Engineering Commons^™

Building Services Engineering September/October 2023

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Splitting Tensile Strength Prediction Using Machine Learning Based Optimization Algorithms, Lukesh Veloso De Parida, Sumedha Melo De Moharana, Sourav Kumar Giri

UBT International Conference

The usage of recycled aggregates in construction materials has received a lot of interest because of its potential to minimize environmental consequences and the loss of natural resources. The prediction of splitting tensile strength, a crucial mechanical attribute determining structural performance, is an integral part of assessing the feasibility of recycled aggregates for construction. Traditional techniques for evaluating the splitting tensile strength of recycled aggregates rely on advanced and time-consuming laboratory testing, which may be costly and inefficient for large- scale applications. This work proposes machine learning-based algorithms for predicting the performance of splitting tensile strength. In this research, 257 …

Contemporary Landscape, Drivers And Developments In Engineering Education For Sustainability, Edmond Byrne

Plenary Presentations and Doctoral Symposium

The ‘landscape’ around sustainability education in engineering has continued to evolve. Engineering education for sustainability largely emerged originally out of environmental engineering imperatives, though more recent developments have considerably broadened the scope of ‘sustainability’ teaching in professional engineering programmes. This has implications for associated curriculum developments as well as having pedagogical implications. Principal drivers for these developments emanate from the evolving requirements of professional engineering bodies internationally. These drivers have been supported and supplemented by an enhanced sense of urgency in the wake of the impacts of an unsustainable societal construct (e.g. the consequences of accelerated climate change, biodiversity loss, …

Adm: Appraiser Decision Model For Empowering Industry 5.0-Driven Manufacturers Toward Sustainability And Optimization: A Case Study, Gawaher Soliman Hussein, Abdel Nasser H. Zaied, Mona Mohamed

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Whilst it was thought that Industry 4.0 (I 4.0) would support sustainable growth, it overlooked or misinterpreted many current sustainability issues, which gave rise to the Industry 5.0 (I 5.0) agenda. Such a revolution facilitates sustainable development through its three dimensions. Therefore, I 5.0 promotes more effective management of business environment as supply chain resources. Although artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics (BDA) are becoming more well-liked in the context of supply chains, research to this day is fragmented into research streams that are mostly determined by the publishing outlet. This study appraises the ability of these techniques in …

Adm: Appraiser Decision Model For Empowering Industry 5.0-Driven Manufacturers Toward Sustainability And Optimization: A Case Study, Gawaher Soliman Hussein, Abdel Nasser H. Zaied, Mona Mohamed

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

Whilst it was thought that Industry 4.0 (I 4.0) would support sustainable growth, it overlooked or misinterpreted many current sustainability issues, which gave rise to the Industry 5.0 (I 5.0) agenda. Such a revolution facilitates sustainable development through its three dimensions. Therefore, I 5.0 promotes more effective management of business environment as supply chain resources. Although artificial intelligence (AI) and big data analytics (BDA) are becoming more well-liked in the context of supply chains, research to this day is fragmented into research streams that are mostly determined by the publishing outlet. This study appraises the ability of these techniques in …

Development In Students' Perceptions Of Sustainability And Responsibility As Relevant Aspects Of The Role Of Engineers, Clara Lemke, Ann-Kristin Winkens, Marie Decker, Inanma Elif, Carmen Leicht-Scholten

Research Papers

Engineering and technology-based solutions can address the global challenges associated with sustainable development. In this context, engineers have a substantial responsibility in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Meeting the challenges of all SDGs influences economic, political and social aspects of human life. However, engineering students’ understanding of sustainability is often limited to its ecological and economic dimension, not taking into account or even neglecting social issues. Therefore, teaching approaches in engineering education should address the different dimensions of sustainability and the responsibility of technological development concerning society.

