Abstract: This paper is concerned with the study of mineralogy
and engineering characteristics of soil materials derived from the
eastern part of Nile Delta. The clay minerals of the studied soil by
using X- ray diffraction are mainly illite (average 72.6 %) and
kaolinite (average 2.6 %), expandable portion in illite-smectite mixed
layer (average 7 %). Smectite is more abundant in fluviatile clays,
whereas kaolinite is more abundant in lagoonal clays. On the other
hand, illite and illite-smectite are more abundant in marine clays. The
geotechnical results show that the soil under study consists mainly of
about 0.3 % gravel, 5 % sand, 51.5 % silt and 42.2 % clay in average.
The average shrinkage limit attains 11 % whereas the average value
of the plasticity index is 23.4 %. The free swelling ranges from 40 %
to 75 % and has a value of 55 % giving an indication about the
inadequacy of such soil under foundations.
From a construction point of view, the soil under investigation
poses many problems even under light foundations due to the
swelling and shrinkage. Such swelling and shrinkage is due to the
high content of soil materials in the expandable clay minerals of illite
and smectite. Based on the results of the present and earlier studies,
trial application of soil stabilisation is recommended.
Abstract: The tree structured approach of non-uniform filterbank
(NUFB) is normally used in perfect reconstruction (PR). The PR is
not always feasible due to certain limitations, i.e, constraints in
selecting design parameters, design complexity and some times
output is severely affected by aliasing error if necessary and
sufficient conditions of PR is not satisfied perfectly. Therefore, there
has been generalized interest of researchers to go for near perfect
reconstruction (NPR). In this proposed work, an optimized tree
structure technique is used for the design of NPR non-uniform
filterbank. Window functions of Blackman family are used to design
the prototype FIR filter. A single variable linear optimization is used
to minimize the amplitude distortion. The main feature of the
proposed design is its simplicity with linear phase property.
Abstract: Construction of portable device for fast analysis of energetic materials is described in this paper. The developed analytical system consists of two main parts: a miniaturized microcolumn liquid chromatograph of unique construction and original chemiluminescence detector. This novel portable device is able to determine selectively most of nitramine- and nitroester-based explosives as well as inorganic nitrates at trace concentrations in water or soil extracts in less than 8 minutes.
Abstract: We present a new method for the fully automatic 3D
reconstruction of the coronary artery centerlines, using two X-ray
angiogram projection images from a single rotating monoplane
acquisition system. During the first stage, the input images are
smoothed using curve evolution techniques. Next, a simple yet
efficient multiscale method, based on the information of the Hessian
matrix, for the enhancement of the vascular structure is introduced.
Hysteresis thresholding using different image quantiles, is used to
threshold the arteries. This stage is followed by a thinning procedure
to extract the centerlines. The resulting skeleton image is then pruned
using morphological and pattern recognition techniques to remove
non-vessel like structures. Finally, edge-based stereo correspondence
is solved using a parallel evolutionary optimization method based on
f symbiosis. The detected 2D centerlines combined with disparity
map information allow the reconstruction of the 3D vessel
centerlines. The proposed method has been evaluated on patient data
sets for evaluation purposes.
Abstract: The development of the signal compression
algorithms is having compressive progress. These algorithms are
continuously improved by new tools and aim to reduce, an average,
the number of bits necessary to the signal representation by means of
minimizing the reconstruction error. The following article proposes
the compression of Arabic speech signal by a hybrid method
combining the wavelet transform and the linear prediction. The
adopted approach rests, on one hand, on the original signal
decomposition by ways of analysis filters, which is followed by the
compression stage, and on the other hand, on the application of the
order 5, as well as, the compression signal coefficients. The aim of
this approach is the estimation of the predicted error, which will be
coded and transmitted. The decoding operation is then used to
reconstitute the original signal. Thus, the adequate choice of the
bench of filters is useful to the transform in necessary to increase the
compression rate and induce an impercevable distortion from an
auditive point of view.
Abstract: Detection of incipient abnormal events is important to
improve safety and reliability of machine operations and reduce losses
caused by failures. Improper set-ups or aligning of parts often leads to
severe problems in many machines. The construction of prediction
models for predicting faulty conditions is quite essential in making
decisions on when to perform machine maintenance. This paper
presents a multivariate calibration monitoring approach based on the
statistical analysis of machine measurement data. The calibration
model is used to predict two faulty conditions from historical reference
data. This approach utilizes genetic algorithms (GA) based variable
selection, and we evaluate the predictive performance of several
prediction methods using real data. The results shows that the
calibration model based on supervised probabilistic principal
component analysis (SPPCA) yielded best performance in this work.
