Abstract: The acceptance of sustainable products by the final
consumer is still one of the challenges of the industry, which
constantly seeks alternative approaches to successfully be accepted in
the global market. A large set of methods and approaches have been
discussed and analysed throughout the literature. Considering the current need for sustainable development and the
current pace of consumption, the need for a combined solution
towards the development of new products became clear, forcing
researchers in product development to propose alternatives to the
previous standard product development models. This paper presents, through a systemic analysis of the literature
on product development, eco-design and consumer involvement, a set
of alternatives regarding consumer involvement towards the
development of sustainable products and how these approaches could
help improve the sustainable industry’s establishment in the general
market. Still being developed in the course of the author’s PhD, the initial
findings of the research show that the understanding of the benefits of
sustainable behaviour lead to a more conscious acquisition and
eventually to the implementation of sustainable change in the
consumer. Thus this paper is the initial approach towards the
development of new sustainable products using the fashion industry
as an example of practical implementation and acceptance by the
consumers. By comparing the existing literature and critically analysing it, this
paper concluded that the consumer involvement is strategic to
improve the general understanding of sustainability and its features.
The use of consumers and communities has been studied since the
early 90s in order to exemplify uses and to guarantee a fast
comprehension. The analysis done also includes the importance of
this approach for the increase of innovation and ground breaking
developments, thus requiring further research and practical
implementation in order to better understand the implications and
limitations of this methodology.
Abstract: Journal bearings used in IC engines are prone to premature
failures and are likely to fail earlier than the rated life due to
highly impulsive and unstable operating conditions and frequent
starts/stops. Vibration signature extraction and wear debris analysis
techniques are prevalent in industry for condition monitoring of
rotary machinery. However, both techniques involve a great deal of
technical expertise, time, and cost. Limited literature is available on
the application of these techniques for fault detection in reciprocating
machinery, due to the complex nature of impact forces that
confounds the extraction of fault signals for vibration-based analysis
and wear prediction. In present study, a simulation model was developed to investigate
the bearing wear behaviour, resulting because of different operating
conditions, to complement the vibration analysis. In current
simulation, the dynamics of the engine was established first, based on
which the hydrodynamic journal bearing forces were evaluated by
numerical solution of the Reynold’s equation. In addition, the
essential outputs of interest in this study, critical to determine wear
rates are the tangential velocity and oil film thickness between the
journals and bearing sleeve, which if not maintained appropriately,
have a detrimental effect on the bearing performance. Archard’s wear prediction model was used in the simulation to
calculate the wear rate of bearings with specific location information
as all determinative parameters were obtained with reference to crank
rotation. Oil film thickness obtained from the model was used as a
criterion to determine if the lubrication is sufficient to prevent contact
between the journal and bearing thus causing accelerated wear. A
limiting value of 1 μm was used as the minimum oil film thickness
needed to prevent contact. The increased wear rate with growing
severity of operating conditions is analogous and comparable to the
rise in amplitude of the squared envelope of the referenced vibration
signals. Thus on one hand, the developed model demonstrated its
capability to explain wear behaviour and on the other hand it also
helps to establish a co-relation between wear based and vibration
based analysis. Therefore, the model provides a cost effective and
quick approach to predict the impending wear in IC engine bearings
under various operating conditions.
Abstract: Test automation allows performing difficult and time
consuming manual software testing tasks efficiently, quickly and
repeatedly. However, development and maintenance of automated
tests is expensive, so it needs a proper prioritization what to automate
first. This paper describes a simple yet efficient approach for such
prioritization of test cases based on the effort needed for both manual
execution and software test automation. The suggested approach is
very flexible because it allows working with a variety of assessment
methods, and adding or removing new candidates at any time. The
theoretical ideas presented in this article have been successfully
applied in real world situations in several software companies by the
authors and their colleagues including testing of real estate websites,
cryptographic and authentication solutions, OSGi-based middleware
framework that has been applied in various systems for smart homes,
connected cars, production plants, sensors, home appliances, car head
units and engine control units (ECU), vending machines, medical
devices, industry equipment and other devices that either contain or
are connected to an embedded service gateway.
Abstract: The aim of this work is to study the numerical
implementation of the Hilbert Uniqueness Method for the exact
boundary controllability of Euler-Bernoulli beam equation. This study
may be difficult. This will depend on the problem under consideration
(geometry, control and dimension) and the numerical method used.
