Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contractor Selection for Design/Build Projects

As traditional construction procurement approaches are found to be inadequate in meeting the demands and challenges of recent times, alternative procurement routes such as through management contracting or build-operate-transfer are increasingly being adopted. Although design-build is one of the more popular alternative procurement methods that also has a long history, it does not appear to have well-established contractor selection procedures. This paper focuses on developing a model for contractor prequalification and bid evaluation in design-build projects. For this purpose, it presents a comparative overview of some international practices in the design-build contractor selection process. The overall objective is to identify the core aspects of selecting a suitable bidder in order to achieve the best value for money. The strengths and weaknesses of current practices of contractor selection are highlighted while identifying some of the best practices followed in design-build projects by various clients.
Simulation studies on electrothermal fluid flow induced in a dielectrophoretic microelectrode system

The inhomogeneous ac electric fields used for particle manipulation in dielectrophoresis(DEP)-based microdevices not only produce forces on the particle, but also generate volume forces in the liquid by producing gradients in conductivity and permittivity due to local heating. The forces on the liquid give rise to fluid motion, which is referred to as electrothermal flow. This paper presents a numerical study on the electrothermally induced fluid flow on the dielectrophoretic microelectrode array. The fluid movement is numerically solved by coupling electrical, thermal and mechanical equations. A number of parameters including frequency, electrode structure, conductivity of the fluid and external heating that influence the fluid flow patterns are investigated. Particle behavior under the effects of electrothermal flow is studied. The viscous drag force on the particles arising from the electrothermal fluid flow becomes apparent as the particle size is reduced to the sub-micrometer scale. In certain circumstances, the drag force may be of the same order as or much greater than the DEP force. Under the effect of the electrothermal fluid flow, small particles may exhibit movements differing from that in the common DEP environment. These results provide significant suggestions for the manipulation of nanoparticles using ac electric fields under the normal DEP conditions.
Monitoring and Modelling

This reports interim results from monitoring a group of 15 low-energy houses in Manchester, UK, in order to assess the cost-effectiveness of different energy-conserving measures. It describes a system which provides economical monitoring with two levels of recording by mobile apparatus, and a simplified prediction technique which models the pattern of thermal behaviour, checked against field measurements. The method involves the use of a digital mini-computer connected to a passive electrical analogue circuit via digital-to-analogue convertors.
A Validation Database for Flow in a Parallel Triangular Heat Exchanger Tube Array

An experimental parametric study of the surface pressure on a cylinder in the sixth row of a rotated triangular tube array (P/d = 1.375) with air cross flow has been conducted. A range of static displacements were examined. Jet switching was observed in this array and resulted in the large asymmetry observed in the pressure distribution around the static cylinder even in a geometrically symmetric configuration. The large fluctuations in lift force due to jet switching suggest that it should be more seriously considered when designing against fatigue failure. The effect of jet switching on the pressure distribution data was mitigated by deconstructing the pressure distribution into two modes. Forces were calculated from the pressure measurements offering an insight into the fluid mechanics generating the forces. No simple parameterisation was found for either the lift or drag force, but it was found that the drag force was only weakly affected by the tube displacement. The dataset presented here compliments the data previously presented for normal triangular arrays and represents a valuable reference for validation of simulations and flow-induced vibration models. © 2010 ASME
Economic dispatch of generators with prohibited operating zones: a genetic algorithm approach

The work explores the use of a genetic algorithm for the solution of an economic dispatch problem in power systems where some of the units have prohibited operating zones. Genetic algorithms have a capability to provide global optimal solutions in problem domains where a complete traversion of the whole search space is computationally infeasible. Two different implementations of the genetic algorithm for the solution of this dispatch problem are presented: a standard genetic algorithm, and a deterministic crowding genetic algorithm model. The results demonstrate that the genetic algorithm can be applied successfully in the solution of problems represented with nonconvex functions.
Crash-level analysis on passenger cars’ total secondary safety

Various studies have been conducted concerning vehicles’ crashworthiness and crash aggressivity. This paper aims to propose a crash-level approach to combine motor vehicles’ crashworthiness and crash aggressivity into an integrated index, which is expressed as the total secondary safety index (TSSI). A Bayesian ordered logit model was proposed to estimate the TSSI for 23 major passenger-car brands in Florida. This model could explicitly define the crashworthiness of subject vehicles while taking into account the aggressivity to the counterpart vehicles which are involved in the same crashes. A total of 17,178 two-vehicle-crash records involving 34,356 cars in Florida were utilised to identify the variations regarding the TSSI of 23 major passenger-car brands. Through the Bayesian ordered logit model, it is found that some luxury car brands such as Cadillac, Lexus and Volvo show excellent total secondary safety compared with the average level. Moreover, each car brand is set up as the reference case to cross-compare with the other 22 brands with significance tests on their differences, and results show that most brands exhibit statistical significance when several car brands are selected as the reference cases. The TSSIs of several car brands such as Cadillac and Volvo are significantly better than those of the rest of the brands. Through comparing the ranks of crashworthiness index, crash aggressivity index and the TSSI, it is found that the total secondary safety is more correlated with crashworthiness than crash aggressivity.
Half bridge class DE rectifier

