Jacob Seddlemeyer, Tahar Messadi, Hongmei Gu, Mahboobeh Hemmati

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The main purpose of this first tier of the study is to quantify and compare the embodied environmental impacts associated with alternative materials applied to Adohi Hall, a residence building at the University of Arkansas campus, Fayetteville, AR. This 200,000square foot building has5 stories builtwith mass timber and is compared to another scenario where the same edifice is built with a steel frame. Based on the defined goal and scope of the project, the materials respectivetothe respective to the two building options are compared in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP), starting from cradle to the construction site, which includes the material manufacturing stage (raw material extract, process, supply, transport, and manufacture) plus transportation to the site (module A1-A4, based on standard EN 15804 definition). The consumedfossil fuels and emitted CO2 associated with the buildings are the major reason for the environmental impacts of climate change. In this study, GWP is primarily assessed to the exclusion of other environmental factors. The second tier of this work is to evaluate Tally’s performance in the decision-making process through the design phases, as well as determine its strengths and weaknesses. Tally is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool capable of conducting a cradle-to-grave analysis. As opposed to other software applications, Tally is specifically targeted at buildings LCA. As a peripheral application, this software tool is directly run within the core modeling application platform called Revit. This unique functionality causes Tally to stand out from other similar tools in the building sector LCA analysis. The results of this study also provide insights for making more environmentally efficient decisions in the building environment and help in the move forward to reduce Green House Gases (GHGs) emissions and GWP mitigation.

Keywords: comparison, GWP, LCA, materials, tally

Procedia PDF Downloads 226

Authors: Jeremy Attard, Jordan François, Serge Lazzarini, Thierry Masson

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Gauge theories are the natural background for describing geometrically fundamental interactions using principal and associated fiber bundles as dynamical entities. The central notion of these theories is their local gauge symmetry implemented by the local action of a Lie group H. There exist several methods used to reduce the symmetry of a gauge theory, like gauge fixing, bundle reduction theorem or spontaneous symmetry breaking mechanism (SSBM). This paper is a presentation of another method of gauge symmetry reduction, distinct from those three. Given a symmetry group H acting on a fiber bundle and its naturally associated fields (Ehresmann (or Cartan) connection, curvature, matter fields, etc.) there sometimes exists a way to erase (in whole or in part) the H-action by just reconfiguring these fields, i.e. by making a mere change of field variables in order to get new (‘composite‘) fields on which H (in whole or in part) does not act anymore. Two examples: the re-interpretation of the BEHGHK (Higgs) mechanism, on the one hand, and the top-down construction of Tractor and Penrose's Twistor spaces and connections in the framework of conformal Cartan geometry, one the other, will be discussed. They have, of course, nothing to do with each other but the dressing field method can be applied on both to get a new insight. In the first example, it turns out, indeed, that generation of masses in the Standard Model can be separated from the symmetry breaking, the latter being a mere change of field variables, i.e. a dressing. This offers an interpretation in opposition with the one usually found in textbooks. In the second case, the dressing field method applied to the conformal Cartan geometry offer a way of understanding the deep geometric nature of the so-called Tractors and Twistors. The dressing field method, distinct from a gauge transformation (even if it can have apparently the same form), is a systematic way of finding and erasing artificial symmetries of a theory, by a mere change of field variables which redistributes the degrees of freedom of the theories.

Keywords: BEHGHK (Higgs) mechanism, conformal gravity, gauge theory, spontaneous symmetry breaking, symmetry reduction, twistors and tractors

Procedia PDF Downloads 238

Authors: Kaushik Sathupadi, Sandesh Achar

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Pervasive computing is a growing research field that aims to acknowledge human physical life routines (HPLR) based on body-worn sensors such as MEMS sensors-based technologies. The use of these technologies for human activity recognition is progressively increasing. On the other hand, personalizing human life routines using numerous machine-learning techniques has always been an intriguing topic. In contrast, various methods have demonstrated the ability to recognize basic movement patterns. However, it still needs to be improved to anticipate the dynamics of human living patterns. This study introduces state-of-the-art techniques for recognizing static and dy-namic patterns and forecasting those challenging activities from multi-fused sensors. Further-more, numerous MEMS signals are extracted from one self-annotated IM-WSHA dataset and two benchmarked datasets. First, we acquired raw data is filtered with z-normalization and denoiser methods. Then, we adopted statistical, local binary pattern, auto-regressive model, and intrinsic time scale decomposition major features for feature extraction from different domains. Next, the acquired features are optimized using maximum relevance and minimum redundancy (mRMR). Finally, the artificial neural network is applied to analyze the whole system's performance. As a result, we attained a 90.27% recognition rate for the self-annotated dataset, while the HARTH and KU-HAR achieved 83% on nine living activities and 90.94% on 18 static and dynamic routines. Thus, the proposed HPLR system outperformed other state-of-the-art systems when evaluated with other methods in the literature.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, machine learning, gait analysis, local binary pattern (LBP), statistical features, micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), maximum relevance and minimum re-dundancy (MRMR)

Procedia PDF Downloads 22

Authors: Hsu Yi-Chia, Hoy June-Hao

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FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) is a rapid proofing method without mold, however, high material and time costs have always been a major disadvantage. Wire-printing is the next generation technology that can more flexible, and also easier to apply on a 3D printer and robotic arms printing. It can create its own construction methods. The research is mainly divided into three parts. The first is about the method of parameterizing the generated paths and the conversion of g-code to the wire-printing. The second is about material attempts and the application of effects. Third, is about the improvement of the operation of mechanical equipment and the design of robotic tool-head. The purpose of this study is to develop a new wire-print method that can efficiently generate line segments and paths in three- dimensions space. The parametric modeling software transforms the digital model into a 3D printer or robotic arms g-code, this article uses thermoplastics/ clay/composites materials for testing. The combination of materials and wire-print process makes architects and designers have the ability to research and develop works and construction in the future.

