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Cradle-to-Pavement Carbon Footprint and Biogenic Carbon Accounting of Bio-Extended Bituminous Binders for Asphalt Pavements
Get PDFThe carbon footprint of bio-extended bituminous binders aiming for pavement decarbonisation was quantified using a “cradle-to-pavement” life cycle assessment. The binders were extended with a plant-based bio-oil. By biogenic carbon accounting, the impact of biogenic carbon flow was analysed through different approaches. The results indicated that using the bio-oil as a bitumen extender slightly increases the fossil global warming potential (GWP) of asphalt pavements, by about 1%. Both the absolute GWP levels and the effect of polymer modification on average annual GWP are variable, depending on the input data. When the “−1/+1” approach is adopted, two of the three analysed cases showed a lower average annual GWP of asphalt pavements with polymer-modified bitumen while one analysed case showed almost unchanged average annual GWP. All analysed cases confirmed that the biogenic carbon accounting by the “−1/+ X” approach reduces the total and average annual GWP significantly for the cases with biogenic components
The physical and virtual presence of the local state and citizens’ life satisfaction in urbanising China
Get PDFChina’s rapid and ongoing urbanisation has led to the expansion of the local state. The state, traditionally exhibited as physical institutions of government, has emerged virtually in recent years based on intricate network infrastructure systems, such as social media platforms. Scholars contend that a strong physical state infrastructure enhances government function and can increase citizens’ life satisfaction; in contrast, the state’s virtual presence is unlikely to exert a substantial independent impact because of its reliance on the state’s physical infrastructure. In this research, we calibrated innovative measures of the state’s physical and virtual presence. Combined with data from the 2018 Urbanisation and Quality of Life Survey conducted in 40 sampling sites undergoing rural–urban transition, we further assessed how the local state’s physical and virtual presence is associated with citizens’ self-reported life satisfaction in the context of China’s national new-type urbanisation. Our results, based on three-level mixed-effects regressions, indicate that the local state’s bricks-and-mortar institutions do not correlate with citizens’ life satisfaction; rather, the establishment of a web-based, cost-effective, transparent, and coordinated virtual presence is associated with a higher level of life satisfaction among citizens. At a time when the Chinese central government emphasises its commitment to ‘people-centred’ urbanisation, the findings offer insight into the strategies that local governments could employ to improve governance quality and enhance citizens’ well-being
Digital technologies for traceability and transparency in the global fish supply chains: A systematic review and future directions
No full textEnsuring sustainability and ethical practices in global fish supply chains requires robust implementation of digital technologies that conform to traceability and transparency policies in the fisheries industry. This paper provides an in-depth review of 27 impactful studies published from 2008 to 2024, examining how digital technologies enhance fish supply chain traceability to inform effective global fisheries policies. The review identifies three key research streams: (1) enabling technologies such as blockchain and Internet of Things; (2) critical traceability parameters for transparency, including fraud prevention and consumer trust; and (3) sustainability benefits, such as enhanced regulatory compliance and cold-chain efficiency. By mapping gaps in current research, this study establishes a future research and policy agenda and underscores the transformative potential of digital innovations in sustainable fish supply chain governance. Policymakers are encouraged to utilise these technologies to create strong frameworks that ensure transparent data sharing and compliance verification among all supply chain participants in order to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, promote sustainability, and safeguard human rights in fisheries. Although the focus of this paper is on fish supply chains, findings and recommendations may apply to traceability and transparency in other supply chains aiming for sustainable operations
Assessment of the risks posed by thermal runaway within marine Li-ion battery energy storage systems - considering past incidents, current guidelines and future mitigation measures
Get PDFLi-ion batteries up to the MWh capacity are increasingly adopted in marine applications, wherein the fire, explosion and toxicity hazards of thermal runaway (TR) events present a unique and complex problem relative to other applications. As such, to perform a critical risk assessment of these hazards this work analyses past incidents. Short circuits related to water ingress and coolant leakage have been the most prominent cause of TR while the majority of TR incidents led to fire or explosion. HAZID analysis was carried out on the battery system, the battery space and the electronic system. Risks were significantly reduced by considering transferable technologies (from automotive and stationary storage sectors) and future technologies. Bow-tie analysis was used to assess the barriers along the threat-consequence pathways of an electrical abuse event leading to the TR hazard and a TR event leading to the battery space failure hazard. The analysis showed that the consequences of battery TR significantly increase if it leads to battery space failure as complete loss of capability, dangers to passengers, and complete ship loss can occur. Further quantitative assessment of proposed improvements is required to determine their effectiveness in hazard reduction for ongoing safety developments
