bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kinetic Study of Waste-derived Solid Hydroxy Sodalite Catalyst during Transesterification of Animal Fat Oil to Biodiesel in a Batch Reactor
Authors: Aniokete T.C. , Mbhele S. , Mdlalani V. , Ozonoh M. , Daramola M.O.
Published: December 2019

Kinetic studies of heterogeneous catalytic reactions form a crucial step necessary for the understanding of catalytic behaviour of a catalyst towards designing, controlling and optimizing a reactor. This study reports kinetics of waste animal fat oil (AFO) transesterification to biodiesel using waste-derived heterogeneous catalyst, hydroxy sodalite (HSOD) in a batch reactor. The catalyst was synthesized from coal fly ash and waste industrial brine via hydrothermal treatment. At a temperature range of 49 - 62 °C and a time range of 30 -120 minutes, the transesterification of animal fat oil to biodiesel was conducted at a fixed methanol/oil mass proportion 9:1, percent mass weight of catalyst 3 (based on the AFO) and stirring intensity of 300-500 rpm. Experimental findings reveal that reaction rate, which is first-order, was anticipated to increase with increasing temperature, resulted in an activation energy and a pre-exponential factor of 58554.65 J mol-1 and 2.83 min-1, respectively. The value of the activation energy suggests that the reaction is endothermic and a minimum energy of 58.55 kJ is required to achieve an effective collision at a frequency of 2.83 min-1. The highest biodiesel yield was 90 % at 62 °C and this corresponds to a highest AFO conversion of 93 % at a reaction time of 120 minutes.
Physical, chemical and mechanical properties of corn sheath as pulp and paper raw material
Authors: E Alagbe E. , Bassey E. S. , Daniel O. E. , Shongwe M. B. , Ojewumi M. E. , Igwe C. C.
Published: December 2019

Most papers are made from virgin wood-based pulp of hardwood sources but recently, softwood have received enormous attention as alternative to hard wood because the hardwood takes a significant number of years to mature enough for use in the pulp and paper industry unlike softwood which are majorly annual plants. The annual crop in focus in this work is the yellow open-pollinated variety of corn which generates tons of waste at harvest. A novel attempt is made to ascertain the viability of corn sheaths as raw material for the pulp and paper industry by carrying out a comprehensive analysis on the pulp and paper made from the pulp. The sheaths were dried, shred and cut into pieces suitable for the digester and the pulps obtained were analysed for physico-chemical properties. Hand sheets were also made using the generated pulp and its physico-mechanical properties were analysed. Results obtained were compared with pulp from corn husks from other parts of the country, three Nigerian fibre sources – silk cotton, bagasse and rice straw and other foreign non-wood sources and found to be of competitive properties. Pulp properties of Lignin content, ash content, cellulose, hot and cold water solubility of the fibres were 13.72 ± 1.21%, 1.27 ± 0.23%, 53.26 ± 1.11%, 15.20 ± 2.11 and 6.14 ± 2.43 respectively while the mechanical properties of paper from the pulp were Bursting strength (282.163 KPa m2/g), Tear strength (146.119), Tensile strength (257.6N/m) and Tensile Index (3.9Nm/g). It was found that in all properties, the corn sheath was better than the rice straw fibers but not as good as the silk cotton and bagasse fibers. However, the corn sheath has been identified, as a viable raw material for the pulp and paper industry in Nigeria.
Fantasy theme analysis: rhetorical visions of political corruption in nigerian newspapers
Authors: Afolayan Tayo-Adigboluja , Nelson Okorie , Opeyemi Oredola , Peter Ada
Published: December 2019

This research lays emphasis on predominant corruption stories in popular Nigerian newspapers, by means of fantasy-theme analysis in reviewing issues that concern corruption within the Nigerian political sphere. Particularly, this analysis compares stories about Nigerian politicians who have been reported at various points in time by Nigerian newspapers as corrupt individuals, who in one way or the other were found guilty of syphoning funds and falsifying relevant information. Through a thorough examination of fantasy themes roles on these accounts and recognizing which parts of reality are significant, we conceive what the messages are able to achieve with regards to the creation of rhetorical visions within contexts of symbolic convergence theory. In this study, fantasy themes analysed disclose meanings regarding morality, personal decisions, and class privilege. This study also highlights how stories on corruption cases by political leaders could help in the establishment of proper, honourable societies that punish or reprimand certain corrupt behaviours via normative impact on audiences. Fundamentally, rhetorical visions derived in this paper suggest that decision to be corrupt or not, as a politician lies with the politician himself.
Experimental Comparison of Video Streaming Platforms and Devices with Objective Quality of Experience Metrics Towards Reliable Multimedia Applications in Education
Authors: Adetiba Emmanuel , Akanle Matthew B. , Babalola Daniel T. , Akande Victor , Sheidu Peter , Ariyo Bolaji , Thakur Surendra , Raymond Kala Jules
Published: December 2019

