bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploratory Finite Element Analysis of Monolithic Toughened Glass Panes Subjected to Hard-Body Impact
Authors: Kozłowski Marcin , Zemła Kinga , Kosmal Magda
Published: December 2021

The paper reports the results of an extensive experimental campaign, in which simply supported toughened glass samples with dimensions of 500 × 360 mm2 and three thicknesses (6, 8 and 10 mm) were subjected to hard-body impact. A steel ball (4.11 kg) was released from different drop heights, starting from 10 cm above the sample and increasing by 10 cm in each step until glass breakage occurred. In this way, for all samples a critical drop height (causing fracture of glass) was determined. Experiments were carried out for 35 samples for each thickness; thus 105 samples were tested in total. A 3D numerical model of the experimental setup was developed using the commercial finite element analysis (FEA) software ABAQUS and Implicit Dynamic solver. The numerical study was aimed at numerical reproduction of the experiments and determination of the maximum principal stress in the glass that occurs during the impact. To reduce the number of FEs and increase the computational efficiency of the simulations, only a quarter of the nominal geometry with appropriate boundary conditions were modelled. The simulations were performed for a given weight of the steel impactor, glass thickness and the corresponding critical/breaking drop height found in the experimental campaign. In this way, an impact strength of the toughened glass was retrospectively evaluated. The simulations were used to investigate the impact history in terms of stress in glass, acceleration and velocity. Moreover, the resulting history of impact force was determined.
Architectural Wayfinding Design as a Means of Communication in Environmental Perception
Authors: Cheirchanteri Georgia
Published: December 2021

From prehistoric times, Signage was a means of visual communication helping people reaching out different environments (internal or external). Long before paper’s invention, humans made marks on objects, such as cave walls, in the surrounding environment, for their communication. As cities grew and mobility increased, making the built environment more complex, people requirements for better information concerning spatial perception and navigation, also grew. Thus, the necessity of proactive, systematically planned, visual unified signage and wayfinding programs have been emerged. Wayfinding is how people get from one location to another, including their information-gathering and decision-making processes for orientation and movement through space. Wayfinding design builds on research in cognition and environmental psychology to design built spaces and products that facilitate the movement of people through urban settings and individual buildings. Despite its demonstrated importance to building use, costs, and safety, wayfinding receives less than its due in planning, research and building evaluation. The aim of this study is to provide a “clear” reading of the environmental space and city’s routes to the users, through architectural wayfindig design. Also, architectural wayfinding design addresses built components, including spatial planning, articulation of form-giving features, circulation systems and environmental communication.
Low-Cost Geographic Information System for Municipal Road Signs Management in Depopulated and Low-Density Areas
Authors: Gonçalves Olga , Gonçalves Jorge , Chmielewski Jacek , Olenkowicz-Trempała Paulina
Published: December 2021

The current national and regional economical conjuncture in many countries, requires a sustainable management of different urban infrastructures, including road signs. From the set of possible solutions to improve the existing infrastructure’s management, analysis and spatial representation, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have proved to be an essential tool for the functional competencies of local administration (municipalities), managers of municipal road networks. This study presents a framework of existing national regulations on road signs, as well as the shortcomings in the definition of methodologies for GIS-based management systems implementation. The paper continues with the critical assumptions considered in their definition and the municipalities specific competences needed for their implementation. A low-cost methodology is proposed and applied to a case study in a small Portuguese village: Belmonte. The results have shown the potential of these low-cost systems, revealing relevant time and economical gains, providing municipalities with fundamental information for the definition of realistic and well-founded strategic plans and budgets, and allowing better information to their citizens. The gathered information can help in inventory, inspections, maintenance and replacement allowing detailed reports and geo-referenced electronic database and maps of a municipality's road signs at reasonable costs. These maps and reports are the starting point to forecast the projected lifespan of the municipality's signage allowing more accurate project sign management budgets for future years. Aspects that need further development in order to improve the proposed system are also addressed.
The fourth generation of urban projects to tackle climate change: a typological proposal
Authors: Perez-Lancellotti Gino , Ziede Marcela
Published: December 2021