By adopting a proper variable selection scheme in calibration models,
the prediction performance can be improved by excluding
non-informative variables from their model building steps.
Abstract: This paper focuses on the 3D reconstruction of
the architectural design of Darul Ridzuan Museum. It has
concentrated on designing exterior part of the building according
to colored digital photo of the real museum. Besides viewing the
architecture, walkthroughs are generated for the user to control
it in an easier way. User can travel through the museum to get
the feel of the environment and to explore the design of the
museum as a whole; both exterior and interior. The result has
shown positive result in terms of realism, navigation, collision
detection, suitability, usability and user-s acceptance. In brief,
the 3D virtual museum has provided an alternative to present a
real museum.
Abstract: Application of wood in rural construction is diffused
all around the world since remote times. However, its inclusion in
structural design deserves strong support from broad knowledge of
material properties. The pertinent literature reveals the application of
optical methods in determining the complete field displacement on
bodies exhibiting regular as well as irregular surfaces. The use of
moiré techniques in experimental mechanics consists in analyzing the
patterns generated on the body surface before and after deformation.
The objective of this research work is to study the qualitative
deformation behavior of wooden testing specimens under specific
loading situations. The experiment setup follows the literature
description of shadow moiré methods. Results indicate strong
anisotropy influence of the generated displacement field. Important
qualitative as well as quantitative stress and strain distribution were
obtained wooden members which are applicable to rural
constructions.
Abstract: Construction of tunnels is connected with high
uncertainty in the field of costs, construction period, safety and
impact on surroundings. Risk management became therefore a
common part of tunnel projects, especially after a set of fatal
collapses occurred in 1990's. Such collapses are caused usually by
combination of factors that can be divided into three main groups, i.e.
unfavourable geological conditions, failures in the design and
planning or failures in the execution.
This paper suggests a procedure enabling quantification of the
excavation risk related to extraordinary accidents using FTA and
ETA tools. It will elaborate on a common process of risk analysis and
enable the transfer of information and experience between particular
tunnel construction projects. Further, it gives a guide for designers,
management and other participants, how to deal with risk of such
accidents and how to make qualified decisions based on a
probabilistic approach.
Abstract: Geographic Information System (GIS) is a computerbased
tool used extensively to solve various engineering problems
related to spatial data. In spite of growing popularity of GIS, its
complete potential to construction industry has not been realized. In
this paper, the summary of up-to-date work on spatial applications of
GIS technologies in construction industry is presented. GIS
technologies have the potential to solve space related problems of
construction industry involving complex visualization, integration of
information, route planning, E-commerce, cost estimation, etc. GISbased
methodology to handle time and space issues of construction
projects scheduling is developed and discussed in this paper.
Abstract: Sediment formation and its transport along the river course is considered as important hydraulic consideration in river engineering. Their impact on the morphology of rivers on one hand and important considerations of which in the design and construction of the hydraulic structures on the other has attracted the attention of experts in arid and semi-arid regions. Under certain conditions where the momentum energy of the flow stream reaches a specific rate, the sediment materials start to be transported with the flow. This can usually be analyzed in two different categories of suspended and bed load materials. Sedimentation phenomenon along the waterways and the conveyance of vast volume of materials into the canal networks can potentially influence water abstraction in the intake structures. This can pose a serious threat to operational sustainability and water delivery performance in the canal networks. The situation is serious where ineffective watershed management (poor vegetation cover in the water basin) is the underlying cause of soil erosion which feeds the materials into the waterways that intern would necessitate comprehensive study. The present paper aims to present an analytical investigation of the sediment process in the waterways on one hand and estimation of the sediment load transport into the lined canals using the SHARC software on the other. For this reason, the paper focuses on the comparative analysis of the hydraulic behaviors of the Sabilli main canal that feeds the pumping station with that of the Western canal in the Greater Dezful region to identify effective factors in sedimentation and ways of mitigating their impact on water abstraction in the canal systems. The method involved use of observational data available in the Dezful Dastmashoon hydrometric station along a 6 km waterway of the Sabilli main canal using the SHARC software to estimate the suspended load concentration and bed load materials. Results showed the transport of a significant volume of sediment loads from the waterways into the canal system which is assumed to have arisen from the absence of stilling basin on one hand and the gravity flow on the other has caused serious challenges. This is contrary to what occurs in the Sabilli canal, where the design feature which incorporates a settling basin just before the pumping station is the major cause of reduced sediment load transport into the canal system.Results showed that modification of the present design features by constructing a settling basin just upstream of the western intake structure can considerably reduce the entry of sediment materials into the canal system. Not only this can result in the sustainability of the hydraulic structures but can also improve operational performance of water conveyance and distribution system, all of which are the pre-requisite to secure reliable and equitable water delivery regime for the command area.
