bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ACCENT: Adaptive Control of Manufacturing Processes for a New Generation of Jet Engine Components
Authors: Fernandez Ignacio
Published: February 2025

High responsibility of critical parts are those whose failure could lead to the lost of the aircraft. Manufacturing of critical parts for aero-engines turbines involves additional requirements in order to preserve the lifing of the part. Basically, the driver of these requirements is to maintain the characteristics of the parts used during the certification of the engine, in such a way that materials properties and/or testing employed will be applicable during the whole life of the engine. The European Commission has funded several projects within various Framework Programs in order to achieve competitive manufacturing methods increasing the safety of the parts at the same time. The ACCENT project, here after presented, is one of them.
Transmission in Aircraft on Unique Path WirEs
Authors: Kim Sébastien
Published: February 2025

Within the framework of ACARE (Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe), Safran Engineering Services is working on several projects regarding EWIS (Electrical Wiring Interconnection System) issues. It is presently coordinating the European research project named “TAUPE” (Transmission in Aircraft on Unique Path wirEs), the objectives of which are to reduce the weight of the wiring and to simplify the wiring system as well as its maintenance. The internal Safran work programme's goal is to demonstrate a high rank maturity for two technologies: Power Line Communication (PLC) on the one hand and Power over AFDX (PoAFDX) on the other hand. This research action was launched in 2008. Results obtained are presented here after.
Future High Altitude High Speed Transport Concepts
Authors: Steelant Johan
Published: February 2025

Pioneering the aviation for the second half of the century is a theme which the European Commission is actively supporting since the FP6 and continued doing so within the FP7. Several activities were initiated by ESA in this field which are related to hypersonic cruisers, i.e. LAPCAT [1] and ATLLAS [2] or to suborbital flights, i.e. FLACON [3] and FAST20xx [4] These projects are cofunded by the EC and a large group of about 30 different partners from industries, SMEs, research institutions and academia. Though these activities are mainly technology driven programs, the specifications and requirements for the research and development are driven by conceptual studies on hypersonic and suborbital vehicles. Different hypersonic cruiser concepts have been devised so far for different cruise velocities ranging from Mach 3 to 8 while maximizing the range. Antipodal ranges such as Brussels to Sydney seem feasible but more detailed studies are now required along with flight experiments. For suborbital flights, concepts are laid out leaving the atmosphere and providing a view to earth from space, without going into orbit but still providing a wide variety of potential ranges.
Russian Aeronautics Research Programmes
Authors: Rostovtseva Liudmila
Published: February 2025

Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russian Federation supports research in the field of civil aviation through the federal target programme “Development of Russian Civil Aviation for 2002-2010 and through 2015”. Attaching great importance to international cooperation, the Russian organisations are actively involved in the EU Framework Programmes. In the frame of the third competition FP7 in the field of aeronautics and air transport, the coordinated competition “EU-Russian Aeronautics research” has been launched. As a result of the competition, three projects are currently underway. This paper describes approaches to development of Russian aviation industry with the help of aeronautics research programmes.
Learning Rules of Simplified Boardgames by Observing
Authors: Björnsson Yngvi
Published: February 2025

General Game Playing (GGP) agents learn strategies to skillfully play a wide variety of games when given only the rules of the game. The rules are provided in a language called Game Description Language (GDL) and specify the initial game setup, what constitutes legal moves and how they update the game state when played, how the game terminates, and what the outcome is. In here we extend this line of research further, that is, we assume that the game-playing agent must learn the rules of a game by observing others play instead of them being provided. Our focus here will mainly be on modeling piece movements with less attention placed on the remaining game-rule properties. We define a subset of games, we name simplified boardgames, that despite constituting only a small subset of games expressible in GDL nonetheless encapsulate a large variety of interesting piece movement patterns found in popular boardgames. We provide a well-defined formalism and a practicable algorithm for learning game rules of simplified boardgames. We empirically evaluate the learning algorithm on different boardgames and under different assumptions of availability of observations. Furthermore, we show that our formalism offers at least an order of magnitude speedup over state-of-the-art logic-based GDL reasoners for fitting boardgames. The method is thus directly relevant for GGP systems.
Iterative Algorithm for Solving Two-player Zero-sum Extensive-form Games with Imperfect Information
Authors: Bošanský Branislav  , Kiekintveld Christopher  , Lisý Viliam  , Pěchouček Michal
Published: February 2025

We develop and evaluate a new exact algorithm for finding Nash equilibria of two-player zero-sum extensive-form games with imperfect information. Our approach is based on the sequence-form representation of the game, and uses an algorithmic framework of double-oracle methods that have been used successfully in other classes of games. The algorithm uses an iterative decomposition, solving restricted games and exploiting fast best-response algorithms to add additional sequences to the game over time. We demonstrate our algorithm on a class of adversarial graph search games motivated by real world border patrolling scenarios. The results indicate that our framework is a promising way to scale up solutions for extensive-form games, reducing both memory and computation time requirements.
Bounded Single-Peaked Width and Proportional Representation
Authors: Cornaz Denis  , Galand Lucie  , Spanjaard Olivier
Published: February 2025

