Abstract: Precast concrete has been widely adopted in public
housing construction of Hong Kong since the mid-1980s. While
pre-casting is considered an environmental friendly solution, there is
lack of study to investigate the life cycle performance of precast
concrete units. This study aims to bridge the knowledge gap by
providing a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) study for two
precast elements namely façade and bathroom. The results show that
raw material is the most significant contributor of environmental
impact accounting for about 90% to the total impact. Furthermore,
human health is more affected by the production of precast concrete
than the ecosystems.
Abstract: Creative drama which interconnects with the concepts of play, theatre, animation and role playing is a field which can only be learnt and expressed through experiencing. This study about assessment of the drama teaching in preschools by children was conducted in 3 preschools in Ankara with participation of 12 children of 6 ages who had taken drama learning courses. Qualitative research approach and semi-structured interviewing technique were employed. The results of the study indicated that all of 12 children defined drama as a game and entertainment.
Abstract: This article addresses the procedures to validate the Arabic version of Multiple Intelligence Development Assessment Scale (MIDAS). The content validity was examined based on the experts- judgments on the MIDAS-s items in the Arabic version. The content of eleven items in the Arabic version of MIDAS was modified to match the Arabic context. Then a translation from original English version of MIDAS into Arabic language was performed. The reliability of the Arabic MIDAS was calculated based on test and retest method and found to be 0.85 for the overall MIDAS and for the different subscales ranging between 0.78 - 0.87. The examination of construct validity for the overall Arabic MIDAS and its subscales was established by using Winsteps program version 6 based on Rasch model in order to fit the items into the Arabic context. The findings indicated that, the eight subscales in Arabic version of MIDAS scale have a unidimensionality, and the total number of kept items in the overall scale is 108 items.
Abstract: In this contribution an innovative platform is being
presented that integrates intelligent agents in legacy e-learning environments. It introduces the design and development of a scalable
and interoperable integration platform supporting various assessment agents for e-learning environments. The agents are implemented in
order to provide intelligent assessment services to computational intelligent techniques such as Bayesian Networks and Genetic
Algorithms. The utilization of new and emerging technologies like web services allows integrating the provided services to any web
based legacy e-learning environment.
Abstract: A dynamic software risk assessment model is
presented. Analogies between dynamic financial analysis and
software risk assessment models are established and based on these
analogies it suggested that dynamic risk model for software projects
is the way to move forward for the risk assessment of software
project. It is shown how software risk assessment change during
different phases of a software project and hence requires a dynamic
risk assessment model to capture these variations. Further evolution
of dynamic financial analysis models is discussed and mapped to the
evolution of software risk assessment models.
Abstract: Electricity market activities and a growing demand for electricity have led to heavily stressed power systems. This requires operation of the networks closer to their stability limits. Power system operation is affected by stability related problems, leading to unpredictable system behavior. Voltage stability refers to the ability of a power system to sustain appropriate voltage levels through large and small disturbances. Steady-state voltage stability is concerned with limits on the existence of steady-state operating points for the network. FACTS devices can be utilized to increase the transmission capacity, the stability margin and dynamic behavior or serve to ensure improved power quality. Their main capabilities are reactive power compensation, voltage control and power flow control. Among the FACTS controllers, Static Var Compensator (SVC) provides fast acting dynamic reactive compensation for voltage support during contingency events. In this paper, voltage stability assessment with appropriate representations of tap-changer transformers and SVC is investigated. Integrating both of these devices is the main topic of this paper. Effect of the presence of tap-changing transformers on static VAR compensator controller parameters and ratings necessary to stabilize load voltages at certain values are highlighted. The interrelation between transformer off nominal tap ratios and the SVC controller gains and droop slopes and the SVC rating are found. P-V curves are constructed to calculate loadability margins.
Abstract: Operational safety of critical systems, such as nuclear power plants, industrial chemical processes and means of transportation, is a major concern for system engineers and operators. A means to assure that is on-line safety monitors that deliver three safety tasks; fault detection and diagnosis, alarm annunciation and fault controlling. While current monitors deliver these tasks, benefits and limitations in their approaches have at the same time been highlighted. Drawing from those benefits, this paper develops a distributed monitor based on semi-independent agents, i.e. a multiagent system, and monitoring knowledge derived from a safety assessment model of the monitored system. Agents are deployed hierarchically and provided with knowledge portions and collaboration protocols to reason and integrate over the operational conditions of the components of the monitored system. The monitor aims to address limitations arising from the large-scale, complicated behaviour and distributed nature of monitored systems and deliver the aforementioned three monitoring tasks effectively.