Abstract: Rapid prototyping (RP) techniques are a group of
advanced manufacturing processes that can produce custom made
objects directly from computer data such as Computer Aided Design
(CAD), Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance
Imaging (MRI) data. Using RP fabrication techniques, constructs
with controllable and complex internal architecture with appropriate
mechanical properties can be achieved. One of the attractive and
promising utilization of RP techniques is related to tissue engineering
(TE) scaffold fabrication. Tissue engineering scaffold is a 3D
construction that acts as a template for tissue regeneration. Although
several conventional techniques such as solvent casting and gas
forming are utilized in scaffold fabrication; these processes show
poor interconnectivity and uncontrollable porosity of the produced
scaffolds. So, RP techniques become the best alternative fabrication
methods of TE scaffolds. This paper reviews the current state of the
art in the area of tissue engineering scaffolds fabrication using
advanced RP processes, as well as the current limitations and future
trends in scaffold fabrication RP techniques.
Abstract: To satisfy the need of outfield tests of star sensors, a
method is put forward to construct the reference attitude benchmark.
Firstly, its basic principle is introduced; Then, all the separate
conversion matrixes are deduced, which include: the conversion
matrix responsible for the transformation from the Earth Centered
Inertial frame i to the Earth-centered Earth-fixed frame w according to
the time of an atomic clock, the conversion matrix from frame w to the
geographic frame t, and the matrix from frame t to the platform frame
p, so the attitude matrix of the benchmark platform relative to the
frame i can be obtained using all the three matrixes as the
multiplicative factors; Next, the attitude matrix of the star sensor
relative to frame i is got when the mounting matrix from frame p to the
star sensor frame s is calibrated, and the reference attitude angles for
star sensor outfield tests can be calculated from the transformation
from frame i to frame s; Finally, the computer program is finished to
solve the reference attitudes, and the error curves are drawn about the
three axis attitude angles whose absolute maximum error is just 0.25ÔÇ│.
The analysis on each loop and the final simulating results manifest that
the method by precise timing to acquire the absolute reference attitude
is feasible for star sensor outfield tests.
Abstract: Housebuilders in England have been the target of numerous government policies in recent years promoting increased productivity and affordability. As a result, the housebuilding industry is currently faced with objectives to improve the affordability and sustainability of new homes whilst also increasing production rates to 240,000 per year by 2016.Yet amidst a faltering economic climate, the UK Government is forging ahead with the 'Code for Sustainable Homes', which includes stringent sustainable standards for all new homes and sets ambitious targets for the housebuilding industry, the culmination of which is the production of zero carbon homes by 2016.Great uncertainty exists amongst housebuilders as to the costs, benefits and risks of building zero carbon homes. This paper examines the key barriers to zero carbon homes from housebuilders- perspective. A comprehensive opinion on the challenges to deliver zero carbon homes is gathered through a questionnaire survey issued to the major housing developers in England. The study found that a number of cultural, legislative, and financial barriers stand in the way of the widespread construction of zero carbon homes. The study concludes with several recommendations to both the Government and the housebuilding industry to address the barriers that hinder a successful delivery of zero carbon homes in England.
Abstract: The relics of traditional folk culture in Kazakhstan are ceremonies or their fragments - such as weddings, funerals, shamanism. The world of spiritual creatures, spirits-protectors, spirits-helpers, injury spirits, spirits of illnesses, etc., is described in detail in shamanic rites (in Kazakh culture it is called bakslyk). The study of these displays of folk culture, which reflect the peoples` ethnic mentality or notions about the structure, values and hierarchies of the universe, includes collection and recording of the field materials and their interpretation, i.e. reconstruction of those meanings which were initially embodied or “coded" in folklore. A distinctive feature of Kazakh nomadic culture is its self-preservation and actualization, almost untouched the ancient mythologies of the world, in particular, the mythologies connected with music, musical instruments and the creator of music. Within the frameworks of the traditional culture the word and the music keep the sacral meaning. The ritual melodies and what they carry – the holly, and at the same time unexplored, powerful and threatening, uncontrolled by people world – keep on attributing the soul to all, connected with culture.
