Engineering Commons^™

Rfid-Enabled Inventory Control Optimization: A Proof Of Concept In A Small-To-Medium Retailer, H. Dane, Katina Michael, S. F. Wamba

Faculty of Informatics - Papers (Archive)

This study examines the impact of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology on the inventory control practices of a small-to-medium retailer using a proof of concept (PoC) approach. The exploratory study was conducted using a single case study of a hardware retailer stocking 5000 product lines provided by 110 active suppliers. To analyze the present mode of operation, procedural documents, semi-structured interviews and a participant observation was conducted. The basis for the proof of concept was a future mode of operation using a quasi-experimental design. Results indicate that in a small-to-medium retail environment, RFID technology could act as a loss prevention mechanism, …

Rational Revalidation, Hosam Aleem, Timothy J. Mccarthy, Rodger Edwards

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

The economic problems the world is currently facing have caused severe cost pressure on pharmaceutical manufacturing. Revalidation of manufacturing processes and equipment comprises a significant cost to the industry. Maintaining a validated status is a regulatory requirement. Technical issues, patient risk, and business considerations impact the organizational approach to revalidation. This discussion addresses the need for revalidation with particular attention to business considerations. Strategies to prioritise revalidation among systems and how to decide on what, how, and when to revalidate are discussed. Alternative approaches when revalidation is not possible are suggested. Costs associated with revalidation are described. Activities to reduce …

Dynamic Hand Gesture Recognition System Using Moment Invariants, Zhengmao Zou, Prashan Premaratne, Malin Premaratne, Ravi Monaragala, Nalin Bandara

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

We have developed a dynamic hand gesture recognition system that can simplify the way humans interact with computers and many other non-critical consumer electronic equipment. The proposed system is based on the well-known “Wave Controller” technology developed at the University of Wollongong and will revolutionize video gaming and consumer electronics control interfaces. Currently, computer interfacing mainly involves keyboard, mouse, joystick or gaming wheels and occasionally voice recognition for user input. These modes of interaction have restrained the artistic ability of many users, as they are required to respond to the computer through pressing buttons or moving other apparatus. Voice recognition …

A Tool For Online Mechanics Learning Resource Sharing, Thomas Goldfinch, Anne Gardner, Timothy Mccarthy, Alan Henderson, Giles Thomas, Anna L. Carew

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

Many hours and dollars have been spent developing new resources to improve learning outcomes in engineering mechanics courses. While many of these have been developed into packaged learning systems, available for purchase by other universities, a large proportion are available free of charge for students looking to expand their study options. Over the past eighteen months, a group of engineering academics, through Australian Learning and Teaching Council funding, has been working to develop a way of guiding students towards these online engineering mechanics learning resources. One of the outcomes of this work is an online, database-driven directory of existing online …

Flow-Induced Vibration Mitigation Using Attached Splitter-Plates, B. Stappenbelt

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

Prior stationary cylinder studies have continually demonstrated the effectiveness of attached splitter-plates in reducing drag and lift coefficients of cylinders in steady uniform flow. The use of attached splitter-plates has even been reported to be able to completely eliminate vortex shedding in fixed cylinder investigations. In the present study, the proposed utility of attached splitter-plate wake-stabilisation as a passive control mechanism for vortex-induced vibration (VIV) mitigation was investigated. A range of splitter-plate ratios from I/D=O to 4 were examined over a reduced velocity interval of Ur=3 to 60. The addition of splitter-plates resulted in the desired effect of decreasing the …

Geotechnical Analysis Of Slopes And Landslides: Achievements And Challenges, R. Chowdhury, P. Flentje

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES

Design Safe Slopes, Understand Performance of Slopes and Earth Dams, Quantify Landslide Susceptibility, Hazard and Risk, Landslide Risk Management, Reduction of Disaster Risk

ESSENTAIL INFORMATION

REGIONAL---Geology, Topography, Urbanisation, Landslide History, Triggering Factors(Rainfall ,Earthquakes etc)

SITE-SPECIFIC----Soil and Rock Types, Discontinuities ,Pore Water Pressures, Shear Strength Parameters, Unsaturated Zones, Observed Slope Movements, Quality of Data

IMPORTANT STEPS

Identify Failure Mechanisms, Develop Geotechnical Models, Parameter Variability, Systematic Uncertainties, Assess Stability/Reliability/Hazard /Risk, Validate with Respect to Observed Data

Mechanical Model Of A Floating Oscillating Water Column Wave Energy Conversion Device, Brad Stappenbelt, Paul Cooper

