Capturing new developments in an emerging technology: an updated search strategy for identifying nanotechnology research outputs

Bibliometric analysis of publication metadata is an important tool for investigating emerging fields of technology. However, the application of field definitions to define an emerging technology is complicated by ongoing and at times rapid change in the underlying technology itself. There is limited prior work on adapting the bibliometric definitions of emerging technologies as these technologies change over time. The paper addresses this gap. We draw on the example of the modular keyword nanotechnology search strategy developed at Georgia Institute of Technology in 2006. This search approach has seen extensive use in analyzing emerging trends in nanotechnology research and innovation. Yet with the growth of the nanotechnology field, novel materials, particles, technologies, and tools have appeared. We report on the process and results of reviewing and updating this nanotechnology search strategy. By employing structured text-mining software to profile keyword terms, and by soliciting input from domain experts, we identify new nanotechnology-related keywords. We retroactively apply the revised evolutionary lexical query to 20 years of publication data and analyze the results. Our findings indicate that the updated search approach offers an incremental improvement over the original strategy in terms of recall and precision. Additionally, the updated strategy reveals the importance for nanotechnology of several emerging cited-subject categories, particularly in the biomedical sciences, suggesting a further extension of the nanotechnology knowledge domain. The implications of the work for applying bibliometric definitions to emerging technologies are discussed.     

Efficient Jarratt-like methods for solving systems of nonlinear equations

We present the iterative methods of fourth and sixth order convergence for solving systems of nonlinear equations. Fourth order method is composed of two Jarratt-like steps and requires the evaluations of one function, two first derivatives and one matrix inversion in each iteration. Sixth order method is the composition of three Jarratt-like steps of which the first two steps are that of the proposed fourth order scheme and requires one extra function evaluation in addition to the evaluations of fourth order method. Computational efficiency in its general form is discussed. A comparison between the efficiencies of proposed techniques with existing methods of similar nature is made. The performance is tested through numerical examples. Moreover, theoretical results concerning order of convergence and computational efficiency are confirmed in the examples. It is shown that the present methods are more efficient than their existing counterparts, particularly when applied to the large systems of equations.     

Numerical study of heat and moisture transport through concrete at elevated temperatures

This research article focuses on numerical investigation of heat and moisture transport through concrete exposed to high temperatures such as fire. The conservation equations for moisture and energy transport through concrete have been represented in terms of temperature, pore pressure and vapor content as field variables. As the resulting governing equations are coupled and non-linear, the equations were solved numerically using Galerkin’s weighted residual finite element method and an iterative solution technique. After validating the model, a detailed simulation study has been carried out to understand the role of gradients of temperature, pore pressure and vapor content on heat and moisture transport through concrete exposed to ISO 834 fire curve. Results obtained at the end of 30 minutes exposure of concrete show that the temperature gradients become very steep after 12 minutes of exposure of concrete, which in turn results in increased vapor generation and 93% of vapor generation is completed at the end of 20 minutes. Due to steep temperature gradient along the length of concrete, condensation of vapor takes place which is followed by blockage of pores giving rise to sudden peak pore pressure rise and 97% of peak pore pressure is attained at the end of 18 minutes itself. It is observed that for the initial 18 minutes, the peak pore pressure front and peak vapor content front follow the same path and after 18 minutes the peak vapor content front moves slightly ahead of the peak pore pressure front.     

Molecular modeling guided isotope separation of gadolinium with strong cation exchange resin using displacement chromatography

Molecular modeling was carried out using DFT to identify the suitable displacing agent for carrying out Gd isotope separation using displacement chromatography. EDTA was identified as the best eluting agent among EDTA, malic acid and citric acid. Displacement chromatography of Gd adsorption band in cation exchange resin was performed to observe the isotope effects in the Gd ion exchange processes involving complex forming reagent – EDTA. The heavier isotope of ¹⁶⁰Gd was found to be enriched at the front boundary of Gd adsorption band, while the lighter isotopes of ¹⁵⁵Gd and ¹⁵⁷Gd were enriched at the rear boundary.     

Fuzzy Logic-based Electrothermal Life Model for Inverter-fed Induction Motor Insulation

Pulse width modulated adjustable speed drives used in industries lead to significant advantages in terms of performance, size, and efficiency. But, the output voltage and the current waveforms become non-sinusoidal leading to an increase in voltage and thermal stresses. This results into accelerated insulation aging and premature failure of the motors. With multiple stresses, the life models for insulating materials become complex and ambiguous. This article presents the fuzzy logic application to derive an electrothermal life model to investigate the synergic effects of voltage and thermal stresses on intrinsic aging of inverter-fed induction motor insulation. Three parameters, viz. voltage stress factor, waveform slope stress factor, and spike frequency factor, are proposed to describe the insulation stresses for pulse width modulated voltages. These parameters are computed from the experimental results at different switching frequencies and are used in fuzzy logic-based life estimation algorithms. The results of the fuzzy logic life model are verified by performing the accelerated aging test with the same pulse width modulated voltages on paper insulation. An electrothermal life model is derived from the fuzzy logic results, which can be directly used for the life estimation of any general purpose low-voltage inverter-fed induction motor insulation.     

Strategies for the construction sector in the information technology era

The construction industries in many countries are starting to consider seriously the strategic use of information technology (IT). The use of information technology in construction is extending beyond the stage of piecemeal application for improving the efficiency of discrete operations by individual organizations to the advanced stage where IT is applied strategically in commercial enterprises, government agencies and professional institutions. Progress in construction in this regard appears to lag behind that in most other sectors of the economy. This paper considers the nature and the background of this progression in construction by examining proposals by Earl (1989) of nine basic prerequisites to the IT era which make a strategic approach timely. Each prerequisite is outlined and how it has been met in other sectors of the economy considered. The extent to which these prerequisites apply in construction and the scope for their application in the near future are examined. It is argued that all organizations involved in construction will ultimately have to think strategically about their use of IT, and how some are already doing so is described.

In discussing the factors which hinder the strategic application of IT in construction, the nature of the design and construction processes and initiatives that may be necessary to overcome the perceived problems are examined in detail. The strategies that are evolving at a national level in Singapore are outlined.