Climate change is the major challenge of our humanity and the relationship between climate change and cities has received increasing scholarly attention from governance, urban planning and infrastructure perspectives. However, the scale of the urban project, understood as the operationalization of climate change actions, has been neglected. The current three generations of urban projects are revisited (modern city, morphologic articulation, large urban projects) and a fourth-generation within the context of climate change is identified as missing; it combines adaptation and mitigation strategies for urban projects. While adaptation strategies are oriented to minimizing the negative impact of climate change on rising sea-levels, floods and rivers’ changes through green and blue infrastructures, mitigation strategies are twofold: one oriented to minimizing CO2 gas emissions and the other to reducing the risks of deterioration of natural systems due to human intervention or natural causes. Integrating the four generations, a typology of a 2x2 matrix of urban projects is drawn up. The four quadrants of types of urban projects are explained and accompanied by examples. Potential and desirable shifts between the quadrants are discussed to understand how changes are needed to advance to develop this new generation of urban projects. The paper contributes to expanding our understanding of urban projects in the context of climate change with heuristics purposes for researchers, practitioners and academia, and to prepare public policy makers to encourage the debate of climate change actions of adaptation and mitigation that should be materialized on an urban project scale. Future research may empirically test the typology in different contexts of development.
The comparison of vehicle headlamps
Authors: Motl Jakub , Bradáč Albert , Suchomel Filip , Bucsuházy Kateřina
Published: December 2021

The aim of this article is the comparison of vehicle headlamps in terms of pedestrians' visibility at nighttime conditions. The study was designed to gain results, which could serve as a basis for the pedestrian-vehicle accident analysis in terms of visibility during night drive. For this study were used comparable vehicles (same vehicle type and model year) with different headlamps type. Three different headlamps (halogen, xenon and LED headlamps) were used for the analysis. Experiments were carried out under similar conditions (straight road, nighttime, no disturbing factors). During a series of static tests, the vehicle approached at predefined distances to the figurant - pedestrian standing on the right side of the roadway. For the luminance analysis were used Luminance Distribution Analyser LumiDISP - software for analysing the luminance conditions based on evaluation of image data from digital photos.
Harmonization of Natural and Urban Structures in The Danube Region
Authors: Vitková Ľubica , Lemak Olena
Published: December 2021

The deteriorating state of the environment over the last half century has resulted in the current climate and environmental crisis, which is conditioned by the unbearable exploitation of the natural environment. One of the activities that plays a key role in this situation is urbanization with a constant occupation of the landscape, increasing emissions from traffic and buildings. A well-thought-out and consistent strategy for the harmonization of natural and urban structures can mitigate the negative climate impacts in the residential environment. The harmony of natural and artificial elements has a positive impact not only on the environmental but also the aesthetic quality of the urban environment. It can significantly help to strengthen the character of the cities. It was the landscape that significantly influenced their location and characteristic image. The research focuses on the evaluation of the quality of the urban environment with emphasis on the interaction of urban and landscape structures. The presented research is aimed to the connection of the city with the river and the surrounding landscape. It analyses and evaluates the impact of characteristic natural elements on the formation of urban structures during their development to the present day. It traces significant "traces" of the landscape in the urban structure of selected cities and their evolution. The research is focused to significant Slovak settlement on the Danube.
Properties of Sealed Joints After Exposure to Water
Authors: Boháček Adam
Published: December 2021

In practice, sealed joints in the construction industry are very often exposed to adverse climatic influences. One of these climatic influences is the effect of water, for example in the form of rain or humidity. This article is therefore devoted to the sealing of joints of problematic base materials, which are then exposed to the effects of water and subsequently tested according to the recommended test standards. For this research, a problematic substrate based on cement is selected, and glass cement is specifically chosen for its shortcomings. The main disadvantage of this material is the existence of small particles on its surface, which due to their insufficient wettability disrupt the adhesion of both the primer and subsequently the sealant to this substrate and thus significantly reduce the quality of the sealed joint. Furthermore, representatives of several types of sealants and primers recommended for them available on the Czech market are selected for this experiment. Test specimens are made using glass cement plates treated with the appropriate primer and the sealant. These test specimens are then the goal of a test procedure to verify the properties of the sealed joint of the problematic material and the selected primer and sealant that is exposed to the water element. The results of these tests are then presented in the article.
Relation of the Green Structure and the Appropriation of Public Spaces in Large-Scale Residential Areas
Authors: Kusmane Agnese Sofija , Nitavska Natalija
Published: December 2021

More than a half of residents in some capital cities of the former Socialist block live in large-scale residential areas that had been built from the 1950s to the 1980s. The public space satisfaction in the areas is low, the residents rarely appropriate the yards and streets of the housing complexes. The aim of the paper is to provide a framework for the understanding of residents’ assessment of public space and its relation to the appropriation; the framework can be used for the development of building or landscape architecture projects focused at reconstruction of the public space. Public Space Quality Model is generated in the paper. The model includes three spatial categories that are defined by metrical values, configuration components and dominant spatial elements – elements that determine size, category, and the structure of a space. Using the observation method in the residential areas of the former East Berlin, the research concludes that the model demonstrates the highest precision of predictability of the appropriation intensity of the public space when the green structure is used as the dominant spatial element. A method accompanying the model is presented in the paper that permits to use specific types of trees or shrubs in particular distancing and concrete arrangements to create spaces of high, medium, or low appropriation level in large-scale residential areas.
Effect of Assumed Boundary Conditions in Numerical Model of Road Pavement-Mining Subsoil System on Criterial Values Used in Design Using Mechanistic Methods
Authors: Parkasiewicz Beata , Kadela Marta
Published: December 2021

