bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PUBLIC SPACES, VALUES, AND NEEDS
Authors: MAZZETTO SILVIA
Published: March 2023

While cities are expanding, public space is retiring worldwide. In recent decades many Middle East cities have undergone massive transformations; however, the quality of public spaces of the new globalized cities has been often neglected, although new needs and new ways of living are currently searching for new typologies of public spaces. Particularly in Lebanon, in 1990, after fifteen years of war, the Government developed an urban reconstruction plan to rebuild downtown Beirut, completely destroyed. The plan promoted the idea of building a new contemporary Beirut as the capital of the Middle East, a new city with towers, malls, commercial areas, without considering the life quality of Lebanese citizens and their social needs of new public spaces. The main research problem is the claimed need for public spaces from Lebanon's inhabitants that are currently unavailable. The paper's main aim is to promote the values of social places that can help address pressing challenges like social segregation and equity and urban regeneration processes that affect the population's life. Additionally, public space has enormous potential by strategically supporting cities' economic, environmental, and social agendas. The research methodology has been developed by conducting a series of interviews and a literature survey about the need and values of public spaces in Lebanon. The research has highlighted the transforming needs and values of public spaces that follow the transformation of Lebanese society. The research has identified some typologies of spaces currently required to improve the built environment's quality and promote higher living standards.
CARBOrefit-STRENGTHENING WITH CARBON REINFORCED CONCRETE – SUSTAINABLE, RESOURCE-EFFICIENT AND DURABLE
Authors: May Maximilian , May Sebastian , Schumann Alexander , Schöffel Josephine
Published: March 2023

Global events have shown that climate protection is the issue of the moment-also for the construction sector! In order to initiate the change that is now urgently needed, future-oriented processes are required. The material carbon reinforced concrete offers a promising possibility. With carbon reinforced concrete, sustainable and resource-saving constructions are possible not only in the area of new construction, but also in strengthening. This has already been demonstrated several times. Especially in the field of renovation and strengthening of existing structures, carbon reinforced concrete has immense potential to strengthen and maintain structures and thus save them from demolition. The preservation of existing structures-as opposed to demolition and replacement-must always be strived for; this is the only way to achieve truly long-term ecological constructions. A new and improved approval with the name CARBOrefit®-Process for Strengthening Reinforced Concrete with Carbon Reinforced Concrete makes it possible to reinforce structures more efficiently and thus to save material. As a result, buildings are not only protected from demolition, but can also continue to be used sustainably. A recent comparison to a conventional shotcrete reinforcement has shown that with the use of carbon reinforced concrete more than 50 % of CO2 emissions and 85 % of material can be saved.
INVESTIGATION OF CONTAMINATION REASONS OF BEACH SANDS
Authors: Ahmad Syed Faiz
Published: March 2023

Black sooty-like materials were observed in the sands of beach of the Waterfront areas of the Royal Commission at Yanbu – facing the Red Sea. Two kinds of samples of beach sands were collected. One sample was the blackish sooty-Like material marked as “contaminated sample” and the other was the clean or normal or uncontaminated sand and it was marked as “controlled sample”. The samples of both types of beach sands were investigated to determining the content of oil and the amount of organic matter in them. The oil content in the “contaminated sample” was determined to be about 20 times higher than the value in uncontaminated or the “controlled sample” of the beach sands. The organic matter content value in the “contaminated sample” although determined to be on a little higher side – as compared to those found in the “controlled sample” – however this value was determined to be less than 4 to 6% by weight of dry sample as is usually observed in a typical beach sand. Based on the physical and chemical analysis of the “contaminated” beach sands and comparing them with the “controlled sample”, it was safe to infer that these blackish sooty-like materials found in beach sites were due to some leaked or spilt oil in the Red Sea that were washed ashore during the high tide periods.
CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES FOR CRACK CONTROL OF CAST-IN-PLACE CONCRETE SLABS AND WALLS
Authors: Seniwongse Muangsangop
Published: March 2023

The paper presents recommended construction techniques for crack control of cast-inplace concrete slabs and walls. The crack control in this paper refers to controlling or preventing crack formation during the placing, stiffening and shrinking of fresh concrete. These cracks are influenced by means and methods of construction as opposed to structural cracks due to imposed loads. The techniques affecting construction crack formation involve details regarding volume and length of concrete pour, casting sequence, concrete curing and mix design. These strategies are related directly to concrete joints. Various joint types: saw cut, contraction, expansion and construction joints are discussed. The paper emphasizes that saw cut joint is a dummy or fake joint and has no use for crack control. The suggested techniques recommend the use of full-face construction joints to limit the length of each pour segment to 5m to 10m maximum, followed by water curing of concrete for a minimum elapsed time before placing the adjacent pour. For large projects, several alternate slab panels may be poured simultaneously. The closure pours between the first pour panels can then be cast after the minimum elapsed time. It is noted that continuous wet water curing of concrete is recommended over membrane curing method for better quality control. Lastly, concrete mix which includes 15% to 20% of fly ash is recommended for lower heat of hydration and concrete shrinkage. Several proven examples of successful projects using the recommended techniques, within the past 50 years, are given to confirm the effectiveness of the methods.
ASSESSING THE AWARENESS LEVEL OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES FOR RESILIENCE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
Authors: Oguntona Olusegun Aanuoluwapo , Aigbavboa Clinton Ohis , Thwala Wellington Didibhuku , Mautlane Malebese Beatrix
Published: March 2023

