Abstract: In this study, artificial limestone brick samples are produced by using wood sawdust wastes (WSW) having different grades of sizes and limestone powder waste (LPW). The thermo-elastic properties of produced brick samples in various WSW amounts are investigated. At 30% WSW replacement with LPW in the brick sample the thermal conductivity value is effectively reduced and the reduction in the thermal conductivity value of brick sample at 30% WSW replacement with LPW is about 38.9% as compared with control sample. The energy conservation in buildings by using LPW and WSW in masonry brick material production having low thermal conductivity reduces energy requirements. A strong relationship is also found among the thermal conductivity, unit weight and ultrasonic pulse velocity values of brick samples produced. It shows a potential to be used for walls, wooden board substitute, alternative to the concrete blocks, ceiling panels, sound barrier panels, absorption materials etc.
Abstract: Ergonomics is a useful tool for creating a healthy and
safe workplace. The long-term action of harmful conditions on the
health of workers is the emergence of occupational disease, and the
firm-s increased compensation costs associated with these diseases,
but is also the loss of time needed for educating and including new
workers in the work process. The article deals with the link of
ergonomics to occupational diseases, factors which influence these
diseases. In the conclusion, a model is described to help reduce the
risk of selected occupational diseases using ergonomic principles and
knowledge.
Abstract: Image registration is the process of establishing point
by point correspondence between images obtained from a same
scene. This process is very useful in remote sensing, medicine,
cartography, computer vision, etc. Then, the task of registration is to
place the data into a common reference frame by estimating the
transformations between the data sets. In this work, we develop a
rigid point registration method based on the application of genetic
algorithms and Hausdorff distance. First, we extract the feature points
from both images based on the algorithm of global and local
curvature corner. After refining the feature points, we use Hausdorff
distance as similarity measure between the two data sets and for
optimizing the search space we use genetic algorithms to achieve
high computation speed for its inertial parallel. The results show the
efficiency of this method for registration of satellite images.
Abstract: The electrical power systems of aircrafts have made
serious progress in recent years because the aircrafts depend more
and more on the electricity. There is a trend in the aircraft industry to
replace hydraulic and pneumatic systems with electrical systems,
achieving more comfort and monitoring features and enlarging the
energetic efficiency. Thus, was born the concept More Electric
Aircraft. In this paper is analyzed the integration of a fuel cell into
the existing electrical generation and distribution systems of an
aircraft. The dynamic characteristics of fuel cell systems necessitate
an adaptation of the electrical power system. The architecture studied
in this paper consists of a 50kW fuel cell, a dc to dc converter and
several loads. The dc to dc converter is used to step down the fuel
cell voltage from about 625Vdc to 28Vdc.
Abstract: In this paper, the detection and tracking of face, mouth, hands and medication bottles in the context of medication intake monitoring with a camera is presented. This is aimed at recognizing medication intake for elderly in their home setting to avoid an inappropriate use. Background subtraction is used to isolate moving objects, and then, skin and bottle segmentations are done in the RGB normalized color space. We use a minimum displacement distance criterion to track skin color regions and the R/G ratio to detect the mouth. The color-labeled medication bottles are simply tracked based on the color space distance to their mean color vector. For the recognition of medication intake, we propose a three-level hierarchal approach, which uses activity-patterns to recognize the normal medication intake activity. The proposed method was tested with three persons, with different medication intake scenarios, and gave an overall precision of over 98%.
Abstract: An efficient reintegration of the disabled people in the
family and society should be fulfilled; hence it is strongly needful to assist their diminished functions or to replace the totally lost
functions. Assistive technology helps in neutralizing the impairment.
Recent advancements in embedded systems have opened up a vast
area of research and development for affordable and portable assistive devices for the visually impaired. Granted there are many assistive devices on the market that are able to detect obstacles, and numerous research and development currently in process to
alleviate the cause, unfortunately the cost of devices, size of
devices, intrusiveness and higher learning curve prevents the visually impaired from taking advantage of available devices. This
project aims at the design and implementation of a detachable unit
which is robust, low cost and user friendly, thus, trying to
aggrandize the functionality of the existing white cane, to concede above-knee obstacle detection. The designed obstruction detector
uses ultrasound sensors for detecting the obstructions before direct contact. It bestows haptic feedback to the user in accordance with the position of the obstacle.
Abstract: New ways of working- refers to non-traditional work practices, settings and locations with information and communication technologies (ICT) to supplement or replace traditional ways of working. It questions the contemporary work practices and settings still very much used in knowledge-intensive organizations today. In this study new ways of working is seen to consist of two elements: work environment (incl. physical, virtual and social) and work practices. This study aims to gather the scattered information together and deepen the understanding on new ways of working. Moreover, the objective is to provide some evidence of the unclear productivity impacts of new ways of working using case study approach.
