An Integrated Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) Model for Studying Significant Factors Associated with Frequent Lane Changing

Frequent lane changes cause serious traffic safety concerns, which involve fatalities and serious injuries. This phenomenon is affected by several significant factors related to road safety. The detection and classification of significant factors affecting lane changing could help reduce frequent lane changing risk. The principal objective of this research is to estimate and prioritize the nominated crucial criteria and sub-criteria based on participants’ answers on a designated questionnaire survey. In doing so, this paper constructs a hierarchical lane-change model based on the concept of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with two levels of the most concerning attributes. Accordingly, the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) procedure was applied utilizing fuzzy scale to evaluate precisely the most influential factors affecting lane changing, which will decrease uncertainty in the evaluation process. Based on the final measured weights for level 1, FAHP model estimation results revealed that the most influential variable affecting lane-changing is ‘traffic characteristics’. In contrast, compared to other specified factors, ‘light conditions’ was found to be the least critical factor related to driver lane-change maneuvers. For level 2, the FAHP model results showed ‘traffic volume’ as the most critical factor influencing the lane changes operations, followed by ‘speed’. The objectivity of the model was supported by sensitivity analyses that examined a range for weights’ values and those corresponding to alternative values. Based on the evaluated results, stakeholders can determine strategic policy by considering and placing more emphasis on the highlighted risk factors associated with lane changing to improve road safety. In conclusion, the finding provides the usefulness of the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process to review lane-changing risks for road safety.     

Application of Boltzmann Equation on Spin Diffusion of Ferromagnetic Superfluid <Superscript>3</Superscript>He: Near Critical Temperature

Different scattering processes of quasiparticles containing a binary process, a coalescence process and a decay process in transition probabilities are taken into account. In the meantime, interaction between Bogoliubov quasiparticles as well as that between normal and superfluid components (spin up-spin down quasiparticles) of ferromagnetic superfluid ³He-A ₁ are considered. Pfitzner procedure is used in the calculation of triplet and singlet quasiparticle scattering amplitude existing in transition probabilities of the collision integral of standard Boltzmann equation at melting pressure. Pfitzner procedure is extended beyond s-p approximation by adding higher angular momentum components. Then, using the results of Boltzmann equation and considering smallness of the gap close to T _c↑, the change of the spin diffusion coefficients tensor of the A ₁-phase of superfluid ³He close to critical temperature and melting pressure is calculated. Temperature dependence of the spin diffusion coefficient change, i.e., δD _xyxy /D⌈=(3/2)(δD _xzxz /D)⌉, is −0.71(1−(T/T _c↑))^1/2. It is also shown that interaction between normal and Bogoliubov quasiparticles (normal-superfluid components interaction) is very important to transport properties such as spin diffusion close to critical temperature. Furthermore, using s-p approximation, the prefactor of δD _xyxy /D is plotted in terms of pressure; hence, the pressure dependence of δD _xyxy /D is also determined.     

Buckling analysis of variable thickness nanoplates using nonlocal continuum mechanics

This paper presents an investigation on the buckling characteristics of nanoscale rectangular plates under bi-axial compression considering non-uniformity in the thickness. Based on the nonlocal continuum mechanics, governing differential equations are derived. Numerical solutions for the buckling loads are obtained using the Galerkin method. The present study shows that the buckling behaviors of single-layered graphene sheets (SLGSs) are strongly sensitive to the nonlocal and non-uniform parameters. The influence of percentage change of thickness on the stability of SLGSs is more significant in the strip-type nonoplates (nanoribbons) than in the square-type nanoplates.     

LAHS: A novel harmony search algorithm based on learning automata

This study presents a learning automata-based harmony search (LAHS) for unconstrained optimization of continuous problems. The harmony search (HS) algorithm performance strongly depends on the fine tuning of its parameters, including the harmony consideration rate (HMCR), pitch adjustment rate (PAR) and bandwidth (bw). Inspired by the spur-in-time responses in the musical improvisation process, learning capabilities are employed in the HS to select these parameters based on spontaneous reactions. An extensive numerical investigation is conducted on several well-known test functions, and the results are compared with the HS algorithm and its prominent variants, including the improved harmony search (IHS), global-best harmony search (GHS) and self-adaptive global-best harmony search (SGHS). The numerical results indicate that the LAHS is more efficient in finding optimum solutions and outperforms the existing HS algorithm variants.     

Atomic absorption spectrometric determination of trace amounts of copper and zinc after simultaneous solid-phase extraction and preconcentration onto modified natrolite zeolite.