Underground mining brings benefits in the form of the extracted mineral. The negative effects of mining exploration are deformations of the rock mass, which also cause deformations on the ground surface. There are continuous deformations, discontinuous deformations and mining-induced tremors. Recommendations regarding the protection of the structure of cubature building against the negative effect of mining operations are discussed in detail, for example, in the recommendation published by the Building Research Institute (ITB) in Warsaw. In the case of road structures, the situation is different. Firstly, there are no general rules that would provide clear guidelines for the procedure for designing road pavement in mining areas, similarly to cubature buildings. Secondly, in the computer programs used for the individual design of road pavement, it is not possible to assign additional actions, including mining impact. Therefore, in order to analyze the behavior of the pavement-mining subsoil system, an advanced numerical analyze should be carried out. In this case, the subsoil thickness, the boundary conditions and the constitutive relationships of the materials of the road pavement layers and subsoil should be determined. This paper presents an attempt to select kinematic boundary conditions for the FEM model of the road pavement-mining subsoil system, analogically to the model of the building-mining subsoil system. The paper is aimed at assessment of the influence of kinematic boundary conditions selection on the criterial values that are taken into account during the design process of road pavement using mechanistic methods. For this purpose, three cases were considered: (i) horizontal mining strain (εdesign
), (ii) curvature of surface (Kdesign
), (iii) combined impact of these actions. In these cases, each time vehicle wheel load was assumed. Based on the analyzes, the computational horizontal strain of the mining area εcomp
is decisive when assessing the criterial values taken into account in the design process of road pavement structures.
A Study on the Adhesion in the Interfacial Transition Zone Between Glass Fibre Reinforced Rebar and the Cement Matrix
Authors: Yakovlev Grigory , Saidova Zarina , Drochytka Rostislav , Gordina Anastasiya , Pudov Igor , Kuzmina Natalia , Begunova Ekaterina , Elrefai Ali Elsaed Mohamed Mohamed
Published: December 2021

This study is aimed at increasing the adhesion of the fibre-reinforced polymer rods to the binder in the cement-based composites in order to eliminate the problem of rod slippage under loading and broaden the application of composite reinforcement in the construction industry. It is assumed that the better adhesion of reinforcement rod to the cement matrix can be provided by increasing the cement stone structural density, and, in particular, by compacting the structure of the hydration products formed on the surface the fibre-reinforced polymer reinforcement rod. Such increase in strength and density can be achieved by adding nanodispersed additives such as metakaolin, the dispersion of carbon black and Peneco Nano Stachema primer into the composition of the cement matrix. Additional adhesion of the cement matrix to the reinforcement is ensured by coating it with the primer, which seals the structure of the cement matrix located in the interfacial transition zone between the reinforcing bar and the cement stone. Experimental study proved that the proposed approach allows the formation of a strong and dense structure in the interfacial transition zone between the cement matrix and the fibre-reinforced polymer reinforcement rod surface. The introduction of metakaolin and a dispersion of technical soot led to an increase in the adhesion strength of fibre-reinforced polymer rod with a cement matrix by 27% and 29%, respectively. The IR spectral analysis and DTA analysis results showed that the mineralogy and morphology of the hydration products was changed due to the addition of the modifying additives, thus improving the adhesion characteristics and corrosion resistance of fibre- reinforced polymer in the cement-based composites.
Environmental Protection Against Noise and Vibration
Authors: Kowalska-Koczwara Alicja , Pachla Filip , Nering Krzysztof
Published: December 2021

Noise in large cities reaching the interior of buildings by air or in the form of material noise caused by vibrations propagating through the ground to the building not only cause discomfort but also pollution according to legal regulations in the field of environmental protection. The main legal acts in Poland relating to environmental protection are the Environmental Protection Law of 2001, as amended. Under the concept of emissions in this act, the introduction of substances or energy into the environment, such as heat, noise, vibrations or magnetic fields. Pollution, is understood as an emission that may be harmful to human health or the state of the environment, may cause damage to material goods, may deteriorate the aesthetic value of the environment or may conflict with other, justified ways of using the environment. According to a 2008 Directive of the European Parliament and Council, pollution is direct or indirect introduction of substances as a result of human activity, vibration, heat or noise to air, environment water or soil that may endanger human health or environmental quality, or manifest itself in the form of damage to tangible property, diminution of value or collision with other legitimate uses of the environment. The above two legal acts already show that both noise and vibrations should always be taken into account in the environmental impact assessment. The paper also analyzes other acts of law relating to environmental protection, taking into account noise and vibrations. Moreover, possible solutions that can reduce pollution such as noise and vibrations are clearly described.
Building Information Modelling Usage in Federal Hydropower Design and Construction Management
Authors: West Jacob , Liu Junshan
Published: December 2021