Knowledge of the asymptotic behaviour of the control governing the
system at time T may be useful for its calculation. This idea will
be developed in this study. We have characterized as a first step, the
solution by a minimization principle and proposed secondly a method
for its resolution to approximate the control steering the considered
system to rest at time T.
Abstract: Context-aware technologies provide system
applications with the awareness of environmental conditions,
customer behaviours, object movements, etc. Further, with such
capability system applications can be smart to intelligently adapt their
responses to the changing conditions. In regard to business
operations, this promises businesses that their business processes can
run more intelligently, adaptively and flexibly, and thereby either
improve customer experience, enhance reliability of service delivery,
or lower operational cost, to make the business more competitive and
sustainable. Aiming at realising such context-aware business process
management, this paper firstly explores its potential benefit, and then
identifies some gaps between the current business process
management support and the expected. In addition, some preliminary
solutions are also discussed in regard to context definition, rule-based
process execution, run-time process evolution, etc. A framework is
also presented to give a conceptual architecture of context-aware
business process management system to guide system
implementation.
Abstract: By using a fixed point theorem of a sum operator, the
existence and uniqueness of positive solution for a class of
boundary value problem of nonlinear fractional differential equation
is studied. An iterative scheme is constructed to approximate it.
Finally, an example is given to illustrate the main result.
Abstract: Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM)
technology is the most promising technology for the proper
utilization of huge raw bandwidth provided by an optical fiber. One
of the key problems in implementing the all-optical WDM network is
the packet contention. This problem can be solved by several
different techniques. In time domain approach the packet contention
can be reduced by incorporating Fiber Delay Lines (FDLs) as optical
buffer in the switch architecture. Different types of buffering
architectures are reported in literatures. In the present paper a
comparative performance analysis of three most popular FDL
architectures are presented in order to obtain the best contention
resolution performance. The analysis is further extended to consider
the effect of different fiber non-linearities on the network
performance.
Abstract: Fresh concrete has one of dynamic properties known
as slump. Slump of concrete is design to compatible with placing
method. Due to hydration reaction of cement, the slump of concrete
is loss through time. Therefore, delayed concrete probably get reject
because slump is unacceptable. In order to recover the slump of
delayed concrete the second dose of superplasticizer (naphthalene
based type F) is added into the system, the slump recovery can be
done as long as the concrete is not setting. By adding superplasticizer
as solution for recover unusable slump loss concrete may affects
other concrete properties. Therefore, this paper was observed setting
times and compressive strength of concrete after being re-dose with
chemical admixture type F (superplasticizer, naphthalene based) for
slump recovery. The concrete used in this study was fly ash concrete
with fly ash replacement of 0%, 30% and 50% respectively. Concrete
mix designed for test specimen was prepared with paste content (ratio
of volume of cement to volume of void in the aggregate) of 1.2 and
1.3, water-to-binder ratio (w/b) range of 0.3 to 0.58, initial dose of
superplasticizer (SP) range from 0.5 to 1.6%. The setting times of
concrete were tested both before and after re-dosed with different
amount of second dose and time of dosing. The research was
concluded that addition of second dose of superplasticizer would
increase both initial and final setting times accordingly to dosage of
addition. As for fly ash concrete, the prolongation effect was higher
as the replacement of fly ash increase. The prolongation effect can
reach up to maximum about 4 hours. In case of compressive strength,
the re-dosed concrete has strength fluctuation within acceptable range
of ±10%.
