Engineering Commons^™

Resolving The Policy Paradox: The Case Of Biofuel Production In Ireland, Alan Gilmer, Mark J. Mcgarrity, Vivienne Byers

Articles

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the status of policy design and policy implementation in the biofuel sector in Ireland. The focus of the work addresses the overarching operational context of the biofuel sector in Ireland and the role of different actors in shaping and resolving inconsistencies in policy outlook and practice. Design/methodology/approach – This study used a qualitative research approach involving a series of semi-structured interviews with members of the relevant sub-groups concerned. This study sought to address two questions – whether current or proposed policy is likely to affect consumption of indigenous biofuel feedstocks …

Equi-Biaxial Fatigue Behaviour Of Magnetorheological Elastomers In Magnetic Fields, Yanfen Zhou, Mark Johnson, Shipeng Wen, Tony Betts, Stephen Jerrams

Articles

The equi-biaxial fatigue behaviour of silicone based magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) in external magnetic fields was studied. Wöhler curves relating fatigue life to stress amplitude and dynamic stored energy for MREs with a range of magnetic particle contents were derived. It was found that the fatigue life of MREs in magnetic fields was higher than that without magnetic fields. Under constant stress amplitude conditions, the presence of magnetic fields resulted in longer times for the samples to undergo large deformations and thus complex modulus (E*) decreased at a slower rate during the fatigue process, especially for low stress amplitudes. MRE samples …

Esprit Based Robust Anti-Islanding Algorithm For Grid-Tied Inverter, Sandipan Patra

Conference papers

Abstract—This paper presents an anti-islanding protection scheme for a grid tied inverter. In this scheme, the oscillation variation in frequency is estimated by Estimation of Signal Parameters via Rotational Invariant Technique (ESPRIT). The proposed system is implemented in MATLAB and real time in OPAL-RT. Series of simulation results demonstrate that nondetection zone of proposed algorithm is negligible, and the scheme is also free from nuisance tripping to other transient events.

What Do We Know About Eesd And How Do We Know It?, Eddie Conlon, Iacovos Nicolaou, Brian Bowe

Conference papers

Huckle (2004) has argued that critical realism (CR) can provide a philosophical framework for higher education for sustainability. This paper reflects on the process of researching EESD in the Irish context and the usefulness of our approach which used mixed methods and drew on CR as its guiding philosophy. We will argue that aspects of the CR approach: its emphasis on a depth ontology, the search for causal mechanisms, its model of agency/structure relations and its emphasis on the combination of extensive and intensive methods provide tools for exploring EESD as a system. CR requires us to focus on “deeper …

An Overview Of The Development Of Cement-Based Batteries For The Cathodic Protection Of Embedded Steel In Concrete, Aimee Byrne, Niall Holmes, Brian Norton

Conference papers

This paper presents an overview of the cement-based batteries developed in DIT for use in the cathodic protection of embedded steel in reinforced concrete undergoing chloride-induced corrosion. Cathodic protection delivers an external current (approximately 20mA per m2 of embedded steel) which effectively polarises the internal current generated during corrosion. The batteries developed in DIT comprise of a cement-based electrolyte containing different additives including sand, aggregate, salts, carbon black and plasticiser with protruding anode and cathode metal plates. These batteries produced an initial electrical output of 1.5V and 23mA through a 10 resistor as measured using data acquisition units and a …

Solar Photovoltaic System Control Topology Investigation For Power Source Mismatch, Lynette O'Callaghan

Conference papers

An investigation into solar photovoltaic (PV) system control topology selection, when partial shade is anticipated in the solar array, is presented. As available area is maximised in Building Integrated PV (BIPV) systems, shading is an inevitable consequence. The presence of partial shading in a PV array leads to multiple power peaks in the power-voltage curve, due to bypass diode sections being triggered, and an increase in module mismatch losses in the array. A building energy design software, Integrated Environmental Solutions, is used to determine the shadowed area on PV modules throughout the year, incorporating the PV system location and geometrical …

Using Photovoltaics To Power Electrochemical Chloride Extraction From Concrete, Sean Bond, Lynette O'Callaghan, Niall Holmes Dr., Brian Norton

Conference papers

Corrosion of embedded steel in reinforced concrete (RC) is a world-wide problem, that reduces structural performance and lifespan. Chloride attack may be a result of seawater, de-icing salts or contaminated admixtures, brought on by ingress of chlorides into the concrete. Electrochemical Chloride Extraction (ECE) is a non-destructive treatment for contaminated RC structures, that due to uncertainty of treatment times and applied current densities, is only 50% effective. It is often diesel powered has an environmental impact and often very costly due to the long treatment times. To improve the efficiency of ECE the influences of concrete resistance, cement type and …

