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Parallel adversarial search to enhance decision-making in games
Get PDFThis thesis investigates the process and the challenges of developing a parallel
implementation of an adversarial search algorithm that can be deployed on shared
memory architectures, such as big multi-core servers. The primary intention is to
produce faster algorithmic performance of adversarial search through parallelism; for
instance, a search within a (two-player) game tree, identifying the best move from the
current player’s perspective.
This thesis describes a three segment process for improving AI performance through
parallelism. The first phase involves selecting an AI approach to simulate decision making in a virtual game world. The second phase covers the selection of a parallel
programming technique of parallel invoking to enhance performance of the AI approach
that executes sequentially. The final phase defines the performance evaluation approach
that outlines the criteria in order to evaluate the performance of the AI algorithm. The
two evaluative parameters concerned in gauging the level of performance are the speed
of the search result and the quality of the search result.
Our methodology is utilised to develop parallel variants of a base sequential Minimax
with Alpha-Beta Pruning algorithm. Three different games are implemented as
instances of this general parallel Minimax algorithm and evaluated on their level of
performance using a state-of-the-art multi-core server (64 cores). The three games
included are TicTacToe (on an extended 7x7 board), Treblecross (on an extended 60x1
board) and GoMoku (on a reduced 11x11 board).
These parallel variants achieve a modest absolute speed-up over the sequential base on
the three test case games. The best absolute speed-up gain achieved on each test case
game was 8 for TicTacToe, 11 for Treblecross, and 11 for GoMoku. GoMoku generates
the most reliable and consistent absolute speed-up increases across the entire core usage
and set of board configurations.
Despite the modest gains, the absolute speed-up achieved is significantly below the
linear speed-up threshold in all test case games and board configurations. This can be
equated to increased memory consumption and increased memory residency for
programs that use many threads. In addition to this, memory overhead due to copying
operations to enable parallelism on top of the core Minimax algorithm is also a
contributing factor
Development of computational modelling methods for solid and fluid mechanics in rough fractures and application to the stress-permeability relationship
Get PDFFractures are complex geological discontinuities, in which conductivity depends
on stress and deformation. Despite several decades of research, fracture behaviour is still under active investigation due to the multi-scale and multi-physics
nature which includes coupled rock mechanics and flow. This thesis presents a
computational study of explicit fracture modelling, where I investigate fractures
at the fine-scale level considering the natural geometries, roughness and complex flow. First, I designed and implemented a code to simulate the mechanical
opening and closing of fractures as well as slip processes of fracture surfaces
using the Virtual Element Method. The code consists mainly of three algorithms
- Contact Detection, Normal Contact Interaction and Tangential Contact Interaction, which were validated against analytical solutions and commercial software.
Second, I developed a flow code for permeability calculation based on the Stokes
equation and Finite Volume Method discretization. I used these computational
codes to investigate the stress-permeability relationship of the fractured rock using roughness profiles taken by digital optical microscope from a mudstone core.
The impact of fracture surface geometrical characteristics on the deformation
and flow was investigated. Numerical results were compared against in-house
laboratory experiments, empirical and (semi-)analytical models from other studies. The quantitative analysis of the fracture surfaces shift and specific roughness
parameters was carried out and their impact on the permeability during fracture
deformation was assessed. Finally, I investigated a data-driven machine learning
method to be able to train and accuratly predict the permeability in a rough
fracture. I show that it is possible to train such a model. Overall, this research
provides a better understanding of mechanics and flow behaviour of the natural
fractures and improvements in the modelling methods.James Watt Scholarshi
Improving the Evaluation for The Construction of Beautiful Villages assessment method : case studies from six Chinese eco-villages
Get PDFEco-village development has been considered by the Chinese central government, in its
rural revitalisation campaign, as a crucial solution to the increasingly serious issues faced
by rural areas, including the loss of young residents and an ageing population, resulting
in the underuse of rural land resources. As demonstrated through the application of a
range of frameworks and assessment methods for design and evaluation, eco-village
development can be a valid approach to address rural issues in China. However, an eco village development is a long-term, complex, and diverse project which involves social,
technical, economic, environmental and political challenges. The commonly used
assessment methods, including a Chinese official eco-village assessment tool – the
Evaluation for the Construction of Beautiful Village (ECBV) – cannot comprehensively
evaluate eco-village developments in China due to the limitations in their assessment
process, criteria, and indicators. The importance of an effective eco-village assessment
tool necessitates a re-examination of the ECBV assessment method. This will allow a
more in-depth review of existing achievement, guide further development and ensure
better outcomes.
