18397 research outputs found
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Cathodic protection and its effects on microbially influenced corrosion
No full textCathodic protection (CP) is a widely used technique to prevent the corrosion of metal structures in seawater. However, current standards and research are unclear if CP can prevent microbially influenced corrosion (MIC), a type of accelerated corrosion caused by various microorganisms. This thesis explored using CP as a method of MIC prevention in a range of laboratory and field test conditions. The research found that CP was potentially effective at preventing MIC. CP did not significantly affect microbes present in the testing, as such MIC could have occurred if CP was to stop. </p
Understanding the effects of risk perceptions and mitigations on high involvement purchase intention
No full textThis study provides valuable insights into perceived risk and the strategies that can mitigate it to enhance high-involvement purchase intentions. For goods, perceived risk typically centers on attributes like quality and durability. In contrast, for services, the intangible nature of the offering and the difficulty in assessing quality before purchase are primary contributors to perceived risk.Consumers tend to experience heightened risk with high-involvement service purchases due to the variability in service quality and their limited control over the service delivery experience. To address these concerns, effective risk-reduction measures include offering guarantees, building a strong reputation, leveraging recommendations from trusted sources, and ensuring transparent communication of the service process.Therefore, understanding the distinct challenges and opportunities associated with goods and services is crucial, as these factors significantly influence consumer behavior and the likelihood of high-involvement purchase decisions.</p
Explainable Machine Learning in Cybersecurity
No full textThis study addresses the need for transparency in machine learning models within cybersecurity, emphasizing the importance of comprehensible explanations to support trust and informed decision-making. It proposes a framework to enhance explanation in two critical areas: identifying suspicious cryptocurrency transactions to improve information-level security and examining Android software for malicious behavior to strengthen system-level security. By clarifying the decision-making processes of machine learning, this research aims to mitigate risks associated with opaque algorithms, fostering greater security, user trust, and reliability in digital threat detection and prevention.</p
Improving the effectiveness of oncolytic virotherapy: insights from mathematical modelling
No full textOncolytic viruses are viral particles that specifically infect cancer cells, while mostly preserving healthy tissues. Their use as cancer treatment has received considerable attention in recent years, but their clinical use still faces many challenges. Some of the main obstacles to the propagation of oncolytic viruses inside a tumour include clearance by the immune system, physical obstacles and inhibition of the infection in areas with low oxygen supply. All these dynamics are still poorly understood.The main aim of this thesis is to develop mathematical models to study spatial dynamics of infections by oncolytic viruses and obstacles to its diffusion.</p
Evaluation of the Payment by Outcomes Trial 3: Year 2 Report
No full textThis is the second report (of three) that documents an independent evaluation of the PBO3 through its design and implementation. It records the outcomes that stakeholders of PBO3 are experiencing in Year 2 of the trial (i.e. 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024). In Part A, the report illustrates the outcomes of employment in jobs-focused social enterprise that PBO3 participants experienced in Year 2. Part B then outlines the service innovations among social enterprise that PBO3 funding contributed to in Year 2. To conclude, the report highlights what this evaluation tells us about positioning jobs-focused social enterprises in a reformed employment services system. Research methods are reported in Appendix B.</p
Determining battery state of health by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for single measurement analysis of battery packs for second life
No full textManaging end-of-life lithium-ion batteries is crucial for a circular economy. Current strategies lack reuse and recycling, highlighting the need for quick, accurate, and non-destructive methods to assess battery State of Health (SoH). This PhD project uses electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to model battery degradation and predict SoH. By correlating impedance spectra with degradation mechanisms, the method estimates remaining capacity with ±10% accuracy and detects safety-related issues like lithium plating. Scaling the model to battery packs shows potential, though with reduced accuracy.</p
Trajectory Scheduling of Multi-UAV System in Infrastructure Deficient Environment
No full textOur research focuses on using drones, or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), in remote or underdeveloped regions. We aim to create a system where an access UAV manages and coordinates inspection UAVs, which are equipped with cameras and limited communication range. These inspection UAVs collect visual data and send it to a Base Station via the Access UAV. The access UAV coordinates with inspection UAVs to ensure efficient data collection from all relevant areas. Our approach promotes energy efficiency for long missions, maintains smooth data collection, and keeps network data queues stable, presenting an adaptable, hierarchical multi-UAV network for effective data gathering and communication.</p
Post-processing of cold sprayed Ti6Al4V coating by laser shock peening
No full textCold spraying has emerged as a promising technique for repair and restoration of critical components made of Ti6Al4V alloy. However, as-sprayed Ti6Al4V coating often exhibit high porosity and weak adhesion strength, highlighting the need for post-treatment to enhance its integrity. Laser shock peening (LSP), being a well-controlled and high strain rate process, offers potential as a post treatment method to enhance properties of cold spray coating. However, the fundamental interaction between laser-induced shock wave from LSP and cold sprayed coating is not well understood. We found that direct LSP on as-sprayed Ti6Al4V coating results in a complete delamination of the coating due to dynamic tensile stresses generated by shock wave interaction. In contrast, LSP treatment on the heat-treated Ti6Al4V coating leads to coating densification, refined microstructure and increased adhesion strength. Porosity reduces by more than 90 % and adhesion strength experiences over a 2.2-fold increase after the treatment compared to the as-sprayed condition. This improvement is attributed to strain relaxation and microstructural alterations by post-heating which renders the surface more receptive to LSP impact. The findings signify the essential role of heat treatment in enabling the advantageous effect of LSP on cold-sprayed coating integrity.</p
Snapshot Optimal Ridesharing
No full textThis thesis deals with optimising one-to-one matching in dynamic peer ride-sharing systems. It introduces SnapPair, an algorithm that efficiently finds optimal matches between drivers and passengers, even with complex travel constraints. The thesis also explores shared taxi services with capacity set at two passengers, extending the matching problem to include vehicle allocation. By combining advanced algorithms and real-world data, the research provides valuable insights and practical solutions for improving ride-sharing efficiency and reducing travel times.</p
Hybrid Entanglements: a posthuman dramaturgy for human-robot relationships
No full textThis paper discusses our collaborative Machine Movement Lab project harnessing movement to bodily empathize with abstract machines. Bringing together creative robotics, choreographic strategies, and a posthuman dramaturgical frame, the project seeks to trouble our relationships with robots by exploring them as more-than-human entanglements. The paper discusses our transdisciplinary performance-making practice and underlying theoretical concepts and how they are mobilized through emerging diffraction patterns mapping out symbiotic relationships. An improvisational score involving dancers, robot costumes and robots performed in a gallery space aims to engage audiences with hybrid human-machine entanglements in embodied and empathic ways.</p