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

The study of floating oscillating water column (OWC) wave energy conversion (WEC) device performance includes analysis of the dynamic coupling of the water column and the floating structure. In the present investigation, a mechanical oscillator model was proposed in order to examine this relationship for the heave motion of a floating wave energy conversion device. Characterisation of the dynamic system optimal behaviour was performed by examining the effect of relative OWC and floating structure natural frequencies, the phase relationships of the various system components and the optimal power take-off damping of the system. It was determined that separation of the …

Periodic And Continuous Landslide Monitoring To Assess Landslide Frequency – Selected Australian Examples, P. Flentje, R. Chowdhury, Anthony Miner, C. Mazengarb

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

Landslide frequency is one of the major challenges that must be managed when undertaking a landslide risk assessment. Important issues to be considered when assessing landslide frequency include recognition of the landslide types and processes, landslide volume and magnitudes of displacement. Landslide frequency assessments must also recognize anthropogenic factors (in place and or proposed) such as any remedial measures (subsurface drainage and or retaining structures) as such works will be designed to have significant effects in reducing the frequency of landsliding at any site. Periodic and or continuous monitoring will certainly be of benefit in such assessments, but will only …

Sorption Of Steroidal Hormones By Electrodialysis Membranes, Laura J. Banasiak, Andrea I. Schafer

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

The mechanisms of sorption of four steroidal hormones – estradiol, estrone, progesterone and testosterone – to electrodialysis (ED) membranes were investigated as a function of solution pH and presence of humic acid (HA). Hormone-membrane partition coefficients (log KAEM/CEM) determined through sorption isotherm experiments suggested that hormone sorption was due to hydrogen bonding and cation–π interactions between hormone and membrane functional groups. Progesterone sorption at pH 7 (922 μg/cm3) during ED was greater than estrone sorption (591 μg/cm3) due to its greater cation-exchange membrane (CEM) bonding affinity. Estrone sorption at pH 11 (487 μg/cm3) was reduced due to estrone dissociation and …

A Polynomial Chaos-Based Kalman Filter Approach For Parameter Estimation Of Mechanical Systems, Emmanuel D. Blanchard, Corina Sandu, Adrian Sandu

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

Mechanical systems operate under parametric and external excitation uncertainties. The polynomial chaos approach has been shown to be more efficient than Monte Carlo for quantifying the effects of such uncertainties on the system response. Many uncertain parameters cannot be measured accurately, especially in real time applications. Information about them is obtained via parameter estimation techniques. Parameter estimation for large systems is a difficult problem, and the solution approaches are computationally expensive. This paper proposes a new computational approach for parameter estimation based on the extended Kalman filter (EKF) and the polynomial chaos theory for parameter estimation. The error covariances needed …

Kinetics Of Decarburization Reaction In Oxygen Steelmaking Process, Neslihan Dogan, Geoffrey A. Brooks, Muhammad A. Rhamdhani

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

The steelmaking process is complex since it involves simultaneous multi-phase (solidgas- liquid) interactions, chemical reactions, heat and mass transfer and complex flow patterns at high temperatures. The transient nature of the process also adds more complexities and the severe operating conditions inhibit the direct measurement and observation of the process. This difficulty can be addressed by developing models, which make it possible to describe the complicated nature of the process itself and to understand the interconnection of important process variables. A global model of oxygen steelmaking focusing on the overall decarburization of the process and including the new bloated droplet …

Performance Enhancement Of A Complex Chilled Water System Using A Check Valve: Experimental Validation, Shengwei Wang, Zhenjun Ma, Dian-Ce Gao

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

The large primary–secondary chilled water systems often suffer from the excess flow demand and low chilled water temperature difference, which is known as the low ΔT central plant syndrome, during operation. This paper presents an approach for experimental validation of the possible utility of a check valve (i.e., putting a one-direction check valve in the chilled water by-pass line) to solve this operational problem and enhance the overall system performance, prior to a check valve is really installed. The experimental tests were carried out on the complex central chiller plant in a super high-rise building using a simulated check valve …

Background Estimation In Mxgs Apparatus On International Space Station, Behcet Alpat, Mauro Menichelli, Diego Caraffini, Marco Petasecca, Francesca Renzi

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

THE Atmosphere-Space Interactions Monitor (ASIM) [1] is an ESA science instrument assembly, to be installed on the Columbus External Platform Facility (CEPF) of the ISS (International Space Station), to study the giant electrical discharges (lightning) in the high-altitude atmosphere above thunderstorms. The discharges are seen as optical, X and gamma-ray flashes in the stratosphere and mesosphere. The optical emissions are dubbed red sprites, blue jets, and elves or, collectively, Transient Luminous Events (TLEs); theXand gamma-ray emissions are dubbed Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes (TGFs), instead. The ASIM mission comprises, therefore, two main scientific instruments: the Miniature Multi-spectral Imaging Array (MMIA) composed …

