FUTOSpace (Federal Univ. of Technology, Owerri)
Not a member yet
636 research outputs found
Sort by
The capability of construction firms in the delivery of projects in Anambra State
Full text linkA Master’s Thesis on "capability of construction firms in the delivery of projects". It contains tables.This work examined the capacity of construction firms in the delivery of construction projects in Anambra State. The objectives include to analyse the selected construction projects to determine their level of performance, to determine the level of correlation between the role of contractors and implementation of projects and analyse the factors that inhibit construction firms’ role in the implementation of construction projects. Earned Value Analysis method was partly used to analyze the performance data of the selected construction projects which showed low performance due to high level of cost and time overrun. The contributory factors to the low performance were identified. Based on this, five-point Likert’s scale questionnaire was designed and distributed to 111 respondents for assessment. The multiple regression analysis of the factors show that all the identified factors significantly affected the role and performance of the construction firms with poor economic situation posing the highest effect. Hence, the study recommends that Government policies should be formulated to create a conducive environment for construction firms to be active in their roles for improve success in the delivery of construction projects; Construction firms should apply the project management techniques; construction firms should ensure that qualified personnel are employed to handle the planning and implementation of construction projects, Honesty and transparency should be the watch word for construction firms in performing their construction activities when dealing with clients and; The NSE and other organized professional bodies in Nigeria should revoke the operating license of construction firms found violating the professional ethics and roles in managing projects. This will reduce the level of insincerity exhibited by most construction firms and improve expertise in the execution of construction projects by engaging qualified personnel with the requisite knowledge regarding project management techniques for proper planning and implementation of construction projects in Anambra State
Quantitative models for supply chain risk analysis from geepee tank factory Aba, Abia state
No full textA Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of Masters of Engineering (M.Eng) in Mechanical EngineeringQuantitative models for supply chain risk analysis from GeePee tank factory Aba, Abia state were studied. This study was aimed to identify risk assessment models, vulnerabilities, propose optimal scenarios, and recommend enhanced risk management strategies. Risk factors identification, route time estimation, critical path analysis, cost-related risk assessment, comparison of logistic choices, and decision tree and mitigation were used to instigate and determine the best path for the supply flow of the system to reduce cost. The supply chain diagram was shown, and the duration of time needed to move the plastic tanks from the factory to the final consumers using different route was estimated, the shortest route and the critical path were estimated. PATH 1 > PATH 4 > PATH 3 = PATH 5 > PATH 2 > PATH 6 (62 >51 > 46 = 46 > 42 >39), the analysis revealed that PATH 6 was the most time-efficient route, with the critical path identified as 62 hours. From the result obtained on applying the developed paths into the supply chain mechanism of five major distributors of the company, the overall cost reduction from budgeted, actual, and total path costs stood at 7.89% and 9.44%, respectively. Similar trends were observed for S.C.G. LTD (7.04% and 6.34%), A.T.C Company dealer (5.76% and 7.31%), R.R.I (6.07% and 5.46%), and N.G.L LTD (5.76% and 7.31%), showing total reduction of 6.851%. This research suggested some applicable guides to optimize supply chain managements, which includes partnering with distributors, leasing warehouses, or collaborating with retailers, with each decision weighed against various factors and costs to align with the company's best interests. The study underscored the importance of considering every component of the supply chain during decision-making to effectively mitigate risks
Chemical and toxicological evaluations of boiled Hemidactylus frenatus and Scolopendridae cataracta solutions in albino rats
