Controlled Space Radiation concept for mesh-free semi-analytical technique to model wave fields in complex geometries

Numerical modelling of the ultrasonic wave propagation is important for Structural Heath Monitoring and System Prognosis problems. In order to develop intelligent and adaptive structures with embedded damage detector and classifier mechanisms, detailed understanding of scattered wave fields due to anomaly in the structure is inevitably required. A detailed understanding of the problem demands a good modelling of the wave propagation in the problem geometry in virtual form. Therefore, efficient analytical, semi-analytical or numerical modelling techniques are required. In recent years a semi-analytical mesh-free technique called Distributed Point Source Method (DPSM) is being used for modelling various ultrasonic, electrostatic and electromagnetic wave field problems. In the conventional DPSM approach point sources are placed along the transducer faces, problem boundaries and interfaces to model incident and scattered fields. Every point source emits energy in all directions uniformly. Source strengths of these 360° radiation sources are obtained by satisfying interface and boundary conditions of the problem. In conventional DPSM modelling approach it is assumed that the shadow zone does not require any special consideration. 360° Radiation point sources should be capable of properly modelling shadow zones because all boundary and interface conditions are satisfied. In this paper it is investigated how good this assumption is by introducing the ‘shadow zone’ concept at the point source level and comparing the results generated by the conventional DPSM and by this modified approach where the conventional 360° radiation point sources are replaced by the Controlled Space Radiation (CSR) sources.     

Modelling the landing of a plane in a calculus lab

We exhibit a simple model of a plane landing that involves only basic concepts of differential calculus, so it is suitable for a first-year calculus lab. We use the computer algebra system Maxima and the interactive geometry software GeoGebra to do the computations and graphics.     

Minmax robustness for multi-objective optimization problems

In real-world applications of optimization, optimal solutions are often of limited value, because disturbances of or changes to input data may diminish the quality of an optimal solution or even render it infeasible. One way to deal with uncertain input data is robust optimization, the aim of which is to find solutions which remain feasible and of good quality for all possible scenarios, i.e., realizations of the uncertain data. For single objective optimization, several definitions of robustness have been thoroughly analyzed and robust optimization methods have been developed. In this paper, we extend the concept of minmax robustness (Ben-Tal, Ghaoui, & Nemirovski, 2009) to multi-objective optimization and call this extension robust efficiency for uncertain multi-objective optimization problems. We use ingredients from robust (single objective) and (deterministic) multi-objective optimization to gain insight into the new area of robust multi-objective optimization. We analyze the new concept and discuss how robust solutions of multi-objective optimization problems may be computed. To this end, we use techniques from both robust (single objective) and (deterministic) multi-objective optimization. The new concepts are illustrated with some linear and quadratic programming instances.     

Ultrasound assisted two-stage biodiesel synthesis from non-edible Schleichera triguga oil using heterogeneous catalyst: Kinetics and thermodynamic analysis

Present work deals with the ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production from low cost, substantial acid value kusum (Schleichera triguga) oil using a two-step method of esterification in presence of acid (H₂SO₄) catalyst followed by transesterification using a basic heterogeneous barium hydroxide (Ba(OH)₂) catalyst. The initial acid value of kusum oil was reduced from 21.65 to 0.84 mg of KOH/g of oil, by acid catalyzed esterification with 4:1 methanol to oil molar ratio, catalyst concentration 1% (v/v), ultrasonic irradiation time 20 min at 40 °C. Then, Ba(OH)₂ concentration of 3% (w/w), methanol to oil molar ratio of 9:1, ultrasonic irradiation time of 80 min, and temperature of 50 °C was found to be the optimum conditions for transesterification step and triglyceride conversion of 96.8% (wt) was achieved. This paper also examined the kinetics as well as the evaluation of thermodynamic parameters for both esterification and transesterification reactions. The lower value of activation energy and higher values of kinetic constants indicated a fast rate of reaction, which could be attributed to the physical effect of emulsification, in which the microturbulence generated due to radial motion of bubbles, creates an intimate mixing of the immiscible reactants causing the increase in the interfacial area, giving faster reaction kinetics. The positive values of Gibbs-free energy (ΔG), enthalpy (ΔH) and negative value of entropy (ΔS) revealed that both the esterification and transesterification were non-spontaneous, endothermic and endergonic reactions. Therefore, the present work has not only established the escalation obtained due to ultrasonication but also exemplified the two-step approach for synthesis of biodiesel from non-edible kusum oil based on the use of heterogeneous catalyst for the transesterification step.     

Subgrid-scale dynamics and model test in a turbulent stratified jet with coexistence of stable and unstable stratification

The subgrid-scale dynamics of stratified flows is studied in a horizontally introduced turbulent jet with coexistence of stable and unstable stratification of a low Richardson number case and a high Richardson number case. The positive production of subgrid-scale kinetic energy and the production of scalar variance suggest the forward energy cascade. The subgrid-scale buoyant destruction plays a role as a sink of subgrid-scale kinetic energy in the stable stratification while holds a role of turbulent generation in the unstable stratification. The role-switch of buoyant destruction in the stable stratification of high-Ri case implies the occurrence of a destabilising process triggered by the coupled instability mechanisms. The energy balance assumption related to the production of and the dissipation of subgrid-scale kinetic energy as well as the subgrid-scale buoyant destruction may fail. The a-priori test suggests the scale-invariant dynamic and standard Smagorinsky models not to work properly here, while the scale-dependent dynamic model gives a decent performance but with restrictions of the ratio between two testing filter scales.     