The main purpose of the study is to identify solutions to improve the Chinese eco-village
assessment ECBV based on case studies. The proposed solutions would be useful in
effectively and efficiently revising ECBV, and hence the improved assessment would
help eco-village designers and residents to become more knowledgeable and effective in
their decision-making regarding appropriate and feasible eco-village development
measures. As there are increasing efforts to promote rural revitalisation and the
implementation of eco-village concepts in China, the problem becomes more apparent:
there is an urgent need for an assessment method that can be applied to evaluate the
performance of a bottom-up eco-village development and provide valuable feedback and
lessons from those already completed projects to guide a new development project and
ensure better outcomes. Thus, a specific assessment method that can examine, measure
and certify the performance of an eco-village is required to assess and guide bottom-up
eco-village developments in China.
Thus, this study aims to identify the limitations of the Chinese eco-village assessment
tool and two internationally recognised assessment methods through case studies of five
purposely selected Chinese eco-villages based on both qualitative and quantitative analysis, and then to propose solutions to improve the current Chinese eco-village
assessment (ECVB). With these solutions, the ECBV assessment is revised and applied
to the sixth Chinese eco-village case to analyse the results and review the modified ECBV
for validation. To arrive at a solution, both qualitative and quantitative research methods
are adopted and the process is divided into three stages. The first step is to establish in
detail the problems caused by assessments currently in common use. The next step is to
decide how to revise these assessments, taking into account China’s national conditions.
Then, we will apply the revised assessment to practical cases and combine the assessment
result to find the solutions that can improve ECBV and help the future development of
eco-villages in China.
Finally, the thesis presents the findings and limitations of three domestic and
internationally recognised assessment methods, which are the current ECBV assessment
is not sufficient to evaluate Chinse eco-villages as its assessment criteria are vague,
important indicators are missing, and the form of the evaluation process can lead to bias.
In other words, the ECBV assessment needs to be improved urgently to avoid misleading
Chinese eco-village development in the future. Furthermore, the validated solutions are
implementing long-term tracking, balancing assessment criteria, and including
commonly applied indicators. These research outcomes are expected to help guide
sustainable rural development in China, and the research approach is expected to be
applicable in other developing Asian countries as they are seeking and formulating their
own versions of eco-village assessment
How has the annual commemoration of ‘Ashura affected, shaped and informed Shi’a-Sunni current relations in Iraq?
Get PDFThis doctoral thesis aims to explore the impact of the annual commemoration of ‘Ashura on
contemporary Shi‘a-Sunni relations in Iraq. ‘Ashura itself is the name given to the tenth day of the
month of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic lunar calendar. It was on this day, in 680, that
Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammed, was killed in Karbala, Iraq by the army of a
perceived unjust and corrupt Caliph, Yazid (Husain, 2018). The episode at Karbala profoundly
impacted Muslims and divided them not only in Iraq but in the wider Muslim world, and continues
to be a source of contemporary dissension (Husain, 2018). It has generated traditions and
particularly rituals of public mourning among a minority within the Islamic ummah (community)
who came to be known as the Shi‘a (Husain, 2018, p. 57). The Shi‘a annually commemorate the
tragedy of Karbala because from their perspective, Islam as a religion has been maintained by the
sacrifice of Husayn in Karbala (Nakash, 1993). Fearing dissension, there is a tendency to ignore
the significance of the killing of Husayn among the majority within the Islamic ummah who came
to be known as the Sunni (Husain, 2018).
