Science and Technology Studies Commons^™

Synthesis Of Mn3o4-Encapsulated Graphene Sheet Nanocomposites Via A Facile, Fast Microwave Hydrothermal Method And Their Supercapacitive Behaviour, Li Li, Kuok Hau Seng, Zhixin Chen, Hua-Kun Liu, Ivan P. Nevirkovets, Zaiping Guo

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Well-crystallized Mn3O4-anchored reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites have been successfully synthesized via a facile, effective, energy-saving, and scalable microwave hydrothermal technique for potential application as supercapacitor material. Integrating these nanostructures resulted in a strong synergistic effect between the two materials, consequently leading to a hybrid composite with higher specific capacitance compared to the bare Mn3O4 nanoparticles. The results from different sorts of characterization indicate that the Mn3O4 particles were deposited and anchored on graphene sheets. The capacitance value of the rGO(31.6%)–Mn3O4 nanocomposite reached 153 F/g, much higher than that of the bare Mn3O4 (87 F/g) at a scan rate of …

Anisotropy In The Permeability And Consolidation Characteristics Of Dredged Mud, Dhanya Ganesalingam, Jayantha Ameratunga, Guy Schweitzer, Peter Boyle, Nagaratnam Sivakugan

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Dredging and land reclamation is a billion dollar industry that is spread around the coastal regions of Australia. Maintenance dredging is carried out regularly in many major Australian ports and in several cases the dredged mud is pumped ashore into containment paddocks at high water contents. When the dredged mud settles, there can be segregation with possible anisotropy. The sedimentation of the dredged mud is followed by self-weight consolidation which can take a long time. To accelerate the consolidation process, prefabricated vertical drains and surcharge are often used. To analyse the consolidation process of the dredged mud with vertical drains …

Analytical Solution For Interaction Forces In Rc Beams Strengthened With Nsm Rectangular Bars, S S. Zhang, J G. Teng

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The flexural performance of an RC beam can be improved using the near-surface mounted (NSM) FRP strengthening technique. In such FRP-strengthened RC beams, debonding failure at the two bar ends may occur due to high interaction forces in the bar-end regions between the RC beam and the FRP bars. This paper presents a theoretical investigation into these interaction forces in RC beams strengthened with NSM FRP rectangular bars. By introducing and defining two interfacial stiffness parameters, an analytical solution for the tangential and the normal interaction forces is first obtained as an extension of the analytical solution developed by Smith …

Analytical Model For Bar-End Cover Separation Failure In Rc Beams Strengthened With Near-Surface Mounted Frp, S S. Zhang, J G. Teng, J F. Chen

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The flexural performance of RC beams can be improved using the near-surface mounted (NSM) FRP strengthening technique. A likely failure mode of such FRP-strengthened RC beams is bar-end cover separation which involves the detachment of the NSM FRP reinforcement together with the concrete cover along the level of the steel tension reinforcement. This paper presents a new analytical strength model for this failure mode. The proposed strength model and two existing strength models for this failure mode are compared with test results to demonstrate the superior performance of the new analytical model.

Design Optimization And Comparative Analysis Of Silicon-Nanowire-Based Couplers, Hongqiang Li, Xiaye Dong, Enbang Li, Zhihui Liu, Yaoting Bai

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Three kinds of highly compact 2 x 2 couplers based on silicon nanowire are designed and optimized for the array waveguide grating (AWG) demodulation integration microsystem in this paper. These couplers are directional (X) coupler, cross gap coupler (CGC), and multimode interface (MMI) coupler. The couplers are simulated using the beam propagation method. The distance between the input/output waveguides is set to 10 μm considering the test of a single device in the following work. The total footprint of X coupler is 10 μmx 300 μm. The length of parallel film waveguide is 1 μm. After optimization, the minimum excess …

A Zero-Sum Competitive Multi-Player Game, Ivan W. Guo, Marek Rutkowski

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

A single period, zero-sum, multi-player game is constructed. Each player can either exit the game for a fixed payoff or stay and split the remaining payoff with the other non-exiting players. The emphasis is put on the rivalrous nature of the payoffs, meaning that the sum of all payoffs is fixed, but the exact allocation is based on the players' decisions. The value at which Nash and optimal equilibria are attained is shown to be unique and it is constructed explicitly.