The rectifier described is closely related to the class DE inverter. The diodes commence blocking under conditions of zero voltage and zero dv/dt; thus diode capacitance and charge storage do not have a deleterious effect. Theoretical analysis is confirmed by PSpice simulations. The rectifier should find application in megahertz DC-DC converters.
Integration of ultra-wideband slot antenna on LTCC substrate

An ultra-wideband slot antenna realised in low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) technology is reported. The antenna is developed for a single-package solution of ultra-wideband radio. The radiating element of the antenna has a shape of ellipse 11 mm wide and 17 mm long. It shares the ground plane with other radio circuitry and is fed through a microstrip line 41 mm long and 3 mm wide. The experimental result shows that the prototype antenna achieved a bandwidth of 7.6 GHz (return loss S11/spl les/-10 dB or VSWR 2:1 from 3 to 10.6 GHz). The antenna radiation patterns at 3.5, 6.85 and 10.1 GHz are also presented.
Select supplier-related issues in modelling a dynamic supply chain: potential, challenges and direction for future research

This paper is aimed at providing a broad review of the main approaches to supplier-related issues especially supplier selection, supplier–buyer relationships, supplier–buyer flexibility in relationships in a dynamic supply chain, through the description of the main characteristics, techniques, ongoing developments and research activities. Also, the issues relating to integration of core processes across organisational boundaries through improved communication, partnerships, alliances and cooperation are addressed, with its inherent focus on Web-enabled collaboration among the suppliers and the buyers. The aim of this paper is to consolidate the existing research efforts concerning the supplier-related issues, and to identify promising emerging issues for further study in this area. More specifically, this work analyses how diverse modelling techniques such as agent technology, petri nets, fuzzy logic and data mining can be applied to support dynamic supply chain configurations with reference to supplier-related issues.
Benefits management in office fit‐out projects

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate how benefits management is applied to office fit‐out projects, in terms of benefits identification, benefits planning, benefits control and benefits realisation.Design/methodology/approach – Three case studies, based in Perth (Western Australia) are investigated based on structured interviews with the project sponsor; and analysis of secondary documentation, such as business cases, briefs, and post‐occupancy evaluations.Findings – There is no coherent, holistic application of benefits management models in office fit‐out projects. There are fragments of benefits management evident from the research, such as benefits identification and planning within business cases and briefs, and benefits realisation through post‐occupancy evaluations.Research limitations/implications – The research is based on three case studies, so it is not possible to draw any strong generalisations. Future studies are needed to corroborate or contradict the findings in this resear.
Numerical simulation of pressure pulsations in Francis turbines

In the last decades, hydraulic turbines have experienced the increase of their power density and the extension of their operating range, leading the fluid and mechanical dynamic effects to become significantly more pronounced. The understanding of the transient fluid flow and of the associated unsteady effects is essential for the reduction of the pressure pulsation level and improvement of the machine dynamic behaviour. In this study, the instationary fluid flow through the complete turbine was numerically calculated for an existing Francis machine with high specific speed. The hybrid turbulence models DES (detached eddy simulation) and SAS (scale adaptive simulation) allowed the accurate simulation of complex dynamic flow effects, such as the rotor-stator-interaction and the draft tube instabilities. Different operating conditions, as full load, part load, higher part load and deep part load, were successfully simulated and showed very tight agreement with the experimental results from the model tests. The transient pressure field history, obtained from the CFD (computational fluid dynamics) simulation and stored for each time step, was used as input for the full instationary FEA (finite element analysis) of turbine components. The assessment of the machine dynamic motion also offered the possibility to contribute to the understanding of the pressure pulsation effects and to further increase the turbine stability. This research project was developed at the Institute of Fluid Mechanics of the TU München.
Rotational sensorless scalar control of three-phase induction motors and its application to automotive electric power assist steering