In Iraq, the commemoration of ‘Ashura, which has evolved according to the Iraqi social and
political context, can be considered as the most defining ritual that identifies the Shi‘a, a majority
of the population, and that separates them from the Sunni, a sizable minority. Nevertheless,
following the establishment of Iraq as a political entity in 1921 and up until 2003, the Sunnis held
power, and the commemorations of ‘Ashura were initially restricted and then banned (Chatelard,
2017). When the regime of Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003, the Shi‘a assumed power for the
first time since the establishment of Iraq as a modern state in 1921. Since 2003, therefore, the
commemoration of ‘Ashura has emerged as the most powerful cultural, religious and political
event in Iraq (Al-Hilli, 2017; Pierre, Hutchinson and Abdulrazak, 2007). In recent years, millions
of Shi‘a, from Iraq and further afield, have visited Karbala to observe ziyarat al-Arba‘in, that is a
ritual involving visiting Husayn’s shrine on the 40th day after ‘Ashura (Chatelard, 2017).
This thesis aims to explore the ways the commemoration of ‘Ashura has impacted present-day
Shi‘a-Sunni relations in Iraq by using the theoretical framework of Structural Ritualization Theory
(Knottnerus, 2012) to which some valuable cultural theories by the Iraqi sociologist, ‘Ali al-Wardi
have contributed. Together with the previous, the analysis of data collected between 2016 and 2019
has been useful to test both theories and to advance some initial conclusions, for instance that the
Shi‘a religious establishment has strategically used ziyarat al-Arba‘in to spread their influence and
to inculcate Shi‘a symbols into Iraqi national identity. The mourning rituals have also used
strategically to unite the Shi‘a and to intimidate their enemies, including the radicalised Sunni
splinter group ISIS, of noted relevance in recent times. Furthermore, the analysis of the data
suggests that the rituals contribute to raising sensitivities between Shi‘a and Sunni Iraqis
Increasing the repetition rate of high-energy Nd:Glass disk amplifiers
Get PDFFlash-lamp pumped disk amplifiers suffer from thermally-induced aberrations which
greatly limits the repetition rate of the disk amplifiers. A comprehensive 3D, time-dependent mathematical model is presented which can successfully model the small
signal gain, temperature, and the induced wave-front error. The key outputs of the
model are verified using a Position Sensitive Detector wave-front sensor, a novel
method of measuring the rise in thermal aberrations and small signal gain with a high
temporal resolution. The experimental verification of the mathematical model is a
critical contribution added to the existing body of knowledge. An alternative design,
namely the Active-Mirror In a Cavity (AMIC) geometry based on active-mirrors is
presented, which is shown to be three times more efficient (measured as Strehl
efficiency) than the Vulcan’s 150 disk amplifier. The AMIC geometry consists of four
active-mirrors pumped by two sets of flash-lamps. Furthermore, the maximum
repetition rate of the AMIC geometry is derived by solving the time-dependent, three-dimensional heat equation using the Finite Element Method (FEM). The RMS wave front error due to thermally-induced aberrations are predicted to be much lower for the
AMIC geometry operating at a repetition rate of one shot per 5 minutes, compared to
the 150 disk amplifier operating at one shot per 20 minutes. The adaptability of the
mathematical model described in the thesis, can be used to explore, and simulate the
performance of any new flash-lamp pumped disk amplifier geometry
An insight into continuous improvement in the public sector and the impact of employee culture and motivation – 3 case studies of the emergency services in Scotland
Get PDFThe application of continuous improvement methodologies and in particular Lean, Six Sigma
and the integrated Lean Six Sigma and their predecessors or derivatives have been controversial
as they are seen as manufacturing sector methodologies and part of government drives towards
new public management. Public sector employees in general and emergency services staff in
particular are often viewed as being motivated by making a difference and work in the sector
to provide high-quality service, the purpose of the research is to explore these phenomena and
how they could be integrated into a more holistic approach to continuous improvement within
the public sector and result in improved service delivery. A systematic literature review of the
deployment of methodologies and the approaches taken in public sector organisations globally
identified 174 papers published between 2004 and 2020, while reviews of current theories
around organisational culture and motivation contribute to a broader understanding of the
public sector perspectives beyond improvement methodologies. The literature review
evidenced that while there was a focus on tools and techniques of methodologies and a
recognition of gaps around strategic approaches, sustainability, culture, and people there was
very limited literature that sought to address these gaps. The literature is used to develop a
mixed-methods approach with 23 semi-structured interviews and 710 questionnaires
completed across the three case studies of related national organisations within Scotland, UK.