Supporting Students From Different Universities And Backgrounds To Improve Their Academic And Social Outcomes: Euniwell Masoee Project Workshop, Neil Cooke, Jörgen Forss, Enrica Caporali, Pascal Chargé, Kamel Hawwash, Jesper Andersson, Gianni Bartoli, Sarah Chung, Daniel Cottle

Workshops

There is a notable discrepancy between the relative prosperity of Europeans and the global security and sustainability challenge. The mission of the ERASMUS+ 2020 European University for Well-Being (EUniWell) alliance is to address this. Our project, “Maximizing Academic and Social Outcomes in Engineering Education” (MASOEE) interprets this contradiction for engineering educators, exploring how to ensure graduates make the utmost contribution to societal wellbeing by narrowing attainment gaps. We are combining the expertise of British, French, Italian, and Swedish faculties to identify, share, and ultimately transfer best practices for professional, business, and sustainability skill teaching that is aligned to the EU …

First-Generation Engineering Students' Identity Development: Early Forays Into The Workplace, Renee Smit

Research Papers

In the context of global shortages of engineering professionals, research into factors that impact on training and retention of qualified engineers is important – this includes first-generation engineering students, a largely under-researched group of students. Research has shown that an elaborated, well-developed engineering identity is important for the retention of both engineering students at university, and for engineers in practice. Professional identities are fluid, emerging and develop over the lifetime of the professional. However, we still know little about the nature of a professional engineering identity, and how it develops.

Drawing on insights from the philosophy of science, I make …

From Group Work To Team Work: Comparative Analysis In Three European Institutions, Isabelle Lermigeaux-Sarrade, Jean-Luc Sarrade, Stephane Perrin, Sorana Cimpan

Research Papers

Addressing the complex challenges of sustainability demands for good teamwork abilities for future technicians and engineers. In our three institutions we adopted project-based learning to facilitate the development of these skills – but is this enough? Since group project-based learning involves dealing with complex technical tasks and at the same time learning to work as a team, we wondered how students handle this double challenge. By analysing their perceptions, we attempt to identify what teaching practices could be helpful to shift their experience from groupwork to effective teamwork.

Exploring The Fabrication Lab Concept For Learning Sustainable Co-Innovation In Industrial Engineering Education – An Action Research Case From Austria, Selim Erol, Alice Grano

Research Papers

According to recent studies, cooperative innovation between universities and industry, especially with small and medium firms, is not as frequent as expected. Case-studies of regional innovation systems have shown that open access to state-of-the-art research infrastructure, services, skills and activities are needed to achieve long-term innovation partnerships. Co-innovation requires particular skills beyond technical knowledge, which are not always addressed in engineering curricula at university. Fab labs are a concept that potentially fosters students in the acquisition of such skills. In this paper, we describe our experiences in designing, building and running a fab lab as a new element for industrial …

A Crazy Little Thing Called Sustainability, Linda Steuer-Dankert

Research Papers

Achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations (UN) in 2015 requires global collaboration between different stakeholders. Industry, and in particular engineers who shape industrial developments, have a special role to play as they are confronted with the responsibility to holistically reflect sustainability in industrial processes. This means that, in addition to the technical specifications, engineers must also question the effects of their own actions on an ecological, economic and social level in order to ensure sustainable action and contribute to the achievement of the SDGs. However, this requires competencies that enable engineers to apply all …

Results Of Surveys Among Pupils, Students And Employers On Interests In And Contents Of Study Programmes In Civil Engineering, Geodesy, Environmental Sciences And Sustainable Mobility In Germany, Anke Lohbeck, Karsten Strauch, Markus Oeser

Research Papers

The shortage of skilled workers in the engineering sector threatens the development and sustainable transformation of the economy in Germany. In this context, the current de-cline in the number of first-year students in civil engineering, environmental engineering, geodesy and traffic engineering appears all the more alarming. Surveys which can provide basic data for the elimination of the shortage of skilled workers in engineering and the increase in the number of first-year students in the above-mentioned degree programmes were started surveys among pupils, students and representatives of state authorities in 2022. Furthermore, one of the surveys was used to analyse the …

The Role Of Earth System Literacy In Sustainability Education For Engineers, Sudeshna Basu

Research Papers

Engineers should be able to demonstrate sustainability competencies transcending their specialised discipline. But all cross-disciplinary sustainability competencies are not targeted adequately in engineering education and are often mismatched with competencies required by engineers in their professional roles. Future engineers should have an understanding of the environment alongside technical knowledge, with all engineering design and product showing consideration to sustainability. The study of the Earth system is relevant to the understanding of environmental issues and the interplay between the sub-systems of the Earth (atmosphere, geosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere) . Yet, integration of Earth system literacy in the engineering curriculum has received …