The construction industry (CI) is highly relied upon for the economic development of both developing and developed countries. Despite the numerous positive impacts of the CI arising from the heavy investments made by different countries, the adverse impacts remain on the increase as well. Hence, the global call for the adoption of sustainable and resilient construction processes and practices. To increase the resilience (absorptive, adaptive, and restorative) capabilities of the CI, Emerging Technologies (ETs) in form of smart materials, advanced construction, and sensing technologies are deemed imperative. Therefore, the objective of this research study is to assess the awareness level of ETs for a resilient CI. The required data for this research study was obtained through a questionnaire survey. A quantitative data analysis approach was also adopted. The findings revealed a significantly low level of awareness and familiarity with the forty-one (41) ETs for resilience among construction practitioners and stakeholders. Improved technical knowledge and awareness creation on ETs for resilience among construction professionals and stakeholders are highly recommended to set the CI on a sustainable path.
IMPROVEMENT OF DFS PERCEPTION OF CONSTRUCTION STAKEHOLDERS THROUGH COMPARISON BETWEEN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Authors: Shin Seung-Hyeon , Won Jeong-Hun , Jeong Hyeon-ji , Jang Nam-Gwon , Kim Minjun , Kang Min-Guk
Published: March 2023

All construction stakeholders have to participate in the safety and health management of workers in order to prevent possible accidents during the construction life cycle. Moreover, it is most effective to control risks from the design stage. For this reason, many countries have implemented systems to eliminate risks at the design stage under the name Design for Safety (DfS). Numerous studies have shown that the effectiveness of DfS is influenced by stakeholders' perception. In this study, meta-analysis was conducted to analyze the level of awareness of DfS by stakeholders, and through this, a plan to improve the DfS system in Korea was proposed. While the awareness of stakeholders in Korea for DfS was estimated at 63.9%, it was estimated that 87.5% of the respondents agreed with the necessity of DfS. The awareness in Korea for DfS is lower than that of other countries. However, analysis has shown that the level of necessity for DfS implementation in Korea is higher than that of others i.e., although DfS was evaluated as a highly effective method of preventing construction accidents at sites by the stakeholders, the low awareness of DfS can be a significant obstacle in deriving effective DfS results. In addition, analysis has shown that the prejudice resulting from low awareness of stakeholders in relation to DfS could cause problems of attitude of stakeholders. Therefore, it is thought that the enhancement of awareness of DfS among stakeholders is the first necessary step to promote the positive perception of DfS.
PAYMENT PROCEDURES UNDER FIDIC CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT
Authors: hyari khaled hesham
Published: March 2023

Payment provisions are of crucial importance to contractors. Owner’s payments are the life blood of the contractor's work. Contractors and owners must understand the provisions governing all types of payments for a construction project. This paper presented an analysis of payment provisions under the FIDIC Conditions of Contract for Construction (2017 Redbook). FIDIC conditions of contract for Construction are widely used worldwide, especially in the middle eastern countries. The analysis includes: 1) Advance payment; 2) Interim payments; and 3) Final payment. The analysis reveals that FIDIC conditions of contract recognizes the importance of timely fulfilling of payment obligations of the owner and includes precise procedures and serious consequences for delayed payments. The contractor can take serious actions in response to delay in certifying payments or delay in receiving the certified payments, including suspending the work and/or terminating the contract after giving written notice to the owner regarding the intended action. Such notices should follow the stipulated time limit for each action depending on the type of delay. The analysis presented in this paper should prove to be useful to owners and contractors alike and can contribute to reducing disputes between the contracting parties.
CREEP BEHAVIOR OF STEEL FIBER REINFORCED LIGHTWEIGHT CONCRETE BEAMS UNDER FLEXURAL LOADING
Authors: Junker Florian , Holschemacher Klaus
Published: March 2023

Lightweight concrete reduces the dead load and the thermal conductivity of structural concrete members. The application of steel fibers improves its properties to more ductile behavior. In recent years, many researchers focused on the flexural and tensile creep behavior of FRC. However, most of the studies investigated the creep of normal-weight concrete. This paper presents a flexural creep study on lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) reinforced with steel fibers under four-point flexural loading. The study considered two different lightweight concretes with oven-dry densities below 1,200 kg/m3 and below 1,600 kg/m3 as well as three different steel fiber contents (0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 vol.-%). The twelve prismatic beams were tested in a cracked state under defined stress levels in a period of 490 days. The results show that there was no exponential creep rate and no failure during the test. Additionally, this study's experimental flexural creep coefficients were compared with the calculated compression creep coefficients of Eurocode 2 and with other studies using a similar test setup.
REINFORCEMENT BONDING PERFORMANCE IN REFRACTORY CASTABLES UNDER ELEVATED TEMPERATURES
Authors: Plioplys Linas , Kudžma Andrius , Sokolov Aleksandr , Antonovič Valentin , Gribniak Viktor
Published: March 2023