Abstract: Highly stable and homogeneously dispersed amino
acid coated silver nanoparticles (ANP) of ≈ 10 nm diameter, ranging
from 420 to 430 nm are prepared on AgNO3 solution addition to gum
of Azadirachta indica solution at 373.15 K. The amino acids were
selected based on their polarity. The synthesized nanoparticles were
characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR spectroscopy, HR-TEM, XRD, SEM
and 1H-NMR. The coated nanoparticles were used as catalyst for the
reduction of methylene blue dye in presence of Sn(II) in aqueous,
anionic and cationic micellar media. The rate of reduction of dye was
determined by measuring the absorbance at 660 nm,
spectrophotometrically and followed the order: Kcationic > Kanionic >
Kwater. After 12 min and in absence of the ANP, only 2%, 3% and 6%
of the dye reduction was completed in aqueous, anionic and cationic
micellar media respectively while, in presence of ANP coated by
polar neutral amino acid with non-polar -R group, the reduction
completed to 84%, 95% and 98% respectively. The ANP coated with
polar neutral amino acid having non-polar -R group, increased the
rate of reduction of the dye by 94, 3205 and 6370 folds in aqueous,
anionic and cationic micellar media respectively. Also, the rate of
reduction of the dye increased by three folds when the micellar media
was changed from anionic to cationic when the ANP is coated by a
polar neutral amino acid having a non-polar -R group.
Abstract: Carbon dioxide is one of the major greenhouse gas
(GHG) contributors. It is an obligation of the industry to reduce the
amount of carbon dioxide emission to the acceptable limits.
Tremendous research and studies are reported in the past and still the
quest to find the suitable and economical solution of this problem
needed to be explored in order to develop the most plausible absorber
for carbon dioxide removal. Amino acids can be potential alternate
solvents for carbon dioxide capture from gaseous streams. This is due
to its ability to resist oxidative degradation, low volatility and its
ionic structure. In addition, the introduction of promoter-like
piperazine to amino acid helps to further enhance the solubility. In
this work, the effect of piperazine on thermo physical properties and
solubility of β-Alanine aqueous solutions were studied for various
concentrations. The measured physicochemical properties data was
correlated as a function of temperature using least-squares method
and the correlation parameters are reported together with it respective
standard deviations. The effect of activator piperazine on the CO2
loading performance of selected amino acid under high-pressure
conditions (1bar to 10bar) at temperature range of (30 to 60)oC was
also studied. Solubility of CO2 decreases with increasing temperature
and increases with increasing pressure. Quadratic representation of
solubility using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) shows that
the most important parameter to optimize solubility is system
pressure. The addition of promoter increases the solubility effect of
the solvent.
Abstract: A myriad of environmental issues face the Nigerian
industrial region, resulting from; oil and gas production, mining,
manufacturing and domestic wastes. Amidst these, much effort has
been directed by stakeholders in the Nigerian oil producing regions,
because of the impacts of the region on the wider Nigerian economy.
Although collaborative environmental management has been noted as
an effective approach in managing environmental issues, little
attention has been given to the roles and practices of stakeholders in
effecting a collaborative environmental management framework for
the Nigerian oil-producing region. This paper produces a framework
to expand and deepen knowledge relating to stakeholders aspects of
collaborative roles in managing environmental issues in the Nigeria
oil-producing region. The knowledge is derived from analysis of
stakeholders’ practices – studied through multiple case studies using
document analysis. Selected documents of key stakeholders –
Nigerian government agencies, multi-national oil companies and host
communities, were analyzed. Open and selective coding was
employed manually during document analysis of data collected from
the offices and websites of the stakeholders. The findings showed
that the stakeholders have a range of roles, practices, interests, drivers
and barriers regarding their collaborative roles in managing
environmental issues. While they have interests for efficient resource
use, compliance to standards, sharing of responsibilities, generating
of new solutions, and shared objectives; there is evidence of major
barriers and these include resource allocation, disjointed policy,
ineffective monitoring, diverse socio- economic interests, lack of
stakeholders’ commitment and limited knowledge sharing. However,
host communities hold deep concerns over the collaborative roles of
stakeholders for economic interests, particularly, where government
agencies and multi-national oil companies are involved. With these
barriers and concerns, a genuine stakeholders’ collaboration is found
to be limited, and as a result, optimal environmental management
practices and policies have not been successfully implemented in the
Nigeria oil-producing region. A framework is produced that describes
practices that characterize collaborative environmental management
might be employed to satisfy the stakeholders’ interests. The
framework recommends critical factors, based on the findings, which
may guide a collaborative environmental management in the oil
producing regions. The recommendations are designed to re-define
the practices of stakeholders in managing environmental issues in the
oil producing regions, not as something wholly new, but as an
approach essential for implementing a sustainable environmental
policy. This research outcome may clarify areas for future research as
well as to contribute to industry guidance in the area of collaborative
environmental management.
