Parametric study for concrete cover separation failure of retrofitted SNSM strengthened RC beams

ABSTRACT

The side near-surface mounted (SNSM) method is a new flexural strengthening method for reinforced concrete (RC) beams which was proposed to allow near-surface mounted (NSM) strengthening to be applied on beams with small width. As a relatively new strengthening method, further studies are needed to determine the effects of strengthening parameters on the flexural performance of RC beams. In response to that, this paper presents a parametric study on the concrete cover separation failure of SNSM strengthened beams using a simulation method based on the moment-rotation (M/θ) approach.     

Nature-inspired optimization algorithms for community detection in complex networks: a review and future trends

Telecommunication Systems - Over the past couple of decades, the research area of network community detection has seen substantial growth in popularity, leading to a wide range of researches in the...     

Potential of sodium alginate/titanium oxide biomembrane nanocomposite in DMFC application

A proton exchange membrane was synthesized consuming a sodium alginate biopolymer as the matrix and titanium oxide as the nanofiller. The titanium oxide content varied from 5 to 25 wt%. The biomembrane nanocomposite performs better than the pristine sodium alginate membrane based on liquid uptake, methanol permeability, proton conductivity, ion exchange capacity, and oxidative stability outcomes. The unique properties of sodium alginate and titanium oxide lead to outstanding interconnections, thus producing new materials with great characteristics and enhanced performance. The highest proton conductivity achieved in this study is 17.3 × 10^‐3 S cm^‐1, which performed by SAT5 (25 wt%) membranes at 70°C. An optimal content of titanium oxide enhances the conductivity and methanol permeability of the membrane. Additionally, the hydrophilicity of pure sodium alginate is greatly reduced and achieves a good liquid uptake capacity and swelling ratio. The characteristics of the SA/TiO₂ biomembrane nanocomposite were determined with field emission scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared, X‐ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry, and mechanical strength analysis.     

A review on conventional and biotechnological approaches in white pepper production

White pepper is the dried seeds obtained from pepper berries (Piper nigrum L.) after the removal of the pericarp. It has been widely used as seasoning and condiments in food preparation. Globally, white pepper fetches a higher price compared to black pepper due to its lighter colour, preferable milder flavour and pungency. Increasing global demand of the spice outpaced the supply as the conventional production method used is laborious, lengthy and also not very hygienic. The most common conventional method is water retting but can also include pit soil, chemical, boiling, steaming and mechanical methods. The introduction of a biotechnological approach has gained a lot of interest, as it is a more rapid, convenient and hygienic method of producing white pepper. This technique involves the application of microorganisms and/or enzymes. This review highlights both conventional and latest biotechnological processes of white pepper production. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Green transmission for C-RAN based on SWIPT in 5G: a review

Wireless Networks - C-RAN is a promising new design for the next generation, an important aspect of it in the energy efficiency consideration. Hence, it is considering an innovative candidate to...     

A scene image classification technique for a ubiquitous visual surveillance system

Multimedia Tools and Applications - The concept of smart cities has quickly evolved to improve the quality of life and provide public safety. Smart cities mitigate harmful environmental impacts and...     

Compact dualband rectangular microstrip patch antenna for 2.4/5.12-GHz wireless applications

A dual-band antenna is proposed for WLAN and WiMAX frequency bands. Two resonance frequencies are found to be 2.45 and 5.125 GHz and ?10 dB bandwidth of lower and upper resonance frequencies are 4.13 and 8.82 % respectively. It is observed that frequency ratio is more sensitive with the dimensions of L-shaped slot. The frequency ratio of the antenna for a given dimension of L-slot is found to be 2.092 and gain of the antenna is 3.9 dBi for lower resonance whereas 6 dBi at upper resonance. The theoretical results are compared with the reported experimental result as well as simulated results obtained from IE3D simulation software which are in close agreement.