bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Review on Energy Efficient CMOS Digital Logic
Authors: Dokic B. L.
Published: November 2020

Autonomy of power supply used in portable devices directly depends on energy efficiency of digital logic. This means that digital systems, beside high processing power and very complex functionality, must also have very low power consumption. Power consumption depends on many factors: system architecture, technology, basic cells topology-speed, and accuracy of assigned tasks. In this paper, a review and comparison of CMOS topologies techniques and operating modes is given, as CMOS technology is expected to be the optimum choice in the near future. It is shown that there is a full analogy in the behavior of digital circuits in sub-threshold and strong inversion. Therefore, synthesis of digital circuits is the same for both strong and weak operating modes. Analysis of the influence of the technology, MOS transistor threshold voltage (Vt) and power supply voltage (Vdd) on digital circuit power consumption and speed for both operating modes is given. It is shown that optimal power consumption (minimum power consumption for given speed) depends on optimal choice of threshold, and power supply voltage. Multi Vdd /Vt techniques are analyzed as well. A review and analysis of alternative logical circuit's topologies – pass logic (PL), complementary pass logic (CPL), push-pull pass logic (PPL) and adiabatic logic – is also given. As shown, adiabatic logic is the optimum choice regarding energy efficiency.
The Effect of Confluence Angle on the Flow Pattern at a Rectangular Open-Channel
Authors: Rooniyan F.
Published: November 2020

Flow connection in channels is a phenomenon which frequently happens in rivers, water and drainage channels and urban sewage systems. The phenomenon appears to be more complex in rivers than in channels, especially at the y-junction bed joint that causes erosion and sedimentation at some areas resulting to morphological changes. Flow behavior at the channel junction area depends on variables such as channel geometry, discharge ratio, tributary width and y-junction connection angle of the channel, bed level changes at the bed joint, flow characteristic at the bed joint upstream and flow Froude number in different sections. In this research, fluent numerical model and junction angles of 30o, 45o & 60o are used to analyze and evaluate the effect of channel junction geometry on the flow pattern and the flow separation zone dimensions in different ratios of flow discharge (upstream channel discharge to total discharge of the flow). Results for two ratios of flow discharge are represented. Results are in agreement with earlier studies and it is shown that the change of the channel crossing angle affects the flow pattern in the main channel and also that the dimensions of the created separation zone in the main channel become larger when the crossing angle increases. This phenomenon can also be observed when the flow discharge ratio is lower. Analysis showed that the least dimension of the separation zone will be at the crossing angle of 45o .
Interaction of Rupture Zones of Adjacent Anchor Plates in an Analogical Medium
Authors: Abbad H. , Meghachou M. , Dekar C. , Daoud S. M.
Published: November 2020

In this paper, an experimental study which required the design and implementation of a model containing plastic granules powder to simulate a natural environment, is presented. The latter is subjected to the removal of "anchor plates." For each test, several digital photographs are taken to materialize different deformed configurations during the pullout process. These photos processed in couples by the 7D software (image correlation) giving the evolution of the displacement field and plane strain analogical environment. Particular attention is paid to the discussion of the interference of rupture zones of neighboring anchors by reducing the axis between plates.
Fatigue Life Prediction of Composite Under Two Block Loading
Authors: Bendouba M. , Aid A. , Benguediab M.
Published: November 2020

The damage evolution mechanism is one of the important focuses of fatigue behaviour investigation of composite materials and also the foundation to predict fatigue life of composite structures for engineering applications. This paper is dedicated to damage investigation of composite materials under two block loading cycle fatigue conditions. The loading sequence effect and the influence of the cycle ratio of the first stage on the cumulative fatigue life are studied. Two loading sequences, i.e., high-to-low and low-to-high cases are considered. The proposed damage indicator is connected cycle by cycle to the S-N curve and the experimental results are in agreement with model expectations. Previous experimental research is employed for validation.
The Mechanical Behavior of Bone Cement in THR in the Presence of Cavities
Authors: Benouis A. , Serier B. , Bachir Bouiadjra B.
Published: November 2020

In this work we analyze three-dimensionally using the finite element method, the level and the Von Mises stress equivalent distribution induced around a cavity and between two cavities located in the proximal and distal bone cement polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). The effects of the position around two main axes (vertical and horizontal) of the cavity with respect to these axes, of the cavity - cavity interdistance and of the type of loading (static) on the mechanical behavior of cement orthopedic are highlighted. We show that the breaking strain of the cement is largely taken when the cement in its proximal-lateral part contains cavities very close adjacent to each other. This work highlights not only the effect of the density of cavities, in our case simulated by cavity-cavity interdistance, but also the nature of the activity of the patient (patient standing corresponding to static efforts) on the mechanical behavior of cement.
Uniaxial Fatigue of HDPE-100 Pipe. Experimental Analysis
Authors: Djebli A. , Aid A. , Bendouba M. , Talha A. , Benseddiq N. , Benguediab M. , Zengah S.
Published: November 2020