Delivering Zero Carbon Homes In The Uk, Emma Elizabeth Heffernan, Wei Pan, Xi Liang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

In the UK and internationally, a plethora of voluntary and mandatory energy efficiency standards for new buildings exist, with the common aim of mitigating the impact of new buildings on climate change. However, the take-up of voluntary schemes has been limited and, as a result, many governments have seen the need to introduce mandatory schemes through legislation; from 2016 all new build homes in England and Wales will be required to achieve zero carbon in regulated energy consumption. The international context of voluntary and mandatory building energy efficiency standards is examined through a review of the literature. The review is …

Cold Model Study Of Blast Gas Discharge From The Taphole During The Blast Furnace Hearth Drainage, Qinglin He, Geoffrey M. Evans, Paul Zulli, Francis Tanzil

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Blast gas discharge from the taphole in the course of the blast furnace hearth drainage was experimentally studied using a packed bed cold model. It was found that gas break-through time was strongly influenced by the furnace operating conditions and coke bed structure. Gas break-through time decreases with (a) increasing draining rate; (b) decreasing slag and iron levels in the hearth; and (c) increasing slag viscosity. It increases with an increase in the coke-free layer depth and coke-free space width. Under certain conditions, the gas-liquid interface in the region directly above the taphole becomes unstable, leading to viscous finger formation …

Long-Distance Walking Effect On Below-Knee Amputee Compensatory Gait Patterns And Implications On Prosthetic Designs And Training, L F. Yeung, Aaron Leung, Ming Zhang, Winson Lee

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Trans-tibial amputees are advised to walk as much as able people to achieve healthy and independent life. However, they usually have difficulties in doing so. Previous researches only included data from a few steps when studying the gait of amputees. Walking over a long distance was rarely examined. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in spatial-temporal, kinetic and kinematic gait parameters of trans-tibial amputees after long-distance walking. Six male unilateral trans-tibial amputees performed two sessions of 30-min walking on a level treadmill at their self-selected comfortable speed. Gait analysis was undertaken over-ground: (1) before walking, (2) …

Is It Important To Position Foot In Subtalar Joint Neutral Position During Non-Weight-Bearing Molding For Foot Orthoses?, Winson Lee, Christina Lee, Aaron Leung, Stephen W. Hutchins

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

When taking molds for foot orthoses, it is accepted practice to position the subtalar joint in its neutral position. However, foot orthoses have no contact with the talus, and this leads to a hypothesis that as long as there is correction available to appropriately align the forefoot relative to the hindfoot when taking a mold, changes in subtalar joint angles do not lead to significant alterations in the plantar surface shapes of the molds taken. This study tested this presumption with 20 subjects between 22 and 46 years old. During non-weight-bearing casting, the subtalar joints were aligned at positions of …

Comparison Of Custom-Moulded Ankle Orthosis With Hinged Joints And Off-The-Shelf Ankle Braces In Preventing Ankle Sprain In Lateral Cutting Movements, Winson Lee, Toshiki Kobayashi, Barton Choy, Aaron Leung

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

BACKGROUND: A custom moulded ankle orthosis with hinged joints potentially offers a better control over the subtalar joint and the ankle joint during lateral cutting movements, due to total contact design and increase in material strength. OBJECTIVES: To test the above hypothesis by comparing it to three other available orthoses. STUDY DESIGN: Repeated measures. METHODS: Eight subjects with a history of ankle sprains (Grade 2), and 11 subjects without such history performed lateral cutting movements in four test conditions: 1) non-orthotic, 2) custom-moulded ankle orthosis with hinges, 3) Sport-Stirrup, and 4) elastic ankle sleeve with plastic support. A VICON motion …

Effectiveness Of Adjustable Dorsiflexion Night Splint In Combination With Accommodative Foot Orthosis On Plantar Fasciitis, Winson Lee, W Y. Wong, Eddy Kung, Aaron Leung