Developing Graduate Attributes To Meet The Grand Challenges: What Pedagogical Factors Influence The Development Of Graduate Attributes And Does Engineering Education Ensure Graduates Can Address The Global Grand Challenges?, Una Beagon, Brian Bowe

Conference papers

My interest in preparing graduates for a successful career in industry stems from personal experience of employing graduates as civil and structural engineers in an engineering consultancy role. The range of skills, abilities and values of each graduate was varied, and it became apparent that academic achievement, whilst important was not the defining skill for achieving early responsibility or promotion within the company. More often, the graduate who was able to communicate well and self-direct his/her work was given more responsibility and opportunity. Many graduates would define early promotion, advanced responsibility and the associated increase in salary as the beginnings …

Performance Of Masonry Blocks Containing Different Proportions Of Incinator Bottom Ash, Niall Holmes, Hugh O'Malley, Paul Cribbin, Henry Mullen, Garrett Keane

Articles

No abstract provided.

A Literature Review Of The Evolution Of British Prefabricated Low-Rise Housing, Daniel O'Neill, Samantha Organ

Articles

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore academic papers and reports and present a chronology of the evolution of British low-rise prefabricated housing. The paper provides chronological information for construction and surveying researchers undertaking research in associated areas.

Design/methodology/approach – This is a qualitative literature review, providing an exploration and analysis of academic papers and reports on low-rise prefabricated housing.

Findings – A substantial literature was discovered. However, there are gaps in the available literature. The history of British construction technology is a rich research area but is under-researched. Prefabricated housing has a long history dating back …

Book Reviews: Robert Hensey, First Light: The Origins Of Newgrange. Oxford: Oxbow Books, Series: Oxbow Insights In Archaeology, 2015, Frank Prendergast

Articles

N/A

Main Contractor Selection On Construction Projects When Adapting An Integrated Project Delivery Procurement Strategy Within An Irish Context., Fiacra Mcdonnell

Other Resources

The Irish construction industry has experienced turbulent years over the last decade from an economic viewpoint. The industry has tended to be conservative in nature and slow to embrace change. However international influences have exposed Irish construction professionals to new more efficient systems and technologies, which although slow to take hold have started to gain traction within certain sectors of the industry. This study has focussed on the innovative procurement route known as Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), and its facilitator; Building Information Modelling (BIM). The overall aim of this study was to investigate whether Integrated Project Delivery was a viable …

Grange Stone Circle (B) – New Thoughts On An Old Monument, Frank Prendergast

Book/Book Chapter

No abstract provided.

Supervision Of Community Based Microgrids: An Economic Model Predictive Control Approach, Francesco Tedesco, Lubna Mariam, Malabika Basu, Alessandro Casavola, Michael F. Conlon

Conference papers

Abstract— In this paper, an Economic Model Predictive Control (EMPC) approach has been presented to manage a Community-based microgrid (C-µGCC) at the pricing level. The main task is at satisfying the demand at prosumer sides and, at the same time, optimizing various µ-Grid contrasting objectives. Emphasis has been given to the operational constraints related to the components lifetime, whose satisfaction would be beneficial for the grid in that the maintenance and replacement costs would be reduced. A simulative analysis has been carried out on the basis of available measured data related to a location in Dublin, Ireland. Results show the …

Spontaneous Mirror-Symmetry Breaking In Different Non-Chiral Liquid Crystalline Systems, Yuri Panarin

Conference papers

Spontaneous Mirror-Symmetry and appearance of chiral self-assembled superstructures in non-chiral systems represents a fascinating field of contemporary research with potential applications. For long time the formation of helical superstructure was associated with enantiomeric chiral molecules. Later on Pasteur showed that that the racemic mixtures of chiral molecules can resolve spontaneously into two chiral forms. Such deracemization or symmetry breaking in racemic mixtures was observed during crystallization. In recent years interest in mirror-symmetry breaking extended to soft matter systems.