Keywords: parametric software, wire print, robotic arms fabrication, composite filament additive manufacturing

Procedia PDF Downloads 130

Authors: Brinda Sharma, Saakshi S. Sarpotdar

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Deep-fat frying is popular standard method that has been studied basically to clarify the complicated mechanisms of fat decomposition at high temperatures and to assess their effects on human health. The aim of this paper is to point out the application of method engineering that has been recently improved our understanding of the fundamental principles and mechanisms concerned at different scales and different times throughout the process: pretreatment, frying, and cooling. It covers the several aspects of deep-fat drying. New results regarding the understanding of the frying method that are obtained as a results of major breakthroughs in on-line instrumentation (heat, steam flux, and native pressure sensors), within the methodology of microstructural and imaging analysis (NMR, MRI, SEM) and in software system tools for the simulation of coupled transfer and transport phenomena. Such advances have opened the approach for the creation of significant information of the behavior of varied materials and to the event of latest tools to manage frying operations via final product quality in real conditions. Lastly, this paper promotes an integrated approach to the frying method as well as numerous competencies like those of chemists, engineers, toxicologists, nutritionists, and materials scientists also as of the occupation and industrial sectors.

Keywords: frying, cooling, imaging analysis (NMR, MRI, SEM), deep-fat frying

Procedia PDF Downloads 430

Authors: Tomasz Łęga, Marta Sosnowska, Mirosława Panasiuk, Lilit Hovhannisyan, Beata Gromadzka, Marcin Olszewski, Sabina Zoledowska, Dawid Nidzworski

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Toxic heavy metal ion contamination of industrial wastewater has recently become a significant environmental concern in many regions of the world. Although the majority of heavy metals are naturally occurring elements found on the earth's surface, anthropogenic activities such as mining and smelting, industrial production, and agricultural use of metals and metal-containing compounds are responsible for the majority of environmental contamination and human exposure. The permissible limits (ppm) for heavy metals in food, water and soil are frequently exceeded and considered hazardous to humans, other organisms, and the environment as a whole. Human exposure to highly nickel-polluted environments causes a variety of pathologic effects. In 2008, nickel received the shameful name of “Allergen of the Year” (GILLETTE 2008). According to the dermatologist, the frequency of nickel allergy is still growing, and it can’t be explained only by fashionable piercing and nickel devices used in medicine (like coronary stents and endoprostheses). Effective remediation methods for removing heavy metal ions from soil and water are becoming increasingly important. Among others, methods such as chemical precipitation, micro- and nanofiltration, membrane separation, conventional coagulation, electrodialysis, ion exchange, reverse and forward osmosis, photocatalysis and polymer or carbon nanocomposite absorbents have all been investigated so far. The importance of environmentally sustainable industrial production processes and the conservation of dwindling natural resources has highlighted the need for affordable, innovative biosorptive materials capable of recovering specific chemical elements from dilute aqueous solutions. The use of combinatorial phage display techniques for selecting and recognizing material-binding peptides with a selective affinity for any target, particularly inorganic materials, has gained considerable interest in the development of advanced bio- or nano-materials. However, due to the limitations of phage display libraries and the biopanning process, the accuracy of molecular recognition for inorganic materials remains a challenge. This study presents the isolation, identification and characterisation of metal binding phage clones that preferentially recover nickel.

Keywords: Heavy metal recovery, cleaning water, phage display, nickel

Procedia PDF Downloads 99

Authors: Amr Mohamed Bakry Ibrahim, Yingzhou Ni, Hao Cheng, Li Liang

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Tuna oil (omega-3 oil) has become increasingly popular in the last ten years, because it is considered one of the treasures of food which has many beneficial health effects for the humans. Nevertheless, the susceptibility of omega-3 oils to oxidative deterioration, resulting in the formation of oxidation products, in addition to organoleptic problems including “fishy” flavors, have presented obstacles to the more widespread use of tuna oils in the food industry. This study sought to evaluate the potential impact of Mentha piperita oil on physicochemical characteristics and oxidative stability of tuna oil microcapsules formed by spray drying using the partial substitution to whey protein isolate by carboxymethyl cellulose and pullulan. The emulsions before the drying process were characterized regarding size and ζ-potential, viscosity, surface tension. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that all emulsions were sphericity and homogeneous distribution without any visible particle aggregation. The microcapsules obtained after spray drying were characterized regarding microencapsulation efficiency, water activity, color, bulk density, flowability, scanning surface morphology and oxidative stability. The microcapsules were spherical shape had low water activity (0.11-0.23 aw). The microcapsules containing both tuna oil and Mentha piperita oil were smaller than others and addition of pullulan into wall materials improved the morphology of microcapsules. Microencapsulation efficiency of powdered oil ranged from 90% to 94%. Using Mentha piperita oil in the process of microencapsulation tuna oil enhanced the oxidative stability using whey protein isolate only or with carboxymethyl cellulose or pullulan as wall materials, resulting in improved storage stability and mask fishy odor. Therefore, it is foreseen using tuna-Mentha piperita oil mixture microcapsules in the applications of the food industries.

Keywords: Mentha piperita oil, microcapsule, tuna oil, whey protein isolate

Procedia PDF Downloads 352