Mobile Model-Based Bridge Lifecycle Management System

Abstract:   This article discusses the requirements for developing a mobile model-based bridge lifecycle management system (MMBLMS). This new system should link all the information about the lifecycle stages of a bridge (e.g., design, construction, inspection, and maintenance) to a 4D model of the bridge incorporating different scales of space and time to record events throughout the lifecycle with suitable levels of details (LoDs). In addition, MMBLMS should support distributed databases and mobile location-based computing by providing user interfaces that can be used on mobile computers, such as tablet PCs. A framework for MMBLMS is described and the basic computational issues for realizing it are discussed including the navigation modes, the picking behavior and the LoDs for representing bridge elements and defects. A prototype system developed in Java language is used to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed methodology for realizing this system.     

2D Electrets of Ultrathin MoO2 with Apparent Piezoelectricity

Since graphene, a variety of 2D materials have been fabricated in a quest for a tantalizing combination of properties and desired physiochemical behavior. 2D materials that are piezoelectric, i.e., that allow for a facile conversion of electrical energy into mechanical and vice versa, offer applications for sensors, actuators, energy harvesting, stretchable and flexible electronics, and energy storage, among others. Unfortunately, materials must satisfy stringent symmetry requirements to be classified as piezoelectric. Here, 2D ultrathin single-crystal molybdenum oxide (MoO₂) flakes that exhibit unexpected piezoelectric-like response are fabricated, as MoO₂ is centrosymmetric and should not exhibit intrinsic piezoelectricity. However, it is demonstrated that the apparent piezoelectricity in 2D MoO₂ emerges from an electret-like behavior induced by the trapping and stabilization of charges around defects in the material. Arguably, the material represents the first 2D electret material and suggests a route to artificially engineer piezoelectricity in 2D crystals. Specifically, it is found that the maximum out-of-plane piezoresponse is 0.56 pm V⁻¹, which is as strong as that observed in conventional 2D piezoelectric materials. The charges are found to be highly stable at room temperature with a trapping energy barrier of ≈2 eV.     

An adaptive speech source separation algorithm under overcomplete-cases using Laplacian mixture modeling for mixture matrix estimation by adaptive EM-type algorithm in wavelet packet domain

Speech process has benefited a great deal from the wavelet transforms. Wavelet packets decompose signals in to broader components using linear spectral bisecting. In this paper, mixtures of speech signals are decomposed using wavelet packets, the phase difference between the two mixtures are investigated in wavelet domain. In our method Laplacian Mixture Model (LMM) is defined. An Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm is used for training of the model and calculation of model parameters which is the mixture matrix. And then we compare estimation of mixing matrix by LMM-EM with different wavelets. And then we use adaptive algorithm in each wavelet packet for speech separation and we see better results are obtained. Therefore individual speech components of speech mixtures are separated.     

A Perturbed Hard-Sphere Equation of State for Alkali Metal Alloys

A perturbed hard-sphere equation of state for liquid alkali metals has been employed to calculate the liquid density of alkali metal alloys over a wide range of temperature. Two temperature-dependent parameters appear in the equation of state, which are universal functions of the reduced temperature, i.e., two scale parameters are sufficient to calculate the temperature-dependent parameters, and hence, to predict the equation of state. In this article, calculated results of the liquid density of binary molten alloys of Na–K and K–Cs over the whole range of concentration at temperatures from the freezing point up to several hundred kelvin above the boiling point reproduce accurately the experimental PVT data points.     

Recovery of ink particles in a concurrent column flotation

Deinked pulp is made from recycled paper in an industrial process called deinking. In this process, printing ink is removed from paper fibres. This research demonstrates the deinking process and discusses factors associated with the collection of released ink particles by bubbles. Flotation is introduced as a technology for the creation of ink‐laden bubbles and for the removal of the ink‐concentrated froth. A downward concurrent column reactor has been designed, manufactured, and used in a series of two‐phase flow experiments. The objective is to measure the liquid and gas retention time to highlight the most effective features associated with bubble particle attachment/detachment. A residence time of <10 s in the downcomer and 20 s in total was found to be sufficient for the collection and recovery of ink particles. It has been concluded that concurrent column reactors are potentially efficient for removing ink from paper fibres.     