This paper is devoted to the proportional representation (PR) problem when the preferences are clustered single-peaked. PR is a “multi-winner” election problem, that we study in Chamberlin and Courant's scheme [6]. We define clustered single-peakedness as a form of single-peakedness with respect to clusters of candidates, i.e. subsets of candidates that are consecutive (in arbitrary order) in the preferences of all voters. We show that the PR problem becomes polynomial when the size of the largest cluster of candidates (width) is bounded. Furthermore, we establish the polynomiality of determining the single-peaked width of a preference profile (minimum width for a partition of candidates into clusters compatible with clustered single-peakedness) when the preferences are narcissistic (i.e., every candidate is the most preferred one for some voter).
Decisional DNA with Embedded RELIEF-F and Linear Regression for Knowledge and Experience Management
Authors: Wang Peng  , Sanin Cesar  , Szczerbicki Edward
Published: February 2025

The constant growth of information on the wide spread of the web is causing many difficulties in finding and extracting useful knowledge on the web. Set of Experience Knowledge Structure or Decisional DNA as knowledge representation provides features such as learning from experience, dealing with noisy and incomplete data, making precise decision and predicting. It can be a core component of a new structure with a feature selection model. This new structure is able to extract knowledge in DDNA structure by many different approaches such as web crawling and reading CVS files. Afterwards, the feature selection model is used to rank elements of set of experience structure for predicting purposes. This paper shows the application of feature selection models to enhance the Prognosis Macro process of Decisional DNA based web crawler for prediction.
A model for content generation in On-line social network
Authors: Román Pablo E.  , Gutiérrez Miguel E.  , Rios Sebastián A.
Published: February 2025

The usage of On-line Social Networks (OSN) and Virtual Communities (VC) has exploded in the last decade. People use these tools for a better communication with friends, colleagues and relatives. These have also been adopted by companies and organizations to improve their interactions with customers. Therefore, a description of the posting dynamics would further enhance the analysis by describing future tendencies. Current methods of diffusion analysis rely on machine learning techniques that analyze content activity history in OSNs. Our work presents a stochastic model based on decision making psychology to describe content posting dynamics on OSNs and VCs. Our proposal was simulated on a real VC, recovering most of its average content generation behavior. Simulated posted topic distribution becomes near to observed data within a mean absolute percentage error MAPE of 1:2%.
Modelling of Human Performance-Related Hazards in ATM
Authors: Bosse Tibor  , Sharpanskykh Alexei  , Treur Jan  , Blom Henk A.P.  , Stroeve Sybert H.
Published: February 2025

Existing approach towards agent-based safety risk analysis in Air Traffic Management (ATM) covers hazards that may potentially occur within air traffic operations along two ways. One way is to cover hazards through agent-based model constructs. The second way is to cover hazards through bias and uncertainty analysis in combination with sensitivity analysis of the agent-based model. The disadvantage of the latter approach is that it is more limited in capturing potential emergent behaviour that could be caused by unmodelled hazards. The research presented in this paper explores to what extent agent-based model constructs that have been developed for other purposes, are capable to model more hazards in ATM through the agent-based framework. The focus is on model constructs developed by VU Amsterdam, mainly addressing human factors and interaction between multiple (human and computer) agents within teams. Inspired by a large data base of ATM hazards analysed earlier, a number of VU model constructs are identified that have the potential to model remaining hazards. These model constructs are described at a conceptual level, and analysed with respect to the extent at which they increase the percentage of modelled hazards in ATM.
Future strategies for airports
Authors: Laplace I.  , Lenoir N.  , Malavolti E.  , Tomova A.  , Kazda T.  , Badanik B.
Published: February 2025

In air transport, the evolution of traffic depends upon many economic factors, and on the way in which the markets participants respond to those factors. Although airlines are the main actors, the airports are by no means passive, and their strategies will also have an impact on airline behaviour and route development. Our methodology analyzes the potential evolution of airport strategies in the next decade, using a typology of airports that has been designed for this purpose. It shows in particular that diversification strategies, which are usually reserved for large firms, can also be successfully applied to smaller airports.
Applying User Domain Model to Improve Web Recommendations
Authors: Robal Tarmo  , Kalja Ahto
Published: February 2025

The enormous amount of information available over the Internet has forced users to face information overload while browsing the World Wide Web. Alongside with search engines, recommender systems and web personalization are seen as a remedy to this problem, since users are browsing the web according to their informational expectations while having a sort of implicit conceptual model in their mind. The latter is partially shared with other site visitors. In this paper we apply ontological modeling of anonymous ad-hoc web users' behavior to improve online user action prediction for web personalization via recommendations.
Tolerable impacts of tunnelling and excavations on historical buildings and monuments
Authors: Burland J.B.
Published: February 2025