Levilised Cost Of Energy Analysis: A Comparison Of Urban (Micro) Wind Turbines And Solar Pv Systems, Keith Sunderland, Mahinsasa Narayana, Ghanim Putrus, Michael Conlon

Conference papers

The relatively high capital cost associated with micro wind energy systems and the resulting long payback periods, makes for a challenging argument for these technologies. However, as the global population becomes increasingly concentrated in urban areas, the potential for accessing any available renewable energy resource, including wind and solar PV, could become a necessity. This infers that the economics associated with small/micro energy systems need to be better appreciated. This paper presents a levelised cost of energy (LCOE) analysis for rural/urban small/micro wind energy systems that is contextualised by a solar PV system comparison. Further insight is offered through a …

The Accuracy Of A 2d And 3d Dendritic Tip Scaling Parameter In Predicting The Columnar To Equiaxed Transition (Cet), M. Seredynski, Marek Rebow, J. Banaszek

Conference papers

The dendrite tip kinetics model accuracy relies on the reliability of the stability constant used, which is usually experimentally determined for 3D situations and applied to 2D models. The paper reports authors` attempts to cure the situation by deriving 2D dendritic tip scaling parameter for aluminium-based alloy: Al-4wt%Cu. The obtained parameter is then incorporated into the KGT dendritic growth model in order to compare it with the original 3D KGT counterpart and to derive two-dimensional and three-dimensional versions of the modified Hunt’s analytical model for the columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET). The conclusions drawn from the above analysis are further confirmed through …

Comparative Study Between Direct Load Control And Fuzzy Logic Control Based Demand Response, Chittesh Veni Chandran, Malabika Basu, Keith Sunderland

Conference papers

Demand response (DR), as part of Demand side management (DSM), is a method that modifies consumer side energy consumption. By actively controlling the time associated with electricity consumption, both energy and economic efficiencies are increased. There is however, depending on the algorithm employed, potential for consumer comfort levels to be adversely affected. Generally direct load (Boolean logic) control is employed, which solely considers demand reduction and not customer comfort. In comparison, fuzzy logic based programs can consider non-deterministic inputs such as consumer comfort level with ease and simplicity. This paper considers the evolution of DR through a comparison of the …

Exploring The Role Of Spatial Cognition In Problem Solving, Gavin Duffy, Sheryl Sorby, Steven Nozaki, Brian Bowe

Conference papers

While spatial aptitude is acknowledged as a key cognitive ability that accompanies success in STEM education, less is reported about the qualitative differences between weak and strong visualisers in how they approach and engage with assessments in STEM education. In this paper, we study one particular aspect of the STEM curriculum - solving convergent ‘word’ problems in mathematics - in an attempt to discern quantitative and qualitative differences between the approaches weak and strong visualisers adopt when solving these problems. The paper is a work-in-progress that started with a search for suitable convergent mathematics problems which were then presented to …

Analysis Of Glottal Source Parameters In Parkinsonian Speech, Jane Hanratty, Catherine Deegan, Mary Walsh, Barry Kirkpatrick

Conference papers

Diagnosis and monitoring of Parkinson's disease has a number of challenges as there is no definitive biomarker despite the broad range of symptoms. Research is ongoing to produce objective measures that can either diagnose Parkinson's or act as an objective decision support tool. Recent research on speech based measures have demonstrated promising results. This study aims to investigate the characteristics of the glottal source signal in Parkinsonian speech. An experiment is conducted in which a selection of glottal parameters are tested for their ability to discriminate between healthy and Parkinsonian speech. Results for each glottal parameter are presented for a …

Compositional Changes For Reduction Of Polymerisation-Induced Shrinkage In Holo, Dervil Cody, Mohesh Moothanchery, Emilia Mihaylova, Vincent Toal, Svetlana Mintova, Izabela Naydenova

Doctoral

Polymerisation-induced shrinkage is one of the main reasons why many photopolymer materials are not used for certain applications including holographic optical elements and holographic data storage. Here, two compositional changes for the reduction of shrinkage in an acrylamide-based photopolymer are reported. A holographic interferometric technique was used to study changes in the dynamics of the shrinkage processes occurring in the modified photopolymer during holographic recording in real time. Firstly, the effect of the replacement of the acrylamide monomer in the photopolymer composition with a larger monomer molecule, diacetone acrylamide, on polymerisation-induced shrinkage has been studied. A reduction in relative shrinkage …

Enhanced Corrosion Protection And Biocompatibility Of A Plga-Silane Coating On Az31 Mg Alloy For Orthopaedic Applications, Sankalp Agarwal, Muhammad Morshed, Marie-Noelle Labour, David Hoey, Brendan Duffy, James Curtin, Swarna Jaiswal

Articles

This paper reports a multi-step procedure to fabricate a novel corrosion resistant and biocompatible PLGA-silane coating on the magnesium (Mg) alloy AZ31. The first step involves alkaline passivation followed by dip coating in a methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) mixture to produce a cross-linked siloxane coating. The second step is to impart an amine functionalization to the silane modified surface by using 3-aminopropyl-triethoxy silane (APTES) for promoting adhesion of the acid terminated poly-(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) as a final coating step. Static contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis confirmed the successful assembly of coatings on …

