From outpost to outback: project career paths in Australia

With the growth in project management as a form of work organisation in many sectors of the economy has come the significant rise in the number of project managers and project team members. This change in work organisation brings issues in forging career paths and determining career support in work situations that are often dynamic, short lived and intense. In the relatively small but substantially robust Australian economy, a unique labour market and the tyranny of distance bring their own difficulties. Innovative and collaborative project structures and increasing prevalence of contract work provide both challenges and opportunities for new career pathways in many industries. A growing percentage of Australia's workforce is employed in project-based or project-oriented organisations, leading to the claim that Australia is a project-based economy. This provided a context for our research into the career paths and the issues of career management for project managers working in a project based economy. Using in-depth interviews with project managers from three industry areas we found generational and gender differences in experiences of work, workplace support and mentoring for career development. For a continued strong performance in this economy, organisations that employ project personnel will need to consider how they will ensure the supply of high quality project professionals into the future.     

The effects of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and solubilization heat treatment on the density,mechanical properties,and microstructure of austenitic stainless steel parts produced by selective laser melting (SLM)

Despite ongoing optimization, selective laser melting (SLM) technology still cannot guarantee the production of completely defect-free components. This wor     

Special Issue on Generating Realistic Visual Data of Human Behavior

International Journal of Computer Vision -     

Synthesis and characterization of a titanium phosphate-tellurite glass for Faraday rotators

This work is focused on investigation of thermal, structural, optical, magnetic, and magneto-optical properties of novel titanium phosphate-tellurite glass applied as Faraday rotators. The glass belonging to the system 35Li₂O–10Al₂O₃–5TiO₂–45P₂O₅–5TeO₂ was prepared by a nonconventional wet route of raw materials processing, followed by melting-quenching-annealing steps. Some important physical properties of the investigated glass have been measured and calculated, providing knowledge related to glass compactness, electronic structure, glass forming capability, etc. XRD analysis evidenced an amorphous network structure of the investigated glass. The optical absorption in the Vis domain is mainly due to Ti³⁺ ions and Te₂ clusters formed during the glass melting process. A relatively low optical absorption is noticed over 600 nm that activates a significant Faraday magneto-optical effect. Photoluminescence bands in the blue, red, and infrared domains are observed, caused by Te₂ clusters formed during the glass melting process. The magnetization in dependency on applied magnetic field reveals a complex behavior of the glass, depending on temperature. Thus, it is found a ferromagnetic behavior up to 2000 Oe, a paramagnetic component up to 40 000 Oe, followed by a diamagnetic one over 40 000 Oe. Faraday rotation angle and Verdet constant values in the visible domain are correlated with the reduced TeO₂ content of the glass.     

Vibration-based crack prediction on a beam model using hybrid butterfly optimization algorithm with artificial neural network

Vibration-based damage detection methods have become widely used because of their advantages over traditional methods. This paper presents a new approach to identify the crack depth in steel beam structures based on vibration analysis using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) combined with Butterfly Optimization Algorithm (BOA). ANN is quite successful in such identification issues, but it has some limitations, such as reduction of error after system training is complete, which means the output does not provide optimal results. This paper improves ANN training after introducing BOA as a hybrid model (BOA-ANN). Natural frequencies are used as input parameters and crack depth as output. The data are collected from improved FEM using simulation tools (ABAQUS) based on different crack depths and locations as the first stage. Next, data are collected from experimental analysis of cracked beams based on different crack depths and locations to test the reliability of the presented technique. The proposed approach, compared to other methods, can predict crack depth with improved accuracy.     

Actor networks and the construction of applicable knowledge: the case of the Timbre Brownfield Prioritization Tool

This article deals with experiences acquired during the process of developing the Timbre Brownfield Prioritization Tool (TBPT). Developing a decision support tool that takes into account the expectations and experiences of its potential users is similar to creating applicable knowledge by the joint action of scientists and heterogeneous actors. Actor network theory is used to explore the construction of this form of applicable knowledge as a process of actor network creation. Following the French sociologist Callon, networks are seen to be initiated and carried out by a group of scientists (tool developers) via four moments of translation, called problematization, interessement, enrolment and mobilization. Each step in the construction of the TBPT—from the initial research question to the final model—can be linked in retrospect to changing configurations of actor networks. Based on the experiences of the tool developers in the Czech Republic, Poland, Germany and Romania, we illustrate how these configurations varied across space and time. This contribution emphasizes the ability to correlate gains in knowledge with the more visible changes in the scope of actor networks in order to highlight achievements but also limitations in acquiring applicable knowledge.     

DEM modelling analysis of tree root growth in street pavements

The coexistence of urban green spaces and infrastructure is often difficult. Trees find inhospitable environments in urban areas, whereas tree root systems can damage sidewalk, street and parking lot. The main form of failure concerns the growing of tree roots beneath the pavements, which produce upheavals and displacements on wearing course. The main objective of this study was a distinct element method modelling analysis of the potential interactions between tree root systems and street pavements. This calculation code allowed us to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the ground-pavement system as result of the roots growth. The performed modelling, representative of various planting strategies commonly used in urban contexts, have highlighted the progressive reduction of deformations with the increase of the roots penetration depth. Such displacements were strongly influenced by other factors such as the porosity and the grain-size distribution of the soil and the type of pavement considered.     

Modeling improvements in booster seat use: a discrete choice conjoint experiment

Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death in children aged 1–14 years. Many children, however, are not properly restrained in safety seats that reduce serious injury and death. This study used a discrete choice conjoint experiment to study factors influencing the decision to use booster seats. Parents of 1714 children aged 4–9 years from nine Canadian provinces completed choice tasks presenting experimentally varied combinations of 15 4-level booster seat promotion attributes. Latent class analysis yielded three segments of parents. The choices of the Benefit Sensitive segment (50%) were most sensitive to the injury prevention benefits of booster seats. The choices of parents in the Context Sensitive segment (33.5%) were more likely to be influenced by installation complexity, oppositional behavior, and the prospect that their child may be teased for riding in booster seats. Parents in the High Risk segment (16.5%) were younger, less educated, and less knowledgeable about vehicle safety legislation. They anticipated fewer benefits, expected more barriers and were less likely to use booster seats. Simulations suggest that consistent enforcement coupled with advertising focusing on injury prevention and the use of booster seats by other parents would increase adoption.