There is an inevitable world-wide trend towards increased tunnelling and excavations in urban areas and the protection of historic buildings and monuments is an important issue. The paper focuses on the topic of what constitutes tolerable subsidence induced movements of historic buildings and monuments. The BRE damage classification system has proved valuable when consulting with heritage authorities. Examples are given of different categories of damage. It is important to appreciate that most historical buildings have cracks in them. Moreover in some cases these can be beneficial in controlling the location of movements. Recommendations are made on how to negotiate with heritage authorities on tolerable levels of potential damage.
THz Leaky Lens Antenna integrated with Kinetic Inductance Detectors
Authors: Neto Andrea  , Llombart Juan Núria  , Baselmans Jochem J.A.  , Baryshev Andrey  , Yates Stephen
Published: February 2025

This contribution presents the fabrication and measurements of the leaky lens antenna integrated with a cryogenically cooled Kinetic Inductance Detector, in order to achieve an ultra sensitive THz receivers over a bandwidth ranging from 0.15GHz to 1.5 THz. The system has been manufactured and characterized in terms of power efficiency, and radiation pattern properties. The agreement between the expectations and the measurements is excellent already at this first attempt. These measurements demonstrate the manufacturability and repeatability at THz frequencies of the properties of the leaky lens antenna concept.
Mechanical optimisation of a RF coupling system for a medical Linac by means of FMEA
Authors: Mellace C. (Claudio)
Published: February 2025

In this section, a case study on system optimisation applying Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) methods is reported: the radiofrequency (RF) coupling system of a linear accelerator for proton therapy treatments is the topic of the analysis.
LARG Interoperable Supply Chains: from Cooperation Analysis to Design
Authors: Espadinha-Cruz Pedro  , Cabral Izunildo  , Grilo António
Published: February 2025

Innovative strategies such as Lean, Agile, Resilient and Green emerged as a response to global competition situation, requiring high levels of cooperation and of great complexity. However, the strategic alignment of operations with partners in supply chains is affected by lack of interoperability. The present work provides two decision-models to enhance SC competitiveness and performance by assessing interoperable SCM Practices applied in automotive industry and a methodology to design cooperation using the systematic approach of Axiomatic Design.
Personal Information Dashboard: Putting the Individual Back in Control
Authors: Buchmann Johannes  , Nebel Maxi  , Rossnagel Alexander  , Shirazi Fatemeh  , Simo Hervais  , Waidner Michael
Published: February 2025

This paper contributes to the discourse on how information technologies can empower individuals to effectively manage their privacy while contributing to the emergence of balanced personal data ecosystems with increased trust between all stakeholders. We motivate our work through the prism of privacy issues in online social networks (OSN) acknowledging the fact that OSNs have become important platforms for information sharing. We note that on OSN platforms, individuals share very intimate details about different aspects of their lives, often lacking awareness about and understanding of the degree of accessibility/visibility of information they share as well as what it may implicitly reveal about them. Furthermore, service providers and other entities participating on OSN platforms are increasingly relying on profiling and analytics to find and extract valuable, often hidden patterns in large collections of data about OSN users. These issues have caused serious privacy concerns. In the light of such issues and concerns, we argue that protecting privacy online implies ensuring information and risk awareness, active control and oversight by the users over the collection and processing of their data, and support in assessing the trustworthiness of peers and service providers. Towards these goals, we propose the Personal Information Dashboard (PID), a system that relies on usable automation tools and intuitive visualizations to empower end-users to effectively manage both their personal data and their self-presentations. With the PID, the user is able to monitor and visualize her social networking footprint across multiple OSN domains. To enable this, the PID aggregates personal data from multiple sources and links the user's multiple OSN profiles. Leveraging various inference and correlation models as well as machine learning techniques, the PID empowers users to assess and understand the level of privacy risk they are facing when sharing information on OSNs. Based on outputs of the underlying prediction and learning methods, the PID can suggest to the user corrective options aimed at reducing risks of unintended information disclosure. We present a prototype implementation demonstrating the feasibility of our proposal.
An Approach to Re-Representation in Relational Learning
Authors: Ontañón Santiago  , Plaza Enric
Published: February 2025

We present a new approach lo learn from relational data based on re-representation of the examples. This approach, called property-based re-representation is based on a new analysis of the structure of refinement graphs used in ILP and relational learning in general. This analysis allows the characterization of relational examples by a set of multi-relational patterns called properties. Using them, we perform a property-based re-representation of relational examples that facilitates the development of relational learning techniques.
“CDG Lab”: An Integrated Environment for Categorial Dependency Grammar and Dependency Treebank Development
Authors: Béchet Denis  , Dikovsky Alexander  , Lacroix Ophélie
Published: February 2025