This paper presents the result of experimental comparison of the video quality of streamed videos using streaming devices and streaming platforms. The objective metrics considered for the comparison of these media are the Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), Structural Similarity (SSIM), Visual Information Fidelity (VIF), Information Fidelity Criterion (IFC), and Visual Signal-to-Noise Ratio (VSNR). To determine the better platform for effective multimedia applications especially for educational purposes, videos were obtained and streamed via Data video, YouTube and Facebook. In the first two scenarios, Data video at two different settings were engaged at the encoding end and PotPlayer was used for decoding and recording of the transmitted videos. In the third and fourth scenarios, Videos were streamed via YouTube and Facebook. The aforementioned objective metrics were implemented in MATLAB R2017b for the experimental analyses and our results showed that YouTube produced streamed videos of the best quality with PNSR of 37.98, SIMM of 0.98 and VSNR of 33.12.
The Influence of Meteorological Features on the Performance Characteristics of Solar Photovoltaic Storage System
Authors: Gbenga Afolabi , Hope Orovwode , Ademola Abdulkareem , Anthony Adoghe , Simeon Matthew
Published: December 2019

Over the years, there has been increasing interest in exploitation of renewable energy source (RES) as a result of fast depletion of fossil fuel based conventional power generation with attendant negative environmental impact. However, renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass etc are not always available because of their fluctuating nature. In view of this, it has become imperative to have an efficient energy storage system (ESS) for sustained energy availability. Batteries storage often suffers early failure due to irregular charge and discharge cycle which could eventually shorten its life span. Therefore, this research focuses on investigation of the influence of meteorological parameters on battery storage in solar PV system as well as evaluating the influence of these factors on the performance characteristics of solar PV storage system. The work examines particularly the effect of varying solar temperature and irradiance on the system output charging current and overall efficiency. A modified mathematical model of a solar PV was developed to show the relationship between meteorological parameters (irradiance and temperature), and PV output short circuit current. Analysis of meteorological data obtained for determination of state of charge (SOC) of battery storage based on the six geographical areas in Nigeria revealed that, in Bornu state (North-east) the battery attained 100% (hundred percent) state of charge in1Hr (one hour), while in Plateau state (north-central), the battery attained 60% (sixty percent) state of charge in 8hrs (eight hours), being the least in terms of charging rate. In Kaduna (North-west) region, the battery attained 88% state of charge in one hour and 96% SOC after duration of eight hours. This is quite different from Lagos (Southwest), where the battery SOC in one hour was 38% and 78% SOC in eight hours. This phenomenon therefore, revealed that solar PV system implementation should be site specific and it also account for the life span of the storage and the system efficiency.
Thermal Modelling for A Pilot Scale Pyrolytic Furnace for Production of Carbon Black
Authors: Ishola Felix A. , Inegbenebor Anthony O. , Oyawale Festus A.
Published: December 2019

Carbon black (CB) is a very important material useful for various modern applications. There are a lot of attention currently on the extraction of a form of CB obtainable from waste tyres which is usually referred to as pyrolytic Carbon black (CBp). The authors investigated the pyrolysis process of a pyrolytic furnace built for the production of CBp using the thermal numerical principles to standardise the application. SolidWorks@ Flow Simulation software was used to replicate the process by supplying the initial conditions, the boundary conditions and the operating conditions guided by the numerical analysis. The simulated behaviour of the furnace was validated by the real-life experiments performed to produce CBp from the waste tyre.
Effect of punch force on the upsetting deformation process using three-dimensional finite element analysis
Authors: Mwema F.M. , Obiko J.O. , Akinlabi E.T , Akinlabi S.A. , Fatoba O.S.
Published: December 2019

Forging is one of the conventional shaping technologies that is widely used for the manufacture of quality products for various industrial applications. The process involves the mechanical application of a punching force to deform a material to the desired shape and improved properties. In most cases, the manufacture of quality products depends on the experience of the designer and trial and error method thus making the process wasteful and costly. The present study reports on the application of finite element method (FEM) for the analysis of the effect of punch force on the stress/strain distribution during the deformation process as a step towards the reduction of trial and error methods in practice. The results show that increase in the punch force leads to inhomogeneity in the strain/stress distribution due to change in the deformation temperature resulting from the internal heat generated during plastic deformation stage and the frictional force at the punch-workpiece interface. It is also observed that the maximum effective strain occurs at the center of the deformed sample and the maximum effective stress occurs at the low effective strain regions. Moreover, the friction parameter increases as the punch force increases.
Intelligent Shunt Fault Classifier for Nigeria 33-kV Power Lines
Authors: Awelewa A. A. , Mbamaluikem P. O. , Aderemi O. S.
Published: December 2019