Abstract: Today, incorrect use of lands and land use changes,
excessive grazing, no suitable using of agricultural farms, plowing on
steep slopes, road construct, building construct, mine excavation etc
have been caused increasing of soil erosion and sediment yield. For
erosion and sediment estimation one can use statistical and empirical
methods. This needs to identify land unit map and the map of
effective factors. However, these empirical methods are usually time
consuming and do not give accurate estimation of erosion. In this
study, we applied GIS techniques to estimate erosion and sediment of
Menderjan watershed at upstream Zayandehrud river in center of
Iran. Erosion faces at each land unit were defined on the basis of land
use, geology and land unit map using GIS. The UTM coordinates of
each erosion type that showed more erosion amounts such as rills and
gullies were inserted in GIS using GPS data. The frequency of
erosion indicators at each land unit, land use and their sediment yield
of these indices were calculated. Also using tendency analysis of
sediment yield changes in watershed outlet (Menderjan hydrometric
gauge station), was calculated related parameters and estimation
errors. The results of this study according to implemented watershed
management projects can be used for more rapid and more accurate
estimation of erosion than traditional methods. These results can also
be used for regional erosion assessment and can be used for remote
sensing image processing.
Abstract: Particulate matter (PM) in ambient air is responsible
for adverse health effects in adults and children. Relatively little is
known about the concentrations, sources and health effects of PM in
indoor air. A monitoring study was conducted in Ankara by three
campaigns in order to measure PM levels in indoor and outdoor
environments to identify and quantify associations between sources
and concentrations. Approximately 82 homes (1st campaign for 42,
2nd campaign for 12, and 3rd campaign for 28), three rooms (living
room, baby-s room and living room used as a baby-s room) and
outdoor ambient at each home were sampled with Grimm
Environmental Dust Monitoring (EDM) 107, during different
seasonal periods of 2011 and 2012. In this study, the relationship
between indoor and outdoor PM levels for particulate matter less than
10 micrometer (.m) (PM10), particulate matter less than 2.5.m
(PM2.5) and particulate matter less than 1.0.m (PM1) were
investigated. The mean concentration of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1.0 at
living room used as baby-s room is higher than living and baby-s
room (or bedroom) for three sampling campaigns. It is concluded that
the household activities and environmental conditions are very
important for PM concentrations in the indoor environments during
the sampling periods. The amount of smokers, being near a main
street and/or construction activities increased the PM concentration.
This study is based on the assessment the relationship between indoor
and outdoor PM levels and the household activities and
environmental conditions
Abstract: The Taiwan Health Literacy Scale (THLS) was developed to cope with the need of measuring heath literacy of Chinese-speaking adults in Taiwan. Although the scale was proven having good reliability and validity, it was not popularly adopted by the practitioners due to the length, and the time required completing. Based on the THLS, this research further invited healthcare professionals to review the original scale for a possible shorten work. Under the logic of THLS, the research adopted an analytic hierarchy process technique to consolidate the healthcare experts- assessments to shorten the original scale. There are fifteen items out of the original 66 items were identified having higher loadings. Confirmed by the experts and passed a pilot test with 40 undergraduate students, a short form of THLS is then introduced. This research then used 839 samples from the major cities of the Hua-lien county in the eastern part of Taiwan to test the reliability and validity of this new scale. The reliability of the scale is high and acceptable. The current scale is also highly correlated with the original, of which provide evidence for the validity of the scale.
Abstract: The current study has investigated the ageing
phenomena of silica optical fibres in relation to water activity which might be accelerated when exposed to a supplementary energy, such as microwaves. A controlled stress by winding fibres onto accurate
diameter mandrel was applied. Taking into account that normally a
decrease in fibre strength is induced in time by chemical action of water, the effects of cumulative reagents such as: water, applied stress and supplementary energy (microwave) in some cases acted in
the opposite manner. The microwave effect as a structural relaxation
catalyst appears unexpected, even if the overall gain in fibre strength is not high, but the stress corrosion factor revealed significant
increase in certain simulation conditions.
Abstract: The business strategy of any company wanting to be
competitive on the market should be designed around the concept of
intangibles, with an increasingly decisive role in knowledge transfer
of the biggest corporations. Advancing the research in these areas,
this study integrates the two approaches, emphasizing the
relationships between the components of intellectual capital and
corporate social responsibility. The three dimensions of intellectual
capital in terms of sustainability requirements are debated. The paper
introduces the concept of sustainable intellectual capital and debates
it within an assessment model designed on the base of key
performance indicators. The results refer to the assessment of
possible ways for including the information on intellectual capital
and corporate responsibility within the corporate strategy. The
conclusions enhance the need for companies to be ready to support
the integration of this type of information the knowledge transfer
process, in order to develop competitive advantage on the market.
Abstract: The seismic feedback experiences in Algeria have
shown higher percentage of damages for non-code conforming
reinforced concrete (RC) buildings. Furthermore, the vulnerability of
these buildings was further aggravated due to presence of many
factors (e.g. weak the seismic capacity of these buildings, shorts
columns, Pounding effect, etc.).
Consequently Seismic risk assessments were carried out on
populations of buildings to identify the buildings most likely to
undergo losses during an earthquake. The results of such studies are
important in the mitigation of losses under future seismic events as
they allow strengthening intervention and disaster management plans
to be drawn up.
Within this paper, the state of the existing structures is assessed using
"the vulnerability index" method. This method allows the
classification of RC constructions taking into account both, structural
and non structural parameters, considered to be ones of the main
parameters governing the vulnerability of the structure. Based on
seismic feedback from past earthquakes DPM (damage probability
matrices) were developed too.