Abstract A rotational position/velocity sensorless scalar control method for three-phase induction motors is described. Although voltage/frequency (V/f) scalar control requiring such a sensor appears quite frequently in the literature, a general scheme without rotational sensors using a scalar method is not common. The method described in this work is simple in terms of algorithm and computationally less demanding, and hence can be implemented with inexpensive microprocessors. To illustrate an application, the electric actuator assisted power steering for automobiles is considered where torque is the object of control. For this particular application with near-zero or zero speed operation in general, the scalar method described in this work is considered to be a competitive alternative to the rotational sensorless field-oriented control (FOC) method for induction motors. This is particularly due to the fact that the algorithm for position sensorless FOC is computationally quite intensive for such low-speed torque tracking operations when compared with the scalar method, and in general requires expensive digital signal processors. Although this work was undertaken with automotive steering applications in mind, the methodology can also be applied to other automotive and non-automotive applications where actuators are used.
Influence of transverse crack width on reinforcement corrosion initiation and propagation in mortar beams

This paper discusses the relationship between crack widths, chloride diffusivity, and corrosion rate of cracked mortar beams. Flexural loads are introduced to generate crack widths ranging from 29 to 390 µm. The specimens were subjected to accelerated corrosion by immersion in a 5% NaCl solution and a constant voltage of 12 V. In addition, salt ponding tests were conducted to determine the chloride ion transport properties. The results showed that as the crack width increased, the effective diffusion coefficient (corrosion initiation) and mass loss of steel reinforcing bars due to the accelerated corrosion (corrosion propagation) also increased. For crack widths less than about 135 µm, the effect of crack width on the effective diffusion coefficient and mass loss of steel reinforcing bars embedded in mortar specimens was found to be marginal when compared with the virgin specimens. Therefore, it was concluded that the effect of crack width on the corrosion initiation and propagation period was more pronou.
Wide range fully integrated VCO with new cells-based varactor

This article presents a wide range inductance–capacitance voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) with a unit cells-based varactor. The unit cell represents the minimum possible integrated varactor based on p–n junction diodes, where N+ diffusions are central rectangles, surrounded by doughnut shaped P+ diffusions, with their respective contacts. The varactors are designed using the AMS 0.35 µm BiCMOS process. A physical model has been derived from the measurement of a set of eight fabricated varactors. Measurements indicate that the VCO, which is intended to be used in DVB-H, oscillates from 1.087 to 2.032 GHz, with a 61% tuning range. The phase noises of −124 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset and −108 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz offset are obtained.
GA/FDTD technique for the design and optimisation of periodic metamaterials

An efficient and powerful full-wave electromagnetic technique is presented to characterise and design periodic metamaterial structures. First, the spectral finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method with periodic boundary conditions and uniaxial perfect matched layer is employed to predict the performance of a mushroom-like artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) surface and further extended to characterise a negative-refractive-index material consisting of lumped and distributed transmission-line elements. Then, a new computational technique is developed to design and optimise periodic metamaterial structures by integrating the spectral FDTD method with a genetic algorithm (GA), namely the micro-genetic algorithm. This computational technique is successfully applied to design and optimise single-band and dual-band AMC structures consisting of a frequency-selective surface and a ground plane. It is demonstrated that the GA/FDTD technique is a very effective approach for the design and optimisation of periodic metamaterial structures consisting of dielectrics and conductors of arbitrary configurations.
Novel Bis Maleimide Derivatives Containing Azo Group: Synthesis, Corrosion Inhibition, and Theoretical Study

Novel derivatives of heterocyclic azo compounds have been synthesized through a free catalyst reaction. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by using different techniques such as 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and mass spectroscopy. The prepared derivatives were evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel after the inhibitory performance toward mild steel in 0.1 M HCl solution. The prepared derivatives, i.e. (1,1'-(((1E,1'E)-1,4-Phenylenebis(diazene-2,1-diyl))bis(4-methyl-3,1-phenylene))bis(1H-pyrrole-2, 5-dione)) 1 and (1,1'-(((1Z,1'Z)-(Oxybis(4,1-phenylene))bis(diazene-2,1-diyl)) bis(4-methyl-3,1-phenylene))bis(1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione)) 2 showed inhibition efficiency 89.22% and 91.30%, respectively at concentration 1 × 10–3 M. The isotherm adsorptions of these derivatives were found to obey Langmuir model. Furthermore, Density functional theory was used for theoretical estimation of the HOMO, LUMO, and other chemical quantum parameters. The results indicated that the synthesized derivatives displayed a corrosive inhibitory property in which derivative 2 was more effective than derivative 1. In addition, the theoretical results were in agreement with the experimental data.
An Approach To Predict Tarmat Breakdown in Minagish Reservoir in Kuwait

Minagish Oolite reservoir, Minagish Field in Kuwait is characterized by tarmat presence at the oil-water contact. A water flooding project is planned for the reservoir. This paper discusses the possibility of tarmat break-down upon water injection below it. It was found that differential pressure at tarmat would be mainly due to water injection and that differential pressure due to oil production would be negligible. This paper suggests a technique to predict tarmat break-down time, response time at the nearest producer or observation well and the time at which water injection should be switched from below tarmat to above it. Also, the technique could be used to predict the differential pressure at tarmat anywhere in the reservoir.
Transcriptome analysis reveals the mechanism by which the biocontrol fungus Chaetomium globosum CEF-082 controls Verticillium wilt in cotton