Thinking Head: Towards Human Centred Robotics, Damith C. Herath, Christian Kroos, Catherine J. Stevens, Lawrence Cavedon, Prashan Premaratne

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

Thinking Head project is a multidisciplinary approach to building intelligent agents for human machine interaction. The Thinking Head Framework evolved out of the Thinking Head Project and it facilitates loose coupling between various components and forms the central nerve system in a multimodal perception-action system. The paper presents the overall architecture, components and the attention system. The paper then concludes with a preliminary behavioral experiment that studies the intelligibility of the audiovisual speech output produced by the Embodied Conversational Agent (ECA) that is part of the system. These results provide the baseline for future evaluations of the system as the …

Laboratory Investigation Of The Input Current Characteristics Of Modern Domestic Appliances For Varying Supply Voltage Conditions, Sean Elphick, Philip Ciufo, Sarath Perera

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

The past decade has seen major changes to the appliances which comprise the domestic load. Appliances which may have been considered to be passive loads are now supplied through power electronic front ends. These new loads are known sources of power quality disturbances, predominately harmonic currents. While examinations have been made of the electrical behaviour of first generation electronic appliances, there is little literature dealing with the performance of more modern loads. Understanding the behaviour of modern loads is essential if accurate models of equipment connected to the power system are to be developed. This paper examines the input current …

Giant Magnetodielectric Effect In 0-3 Ni0.5zn0.5fe2o4-Poly(Vinylidene-Fluoride) Nanocomposite Films, Yiping Guo, Yun Liu, Jianli Wang, R. L. Withers, Hua Chen, Lu Jin, Paul Smith

Faculty of Engineering - Papers (Archive)

Multiferroic nanocomposite films, composed of well-dispersed, magnetic Ni_0.5Zn_0.5Fe₂O₄ (NZFO) nanoparticles (in the size range 10−20 nm) embedded into a poly(vinylidene-fluoride) copolymer matrix host, have been prepared by a modified polymer processing route. The dielectric, ferroelectric, ferromagnetic and magnetodielectric properties of these nanocomposite films have been systematically investigated. The nanocomposite films exhibit low dielectric loss and good ferroelectric character. The magnetodielectric coefficient of the resultant nanocomposite films increases as a function of the NZFO fraction and is almost frequency independent. A giant magnetodielectric coefficient up to 5.1% was obtained at room temperature and under …

Wet Chemical Routes To The Assembly Of Organic Monolayers On Silicon Surfaces Via The Formation Of Si-C Bonds: Surface Preparation, Passivation And Functionalization, Simone Ciampi, Jason Brian Harper, J Justin Gooding

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Organic functionalization of non-oxidized silicon surfaces, while allowing for robust chemical passivation of the inorganic substrate, is intended and expected to broaden the chemical, physical and electronic properties of the currently most relevant technological material. Numerous protocols are now available for the preparation of Si-C, Si-O and Si-N bound layers. In particular, the covalent attachment of 1-alkenes and 1-alkynes onto hydride-terminated Si(100) and Si(111) has seen a wealth of research activity starting from the pioneering work of Linford and Chidsey (Alkyl monolayers covalently bonded to silicon surfaces, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1993, 115(26), 12631-12632). This critical review aims to bring …

Li2b12h12·7nh3: A New Ammine Complex For Ammonia Storage Or Indirect Hydrogen Storage, Zhenguo Huang, Judith C. Gallucci, Xuenian Chen, Teshome B. Yisgedu, Hima Kumar Lingam, Sheldon G. Shore, Ji-Cheng Zhao

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

A new ammine complex, Li2B12H12$7NH3, that can reversibly release all the NH3 at below 200oC and reabsorb NH3 at room temperature and 0.5 bar was synthesized and investigated for reversible ammonia storage or indirect hydrogen storage.