Sustainable Engineering Education Embedded Curricula Research Project, Anthony Edward Smith, Alfredo Soeiro, Ragna Ann Berge, Tamer Atabarut, John Atkinson, Patricia Caratozzolo

Research Papers

A previous conference paper with case study report findings began this research so as to inform and be of use to the International Association for Continuing Engineering Education (IACEE) institutions and its membership on the importance of embedding sustainability in all engineering education courses from the beginning to the end of the Degree and beyond into Continuing Engineering Education (CEE) . This present project continues to qualitatively research and investigate the extent to which and how Engineering Learning Curricula (ELC) incorporate and embed sustainability as central to the future work practice of all engineers. Specifically, as the project takes a …

How Do Teachers Respond To Sustained Change?, Roger Hadgraft, Franziska Trede, Monika Rummler

Research Papers

Higher Education is facing profound shifts. Employers seek graduates who can work effectively with others in rapidly changing contexts, defined by globalisation, diversity, digitalisation, climate change, complexity, a European war, and a recent global pandemic. The latter caused an instantaneous switch to online learning, where academics were forced to conduct their normally face to face classes through video conferencing tools. The calls for sustained change are challenging academics to rethink their traditional teaching roles and to develop new understandings of future-oriented learning methods and goals for their students. This paper describes the research we have conducted into how academics have …

Student Perspectives On Sustainability In Engineering Education: Multiple Case Study Of European Bachelor's Programs In Industrial Engineering And Management, Francisca Trigueiros, Jenni Kaipainen, Frederico Silva, Niklas Geising, Erdem Ata Tosun

Research Papers

The global sustainability crisis is calling for engineers to take action. To enable and empower engineers to address this crisis, there must be a change in engineering education. Given the industry's key role in not only causing but also solving this sustainability crisis, it is especially crucial to improve how sustainability is addressed in industrial engineering and management (IEM) education. This paper examines (1) to which extent European IEM degrees are covering sustainability; (2) European IEM students’ motivations to learn and work with sustainability topics; and (3) their perceptions of their degree’s contribution to their knowledge and motivation regarding sustainability; …

Sustainability And Innovation: Exploring The Relationship Between Sustainability And Companies’ Engagement In Innovation Ecosystems In The German Engineering Industry, Thies Johannsen

Research Papers

This study identifies sustainable companies in the engineering industry in Germany and investigates their engagement in innovation ecosystems based on varying collaborative formats and transfer pathways. To this end, 200 medium and large companies were interviewed. For the analysis of the data, the study operationalised sustainability and identified sustainable companies based on responses concerning their environmental, social, and economic performance. These results were then cross-referenced with activities within innovation ecosystems. Results are consistent with the state of research and indicate that sustainable companies are more engaged in innovation ecosystems than non-sustainable companies. This suggests that companies considered sustainable are more …

Conversations: Teaching Sustainability In Engineering, Alicia Gonzalez Buelga, Dorottya Cserzo, Irina Lazar

Research Papers

Our research focuses on embedding sustainability in the engineering curriculum in ways that are efficient, coherent and inclusive. An important strand of work within this wider remit is finding suitable approaches for promoting collaboration between institutions and academics and advance the understanding of what ‘sustainability’ means in engineering education in the first place, by producing reliable data that can inform our future practice, leading to institutional change. In this paper, we report and discuss the organisation and the findings of a series of inter-institutional conversations that took place during two in person workshops, with the central theme of embedding sustainability …

Embedding Competencies In Sustainability And Authentic Learning Experiences In Food Science Education Through A Study Program-Driven Approach, Anita Nordeng Jakobsen, Sunniva Hoel, Ida-Johanne Jensen