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Foot orthoses and night splints have been used separately to treat patients with plantar fasciitis, but were not always successful. Combined use of both orthoses might give better outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a soft and self-adjustable dorsiflexion night splint in combination with an accommodative foot orthosis for patients with plantar fasciitis. Twenty-eight patients were assigned to group A (foot orthosis only) and group B (combination of foot orthosis and dorsiflexion night splints). A foot function index (FFI) questionnaire was used to evaluate the pain and functions of feet just before, 2 weeks after, and 8 weeks after …

Dynamic Impression Insole In Rheumatoid Foot With Metatarsal Pain, Bao-Chi Chang, Jia-Yi Wang, Biing-Shiun Huang, Hsiao-Yi Lin, Winson Lee

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Background

Custom molded insoles with metatarsal supports are used to redistribute excessive loading under the metatarsal heads in patients with metatarsalgia. However, these pressure reductions are usually insufficient for the rheumatoid foot with painful deformed metatarsal heads. We developed an effective insole made by sequential foam padding under successive walking impression.

Methods

Seventeen consecutive rheumatoid arthritic outpatients with metatarsal pain participated in this repeated measures study of 7-mm flat Ethylene Vinyl Acetate, custom molded and dynamic impression insoles. Peak plantar pressure, pressure-time integral, contact area and mean force were measured by a Pedar-X mobile system. Pain levels were assessed using …

Modélisation De La Mobilité Résidentielle En Vue D'Une Micro-Simulation Des Évolutions De Population, Eric Cornelis, Johan Barthelemy, Xavier Pauly, Fabien Walle

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Quels sont les déterminants de la mobilité résidentielle en Belgique ? Quand on déménage, quels sont les facteurs de choix d'une nouvelle commune de résidence ? Telles étaient les questions au cœur du projet MOBLOC. Dans ce cadre, un modèle a été développé en deux parties: un modèle de propension à migrer et un modèle de choix de nouvelle localisation. L'objectif étant de travailler avec un niveau de désagrégation spatiale fin (les 589 communes belges), des outils de micro-simulation étaient également nécessaires. La méthode originale développée par le GRT pour créer des populations synthétiques est donc utile de même que …

Semi-Analytical Solutions For Cubic Autocatalytic Reaction-Diffusion Equations; The Effect Of A Precursor Chemical, Muteb Alharthi, Timothy Marchant, Mark Nelson

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Semi-analytical solutions for a cubic autocatalytic reaction, with linear decay and a precursor chemical, are considered. The model is coupled with diffusion and considered in a one-dimensional reactor. In this model the reactant is supplied by two mechanisms, diffusion via the cell boundaries and decay of an abundant precursor chemical present in the reactor. The Galerkin method is used to approximate the spatial structure of the reactant and autocatalyst concentrations in the reactor. Ordinary differential equations are then obtained as an approximation to the governing partial differential equations and analyzed to obtain semi-analytical results for the reaction-diffusion cell. Singularity theory …

Nonlinear Optical Beams In Bounded Nematic Liquid Crystal Cells, Antonmaria Minzoni, Luke W. Sciberras, Noel Prof Noel F Smyth, Annette L. Worthy

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Stable nonlinear beams, both solitary waves (nematicons) and optical vortices, can form in a nematic liquid crystal due to a balance between the nonlinear, nonlocal response of the nematic and the diffractive spreading of the light beam. The `huge' nonlinearity of a nematic liquid crystal makes it ideal for the experimental development of photonic devices as nonlinear effects occur over millimetre distances. In this work, a simple and fast method to analyse the trajectory of a nonlinear beam within a finite liquid crystal cell, based on a classical method not explored in this context, the method of images, is developed. …

Effect Of The Austenitising Heat Treatment On The Microstructure And Hardness Of Martensitic Stainless Steel Aisi 420, Lilian D. Barlow, Madeleine Du Toit