Refractory castables, representing a mixture of a refractory aggregate, calcium aluminate cement, ultra-fine particles, and deflocculants, have been created in the mid of past century ’80s for the metallurgy and petrochemical industries. The designed castable binder shows an excellent ability to preserve the material’s mechanical strength in the 600 °C to 1000 °C temperature range. Besides, the micro-scaled silica/alumina activation process increases the strength and sinterability temperature of the castables regarding traditional alternatives. However, a relatively high price (ten times the ordinary concrete cost) limits the structural application of these advanced materials. Therefore, the studies considered reinforcement aspects of these materials are rare. This investigation focuses on the bond performance of ordinary and stainless steel reinforcement in refractory castables. It is a part of the research project on developing structural concrete fire protection systems, employing refractory castables as a protective shell. This experimental program operates a conventional refractory concrete with a 50 MPa target compressive strength and 25wt% of aluminate cement. In addition, the alternative mixture was modified with a 2.5wt% microsilica, doubling the material strength. The pull-out tests of ribbed and smooth bars demonstrate the importance of the ribs’ mechanical interlock, ensuring reinforcement bonding with the refractory material. Moreover, the ordinary reinforcement demonstrates the bonding ability with refractory castables containing microsilica up to the 1000°C temperature, making the proposed fireprotecting system development possible.
NODES OF HOLLOW CORE PROFILE TRUSS BRIDGES WITH INCOMPLETE WELDS
Authors: VAN BOGAERT PHILIPPE
Published: March 2023

Among the various types of steel bridge girders, trusses seem one of the most powerful and reliable. The individual members may be simple, but the nodes are the complex parts, especially if more than 4 members are connected. In view of the complexity, internal welds become inevitable and are inaccessible after finishing, which is overlooked easily during construction. The proposal is to eliminate those of the inside welds that may be dispensable. If some of them would be eliminated, the consequences may be acceptable, or require minor modifications only. The assumption is tried out on the example of a structure replacing a historic bridge. This structure is composed of rectangular hollow profiles, connected at nodes. Member forces and bending moments, have been determined. If the internal welds are about to be eliminated, an alternative load path is found. The calculation of stresses in the various fillet welds is based on the assumption of evenly distribution of forces. The weld stresses can be calculated by the derived formulas. The results show some welds require strengthening, due to the elimination of the more complicated internal welds. This concerns ultimate limit state. Thus, the possibility is confirmed that some of the internal welds may be eliminated, although there still is no proof the method may be applied to more complex nodes. Research must be continued to clarify this. For the type of hollow core members being considered, omitting of some internal welds may well be an acceptable alternative.
EFFECTIVE LATTICE PUNCHING SHEAR REINFORCEMENT WITH DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENT
Authors: Furche Johannes , Bauermeister Ulrich
Published: March 2023

Reinforced concrete flat slabs supported by columns may fail by punching shear in form of a cone-shaped concrete breakout. To avoid this failure and to increase the shear resistance of a flat slab, shear reinforcement in the slab adjacent to the support can be used. The special Filigran-Punching-Shear-Reinforcement consists of mechanically welded three-dimensional lattice reinforcement and is able to increase the shear resistance of a slab to more than double compared with a slab without any shear reinforcement. This Filigran-Punching-Shear-Reinforcement is used in monolithic slabs and in semi precast slabs as well. In prefabricated lattice girder slabs a parallel arrangement of the punching shear reinforcement is beneficial. In case of monolithic slabs an orthogonal arrangement is more efficient. Both arrangements were tested in full scale tests successfully. The evaluation of eight punching shear tests with slabs of 180 mm to 360 mm thickness led to a European Technical Assessment. The maximum punching shear resistance based on the tested failure loads is 2.1-times of the resistance of slabs without punching shear reinforcement according to Eurocode 2.
ELASTIC-PLASTIC BEHAVIOR OF STEEL AND CONCRETE COMPOSITE COLUMNS WITH CRUCIFORM STEEL
Authors: Kuratomi Yo , Sakai Junichi , Tanaka Teruhisa
Published: March 2023

The authors propose to develop a new structural column on steel-concrete (SC) composite structures. The main reason why cruciform steel used in the SC columns is selected is that concrete confined by cruciform steel has stronger than non-confined concrete. In this study, seven specimens were tested to investigate structural performance and the scale effect of concrete of large-scale the SC columns. The size of the cruciform steel and the presence of a shear connector are among the experimental variables considered. Based on the test results, the comparisons of the experimental results of the two types of specimens indicate that there was little the scale effect of concrete on the elastic-plastic behavior of SC columns. Furthermore, there is concern about a gap between steel and concrete due to drying shrinkage of concrete over time. A mechanical shear connector contributes stress transfer between steel and concrete. Mechanical shear connectors were welded to a web of the cruciform steel to ensure stress transfer. If a gap exists between steel and concrete due to drying shrinkage of concrete over time, the shear connector can transfer stress from steel to concrete.
STUDY ON STRESS TRANSFER AT BEAM-TO-COLUMN CONNECTIONS COMPOSED OF STEEL AND CONCRETE COMPOSITE COLUMNS AND STEEL BEAMS
Authors: Ohashi Keijiro , Kuratomi Yo , Tanaka Teruhisa , Sakai Junichi
Published: March 2023