This paper presents a new approach to using artificial neural networks (ANNs) in improving the protection of transmission lines. The proposed method uses instantaneous values of voltages and currents during normal and fault conditions on a transmission line as inputs to four different neural network structures. The structures are then aptly combined to yield a system that can detect and classify shunt faults with improved efficiency. The details of the design procedure as well as various simulations carried out are provided in the paper. The performance of the developed system is evaluated using two performance indices, viz., accuracy and mean square error (MSE), and the results show that this approach is capable of detecting and classifying all possible shunt faults on the 33-kV Nigeria power lines in less than 1ms with high level of accuracy.
Two-Body Spinless-Salpeter equation of unequal masses interacting with Coulomb-Hulthẻ n potential
Authors: Onate C.A. , Obaseki O.S. , Onyeaju M.C. , Ikot A.N. , Ebomwonyi O. , Oladejo N.K.
Published: December 2019

We obtained the analytical solutions of the two-body Salpeter equation via the methodology of supersymmetric quantum mechanics under a combination of Coulomb and Hulthén potentials for unequal masses. We clearly examined the energy eigenvalues for the ground state and excited states. The behaviour of energy with the sum of the masses and the screening parameter respectively, were also studied. The results showed that two bodies of unequal masses interacting within the system exhibit the same features.
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Towards the Selection of a Perfect Location for Establishing Crude Oil Refinery in Niger Delta Nigeria
Authors: Okokpujie I.P. , Okonkwo U. C. , Akinlabi E.T. , Okokpujie K. , Atayero A. A.
Published: December 2019

Crude oil refinery is a significant manufacturing company in Nigeria, which when properly build in a good location, it will help to stable the economic instability in the country. As the end product of the crude oil process is used for different purposes such as, transportation, cooking, electricity generation and for industrial application, which will help to improve the daily living of the Nigerians. This work presents a multi-criteria analysis method for suitable selection of the refinery location in Niger Delta, Nigeria. The suggested location principle takes into consideration the technical aspect of the Environment. The four interest considered in this work are economy factor, nearness to other felicities, environment impact and traffic impact. These interest were examined for three locations alternative such as Delta state, Bayelsa state and Akwa-ibom state using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to assign weight through pair-wise comparison and Multi-criteria decision-making tool to make a suitable selection. The analytical results show that Akwa-ibom state has the highest aggregative value of the rated score of 539, Delta state of 482 and Bayelsa state of 438. The result derived from this study as proven that AHP method for selection decision making is reasonable and obtainable for refinery selection location.
Empirical Modelling of a Prototype Resistance Spot Welding Machine
Authors: Ozoegwu C. G. , Oti C. N. , Okokpujie I. P. , Akinlabi E. T.
Published: December 2019

Resistance spot welding (RSW) has been extensively used in the automotive and aerospace industries over the years. The weld quality of spot welds is affected by the welding parameters like electrode force, weld time, electrode current and workpiece size/shape parameters like workpiece thickness. This study focuses on the effect of electrode force, weld time and workpiece thickness on the weld quality of mild steel samples where the aim is to correlate the weld strength to welding parameters of a portable RSW machine installed at the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) laboratory of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Lap shear weld samples are tested for strength, and the results are used to develop an empirical model. The developed model has a coefficient of determination of 0.6365 and a correlation coefficient of 0.7978. Hypothesis testing at 5% significance level discovered that the most significant predictor is the cross interaction of the workpiece thickness and electrode force with p-value of 0.02367 and that the model is significant with a p-value = 0.0453. The model is validated by further welding operations and tensile shear tests which gave a percentage error not exceeding 12.92% but was as low as 6.35%.
Vision Algorithms for Sensing Soft Robots
Authors: Oguntosin Victoria , Akindele Ayoola , Alashiri Olaitan
Published: December 2019

The aim of this paper is the presentation and verification of computer vision algorithms in order to measure the geometric parameters of soft robots. The materials from which soft robots are made from possess large deformations. Embedded sensors or visual processing algorithms are often used to obtain measurement performance data from these robots. Integration of embedded sensors with soft robots can be cumbersome and expensive, also limiting the performance of a soft actuator. In this paper, implemented visual processing algorithms (thresholding, SAD, SSD and ZNCC) to measure performance data such as angle of motion, degree of bending, radius of curvature in real-time implemented with OpenCV libraries and Webcam is described. Soft RGB colour markers were also produced and firmly glued into the body of the soft robot with no hindrance to movement. Some concepts of visual processing applied include colour tracking, template matching and camera calibration. The execution of vision based motion control to a variety of soft actuators such as bending and wedge-shaped soft actuators was described.
A Proposed Mobile Voting Framework Utilizing Blockchain Technology and Multi-Factor Authentication
Authors: Abayomi-Zannu T. P. , Odun-Ayo I. A. , Barka T. F.
Published: December 2019