The use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) is widespread within the engineering and construction industry, with huge strides in both usage and technological advances in the past two decades. The benefits of design collaboration, communication, visualization, and risk mitigation are untold. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers foresaw the benefits of BIM and began to write policy for its mandatory use across the enterprise in the early 2000s. As BIM technology evolved, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has struggled to keep pace with the speed of industry but continue to make improvements to policy and more widespread usage across the enterprise. The MILCON program sees widespread use in the planning and design phases using BIM for visualization, communication, creation of 2D construction drawings, and rough estimating. BIM usage stops short in two major areas of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work: hydropower rehabilitation and construction management. Professionals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in design management, hydropower engineering, and construction management all agreed that BIM, utilized and implemented properly, can have a very strong impact in each major field that would improve efficiencies, aid stakeholders in better understanding of complicated design concepts, and realize a more streamlined construction management process for complicated hydropower work. Through literature review and interviews with construction professionals, this research studied how BIM is being used within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, specifically within hydropower rehabilitation programs, for design and construction management. This research also focused on how private industry has been and is currently using BIM in construction management, and to correlate how processes used in private industry may be used on hydropower generation unit rehabilitation projects at USACE-owned facilities.
Formulation of Performance Levels and Relevant Limitations for Clay Brick Masonry Infills in Seismic Analysis of R/C Frame Structures
Authors: Costoli Iacopo , Sorace Stefano , Terenzi Gloria
Published: December 2021

Observation of damage caused by recent earthquakes highlights, once again, that the presence of infills significantly affects the seismic response of reinforced concrete (R.C.) frame buildings. Therefore, in spite of the fact that infills are non-structural elements, and thus they are normally not considered in structural analyses, in many cases their contribution should not be neglected. Based on these observations, the study proposed in this paper consists in the evaluation of the seismic response of infills in time-history finite element analyses of R.C. frame structures by means of a two-element model, constituted by two diagonal nonlinear beams. A “concrete”-type hysteretic model predicts the in-plane state of infills, through a force-displacement backbone curve expressly generated, and scanned in terms of performance limits, to this aim. This model is demonstratively applied to a real case study, i.e. a R.C. frame building including various types of brick masonry perimeter infills and internal partitions, damaged by the 30 October 2016 Central Italy earthquake. The time-histories seismic analyses carried out on it allows checking the influence of infills on the response of the structure, as well the effectiveness of the proposed model in reproducing the observed real damage on the masonry panels.
New Generation of Clay Plasters Stabilized by Polymers
Authors: Zušťák Zbyněk , Procházka Michal , Svoboda Pavel
Published: December 2021

This article is dedicated to the use of unburnt clay, specifically as a material to produce clay plaster and they stabilization via polymers. The main goal is to enhance the attributes of a clay plaster through the stabilization of various polymers, alternatively by combining the polymer with hydrophobization in different ratios. Stabilization is particularly important for exterior plasters, as they are the most exposed to water. To compare the characteristics, the mixtures were tested for water resistance, water vapor permeability, flexural tensive strength and compressive strength.
Investigation of Bearing Capacity of the Drill-Impact Micropiles with Enlarged Toe in the Soils of Different Type
Authors: Podhorecki Adam , Hnatiuk Oleksandr , Lapchuk Mykola , Mazepa Oleksandr
Published: December 2021

The reinforced concrete micropiles with enlarged toe is the effective construction for the arranging of new and reinforcing of existing foundations which a drill-impact method are made as a circular bar with a diameter to 250 mm from the flow consistency concrete with prefabricated reinforcement cage and enlarged to two diameters toe cone-shaped form. For research of them real work by the authors of the article and engineers of PP BKF “Osnova” were conducted them field tests on the objects of building in the different soil conditions and the analysis of them calculation and experimental bearing capacity is given. The analysis of quantitative correlation of experimental and theoretical bearing capacity for the different types of soils is the task of researches.
Urban perimeters issues in low-density areas
Authors: Gonçalves Olga , Virtudes Ana
Published: December 2021