Abstract: In this paper, according to the classical algorithm
LSQR for solving the least-squares problem, an iterative method is
proposed for least-squares solution of constrained matrix equation. By
using the Kronecker product, the matrix-form LSQR is presented to
obtain the like-minimum norm and minimum norm solutions in a
constrained matrix set for the symmetric arrowhead matrices. Finally,
numerical examples are also given to investigate the performance.
Abstract: In this paper, von Mises and Drucker-Prager yield criteria, as typical ones that consider the effect of intermediate principal stress σ2, have been selected and employed for investigating the influence of σ2 on the solution of a typical stability problem. The bearing capacity factors have been calculated under plane strain condition (strip footing) and axisymmetric condition (circular footing) using the method of stress characteristics together with the criteria mentioned. Different levels of σ2 relative to the other two principal stresses have been considered. While a higher σ2 entry in yield criterion gives a higher bearing capacity; its entry in equilibrium equations (axisymmetric) causes substantial reduction.
Abstract: In this paper, de Laval rotor system has been
characterized by a hinge model and its transient response numerically
treated for a dynamic solution. The effect of the ensuing non-linear
disturbances namely rub and breathing crack is numerically
simulated. Subsequently, three analysis methods: Orbit Analysis, Fast
Fourier Transform (FFT), and Wavelet Transform (WT) are
employed to extract features of the vibration signal of the faulty
system. An analysis of the system response orbits clearly indicates
the perturbations due to the rotor-to-stator contact. The sensitivities
of WT to the variation in system speed have been investigated by
Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). The analysis reveals that
features of crack, rubs and unbalance in vibration response can be
useful for condition monitoring. WT reveals its ability to detect nonlinear
signal, and obtained results provide a useful tool method for
detecting machinery faults.
Abstract: This paper aimed to introduce the solution of concrete
slump recovery using chemical admixture type-F (superplasticizer,
naphthalene base) to the practice in order to solve unusable concrete
problem due to concrete loss its slump, especially for those tropical
countries that have faster slump loss rate. In the other hand, randomly
adding superplasticizer into concrete can cause concrete to segregate.
Therefore, this paper also develops the estimation model used to
calculate amount of second dose of superplasticizer need for concrete
slump recovery. Fresh properties of ordinary Portland cement
concrete with volumetric ratio of paste to void between aggregate
(paste content) of 1.1-1.3 with water-cement ratio zone of 0.30 to
0.67 and initial superplasticizer (naphthalene base) of 0.25%-1.6%
were tested for initial slump and slump loss for every 30 minutes for
one and half hour by slump cone test. Those concretes with slump
loss range from 10% to 90% were re-dosed and successfully
recovered back to its initial slump. Slump after re-dosed was tested
by slump cone test. From the result, it has been concluded that, slump
loss was slower for those mix with high initial dose of
superplasticizer due to addition of superplasticizer will disturb
cement hydration. The required second dose of superplasticizer was
affected by two major parameters, which were water-cement ratio
and paste content, where lower water-cement ratio and paste content
cause an increase in require second dose of superplasticizer. The
amount of second dose of superplasticizer is higher as the solid
content within the system is increase, solid can be either from cement
particles or aggregate. The data was analyzed to form an equation use
to estimate the amount of second dosage requirement of
superplasticizer to recovery slump to its original.
Abstract: In this study, the effects and interactions of reaction
time and capping agent assistance during sol-gel synthesis of
magnesium substituted hydroxyapatite nanopowder (MgHA) on
hydroxyapatite (HA) to β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) ratio, Ca/P
ratio and mean crystallite size was examined experimentally as well
as through statistical analysis. MgHA nanopowders were synthesized
by sol-gel technique at room temperature using aqueous solution of
calcium nitrate tetrahydrate, magnesium nitrate hexahydrate and
potassium dihydrogen phosphate as starting materials. The reaction
time for sol-gel synthesis was varied between 15 to 60 minutes. Two
process routes were followed with and without addition of
triethanolamine (TEA) in the solutions. The elemental compositions
of as-synthesized powders were determined using X-ray fluorescence
(XRF) spectroscopy. The functional groups present in the assynthesized
MgHA nanopowders were established through Fourier
Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The amounts of phases
present, Ca/P ratio and mean crystallite sizes of MgHA nanopowders
were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The HA content in
biphasic mixture of HA and β-TCP and Ca/P ratio in as-synthesized
MgHA nanopowders increased effectively with reaction time of sols
(p0.15, two way ANOVA). The MgHA nanopowders
synthesized with TEA assistance exhibited 14 nm lower crystallite
size (p
Abstract: With the introduction of cash-less society policy by
the Central Bank of Nigeria, the concept of e-banking services have
over the years’ experience a significant improvement. Today quite a
number of people are embracing e-banking activities especially
ATM, thereby moving away from the conventional banking system.