No full textThis thesis is for the award of Master of Science (MSc.) in Nutritional BiochemistryThis study evaluated the chemical profile and toxicological potential of Hemidacylus frenatus (wall gecko) and Scolopendridae cataracta (centipede) boiled solution in albino rats. Thirty-five (35) male albino rats that weighed 96.00 ± 0.06 g and aged 9 to 10 weeks were divided into seven groups: group 1 received feed and water only and served as the control group, group 2 received 10 ml/kg body weight (b.w) of boiled degutted wall gecko solution (BDWGS), group 3 received 20 ml/kg b.w of BDWGS, group 4 received 10 ml/kg b.w of boiled whole wall gecko solution (BWWGS), group 5 received 20 ml/kg b.w BWWGS, group 6 received 10 ml/kg b.w of boiled centipede solution (BCS) and group 7 received 20 ml/kg b.w BCS; for 28 days through oral route. The GC-MS analyses of the boiled solutions revealed the presence of benzenamine, methenamine, 1H-imidazole, halcinonide, acetamide, cyclohexane, colchiceine, ethyl oxamate and N-(4-Aminobutyl) aziridine in them. The results of the acute toxicity (LD50) of the boiled centipede and wall gecko solutions showed no mortality at the study level. There were significant (p<0.05) increases in blood urea, creatinine, sodium ion, chloride ion concentrations and ALP, ALT and AST activities and a decrease in bicarbonate ion concentration following administration of BWWGS and BCS. Total and direct bilirubin concentrations increased in all treatment groups while total protein, albumin and globulin concentrations reduced in BWWGS and BCS groups when compared to control group. Alterations in renal and hepatic functional indices were confirmed in histopathological study of liver and kidney tissues; ostensibly caused by the toxic chemical compositions of the treatment solutions. In conclusion, the boiled wall gecko and centipede solutions were toxic to the liver and kidneys of the rats
comprehensive one
No full texta 2015 Article by Ohuabunwa and OlaThis publication is author by Ohuabunwa and Ola tileed effective learnin
Development of a web-based machine learning money laundering detection and prevention model
No full textMaster’s thesis on "web-based machine learning money laundering detection and prevention". It containsExplicitly programmed systems, rule-based systems and machine learning systems exist as antmoney laundering systems, however, these systems are for the detection and not prevention of money laundering. This thesis is concerned with the detection and prevention of money laundering by developing a web-based model that uses machine learning (ML) to detect and prevent money laundering transactions. Money laundering which is synonymous with clothes laundering is the process of transforming the real nature of the source of income or money which is usually an illegitimate source to a legitimate source. The model was developed using open datasets on financial transactions from Kaggle.com, which is an open-source website that holds a lot of data. Questionnaires were administered for data acquisition and requirement collection. The questionnaire was given out to people in the banking sector, and the data were analysed to reveal that most respondents see a need for this system and believe it will lead to better financial monitoring and decision-making. The RAD software methodology was applied and Python programming language and Python frameworks were used for this model. recall of 100%, an f1 score (f-measure) of 99.2% and a precision of 98.3% were achieved by this research against the existing system’s metrics of 97%, 97% and 98% for f1-score, precision and recall respectively.Also, an accuracy of 98.4% and 81.9% was achieved for the detection model and the prevention model respectively
Optimization of screw production using deep convolutional neural network (DCNN)
No full textMaster Degree in Industrial Production EngineeringThis research proposed a deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) based technique for the detection of micro defects on metal screw surfaces. Defects considered include surface damage, surface dirt, and stripped screws. Images of metal screws with different types of defects were collected using industrial cameras, which were then employed to train the designed deep CNN. To enable efficient detection, I first located screw surfaces in the pictures captured by the cameras, so that the images of screw surfaces could be extracted, which were then inputted into the CNN-based defect detector. Experiment results showed that the proposed technique could achieve a detection accuracy of 97%; the average detection time per picture is 1.2 seconds. Comparisons with traditional machine vision techniques, e.g., template matching-based techniques, demonstrate the superiority of the proposed deep CNN-based one. Furthermore, it could be seen that the accuracy of the proposed DCNN was much higher than the traditional LeNet-5 at the beginning of the network training and the accuracy of the training was to 100% with 550 iterations and about 100% accuracy was achieved with 800 iterations