Inter­Molecular Di­Hydrogen- And Hydrogen-Bonding Inter­Actions In Di­Ammonium Closo-Deca­Hydro­Deca­Borate Sesquihydrate, Teshome B. Yisgedu, Xuenian Chen, Hima Kumar Lingam, Zhenguo Huang, Edward A. Meyers, Sheldon G. Shore, Ji-Cheng Zhao

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The asymmetric unit of the title salt, 2NH4+_B10H102__1.5H2O or (NH4)2B10H10_1.5H2O, (I), contains two B10H102_ anions, four NH4+ cations and three water molecules. (I) was converted to the anhydrous compound (NH4)2B10H10, (II), by heating to 343 K and its X-ray powder pattern was obtained. The extended structure of (I) shows two types of hydrogen-bonding interactions (N-H_ _ _O and O-H_ _ _O) and two types of dihydrogen-bonding interactions (N- H_ _ _H-B and O-H_ _ _H-B). The N-H_ _ _H-B dihydrogen bonding forms a two-dimensional sheet structure, and hydrogen bonding (N-H_ _ _O and O-H_ _ _O) and O- H_ _ …

Strong Competition Between The Delta L And Delta T-C Flux Pinning Mechanisms In Mgb2 Doped With Carbon Containing Compounds, Shaban R. Ghorbani, Xiaolin Wang, Md S. Hossain, Qiwen Yao, S X. Dou, Sung-Ik Lee, K C. Chung, Y K. Kim

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The transport and magnetic properties of 10 wt % malic acid and 5 wt % nanocarbon doped MgB₂ have been studied by measuring the resistivity (p), critical current density (j_c), connectivity factor (A_F), irreversibility field (H_irr), and upper critical field (H_c2). The pinning mechanisms are studied in terms of the collective pinning model. It was found that both mean free path (δl) and critical temperature (δT_c) pinning mechanisms coexist in both doped MgB₂. For both the malic acid and nanocarbon …

Enhancement Of The In-Field Jc Of Mgb2 Via Sicl4 Doping, Xiaolin Wang, S X. Dou, Md S. Hossain, Zhenxiang Cheng, X.Z Liao, Shaban R. Ghorbani, Qiwen Yao, Jung Ho Kim, Tania M. Silver

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

We present the following results. (1) We introduce a doping source for MgB₂, liquid SiCl₄, which is free of C, to significantly enhance the irreversibility field (H_irr), the upper critical field (H_c2), and the critical current density (J_c) with a little reduction in the critical temperature (T_c). (2) Although Si can not be incorporated into the crystal lattice, a significant reduction in the a-axis lattice parameter was found, to the same extent as for carbon doping. (3) Based on the first-principles calculation, it is found that it …

Magnetic Properties Of Ho2fe17-Xmnx - Influence Of Mn Substitution, Jianli Wang, Stewart J. Campbell, A J Studer, S J. Kennedy, Rong Zeng

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The structural and magnetic properties of Ho₂Fe_17−xMn_x (x=0-5) have been investigated by x-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and DC magnetization measurements (0-5 T) over the temperature range 4.5-350 K. Similar to other ferrimagnetic R₂Fe_17-xMn_x systems, the unit cell volume generally increases with Mn content other than for low Mn values where a slight maximum is detected around x ∼ 0.5. The nature of the magnetic phase transitions around T_C is shown by Arrot plot analysis to be second order for all samples. The Curie temperature remains essentially unchanged …

Magnetic Properties Of La Doped Bi2femno6 Ceramic And Film, Hongyang Zhao, Hideo Kimura, Zhenxiang Cheng, Xiaolin Wang, Kiyoshi Ozawa, Takashi Nishida

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

We present a comprehensive study of the magnetic properties for La doped Bi₂FeMnO₆ (LBFM) ceramic and film which was first deposited on (100) SrTiO₃ substrate by pulsed laser deposition method. The LBFM film is antiferromagnetic or weak ferrimagnetic at room temperature and it shows clear magnetic anisotropy. But it is not sure whether the spin-glass behavior is present in LBFM film because of the influence from substrate. Compared to the film, LBFM ceramic shows different magnetic properties. It has a lower TN and all the observations indicate that LBFM ceramic shows spin-glass behavior.

Lead-Free Potassium Bismuth Titanate Thin Film With Complex Aurivillius Layer Structure, Zhenxiang Cheng, Xiaolin Wang, Hongyang Zhao, Hideo Kimura

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

A ferroelectric thin film of Aurivillius phase K_0.5Bi_4.5Ti₄O₁₅ (KBT) with a complex bismuth layer-structure was fabricated using the pulsed laser deposition method. The thin film grown on Pt/Ti/SiO₂/ Si substrate shows a strong c-axis orientation, as revealed by x-ray diffraction results, and platelike growth of grains. A Pt/KBT/Pt capacitor shows a maximum polarization of about 20 µC/cm². In addition, the capacitor also shows good fatigue resistance, with a decrease of 14.5% in the remanent polarization after 10⁷ switching cycles. This Aurivillius phase with four layers of TiO_{6 …}