The authors have investigated the elastic-plastic behavior of the steel and concrete composite columns (SC column) and the beam-to-column connections composed SC columns and wide flange beams against severe earthquakes. The SC column is an octagonal sectional column composed of cross-shaped steel and concrete. A pulling experiment of connection for SC columns and steel flanges was carried out in order to make clear the difference of welded connection details on the behaviors of connection between a column flange and a beam flange with outer diaphragms and band-plates. The authors have performed FEM analysis and performed a comparison with the experiment behavior, and have made clear the difference of connection details on the behavior of frameworks quantitatively by performing numerical analysis. From these results, we will discuss the design method for beam-to-column connection composed of SC columns and wide flange beam where stress transmission mechanism is clear, and construction is simple.
EVALUATION OF SEISMIC PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES FOR SHEAR WALL BUILDINGS USING ADVANCED MATERIALS AND SYSTEMS
Authors: Joseph Roshen , Mwafy Aman , Alam Shahria
Published: March 2023

There has been constant deliberation regarding promising seismic performance enhancement techniques for the reinforced concrete (RC) high-rise structures built before adopting existing seismic design codes. The research reported in this paper focuses on advanced approaches for improving the seismic performance of the shear wall structural system using high-performance reinforced concrete jackets and an outrigger-bracing system consisting of braces with improved hysteresis response. Following the case study region’s seismicity and design criteria, inelastic analyses are conducted to evaluate the demand-to-capacity ratios of primary vertical structural members of a pre-code twenty-six-story building. With the application of the proposed retrofit approaches and their various configurations, the design inadequacy of several structural members is eradicated. After validating the adopted fiber-based discretizations of the retrofit techniques with recent experimental studies, detailed three-dimensional numerical models are developed for the high-rise structures. Inelastic pushover analyses and dynamic response simulations under a diverse set of earthquake ground motions with increasing intensity levels are conducted to capture the buildings’ seismic performance until failure. The probabilistic seismic performance assessment enabled selecting the most effective technique for enhancing the seismic performance of shear wall buildings while minimizing disruption to the building.
STUDIES OF INTERIOR SLAB-COLUMN CONNECTIONS STRENGTHENED WITH HEMP FIBER REINFORCED POLYMER SHEETS
Authors: Al-Mawed Loai , Hamad Bilal
Published: March 2023

With increasing environmental concerns, using natural materials in concrete, such as bio-based fibers, is now becoming popular. Recently, hemp fibers have been utilized in the production of composite materials that have the possibility to replace synthetic fibers. The main objective of the research reported in this paper was to investigate the feasibility of using externally bonded hemp fiber-reinforced polymer (HFRP) fabric sheets as an alternative to synthetic carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets for punching shear strengthening of reinforced concrete two-way slabs. The experimental program consisted of testing small-scale, interior slab-column connections, under monotonically increased load until failure. The main test parameters included the slab thickness, type of strengthening material (HFRP or CFRP sheets), the width of HFRP sheets, number of sheets layers, and the location of the HFRP sheets relative to the column face. Test results showed that HFRP strengthening sheets enhanced the structural behavior of slab-column connections.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL DISPLACEMENT COMPATIBLE STRUT AND TIE METHOD FOR THREE-PILE CAPS SUBJECTED TO CONCENTRIC AXIAL LOADS
Authors: P V NITHYASREE , KARTHIK MADHU M
Published: March 2023

Pile caps are large structural elements that act as an interface between the superstructure and the pile foundation. The displacement Compatible Strut and Tie Method (C–STM) is an effective nonlinear modelling technique that is mainly used to simulate the behavior of structural reinforced concrete elements having considerable disturbed (D-) regions. Unlike STM, which considers only force equilibrium, C–STM considers displacement compatibility and constitutive material relationships as well. Recently, a three-dimensional (3D) C–STM was formulated and validated for the analysis of four-pile cap specimens of various shapes. In this study, the 3D C–STM is used to predict the complete load-deformation response of three-pile caps under concentric axial loads. The constitutive material relations for concrete and steel used in this study accounts for both concrete softening and tension stiffening. The overall load-deformation behavior simulated using the 3D C–STM agrees well with the experimental data. Moreover, the 3D C–STM also envisages the progression of nonlinear events leading up to the failure of three-pile cap specimen quite well.
AUTOMATED PREPARATION GRADE JUDGEMENT SYSTEM FOR WEATHERING STEEL BRIDGES BY DEEP LEARNING
Authors: GOBARA Tatsuya , Ohya Makoto , Hirose Nozomu , Takebe Masamichi
Published: March 2023