Specifically, the emergency services; Scottish Ambulance Service, Police Service of Scotland,
and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The unit of analysis in the case studies are the
hierarchical management levels in the respective organisations. The results of the empirical
studies show the low maturity levels of continuous improvement across all three organisations
and evidence the impact of hierarchical sub-cultures on perceptions of organisational approach,
engagement of employees, and empowerment as they relate to identifying and delivering
service improvements as well as the impact of both organisational sub-cultures and public
service motivation on these perceptions. The research findings contribute to narrowing the
knowledge gaps in the organisational deployment of continuous improvement in public sector
organisations in particular the impact of both pluralist cultures and public employee motivation.
The key theoretical contribution is synthesising the findings into a strategic theoretical
framework to refocus emergency service organisations on the themes and activities which can
support a sustainable culture of continuous improvement in the public sector
Shetland tweed : identification of its design aesthetic through the characteristics of traditional knowledge
Get PDFShetland tweed played a significant part in the Shetland Woollen Industry, competing successfully on a global stage, selling to the luxury tailoring market through the mid-20th century. However, its impact and influence was insufficiently documented to appreciate its key characteristics and design appeal, its tacit knowledge intuitive to traditional craft, and crofting cultures. This practice-based research, therefore, is a form of meta-design setting out to grasp the aesthetic qualities of Shetland tweed. It has mapped and made more explicit the tweed’s particular characteristics as a set of principles for a contemporary cultural design context.
The author’s practice, developed from a phenomenological position, related only to what was assimilated from Shetland: its environment, textile archives, museum collections and the nature of the indigenous raw material, Shetland wool. A constructivist grounded theory approach to data generation was adopted to inform a constructivist art methodology to the practical experimentation of knitting and weaving, demonstrating through this research process an experiential understanding of the subject and context.
In essence an aesthetic calculus was developed. It is effective in describing how a natural wool palette, particular to Shetland, has been used to produce tweeds that are traditionally Scottish but with aesthetic characteristics that are true to Shetland. This calculus has the potential to benefit manufacturers and designers who want to re-engage with Shetland tweed as a product grounded in the Shetland tradition of making textiles. The research methodology used also opens up the possibility to consider the aesthetic nature of a wider scope of similar textile scenarios where the natural wool palette has traditionally been a dominant factor.
New light was shone on the way one particular Shetland tweed manufacturer, T.M. Adie & Sons Ltd, repurposed local textile knowledge to interpret tweed designs. This interpretation represents a form of cultural design activity and is an exemplification of an evolutionary process of safeguarding intangible knowledge rather than being an example of traditional craftsmanship as perceived by Intangible Cultural heritage
Numerical modelling of two-phase flow through heterogeneous porous media into water column
Get PDFThis research focuses on the development of the self-consistent numerical model to
predict the two-phase plume dynamics developed through porous media into the fluid
media flow field. The engineering background of this study is the dynamics of upward
migration of CO2 plume through superimposing complex structures and residues in
seabed sediments into the ocean bottom boundary layer. A model called as ‘An arbitrary
Navier-Stokes-Darcy multi-fluid flow model (AnsdMF) was developed to automatically
incorporate the fluids flow through the complex geoformations, where either the nonlinear convection dominates or Darcy’s law dominates, into the turbulent ocean. The
model was developed on the basis of OpenFOAM platform. This study is part of the
research of EU project STEMM-CCS*.
Sub-models are developed for mass transfer in porous media with an effective interfacial
area using data from laboratory experiments. The models are calibrated with data from
the experimental laboratory of CO2 gas dispersion through standard sediments. A method
of reconstruction of complex sediment by using the data from field observations is
proposed and applied for the model setting of the complex structured sediments for
simulations of field experiments carried by STEMM-CCS project.
The developed model (AnsdMF) is then applied to investigate the fluid pathways within
geoformation structures without chimneys (NC), with unconnected chimneys (UCC), and
connected chimneys (CC). It is found from the investigation that the CC provides fast
pathways to gas dispersion, 3.8 times faster than that through a UCC and 12.8 times faster
than that through an NC. In comparison with the results from Darcy model, the similar
velocity pattern identified inside the sediments when no cracks were present, with the
maximum velocity of 2.0 x 10-4m/s in the case of AnsdMF model as compared 1.1 x 10-
4m/s. The difference is from the contributions of nonlinear convection modelled by
AnsdMF model.