In this paper, an experimental analysis for determining the fatigue strength of PE-100, one of the most used High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) materials for pipes, under cyclic axial loadings is presented. HDPE is a thermoplastic material used for piping systems, such as natural gas distribution systems, sewer systems and cold water systems, which provides a good alternative to metals such as cast iron or carbon steel. One of the causes for failures of HDPE pipes is fatigue which is the result of pipes being subjected to cyclic loading, such as internal pressure, weight loads or external loadings on buried pipes, which generate stress in different directions: circumferential, longitudinal and radial. HDPE pipes are fabricated using an extrusion process, which generates anisotropic properties. By testing in the Laboratory a series of identical specimens obtained directly from PE-100 HDPE pipes in longitudinal directions, the relationships between amplitude stress and number of cycles (S-N curve) test frequency 2 Hz and stress ratio R = 0.0 are established.
Geotechnical Properties of Rubber Tires and Sediments Mixtures
Authors: Sellaf H. , Trouzine H. , Hamhami M. , Asroun A.
Published: November 2020

An experimental work was undertaken to study the effect of rubber tires on the geotechnical properties of a dredged sediment, using a mixing ratio of large size. For comparison, two types of soil were studied (dredged sediment from Fergoug dam and Tizi Tuff from the north west of Algeria). Taking into account the high compressibility and the low water absorption of the rubber tires, grain size analysis, density, Atterberg limits analysis, chemical composition, direct shear tests, loading-unloading tests, modified Proctor and CBR tests are performed on the two soils and their mixtures with different scrap tire rubber (10, 20, 25 and 50%). The results show that liquid limits and plastic indexes decrease with the scrap tire rubber content and that the decrease is more significant for soil with high plasticity. Cohesion also decreases with scrap tire rubber content when the internal friction angle is vacillating. Compression and recompression indexes increase gradually with the scrap tire rubber content and the variation for compression index is more significant for the two soils. Compaction characteristics and CBR values decrease with scrap tire rubber content. The CBR values for W=3% are important compared to those with W=5% excepted for mixture with (75% tuff and 25% scrap tire rubber). The results show that the scrap tire rubber can be used as a reinforcement material for dredged soil, but with a content that should not highly affect the compressibility.
Properties of Waste Tire Rubber Powder
Authors: Bekhiti M. , Trouzine H. , Asroun A.
Published: November 2020

Scrap tires are abundant and alarming waste. The aggregates resulting from the crushing of the waste tires are more and more used in the field of civil engineering (geotechnical, hydraulic works, light concretes, asphaltic concretes, etc.). Depending on the type of the used tires, dimensions and possible separations and treatment, the physical and mechanical characteristics of these aggregates might change. Some physical, chemical and direct shear tests were performed on three gradation classes of waste tire rubber powder.  The tests results were combined with data from previous studies to generate empirical relationships between cohesion, friction angle and particle size of waste tire powder rubber. A cubic (third order) regression model seems to be more appropriate compared to linear and quadratic models.
A Review of Two Nanocomposite Insulating Materials Models: Lewis’ Contribution in the Development of the Models, their Differences, their Similarities and Future Challenges
Authors: Danikas M. , Bairaktari Α. , Sarathi R. , Basri Bin Abd Ghani A.
Published: November 2020

Nanocomposite polymers are nowadays a major field of research. This paper investigates the interpretational possibilities of two models developed, namely, Tsagaropoulos’ model and Tanaka’s model. Particular emphasis is given to Lewis’ model, which was the first one to be proposed and whose contribution to the aforementioned models was significant. The two models were developed separately and independently from each other. They both consider various layers around the nanoparticles. They both consider well bonded and more loosen layers. Similarities and differences between the two models are pointed out and discussed as well as possibilities for further research in order to shed light on some aspects of electrical phenomena in these materials. Particular emphasis is given to the interfaces between the nanoparticles and the surrounding base material. Comments are offered regarding the challenges facing the two models w.r.t. the interpretation of discharges on nanocomposite surfaces. Possible new areas of research are suggested and new challenges for the aforementioned models are pointed out.
Modelling The Effects of Aggregate Size on Alkali Aggregate Reaction Expansion
Authors: Sekrane N. Z. , Asroun A.
Published: November 2020

This work aims at developing models to predict the potential expansion of concrete containing alkali-reactive aggregates. The paper gives measurements in order to provide experimental data concerning the effect of particle size of an alkali-reactive siliceous limestone on mortar expansion. Results show that no expansion was measured on the mortars using small particles (0.5-1.0 mm) while the particles (1.0–2.0 mm) gave the largest expansions (0.217%). Two models are proposed, the first one studies the correlations between the measured expansions and the size of aggregates, the second one calculates the thickness of the porous zone necessary to take again all the volume of the gel created.
Microstructure and Wear Behavior of TiC Coating Deposited on Spheroidized Graphite Cast Iron Using Laser Surfacing
Authors: Mahmoud E. R. I. , El-Labban H. F.
Published: November 2020