The quality and durability of repair coatings for steel bridges are significantly affected by the surface preparation prior to repair coating. Surface preparation by blasting stipulated by ISO Sa2 1/2 or higher is required as surface treatment before repair coating. The weathering steel bridge have unevenly corroded surface (rust grade D), and it is difficult to evaluate the surface condition by comparing the photographic example. Therefore, there is a high possibility that the difference in evaluation occurs by the engineer. In this paper, the authors attempted to develop a support system to determine preparation grade from the image of blasting. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the accuracy of the trained CNN classifier by the difference in the size of the teaching image data, and to evaluate the performance of the classifier by test data. It was considered that the high value of 83% or more was able to be obtained by the result of all evaluation indices, and the classifier with high performance was constructed by this method.
EFFECT OF IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON CLAIMS MITIGATION IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Authors: awwad rita elias , Thabet Zeina Farid
Published: March 2023

The fragmented management of traditional construction projects, which mainly lacks the integration of project processes, results in schedule delays and cost overruns which often lead to client dissatisfaction, quality defects, and a raise in safety-related accidents. As a result, claims and disputes are most likely to arise between the contracting parties that can be extremely expensive and may severely impact the project performance. Numerous studies have investigated the impact of integrating sustainable management practices (SMPs) in construction projects on specific project performance objectives, such as cost, time, and quality; however, there is a need to investigate the effect of implementing SMPs on claims and dispute resolution. This research aims to fill the existing literature gap by identifying correlations between implementing SMPs and the frequency and severity of claims and disputes that may arise in construction projects. To achieve this goal, 25 SMP and 13 common construction claims were extracted based on an extensive literature review. A 5 point Likert-scale questionnaire was developed and administered to construction professionals to explore the aforementioned correlations. A total of 93 responses were received through online data collection. The research results demonstrate that empowering communication and collaboration among project stakeholders at early stages of the construction phase can significantly mitigate the occurrence of claims. This paper contributes in providing construction professionals with recommendations to improve construction sites’ performance and reduce claims.
The effects of instructor clarity and non-verbal immediacy on Chinese and Iranian EFL students’ affective learning: The mediating role of instructor understanding
Authors: Derakhshan Ali , Zhang Lawrence Jun , Zhaleh Kiyana
Published: March 2023

Drawing on the rhetorical/relational goal theory, this study examined the role of instructor clarity and non-verbal immediacy in affective learning through the mediation of instructor understanding. Data were gathered through close-ended questionnaires from 756 Chinese and 715 Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) students, the factor structure and cross-cultural validity of which were supported via confirmatory factor analysis and testing measurement invariance, respectively. Path analysis results indicated that clarity and non-verbal immediacy positively predicted instructor understanding and affective learning; instructor understanding positively predicted affective learning; and understanding was a significant positive mediator in the relationship of non-verbal immediacy and clarity with affective learning. Except for the positive association of non-verbal immediacy with understanding which was significantly higher for the Iranian group, no significant difference was found between the Chinese and Iranian groups in all other associations, providing empirical support for the role of EFL teachers’ positive interpersonal communication behaviors in EFL students’ affective learning, irrespective of the cultural context.
Design and validation of a space plasma environment detector for BeiDou navigation satellite
Authors: Tang Zhenyu , Ren Qiongying , Li Hao , Peng Yuchuan , Peng Zhong , Liu Qinghai , Wang Junfeng , Liu Yenan , Ge Lili , Wu Da , Zhao Hua
Published: March 2023

Most of the satellites of the BeiDou navigation system work in geostationary orbit (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO), where the space plasma environment can make a severe impact on spacecraft. To measure the parameters of the plasma environment in GEO and MEO orbital space and to improve the design of the environmental adaptability of the satellites based on in situ probe data, a 2π-solid-angle omnidirectional field-of-view plasma detector was investigated and tested. The overall system design and detailed design of the structure and electric system were implemented. Then tests and verification were carried out to validate the reliability and capability of the detector. The detector can supply accurate in situ data of the plasma environment and be used to investigate the space plasma environment and its effects.
The Impact of Environmental Taxation on Wage Inequality in the Presence of Subsidizing Renewable Energy
Authors: Pi Jiancai , Fan Yanwei
Published: March 2023

This paper explores how environmental taxation affects wage inequality in the presence of subsidizing renewable energy. It is necessary to take both traditional dirty energy and renewable energy into account. Take the case where the renewable energy sector is more skill-intensive than the traditional energy sector as an example. If the final product sector is more skill-intensive than the whole energy sector, an increment of the output tax in the traditional energy sector will widen wage inequality unambiguously. However, if the final product sector is less skill-intensive than the whole energy sector, an increment of the output tax in the traditional energy sector may narrow down wage inequality when the substitution elasticity between energy and labor in the final product sector is sufficiently large. The interaction between environmental taxation and subsidization on renewable energy plays a key role in the mechanism. We also analyze the relationship between environmental taxation and welfare.
Fractal characterization of polyester based standard and single walled carbon nanotube modified composites
Authors: Ilgaz Aykut , Bayırlı Mehmet
Published: March 2023