In the domain of spatial planning, there is a concern to preserve the territory whilst ensuring a proper expansion of urban perimeters. Cities, towns and villages should be contained within urban perimeters for building and urbanization purposes. The concept of urban perimeter is defined as the closed polygonal line demarcating the continuous territory of urban land-use. The spatial planning instruments should define the urban land-use referring to areas totally or partially urbanized or built. Regarding low-density territories with a greater propensity to urban sprawl and population ageing, the previously mentioned rules are not always met. Thus, this study focuses on the case of the Interior region of Portugal classified as low-density territory. Here the number of inhabitants is decreasing with low demand for urban spaces. However, the urban perimeters were mainly defined without being based on territorial features, topographic mapping or ecological sensitive areas. Thus, for a diversity of aspects, there are inappropriate areas to build that were wrongly included as part of urban areas, creating as a result urban void. One main reason for this problem are the topographic conditions that don’t fit with the urbanization and building requirements in urban perimeters. In this sense, this research aims to describe the articulation between the urbanization and building processes, under the rules of the Municipal Master Plans, regarding the topographic features of urban perimeters. The conclusion shows that the most sloped areas are those that were less sought after for urbanization, however these zones comprise a significant part of the urban perimeters. Finally, there is the need to stress that in low-density territories, many urban voids will never be urbanized.
Case Study: Road Embankment Foundation on Weak Organic Soils
Authors: Majer Stanisław
Published: December 2021

The paper presents the problem of embankment foundation during reconstruction and extension of regional road 110 on the section Witomierz - Grądy. On this section the road crosses the valley of meltwater formed during the last Weichselian glaciation. It is a watershed area between the streams Stuchowska Struga and Otoczka Reska. In the Holocene a 961 ha fen peat called Wielki Smogorze has been formed. There are favorable conditions in the area for the formation of fen peats. The thickness of the peats is over 4 m, reaching almost 8.0 m in its peak. Since 1964 the Przybiernówko-Grądy II deposit (402 ha) is continuously exploited. Currently, the deposit is being used by a company called "Lasland". Extraction is conducted on the basis of a relevant concession within a designated mining area of 242.9 ha. The mining concession is valid until the end of 2030. The pits are deep and are located on both sides of the regional road no. 110. Peat is transported by narrow-gauge railroad to the nearby processing plant, where it is sieved, sorted and packed. Based on the analysis of available archival materials, the road as found today was functioning already in the middle of the 19th century. In the 1970s the road was widened to 6.0m In 2003 due to the bad condition of the surface the asphalt layer was renovated by applying a grid and new asphalt layers. During the renovation longitudinal cracks have been reported and there were problems with the compaction of the mix. The direct cause was the shallow layer of peat located just 1.1 - 1.3 m under the road. Conducted renovation did not bring expected results, so in 2019 the documentation for the reconstruction of the road was prepared. Different methods of road foundation were analyzed, from soil replacement through the use of piles. In the end the decision was made to directly settle the embankment with the use of geosynthetics. This study presents a selected solution and shows the results of calculations. Changes during the execution of the reconstruction were discussed. The applied solution allowed for simultaneous functioning of the mining plant and reconstruction of the regional road on the section of 1.2 km. geotextiles and geonets were used. The main argument for such solution was relatively low cost of reconstruction and time of execution. During construction there were problems with obtaining the parameters on the substructure for asphalt layers. Two alternative solutions were proposed, one of which required increasing the thickness of embankment reinforced with geo-mesh and an additional layer of CBGM mix substructure. The solution allowed to meet the design requirements and complete the reconstruction according to the plan without any problems.
Durability, Resilience and Sustainability in the Building Rehabilitation Process
Authors: Dabija Ana-Maria
Published: December 2021

Where buildings are concerned, the term “sustainability” has been used for more than 30 years. It represents a process of designing, constructing and operating the building considering its environmental impact. A year after the major nuclear plant catastrophe from Chernobyl, the Brundtland Report defined sustainability as the actions that meet “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. A different disaster, a natural one – the Katrina hurricane – led, two decades later, to the addition of another building characteristic: “resilience”. It represents the capacity of a system to adapt after a shock. “Durability” may refer to different issues: the building materials, the building structure, its functionality of aesthetics. The more durable a building is - the more it lasts - the less it affects the environment. The more it lasts, the more resilient it is (as it withstands different types of stress). Technical durability, provided by building materials and structures, prevails over the functional durability. A good example is the case of the industrial buildings of the nineteenth century: constructed with solid masonry structures, these buildings have lost the original functions decades ago and they were subject of conversions that provided them a new life cycle. Withstanding the action of natural and anthropic agents, these buildings proved to be resilient and, by saving the natural resources, they can also be considered sustainable. Considering that in the next 30 years we will still face 70% of the current building stock, it is important how we deal with them, in order to provide, by rehabilitation, a new life cycle to the existing constructions. The paper tackles, from a critical perspective, some examples of good and bad practice in the building rehabilitation process.
Comparison of Hygrothermal Comfort and Life Cycle Between Recycled Plastic Block and Concrete Blocks in a Social Housing in The City of Cuenca
Authors: Genovez Paulo , Avila-Calle Marco , Morales Diego
Published: December 2021