Intergrain Connectivity Of Mgb2 Ceramics Studied By Impedance Analysis, C.C Wang, C Wang, Rong Zeng, S X. Dou

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

First, by using of the conventional Rowell analysis, we demonstrated that the addition of nano BN particles can effectively eliminate MgO and pores in MgB₂ resulting in a very high density and good connectivity of BN-doped MgB2. Then, another method—low-frequency dielectric impedance analysis—was introduced to characterize the properties of the grain boundaries of MgB₂. A comparative impedance study was performed in the frequency range from 100 Hz to 100 MHz on pure and nano BN-doped MgB₂. The study revealed some following interesting results: (1) a dielectric resonance around frequency of 10⁸ in both samples …

Superconductivity In Smfe1-Xcoxaso (X=0.0-0.30), V P. Awana, Anand Pal, Arpita Vajpayee, R S. Meena, H Kishan, Mushahid Husain, Rong Zeng, S Yu, K Yamaura, E Takayammuromachi

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

We report synthesis, structural details, and magnetization of SmFe_1-xCo_xAsO with x ranging from 0.0 to 0.30. It is found that Co substitutes fully at Fe site in SmFeAsO in an isostructural lattice with slightly compressed cell. The parent compound exhibited known as the spin density wave (SDW) character is below at around 140 K. Successive doping of Co at Fe site suppressed the SDW transition for x=0.05 and later induced superconductivity for x=0.10, 0.15, and 0.20, respectively, at 14, 15.5, and 9 K. The lower critical field as seen from magnetization measurements is below 200 Oe. …

Magnetic Properties Of Bi2femno6: A Multiferroic Material With Double-Perovskite Structure, Yi Du, Zhenxiang Cheng, S X. Dou, Xiaolin Wang, Hua Zhao, Hideo Kimura

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

Single phase Bi₂FeMnO₆ was synthesized on Si substrates by an electrospray method. Three peaks were observed in the temperature dependence of magnetization curve, which is attributed to the inhomogeneous distribution of Fe³⁺ and Mn³⁺. The observed magnetic peaks at 150 K, 260 K, and 440 K correspond to orderings of the ferrimagnetic Fe–O–Mn, and antiferromagnetic Mn–O–Mn and Fe–O–Fe, respectively. Heat capacity measurements were carried out to confirm these magnetic transitions. The Debye temperature of Bi₂FeMnO₆ is 339 K, calculated from Debye–Einstein fitting.

Pluripotent Human Stem Cells, Blaine W. Phillips, Jeremy M. Crook

Australian Institute for Innovative Materials - Papers

The need for new and improved pharmacotherapies in medicine, high late-stage compound attrition in drug discovery, and upcoming patent expirations is driving interest by the pharmaceutical industry in pluripotent stem cells for in vitro modeling and early-stage testing of toxicity and target engagement. In particular, human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells represent potentially cost-effective and accessible sources of organ-specific cells that foretell in vivo human tissue response to new chemical entities. Here we consider the potential of these cells as novel tools for drug development, including toxicity screening and metabolic profiling. We hold that despite various challenges to translating …

Putting The Architecting Back Into Software Architecture With Systems Thinking Agent-Based Modelling, Trevor Harrison, Allan Peter Campbell, Thong Nguyen

SMART Infrastructure Facility - Papers

This paper details exploratory research which treats architecting as a system. This human architecting system has a structure composed of decisions, interdependencies amongst decisions, decision making, decision makers and the decision-making environment. Agent-based modelling is used to model the architecting system, and simulation is used to visualise system behaviour over time. The goal is to map legitimate / optimal speed of architectural decision-making to an architecting system behaviour pattern. Knowing the appropriate behaviour pattern of early architecture evolution will provide a mechanism for fine-grained progress tracking of architectural design. Divergence from this behaviour pattern should provide early warning signs of …

A Spatial Agent-Based Model To Explore Scenarios Of Adaptation To Climate Change In An Alpine Tourism Destination, Stefano Balbi, Pascal Perez, Carlo Giupponi

SMART Infrastructure Facility - Papers

A vast body of literature suggests that the European Alpine region may be one of the most sensitive to climate change impacts. Adaptation to climate change of Alpine socioecosystems is increasingly becoming an issue of interest for the scientific community while the people of the Alps are often unaware of or simply ignore the problem. ClimAlpTour is a European research project of the Alpine Space Programme, bringing together institutions and scholars from all countries of the Alpine arch, in view of dealing with the expected decrease in snow and ice cover, which may lead to a rethinking of tourism development …