The electrical properties of composite materials over a wide frequency range are of great interest, not only for experimental applications, but also for theoretical studies such as fractal analysis. This study presents comparative analysis of alternating current (ac) conductivity and fractal structure characteristics in standard and single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) reinforced polymer composites based unsaturated polyester resin (UPR). The electrical characteristics of polymer matrices at 320 K have been analyzed as a function of frequency by impedance analysis method. It was found that the conductivity of the nanotube doped material in the dc conductivity region, which is the low frequency region, is independent of the frequency and takes a constant value. It was proved that conductivity obeys Jonscher’s power law toward the high frequency region. The standard sample showed an insulating behavior that exhibits continuous increase with increasing frequency. The images of the samples were obtained by scanning electron microscope (SEM) to reveal the relationship between the conductivity of the materials and their fractal properties. All samples were converted to binary format for calculations. Cellular particle density for each sample was determined according to scaling theory. Then, the surface coverage ratio, fractal dimensions, cluster densities, average cluster sizes and critical interface exponent values of the samples were calculated and compared with different samples in the literature. It was determined that the coverage ratio and fractal dimension increased when carbon nanotubes were added. In addition, it was observed that the interface critical exponent decreased when the carbon nanotube was doped.
En torno a una écfrasis velazqueña de Aníbal Núñez: "El príncipe Baltasar Carlos cazador"
Authors: Ponce Cárdenas Jesús
Published: March 2023

Este artículo analiza una écfrasis de Aníbal Núñez dedicada al retrato del príncipe Baltasar Carlos de Austria, pintado por Velázquez para la Torre de la Parada. A lo largo del trabajo se comentan diferentes aspectos de la intertextualidad artística y literaria en la composición breve del autor salmantino.
Inhibition of glutathione S-transferases by calix[4]arene-based phosphinic acids
Authors: Kobzar Oleksandr , Shulha Yuriy , Buldenko Vladyslav , Drapailo Andriy , Kalchenko Vitaly , Vovk Andriy
Published: March 2023

Calix[4]arene-, thiacalix[4]arene- and sulfonylcalix[4]arene-based derivatives with upper rim phosphinic acid groups were studied as inhibitors of glutathione S-transferases. It was found that the macrocyclic compounds can exhibit good to potent activity against GST from equine liver and human recombinant GSTA1-1, while being selective over the enzyme from human placenta and GSTP1-1. The thiacalix[4]arene phosphinic acid was the most active inhibitor of equine liver GST and GSTA1-1 with IC50 values of 85 nM and 50 nM, respectively. Kinetic studies revealed that the inhibition was of non-competitive type concerning both enzyme substrates, glutathione, and 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene. Molecular docking was carried out to predict possible binding sites for thiacalix[4]arene-based phosphinic acid on the surface of homodimeric GSTA1-1
Rehabilitation and reforms of issues in vehicle parks lots and tower blocks structures
Authors: Bajad Mohankumar
Published: March 2023

Unsafe, offensive, and damaging to the environment. Homeowners and builders are searching for efficient ways to transform worn-out houses into desirable ones in light of these difficulties. In this study, we sought to address the issue of rehabilitation and reforms in parking lots for vehicles (VP) and tower buildings (TB). The most effective cladding system for building envelope purposes currently has been discovered to be a new generation of rainproof substructures, whose installation is actually much easier than it first appears and is a constructive solution that perfectly fits with current sustainable architecture trends.
Trayectos estudiantiles en contextos de masificación de la educación terciaria en Uruguay
Authors: González Laurino Carolina , Sande Muletaber Sandra , Zorrilla de San Martín Cerutti Santiago
Published: March 2023

Este artículo analiza el perfil de los estudiantes de trabajo social en contextos de masificación de la enseñanza universitaria en Uruguay que ha implicado un proceso progresivo de modificación en el volumen y estructura de capital social, cultural y económico del estudiantado durante los últimos treinta años. Los cuestionarios autoadministrados aplicados a una muestra representativa de estudiantes de la Licenciatura en Trabajo Social en los años 2013, 2016, 2018 y 2021 parecerían indicar que esta transformación del perfil de los cursantes estaría relacionada con el proceso de universalización de la educación superior pública en el país que ha implicado el ingreso de sectores sociales que, durante la mayor parte del siglo XX no accedían a la universidad. Esta buena noticia tiene su contracara en el proceso de masificación de algunas de las formaciones de grado que ofrece la Universidad de la República sin correlato de aumento de recursos para hacer frente a la sobredemanda. La enseñanza virtual incrementó aún más el proceso de masificación dado que los estudiantes tuvieron la posibilidad de cursar y ser evaluados sin cambiar su lugar de residencia. Por otra parte, este aumento de estudiantes estuvo acompañado de un incremento del estrés y el agotamiento docente para ofrecer una enseñanza de calidad mediante la incorporación de nuevos recursos tecnológicos que no todos manejaban con solvencia.
Architektura barokowa Brazylii
Authors: Tatarkiewicz Władysław
Published: March 2023