Spheroidal graphite cast iron was laser cladded with TiC powder using a YAG fiber laser at powers of 700, 1000, 1500 and 2000 W. The powder was preplaced on the surface of the specimens with 0.5 mm thickness. Sound cladding and fusion zones were observed at 700, 1000 and 1500 W powers. However, at 2000 W, cracking was observed in the fusion zone.  At 700 W, a build-up zone consisted of fine TiC dendrites inside a matrix composed of martensite, cementite (Fe3C), and some blocks of retained austenite was observed. In this zone, all graphite nodules were totally melted. In the fusion zone, some undissolved and partially dissolved graphite nodules appeared in a matrix containing bainite, ferrite, martensite and retained austenite.  At 1500 W, the fusion zone had more iron carbides and ferrite, and the HAZ consisted of martensitic structure. At 2000 W, the build-up zone was consisted of TiC particles precipitated in a matrix of eutectic carbides, martensite plus an inter-lamellar retained austenite. The hardness of the cladded area was remarkably improved (1330 HV in case of 700 W: 5.5 times of the hardness of substrate).
Comparing the Thixotropic and Lightly Solidified Hardening Behavior of a Dredged Marine Clay
Authors: Chan C. M. , Yong H. Y.
Published: November 2020

When a soil is disturbed upon remolding, it may lose part or all of its strength. As time passes, the structural arrangement of the soil particles would be restored to a stable form and the soil would regain hardness under constant volume and water content. The process is known as “thixotropic hardening”. On another note, dredged marine soils of the fine-grained type can be reused as a backfill material instead of being disposed to the open sea. The rest period required for the relocated soil to regain strength and stiffness, i.e. thixotropic hardening, needs to be estimated precisely. For this purpose, a study on the phenomena of strength and stiffness gain by a dredged marine clay was carried out. The strength and stiffness improvement with time was measured using the vane shear and fall cone tests respectively. The clay was remolded at different water contents in multiples of the soil’s liquid limit (LL), namely 0.75LL, 1.00LL and 1.25LL, in order to evaluate the effect of initial water content on thixotropic hardening. A separate series of samples were prepared with light solidification using cement, to examine the possibilities of enhancing the soil’s improvement in a shorter rest period. The results showed the dredged marine clay can potentially be used as a backfill material for reclamation works, with lower initial water content and light solidification contributing to accelerated better performance
Constellation and Mapping Optimization of APSK Modulations used in DVB-S2
Authors: Jordanova L. , Laskov L. , Dobrev D.
Published: November 2020

This article represents the algorithms of APSK constellation and mapping optimization. The dependencies of the symbol error probability Ps on the parameters of the 16APSK and 32APSK constellations are examined and several options that satisfy the requirements to the minimum value of Ps  are selected. Mapping optimization is carried out for the selected APSK constellations. BER characteristics of the satellite DVB-S2 channels are represented when using optimized and standard 16APSK and 32APSK constellations and a comparative analysis of the results achieved is made.
Relevance and Applicability of Multi-objective Resource Constrained Project Scheduling Problem: Review Article
Authors: Odedairo B. O. , Oladokun V.
Published: November 2020

Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP) is a Non Polynomial (NP) - Hard optimization problem that considers how to assign activities to available resources in order to meet predefined objectives. The problem is usually characterized by precedence relationship between activities with limited capacity of renewable resources. In an environment where resources are limited, projects still have to be finished on time, within the approved budget and in accordance with the preset specifications. Inherently, these tend to make RCPSP, a multi-objective problem. However, it has been treated as a single objective problem with project makespan often recognized as the most relevant objective. As a result of not understanding the multi-objective dimension of some projects, where these objectives need to be simultaneously considered, distraction and conflict of interest have ultimately lead to abandoned or totally failed projects. The aim of this article is to holistically review the relevance and applicability of multi-objective performance dimension of RCPSP in an environment where optimal use of limited resources is important.
Image Sequence Denoising with Motion Estimation in Color Image Sequences
Authors: Sarode M. V. , Deshmukh P. R.
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we investigate the denoising of image sequences i.e. video, corrupted with Gaussian noise and Impulse noise. In relation to single image denoising techniques, denoising of sequences aims to utilize the temporal dimension. This approach gives faster algorithms and better output quality. This paper focuses on the removal of different types of noise introduced in image sequences while transferring through network systems and video acquisition. The approach introduced consists of motion estimation, motion compensation, and filtering of image sequences. Most of the estimation approaches proposed deal mainly with monochrome video. The most usual way to apply them in color image sequences is to process each color channel separately. In this paper, we also propose a simple, accompanying method to extract the moving objects. Our experimental results on synthetic and natural images verify our arguments. The proposed algorithm’s performance is experimentally compared with a previous method, demonstrating comparable results.
Effect of Treated Wastewater Irrigation on Heavy Metals Distribution in a Tunisian Soil
Authors: Khaskhoussy K. , Kahlaoui B. , Messoudi Nefzi B. , Jozdan O. , Dakheel A. , Hachicha M.
Published: November 2020