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The effect of austenitizing on the microstructure and hardness of two martensitic stainless steels was examined with the aim of supplying heat-treatment guidelines to the user that will ensure a martensitic structure with minimal retained austenite, evenly dispersed carbides and a hardness of between 610 and 740 HV (Vickers hardness) after quenching and tempering. The steels examined during the course of this examination conform in composition to medium-carbon AISI 420 martensitic stainless steel, except for the addition of 0.13% vanadium and 0.62% molybdenum to one of the alloys. Steel samples were austenitized at temperatures between 1000 and 1200 C, followed …

Comparing The Formability Of Aisi 304 And Aisi 202 Stainless Steel, Madeleine Du Toit, Herman G. Steyn

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The formability of AISI 202 austenitic stainless steel was compared with that of type AISI 304 stainless steel. Type 202 is a low-nickel austenitic stainless steel alloyed with manganese and nitrogen. In this study, the formability of the two grades was examined using Erichsen cupping tests and room temperature uniaxial tensile tests performed at various angles to the rolling direction. AISI 202 appears to work-harden at a slightly higher rate than AISI 304, even though the austenite in type 202 is more stable than that in 304 with respect to the formation of deformation-induced a¢ martensite. Although both grades are …

Self-Reported Practices, Attitudes And Levels Of Training Of Practitioners In The English Nhs Stop Smoking Services, Mairtin S. Mcdermott, Robert West, Leonie S. Brose, Andy Mcewen

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The primary aim of the current study is to investigate the self-reported practices, attitudes and levels of training of stop smoking practitioners (SSPs) working at the English National Health Service's (NHS) Stop Smoking Services (SSSs). A secondary aim was to investigate differences between 'Specialist' and 'Community' SSPs. An online survey was conducted with 484 SSPs. Most (94%) SSPs offered one-to-one appointments to smokers, only 43% always used the abrupt quit model and 30% reported ever recommending particular medication to clients. SSPs reported an average of 3.7 days training when starting work and 26% reported never observing an experienced practitioner before …

Translating Evidence-Based Guidelines Into Practice: A Survey Of Practices Of Commissioners And Managers Of The English Stop Smoking Services, Mairtin S. Mcdermott, Heather Thomson, Robert West, Jennifer A. M Kenyon, Andy Mcewen

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Background: The English National Health Service's (NHS) Stop Smoking Services (SSSs) constitute one of the most highly developed behavioural support programmes in the world. However, there is significant variation in success rates across the approximately 150 services, some of which may be due to variation in practice. This study aimed to assess these differences in practice.

Methods: Two online surveys were administered. All commissioners (people who purchase services for the NHS) and managers (those who run the services) of NHS SSSs in England were invited to participate. Items included details of current practices and services provided, what informed the …

Apocalypse Not: Doomsday Thinkers Of Oz Should Get Out More, Graham Harris

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

I sometimes wonder what planet this country of ours is on. The environmental debate we are having seems to be in a parallel universe to the rest of the world. Having spent the last four years running one of Europe's biggest environmental research laboratories, the Lancaster Environment Centre, I find Australia strangely out of kilter. All I hear here is apocalyptic gloom and doom: either the planet is done for if we don't act, or the economy is done for if we do! We have a highly polarised debate and even more polarised reporting; with too much hand-wringing and head-banging …

Don't Wait For Sciene To 'Settle': Decide What Society Needs, Graham Harris

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

If you listen to the debate between science and society in most of the West, you get one version or another of the linear model. Science comes first. When it is "settled", society will know what to do. This is as true in the climate debate as it is in innovation. First comes the "breakthrough" and then the widget gets commercialised. Much of the economic development of the West has been driven by this "knowledge based" worldview. It worked quite well when the problems were simple and the benefits easily captured - from steam engines to early antibiotics - but …

Meet Boston Dynamics' Ls3 - The Latest Robotic War Machine, Katina Michael

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

On first viewing Boston Dynamics' latest creation, the LS3 (Legged Squad Support System), I could not help but be taken back to the AT-AT (All Terrain Armoured Transport) walker, as depicted in the Star Wars film The Empire Strikes Back. But it is the AT-TE (All Terrain Tactical Enforcer) walker that appears in Attack of the Clones which strikes the most eerie resemblance to the LS3 concept, as the two images below demonstrate.