Voting is fundamental to any consensus-based society and is one of the most critical functions of democracy. Mobile voting (m-voting) was utilized as a means for voters to easily and conveniently cast their votes using their mobile devices which have been the most adopted means of communication but has a major problem which is safely securing the casted votes and avoiding any form of tampering. In this paper, we propose an m-voting framework that utilizes blockchain technology to securely store the casted votes and multi-factor authentication to authenticate the voters before they cast their votes while also providing an easily accessible, secure and transparent m-voting system.
Climate change and business activities: a case of cassava farmers in Ogun state, Nigeria.
Authors: Iboro Paul Udoh , Saidi Adelekan Adedeji , Uchenna Eze Benneth , Dorcas Kolo Sunday
Published: December 2019

Climate change is an observable variation in the climate systems that are attributable to human (anthropogenic) activities and natural process (biogeographical), which alters the atmospheric composition of the earth and ultimately leads to global warming. The relationship between climate change (measured by increasing temperature trend and decreasing rainfall trend) and the business activities of cassava farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria appears not to have been fully examined; this study examines the relationship between climate change and the business activities of Cassava farmers in Ogun State.

This study employs survey research design, through the administration of structured questionnaire to cassava farmers in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State. The research instrument (questionnaire) was validated using content validity index, through the assessment of five academics staff (in the departments of business administration and agriculture) at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye and Ibogun Campus, Ogun state, while the reliability of the instrument was tested through test-retest method by conducting a pilot study. The instrument was administered twice within an interval of two weeks and the outcome of the first pilot study was correlated with that of the second and a Cronbach alpha of 0.79 was obtained, which indicated that the instrument is reliable. The regression model was tested using categorical regression with the aid of STATA version 14.

The findings revealed that climate change is negatively related to the business activities of cassava farmers in Ogun State with coefficient and probability value of: increasing temperature trend (-0.54, p-value<0.05) and decreasing rainfall trend (-0.72, p-value<0.05). It can therefore be concluded that increasing temperature trend and decreasing rainfall trend, have an inverse relationship with the business activities of cassava farmers in Ogun State, Nigeria. It is recommended that the government should come up with eco-friendly policies as well as liaising with other nations to combat global warming as well as creating irrigational facilities to augment decreasing rainfall, cassava farmers should maximize the use of the raining season as well as creating small irrigational facilities.
Innovative Approach for the Management of Faecal Sludge Accumulated in Ventilated Improved Pit Latrine: A Case Study of eThekwini Municipality in Durban South Africa
Authors: Bakare B.F.
Published: December 2019

The provision of sustainable sanitation service to all South Africans has become one of the government national priorities. This is because the government recognizes that all citizens of the country has the right to basic sanitation that is affordable, appropriate, socially acceptable and sustainable in the long run. Ventilated Improved Pit latrines (VIP) has been considered to be the minimum acceptable level of sanitation service. However, the provision of appropriate sanitation service in the form of VIP latrines to all goes beyond building the toilets, plans should be put in place by municipalities are for adequate operation and maintenance of the toilets before and when the toilets reaches their capacity. Major challenges faced by many of this municipalities which is also common in many developing countries is that, this on-site sanitation systems eventually becomes full to their capacity and if there is no long-term maintenance plan in place, this system becomes unusable and eventually leaves the household without an effective basic sanitation system again. This paper present innovative approaches that have been considered for the operation and maintenance of Ventilated Improved Pit latrine in and around eThekwini Municipality in Durban, South Africa.
Water contamination: Burden and stratagems for control.
Authors: Igibah E.C. , Agashua L. O. , Sadiq A. A.
Published: December 2019

It is tough to explain the exact degree of the significance of water to man in his strenuous climb up of the civilization ladder. It is certain, conversely, that without water there would be no life of any form in the world and that, without water readily accessible in ample quantity and free of pathogenic creatures, man’s advancement is enormously hindered. Though with no actual counting possibility, billions of man-days of labour are indubitably lost yearly because of sickness and death from water-borne diseases. Ill-advisedly, the regions which can least afford this economic damage are the dwellings where such illness and death are most proliferating. The obligation for decreasing this terrific waste falls on governments and, precisely, on health managements. It is the aim of this critique to assist the government executives who must meet this task among the health medicals officers, public health administrators and civil or sanitary engineers who engaged in public health, and sanitarians.
Impact of controlling wastes and sustainable improvement in Bwari – Abuja, Nigeria.
Authors: Igibah E.C. , Agashua L. O. , Sadiq A. A.
Published: December 2019