“Tell me how to start a business”: student expectations, the mainstream, and the potential for critical entrepreneurship education
No full textConvolutionalFixedSum: Uniformly Generating Random Values with a Fixed Sum Subject to Arbitrary Constraints
Get PDFThis paper addresses the problem of uniform random generation of vectors of values with a fixed sum, subject to upper and lower constraints on the individual component values. Solutions to this problem are used extensively in the generation of tasksets, specifically task utilization values, in support of the performance assessment of schedulability tests for real-time systems. This paper introduces a general-purpose solution in the form of an Inverse Volume Ratio Sampling method that is applicable provided that it is possible to determine the ratio of the volume below a given hyperplane to the total volume of the valid region in n-dimensional space, as demarcated by the constraints and the fixed sum. An efficient approach is derived for volume calculation using numerical convolution, thus instantiating the ConvolutionalFixedSum algorithm, which provides a user-specified level of precision, while scaling at O(n3, log(n)). A stringent uniformity test is developed, called the slices test, which is able to fully explore the extent of the valid region in each of the n dimensions. The slices test reveals that while the outputs of UUniFast and ConvolutionalFixedSum form uniform distributions, in some cases the outputs of prior state-of-the-art algorithms do not
Investigation of wrinkling initiation in shear spinning
Get PDFMetal spinning is a flexible and net-shape sheet forming process however its process development still heavily relies on empirical knowledge to determine process parameters to avoid processing failures, such as wrinkling. This paper develops dynamic finite element modelling of a shear spinning process to investigate wrinkling initiation and critical strains leading to wrinkling. Two processing parameters, mandrel rotational speed and roller feed rate, in spinning aluminium sheet material AA5251-H22 are investigated to ascertain the effect of the roller feed ratio on wrinkling, validated by a spinning experiment. The evolution of the maximum circumferential and radial strains on the top surface of wrinkling waves is evaluated and it has been found that they accumulate progressively with the formation of wrinkling. The wrinkling initiates when the maximum circumferential strain of the top surface of winkling waves cyclically increases and remains tensile. The FE results indicate that the dynamic effect due to a higher mandrel speed, thus a greater strain rate, is independent of the wrinkling initiation providing that the roller feed ratio remains unchanged and below a certain limit. The wrinkling initiation is the result of the circumferential strain accumulation when the roller feed ratio applied to the sheet exceeds a limit
Prepare: improving end-of-life care practice in stroke care: insights from a national survey and semi-structured interviews
Get PDFBackground: Stroke has high mortality. Challenges in providing end-of-life care include uncertainty among healthcare professionals about when to start care. While generic tools and guidelines exist, which outline components of quality end-of life care, they may not fully address stroke’s unpredictable trajectories, complicating care planning. Objective: To enhance understanding of end-of-life care post-stroke. Methods: We undertook an explanatory sequential mixed methods approach, including a cross-sectional survey and semi-structured interviews. All 286 United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS) hospitals providing inpatient stroke care were approached for participation in an on-line cross-sectional survey. The survey of healthcare professionals from UK stroke units was used to map current stroke end-of-life care and models of care. Fourteen staff who completed the survey and agreed to a future interview were purposively selected. The semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals involved in delivering end-of-life care post-stroke were conducted and interpreted using the Theoretical Domains Framework. We aimed to enhance our understanding of the experiences, expectations, challenges and barriers in providing end-of-life care post-stroke, including effective clinical decision-making. Results: Across 108 responding survey sites, 317 responses were received. Results showed a lack of structured tools and approaches, an absence of stroke-specific guidance and variable delivery of end-of-life care post-stroke. Thirteen staff (nurses, occupational therapists, medical stroke consultants, and a speech and language therapist) agreed to be interviewed. The data provided a fuller understanding of the context within which end-of-life care post-stroke is delivered. The varied challenges faced include: uncertain prognosis, complex decision-making process, varying skill levels, staffing levels, the hospital environment, emotional strain on both families and staff, inequitable access to specialist palliative care, and difficulties associated with different models of care (stroke service structures and cultural context). Conclusions: Provision of end-of-life care post-stroke is complex, challenging, uncertain, and inconsistent. There is limited evidence or guidance to support healthcare professionals. There is a need for implementation support, which includes education, to better enable quality and more consistent end-of-life care post-stroke. Further research is required to assess interventions that can support end-of-life care post-stroke to aid clinicians in providing quality palliative care for stroke patients
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