The author of the article describes the most important phenomena in Brazilian architecture from 16th to 18th century with the special focus on baroque style. The location of monuments is presented on the beginning of the text and two the most important areas are pointed: Atlantic coast and Minas Gerais state in hinterland. The chronology of the colonial Brazilian architecture is described with emphasis on 18th century architecture importance. The division between secular and sacred architecture shows the great importance of the second one. The sacred architecture is analyzed with regard to function and form. Objects are classified by front elevations compositions, decorations, plans, interior arrangement and decoration. The author presents the regions features. The similarities of colonial Brazilian architecture and parallel European architecture are described in the summary.
Alegoria Eucharystii – wspólne wzory graficzne w malarstwie XVII i XVIII w. w Polsce i Peru
Authors:   Katedra Historii Sztuki Uniwersytet Łódzki Polski Instytut Studiów nad Sztuką Świata, Kubiak Ewa
Published: March 2023

The motive of Eucharist is one of the most important subjects of allegoric images in baroque Polish as well as Vice-Kingdom of Peru art. Apart from classical images with The Eucharist’s adoration, in which the luminous body of Christ is placed in a monstrance, there were also symbolic compositions in which the mystery of Christ’s sacrifice was presented in an allegoric way. Some of these images are presented in the article. The most interesting for the author are images common for modern Polish painting and colonial Peru. The first such composition is The Mystical Press – the subject that was very well known in all Latin America – from New Spain to Argentina. It was also known in Europe, but in modern period became less popular. The composition of majority images is based on Hieronim Wierix’s print. Images from Poland and these from Peru repeat the same compositional pattern.The second example is The scouts return from Kanaan, which topic is related with the allegoric of The Eucharist. There are quite a lot of such pictures from both countries. Some of them were a pattern based upon the same print – anonymous work based on Maarten de Vos’es picture. The popularity of The Eucharist motive had been analyzed and variety of its allegoric compositions in post-Tridentine age and Counter-Reformation art. The finding of the article is that art in distant extremities of the Christian world had similar functions – it was used to preserve the Catholicism from heresy danger (Orthodox Church, Protestantism) and, on the other hand, it was a tool to achieve new mission areas for The Church.
Characterization of palm date varieties (Phoenix dactylifera L.) growing in Saudi Arabia: Phenotypic diversity estimated by fruit and seed traits
Authors: ALRASHIDI Abdullah H.M. , JAMAL Arshad , ALAM Mohammad J. , GZARA Lassaad , HADDAJI Najla , KACHOUT Mnaouer , ABDELGADIR Abdelmuhsin , BADRAOUI Riadh , ELKAHOUI Salem
Published: March 2023

In order to determine the variation and the degree of diversity among the most well-known Saudi date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), this study applied various widely detectible fruit and seed features. The properties of the fruit and seeds were described using ten phenotypic traits. Eighteen date palm varieties from six production sites were used in this study (Ḥaʼil, Al-Madina, Al-Hassa, Al-Qassim, Kharaj, Najran). The data was analysed by Pearson r correlation. The principal components analysis (PCA) and UPGMA clustering were used to analyse the data set. According to PCA, the results showed significant variation among the analysed varieties. Our data shows that seed ratio varies among all varieties. The mean seed weight ratio varies between 4 and 13%. Varieties ‘Raziz’, ‘Lubab’ and ‘Wasily’ demonstrate higher seed ratio (over 10%). Whereas, Fankha depicts a 5 and 4% fresh and dry seed ratio. The statistical analysis indicates that the seed ratio in all 18 varieties is comparable in fresh and dry fruits. The result suggests variation among the numerous features due to dissimilarities and heterogeneity. However, the obtained results also propose the clustering and grouping of closely related features, e.g., weights of fresh and dry fruits. Eventually, it is suggested to conduct additional research on Saudi date palms utilizing more phenotypic traits in order to have a better understanding of the pack of morphological descriptors.
CONCENTRATION AND TURBULENT DIFFUSIVITY OF SAND PARTICLES IN THE ATMOSPHERE BASED ON MIXTURE MODEL THEORY
Authors: Hadjaissa Aissa , Salameh Tareq Samir Zaki , Medjelled Ahmed , Bouali Belkacem
Published: March 2023

The particle concentration is analyzed numerically with a mixture model in multiphase flows. Multiple applications of this model in liquid-particle flows ensure its reliability. In the Aeolian sand transport, the density of the dispersed phase is small (on the order of 10-5-10-4. The mixture momentum equation and the continuity equation can be approximated using the single phase for an incompressible gas where the dispersed phase slip velocity (uslip) is relative to the continuous phase. The slip velocity was calculated based on the balancing between the body and drag forces due to the density difference. The simulation results based on the mixture theory were determined in comparison to previous test results. The velocity profiles and particle concentration are presented. The results confirm that particle concentration decreases exponentially with altitude. The variation of the diffusion coefficient of sand particles (Dmd) with height direction can be traced as a Gaussian distribution, which is influenced by the transported particle size and its kinetic energy. The smaller particle sizes have a larger diffusion coefficient than those with the larger ones. According to the ratio of Schmidt number, it describes the relationship between the rates of turbulent momentum transport and turbulent mass transport, which can explain the effect of wind kinetic energy on the sand turbulent diffusion profiles. The mixture approach application is in good agreement with previous wind tunnel works. This approach can be applied to study the turbulence properties in the Aeolian sand transport.
A new species of Pseudotyrannochthonius Beier (Pseudoscorpiones: Pseudotyrannochthoniidae) from the Warrumbungle Range, New South Wales
Authors: Harms Danilo
Published: March 2023