We present “CDG Lab”, an integrated environment for development of dependency grammars and treebanks. It uses the Categorial Dependency Grammars (CDG) as a formal model of dependency grammars. CDG are very expressive. They generate unlimited dependency structures, are analyzed in polynomial time and are conservatively extendable by regular type expressions without loss of parsing efficiency. Due to these features, they are well adapted to definition of large scale grammars. CDG Lab supports the analysis of correctness of treebanks developed in parallel with evolving grammars.
Assessing Liability with Argumentation Maps: An Application in Aviation Law
Authors: Contissa Giuseppe  , Laukyte Migle  , Sartor Giovanni  , Schebesta Hanna
Published: February 2025

In this paper we present an application of argument maps for assessing liability in the field of Air Traffic Management (ATM), developed within the ALIAS (Addressing the Liability Impact of Automated Systems) project. Such maps are used for presenting legal concepts and norms to lawyers and non lawyers (engineers, software developers and other technical personnel), within the cooperative design and assessment of new technologies for ATM.
Automatic Segmentation of Liver From CT Images Using Probabilistic Atlas and Template Matching
Authors: Chen Yen-Wei  , Foruzan Amir H.  , Dong Chunhua  , Tateyama Tomoko  , Han Xianhua
Published: February 2025

A framework is proposed for automatic liver segmentation from CT volumes using probabilistic atlases and template matching techniques. Probabilistic atlases of human anatomy have been widely used for organ segmentation, which is used as a prior probability in a Bayes framework. The challenge is how to register the atlas to the patient volume. In this paper, we propose a template matching based technique for probabilistic atlas based organ segmentation. In our proposed method, we first find a Region of Interest (ROI) of the organ, which is based on human anatomic structure, and then the probabilistic atlas is used as a template to find the organ in the ROI by the use of template matching.
A New Study of Two Divergence Metrics for Change Detection in Data Streams
Authors: Qahtan Abdulhakim  , Wang Suojin  , Carroll Raymond  , Zhang Xiangliang
Published: February 2025

Streaming data are dynamic in nature with frequent changes. To detect such changes, most methods measure the difference between the data distributions in a current time window and a reference window. Divergence metrics and density estimation are required to measure the difference between the data distributions. Our study shows that the Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence, the most popular metric for comparing distributions, fails to detect certain changes due to its asymmetric property and its dependence on the variance of the data. We thus consider two metrics for detecting changes in univariate data streams: a symmetric KL-divergence and a divergence metric measuring the intersection area of two distributions. The experimental results show that these two metrics lead to more accurate results in change detection than baseline methods such as Change Finder and using conventional KL-divergence.
Dynamic Taxi Pricing
Authors: Zeng Cheng  , Oren Nir
Published: February 2025

Taxi journeys are usually priced according to the distance covered and time taken for the trip. Such a fixed cost strategy is simple to understand, but does not take into account the likelihood that a taxi can pick up additional passengers at the original passenger's destination. In this paper we investigate dynamic taxi pricing strategies. By using domain knowledge, such strategies discount trips to locations containing many potential passengers, and increase fares to those areas with few potential passengers. Identifying a closed form optimal dynamic pricing strategy is difficult, and by representing the domain as an MDP, we can identify an optimal strategy for specific domains. We empirically compare such dynamic pricing strategies with fixed cost strategies, and suggest future extensions to this work.
Embedding Heterogeneous Data by Preserving Multiple Kernels
Authors: Gönen Mehmet
Published: February 2025

Heterogeneous data may arise in many real-life applications under different scenarios. In this paper, we formulate a general framework to address the problem of modeling heterogeneous data. Our main contribution is a novel embedding method, called multiple kernel preserving embedding (MKPE), which projects heterogeneous data into a unified embedding space by preserving crossdomain interactions and within-domain similarities simultaneously. These interactions and similarities between data points are approximated with Gaussian kernels to transfer local neighborhood information to the projected subspace. We also extend our method for out-of-sample embedding using a parametric formulation in the projection step. The performance of MKPE is illustrated on two tasks: (i) modeling biological interaction networks and (ii) cross-domain information retrieval. Empirical results of these two tasks validate the predictive performance of our algorithm.
Bias reformulation for one-shot function induction
Authors: Lin Dianhuan  , Dechter Eyal  , Ellis Kevin  , Tenenbaum Joshua  , Muggleton Stephen
Published: February 2025