The paper analysis waste management and sustainable improvement in Nigeria with specific reference to Bwari, F.C.T, Abuja. The area was divided into three regions namely: District A (south region), District B (west region) and District C (central region). Survey research stratagem was implemented with questionnaire as main tools applied for data gathering which were distributed to twenty-five families carefully picked randomly making total of 75 families that were studied. The main cause of waste management problem are illiteracy and income level, likewise city waste categorization for the Bwari - Abuja reveals paper, food leftovers and water sachets as the highest waste generated, but for transfer purposes, FLEXIBLE bag are regularly utilized to dispose waste since bags are stress-free in disposing and low-priced. The waste storing frequency is between 12 – 24 hours whereas waste throwing frequency follows frequently once and bi-weekly gatherings. Some respondents have open dumps within their vicinity where waste is stock before thrown away. However, there is great recycling event for metal and bottles since they are recycled at home and 15 % sell. Joint solid waste management practice in Bwari - Abuja are storing and highway or canal waste disposal whereas recycling and waste reduction which are waste minimization implements in the trio pyramid system which is the strength of most waste administration systems is faintly practiced.
Proportional studies of liquefied samples- Sewage, Hygienic and treated sewage water – case study of Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Authors: Igibah E.C. , Agashua L. O. , Sadiq A. A.
Published: December 2019

This study is on comparative study of three liquefied (sewage, hygienic and treated sewage water) Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria. Actuated sludge system was utilized as an example of the biological treatment technique, whereas wastewater from the estate septic cistern, actuated sludge treatment plant treated water from the ejection was acquired and physicochemical features of the mixing liquefied samples was carried out in the laboratory so as to ascertain the amount of Ammonia (NH3), calcium oxygen demand (COD), Sulphate (SO4), Biological Oxygen demand (BOD), Chlorine (Cl), Total dissolved solid (TDS), temperature(T°C), Salinity and PH of the sewage, hygienic and the treated sewage water. Domestic wastewater treatment plant of five hundred cubic meters per day per capacity (500m3/day/cap) has efficient treatment proficiency and every parameter treated is within FME standard. This study will display the significance, viability of recovery and reprocess of organic waste in region with no comprehensive application besides, decreasing environmental impact, reused sewage effluent for drinking, cooking and agricultural purposes.
Sustainability in Production and Selection of Reinforcement particles in Aluminium Alloy Metal Matrix Composites: A Review
Authors: Henry Ononiwu Ndudim , Akinlabi Esther T. , Ozoegwu Chigbogu G.
Published: December 2019

This paper reviews relevant literature in the area of incorporating sustainable materials into the material selection process of metal matrix composites (MMCs) production. Agricultural and industrial waste materials used as reinforcements in MMCs have been reviewed to highlight the need for establishing a lean production process. The reviewed investigations have recorded improvements in both the microstructure, density and mechanical properties such as hardness, strength, tensile, and impact strength of the resulting MMC. The reviewed literature highlights stir casting as the most used method of producing aluminium and magnesium-based matrix composites due to its relatively low cost, simplicity, and efficiency. Based on the results of various studies, it is highly recommended that the use of these sustainable materials as reinforcements in MMCs possess the necessary properties to be used in engineering industrial applications.
Surface Energetics Effects on Mechanical Strength of Fibre Reinforced Polymer Matrix
Authors: Sinebe J.E. , Chukwuneke J. L. , Omenyi S. N.
Published: December 2019

Surface energetics effects on the mechanical strength of fibre reinforced polymer matrix been studied employed the manual scraper mechanism in extracting fibre from plantain pseudo-stem and was treated with nine different treatments. Cylindrical shape mould was prepared for mechanical test samples with continuous and unidirectional aligned fibres. Two probe liquids; water and glycerol were used in contact angle measurement for all the treated and untreated samples. The contact angle data was used for the interfacial energetics computations using Neumann and Fowkes models and the mathematical analysis were carried out using Matlab software tools. van der Waals notion of particle-particle interaction was employed to explain the physiochemical properties such as the surface interfacial energies. The average value for the interfacial free energy of adhesion for fibre-water and fibre-glycerol are -10mJ/m2 and -16MJ/m2 respectively signifying attractive van der Waal forces. The tensile test results unveil that the average value for treated fibres is greater than the average value of 171.29N/mm2 for untreated fibre except for potassium permanganate and phosphoric acid. These results reveal that an increase in tensile strength leads to an increase in the interfacial surface energy of adhesion. The treated fibres show a significant increase in interfacial surface energy and change in free energy of adhesion which suggests a better bonding mechanism of interaction between the fibre and matrix except for phosphoric acid which reveals otherwise, it may be as a result of the chemical chopped off the fibre during the treatment. The average strain rate of about 0.003 per seconds, 0.002 per seconds and 0.005 per seconds were deduced from the treated Mercerization, Acetone and MEKP respectively which reveals the lower strain rate as compared to the untreated fibre of 0.008 per seconds. The negative strain rate for the potassium permanganate and phosphoric acid was found to be -0.002 and -0.001 respectively reveals that the treatments will debond faster than other treated fibres..
Non-Linear Finite Element Approach to Aerodynamic Effects on Horizontal Taut Cable
Authors: Nwabanne J. O , Chukwuneke J. L , Omenyi S. N
Published: December 2019

