Teaching construction sciences with the integration of BIM to undergraduate architecture students

This study aims to test two hypotheses: teaching building information modeling (BIM) in relation to construction science provides students with a remarkable understanding of the nature of construction science (Hypothesis 1), and if the student has positive attitude toward the use of the BIM program, then efficiency by which construction science is taught by its means is improved (Hypothesis 2). Results and process of a case study with a novel teaching methodology were discussed in terms of the benefits of the students. A questionnaire study was conducted on the student group with which the case study was performed to test each student's attitude. Results were evaluated statistically. When BIM is integrated with the teaching of basic construction courses within architecture degree programs, the students understood the building system principles simply and effectively. As a result of the statistical analysis, the students find the applied method effective. Moreover, their attitude toward BIM affects the process.     

Failure mechanism of rigid polyurethane foam under high temperature vibration condition by experimental and finite element method

The failure mechanism of rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) under room temperature (RT) and high temperature vibration conditions was investigated by experiment and finite element stimulation. Damaged RPUF specimens were prepared at different vibration amplitudes ranging from 0 to 19.879 mm at RT and 150 °C for different vibration times. The tensile test was utilized to evaluate the vibration damage degree of RPUFs, and the results exhibited that tensile strength decreased gradually with the increase of vibration amplitude and time at both RT and 150 °C. Thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy illustrated that thermal degradation of RPUF is attributed to the decomposition of carbonyl urethane groups at 150 °C. The scanning electron microscopy analysis of the tensile fracture surfaces revealed that the vibration failure of RPUF mainly resulted from the existence of microcracks in cell structure. A finite element simulation was established by ABAQUS to study stress distribution of RPUF under different vibration loads, which then demonstrated that the microcracks are most likely to exist on the junction of two microcell units, which is due to convergence of stress in the process of vibration. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48343.     

Numerical investigation of a direct ammonia tubular solid oxide fuel cell in comparison with hydrogen

Nowadays, carbon-rich fuels are the principal energy supply utilized for powering human society, and it will be continued for the next few decades. Connecting with this, modern energy technologies are very essential to convert the available limited carbon-rich fuels and other green alternative energies into useful energy efficiently with an insignificant environmental impression. Amongst all kinds of power generation systems, SOFCs running with high temperatures are emerging as a frontrunner in chemical to electrical transformation efficiency, allows the engagement of all-embracing fuel varieties with negligible environmental impact. This study investigates the effect of ammonia usage in tubular SOFC performance. Firstly, the use of ammonia and hydrogen in the electrolyte-supported SOFC (ES-SOFC) has investigated. Then, the effect of using ammonia in anode-supported SOFC (AS-SOFC), ES-SOFC and cathode-supported SOFC (CS–SOFC) on performance has been examined by using COMSOL software. As a result of the study performed, it is found that the ammonia can be used in tubular SOFC's as a carbon-free fuel and CS-SOFC shows better performance compared with ES-SOFC and AS-SOFC. Besides, the findings of this study indicate that the use of ammonia as a fuel for SOFCs is comparable to the use of hydrogen.     

What makes an elongated lake ‘large’? Scales from wind-driven steady circulation on a rotating Earth

When investigating wind-induced steady circulation, the effect of the acceleration due to Earth’s rotation is often neglected in narrow lakes, but the argument behind this assumption is blurred. Commonly, when the horizontal dimension is smaller than the Rossby radius, the Coriolis force is considered unimportant, but this is correct only for inertial currents and barotropic and baroclinic waves. In this work, we revisit the classical Ekman transport solution for wind stress acting along the main axis of an elongated lake in steady-state conditions. We demonstrate that a secondary circulation develops and that the resulting crosswise volume transport, constrained in the closed domain, produces downwelling and upwelling that cannot be predicted by the standard Ekman formulas. We claim that the Rossby radius does not play any role in this process, which on the contrary is governed by the ratio between the actual depth and the thickness of the Ekman layer. The theoretical analysis is supported by numerical experiments to show the dependence on latitude, width, depth and turbulence closure.     