In recent years predicate invention has been underexplored as a bias reformulation mechanism within Inductive Logic Programming due to difficulties in formulating efficient search mechanisms. However, recent papers on a new approach called Meta-Interpretive Learning have demonstrated that both predicate invention and learning recursive predicates can be efficiently implemented for various fragments of definite clause logic using a form of abduction within a meta-interpreter. This paper explores the effect of bias reformulation produced by Meta-Interpretive Learning on a series of Program Induction tasks involving string transformations. These tasks have real-world applications in the use of spreadsheet technology. The existing implementation of program induction in Microsoft's FlashFill (part of Excel 2013) already has strong performance on this problem, and performs one-shot learning, in which a simple transformation program is generated from a single example instance and applied to the remainder of the column in a spreadsheet. However, no existing technique has been demonstrated to improve learning performance over a series of tasks in the way humans do. In this paper we show how a functional variant of the recently developed MetagolDsystem can be applied to this task. In experiments we study a regime of layered bias reformulation in which size-bounds of hypotheses are successively relaxed in each layer and learned programs re-use invented predicates from previous layers. Results indicate that this approach leads to consistent speed increases in learning, more compact definitions and consistently higher predictive accuracy over successive layers. Comparison to both FlashFill and human performance indicates that the new system, MetagolDF, has performance approaching the skill level of both an existing commercial system and that of humans on one-shot learning over the same tasks. The induced programs are relatively easily read and understood by a human programmer.
Literacy for Oncoming Centuries
Authors: Malyshkin Victor
Published: February 2025

The concept of active knowledge and the model of structural program synthesis are proposed for accumulation, keeping and processing of the active knowledge. On this basis the notion of literacy for the future, based on axiomatic theories, is defined.
Enthymeme Construction in Dialogues using Shared Knowledge
Authors: Hosseini Seyed Ali  , Modgil Sanjay  , Rodrigues Odinaldo
Published: February 2025

Enthymemes, arguments with incomplete structure, are a ubiquitous feature of human communication and argumentation. This paper proposes a way of representing enthymemes and arguments within the ASPIC+ framework, and how enthymemes are constructed based on estimates of shared knowledge. It then proposes a framework in which agents are capable of constructing a model of other agent's knowledge.
A Demonstration of the MARKOS License Analyser
Authors: Gordon Thomas F.
Published: February 2025

The MARKOS license analyser is an innovative application of the latest version of the Carneades argumentation system, for helping software developers to analyse open source license compatibility issues.
AIFdb Corpora
Authors: Lawrence John  , Reed Chris
Published: February 2025

This paper introduces AIFdb Corpora, an addition to AIFdb for collecting and presenting sets of AIF argument maps. AIFdb Corpora allows any user to create a corpus and share the contents.
Crowd-Sourcing Ontology Content and Curation: The Massive Ontology Interface
Authors: Sarjant Samuel  , Legg Catherine  , Stannett Matt  , Willcock Duncan
Published: February 2025

Crowd-sourcing is an increasingly popular approach to building large, complex public-interest projects. The ontology infrastructure that is required to scaffold the goals of the Semantic Web is such a project. We have been thinking hard about what ‘crowd-sourced ontology’ might look like, and are currently advancing on two fronts: user-supplied content and user-supplied curation. We achieve the former by mining 90% of the concepts and relations in our ontology from Wikipedia. However other research groups are also pursuing this strategy (e.g. DBpedia, YAGO). Our claim to be on the cutting edge is in our latter goal. We are building a web portal: The Massive Ontology Interface, for users to interact with our ontology in a clean, syntax-light format. The interface is designed to enable users to identify errors and add new concepts and assertions, and to discuss the knowledge in the open-ended way that fosters real collaboration in Wikipedia. We here present our system, discuss the design decisions that have shaped it and the motivation we offer users to interact with it.
Empirical Study on Unsupervised Feature Selection for Document Clustering
Authors: Mackutė-Varoneckienė Aušra  , Krilavičius Tomas
Published: February 2025

Unsupervised feature selection is very important in the document clustering process. This paper presents the empirical research on feature selection as well as clustering methods and feature representation suitability for Lithuanian and Russian document clustering.
Interdisciplinary Perspective on Social Media, Privacy and Empowerment: The Role of Media and Communication Studies in Technological Privacy Research
Authors: Pierson Jo
Published: February 2025

The article takes an interdisciplinary look at how digital technologies can have an impact on today's society. The field of Media and Communication Studies (MCS), in particular, can help in various ways towards better understanding the relationship between social media, privacy and empowerment. We discuss how MCS can enrich technological privacy research on these topics, in the way that it looks at new media as (technological) tools for mediation. The latter perspective incorporates three inextricable and mutually determining components: artefacts, practices and social arrangements. This threefold approach offers a particular value for better understanding privacy in technologically mediated communications, while avoiding the reductionist view of technological determinism. To illustrate our viewpoint we use the example of the role of algorithms in the social interaction between people. We conclude that a multifaceted perspective on media and communication between people changes and broadens the framing of online privacy and user empowerment. It also helps to delineate a realistic and multidimensional picture of users and their new media usage. In that way we are able to frame people's communication behaviour more holistically, taking fully into account their attitudes, beliefs, values and practices in digital systems.
Permeable reactive barriers for acid mine drainage treatment: a review
Authors: Shabalala Ayanda N.  , Ekolu Stephen O.  , Diop Souleymane
Published: February 2025