Abstract: We study in this paper the effect of the scene
changing on image sequences coding system using Embedded
Zerotree Wavelet (EZW). The scene changing considered here is the
full motion which may occurs. A special image sequence is generated
where the scene changing occurs randomly. Two scenarios are
considered: In the first scenario, the system must provide the
reconstruction quality as best as possible by the management of the
bit rate (BR) while the scene changing occurs. In the second scenario,
the system must keep the bit rate as constant as possible by the
management of the reconstruction quality. The first scenario may be
motivated by the availability of a large band pass transmission
channel where an increase of the bit rate may be possible to keep the
reconstruction quality up to a given threshold. The second scenario
may be concerned by the narrow band pass transmission channel
where an increase of the bit rate is not possible. In this last case,
applications for which the reconstruction quality is not a constraint
may be considered. The simulations are performed with five scales
wavelet decomposition using the 9/7-tap filter bank biorthogonal
wavelet. The entropy coding is performed using a specific defined
binary code book and EZW algorithm. Experimental results are
presented and compared to LEAD H263 EVAL. It is shown that if
the reconstruction quality is the constraint, the system increases the
bit rate to obtain the required quality. In the case where the bit rate
must be constant, the system is unable to provide the required quality
if the scene change occurs; however, the system is able to improve
the quality while the scene changing disappears.
Abstract: The major part of light weight timber constructions
consists of insulation. Mineral wool is the most commonly used
insulation due to its cost efficiency and easy handling. The fiber
orientation and porosity of this insulation material enables flowthrough.
The air flow resistance is low. If leakage occurs in the
insulated bay section, the convective flow may cause energy losses
and infiltration of the exterior wall with moisture and particles. In
particular the infiltrated moisture may lead to thermal bridges and
growth of health endangering mould and mildew. In order to prevent
this problem, different numerical calculation models have been
developed. All models developed so far have a potential for
completion. The implementation of the flow-through properties of
mineral wool insulation may help to improve the existing models.
Assuming that the real pressure difference between interior and
exterior surface is larger than the prescribed pressure difference in the
standard test procedure for mineral wool ISO 9053 / EN 29053,
measurements were performed using the measurement setup for
research on convective moisture transfer “MSRCMT".
These measurements show, that structural inhomogeneities of
mineral wool effect the permeability only at higher pressure
differences, as applied in MSRCMT. Additional microscopic
investigations show, that the location of a leak within the
construction has a crucial influence on the air flow-through and the
infiltration rate. The results clearly indicate that the empirical values
for the acoustic resistance of mineral wool should not be used for the
calculation of convective transfer mechanisms.
Abstract: This paper presents an exact analytical model for
optimizing stability of thin-walled, composite, functionally graded
pipes conveying fluid. The critical flow velocity at which divergence
occurs is maximized for a specified total structural mass in order to
ensure the economic feasibility of the attained optimum designs. The
composition of the material of construction is optimized by defining
the spatial distribution of volume fractions of the material
constituents using piecewise variations along the pipe length. The
major aim is to tailor the material distribution in the axial direction so
as to avoid the occurrence of divergence instability without the
penalty of increasing structural mass. Three types of boundary
conditions have been examined; namely, Hinged-Hinged, Clamped-
Hinged and Clamped-Clamped pipelines. The resulting optimization
problem has been formulated as a nonlinear mathematical
programming problem solved by invoking the MatLab optimization
toolbox routines, which implement constrained function
minimization routine named “fmincon" interacting with the
associated eigenvalue problem routines. In fact, the proposed
mathematical models have succeeded in maximizing the critical flow
velocity without mass penalty and producing efficient and economic
designs having enhanced stability characteristics as compared with
the baseline designs.
Abstract: The paper provides an in-depth tutorial of mathematical
construction of maximal length sequences (m-sequences) via primitive
polynomials and how to map the same when implemented in
shift registers. It is equally important to check whether a polynomial
is primitive or not so as to get proper m-sequences. A fast method to
identify primitive polynomials over binary fields is proposed where
the complexity is considerably less in comparison with the standard
procedures for the same purpose.
Abstract: Bonding has become a routine procedure in several
dental specialties – from prosthodontics to conservative dentistry and
even orthodontics. In many of these fields it is important to be able to
investigate the bonded interfaces to assess their quality. All currently
employed investigative methods are invasive, meaning that samples
are destroyed in the testing procedure and cannot be used again. We
have investigated the interface between human enamel and bonded
ceramic brackets non-invasively, introducing a combination of new
investigative methods – optical coherence tomography (OCT),
fluorescence OCT and confocal microscopy (CM). Brackets were
conventionally bonded on conditioned buccal surfaces of teeth. The
bonding was assessed using these methods. Three dimensional
reconstructions of the detected material defects were developed using
manual and semi-automatic segmentation. The results clearly prove
that OCT, fluorescence OCT and CM are useful in orthodontic
bonding investigations.