Engineering Commons^™

Determination Of Construction Site Elevations Using Drone Technology, Yuhan Jiang, Yong Bai

Civil and Environmental Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

Image-based 3D-reconstruction techniques, such as drone photogrammetry, have been adopted to various construction operations. The challenge is determining the construction site elevation, which is the vertical distance from the ground to the camera, in real-time. This paper presents the research results of using two frame drone-based ortho-images to estimate the elevation of a construction site. This idea is derived from the stereo vision model for measuring distance of indoor scenes. The spatial resolution of the stereo vision is a positive correlation with its baseline, the distance between two cameras. However, a large baseline stereo cameras system is impossible for a …

Training Synergy, Andre Vieira Caputo, Everton Amieiroe, Lucio De Araujo Alves, Renan Dapena Roveran, Leila Halawi

Publications

Brazil is facing a growth in the airline industry where all the major airlines are currently hiring pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics. One of the challenges of those airlines is to provide training for all these professionals. Many times they do not have instructors or classrooms available. It is crucial for the airlines to promote faster and better training, to reduce cost, save time and resources to prepare a better professional. In this paper, we are showing the possibility of increasing the cost performance of airline training by providing alternatives to airlines. The idea is to promote synergy between the …

Enterprise Architecture Transformation Process From A Federal Government Perspective, Tonia Canada, Leila Halawi

Publications

The need for information technology organizations to transform enterprise architecture is driven by federal government mandates and information technology budget constraints. This qualitative case study aimed to identify factors that hinder federal government agencies from driving enterprise architecture transformation processes from a compliancy to a flexible process. Common themes in interviewee responses were identified, coded, and summarized. Critical recommendations for future best practices, including further research, were also presented.

Extending The Functional Subnetwork Approach To A Generalized Linear Integrate-And-Fire Neuron Model, Nicholas Szczecinski, Roger Quinn, Alexander J. Hunt

Mechanical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Engineering neural networks to perform specific tasks often represents a monumental challenge in determining network architecture and parameter values. In this work, we extend our previously-developed method for tuning networks of non-spiking neurons, the “Functional subnetwork approach” (FSA), to the tuning of networks composed of spiking neurons. This extension enables the direct assembly and tuning of networks of spiking neurons and synapses based on the network’s intended function, without the use of global optimization ormachine learning. To extend the FSA, we show that the dynamics of a generalized linear integrate and fire (GLIF) neuronmodel have fundamental similarities to those of …

Bs News November/December

Building Services Engineering

No abstract provided.

Electromagnetic-Triboelectric-Hybrid Energy Tile For Biomechanical Green Energy Harvesting, Elaijah Islam, Abu Musa Abdullah, Aminur Rashid Chowdhury, Farzana Tasnim, Madelyne Martinez, Carolina Olivares, Karen Lozano, Mohammed Uddin

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Chemistry)

Highlights

• Hybrid nanogenerator based floor-tile was developed to convert the Bio-Mechanical energy of human footsteps to Electrical Energy.

• Hybridization of Triboelectric Nanogenerator and Electro-Magnetic Generator consisting of Aluminum and Kapton.

• MoS2 is working as an electron acceptor.

• The maximum output is 1200V as open-circuit voltage, 5mA as short-circuit current, and 6W as power.

• Produces 20% more power than a commercially sold energy-harvester floor tile.

Abstract

Since the invention of Piezoelectric Nanogenerator in 2006, nanogenerators has become an attractive technology to the researchers for scavenging mechanical energy from the ambient environment for real life applications. Hybridization of these nanogenerators has been …

Surveyed Impact Of Intellectual Property Training In Stem Education On Innovation, Research, And Development, S. O'Sullivan, Michael Friebe, W. R. Tonti, Margaret Hartnett, Manuel Castro, M. I. Pozzo, Yuenyong Nilsiam

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The Journal of World Intellectual Property published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd This paper analyzes the findings of an international survey questionnaire to which responses were received from over 500 members from different technical societies of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The survey is primarily intended to uncover members' perceptions of patent filing and research-driven innovation. Our thesis statement is twofold. First, the introduction of basic intellectual property (IP) courses to university Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics curricula would teach students valuable basics of IP and associated issues, technology protection; and possibly stimulate novel/innovative R&D outcomes. …

Effect Of Geometry And Fluid Viscosity On Dynamics Of Fluid-Filled Cracks: Insights From Analog Experimental Observations, Haitao Cao, Ezequiel F. Medici, Gregory P. Waite, Roohollah Askari