Research Papers

The food sector is experiencing a substantial shift towards Industry 4.0 regarding technological solutions to ensure efficient and sustainable food production. To face the required changes and be able to influence and change existing systems, future candidates must have solid capabilities in their respective subject areas as well as generic skills such as critical thinking, reflection, communication, and teamwork skills. At NTNU, a program-driven approach for embedding sustainability and authentic learning experiences in the bachelor program of Food Science, technology and sustainability was conducted. Thematic groups of staff members developed learning outcomes and learning- and assessment methods to ensure coherence …

Is “Improving The Quality Of Life” The Only Sustainability Issue That Is Related To Engineering? - Exploring Engineering Students’ Conceptions Of Sustainability, Lillian Yun Yung Luk, Inês Direito, John Mitchell, Kate Roach

Research Papers

UNESCO’s (2021) report on engineering for sustainable development has emphasized the critical role of engineers in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, there is a lack of clarity about the conceptualization or definition of sustainability (Moore et al., 2017), which makes it difficult to integrate sustainability into the curriculum. While Walshe (2008) conducted a study on high school students’ conceptions of sustainability in the UK, there appears to be a lack of research conducted in the context of higher education. The study presented in this paper explores engineering students’ understanding of sustainability in engineering and how it is …

Industry Colloquium Report, Robert Moore

Reports

In the ever-evolving landscape of the construction industry, digital transformation has emerged as a pivotal force reshaping the way projects are conceived, executed, and delivered. This transformation, fuelled by cutting-edge technology and innovative practices, holds the promise of greater efficiency, sustainability, and collaboration within the construction sector.

This report offers a comprehensive summary of the Build Digital Project colloquium. It provides actionable insights and recommendations for clients, supply chain partners, and for prioritisation within the Build Digital Project pillars. As the industry partners seek to build a more efficient, sustainable, and collaborative construction sector, understanding and harnessing the invaluable insights …

Hydrothermal Carbonization Of Biomass Wastes: Sustainability And Geochemistry, Michael A. Kruge, Teresa A. Centeno, Alvaro Amado-Fierro, José Manuel González-Lafuente, Ruben Forjan-Castro, José Luis Gallego

Department of Earth and Environmental Studies Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Introduction. To reduce the stream of solid waste going to landfills, innovative means for beneficial use are essential. The diversity and volume of organic wastes pose singular problems and opportunities for recovery and circularity. Common processes for organics include conversion to biofuels and carbonization to biochar, typically done by torrefaction (dry pyrolysis). Research on biochar explores its potential as pollutant adsorbent, agricultural or polluted soil amendment, biofuel (directly or as feedstock), and for carbon sequestration (Ighalo et al., 2022; Cavali et al., 2023). Recently, other processes at lower temperatures such as hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) offer new possibilities (Seshadri et al., …

Toward Energy Transformation: Intelligent Decision-Making Model Based On Uncertainty Neutrosophic Theory, Mona Mohamed, Nissreen El-Saber

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

There has been an increasing tendency for the generation of energy from diverse renewable resources because of the application of contemporary pollution mitigation and justification regulations. Precisely a consequence, choosing the best renewable energy source might be considered a challenging issue given the complexity of the future conditions in any society. Environmental, economic, social, and technical aspects are merely some of the factors that are taken into consideration while evaluating renewable energy sources (RnESs). The suitable RES selection problem, which relies on ambiguous and imprecise data, is also influenced by a variety of circumstances. Hence, this study constructs multi-stages intelligent …

Toward Energy Transformation: Intelligent Decision-Making Model Based On Uncertainty Neutrosophic Theory, Mona Mohamed, Nissreen El-Saber

Neutrosophic Systems with Applications

There has been an increasing tendency for the generation of energy from diverse renewable resources because of the application of contemporary pollution mitigation and justification regulations. Precisely a consequence, choosing the best renewable energy source might be considered a challenging issue given the complexity of the future conditions in any society. Environmental, economic, social, and technical aspects are merely some of the factors that are taken into consideration while evaluating renewable energy sources (RnESs). The suitable RES selection problem, which relies on ambiguous and imprecise data, is also influenced by a variety of circumstances. Hence, this study constructs multi-stages intelligent …

A Focused Review On Recycling And Hydrolysis Techniques Of Polyethylene Terephthalate, Hossein Abedsoltan