The qualitative and quantitative housing deficit in the city of Cuenca Ecuador is high, to provide help to the homeless, the Ecuadorian government decreed “Casa Para Todos” project in 2018. This type of housing focuses on providing an accessible alternative for people with limited resources, however, the type of housing that is granted does not comply with the conditions and materials that guarantee the comfort of the users. Additionally, there is a large percentage of plastic garbage that is collected every day by the city's cleaning system, part of it is recycled and another part is deposited in sanitary landfills due to poor handling within the recycling chain and process. The main objective of this research is to determine the hygrothermal comfort and life cycle of a housing prototype with recycled and processed plastic material for the manufacture of modules that together form the walls of the proposed houses. To achieve the proposed objective, traditional concrete block systems are compared to recycled plastic (polyethylene and polypropylene) walls, using the K coefficient (thermal conductivity) in the Desing Builder software, obtaining simulations of hygrothermal comfort and relative humidity. As a complement to the research, the analysis of the life cycle and environmental impact was carried out with the SimaPro software. As result of the simulations, it was obtained that the relative humidity in the analyzed environments, parents' bedroom, and living room, has a value of between 40 and 60% in the two construction systems, being within the comfort ranges. The internal temperature in the concrete block system fluctuates between 15 to 20 ° C while with the recycled block it is in the ranges of 17 to 20 ° C, which allows evidence that the house made up of recycled blocks has higher thermal gain in prolonged periods during the day and that the concrete block house has great heat losses due to the porosity of the material, so the use of recycled plastic blocks is recommended; deepen research on the life cycle and its environmental impact, as the results indicate that the recycled plastic block has a greater environmental impact in its life cycle than the concrete block.
Calculation of Collectors for Social Housing in Different Climate Floors of Ecuador
Authors: Reyes Pablo Daniel Ramírez , Duy Jorge Luis Arias , Torres Juan Carlos Cobos
Published: December 2021

Ecuador has significant potential in the renewable energy industry, to which solar energy contributes. The current investigation proposes a method to determine the savings when using solar collectors. The analysis is made for social housing projects located in different climate environments around the country: dry tropical megathermic (coast), semi-humid equatorial mesothermic (mountains), rainy megathermic (amazon), equatorial highlands (equatorial highlands). The cases studied are located in: Pasaje, El Oro; Cuenca, Azuay; Huamboya, Morona Santiago; and Chordeleg, Azuay. The method used in this research is an evaluation of drinking water per user demand (litter/person/day) which can determine the annual energetic demand. Furthermore, from the geographic location, the average solar radiation, and useful hours of sunshine are obtained. Then, these are used to obtain the available net annual energy. Furthermore, a relationship between demand and available energy is obtained for the solar collectors that satisfy the demand for the different locations studied. Finally, an analysis of the cost of implementing this technology and the projected savings in comparison to using hydrocarbons to heat domestic hot water is presented.
Feasibility of Expandable Polystyrene in the Construction of Housing of Social Interest in the City of Azogues
Authors: Lema Byron Lenin González , Tomalá Andrés Oswaldo Venegas
Published: December 2021

The lack of decent housing to settle down and have a family is one of the most relevant problems in Ecuador, currently the demographic expansion has made the population look for alternatives that are often limited by the lack of economic resources to acquire a house or apartment, it is thus that housing solutions financed and built by the State are so|ught to reduce the index of homelessness, however the construction costs that arise are high, before which alternatives are sought in terms of the materials of manufacturing, thus, the use of expandable polystyrene (EPS) in civil construction is giving great results in terms of comfort, energy reduction, price and other benefits. That is why the objective of this research work is to analyze the feasibility of the use of EPS in the construction of social housing (VIS) in the city of Azogues - Ecuador, and which are planned by the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MIDUVI). For which a bibliographic-documentary research methodology was used with a cross-sectional approach to studies about the use of EPS in construction. The results show that the quality of this material is highly reliable for its use in the construction of houses, so it must be used in the VIS projects executed by MIDUVI, which will generate great benefits for all the actors involved; In conclusion, there are several studies that give credit to the functionality that EPS offers, especially because it offers the possibility of being used with other traditional materials and giving a finished work of high quality in a short time.
Sustainable Urban Mobility Proposal for the Canton Sígsig Azuay Province
Authors: Vasquez Edison Fajardo , Contreras Christian , Sarmiento Jonnathan Figueroa
Published: December 2021