A horizontal taut cable which has application in a typical power transmission line was subjected to structural nonlinear static analysis. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) approach was employed in this study to ascertain the magnitude of tension on each node on the cable occasioned by induced aerodynamics forces. ANSYS 14.0 software helped in determining the behaviour of the system on the basis of finite element displacement method. Comparison was made between the two FEA cases with respect to the effectiveness of the analytical model which describes the response in form of a couple of degrees of freedom (DOF) while reflecting the complex features of the dynamics of the cable in reaction to the induced aerodynamic effect. In order to avert excessive displacement in the computations, it was necessary to incorporate the convergence procedure in the process. The optimum deflection of the parabolic response obtained from the analytical Finite Element Method (FEM) results in the absence of aerodynamic external effect was at the nodes 12 and 13 corresponding to cable weight of 1.002936N and cable tension of 189396.97kg/km. The cable also showed a maximum displacement of 4483.75mm for the X, Y and Z components at nodal point 2 while the minimum displacement value was 4218.75mm. The obtained result for this study revealed a complex modal behaviour as is quite expected.
A processual model for the conceptualization of reliability concerns and it’s validation among design stakeholders for sustainability
Authors: Aikhuele Daniel O. , Ozuor Onyisi , Sunday Isaac Fayomi Ojo
Published: December 2019

The discourse addresses the different ways reliability information is communicated and shared to achieve sustainability at the early stage of product development, by conceptualizing the reliability communications process using a processual model. The model which is based on a mechanistic and a systemic view is used for analyzing the reliability information and concerns shared and communicated between and among design stakeholders. To prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to the reliability information during the product design stage, an information filtering system is included in the model. The conceptualized processual model is a piece of a more extensive undertaking that aims at assessing the sustainability of the different communication scheme among designers and product reliability teams located at different geographical sites provide a platform for rethinking the product reliability concerns and sharing. The model has been validated using an expert-opinion based method.
Development of a Statistical Model for the Effects of Air Blast Pressure, Melting Time and Fuel Consumed on Iron Melting Rate of an Erythrophleum Suave lens Charcoal-Fired Cupola Furnace
Authors: Olorunnishola A. A. G , Anjorin S. A
Published: December 2019

This work was designed to investigate the effects of air blast pressure, melting time and fuel consumed on iron melting rate of an erythrophleum suaveolens charcoal-fired cupola furnace. A regression model was formulated and the model validation established the existence of statistically significant relationships between the control variables and iron melting rate. By using the experimental data, R2
value of 99.8 % was obtained, thus confirming that the model is fit since 99.8 % of the variation in melting rate could be explained by the control variables. The coefficients b0ec, b1ec, b2ec and b3ec are -434.656, 423.864, 1.188 and 1.858 respectively; and the output of the t- test showed that regression coefficients b1ec, b2ec and b3ec were not equal to zero (table t-value=t0.025, 11 = 2.201), hence they are statistically significant. The regression model developed in this work as explained by the model analysis can estimate the melting rate as a function of the control variables and form a basis for developing a computer software which may help energy and foundry managers to significantly monitor and improve on the melting rate of cupola furnace.
A Critical Analysis of Software Testing Tools
Authors: Okezie F. , Odun-Ayo I. , Bogle S.
Published: December 2019

Software testing is a crucial part of software development, it ensures that the software been developed performs all functional requirements and is free from any form of defect and errors. This ensures that the software is of good quality and standard. While testing a software, it is important to be time and cost consciousness. This reason has made most testers switch from the manual testing process to automation of software testing, to reduce time and cost. But then selecting a software testing tool for automated testing that best fit a project is important yet challenging task, the objective of this paper is to evaluate some of the most used software testing tool, identify their strength and weakness and also the field where they can be employed, either for mobile testing, web service testing or both. The method utilized in the paper involved the analysis of recommended literatures to pinpoint necessary testing tools selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, that were evaluated. The result of the analysis indicted that based on the selected criteria, testing tools that supports web platform testing made up 17%, while tools that supported desktop and mobile platforms was 10% and 7% respectively. also, 7% of the tools examined were found to be open source tools while 12% were licensed tools. 10% of the testing tools examined supported the test result and report generation criterion while tools that require the knowledge of programming language was least as only 3% of examined tools supported this criterion. It was observed that there is no one perfect tool for testing, but for a particular testing purpose, tradeoffs can be made to select the best tool depending on the size of the project, the budgeted cost for testing, the platform of the application and also the language that is used to develop the project.
Improving career development through a Women mentoring program in the construction industry
Authors: Afolabi AO , Akinbo FT , Akinola A
Published: December 2019