This work assesses the use of modified natural natrolite zeolite as an adsorptive material for the separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of ions. In this work we investigated the potential of modified natural natrolite zeolite for the simultaneous separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of copper and zinc ions. We have developed a simple, rapid, selective, sensitive and economical method for the simultaneous separation and preconcentration of trace amounts of copper and zinc in an aqueous medium using 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-diethylaminophenol (5-Br-PADAP) as an analytical reagent. The sorption was quantitative in the pH range 7.5 - 9.5, whereas quantitative desorption occurred instantaneously with 5.0 mL of 2 mol L(-1) nitric acid. Linearity was maintained between 0.05 - 6.0 microg mL(-1) for copper and 0.02 - 1.5 microg mL(-1) for zinc in the final solution. Ten replicate determinations of 1.0 microg mL(-1) copper and 0.5 microg mL(-1) zinc in a mixture gave mean absorbances of 0.1687 and 0.2788 with relative standard deviations of +/-1.2% and +/-1.3%, respectively. The detection limits were 0.03 ng mL(-1) for Cu(II) and 0.006 ng mL(-1) for Zn(II) in the original solution (3 sigma(bl)/m). Different parameters, such as the effect of the pH, flow rate, breakthrough volume and interference of a large number of anions and cations, were studied and the proposed method was used for the determination of these metal ions in water as well as standard samples (e.g. Nippon Keikinzoku Kogyo (NKK) CRM, No. 916 and No. 920 aluminum alloy, National Institute for Environment Studies (NIES) No. 1 pepperbush and NIES No. 2 pond sediment). The determination of these metal ions in standard samples showed that the proposed method has good accuracy (recovery > 97%).     

Parameterization of 241Am and 230Th alpha particle energy in dependence on distance traveled in air

A new method is introduced in this paper for calculating alpha particle energy versus traveled distance (APETD) in air as emitted from ²⁴¹Am and ²³⁰Th sources as well as the alpha range versus its energy and its energy versus distance. This method is to derive the stated relevant equations and in particular to speed up the calculation of E(x) by a Monte-Carlo simulation. By a fitting procedure, an analytical formula E(x) was determined in terms of a series of powers of distance x. Then a randomly sampled x can be quickly transformed into a corresponding energy E. The APETD calculations were run on a Microsoft Windows 7 32?bit operating system with a maximum usable memory of 3?GB. The results of calculations for alphas of the above two radionuclides in air compared to those of others using a different method are in good agreement. The above stated equations as derived in this paper are presented and the process time for applying the new method has been greatly improved.     

Efficient one-pot synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives using Cs2.5H0.5PW12O40 as a heterogeneous and reusable catalyst in molten salt media

Polyhydroquinoline derivatives have been prepared efficiently in a one-pot synthesis via Hantzsch condensation using Cs_2.5H_0.5PW₁₂O₄₀ as a heterogeneous and reusable catalyst. The present method uses molten salt media instead of hazardous organic solvents. The present methodology offers several advantages such as simple procedure, excellent yields, and a short reaction time.     

Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Polycalix[4]amides Containing Mesogenic Triazole Units and Investigations of Their Thermo Physical Properties and Heavy Metal Sorption Behavior

Novel polyamides bearing calix[4]arene and triazole units, polytriazolecalixamides (PTCAs), were prepared by direct polycondensation of a new bistriazole substituted dicarboxylic acid derivative of calix[4]arene with commercial diamines. The polytriazolecalixamides were obtained in high yields and possessed inherent viscosities in the range of 0.42–0.59 dl/g. These polytriazolecalixamides were readily soluble in polar aprotic solvents such as NMP, DMSO, DMAc at room temperature and in THF by heating. Nanocrystalline structures were determined by XRD patterns and confirmed by DSC as well as TEM and AFM imaging techniques. The photophysical study was performed by UV-absorption spectroscopy and maximum wavelength for each polymer specified in details. Glass transition temperatures were between 134 and 154°C. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that these polyamides displayed high thermal stability ranged from 273 to 312°C at the point of 10% weight loss, and char yields were about 51.4–67.4% at 600°C in nitrogen. All of these nanocrystalline polycalixamides showed promising sorption properties towards transition metal ions such as Cu²⁺, Cr²⁺, Co²⁺, Cd²⁺ and especially Pb²⁺ in solid-liquid extraction which fulfill our needs in synthesizing novel high performance polyamides.