Treated wastewater (TWW) may contain toxic chemical constituents that pose negative environmental and health impacts. In this study, soil samples under treated wastewater irrigation were studied. For this purpose, six plots were made in an irrigated area in north of Tunisia and treated with two water qualities: fresh water (FW) and treated wastewater (TWW). Five soil depths were used: 0-30, 30-60, 60-90, 90-120 and 120-150 cm. The TWW irrigation increased significantly (P≤0.05) the soils’ EC, Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SAR, Cu, Cd and Ni and had no significant (P ≤0.05) effect on the soils’ pH, Zn, Co and Pb contents. EC, Na, Cl, SAR, Zn and Co increased significantly with soil depth. The results for K, Ca, Mg, Cd, Pb and Ni exhibited similar repartition in different layers of soil. It was also shown that the amount of different elements in soil irrigated with fresh water (FW) were less compared with the control soil.
Business Hypervisors for Real-time Applications
Authors: Perneel L. , Fayyad-Kazan H. , Peng L. , Guan F. , Timmerman M.
Published: November 2020

System virtualization is one of the hottest trends in information technology today. It is not just another nice to use technology but has become fundamental across the business world. It is successfully used with many business application classes where cloud computing is the most visual one. Recently, it started to be used for soft Real-Time (RT) applications such as IP telephony, media servers, audio and video streaming servers, automotive and communication systems in general. Running these applications on a traditional system (Hardware + Operating System) guarantee their Quality of Service (QoS); virtualizing them means inserting a new layer between the hardware and the (virtual) Operating System (OS), and thus adding extra overhead. Although these applications’ areas do not always demand hard time guarantees, they require the underlying virtualization layer supports low latency and provide adequate computational resources for completion within a reasonable or predictable timeframe. These aspects are intimately intertwined with the logic of the hypervisor scheduler. In this paper, a series of tests are conducted on three hypervisors (VMware ESXi, Hyper-V server and Xen) to provide a benchmark of the latencies added to the applications running on top of them. These tests are conducted for different scenarios (use cases) to take into consideration all the parameters and configurations of the hypervisors’ schedulers. Finally, this benchmark can be used as a reference for choosing the best hypervisor-application combination.
A Study of K- Factor Power Transformer Characteristics by Modeling Simulation
Authors: Gouda O. E. , Amer G. M. , Salem W. A. A.
Published: November 2020

Harmonic currents generated by nonlinear loads can cause overheating and premature failure in power transformers. K-factor transformers are specially designed to accommodate harmonic currents and offer protection against overheating caused by harmonics. They minimize harmonic current loss and have an additional thermal capacity of known limits. According to IEEE C57-110, the winding eddy current losses are considered proportional to the harmonic current squared times its harmonic number. K-factor is only an indicative value and the authors' main objective in this paper is to study the effect of harmonics on oil filled transformer and to simulate harmonic behavior using Matlab Simulink. A case study is simulated in order to investigate K-factor values with pumping loads, with and without the use of harmonic filters. Results are compared with measured values.
High-level Synthesis Integrated Verification
Authors: Dossis M.
Published: November 2020

It is widely known in the engineering community that more than 60% of the IC design project time is spent on verification. For the very complex contemporary chips, this may prove prohibitive for the IC to arrive at the correct time in the market and therefore, valuable sales share may be lost by the developing industry. This problem is deteriorated by the fact that most of conventional verification flows are highly repetitive and a great proportion of the project time is spent on last-moment simulations. In this paper we present an integrated approach to rapid, high-level verification, exploiting the advantages of a formal High-level Synthesis tool, developed by the author.  Verification in this work is supported at 3 levels: high-level program code, RTL simulation and rapid, generated C testbench execution. This paper is supported by strong experimental work with 3-4 popular design synthesis and verification that proves the principles of our methodology.
An Investigation on the Performance of Random PWM Controlled Converters
Authors: Jadeja R. , Ved A. , Chauhan S.
Published: November 2020