Unraveling the sorption mechanisms of ciprofloxacin on the surface of zeolite 4A (001) in aqueous medium by DFT and MC approaches
Full text linkThis research was conducted in collaboration with staff of this universityThe adsorption mechanism of ciprofloxacin (CIP) and its ionic form were investigated using density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD), with the goal of forecasting their adsorption behavior in terms of gap energy, global reactivity descriptors, Fukui functions, adsorption energies, and density of state on the surface of zeolite 4A (001). Quantum chemical parameters related to the adsorption process were calculated, as well as the overall reactivity. According to DFT calculations, the zwetterionic form CIP± are the most stable and reactive and have a greater power of electron transfer compared to the other species. Under aqueous conditions, zeolite can adsorb ciprofloxacin (CIP) and its ionic forms, as revealed by molecular dynamics simulation. Ciprofloxacin in the zwitterionic form (CIP±) were more efficiently adsorbed to the surface of zeolite 4A (001) than the cationic (CIP+), anionic (CIP−), and neutral(CIP) forms; through the evaluation of adsorption energy, probability distribution, interaction, and density of state. The results also demonstrated that the compounds studied were adsorbed via the process of chemical bonding, which was confirmed by the negative values of the interaction energy. Furthermore, the negative adsorption energy values suggest a significant adsorption of all compounds, with electrostatic interactions (physisorption), diffusion into the pores, and n-π bonds (chemisorption) on the zeolite surface. The increase in adsorption energies and the proximity of the molecules studied to the zeolite surface indicate the predominance of chemisorption, and the adsorption of ciprofloxacin was found to be an exothermic and spontaneous process. Molecular dynamics (MD) modeling was in agreement with the DFT resultsThe Second Africa Higher Education Centres of Excellence for Development Impact (ACE Impact) Project, funded by the World Bank- funded and designated P169064, IDA No. 6510-N
Work, stress information technology and employee performance of independent national electoral commission (INEC) in Imo State
Full text linkMaster's degree thesis (M.SC) in Management Technology on work, stress and information technologyThe study investigated the relationship between work stress, information technology, and employee performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State Nigeria. The study used a correlational survey design and questionnaire as instruments for data collection using a five-point Likert scale. The total population was 342 (Three Hundred and Forty-Two) permanent and ad hoc personnel. The sample size of 184 was obtained using the Taro Yamane formula. Bowley’s allocation formula was used in the distribution of the questionnaire using simple random sampling techniques. Research hypothesis one was tested using a bivariate correlation method with the use of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. Research hypotheses two, three, and four were tested and analysed statistically using a simple regression method, Analysis of Variance. The findings of research hypothesis one found that there is a strong (positive) correlation between work content and employee engagement. The findings of research hypothesis two showed that the virtual work environment contributes significantly to employee satisfaction. Findings of research hypothesis three found that personal factors significantly influence employee commitment. The findings of research hypothesis four showed that workplace quality significantly influences employee motivation. It was recommended that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State should conduct regular surveys and feedback sessions with employees to better understand their perception of work content and its impact on their engagement. It was further recommended that INEC should create a culture where employees feel valued and appreciated to reduce employee burnout. INEC is advised to create less work-related stress and more productive employees by having strong onboarding processes and encouraging employees to take time off to maintain a healthy work-life balance
Accumulation of heavy metals in fish, water, and sediment samples from Oguta lake.
