18397 research outputs found
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Potential for Increased Scrap Melting in a BOF
No full textMaximizing the amount of scrap in the basic oxygen furnace (BOF) is a feasible solution to effectively utilize the chemical energy from the process. The present study focuses on analyzing the dependency of input scrap quantity on energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions using a mass and energy balance that has been validated against plant data. The results indicate that when the post-combustion ratio is raised from 0.12 to 0.20, the percentage of scrap in the feed can be increased from 25% to 29%. In addition to that, a nomogram is constructed to express the scrap percentage of the feed as a function of blast furnace hot metal chemistry, BOF heat loss, and total global warming potential for producing a fixed quantity of liquid steel
Weisst Du wieviel Sternlein stehen? – Building older adults’ confidence in technology use through co-designing digital storytelling
No full textTo help older adults learn about meaningful use of technology, we conducted a co-design digital storytelling project with a group of residents from independent living units in a residential care setting. In this case study, we present in detail the development of one participant's story in six stages and an audio section. We reveal the challenges experienced and how they were tackled through the development of the story. The lessons we learned from this case study are 1) how the co-design process helped us explore together Christel's emotional goals that she wanted to express in this story, and 2) how the digital storytelling allowed us to present these emotions with different materials and digital means to accurately express a precious memory. Our research contributes to how to help older adults explore and understand the possibilities of technology use, conduct meaningful practices and sustain their use in daily life
Investigation of abrasion resistance of geopolymer concrete cured in ambient temperature for pavement applications
No full textThe viability of eco-friendly geopolymer concrete (GPC) for engineering applications such as pavements requires investigating the abrasion resistance and understanding the improving mechanisms. The produced one-part GPC can be used in various engineering applications showing a 28-day compressive strength between 25–42 MPa and flexural strength above 4.5 MPa. GPC slabs, compared to ordinary Portland cement-based concrete (OPCC), generally experienced higher abrasion. While the abrasion of the OPCC specimen in 28 days was 2.72 mm, the GPC specimens experienced an abrasion between 3.60 and 4.11 mm. The dominance of slag and increasing water content increased the abrasion. It is concluded that the strong connection between microstructural behaviour and macrostructural properties is the key element in GPC performance. Hence, it is recommended that careful attention be paid to the refinement of the microstructure in order to find a GPC that is viable and suitable for pavement and road applications
Surveillance does not equal safety: Police, data and consent on dating apps
No full textAs dating apps continue to receive pressure from civil society, media and governments to address a range of safety concerns, technology companies have developed and deployed a spate of new safety features. Taken together, these features rely upon increased surveillance and partnerships with both technology start-up companies and law enforcement agencies proposed as responses to sexual harassment and abuse. In this article, we draw on empirical accounts of app use – and popular media reporting – to problematise commonsense assumptions about dating apps, safety, technology, policing and surveillance. Where so-called safety features involve increased surveillance and techno-carceral solutionism, there is potential to make users less safe – particularly for app users who are marginalised or stigmatised on the basis of their race, sexuality, gender, health status, employment or disability. Instead of the impetus to ‘datafy’ consent by documenting evidence of sexual transactions, or to monitor users by sharing data with police, we argue that a more effective approach to safety must extend the notion of ‘consent culture’ to encompass a consent-based approach to collecting, storing, and sharing user data – including seeking consent from users about how and whether their data is sold, monetised or shared with third parties or law enforcement
Networked Active Suspension Control of In-Wheel Motor-Driven Electric Vehicles
No full textElectric vehicles are considered a positive development of the modern automotive
industry due to their ability to improve fuel economy and promote sustainable road
transportation. They have very low or almost zero carbon dioxide emission, which can help to reduce the harmful greenhouse effect. These electric vehicles are equipped with automated control systems to meet the increasing demand of ride comfort and vehicle safety. These systems are connected via a controller area network to reduce the need for expensive wiring and other components. By assigning a specific portion of the limited communication network to these systems, the vehicle can have better control and perform more efficiently
Retail technology and the customer experience: the use of Augmented Reality as a shopping tool
No full textThis thesis explores the impact and value of augmented reality (AR) as a shopping tool on customer experience in the retail industry. The research objectives are threefold: investigate consumer perceptions and experiences with AR, examine the impact of AR on customer experience outcomes, and identify and profile consumer segments with different attitudes toward AR. The three-study mixed-method research design provides a deep investigation of AR and the customer experience, highlighting the potential benefits and drawbacks of AR as a shopping tool. The findings provide practical recommendations for retailers to implement AR in a way that benefits customer experience while minimising negative outcomes
Investigation of Ultra-High Performance Concrete for 3D Construction Printing
No full text3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) is an additive manufacturing process where the concrete is extruded via a nozzle and deposited layer-upon-layer to build structures. The progress of 3DCP is limited by the range of printable concretes and reinforcing methods. This dissertation investigates the feasibility and performance of ultra-high performance concrete for 3DCP applications. This composite has very high compressive strength (>150 MPa) and flexural strength (>30 MPa) along with ductility, which reduce the need for conventional reinforcements in 3DCP. Due to its high strength, slender sections with complex geometry can be 3D printed, resulting in unprecedented design efficiency
Periodic forcing of biochemical networks
No full textA mathematical model of how biological cells respond to fluctuating environments was developed. The results were used to interpret cell behaviour under controlled dynamic inputs. The results revealed that cell behaviour could be controlled by changing the characteristics of the input dynamics. This work will have future relevance to biotechnology and medicine
Vulnerability Detection In IoT Devices via Network Fuzzing
No full textThis thesis first summarizes and introduces the existing work on IoT device security analysis, and proposes explicitly the difficulties they encounter and possible solutions. Also, to address the problem of detecting vulnerabilities in IoT devices, this thesis develops novel security analysis solutions including protocol message field inference methods and network fuzzing frameworks
Development of Liquid Crystalline Elastomeric Composites with Enhanced Shape Memory Characteristics
No full textNew liquid crystalline elastomeric (LCE) composites were developed through experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for shape memory applications. Lignin was utilised as a sustainable and cost-effective choice of fillers to improve shape memory and relevant intensive properties of the composite materials. MD simulations, as computational techniques, were exploited to comparatively study force fields to precisely capture the dynamics and structures and investigate the curing behaviour of modelled LCE. The processability of these materials was established with further fabricating with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) through additive manufacturing technology for scalability and volume production in the future