Abstract: This work presents a numerical simulation of the interaction of an incident shock wave propagates from the left to the right with a cone placed in a tube at shock. The Mathematical model is based on a non stationary, viscous and axisymmetric flow. The Discretization of the Navier-stokes equations is carried out by the finite volume method in the integral form along with the Flux Vector Splitting method of Van Leer. Here, adequate combination of time stepping parameter, CFL coefficient and mesh size level is selected to ensure numerical convergence. The numerical simulation considers a shock tube filled with air. The incident shock wave propagates to the right with a determined Mach number and crosses the cone by leaving behind it a stationary detached shock wave in front of the nose cone. This type of interaction is observed according to the time of flow.
Abstract: This paper presents a new compact analytical model of
the gate leakage current in high-k based nano scale MOSFET by
assuming a two-step inelastic trap-assisted tunneling (ITAT) process
as the conduction mechanism. This model is based on an inelastic
trap-assisted tunneling (ITAT) mechanism combined with a semiempirical
gate leakage current formulation in the BSIM 4 model. The
gate tunneling currents have been calculated as a function of gate
voltage for different gate dielectrics structures such as HfO2, Al2O3
and Si3N4 with EOT (equivalent oxide thickness) of 1.0 nm. The
proposed model is compared and contrasted with santaurus
simulation results to verify the accuracy of the model and excellent
agreement is found between the analytical and simulated data. It is
observed that proposed analytical model is suitable for different highk
gate dielectrics simply by adjusting two fitting parameters. It was
also shown that gate leakages reduced with the introduction of high-k
gate dielectric in place of SiO2.
Abstract: Uniqueness and distinctiveness of localities (referred to as genius loci or sense of place) are important to ensure people-s identification with their locality. Existing frameworks reveals that the affective dimension of environments is rarely mentioned or explored and limited public participation was used in constructing the frameworks. This research argues that the complexity of sense of place would be recognised and appropriate planning guidelines formulated by exploring and integrating the affective dimension of a site. Aims of the research therefore are to (i) explore relational dimensions between people and a natural rural landscape, (ii) to implement a participatory approach to obtain insight into different relational dimensions, and (ii) to concretise socio-affective relational dimensions into site planning guidelines. A qualitative, interdisciplinary research approach was followed and conducted on the farm Kromdraai, Vredefort Dome World Heritage Site. In essence the first phase of the study reveals various affective responses and projections of personal meanings. The findings in phase 1 informed the second phase, to involve people from various disciplines and different involvement with the area to make visual presentations of appropriate planning and design of the site in order to capture meanings of the interactions between people and their environment. Final site planning and design guidelines were formulated, based on these. This research contributed to provide planners with new possibilities of exploring the dimensions between people and places as well as to develop appropriate methods for participation to obtain insight into the underlying meanings of sites.
Abstract: People at workplace always face with stress and feel it in their lives. There are many factors that create stress and mobbing is one of them. Mobbing is a psychological terror, conducted systematically toward an individual by others at the same workplace. Mobbing started to become a famous subject last years in U.S and Europe. In Turkey, it is a new concept not because it does not occur, because of human nature that does not allow confessing it. Mobbing is being ignored by people, organizations and also government in our country. The focus of this study will be mobbing in Turkey by examining the workplace mobbing among Turkish academicians. There are other studies about mobbing in Turkey but none of them studied academy. Because mobbing methods change according to sectors and occupations, it is important to analyze each sector to understand the methods used in mobbing and the reactions of victims to these actions. The concept is analyzed in detail before focusing on mobbing at universities. This paper will be unique because there is no information about this specific subject in Turkish literature. In this paper, both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to describe the mobbing at Turkish academic environment.
Abstract: In this paper a study on the vibration of thin
cylindrical shells with ring supports and made of functionally
graded materials (FGMs) composed of stainless steel and
nickel is presented. Material properties vary along the
thickness direction of the shell according to volume fraction
power law. The cylindrical shells have ring supports which are
arbitrarily placed along the shell and impose zero lateral
deflections. The study is carried out based on third order shear
deformation shell theory (T.S.D.T). The analysis is carried out
using Hamilton-s principle. The governing equations of motion of
FGM cylindrical shells are derived based on shear deformation
theory. Results are presented on the frequency characteristics,
influence of ring support position and the influence of boundary
conditions. The present analysis is validated by comparing results
with those available in the literature.
Abstract: In this paper, we investigated the characteristic of a
clinical dataseton the feature selection and classification
measurements which deal with missing values problem.And also
posed the appropriated techniques to achieve the aim of the activity;
in this research aims to find features that have high effect to mortality
and mortality time frame. We quantify the complexity of a clinical
dataset. According to the complexity of the dataset, we proposed the
data mining processto cope their complexity; missing values, high
dimensionality, and the prediction problem by using the methods of
missing value replacement, feature selection, and classification.The
experimental results will extend to develop the prediction model for
cardiology.