Full text linkMaster's thesis in environmental conservation and management .This work was carried out to ascertain the accumulation of heavy metals in fish, water, and sediment samples from Oguta Lake. Triplicate batches of the samples were taken from three sampling points along the river coast, and the physicochemical parameters were analyzed in the laboratory using gravimetric, titrimetric, and spectrophotometric methods. The concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, As, Ni, Mn, Cu, and Hg) in water, sediment, and fish, insect, snail, and algal species from the lake were analyzed using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Carcinogenic risk models were used to estimate the potential risks through the ingestion of fish, insects, snails, and algal in Oguta Lake. Pearson correlation multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were used to analyze the inter-relationship among heavy metals in water and sediments. Seasonal variation and the correlation matrix (ANOVA) of heavy metals were analyzed. The results obtained showed that the mean concentrations of physicochemical parameters ranged as follows: Temperature (26.04-29.35); pH (7.17-7.77); Free CO2 (9.78-10.34); BOD (10.14-10.42); TDS (22.23-28.04); EC (0.30-0.49); DO (5.69-5.86); Total Hardness (18.49-21.00); Turbidity (15.0317.76); Alkalinity (15.64-16.66); Sulfate (2.19-2.55); Ammonium (0.26-0.40). Comparison with WHO guidelines indicated that most parameters assayed were within permissible limits. The mean concentrations of heavy metals in water were: Pb (0.19±0.05); Cd (0.41±0.07); As (0.01±0.001); Ni (0.59 ±0.1); Mn (0.02±0.006); and Cu (2.24 ± 0.31). while the mean concentrations of heavy metals in sediment were: Pb (0.26±0.04); Cd (1.04±0.15); As (1.02±0.16); Ni (1.22± 0.24); Mn (1.98±1.68); and Cu (1.87 ± 0.58). Positive correlations were observed for the following pairs of metals in water and sediments: Pbw and Nis (r = 0.356), Cdw and Nis (r =0.237), Cuw and Mns (r = 0.325), Cdw and Pbs (r = 0.969*), and Asw and Ass (r = 0.967) at p algal > snail > insect. The estimated daily intake of heavy metals from consuming fish, algae, and snails indicated that none of the heavy metals currently pose a health risk to consumers of these organisms in the study area, based on the dose. The results obtained from this study showed that heavy metal pollution is not yet a significant problem in Oguta Lake as of the time of this investigation
Estimation of cost of delays on vessel operations in container terminals of Nigerian seaports
No full textThis thesis is for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Maritime Management TechnologyThe study evaluated the cost of delays on vessel operations in container terminals of Nigerian seaports. The objectives of the study are to estimate the average delay in vessel operations in Nigerian ports container terminal, to estimate the economic cost implications of delay in vessel operations in Nigeria container terminals, determine the average service rate of vessel at berth in Nigerian ports container terminal, derive the container terminal utilization coefficient of Nigeria ports, model the relationship between delay in vessels operations and trend of shipping operations in Nigeria container terminals, determine the effect of cost of delays on trend of shipping operations in Nigerian container terminals and to measure the extent of port users satisfaction with port operations relative to the extent of delay in vessel operations in container terminals in Nigeria. The study used a mixed design method consisting of the use of both secondary data and primary data obtained from survey. The major container terminals in Onne, Rivers, Tin Can Island and Apapa ports were used to carry out the study. Secondary data on ship turnaround time of vessels at the terminals, vessel traffic calls to the terminals, TEU throughput trade handled at the terminals, berth occupancy rates of the terminals Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of vessels worked at the terminals, and tariff and charges for vessels operations in each port terminal were obtained from the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) statistical reports. Each dataset covered a period of 16 years from 2007 to 2022, representing the port concession era in the Nigerian port sector. Primary data on the level of port users’ satisfaction with the services of the terminals relative to the extent of delay in ship operations in the port terminals was obtained by the use of questionnaires as survey instrument. The study used the queuing model, customer satisfaction and loyalty index, Log-linear multiple regression analysis and descriptive cum inferential statistics to analyze the data. The findings of the study reveal that the ship operators experienced annual average of between 2.8 days and 14 days delay in vessel operations in the Nigerian port sector between 2007 and 2022. The Nigerian economy lost an average of USD 26935.33 per annum between 2007 and 2022 in the port sector with standard deviation of 11468.24, as result of delay in vessel operations in the container terminals in Tin Can Island port, Apapa port, Rivers port and Onne port. The container terminal utilization coefficient of the Onne, Tin Can Island, Apapa and Rivers are 99%, 99%, 99.5% and 96% respectively. The findings of the study also indicate an average port user’s satisfaction score of 54.38% with standard deviation of 31.623 relative to the extents of delay in vessel operations in Nigerian port sector. There is significant effect of cost of delays in Vessels Operations on Trend of Container Shipping Operations in Nigerian Container Terminals. The study recommended that terminal operators and port management should comply with the 2days ship turnaround benchmarks operational in global ports in order to reduce the economic cost of delay imposed by vessel operations delay in the Nigerian port sector