This research work was carried out with the purpose of evaluating and proposing a sustainable model of human mobilization for the urban center of Sígsig canton, Azuay province, Ecuador; attending to the displacements, means of transfer and reasons for travel. In the same way, the most frequent origin and destination were categorized, which later made it possible to directly conceive the circulation routes and their incidents with the central flow of circulation, both pedestrian and motorized. Based on the collection of information on the requirements that had to be obtained to shape a sustainable model, it was proposed as a starting point for the identification and study of human mobilization, the collection of primary information through direct interview with the analysis of transfer variants and reasons for circulation of a total of 792 people passing through the urban center; allowing to have an approach on the most used means of travel and percentages of circulation, as well as the reference to the reasons for the trips. In the same way, based on secondary information from the PDOT (Territorial Planning Plan) of the Sígsig canton, the connection of the road axes that unload in the urban center was evidenced. Later, in the tabulation and analysis stage, the problems and their possible solutions on mobility and transfer activities were determined, prioritizing the means of transport used. Finally, it was found that a large part of the population tends to move on foot, followed by the use of commercial and private public transport, with a maximum of five passengers. In addition, the most frequent reasons for transfer are for study and work activities; activities that fully influence mobility, therefore, a model based on public transport is recommended that provides service to the most demanding sectors, based on the existing road pattern without breaking into the urban center.
Comparative Study Between the Management Models of Social Housing Programs: SAV-BID and SIV, of the Province of Azuay Between the Years 2010 - 2020
Authors: Abad María Alexandra Arias , Campoverde José David Quizhpe , Farfán Julio Pintado
Published: December 2021

The creation of management models for the construction of Social Interest Houses in the province of Azuay has been one of the relevant actions to mitigate the existing housing deficit in the territory in the last ten years. Within this period, two management models have played a leading role: the SAV-BID National Social Housing Program and the SIV National Social Housing Program. Models created and promoted by the Ecuadorian State, with the help of various actors, that try to correct the housing problems present in the vulnerable socioeconomic strata of the country. With this background, a comparative study of the management models applied in Ecuador is proposed, through which the similarities and differences between each of them are evidenced, as well as the potentialities and weaknesses that have characterized them, both in their management as in your application. The study begins with a referential framework, where central issues are considered such as: characterization of the concept of Social Interest Housing, housing deficit in Ecuador, and the essential components required for the design and implementation of a housing management model, with the purpose to define and understand the context of the investigation. For the development of the study, a qualitative methodology is proposed, which uses a deductive-inductive system; where dimensions, sub-dimensions and variables are raised in order to approach the study of management models from the general to the particular. The dimensions are defined as the great considerations and aspects that determine the models; The subdimensions are the analysis components where the results of the execution and application of the models are produced, and the variables are made up of the unique aspects or particularities of the study. The results show similarities in the planning and structuring of the two models. However, there are differences in the source of financing and in the characteristics and obligations of the project stakeholders. The study concludes that there are some differences that have allowed the SAV BID National Housing Program management model to generate greater production of Social Interest Housing. These differences are closely related to the active and continuous participation of the managers or home builders, a fundamental aspect that has allowed the success of the projects developed through this management model.
An EMI radiation grouping approach based on spectral cluster in near filed scanning for assessment
Authors: Huang Quan , Wu Yuxin , Gao Yan , Fang Wenxiao , Yi Zhiqiang , Huang Yun , Lu Guoguang , Wang Kaiwei
Published: December 2021

With the ever-increasing operating frequency in integrated circuit, it is very essentialto assess the radiation used to help the IC designer. Based on the similarity of electromagnetic patterns obtained from the radiation of ICs and their nonlinear edge, we develop a post-processing technique to group the electromagnetic patterns. A near field scanning is performed to obtain and extract the electromagnetic pattern that is used to validate the technique. Experiment results show that it can accurately group the electromagnetic patterns by which radiation assessment can be performed.
Aircraft System State Recognition and Fault Prediction Based on a Test Diagnostic Model
Authors: Su Yan , Chen Hongcai , Gu Chenxuan , Xing Xiangyu , Liang Xuerui
Published: December 2021