Contaminated water flowing from abandoned mines is one of the most significant contributors to water pollution. Acid mine drainage (AMD) can have severe impacts on aquatic resources, can stunt terrestrial plant growth and harm wetlands, contaminate groundwater, raise water treatment costs, and damage concrete and metal structures. Permeable reactive barriers (PRBs) are one of the passive treatment technologies widely accepted for sustainable in situ remediation of contaminated groundwater and may be used in the management of localised seepage plumes from mine residues that contaminate shallow groundwater. These barriers provide chemical interactions with AMD as the polluted water flows through it. The ability of PRBs to remediate contaminants is dependent on the type of reactive material used. Some of the reactive media remove contaminants through physical contact while others work by altering the biogeochemical processes in the treatment zone, thus providing conditions conducive for contaminant immobilization or (bio) degradation. A variety of materials has been employed to remove contaminants including heavy metals, chlorinated solvents, aromatic hydrocarbons, and pesticides. This paper gives an overview of the PRB technology, which includes the advantages and limitations of the PRB, the types of reactive materials used, laboratory treatability tests used to evaluate suitable reactive materials and to aid in the designing and the implementation of the PRB and the installations schemes used in PRB field application.
The use of waste materials for the production of an hydraulic mortar based on slacked lime
Authors: Megna Bartolomeo  , Ercoli Laura  , Rizzo Giovanni
Published: February 2025

This paper deals with the production of crushed brick mortars using waste materials from a brick factory. Part of the quarried material is unsuited to the production line, because of the high plasticity of the clay, it is discharged as waste, causing both additional costs and environmental issue. Experimental work has been performed to investigate if, instead of being disposed, the fat clay can be used as a reactive aggregate to produce hydraulic mortars based on slacked lime. In previous work [5] the clay was fired in a muffle furnace at three different temperatures and then ground to obtain powders with different particle size distributions, to investigate the influence of both processing temperature and specific surface area on the reactivity of the aggregates with respect to the slaked lime. Hardened samples of selected mortars underwent standard compression and wash out tests in order to evaluate their properties as compared to the properties of samples made of both a commercial hydraulic lime and a Portland cement. The results encourage the reuse of the fat clay to produce such environmental friendly hydraulic binders, as an interesting option with respect to the use of traditional hydraulic limes and cements.
Material selection and mix design of radiation shielding concrete
Authors: Ekolu Stephen  , Ramushu Mokgobi A.
Published: February 2025

Based on the compiled literature and the availability of materials that could be used, concrete was selected as the best shielding material. Further work was carried out to develop a specific mixture that would shield the radioactive energies. The important special concrete ingredients that were considered in the mix design were high density aggregates and boron-containing aggregates. Various high density concrete mixtures of w/c (water/cementitious ratio) = 0.42, 0.45, 0.5 and 0.6, were prepared and adjusted appropriately in order to obtain the desired mix characteristics.
Static and dynamic testing of RC-slabs with high strength concrete overlay
Authors: Randl Norbert  , Simon Csaba
Published: February 2025

In the frame of a research project funded by the Austrian Research Foundation (FFG) the load bearing behavior of RC members upgraded with high strength concrete (HSC) overlays was investigated. HSC overlays provide – due to its decreased capillary porosity – a more durable and compact top layer and a higher resistance against mechanical abrasion. First, slant shear specimens were tested in order to determine the bond properties between normal concrete and the HSC overlay. Structural bending tests with reinforced concrete slabs with various overlay types and surface roughness categories were subsequently carried out. Because of the strong adhesive bond between HSC overlay and substrate, failure of the interface was not observed while some single delamination occurred with the normal strength concrete (NSC) overlay. With respect to retrofitting of bridges, a series of 4 slabs has been tested under fatigue loading as well, the HSC overlay applied on a high pressure water jetted surface.
Non-invasive Detection of Sound Signals for Diagnosis of Ligament Injuries around Knee based on Mel-frequency Cepstrum
Authors: Chiang Ya-Tien  , Lu Chi-Heng  , Tuan Chiu-Ching  , Lee Tsair-Fwu  , Huang Yu-Chih  , Chen Mei-Chuan
Published: February 2025