This paper presents a review of the underlying Architectural Layout
of Intra-Bank and Inter-Bank ATM connectivity in Nigeria. The
paper further investigates and discusses factors affecting the Intra-
Bank and Inter-Bank ATM connectivity in Nigeria. In addition, as
well possible solutions to these factors affecting ATM Connectivity
and Operations are proposed.
Abstract: The Haussmannization plan of Cairo in 1867 formed a
regular network of roundabout spaces, though deteriorated at present.
The method of identifying the spatial structure of roundabout Cairo
for conservation matches the voronoi diagram with the space syntax
through their geometrical property of spatial convexity. In this
initiative, the primary convex hull of first-order voronoi adopts the
integral and control measurements of space syntax on Cairo’s
roundabout generators. The functional essence of royal palaces
optimizes the roundabout structure in terms of spatial measurements
and the symbolic voronoi projection of 'Tahrir Roundabout' over the
Giza Nile and Pyramids. Some roundabouts of major public and
commercial landmarks surround the pole of 'Ezbekia Garden' with a
higher control than integral measurements, which filter the new
spatial structure from the adjacent traditional town. Nevertheless, the
least integral and control measures correspond to the voronoi
contents of pollutant workshops and the plateau of old Cairo Citadel
with the visual compensation of new royal landmarks on top.
Meanwhile, the extended suburbs of infinite voronoi polygons
arrange high control generators of chateaux housing in 'garden city'
environs. The point pattern of roundabouts determines the
geometrical characteristics of voronoi polygons. The measured
lengths of voronoi edges alternate between the zoned short range at
the new poles of Cairo and the distributed structure of longer range.
Nevertheless, the shortest range of generator-vertex geometry
concentrates at 'Ezbekia Garden' where the crossways of vast Cairo
intersect, which maximizes the variety of choice at different spatial
resolutions. However, the symbolic 'Hippodrome' which is the largest
public landmark forms exclusive geometrical measurements, while
structuring a most integrative roundabout to parallel the royal syntax.
Overview of the symbolic convex hull of voronoi with space syntax
interconnects Parisian Cairo with the spatial chronology of scattered
monuments to conceive one universal Cairo structure. Accordingly,
the approached methodology of 'voronoi-syntax' prospects the future
conservation of roundabout Cairo at the inferred city-level concept.
Abstract: Increase of emergency incidents and crisis situations
requires proactive crisis management of authorities and for its
solution. Application Business Continuity Management helps the
crisis management authorities to quickly and responsibly respond to
threats. It also helps effectively and efficiently planning powers and
resources. The main goal of this article is describing Military
Continuity Management System (MCMS) based on the principles of
Business Continuity Management System (BCMS) for dealing with
floods in the territory of the selected municipalities. There are
explained steps of loading, running and evaluating activities in the
software application MCMS. Software MCMS provides complete
control over the tasks, contribute a comprehensive and responsible
approach solutions to solution floods in the municipality.
Abstract: The modelling of physical phenomena, such as the
earth’s free oscillations, the vibration of strings, the interaction of
atomic particles, or the steady state flow in a bar give rise to Sturm-
Liouville (SL) eigenvalue problems. The boundary applications of
some systems like the convection-diffusion equation, electromagnetic
and heat transfer problems requires the combination of Dirichlet and
Neumann boundary conditions. Hence, the incorporation of Robin
boundary condition in the analyses of Sturm-Liouville problem. This
paper deals with the computation of the eigenvalues and
eigenfunction of generalized Sturm-Liouville problems with Robin
boundary condition using the finite element method. Numerical
solution of classical Sturm–Liouville problem is presented. The
results show an agreement with the exact solution. High results
precision is achieved with higher number of elements.