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is used in textile and packaging industries. The main source of PET production is fossil fuels with limited capacity. Also, PET products are single use that transform into high volumes of wastes, causing ecosystem problems. Recycling is proposed to confront this challenge. The four major PET recycling techniques are mechanical, chemical, pyrolysis, and enzymatic. Mechanical, pyrolysis, and enzymatic techniques have constrained capabilities to manage PET waste. Chemical recycling is the potential path to expanding recycling PET waste with possibility of upcycling and addressing dirty waste streams. Several chemical methods are introduced and discussed in literature. The five …

Investigating The Influence Of Portland Limestone Cement Combined With Sugarcane Bagasse Ash And Different Types Of Fly Ash On The Mechanical Properties Of Engineered Cementitious Composites, Samuel Guidroz

LSU Master's Theses

The ability to implement Engineered Cementitious Composites (ECC) within our transportation infrastructure systems has been limited because of increased costs associated with the material’s high cement quantity. To improve cost- effectiveness and to create a more sustainable footprint, the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) has been explored. This study evaluated the effects of utilizing cement interground with limestone, Portland limestone cement (PLC), as a replacement for ordinary Portland cement (OPC). Additionally, the performance of the composites was analyzed when mixed with sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as well as different classes of fly ash (FA). In doing so, the experimental …

Towards Sustainable Additive Manufacturing: Assessment Of Cost, Greenhouse Gas Emission, And Recyclability, Lei Di

Industrial, Manufacturing, and Systems Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Additive Manufacturing technologies fabricate 3D objects layer by layer following a predesigned CAD model. Owing to the unique layer-wise production method, additive manufacturing offers competitive advantages in comparison with traditional subtractive manufacturing, such as shortened production time, increased design freedom, improved manufacturing capability and complexity, and reduced manufacturing waste. Numerous research studies have been conducted to design, understand, and improve additive manufacturing technologies in order to facilitate the implementation in the supply chain. On the other hand, with the rapid growth of additive manufacturing, sustainability issues that exist on both process level and supply chain level have started to receive …

Non-Energy Circular Economy Potential Of Rice Husks: A Techno-Eco-Environmental Assessment, Winfred Oppong Yeboah

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The non-energy circular bioeconomy potential of rice husks was examined via sustainability assessments, namely life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle impact cost assessment (LCICA), and techno-economic assessment (TEA). The study was conducted with three objectives. The first objective was to review previous studies on the non-energy utilization potential of rice husks by the method of meta-analysis. This review followed a systematic approach where research papers were collected following a defined set of criteria. The study revealed 16 key utilization pathways, all of which showed promising results. However, a comprehensive sustainability assessment was lacking in all of the pathways. The second …

Improving Lignin Recovery From Paper Mill And Biorefinery Waste Streams Via Liquid-Phase Splitting, Carter Fitzgerald

All Dissertations

Lignin is an abundant biopolymer with significant promise due to its aromaticity. It has been targeted as a replacement for a number of petroleum-based products including adhesives, coatings, polyurethane foams, activated carbon, and carbon fibers. However, commercially available bulk lignins are too polydisperse, and contain too many residual metals from the pulping process that are detrimental to the properties of the final product.

The Sequential Liquid-lignin Recovery and Purification (SLRP) process was developed by Michael Lake and John Blackburn, in collaboration with Clemson, with the intention of creating a continuous method for recovering lignin from paper-mill black liquors. Thies and …

Water Hammer Analysis For Ash Slurry Disposal Pipelines Of A Thermal Power System, Biprodip Mukherjee, Subhasish Das, Satyapriya Mandal

Journal of Environmental Science and Sustainable Development

Coal-ash slurry transportation via pipelines has been accepted as a potential, economical, and dependable mode of two-phase flow of solid-liquid transportation. It is solid-liquid transportation where the ash slurry generally flows through mild steel, and a good amount of pump energy and pressure is required to convey the slurry with a density above 1220 kg/m3. The study is basically on the water hammer analysis of ash slurry conveying pipes. Nevertheless, since the hammer analysis is typically carried out in normal water, the study of ash slurry is compared to the know criteria of potable water. The study aims to understand …