This paper provides an insight on various random pulse width modulation techniques and their effect on spreading the harmonic spectrum for various applications like drives, hybrid electric vehicles and renewable energy sources, for two level as well as three level inverter. Acoustic noise reduction, electromagnetic interference conducted and torque ripple are obvious advantages of random pulse width modulation (PWM). PWM converters with multilevel topology can meet with global quality standards for power supplies. The random PWM technique provides additional advantages. Among others, it may be implemented to achieve switching loss equalization in power switches for cascaded H-Bridge multilevel inverters. This paper provides in depth understanding for different random PWM techniques and their applications.
Penetration Evaluation of Explosively Formed Projectiles Through Air and Water Using Insensitive Munition: Simulative and Experimental Studies
Authors: Ahmed M. , Malik A. Q. , Rofi S. A. , Huang Z. X.
Published: November 2020

The process of formation, flying, penetration of explosively-formed projectiles (EFP) and the effect of water on performance of the charge for underwater applications is simulated by Ansysis Autodyn 2D-Hydro code. The main objective of an explosively formed projectile designed for underwater applications is to disintegrate the target at longer standoff distances. In this paper we have simulated the explosively formed projectile from OFHC-Copper liner for 1200 conical angle. The Affect of water on the penetration of EFP is determined by simulations from Ansysis Autodyn 2-D Hydrocode and by varying depth of water from 1CD-5CD. The depth of penetration against steel target is measured experimentally. Flash X-Ray Radiography (FXR) is used to capture EFP jet formation and its penetration against target is measured by depth of penetration experiments. Simulation results are compared with experimental results. The difference in simulated and experimental results for depth of penetration is about 7 mm, which lies within favorable range of error. The jet formation captured from FXR is quite clear and jet velocity determined from Flash X-ray radiography is the same as the ones obtained by using other high explosives. Therefore, it is indicated that Insensitive Munition (8701) can be utilized instead of Polymer Bonded Explosives (PBX) for air and underwater environments with great reliability and without any hazard.
Simulating the Various Subsystems of a Coal Mine
Authors: Okolnishnikov V. , Rudometov S. , Zhuravlev S.
Published: November 2020

A set of simulation models of various subsystems of a coal mine was developed with the help of a new visual interactive simulation system of technological processes. This paper contains a brief description of this simulation system and its possibilities. The main possibilities provided by the simulation system are: the quick construction of models from library elements, 3D representation, and the communication of models with actual control systems. These simulation models were developed for the simulation of various subsystems of a coal mine: underground conveyor network subsystems, pumping subsystems and coal face subsystems. These simulation models were developed with the goal to be used as a quality and reliability assurance tool for new process control systems in coal mining.
Variable Step Size Maximum Correntropy Criteria Based Adaptive Filtering Algorithm
Authors: Radhika S. , Sivabalan A.
Published: November 2020

Maximum correntropy criterion (MCC) based adaptive filters are found to be robust against impulsive interference. This paper proposes a novel MCC based adaptive filter with variable step size in order to obtain improved performance in terms of both convergence rate and steady state error with robustness against impulsive interference. The optimal variable step size is obtained by minimizing the Mean Square Deviation (MSD) error from one iteration to the other. Simulation results in the context of a highly impulsive system identification scenario show that the proposed algorithm has faster convergence and lesser steady state error than the conventional MCC based adaptive filters.
Improved Genetic and Simulating Annealing Algorithms to Solve the Traveling Salesman Problem Using Constraint Programming
Authors: Abdul-Niby M. , Alameen M. , Salhieh A. , Radhi A.
Published: November 2020

The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is an integer programming problem that falls into the category of NP-Hard problems. As the problem become larger, there is no guarantee that optimal tours will be found within reasonable computation time. Heuristics techniques, like genetic algorithm and simulating annealing, can solve TSP instances with different levels of accuracy. Choosing which algorithm to use in order to get a best solution is still considered as a hard choice. This paper suggests domain reduction as a tool to be combined with any meta-heuristic so that the obtained results will be almost the same. The hybrid approach of combining domain reduction with any meta-heuristic encountered the challenge of choosing an algorithm that matches the TSP instance in order to get the best results.
An Energy-efficient Data Transmission Scheme in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Emami Y. , Javidan R.
Published: November 2020

Energy is a precious resource in underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs). In these networks, the number of data transmissions between sensor nodes dominates energy consumption. Complex signal processing techniques also increase energy consumption. In this paper an energy-efficient data transmission scheme based on bloom filters is proposed. Extensive simulation is carried out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Simulation results indicate that the proposed scheme outperforms the primary technique in terms of energy efficiency, lifetime, load and loss rate. The results of this research suggest that exploiting bloom filters is a viable solution for reducing the number of transmissions in UWSNs.
Towards Verbalizing SPARQL Queries in Arabic
Authors: Al Agha I. , El-Radie O.
Published: November 2020