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Fluid-filled volumes in geological systems can change the local stress field in the host rock and may induce brittle deformation as well as crack propagation. Although the mechanisms relating fluid pressure perturbations and seismicity have been widely studied, the fluid-solid interaction inside the crack of a host rock is still not well understood. An analog experimental model of fluid intrusion in cracks between planar layers has been developed to study stress conditions at the margins and tips. A combined high-speed shadowgraph and a photoelasticity imaging system is used to visualize the fluid dynamics and induced stresses on the solid matrix. …

Design And Performance Of Polyurethane Elastomers Composed With Different Soft Segments, Xin Jin, Naisheng Guo, Zhanping You, Yiqiu Tan

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers (TPUs) are widely used in a variety of applications as a result of flexible and superior performance. However, few scholars pay close attention on the design and synthesis of TPUs through the self‐determined laboratory process, especially on definite of chemical structures and upon the influence on properties. To investigate the properties of synthesized modifier based on chemical structure, firstly each kind of unknown structure and composition ratio of TPUs was determined by using a new method. Furthermore, the thermal characteristics and mechanical properties of modifiers were exposed by thermal characteristics and mechanics performance tests. The experimental results …

Towards Real-Time Reinforcement Learning Control Of A Wave Energy Converter, Enrico Anderlini, Salman Husain, Gordon Parker, Mohammad Abusara, Giles Thomas

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The levellised cost of energy of wave energy converters (WECs) is not competitive with fossil fuel-powered stations yet. To improve the feasibility of wave energy, it is necessary to develop effective control strategies that maximise energy absorption in mild sea states, whilst limiting motions in high waves. Due to their model-based nature, state-of-the-art control schemes struggle to deal with model uncertainties, adapt to changes in the system dynamics with time, and provide real-time centralised control for large arrays of WECs. Here, an alternative solution is introduced to address these challenges, applying deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to the control of WECs …

Level Of Science Achievement: Basis For The Production Of Strategic Intervention Materials (Sims), Febbie C. Verano, Sheena Mae T. Comighud

UBT International Conference

This research used the descriptive method to determine the level of Science Achievement of Grade VI Pupils: Basis for Production of Strategic Intervention Materials in Bayawan City East Central School, Bayawan City Division during the SY 2019-2020. The quantitative data were gathered from 134 pupils of Bayawan City East Central School, Bayawan City Division during the SY 2019-2020. Also, the researcher conducted a survey questionnaire. Descriptive method was used in this study. The statistical tools used in the analysis of the data were percentage, frequency, mean, weighted mean, and z-test. The study found out that the level of Science Achievement …

Seismic Activity And Essential Seismological Characteristics Of The Kosovo Territory, Shemsi Mustafa, Visar Krelani, Lulzim Beqiri, Besian Sinani

UBT International Conference

In this scientific work presented are Seismic basic characteristics. Reliable seismic hazard assessment depends mainly on the level of consistency, quality and amount of data in earthquake catalogues. The lack of good seismic activity data may often affect the quality of the assessment. This short review of the seismic activity affecting the territory of Kosovo throughout the time, points out that this region should be considered having high seismic hazard potential. Having in mind that in the last two decades, the region is undergoing very fast urbanization characterized with extensive infrastructure development and building modern high rise structures with different …

Pros And Cons For The Incineration Of Solid Waste, Kostandin Kristo

UBT International Conference

According to the latest calculations , the world is currently producing about 1.3 billion tons of garbage every year .Putting that in perspective , if we took all the human beings on the planet and placed them on an impossibly gigantic scale ,their combined weight would only be one –quarter of that amount . Unfortunately –or perhaps ominously is the better word –about 60 percent of this garbage will end up in landfills , which are multiplying globally as a pace that neraly matches the reproduction rate of the rat populations that live in them . Dumping and burying everything …

Awareness And Implementation Of Solid Waste Management (Swm) Practices, Emerson N. Lalamonan, Sheena Mae T. Comighud

UBT International Conference

This research used the descriptive-correlational method to determine the level of respondents’ awareness and extent of implementation of Solid Waste Management (SWM) Practices in District 2, Bayawan City Division, Negros Oriental, Philippines for SY 2018-2019 in terms of the areas of segregation, reduce, reuse, recycle, and disposal. The quantitative data were gathered from 81 teachers and 189 students. Also, a survey questionnaire was utilized by the researcher. The statistical tools used in the analysis of the data were weighted mean, mean, and spearman rank correlation. The results revealed that the level of respondents’ awareness on SWM Practices as both perceived …

Building Materials And Environmental Indicators For Urban Planning-Exposure, Afrim Syla

UBT International Conference

Sustainable development is a key component in urban studies. The sustainability of buildings has become a headline topic in recent years. Buildings do not exist in isolation from their environment, however, but are integrated with infrastructure. In defining sustainable buildings, the issue arises how to incorporate the influences of not only user behavior, building design and technologies, but the associated infrastructure that comprises the entire built environment. The built environment considered here includes all buildings and infrastructure, and in this context, comprises approximately 10% of global GDP. The building and construction sector alone is not only the largest consumer of …