A new species of the pseudoscorpion genus Pseudotyrannochthonius (family Pseudotyrannochthoniidae) is described from Warrumbungle Range in New South Wales based on morphological features of both males and females. Pseudotyrannochthonius leichhardti sp. nov. is the fourth described species from New South Wales and known only from the type locality. It represents the most inland record of any Pseudotyrannochthonius in Australia.
The new Australian Ground-Hunting Spider Genus Leichhardteus (Araneae: Corinnidae)
Authors: Baehr Barbara , Raven Robert
Published: March 2023

The new corinnid genus Leichhardteus is described including eight new species from eastern Australia: L. albofasciatus, L. badius, L. bimaculatus, L. conopalpis, L. garretti, L. kroombit, L. reinhardi and L. terriirwinae. A key to the species is provided. Only one species is widely distributed, four species are collected only in rainforests and three species are recorded only from a single location.
A critical re-evaluation of the hindlimb myology of moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes)
Authors: Bishop Peter
Published: March 2023

The extinct moa of New Zealand were an enigmatic group of flightless birds, some attaining gigantic size. To better understand the biomechanical consequences of their large size and unique anatomy on stance and locomotion, a critical re-evaluation of the evidence for muscular attachment in the hindlimb of moa was undertaken. Three focal taxa, Dinornis robustus, Emeus crassus and Pachyornis elephantopus, were studied in detail, although other moa species were also addressed. More than one thousand individual bones from a diverse array of localities across the South Island of New Zealand were examined, and interpretations were made within the context of extant palaeognath birds. The interpretations and reconstructions produced largely concur with those of previous workers in many respects. The reconstructed myology of these moa species is also quite comparable to that in extant palaeognaths, although some important differences are hypothesised to exist. The most significant of these is that it moa are posited to have had a very well-developed iliotrochantericus caudalis in comparison to extant palaeognaths. Digital computer reconstruction of this muscle in an adult female D. robustus supports this hypothesis. The great development of the iliotrochantericus caudalis in moa may be related to their large size, or reflect a different locomotor behaviour compared to extant palaeognath species. Finally, a number of myology-related features have been identified that may prove useful in the taxonomic identification of isolated or poorly preserved bones.
COVID-19 Pandemi Sürecinde Annelerin Çocuklarıyla İlişkisi ve Ev Kazalarına Yönelik Tedbir Düzeyleri
Authors: ÜSTÜNDAĞ Alev
Published: March 2023

Araştırmanın amacı, pandemi sürecinde annelerin ev kazalarının önlenmesine yönelik aldıkları güvenlik önlemlerini tanımlama düzeyleriyle, ebeveyn çocuk ilişkisinin niteliği arasında ilişki olup olmadığının, ayrıca ilişki varsa bu ilişki düzeyine annelerin eğitim düzeyi ve çalışma durumlarının etkisinin ne düzeyde olduğunun incelenmesidir. Araştırma, nicel araştırma deseniyle oluşturulmuş ve korelasyon araştırması yöntemi kullanılarak gerçekleştirilmiştir. Aynı zamanda betimsel araştırma tekniklerinin kullanıldığı sonuçlara da yer verilmiştir. Araştırmada veri toplama aracı olarak “0–6 Yaş Çocuklarda Annenin Ev Kazalarına Yönelik Güvenlik Önlemlerini Tanımlama Ölçeği” ile “Ebeveyn-Çocuk İlişkisi Ölçeği” kullanılmıştır. Araştırmaya 80 anne katılmıştır. Pandemi sürecinde annelerin ev kazalarının önlenmesine yönelik aldıkları güvenlik önlemleri düzeylerinin yüksek olarak belirlenmiştir. Pandemi sürecinde annelerin çocuklarıyla olan ilişki düzeyleri de ilişkinin niteliği de yüksek olarak belirlenmiştir. Annelerin ev kazalarının önlenmesine yönelik aldıkları güvenlik önlemlerini tanımlama düzeyleriyle ebeveyn çocuk ilişkisinin niteliği arasında anlamlı ilişki bulunamamıştır. Annelerin eğitim düzeyleriyle anne-çocuk ilişkisi arasında orta seviyede, negatif ve anlamlı ilişki olduğu bulunmuştur. Annelerin çalışma durumlarıyla ev kazalarının önlenmesine yönelik aldıkları güvenlik önlemlerini tanımlama düzeyleri ve ebeveyn çocuk ilişkisinin niteliği arasında anlamlı ilişki olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Yapılan araştırma sonucunda annelerin çocuklarıyla ilişkisi ve aldıkları güvenlik önemlerinin yüksek düzeyde tespit edilmiş olması, muhtemel uzun vadeli olumsuz etkilerin çalışma yapılan gruptaki anneler ve çocukları için olmayabileceği ya da daha az düzeyde olabileceği şeklinde ifade edilebilir.