With the wide spread of Open Linked Data and Semantic Web technologies, a larger amount of data has been published on the Web in the RDF and OWL formats. This data can be queried using SPARQL, the Semantic Web Query Language. SPARQL cannot be understood by ordinary users and is not directly accessible to humans, and thus they will not be able to check whether the retrieved answers truly correspond to the intended information need. Driven by this challenge, natural language generation from SPARQL data has recently attracted a considerable attention. However, most existing solutions to verbalize SPARQL in natural language focused on English and Latin-based languages. Little effort has been made on the Arabic language which has different characteristics and morphology. This work aims to particularly help Arab users to perceive SPARQL queries on the Semantic Web by translating SPARQL to Arabic. It proposes an approach that gets a SPARQL query as an input and generates a query expressed in Arabic as an output. The translation process combines both morpho-syntactic analysis and language dependencies to generate a legible and understandable Arabic query. The approach was preliminary assessed with a sample query set, and results indicated that 75% of the queries were correctly translated into Arabic.
Behavioral Biometrics in Assisted Living: A Methodology for Emotion Recognition
Authors: Xefteris S. , Doulamis N. , Andronikou V. , Varvarigou T. , Cambourakis G.
Published: November 2020

Behavioral biometrics aim at providing algorithms for the automatic recognition of individual behavioral traits, stemming from a person’s actions, attitude, expressions and conduct. In the field of ambient assisted living, behavioral biometrics find an important niche. Individuals suffering from the early stages of neurodegenerative diseases (MCI, Alzheimer’s, dementia) need supervision in their daily activities. In this context, an unobtrusive system to monitor subjects and alert formal and informal carers providing information on both physical and emotional status is of great importance and positively affects multiple stakeholders. The primary aim of this paper is to describe a methodology for recognizing the emotional status of a subject using facial expressions and to identify its uses, in conjunction with pre-existing risk-assessment methodologies, for its integration into the context of a smart monitoring system for subjects suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. Paul Ekman’s research provided the background on the universality of facial expressions as indicators of underlying emotions. The methodology then makes use of computational geometry, image processing and graph theory algorithms for the detection of regions of interest and then a neural network is used for the final classification. Findings are coupled with previous published work for risk assessment and alert generation in the context of an ambient assisted living environment based on Service oriented architecture principles, aimed at remote web-based estimation of the cognitive and physical status of MCI and dementia patients.
Probabilistic Load Flow Considering Wind Generation Uncertainty
Authors: Aien M. , Ramezani R. , Mohsen Ghavami S.
Published: November 2020

Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and hydro, are increasingly incorporated into power grids, as a direct consequence of energy and environmental issues. These types of energies are variable and intermittent by nature and their exploitation introduces uncertainties into the power grid. Therefore, probabilistic analysis of the system performance is of significant interest. This paper describes a new approach to Probabilistic Load Flow (PLF) by modifying the Two Point Estimation Method (2PEM) to cover some drawbacks of other currently used methods. The proposed method is examined using two case studies, the IEEE 9-bus and the IEEE 57-bus test systems. In order to justify the effectiveness of the method, numerical comparison with Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method is presented. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method significantly reduces the computational burden while maintaining a high level of accuracy. Moreover, that the unsymmetrical 2PEM has a higher level of accuracy than the symmetrical 2PEM with equal computing burden, when the Probability Density Function (PDF) of uncertain variables is asymmetric.
Mass Balance Reconciliation for Bilinear Systems: A Case Study of a Raw Mill Separator in a Typical Moroccan Cement Plant
Authors: Fellaou S. , Bounahmidi T.
Published: November 2020

Stream flow rates and their several compositions are measured in a typical cement raw mill separator. In order to simultaneously reconcile flow and composition measurements in this circuit, the component mass balances was included as constraints which contain the products of flow rate and composition variables in the data reconciliation problem. In this paper, the effectiveness of simultaneous procedures for bilinear data reconciliation is established, the numerical problem constraints were coded in MATLAB and a mass balance model is built. Moreover, based on the difference between the measured and reconciled data it was found that it performs optimally.
A Comparison Among Different Parameters for the Design of a Photovoltaic/Thermal System Using Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Salami P. , Ajabshirchi Y. , Abdollahpoor S. , Behfar H.
Published: November 2020

The purpose of this paper is to compare several fins, duct height, and velocity magnitudes to acquire a PhotoVoltaic/Thermal system designed through Computational Fluid Dynamics. Simulation of different fins (rectangular, trapezoidal, curved, and pin) with different distances among fins is performed in Fluent software. The parameters such as duct height (4, 6, 8, and 10 centimeters) and velocity magnitudes (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 m/s) are also simulated. According to the results the highest cell temperature was 51°C at 0.5 m/s, while the best result was 33°C achieved with 4 cm duct height, rectangular fin and 3 m/s velocity magnitude. The findings suggest that the maximum cell temperature at the rate of 0.5 m/s is 51 °C, whereas temperature conducive to the best outputs is 33 °C. Differences among the cell temperatures through the various duct and the different fin types were significant at 1% level, also velocity magnitude would be cardinal at 1% level. A logarithmic regression model has been proposed to getting the cell temperature estimated by velocity magnitude.
Investigation of the Effect of Friction Stir Spot Welding of BH Galvanized Steel Plates on Process Parameters and Weld Mechanical Properties
Authors: Sheikhhasani H. , Sabet H. , Abasi M.
Published: November 2020