Transportation Demand Management Through Physical Improvements: The Case Of Pristina, Seda Hatipoğlu, Beni Kizolli

UBT International Conference

In developing countries, the fact that public transportation services have not exceeded a certain level increases the use of the private vehicle as a type of transportation in urban transportation day by day. Insufficient road and parking problem is a significant obstacle in the solution of traffic problems for years. The institutions responsible for solving traffic problems have often made intractable urban traffic problems with the understanding of the necessity of high-cost investments. In this context, despite the traditional understanding, "Transportation Demand Management" strategies developed within the framework of new approaches, evaluates the problem through the outline of existing infrastructure …

Water Reuse In Collective And Business Buildings, Blertë Retkoceri, Skender Bublaku

UBT International Conference

Kosovo is estimated to have limited surface and subsurface water resources and is classified as such in a group of water stress states. To meet the shortages of these resources but also for environmental and economic reasons, water reuse is now considered as a good opportunity to meet the shortages. Reuse is defined as the reuse of water used by objects, water that can be collected from roofs, other surface and groundwater in and around objects. This paper deals with Object IV on the UBT Campus in Lipjan and analyzes the feasibility of meeting the water requirement from the facility's …

Rehabilitation And Optimization Of The Water Supply Distribution Network Of Durrës, Andrin Kërpaçi, Ilir Abdullahu

UBT International Conference

The condition of the water supply and the actual functioning of the distribution network in Durres area are inadequate to sustain demand at an acceptable level of service for all the billing zones.The distribution network of Durres city is fed at one point (Xhafzotaj junction) for 300-350 l/s with an elevation of about 50 m asl. The planned new transmission line has a diameter of 700 mm and will bring extra 630 l/s.The water distribution systems are one of the vital urban infrastructures and their operationwith a high level of service are of high importance.Many phenomena in water supply systems …

Application Of Lean Principles Within Smes In Kosovo Manufacturing Industry And Benefits Of Implementation, Fatmir Azemi, Goran Simunovic, Roberto Lujic, Haya Altaleb

UBT International Conference

By changing the way of production with the same resources engineers and managers always trying to increase outcomes. Lean is a method that is focused on reducing waste, it is used to manufacturing industries to reduce waste and, in the meantime, the quality is higher. Application of lean manufacturing into enterprises may bring many benefits and advantages such as time reduction to the customers, efficient usage of processes, less utilization of inventory, improvement of knowledge management, cost savings, and rework reduction. This paper has attempted to understand how lean manufacturing is being used in the Kosovo Manufacturing Industry and benefits …

Utilization Of Flexsim Software To Identify The Suitable Layout Planning Of Production Line, Fidan Smaili, Hajredin Ibishi, Xhemajl Mehmeti, Afrim Gjelaj

UBT International Conference

The possibility of increasing production capacity by re-designing the actual layout and material flow at the Elsam factory is explained in this article. Planning of the actual layout needs some improvements because it does not meet customer demand. The actual layout is found to be disorganized on material flow which leads to a decrease in production capacity. Three different layouts are considered and analyzed. A comparison between the proposed and actual layout is shown to find out the influence on production capacity. According to the data taken from simulation software FlexSim, significant improvement is foreseen. This study reveals that redesigning …

Computer-Aided Optical Characterization And Sensing Applications: From Minerals To Waste, Giuseppe Bonifazi, Riccardo Gasbarrone, Kliton Bylykbashi

UBT International Conference

Optical based characterization techniques and related analytical methodologies, originally utilized in the mineral sector, can be profitably applied to solid waste streams products as resulting from different recycling processes. This approach, when supported by digital tools allows to perform a full characterization of compositional and textural attributes of the different particulate solids constituting the waste flow streams. To reach this goal specific physical-chemical attributes must be collected, analyzed and processed in order to define, according to market requirements, specific classes of quality to assume as reference to define optimal processing strategies. Computer-assisted optical characterization, coupled with hyperspectral sensing devices and …

Implementation Of Artificial Neural Network In Embedded Systems, Roni Kasemi, Bertan Karahoda

UBT International Conference

As we know the artificial intelligence, and specifically artificial neural networks, have improved rapidly in the last decade which leads to the application of these systems in commercial fields like in buying online products, medical applications, financial applications, etc. But we know also that ANN usually are complex systems that need a lot of computing power in order to function properly which limits their application in number of fields, including here embedded systems because of their limited hardware and software properties. In this paper our goal is to implement a fully functional ANN in ATmega328p microcontroller, which will be programmed …