People Plus: Is Transhuman The Next Stage In Our Evolution?, Katina Michael

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Inviting artificial intelligence into our bodies has appeal - but it also carries certain risks. I have often wondered what it would be like to rid myself of a keyboard for data entry, and a computer screen for display. Some of my greatest moments of reflection are when I am in the car driving long distances, cooking in my kitchen, watching the kids play at the park, waiting for a doctor's appointment or on a plane thousands of metres above sea level. I have always been great at multitasking but at these times it is often not practical or convenient …

Australia's Hand Out Addicted Car Industry Needs Some Tough Love, Henry Ergas

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The Federal Government will contribute millions of dollars to Australian car manufacturers Holden and Ford in an effort to keep Australia's automotive sector afloat. The government will add $34 million to a $103 million rescue package for Ford's Victorian assembly plant that will see the facility remain open until at least 2016. The funding, which will be met by a grant from the Victorian Government, comes as Holden is reportedly negotiating with Canberra over co-investment to produce a new Commodore model in 2018. But should governments continue to bail out an industry that is lagging in Australia and internationally? University …

Self-Guided Bullets Won't Stuff Up, But What About The Grunts And Drones Firing Them?, Katina Michael

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

At the beginning of this year Sandia Labs in the United States announced it had patented a design for a self-guided bullet that could help soldiers at war. The technology is expected to prevent the need for targeted air strikes that could kill innocent people while criminals take cover in their midst. This "super" self-guided bullet can hit laser-designated targets accurately to around 2,000 metres. An example of this capability can be found in the XM25 rifle. To rephrase the Cold War notion of "limited nuclear warfare", we could now say with these latest developments to the war-fighting repertoire that …

Israel, Palestine And The Benefits Of Waging War Through Twitter, Katina Michael

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Warfare, as we know, has gone digital, its volleys and counterattacks rattled out 140 characters at a time. Historically, nation states with superior military prowess have been in a position of influence, and are often dubbed superpowers. But in the post Cold War era, such geopolitical giants have not had a monopoly in terms of technological interventionism. Terrorist regimes have lifted the veil on conventional warfare and sought non-traditional methods to attack their counterparts. So-called "rogue states", such as Iran and North Korea, have been accused of hiding weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and developing nuclear programs. Today asymmetrical attacks …

Exponential-Family Random Graph Models For Valued Networks, Pavel N. Krivitsky

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Exponential-family random graph models (ERGMs) provide a principled and flexible way to model and simulate features common in social networks, such as propensities for homophily, mutuality, and friend-of-a- friend triad closure, through choice of model terms (sufficient statistics). However, those ERGMs modeling the more complex features have, to date, been limited to binary data: presence or absence of ties. Thus, analysis of valued networks, such as those where counts, measurements, or ranks are observed, has necessitated dichotomizing them, losing information and introducing biases. In this work, we generalize ERGMs to valued networks. Focusing on modeling counts, we formulate an ERGM …

A Comparison Study Of Chain-Die Forming And Roll Forming By Forming A Top Hat Section, Yuankun Zhang, Shichao Ding

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Chain-die Forming, a novel sheet metal forming method, has been proposed and developed recently to overcome the problems that arose in roll forming. As an extension to roll forming, Chain-die Forming has been proposed to elongate the deformation length by increasing the virtual roll radii, and employing discrete profiled die-blocks which move on a track board with the desired large radii to im-plement or simulate the rotation of the virtual large rolls. The roll radii are so large and the forming length is so long that all redundant strain components occurring in roll forming are significantly reduced or even eliminated.

Effects Of Feed Solution Characteristics And Membrane Fouling On N-Nitrosamine Rejection By Reverse Osmosis Membranes, Takahiro Fujioka, Long D. Nghiem, Stuart Khan, James Mcdonald, Yvan Poussade, Jörg Drewes

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Augmentation of potable water sources with reclaimed municipal wastewater is an option of increasing importance for water security in regions and countries where severe water stress occurs. Consequently, the presence of emerging trace contaminants in reclaimed water has been recognised as a critical issue due to their potential adverse health effects. Notable examples of these trace organic chemicals include N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and several other N-nitrosamines.