Reproducibility of the gadolinium concentration measurements and of the fitting parameters of the vascular input function in the superior sagittal sinus in a patient population

It is widely recognised that the measurement of the arterial input function (AIF) is a key issue and a major source of errors in the pharmacokinetic modelling of dynamic, contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) data, and the modality of the AIF determination is still a matter of debate. In this study we addressed the problem of the intrinsic variability of the AIF within the imaged volume of a DCE-MRI scan by systematically investigating the change in the concentration of contrast agent over time and the fit parameters of the derived vascular input function (VIF) obtained from the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) of a patient population that was scanned longitudinally during treatment for high grade glioma. From a total of 82 scanning sessions, we compared the results obtained with three different DCE-MRI protocols and between two different fitting functions. We applied a correction algorithm to the measured concentration-time curves to minimize the effect of the low temporal resolution on the VIF, and investigated the effect of this algorithm on the reproducibility. Finally, where possible, we compared the signal obtained in the SSS to the signal obtained in the middle cerebral artery. We found a good intrapatient reproducibility of both the measured gadolinium concentrations and VIF parameters, and that the variation of the parameters due to slice location within a patient was significantly lower than the intra patient variation. Intrapatient, interscan differences were significantly less marked than inter-patient differences showing a good intraclass correlation coefficient. We did encounter a MRI protocol dependence of the VIF fitting parameters. The correction algorithm significantly improved the reproducibility of the fitting parameters. These results support the idea that the use of a patient specific measured AIF, not necessarily averaged over a large volume, offers a significant benefit with respect to an external AIF or a measured cohort average AIF.     

Numerical modelling and analysis of external gear pumps by applying generalized control volumes

Components in gear pumps usually involve complex geometrical arrangements in order to achieve the desired performance. The use of lumped parametric models is considered the most accurate and effective method for investigation of the associated design issues. In this study, the numerical modelling approach based on the lumped parameters and control volume concepts is reviewed, especially for gear teeth within the meshing zone. To apply the approach to the entire gear pump, control volume concepts are generalized to all gear pockets and flow orifices with some reasonable assumptions. The assumptions include instantaneous angular positions, orifice transitions and imagined control volumes with internal flows. The fluid dynamics and pump performance, which even have the measurement difficulties, can be estimated to investigate and optimize the design parameters of gears by the model. A simulation example and its experimental results of a gear machine are presented to validate the proposed approach in this article.     

Robust improvement schemes for road networks under demand uncertainty

This paper is concerned with development of improvement schemes for road networks under future travel demand uncertainty. Three optimization models, sensitivity-based, scenario-based and min–max, are proposed for determining robust optimal improvement schemes that make system performance insensitive to realizations of uncertain demands or allow the system to perform better against the worst-case demand scenario. Numerical examples and simulation tests are presented to demonstrate and validate the proposed models.     

固体材料脆性断裂的多尺度时空模型(英文)

通过实例分析了动态断裂过程所固有的典型动态作用,基于断裂孵化时间理论的时空结构方法提出了固体材料断裂的统一解释.此外,还提出了计及尺度效应的广义断裂模型,该模型可以用于预测准脆性非均质材料的多尺度断裂,并证明此模型基于实验室尺度的实验数据可以预测更高尺度(真实尺度)的宏观断裂.     

含酯基Gemini表面活性剂在有机醇-水体系中的胶束热力学及聚集行为

采用电导法研究了不同温度下含酯基Gemini表面活性剂在纯水和在质量分数为10%的甲醇-水(MAWR),乙二醇-水(EG-WR),丙三醇-水(GL-WR)四种体系中的集聚行为和胶束热力学;聚集行为参数包括临界胶束浓度(cmc)和抗衡离子的解离程度(α)以及胶束的热力学参数,包括标准吉布斯自由能(ΔG_m~o)、吉布斯迁移自由能(ΔG_(trans)~o)、吉布斯烷基链胶束化自由能(ΔG_(tail)~o)、标准焓变(ΔH_m~o)和标准熵变(ΔS_m~o),均被计算和讨论。研究表明在所有的研究体系中,cmc值随着疏水链的增加而减小,随着加入的醇结构中羟基数目的增加而增大,随温度的升高先变小,后变大呈U字形;胶束化过程都是自发进行的,并且在293.15 K下,胶束化过程是吸热的,在293.15 K上,胶束化过程是放热的;通过稳态荧光光谱法研究了表面活性剂在纯水、有机醇-水混合溶液中的微极性,结果表明,在相同溶剂中,随着烷基链长度的增加,溶液微环境的疏水性越强;对于相同的Gemini表面活性剂,随着加入含羟基数目越多的醇,其微环境的疏水性越强。并研究了Gemini表面活性剂在混合体系中形成胶束过程的焓-熵补偿曲线。