Diversity And Inclusion In Automation, Ines Bula, Mary Doyle Kent, Peter Kopacek

UBT International Conference

Diversity and inclusion are the vital to the long-term success of any business. In Industry 4.0 and 5.0 there is a requirement that engineering firms have the best talent to foster innovation, entrepreneurship and growth. The best talent means offering engineering education to all members of society, including minority groups. Traditionally automation is not an engineering sector that attracts a diverse cohort. This paper looks at why science, technology engineering and math (STEM) in general, and automation in particular, flourishes when opened up to a more diverse and inclusive community and it offers insight as to how to attract this …

Energy Efficiency For A Farm Company: Nzefc – Nearly Zero Energy Farm Company. Case Of Study, Kliton Bylykbashi, Giuseppe Bonifazi

UBT International Conference

In this report, the energy consumption of 25 agricultural companies, which produce milk for the Soresina consortium, was evaluated.The purpose was to determine a Standard Energy Diagnosis Procedure (SEDP), for the agricultural sector. In the case of study below, the farm company has decided to adhere to a process of technological renewal, able to reduce to zero, the energy consumption, related to electricity and agricultural naphtha. Three are the intervention that the company has decided to adopt: Integration the photovoltaic system with a Storage System (battery); castrating a new biogas plant, with 75 kW electrical power; replacing the unifeed wagon …

Water Quality Analysis In Batllava Lake With Physico - Chemical Methods And Organic Materials, Florent Dobroshi, Faton Maloku, Krenar Dobroshi

UBT International Conference

Water is one of the most important sources of life that cannot be replaced by other matter, so without water no form of living on our planet can be thought of. Worldwide demand for potable water rises by 4%, which challenges not only quantity but also quality. Depending on the origin, natural waters have different characteristics. In addition to meeting the needs in many vital processes, biological and physiological needs of the organism, water is an essential substance for the development of industry. There are almost no industries that for one reason or another do not use water. Water is …

The Effect Of Concrete Sample Size In The Compressive Strength Value Of Concrete, Erion Luga, Erion Periku, Paulin Sheperi

UBT International Conference

Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials. Compressive strength is one of the most important properties of hardened concrete. Different codes use different standards to define the characteristic strength. Albania nowadays is adapting the EN standards, but previously it used to apply the local code KTP. According to KTP standards the concrete samples were cubic specimens of 200mm side length. This study is an attempt to analyse the relation between sample size and compressive strength values of concrete specimens. For this purpose, 4 concrete classes of C8/10, C16/20, C20/25, C30/37 and 5 different cubic sizes of 50, …

Practicing Professional Ethics In Engineering: How This Field Is Developed And Its Importance, Ragip Behrami, Ilir Hetemi, Arton Qorri

UBT International Conference

Many associations of engineers around the world have worked to develop rules in an effort to regulate the ethical practice of the engineer’s profession. These rules are usually referred as Code of Ethics for Engineers and tries to explain how an engineer must practice his work with professional ethics. The purpose of this paper is to show, in informative form, how this field has developed around the world and to emphasize the importance of implementing these rules during the practice of the profession of engineer.

Waste Pollution Analysis Medical In Rural Parts Of Kosovo, Faton Maloku, Florent Dobroshi, Besa Veseli

UBT International Conference

Medical waste poses a greater risk to human health compared to other types of waste. Environmental pollution caused by medical waste can be large and can spread various diseases and epidemics, but pollution can be classified according to the most important components of the environment that are polluted and as the main component are: air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution. The practical work was carried out in the regional general hospital of Gjilan, hazardous waste that is generated in rural areas is managed in a controlled manner in the waste management plant which is also within the city hospital. In …

Pandemic Restrictions In Kosova As Indicator To Reduction Of Air Pollution, Afete-Shala Musliu

UBT International Conference

The chaotic situation of industrial and transportation grow around the globe is a situation that left substantial traces, both in the environment and in everyday life. With the introduction of the Pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO) of Covid19 in March 2020, many countries in the world imposed numerous instructions including the restriction of movement, both national and international, which also affected the use of motor vehicles thus, having direct impact on reduction of air pollution caused by motor vehicle’s emission. On 15th of March 2020 Kosova’s government also introduced numerous instructions including restriction of movement. The aim of this …

Sustainability Of Energy Production From Fossils And Reversible Energy In Kosovo, Djellza Perbeza, Ines Bula

UBT International Conference

Over the years Renewable Sources are the focus in terms of Energy. Renewable energy replaces traditional fuels in four different areas: electricity generation, water and space heating, motor fuels, and rural energy services. The development of the energy market and especially renewable energy is playing a key role in Kosovo, this can simultaneously lead to the stabilization of the new economy of the country. Only a sustainable, efficient and modern energy supply can ensure the rapid development of new industries. Energy production in Kosovo is currently supported by fossil fuels, mainly coal, while a small amount of energy is obtained …