Due to the high underrepresentation of women in the construction industry, researchers are proposing innovative solutions to attract and retain female workers in the profession. The study examined the prospects of improving career development through women mentoring programs in the construction industry. Using an in-depth content analysis of literature, the study extracted barriers and impact of women mentoring programs. The study showed that in order to access the positive potential outcome for female students and workers there are barriers that must be surpassed. The barriers to an effective woman mentoring program identified in this study are both internal and external in nature. Once the barriers to women mentoring programs are not effectively suppressed it would lead to negative mentoring experiences. The study highlighted that in order for women mentoring programs to be effective both mentors and mentees should have gone through a mentoring training/workshop. This would help harness their individual characteristics, ability to set goals, ensure professionalism and the ability to give/receive feedback. The study identified potential outcomes of an effective women mentoring program in the construction industry.
Vertical Architecture Construction: Prospects and Barriers in solving Lagos’ Housing Deficit
Authors: Afolabi AO , Akinbo FT , Akinola A
Published: December 2019

The population of Lagos State is projected to double by 2050 to 32.6 million people. This is estimated to be the 6th largest city in the world. However, the land mass area of the state remains relatively constant at 3, 577 Km2. There is need to identify sustainable housing solutions to reduce the level of homelessness within the megacity. Therefore, this study was aimed at examining the prospects and barriers in the use of vertical architecture construction in solving Lagos city’s housing deficit. The study utilized content analysis of literature on the subject matter which were obtained from major online databases. The study identified the prospects in the use of vertical architecture construction such as reducing housing deficit, adequate land management, engender sustainable practices, improved innovation and proper planning within the state. Nevertheless, some barriers are encountered in the actualization of a comprehensive vertical architecture in Lagos megacity. The barriers include cultural bias to high rise, lack of technology, epileptic power supply, poor maintenance culture, poor fire service delivery, inadequate policies and investment funding. In conclusion, preparedness towards a sustainable housing solution of vertical architecture construction requires a public-private partnership approach in public housing delivery.
Electrochemical evaluation of the corrosion inhibition effect of calcium gluconate on mild steel in water based petrochemical drilling fluid
Authors: Loto Roland T. , Loto Cleophas A
Published: December 2019

Application of biodegradable organic derivatives for corrosion inhibition of metallic alloys in water based petrochemical drilling fluid solution (WPDF) serves as a sustainable alternative to toxic chemical inhibiting compounds. The electrochemical corrosion inhibition of calcium gluconate (CG), on mild steel in WPDF was evaluated with potentiodynamic polarization and optical microscopy analysis. Statistical analysis on the effect of CG concentration on its inhibition performance was done through One Way ANOVA. Results show CG performed effectively at all concentration studied with average inhibition efficiency above 85%. CG exhibited mixed type inhibition property. The polarization plots obtained showed CG induces passivation of MS from the lowest to highest concentration due to its film forming and adsorption characteristics. This observation was further confirmed from the steel morphologies where the inhibited steel was relatively smooth while the non-inhibited morphology was badly corroded with visible corrosion pits.
Al-Si alloy for thermal storage applications-a review
Authors: Ogunrinola I. E. , Ndubuisi A. O. , Babalola P. O. , Akinyemi M. L. , P Aizebeokhai A. , Inegbenebor A.
Published: December 2019

In regions that experience abundant sunshine, solar radiation emanating from the sun constantly generates significant thermal energy which has been an established potential source of harvestable clean energy. But an enormous amount of this form of renewable energy reaching the earth’s crust gets re-emitted back into the space at sunset period without being harnessed. There is a special need for researches to further develop thermal storage alternatives with high thermal capacity, good thermal transfer rate, portable, cost effective and durable. From literature, aluminum and silicon alloys have proved to be one of the most efficient thermal storage materials for medium to high temperature storage applications. It has been shown that different combinations of these gives different results depending on the application the alloy is to be used for. This paper reviews the application of Al-Si alloys for thermal storage with superior properties to Al-Cu, Al-Mg, Al-Cu-Zn, Al-Si-Mg and Al-Si-Cu alloys. The making of Al-Si for thermal storage through liquid and solid metallurgical processes were also highlighted.
Analysis of the Influence of Laser Parameters on the Microstructure and Surface Properties of Laser Deposited Aluminum Based Coatings
Authors: Fatoba O.S. , Akinlabi E. T. , Akinlabi S. A.
Published: December 2019