Mixed continuous/binary quantum-inspired learning system with non-negative least square optimisation for automated design of regularised ensemble extreme learning machines

In this paper, a hybrid quantum-inspired evolutionary algorithm (QIEA) is proposed to automatically design regularised ensemble extreme learning machines (EELMs). Quantum evolutionary computing is a relatively recent spot-lighted concept which takes advantage from both the evolutionary and quantum computing laws. In general, QIEAs have been proven to be really powerful for optimising complex engineering tasks. The fascinating trait of observation operator in QIEA enables us to transform the quantum bits to both the binary and continuous spaces. Here, the authors present a mix continuous/binary version of QIEA, to find out whether it is suited for designing regularised EELMs. Indeed, the design process of EELM is conducted at two different levels, i.e. hyper and low levels. At the low level, some novel criteria are presented in the form of penalty functions to enable the optimiser searching for parsimonious, compact and accurate regularised extreme learning machines, as individual components of the ensemble. At the hyper-level, the non-negative least square error optimisation technique is utilised to deterministically find the most eligible components for designing the ensemble. Through extensive numerical experiments, the authors demonstrate that the proposed method is really efficient for the automated design of EELM identifiers.     

Tailoring interfacial adhesion and mechanical performance of biocomposites based on poly(lactic acid)/rice straw by using maleic anhydride through reactive extrusion process

In this study, all-green biocomposites based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/rice straw (RS) as an agricultural waste were prepared, and the physical, structural, and mechanical properties of these biocomposites were enhanced by alkali-pulping of RS and chemical grafting of PLA onto the lignocellulosic fiber. The reactive compatibilizers of maleic anhydride grafted PLA (PLA-g-MA) were obtained through a reactive extrusion process at different processing conditions. The probable chemical reactions between the functional groups of PLA-g-MA with hydroxyl groups of RS pulp as well as the end groups of PLA chains can effectively improve the interfacial adhesion between the filler and matrix. However, the findings confirm the great importance of PLA-g-MA chemical structure in controlling the biocomposite performance. By choosing proper processing conditions for preparing PLA-g-MA and incorporating this compatibilizer into the PLA/treated RS biocomposite, Young modulus, tensile strength, impact strength, and tensile toughness of the PLA/RS biocomposite increased by 101%, 156%, 96%, and 327%, respectively.     

ODM: An object oriented data model

ODM is a new data model thatintegrates the features of object oriented programming languages (e.g. Smalltalk-80) and Relational Data Model (RDM). It extends the data structures and operations of RDM and also provides the features of object oriented programming such as improved semantics, data abstraction, reusability of data structures and codes, and extensibility. We have introduced the concept of ‘u-set’ (uniform set) as an extension of relation of RDM. We employ messages to define an extension of RDM attributes and tuples. Definition of classes for databases, u-sets, and tuples allows us to define new (or modify existing) operations for the databases, u-sets, or tuples. Each database and its elements are u-sets.     

CFD Investigation of the Mixing of Yield‐Pseudoplastic Fluids with Anchor Impellers

The study was carried out to simulate the 3D flow domain in the mixing of pseudoplastic fluids possessing yield stress with anchor impellers, using a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) package. The multiple reference frames (MRF) technique was employed to model the rotation of the impellers. The rheology of the fluid was approximated using the Herschel–Bulkley model. To validate the model, the CFD results for the power consumption were compared to the experimental data. After the flow fields were calculated, the simulations for tracer homogenization were performed to simulate the mixing time. The effects of impeller speed, fluid rheology, and impeller geometry on power consumption, mixing time, and flow pattern were explored. The optimum values of c/D (impeller clearance to tank diameter) and w/D (impeller blade width to tank diameter) ratios were determined on the basis of minimum mixing time.