Abstract: Disposal of health-care waste (HCW) is considered as
an important environmental problem especially in large cities.
Multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) techniques are apt to deal
with quantitative and qualitative considerations of the health-care
waste management (HCWM) problems. This research proposes a
fuzzy multi-criteria group decision making approach with a multilevel
hierarchical structure including qualitative as well as
quantitative performance attributes for evaluating HCW disposal
alternatives for Istanbul. Using the entropy weighting method,
objective weights as well as subjective weights are taken into account
to determine the importance weighting of quantitative performance
attributes. The results obtained using the proposed methodology are
thoroughly analyzed.
Abstract: Presented herein is an assessment of current nonlinear
static procedures (NSPs) for seismic evaluation of bucklingrestrained
braced frames (BRBFs) which have become a favorable
lateral-force resisting system for earthquake resistant buildings. The
bias and accuracy of modal, improved modal pushover analysis
(MPA, IMPA) and mass proportional pushover (MPP) procedures
are comparatively investigated when they are applied to BRBF
buildings subjected to two sets of strong ground motions. The
assessment is based on a comparison of seismic displacement
demands such as target roof displacements, peak floor/roof
displacements and inter-story drifts. The NSP estimates are compared
to 'exact' results from nonlinear response history analysis (NLRHA).
The response statistics presented show that the MPP
procedure tends to significantly overestimate seismic demands of
lower stories of tall buildings considered in this study while MPA
and IMPA procedures provide reasonably accurate results in
estimating maximum inter-story drift over all stories of studied BRBF
systems.
Abstract: Government of Indonesia held a certification program to enhance the professionalism of teachers by using portfolio assessment. This research discusses about the effectiveness of certification programs to enhance the professionalism of teacher in Indonesia. Portfolio assessment method has drawbacks. The certified teachers do not show significant performance improvement. Therefore, the government changes the portfolio assessment method to the education and training for teachers.
Abstract: Architecture education was based on apprenticeship
models and its nature has not changed much during long period but
the Source of changes was its evaluation process and system. It is
undeniable that art and architecture education is completely based on
transmitting knowledge from instructor to students. In contrast to
other majors this transmitting is by iteration and practice and studio
masters try to control the design process and improving skills in the
form of supervision and criticizing. Also the evaluation will end by
giving marks to students- achievements. Therefore the importance of
the evaluation and assessment role is obvious and it is not irrelevant
to say that if we want to know about the architecture education
system, we must first study its assessment procedures. The evolution
of these changes in western countries has literate and documented
well. However it seems that this procedure has unregarded in
Malaysia and there is a severe lack of research and documentation in
this area. Malaysia as an under developing and multicultural country
which is involved different races and cultures is a proper origin for
scrutinizing and understanding the evaluation systems and
acceptability amount of current implemented models to keep the
evaluation and assessment procedure abreast with needs of different
generations, cultures and even genders. This paper attempts to
answer the questions of how evaluation and assessments are
performed and how students perceive this evaluation system in the
context Malaysia. The main advantage of this work is that it
contributes in international debate on evaluation model.
Abstract: Super resolution (SR) technologies are now being
applied to video to improve resolution. Some TV sets are now
equipped with SR functions. However, it is not known if super
resolution image reconstruction (SRR) for TV really works or not.
Super resolution with non-linear signal processing (SRNL) has
recently been proposed. SRR and SRNL are the only methods for
processing video signals in real time. The results from subjective
assessments of SSR and SRNL are described in this paper. SRR video
was produced in simulations with quarter precision motion vectors and
100 iterations. These are ideal conditions for SRR. We found that the
image quality of SRNL is better than that of SRR even though SRR
was processed under ideal conditions.
Abstract: Bottle water is getting very popular all through the
world; especially in the gulf countries as the main source of drinking
water. However, concerns over leaching of toxic chemicals are
increasing. In this study, a health risk assessment was conducted in
accordance with the guidelines indicated by United States
Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). It is conducted based on
leaching of Diethyl Phthalate (DEP) from Polyethylene terephthalate
(PET). The toxicity and exposure assessment of diethyl phthalate was
conducted to characterize its risk on human health. Risk management
is also discussed.
Abstract: As the latest advancement and trend in IT field, Green
& Smart IT has attracted more and more attentions from researchers.
This study focuses on the development of assessing tools which can be
used for evaluating Green & Smart IT level within an organization. In
order to achieve meaningful results, a comprehensive review of
relevant literature was performed in advance, then, Delphi survey and
other processes were also employed to develop the assessment tools
for Green & Smart IT level. Two rounds of Delphi questionnaire
survey were conducted with 20 IT experts in public sector. The results
reveal that the top five weighted KPIs to evaluate maturity of Green &
Smart IT were: (1) electronic execution of business process; (2)
shutdown of unused IT devices; (3) virtualization of severs; (4)
automation of constant temperature and humidity; and (5) introduction
of smart-work system. Finally, these tools were applied to case study
of a public research institute in Korea. The findings presented in this
study provide organizations with useful implications for the
introduction and promotion of Green & Smart IT in the future