Human Factors Issues And The Risk Of High Voltage Equipment: Are Standards Sufficient To Ensure Safety By Design?, Maria Chiara Leva, Roberta Pirani, Micaela De Michela, Luke Clancy

Articles

High voltage equipment is mostly designed according to technically prescriptive standards requirements based on electrical engineering safety principles. However a more risk-based approach to standards and regulation may be advisable to enable designer and user to take an active role in establishing that their installation is inherently safe. The use of Gas Insulated Switchgear (GIS) for instance is enabling the new substation to be housed indoors and condensed into around one quarter of the space. The manufacturers argue that design improvements in GIS make it virtually “maintenance free”, comply with all the relevant standards. However some of these improvements have …

Human Factors At The Core Of Total Safety Management: The Need To Establish A Common Operational Picture, Maria Chiara Leva, Tom Kontogiannis, Nora Balfe, Micaela Demichela, Emmanuel Plot

Articles

The Total Operations Management for Safety Critical Activities (TOSCA) project is aimed at developing a safety management framework that integrates best practices, tools and methods for functional analysis, risk assessment, interactive emergency scenarios analysis, performance monitoring, design review, training and knowledge management. The TOSCA approach is described by a T-model based around a central ‘Common Operational Picture’ (COP) that holds information regarding the operational system, and is used to support risk assessment and management. The information held in the COP may be represented in different ways but should be accessible to all stakeholders in order to analyse and communicate risk, …

Maximizing The Spatial Representativeness Of No2 Monitoring Data Using A Combination Of Local Wind-Based Sectoral Division And Seasonal And Diurnal Correction Factors, Aoife Donnelly, Owen Naughton, Bruce Misstear, Brian Broderick

Articles

This article describes a new methodology for increasing the spatial representativeness of individual monitoring sites. Air pollution levels at a given point are influenced by emission sources in the immediate vicinity. Since emission sources are rarely uniformly distributed around a site, concentration levels will inevitably be most affected by the sources in the prevailing upwind direction. The methodology provides a means of capturing this effect and providing additional information regarding source/pollution relationships. The methodology allows for the division of the air quality data from a given monitoring site into a number of sectors or wedges based on wind direction and …

Identification Of Key Performance Tasks To Demonstrate The Benefit Of Introducing The Facilities Manager At An Early Stage In The Building Information Modelling Process On Public Sector Projects In Ireland., Barry Mcauley

Doctoral

Modelling (BIM) governed process was investigated in this thesis. Governments are now seeking a more rewarding methodology in the management and procurement of public sector building assets. This has seen an integrated focus by International Governments on BIM as a partial solution in both managing and procuring public sector building assets. Despite BIM bringing the Facility Manager closer to project conceptualisation, there was still a reluctance and a lack of perceived benefits of having them involved earlier in the design phase. There remains a lack of clear evidence on what improved contribution the Facilities Manager can provide. This thesis provides …

A 38 Ghz On-Chip Antenna In 28-Nm Cmos Using Artificial Magnetic Conductor For 5g Wireless Systems, Max Ammann

Conference papers

This paper presents the first-ever millimeter wave on-chip antenna (AoC) in 28 nm CMOS technology. The addition of artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) can increase the antenna's power gain and radiation efficiency to -1.75 dBi and 22%, respectively, with an occupied area of 0.95 mm×4.75 mm at 38 GHz. This structure is intended for fully integrated single-chip nanometer CMOS transceivers for 5G communication systems.

Bs News January/February

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

An Investigation To Evaluate The Feasibility Of An Intermodal Freight Transport System., Raja Maitra

Doctoral

The threat of greenhouse gases and the resulting climate change have been causing concern at international levels. This has led towards new sustainable policies towards reducing the anthropogenic effects on the environment and the population through promoting sustainable solutions for the freight industry. The research was prompted by the growing concerns that were no mode-choice tool to select as an alternative to road freight transport. There were growing concerns that a large percentage of transport related negativities, related various costs and pollution costs, losses arising from traffic accidents, delay costs from congestion and abatement costs due to climate impacts of …

Overview Of Fiber Optic Sensor Technologies For Strain/Temperature Sensing Applications In Composite Materials, Manjusha Ramakrishnan, Ginu Rajan, Yuliya Semenova, Gerald Farrell

Articles

This paper provides an overview of the different types of fiber optic sensors (FOS) that can be used with composite materials and also their compatibility with and suitability for embedding inside a composite material. An overview of the different types of FOS used for strain/temperature sensing in composite materials is presented. Recent trends, and future challenges for FOS technology for condition monitoring in smart composite materials are also discussed. This comprehensive review provides essential information for the smart materials industry in selecting of appropriate types of FOS in accordance with end-user requirements.