We conducted a non-invasive method to detect ligament injuries of knee. The detection tool is an electronic stethoscope made by myself. We detect and record the sound around knee-joint to determine the possibility of ligament injury. The subjects' knee-joint sound was recorded during the passive motion of knee joint. In our study, we increase the sensing positions around the knee joint. Using the mean square method could make the sound signals of stricken ligament more distinct than normal sound signals. Adopting the MFCC as the characteristic value of sound, thus classify sound signals to judge whether the subject's ligament get hurt and the extent of damage. We conducted experiments and evaluated factors. The results suggested that the proposed KSLDM had accuracy about 89 % of ligament identification. In this study, the KSLDM showed good recognition performance under 46 subjects being detected with the knee sound signal.
The End-to-end Longest Path Problem on a Mesh with a Missing Vertex
Authors: Chang Ting-Wei  , Navrátil Ondřej  , Peng Sheng-Lung
Published: February 2025

The longest path problem is a generalization of the well known Hamiltonian path problem. It has been shown that the longest path problem is NP-complete. Many researchers try to solve it on some special classes of graphs. Another practical generalization is given two vertices and tries to find a longest path between these two vertices. It is called the end-to-end longest path problem. In this paper, we consider this general problem on a mesh. We generalize a previous work to solve the problem on meshes with one missing vertex in linear time. Further research opportunities and improvements are also suggested.
Modular Feedback Assistance Hybrid Evolution Algorithm Based on Cloud Environment for Job Shop Scheduling Problem Optimization
Authors: Jian Ming-Shen  , Jhou Yi-Chen  , You Ming-Sian
Published: February 2025

This paper develops cloud based software computing as a service (SCaaS) in hybrid evolution algorithm with feedback assistance to find the optimal solution of NP-complete problems such as job shop scheduling problems. In this paper, the different steps and types of the evolution algorithm can be established via individual thread procedures and various virtual machines in cloud. During the evolution steps, methods, or procedures of the genetic algorithm, the fitness evaluation result and survival ratio of different crossover methods in the current generation can be used for the feedback assistance method. The proposed feedback assistance method can be added into the evolution procedure and dynamically emphasize the corresponding methods or procedures with better performance in optimal solution searching. All the steps or methods in genetic algorithm are created similar to the MapReduce structure. Furthermore, via using the feedback assistance, the convergence time of the optimal solution can be enhanced.
Exploring the option of fatigue life improvement of aluminium AA2024 via dynamic precipitation in the under-aged state
Authors: Mahdavi Shahri M.  , Ruiz Ripoll M.L.  , Mavrikakis N.  , van der Zwaag S.  , Alderliesten R.C.  , Schut H.
Published: February 2025

The option of extending the fatigue life of precipitation hardenable aluminium AA2024 alloys under high cycle fatigue loading conditions by dynamic precipitation in under-aged material has been explored. The fatigue life enhancement should be due to formation of clusters or precipitates at deformation induced damage sites which is to retard crack initiation. To this aim the fatigue lifetime and microstructural changes due to fatigue loading of peak aged and under-aged aluminium AA 2024 samples, containing low and high solute levels respectively, have been studied.
Risk Assessment of Low Level Radioactive Waste in Near Surface Disposal Facilities
Authors: Sujitha S.  , Datta Sampurna  , Babu G.L. Sivakumar
Published: February 2025

In this paper, a radiological model for the risk assessment is developed for the near surface disposal facilities of Cesium, Strontium and Cobalt. In addition to the time-dependent annual release rate and dose rate of the radionuclides, the risk to the critical individual is also estimated. The results show that the highest value of annual dose rate is less than the dose limit to the critical individual. The highest value of dose rate appears at about 200years, and at this time, dominant radionuclides are Cs-137 and Sr-90. The risk obtained is much lower than the specified tolerable risk.
Soil Probabilistic Slope Stability Analysis in Comparison with Limit State Design Method According to Eurocode 7
Authors: Effati Daryani M.B.  , Bahadori H.  , Daryani K.E.
Published: February 2025

The paper contrasts results obtained by the partially factored limit state design method and a more advanced Random Finite Difference Method (RFDM) in a benchmark problem of slope stability analysis with random undrained shear strength parameter. Local Average Subdivision method was used to simulate a non-Gaussian random variable. The key difference between the methods is that RFDM takes into account spatial variability of soil allowing slope failure to occur naturally along the path of least resistance. The probabilistic method lead to predictions of the “probability of slope failure” as opposed to the more traditional “factor of safety” measure of slope safety in the limit state design method; however, they give significant different results depending on the level of the variability. Analyses conducted using Monte Carlo Simulation show that the same partial factor can have very different levels of risk depending on the degree of uncertainty of the mean value of the soil shear strength. Calibration studies show the partial factor necessary to achieve target probability values.
Geo Risk Management Results for a Public Client Organization
Authors: van Staveren Martin  , Litjens Paul  , Heerema Jan Jaap
Published: February 2025