The existing testability models for fault prognosis of aircraft systems limit the implementation of prognosis and health management systems. This paper develops a test diagnosis modeling method and relevant algorithms to support dynamic testing and to evaluate fault prognostic ability during aircraft system design. According to the system principles and the complex function structure of aircraft systems, a test diagnostic model is established by integrating testing and prognostic information with a test diagnostic skeleton model using multi-signal flow. New test indexes are identified to assess the testability and prognostic ability of aircraft systems. Relevant state recognition and fault prediction algorithms are established by fusing the improved particle swarm optimization algorithm and Hidden Semi-Markov Model. The feasibility and validity of the test diagnostic modeling method and relevant algorithms are verified in an aircraft’s engine bleed air system. Training and test show that the model can support analysis and estimation, and the algorithms can ensure accurate results after training the HSMM using improved PSO algorithm.
Enhanced piezoelectricity of PVDF nanofibers via a plasticizer treatment for energy harvesting
Authors: Zaarour Bilal
Published: December 2021

Enhancing the electrical outputs of energy harvesters is a great demand for researchers in recent years. In this work, the effect of the plasticizer treatment (Tetrahydrofuran [THF]) on the β phase content (F[β]) of electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) fiber webs which are used as active layers to directly make a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PENG) is demonstrated. The results showed that during the plasticizer treatment, the F(β) of the web increases when the initial length of the web (L0) equals the distance between the two ends of the solid support (L) which the web fixed on it, whereas the F(β) decreases when L < L0 resulting in the formation of crimped fibers. Furthermore, the electrical outputs of the PENG based on the pristine web, and treated webs at different lengths are investigated. We believe this work can be used as a good reference for enhancing the electrical outputs of the PENG by enhancing the F (β) of PVDF nanofiber webs using a plasticizer treatment.
Cardiovascular disease preventive medication dispensing for almost every New Zealander 65 years and over: a preventive treatment paradox?
Authors: Wells Sue , Choi Yeunhyang , Jackson Rod , Parwaiz Mariam , Mehta Suneela , Selak Vanessa , Harwood Matire , Grey Corina , Kerse Ngaire , Poppe Katrina
Published: December 2021

Objective

To describe the dispensing of cardiovascular disease (CVD) preventive medications among older New Zealanders with and without prior CVD or diabetes.

Methods

New Zealanders aged ≥65 years in 2013 were identified using anonymised linkage of national administrative health databases. Dispensing of blood pressure lowering (BPL), lipid lowering (LL) or antithrombotic (AT) medications, was documented, stratified by age and by history of CVD, diabetes, or neither.

Results

Of the 593,549 people identified, 32% had prior CVD, 14% had diabetes (of whom half also had prior CVD) and 61% had neither diagnosis. For those with prior CVD, between 79–87% were dispensed BPL and 73–79% were dispensed AT medications, across all age groups. In contrast, LL dispensing was lower than either BPL or AT in every age group, falling from 75% at age 65–69 years to 43% at 85+ years. For people with diabetes, BPL and LL dispensing was similar to those with prior CVD, but AT dispensing was approximately 20% lower. Among people without prior CVD or diabetes, both BPL and AT dispensing increased with age (from 39% and 17% at age 65–69 years to 56% and 35% at 85+ years respectively), whereas LL dispensing was 26–31% across the 65–84 year age groups, falling to 17% at 85+ years.

Conclusion

The much higher dispensing of BPL and AT compared to LL medications with increasing age suggests a preventive treatment paradox for older people, with the medications most likely to cause adverse effects being dispensed most often.
Invited Commentary: Predicting Incidence Rates of Rare Cancers—Adding Epidemiologic and Spatial Contexts
Authors: Buller Ian D , Jones Rena R
Published: December 2021

There are unique challenges to identifying causes of and developing strategies for prevention of rare cancers, driven by the difficulty in estimating incidence, prevalence, and survival due to small case numbers. Using a Poisson modeling approach, Salmerón et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2022;191(3):487–498) built upon their previous work to estimate incidence rates of rare cancers in Europe using a Bayesian framework, establishing a uniform prior for a measure of variability for country-specific incidence rates. They offer a methodology with potential transferability to other settings with similar cancer surveillance infrastructure. However, the approach does not consider the spatiotemporal correlation of rare cancer case counts and other, potentially more appropriate nonnormal probability distributions. In this commentary, we discuss the implications of future work from cancer epidemiology and spatial epidemiology perspectives. We describe the possibility of developing prediction models tailored to each type of rare cancer; incorporating the spatial heterogeneity in at-risk populations, surveillance coverage, and risk factors in these predictions; and considering a modeling framework with which to address the inherent spatiotemporal components of these data. We note that extension of this methodology to estimate subcountry rates at provincial, state, or smaller geographic levels would be useful but would pose additional statistical challenges.