The effects of processing parameters were investigated namely laser intensity and speed of laser scanning of Laser Metal Deposition (LMD) process had on the microstructure, metallurgical evolution, porosity generated in the coating, the geometrical property of the coating and the sizes of the grains in the coating. The processing parameters were applied in combinations in order to find the optimized settings of the process that least affects the metallurgical properties of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy substrate cladded with reinforced aluminium based powder. The temperature gradient and the rate of solidification of reinforcing the Ti-6Al-4V substrate with the aluminium based power were also focused on in terms of how they were influenced by the laser intensity and the scanning speed used in the building process. The inherent material properties were dependent on the process input parameters. The characterized performances considered in the investigation was influenced significantly by the laser processing intensity. The results of the investigation showed that the density had increased in proportion to the increase of the processing laser power coupled with the reduction of the speed of the laser scan. Moreover, for a laser power equivalent to and exceeding 950 W, the density became less susceptible to the laser power. The increased temperature field led to changes in geometry of the coatings as a results of more absorbed laser energy. The materials properties were influenced by the Fe-intermetallic compounds. The molten pool had columnar grains which were fully developed, along its volume as determined in the examination of the microstructure. In the direction of processing, the sample processed at 1.0-1.2 m/min had a reduction in width of the coatings from 1.643 to 1.293 mm and along the height it reduced to 0.375 at 2% Fe and 1% Mn. Increase in the percentage of both Fe and Mn increased the width of the coating to 1.833 mm at 1.0 m/min while the height continued to reduce to minimum of 0.272 mm at 1.2 m/min respectively.
Analysis of Weather Data for Humidity Control for Paper Storage and Printing Press in Abuja, Nigeria
Authors: Awolola O. O. , Olorunmaiye J. A.
Published: December 2019

One of the challenges of printing and paper industries is the issue of inappropriate humidity in the environment where the paper mills and printing shops or stores are located. Humidity of the environment is a factor of great concern for storage of papers and when printing. This work considers the needed optimum relative humidity that is required for high quality printing and analysis of a fifteen-year weather data of hourly dry bulb temperature (TDB) and relative humidity (RH) for Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria, obtained from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet). A bin width of 1°C and 5% were used for TDB and RH respectively. The two-dimensional dry bulb temperature and relative humidity bin data were obtained for each month of the year. High relative humidity which is inimical to high quality printing production, occurs in many months of the year, especially June through October, hence dehumidification process would be desirable during such periods. The optimum relative humidity for quality printing of between 45%-55% occurred for about 1027.9 hours out of the 8766 hours in the year. Therefore, it can be concluded that dehumidification to the right humidity level is necessary most of the time in Abuja for good quality printing work.
Effect of Kenaf Core Fibre (Hibiscus cannabinus) as one of the Dispersing Phases in Brake Pad Composite Production
Authors: Anyanwu B.U. , Olayinka G.O. , Ezeokeke D.T. , Fayomi O.S. , Oluwole O.O.
Published: December 2019

Brakes are essential parts of all means of transportation. Their function is to slow or stop a vehicle by friction. Asbestos has been widely used in the production of brake pads. However, its application poses adverse effects on human health and the environment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of kenaf core fibers as one of the dispersing phases in brake pad composite production. The materials and methods employed in the study, followed procedures in established standards and literatures. The materials were grounded into fine powder and sieved into grade sizes of 100 µm and 200 µm. They were weighed on a digital scale according to a specified composition and mixed thoroughly for about five (5) minutes to obtain homogeneity of the mixture. Afterwards, the mixed compositions were placed inside a 5 cm × 3 cm × 2 cm cylindrical mould. These mixtures were then compacted on a hydraulic press and allowed to dry at an ambient temperature of 37°C. A series of physio-mechanical tests such as porosity, ash content, density, compressive strength, hardness and wear rate were conducted on the developed brake pad samples as well as the control samples. The results showed that the average values for porosity, ash content and density of the developed samples enhanced with kenaf core fibres were 0.813%, 57.25% and 1.389 kg/m3 respectively. These values compare well with that of the control samples. Also, the hardness, wear rate and compressive strength of the samples enhanced with kenaf fibers gave average values of 121.25 BHN, 10.121×10-2 g/km and 105.75 MPa respectively. These values also compare well with that of the control samples. From the results gotten and all the properties determined, the study showed that kenaf core fibres has good potentials as dispersing phases for brake pad composite production.
Experimental Study of Corncob and Cow horn AA6063 Reinforced Composite for Improved Electrical Conductivity
Authors: Babaremu K.O , Joseph O.O
Published: December 2019

Composites are beginning to gain more relevance in numerous areas of engineering applications because of their improved mechanical, physical and electrical properties compared to the parent and indigenous materials. In this study, aluminium matrix composite was developed using aluminium AA6063 as the base material and reinforcement with granulated cow horn and corn cob as organic compounds, in varying percentages of matrix mixture. The particulates, CC, CH and CC-CH were added to the composite in various percentages of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%. The composite was developed through a stir cast process and further fabricated into a 30mm diameter and 3mm thickness samples. The samples were tested for electrical conductivity and the result showed that the conductivity level of the materials increased to 4.845 x 102S/m compared to the initial conductivity value of 2.947 x 102S/m for the as received aluminium sample.