Rijkswaterstaat is the executive agency of the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment, responsible for development and maintenance of the Dutch main road network, main waterway network and main water systems. Managing and realizing these networks, not only within time, budget, safety margins and quality standards, but also with a minimum of public inconvenience during construction, are key success factors. In this respect subsoil conditions imply great risks and therefore are of major importance. For these reasons Rijkswaterstaat initiated the Dutch Geo-Impuls program for reducing geotechnical failure. This joint industry programme aims to strengthen the geotechnical community by substantially reducing geotechnical failures in all types of construction projects. It started in 2009 and was completed in 2015. All of the more than 40 Geo-Impuls participants embraced Geotechnical Risk Management (GeoRM) as the preferred geotechnical working method. Parallel to, and in close cooperation with, the evolvements within the Geo-Impuls program, Rijkswaterstaat developed its own processes and practices, keeping Geotechnical Risk Management (GeoRM) and its associated GeoPrinciples in mind. Our paper for the ISGSR2013 addressed the implementation of GeoRM working methods in the organization. This paper aims to provide an overview of the unique set of GeoRM tooling that has been developed within RWS. These tools include an organization specific GeoRM guideline, which entirely fits the existing project management approach, the so-called Geo Project Sieve for quickly assessing and addressing the geotechnical risk profile of a new infrastructure projects. And furthermore an approach for risk-driven quality assurance and control after contract award, during design as well as construction of infrastructure projects. In addition to the descriptions of these tools, this paper gives specific attention to the results and benefits of the application of tool-supported GeoRM in a number of projects of RWS. It also addresses several activities that were carried out to implement GeoRM within the internal organisation. The results contribute for example to better cooperation between contract partners, in-time assessment and control of geotechnical risks, and therefore improved control of costs, time, and quality of services and civil works.
Eight Things Successful Geotechnical Riskmanagers Do
Authors: Smits E.P.T.
Published: February 2025

Looking back over a period of 10 years of underground works, geotechnical riskmanagement has matured and has definitively contributed to the succes of geotechnical projects in Rotterdam. But, what exactly was it that made geotechnical riskmanagement successful? Looking back, and analysing the proces, 8 habits of the (geotechnical) riskmanager can be distinguished which made the Rotterdam approach successful.
A Behavior Model for a Rockfill; An Application to Settlements calculations for “La Yesca” Dam
Authors: Zea Carmelino  , Rivera Rigoberto  , Guillén Jorge B.  , Marengo Humberto
Published: February 2025

The Juarez-Badillo's Principle of Natural Proportionality establishes a relationship between natural strain and deviator stress, however in this work that principle is applied in a slightly different way, since strain is associated with the secant modulus in such a way that, by solving the corresponding differential equation, it is possible to unify the two branches of pre-peak and post-peak stress-strain curves in a single equation which depends on three parameters; the initial tangent modulus, the deviator stress failure in post-peak branch and the third, called by the authors “ductility exponent,” which controls the “form” and allows the description of the “decay” of the post-peak stress-strain curve. The proposed model allows the fitting the experimental stress-strain curves and secant modulus against axial deformation of different rockfills that were employed in the construction of the rockfill dam named “La Yesca”. Taking into account the low strain level of experimental tests due to devices limitations, in all tested materials was adopted a value of ψ = 2. The model was applied to settlements calculations of “La Yesca” dam using a commercial finite element program with light modifications in order to accommodate the proposed behavior model, and thus obtaining good results.
Application of a generalized plasticity constitutive model to a saturated pyroclastic soil of Southern Italy
Authors: Cuomo S.  , Manzanal D.  , Moscariello M.  , Pastor M.  , Foresta V.
Published: February 2025

The paper explores the capability of the advanced Pastor-Zienkiewicz constitutive model to accurate simulate the deformability, the shear strength and the static liquefaction of an air-fall volcanic (pyroclastic) soil, which was involved in catastrophic landslides of the flow type. The calibration and validation of two distinct versions of the PZ constitutive model is done for both undisturbed (loose) and remoulded (dense) saturated specimens. Either drained or undrained triaxial tests are properly reproduced through the model. The potentialities deriving from the use of an advanced constitutive model are pointed out.
A critical state based constitutive model for the triaxial response of ballast incorporating particle breakage
Authors: Indraratna Buddhima  , Sun Qideng  , Nimbalkar Sanjay
Published: February 2025

In order to understand the effect of particle breakage on the mechanical behaviour of railway ballast, a series of monotonically loaded drained triaxial tests was conducted using the large-scale cylindrical triaxial apparatus. The critical state behaviour of the ballast was investigated. A non-linear critical state envelope is determined in the q-p' and v-lnp' planes. Mathematical expressions for critical state stress ratio and specific volume are proposed to incorporate the evolution of particle breakage during monotonic shearing. An elasto-plastic constitutive model based on the critical state soil mechanics framework is presented capturing the stress-strain behaviour and degradation of ballast. The constitutive model is able to predict the monotonic shear behaviour of ballast observed in the laboratory tests. The model is validated using experimental results available from past independent studies.