Abstract: Superelastic Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) is accepted
when it used as connection in steel structures. The seismic behaviour
of steel frames with SMA is being assessed in this study. Three eightstorey
steel frames with different SMA systems are suggested, the
first one of which is braced with diagonal bracing system, the second
one is braced with nee bracing system while the last one is which the
SMA is used as connection at the plastic hinge regions of beams.
Nonlinear time history analyses of steel frames with SMA subjected
to two different ground motion records have been performed using
Seismostruct software. To evaluate the efficiency of suggested
systems, the dynamic responses of the frames were compared. From
the comparison results, it can be concluded that using SMA element
is an effective way to improve the dynamic response of structures
subjected to earthquake excitations. Implementing the SMA braces
can lead to a reduction in residual roof displacement. The shape
memory alloy is effective in reducing the maximum displacement at
the frame top and it provides a large elastic deformation range. SMA
connections are very effective in dissipating energy and reducing the
total input energy of the whole frame under severe seismic ground
motion. Using of the SMA connection system is more effective in
controlling the reaction forces at the base frame than other bracing
systems. Using SMA as bracing is more effective in reducing the
displacements. The efficiency of SMA is dependant on the input
wave motions and the construction system as well.
Abstract: In this paper, an automatic system of diagnosis was
developed to detect and locate in real time the defects of the wound
rotor asynchronous machine associated to electronic converter. For
this purpose, we have treated the signals of the measured parameters
(current and speed) to use them firstly, as indicating variables of the
machine defects under study and, secondly, as inputs to the Artificial
Neuron Network (ANN) for their classification in order to detect the
defect type in progress. Once a defect is detected, the interpretation
system of information will give the type of the defect and its place of
appearance.
Abstract: In the present study the efficiency of Big Bang-Big
Crunch (BB-BC) algorithm is investigated in discrete structural
design optimization. It is shown that a standard version of the BB-BC
algorithm is sometimes unable to produce reasonable solutions to
problems from discrete structural design optimization. Two
reformulations of the algorithm, which are referred to as modified
BB-BC (MBB-BC) and exponential BB-BC (EBB-BC), are
introduced to enhance the capability of the standard algorithm in
locating good solutions for steel truss and frame type structures,
respectively. The performances of the proposed algorithms are
experimented and compared to its standard version as well as some
other algorithms over several practical design examples. In these
examples, steel structures are sized for minimum weight subject to
stress, stability and displacement limitations according to the
provisions of AISC-ASD.
Abstract: Design of experiments made for correlated the hormonal activity of steroids and their effect on the vaginal structure properties. Vaginal wall consists of distinct layers of cells which strongly differ regarding growth in answer to steroid hormones. The presence study carried out for functional evaluation and sustained replacement effect of the reproductive hormones on the vaginal morphometry in the rabbit. Rabbits were maintained control (Co) or ovariectomized (Ovz) and continuously treated with estradiol (Ovz E) and estradiol mixture with testosterone (Ovz ET). Relative to control rabbits with the distinct tissue distribution pattern, ovariectomized animals displayed declined epithelial thickness and atrophy of the muscularis layer that cause the vaginal wall thinning. Estradiol treatment of Orz rabbits inverted these changes to status of the preovariectomy. Histometric measurements in Ovz ET group completely including of thickness of the epithelial and muscular layers was greater in comparison to that of control animals.
Abstract: According to previous studies, some muscles present a non-homogeneous spatial distribution of its muscle fiber types and motor unit types. However, available muscle models only deal with muscles with homogeneous distributions. In this paper, a new architecture muscle model is proposed to permit the construction of non-uniform distributions of muscle fibers within the muscle cross section. The idea behind is the use of a motor unit placement algorithm that controls the spatial overlapping of the motor unit territories of each motor unit type. Results show the capabilities of the new algorithm to reproduce arbitrary muscle fiber type distributions.
Abstract: To derive the fractional flow equation oil
displacement will be assumed to take place under the so-called
diffusive flow condition. The constraints are that fluid saturations at
any point in the linear displacement path are uniformly distributed
with respect to thickness; this allows the displacement to be described
mathematically in one dimension. The simultaneous flow of oil and
water can be modeled using thickness averaged relative permeability,
along the centerline of the reservoir. The condition for fluid potential
equilibrium is simply that of hydrostatic equilibrium for which the
saturation distribution can be determined as a function of capillary
pressure and therefore, height. That is the fluids are distributed in
accordance with capillary-gravity equilibrium.
This paper focused on the fraction flow of water versus
cumulative oil recoveries using Buckley Leverett method. Several
field cases have been developed to aid in analysis. Producing watercut
(at surface conditions) will be compared with the cumulative oil
recovery at breakthrough for the flowing fluid.
Abstract: Automotive suspension system is important part of car
comfort and safety. In this article automotive active suspension with
linear motor as actuator is designed using H-infinity control. This
paper is focused on comparison of different controller designed for
quart, half or full-car model (and always used for “full" car). Special
attention is placed on energy demand of the whole system. Each
controller configuration is simulated and then verified on the
hydraulic quarter car test bed.