This study evaluates the effect of Friction Stir Spot Welding (FSSW) pin shape on overlapping galvanized BH plates. FSSW is done at 4, 6 and 9 seconds dwell time at two rotational speeds (1500 and 1800 rpm) by tools with 10 and 14 mm shoulder diameter. Microstructural properties (OM and SEM), Vickers micro hardness and tension are tested on the welded spots. By increasing shoulder diameter from 10 to 14 mm to joint two plates, microstructural grain size decreases by 23% in SZ and 15% in TMAZ. Maximum fracture increases as shoulder diameter increases to 32%.
A New Olympic Ring Shaped Antenna for UWB Applications
Authors: Saidaiah B. , Sudhakar A. , Padma Raju K.
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we propose a new Olympic Ring Shaped antenna for UWB applications. The proposed antenna is designed to operate from 3.1 to 10.6 GHz. It consists of a five circular ring shapes form an Olympic ring shape with a partial ground plane. A detail of proposed antenna simulation is done using CST software and measured results are presented and discussed.
SCTP-aware Link Layer Retransmission Mechanism for Smart-grid Communication Network
Authors: Zafar S. , Ejaz U.
Published: November 2020

The smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers and uses bidirectional communication to exchange real-time information between supply system and smart meters at the user end. With a combined communication infrastructure, smart grid manages the operation of all associated components to provide reliable and supportable electricity supply. The Neighborhood Area Network (NAN) of smart grid supports bi-directional data transfer between smart meters (installed at customer premises) and control center of the utility company through an aggregator. This communication suffers low throughput and excessive delays due to the Head of Line (HOL) blocking when the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is implemented for reliability. In this paper we propose SCTP-aware Link Layer Retransmission mechanism (SCTP-LLR) which augments the Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) with Link Layer Retransmissions at the aggregator. SCTP-LLR uses the multi-streaming feature offered by SCTP and implements link layer retransmissions at the aggregator to mitigate the effect of HOL blocking. We carried out simulations using Network Simulator and compared the performance of SCTP-LLR against TCP and SCTP. Our results show that SCTP-LLR outperforms both TCP and SCTP in terms of throughput and packet delays and is a promising protocol to be implemented in smart grid NAN for reliable and efficient communication.
A Five-Level Current-Source Inverter for Grid-Connected or High-Power Three-Phase Wound-Field Synchronous Motor Drives
Authors: Mohamadian S. , Khanzade M. H.
Published: November 2020

Simple converter structure, inherent short-circuit protection and regenerative capability are the most important advantages of current-source inverters (CSI’s) which have made them suitable for medium-voltage high-power drives. Usually in grid-connected gas turbine generators or pumped storage hydro power plants, efficient and reliable current-source load-commutated inverters (LCI’s) with thyristor switches are employed. Also, this type of CSI is widely used in very large drives with power ratings of tens of megawatts to supply wound-field synchronous motors (WFSM’s). However, LCI’s suffer from some disadvantages such as large torque pulsations, poor power factor, and start-up criticalities. In this paper, a novel multilevel-based CSI is proposed. The proposed converter consists of one LCI and one CSI bridge with self-turn-off switches along with a voltage clamping circuit. The CSI switches are forced commutated; hence, a voltage clamping circuit is employed to limit voltage spikes caused by current variations in inductive paths during commutation transients. Drastic reduction in harmonic distortion of stator current and improved fundamental power factor are achieved by the proposed topology. In addition, torque pulsations are reduced remarkably for normal and starting operating conditions. Comprehensive analysis of the proposed structure is presented and the design of converter components is elaborated.
Influence of γ-Irradiation on the Structural Properties of Indium Monoselenide Crystals
Authors: Al-Mufadi F. A. , El-Taher A. , Gamal G. A.
Published: November 2020

Indium monoselenide (InSe) which is a layered semiconductor whose energy gap is 1.24 eV has received attention because of its potential applications in optoelectronic devices. In the present work n-type InSe crystals were grown by a special modification of the vertical Bridgman technique. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns showed that all samples were single phased InSe. The crystals were irradiated with 100 - 500 KGy to reveal the influence of irradiation on the structural properties of the samples. Detailed structural analysis was done by Scherrerr’s procedures, x-ray peak broadening and Williamson–Hall plot methods to evaluate the crystalline sizes and lattice strain. Also from the relations between the irradiation dose and the deformation of the lattice parameters we could investigate and discuss the mutation of the dislocation density, grain size, microstrain and crystallinity of the grown crystals. Striking results are found due to irradiation in the present study for the first time.
Perspectives of Students’ Behavior Towards Mobile Learning (M-learning) in Egypt: an Extension of the UTAUT Model
Authors: Ali R. A. , Arshad M. R. M.
Published: November 2020