Thermal effects in H2O and CO2 assisted direct carbon solid oxide fuel cells

Thermal effects in a H₂O and CO₂ assisted tubular direct carbon solid oxide fuel cell (DC-SOFC) are numerically investigated. Parametric simulations are further conducted to study the effects of operating potential, the distance between carbon and anode, inlet gas temperature, and anode inlet gas flow rate on the thermal behaviors of the fuel cell. It is found that the fuel cell with H₂O as gasification agent performs considerably better than the cell with CO₂ as gasification agent in all cases. It is also found that the temperature field of the fuel cell is highly uneven. The breakdown of the heat sources in the fuel cell shows that the H₂O assisted DC-SOFC has much higher heat generation and consumption than the CO₂ assisted cell. Interestingly, a thermal neutral voltage is observed, at which no heating or cooling of the cell is needed. In addition, the distance between the anode and the carbon layer is required to be as small as possible, which improves the temperature uniformity of the fuel cell. The results of this study demonstrates the importance of thermal effects in DC-SOFCs and form a solid foundation for DC-SOFC thermal management.     

An integrated model for analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on tool torque and thermal processes in friction stir welding

An integrated model of ultrasonic vibration enhanced friction stir welding (UVeFSW) is developed by integrating the thermal-fluid model with the ultrasonic field model and tool torque model. The tool torque and the heat generation rate at tool/workpiece contact interfaces are coupled with the interfacial temperature, strain rate and ultrasonic energy density. The model is used in quantitatively analysing the effects of ultrasonic vibration on tool torque and thermal processes in friction stir welding (FSW). The results show that ultrasonic vibration reduces the flow stress, which results in a decreasing of tool torque, interfacial heat generation rate and interfacial temperature. The complicated interaction of ultrasonic energy with the thermal processes in FSW leads to a gentle thermal gradient and an enhanced plastic material flow in UVeFSW. The model is validated by a comparison of the calculated thermal cycles and tool torque at various welding parameters with the experimentally measured ones.     

Temperature of post‐flashover compartment fires—Calculations and validation

This paper describes and validates by comparisons with tests a one‐zone model for computing temperature of fully developed compartment fires. Like other similar models, the model is based on an analysis of the energy and mass balance assuming combustion being limited by the availability of oxygen, ie, a ventilation‐controlled compartment fire. However, the mathematical solution techniques in this model have been altered. To this end, a maximum fire temperature has been defined depending on combustion efficiency and opening heights only. This temperature together with well‐defined fire compartment parameters was then used as a fictitious thermal boundary condition of the surrounding structure. The temperature of that structure could then be calculated with various numerical and analytical methods as a matter of choice, and the fire temperature could be identified as a weighted average between the maximum fire temperature and the calculated surface temperature of the surrounding structure as a function of time. It is demonstrated that the model can be used to predict fire temperatures in compartments with boundaries of semi‐infinitely thick structures as well as with boundaries of insulated and noninsulated steel sheets where the entire heat capacity of the surrounding structure is assumed to be concentrated to the steel core. With these assumptions, fire temperatures could be calculated with spreadsheet calculation methods. For more advanced problems, a general finite element solid temperature calculation code was used to calculate the temperature in the boundary structure. With this code, it is possible to analyze surrounding structures of various kinds, for example, structures comprising several materials with properties varying with temperature as well as voids. The validation experiments were accurately defined and surveyed. In all the tests, a propane diffusion burner was used as the only fire source. Temperatures were measured with thermocouples and plate thermometers at several positions.     

Three‐dimensional color prediction modeling of single‐ and double‐layered woven fabrics

In this research, the three‐dimensional structural and colorimetric modeling of three‐dimensional woven fabrics was conducted for accurate color predictions. One‐hundred forty single‐ and double‐layered woven samples in a wide range of colors were produced. With the consideration of their three‐dimensional structural parameters, three‐dimensional color prediction models, K/S‐, R‐, and L*a*b*‐based models, were developed through the optimization of previous two‐dimensional models which have been reported to be the three most accurate models for single‐layered woven structures. The accuracy of the new three‐dimensional models was evaluated by calculating the color differences ΔL*, ΔC*, Δh°, and ΔE_CMC(2:1) between the measured and the predicted colors of the samples, and then the error values were compared to those of the two‐dimensional models. As a result, there has been an overall improvement in color predictions of all models with a decrease in ΔE_CMC(2:1) from 10.30 to 5.25 units on average after the three‐dimensional modeling.