Background: Verticillium wilt of cotton is a serious soil-borne disease that causes a substantial reduction in cotton yield. A previous study showed that the endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum CEF-082 could control Verticillium wilt of cotton, but the molecular mechanism by which CEF-082 controls Verticillium wilt is still unknown. Results: To study the mechanism by which CEF-082 controls Verticillium wilt, the transcriptome of cotton seedlings pretreated with CEF-082 was sequenced. The results revealed 5638 DEGs 24 h post-inoculation with CEF-082, and 2921 and 2153 DEGs 12 and 48 h post-inoculation with Verticillium dahliae , respectively. At twenty-four hours post-inoculation with CEF-082, KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that the DEGs were mainly enriched in plant-pathogen interaction, MAPK signalling pathway-plant, �avonoid biosynthesis, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. There were 1209 DEGs speci�cally induced after inoculation with CEF-082 and V. dahliae . GO enrichment indicated that these DEGs were mainly enriched in the terms reactive oxygen species metabolic process, hydrogen peroxide metabolic process, defence response, superoxide dismutase activity, and antioxidant activity. Here, many genes, such as ERF, CNGC, FLS2, MYB, GST and CML, were identi�ed that regulate crucial points in defence-related pathways and that may contribute to V. dahliae resistance in cotton. These results provide a basis for the understanding of the molecular mechanism by which biocontrol fungi control Verticillium wilt. Conclusions: In this study, we found that CEF-082 could regulate multiple metabolic pathways in cotton. After treatment with Verticillium dahliae , the defence response of cotton plants pre-inoculated with CEF-082 was strengthened.
Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Lipid Metabolism

The occurrence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in youth has been established and numerous reports about prevalence, incidence, and clinical characteristics of these adolescents are continuously documented from all over the world [1]. The highlights of this year’s section include: population genetics studies shedding light on both susceptibility to develop T2DM and on novel disease mechanisms; new data on complications of T2DM in youth, and the outcome of a new treatment modality – bariatric surgery in adolescents with T2DM. Several works have aimed to identify children and adolescents who are at increased risk of developing T2DM. The impact of intrauterine exposure to both maternal obesity and maternal diabetes and the impact of medications such as atypical antipsychotic drugs and valproic acid, on impaired glucose metabolism, the metabolic syndrome and T2DM are reviewed. In parallel the reliability of our diagnostic methods for impaired glucose metabolism in obese children is highlighted as well. In addition, evidence for the efficacy and side effects of various pharmacologic medications in obese children and in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndromes (PCOS) is reviewed. The last section reviews clinical practice recommendations for children with diabetes and dyslipidemia for children with elevated LDL cholesterol and with hypertriglyceridemia.
Validation of a fixed-base automotive simulator for run-off-road safety and recovery training

Traffic fatalities and injuries continue to demand the attention of researchers and governments across the world as they remain significant factors in public health and safety. Enhanced legislature, together with vehicle and roadway technology, has helped to reduce the impact of traffic crashes in many scenarios. However, one specifically troublesome area of traffic safety which persists is the run-off-road crash where a vehicle’s wheels leave the paved portion of the roadway and begin to travel on the shoulder or side of the road. Large percentages of fatal and injury traffic crashes are attributed to run-off-road events. One of the most critical reasons why run-off-road scenarios quickly evolve into serious crashes is poor driver performance. Drivers are unprepared to handle the situation safely and often execute dangerous maneuvers, such as overcorrection, which can lead to devastating results. One countermeasure which directly addresses the driver performance is driver education and training. In this article, a simulator-based driving environment is proposed specifically for run-off-road recovery training. A human subject study is used to validate the simulator as an effective tool for replicating the run-off-road experience with the additional benefit of receiving insight into driver reactions to run-off-road events. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) results of subjective questionnaire data and objective performance evaluation parameters show strong correlations to run-off-road crash data and previous run-off-road study conclusions. In particular, higher vehicle velocities, curved roads, and larger differences between the friction coefficient of the road and the friction coefficient of the shoulder all negatively impacted drivers’ recoveries from run-off-road scenarios. The only non-significant impact found was that of the roadway edge, indicating a possible limitation of the simulator system with respect to that particular environment variable. The validation study provides a foundation for further evaluation and development of a simulator-based run-off-road recovery training program to help to equip drivers with the skills to recognize and recover safely from this dangerous and often deadly scenario.