The rapid development of third-generation (3G) mobile technologies has led to the emergence of a new kind of learning called mobile learning (m-learning). M-learning means the use of mobile devices to access learning materials at anytime and anywhere with the aid of mobile terminals and networks. This paper explores the possibility of applying m-learning for schools in Egypt through a proposed model of acceptance factors that may affect the students’ intentions to adopt m-learning. We use the original model of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and extended it with three new factors mobility, interactivity, and enjoyment.
Design of the Administrative Building of Kuhsar City under a Sustainable Architecture Concept Approach
Authors: Mafakheri H. R. , Hejazi A. H. , Dashti M.
Published: November 2020

This study investigates a sustainable approach in the design of the administrative building of the municipality and Islamic council of Kuhsar city, Iran. The initial design is inspired by a flower bud and the various stages of the design are described using actual images, 2-D plans and 3-D models. An extra focus is given to sustainable elements. Overall the design aims to deliver an energy sufficient yet aesthetically pleasing building.
Application of Hybrid HS and Tabu Search Algorithm for Optimal Location of FACTS Devices to Reduce Power Losses in Power Systems
Authors: Masomi Zohrabad Z.
Published: November 2020

Power networks continue to grow following the annual growth of energy demand. As constructing new energy generation facilities bears a high cost, minimizing power grid losses becomes essential to permit low cost energy transmission in larger distances and additional areas. This study aims to model an optimization problem for an IEEE 30-bus power grid using a Tabu search algorithm based on an improved hybrid Harmony Search (HS) method to reduce overall grid losses. The proposed algorithm is applied to find the best location for the installation of a Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC). The results obtained from installation of the UPFC in the grid are presented by displaying outputs.
A Lyapunov Function for Vector Control Drives in Induction Machines
Authors: Sangrody R. , Shariatmadar S. M.
Published: November 2020

In this paper a useful Lyapunov function for vector control of induction machines is introduced. To do this, some beneficial theorems are reviewed and by applying these theorems and state equations to a vector control drive, its candidate Lyapunov function is achieved. Range of set points such as reference speed, reference flux linkage values and speed controller gain is obtained for such a drive and therefore these values can be set offline to avoid unstable behavior. The simulated and experimental results are given in the last section of the paper to show the efficacy of the given Lyapunov function.
Estimation of Length and Order of Polynomial-based Filter Implemented in the Form of Farrow Structure
Authors: Vukotic S. , Babic D.
Published: November 2020

Digital polynomial-based interpolation filters implemented using the Farrow structure are used in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) to calculate the signal between its discrete samples. The two basic design parameters for these filters are number of polynomial-segments defining the finite length of impulse response, and order of polynomials in each polynomial segment. The complexity of the implementation structure and the frequency domain performance depend on these two parameters. This contribution presents estimation formulae for length and polynomial order of polynomial-based filters for various types of requirements including attenuation in stopband, width of transitions band, deviation in passband, weighting in passband/stopband.
Clustering of Customers Based on Shopping Behavior and Employing Genetic Algorithms
Authors: Bafghi E. P.
Published: November 2020

Clustering of customers is a vital case in marketing and customer relationship management. In traditional marketing, a market seller is categorized based on general characteristics like clients’ statistical information and their lifestyle features. However, this method seems unable to cope with today’s challenges. In this paper, we present a method for the classification of customers based on variables such as shopping cases and financial information related to the customers’ interactions. One measure of similarity was defined as clustering and clustering quality function was further defined. Genetic algorithms been used to ensure the accuracy of clustering.
Modeling a PV-FC-Hydrogen Hybrid Power Generation System
Authors: Javadpoor S. , Nazarpour D.
Published: November 2020

Electrical grid expansion onto remote areas is often not cost-effective and/or technologically feasible. Thus, isolated electrical systems are preferred in such cases. This paper focuses on a hybrid photovoltaic (PV)-hydrogen/fuel cell (FC) system which basic components include a PV, a FC, alkaline water electrolysis and a hydrogen gas tank. To increase the response rate, supercapacitors or small batteries are usually employed in such systems. This study focuses on the dynamics of the system. In the suggested structure, the PV is used as the main source of power. The FC is connected to the load in parallel with the PV by a transducer in order to inject the differential power while reducing power generation in relation to power consumption. An electrolyzer is used to convert the surplus power to hydrogen. This study studies a conventional hybrid photovoltaic-hydrogen/fuel cell system to evaluate different loading behaviors. Software modeling is done for the suggested hybrid system using MATLAB/SIMULINK.