The developed model (AnsdMF) is then applied to simulate the field experiment carried
out by STEMM-CCS project to predict the dynamics from CO2 injection, dispersion, and
dissolution in sediment, and finally leakage into ocean bottom boundary layer. In
comparison with the data obtained from the field, it shows that the model has successfully
predicted CO2 plume developments in complex sediments, including dissolved/undissolved CO2 inside the sediments and the rates of CO2 leakage. It is found
that the role of the ‘chimney’ structure on CO2 dispersion is clearly demonstrated, through
which, the injected CO2 disperses to the seafloor within 16 minutes. The results show that
total 150 Kg of gas is stored inside the sediments while the peak dissolution rate of 0.2g/s
in the first hour of gas injection (at a rate of 5.7 Kg/sec) confirming most of the dissolution
of CO2 into porewater occurred within this time period. The rest of the gas found the
migratory path through overlying clay in the fracture or pockmarks reach to a leakage rate
of 5.5 Kg/day. The leakage rate into the ocean bottom boundary layer starts from a single
stream of bubbles at ~2.1 Kg/Sec and settles at ~5.1 Kg/Sec after 2 hours of gas release.
The leakage and gas release rates found in a similar range results in a relative to the
constant volume of the plume in sediments with a gas dissolution ratio of 0.038. When
the gas injection rate increases from 29 Kg/day to 143 Kg/day, the horizontal size of gas
plume also increases from 4.92m to 6.51m.
*STEMM-CCS: Strategies for Environmental Monitoring of Marine Carbon Capture and
Storage. European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under
grant agreement No. 654462
Modelling Scotch malt whisky fermentations and impact of fermentation on new-make spirit character
Get PDFThe establishment and development of a Scotch malt whisky fermentation model was proposed in this study. Assessment of a large dataset containing 364 malt-based fermentations
concluded that the 4-parameter logistic model was the most robust and useful regression
to model apparent extract decline during fermentation.
The application of this model to fermentation parameters at the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg
distilleries demonstrated that the process was consistent over a three year period and
that changes to raw materials such as barley varietal had no impact upon fermentation
performance. The temporary use of dried yeast at the distillery demonstrated that lack
of in-line mixing and other infrastructure meant that fermentations ended incomplete
and were also lacking in consistency, though minimal impact on the congener content of
new-make spirit was shown.
Laboratory trials involving high-gravity, novel yeasts. and exogenous bacterial cultures
demonstrated significant changes to the fermentation models produced. This outlined
methods for innovation with in the Scotch malt whisky sector by producing different new-make spirit characteristics and flavours.
Through modelling changes made by the use of novel raw materials or processing, the
fermentation profile for Scotch malt whisky can be changed, adapted and controlled in
order to influence the flavour of new-make spirit and control consistency
Agile and traditional project management : comparing agile, traditional and hybrid project management practices
Get PDFThe study researches the use of the hybrid project management approach in practice.
The challenges of both agile and traditional project management models represented
by 15 established project management Critical Success Factors (CSF) were used to
examine the differences between traditional, agile and hybrid project management
practices. Although other studies have investigated the CSF in traditional and agile
project management, this study is the first to review 15 CSF for hybrid project
management.
The research takes a quantitative approach using a survey as the research method. The
primary data for the present study were collected in Germany by an online survey.
These primary data were collected with the participation of project management
professionals from the German Chapters of the Project Management Institute (PMI).
In the subsequent analysis of the online survey data, 15 hypotheses for hybrid project
management were formulated, in addition to the existing body of knowledge of
traditional and agile project management.
Project management models make change possible where simple, complicated and
complex kinds of project management are required and academia benefits from this
work through its insight into the increased need for flexibility in this context. This
research shows that neither traditional project management nor agile project
management is wholly similar to hybrid project management. The main finding of this
research is that its similarity depends on the CSF. As a research outcome, the guiding
principles have been formulated for showing which situations merit hybrid project
management. The research also benefits practitioners, since it will guide project
managers who are not sure when and where to use a certain project management
paradigm. As an outcome, the research implies that project managers will better
understand why and in which situation traditional approaches should be chosen, and
why and when agile or hybrid project management approaches should be preferred
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