Architectural Engineering Research Articles

Architectural engineering of Cyborg Bacteria with intracellular hydrogel

Synthetic biology primarily uses genetic engineering to control living cells. In contrast, recent work has ushered in the architectural engineering of living cells through intracellular materials. Specifically, Cyborg Bacteria are created by incorporating synthetic PEG-based hydrogel inside cells. Cyborg Bacteria do not replicate but maintain essential cellular functions, including metabolism and protein synthesis. Thus far, Cyborg Bacteria have been engineered using one primary composition of intracellular hydrogel components. Here, we demonstrate the versatility of controlling the physical and biochemical aspects of Cyborg Bacteria using different structures of hydrogels. The intracellular cell-gel architecture is modulated using a different photoinitiator, PEG-diacrylate (PEG-DA) of different molecular weights, 4arm PEG-DA, and dsDNA-PEG. We show that the molecular weight of the PEG-DA affects the generation and metabolism of Cyborg Bacteria. In addition, we show that the hybrid dsDNA-PEG intracellular hydrogel controls protein expression levels of the Cyborg Bacteria through post-transcriptional regulation and polymerase sequestration. Our work creates a new frontier of modulating intracellular gel components to control Cyborg Bacteria function and architecture.

An experimental study on the wear performance of 3D printed polylactic acid and carbon fiber reinforced polylactic acid parts: Effect of infill rate and water absorption time

AbstractRapid prototyping, also known as additive manufacturing, is a nascent technology that is gaining traction in the context of environmental concerns and waste reduction, as well as the growing trend towards customized design. The additive manufacturing method, which has applications in diverse fields such as aviation, architecture, biomedical and automotive engineering, has also begun to be utilized in the construction of yachts and yacht hulls within the maritime industry. In this experimental study, the influences of sea water on polylactic acid (PLA) and carbon fiber reinforced polylactic acid (PLA/CF) parts manufactured at different infill rates (20%, 60% and 100%) were investigated. The parts were exposed to sea water for three different periods (1, 5, and 10 days) and subsequently subjected to wear tests. The dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, hardness, water absorption, volume loss, and friction coefficient of parts were measured and calculated. Additionally, the worn surfaces of the parts were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images. The findings indicate that PLA and PLA/CF parts can be produced with high dimensional accuracy. Furthermore, it can be reported that the water absorption of PLA/CF parts increased, particularly with an increase in the infill rate, while the volume loss decreased. Obtained results indicate the necessity of optimizing the 3D printing parameters and the relationship between the ambient conditions and the wear performance of the 3D printed parts.Highlights 3D printing is a highly promising method for the production of polymer composites. A pioneering study into the effect of infill rate and water absorption on the wear performance. Coefficient of friction values of PLA and PLA/CF parts ranged between 0.37 and 0.75. PLA/CF mostly exhibited higher volume loss than PLA with water absorption. Volume loss declines with a raise in the infill rate from 20% to 100%.

Preface

The Military Technical College appreciated organizing the 15th International Conference on Civil and Architecture Engineering, sponsored by the Egyptian Ministry of Defence during the period 21st – 23rd June 2024. The conference is a chance to gather all specialists and engineers from the Egyptian armed forces with their counterparts from various universities, research centers, academic and technical institutions either from Egypt or from other countries. It is our desire that the conference could provide a good opportunity to exchange knowledge and to introduce creative ideas and solutions that promote the progress in Civil and Architectural Engineering fields. The aim of the conference is to provide an environment of submitting and discussing latest advances and experiences on various Civil and Architectural Engineering activities through a group of sessions that covers the following themes: List of Committees, Contributors and Conference Program are available in this Pdf.

The Delfos Platform: A Conceptual Model-Based Solution for the Enhancement of Precision Medicine.

The use in the clinical practice of the vast amount of genomic data generated by current sequencing technologies constitutes a bottleneck for the progress of Precision Medicine (PM). Various problems inherent to the genomics domain (i.e., dispersion, heterogeneity, discrepancies, lack of standardization, and data quality issues) remain unsolved. In this paper, we present the Delfos platform, a conceptual model-based solution developed following a rigorous methodological and ontological background, whose main aim is to minimize the impact of these problems when transferring the research results to clinical practice. This paper presents the SILE method that provides methodological support for the Delfos platform, the Conceptual Schema of the Genome that provides a shared understanding of the domain, and the technological architecture behind the implementation of the platform. This paper also exemplifies the use of the Delfos platform through two use cases that involve the study of the DNA variants associated with the risk of developing Dilated Cardiomyopathies and Neuroblastoma.

IFC CLASS ASSIGNMENT ADD-ON: BIM MODELLING FOR ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING PROJECTS USING BLENDER

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is a working methodology for the design and management of construction projects that facilitates collaboration and communication between the different parties involved. It is based on the digital three-dimensional representation of infrastructures within the field of architecture and civil engineering. The generated models are true data containers, capable of storing the geometric and semantic information necessary to support the design, construction and maintenance operations of the assets. This methodology promotes data exchange between different software tools through interoperability and the use of standards. Usually in the development of projects throughout their life cycle, commercial, closed-source BIM software is used. This generally leads to limitations in interoperability and data reuse. This paper details advances in the use of Blender, a free and open-source software (FOSS), to support BIM workflows in construction projects. The paper addresses the automation of the process to export a 3D Blender model to a BIM model in IFC (Industry Foundation Classes). The IFC Class Assignment add-on is developed, which allows the automated assignment of IFC classes to the different elements of the 3D model in Blender to convert it into a BIM model, using scripts written in Python. The proposed extension is able to generate, in an agile and simple way, digital models in IFC4, adequately storing the geometric and semantic information of its components. The results provide a tool that contributes to automate the creation of BIM models in an open-source software such as Blender, simplifying modelling processes and supporting collaboration and standardisation in architectural and engineering projects. Keywords: BIM, IFC, Automation, Free and Open-Source Software, Blender, Python.

Peculiarities of tolerance to uncertainty in students at different stages of education: the contribution of dispositional hope and optimism

Introduction. The rapidly changing conditions of modern society are characterized by a certain degree of unpredictability. A person's success and well-being depend on his ability to accept challenges and adapt to a transforming world. Modern research focuses on the study of various factors influencing an individual’s tolerance to uncertainty. However, not enough attention is paid to the consideration of dispositional hope and optimism as predictors of this phenomenon. The purpose of the study is to study the characteristics of dispositional hope and optimism as predictors of tolerance to uncertainty in students and to establish the direction of connections between the studied characteristics, taking into account age and gender. Materials and methods. The study involved 191 1st and 5th year students of the St. Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering (Russian Federation). Methods: «Uncertainty Tolerance Scale, MSTAT-I» by D. McLane, adapted by E. G. Lukovitskaya, E. N. Osina, «Dispositional Hope Scale (ADHS)» adapted by K. Muzdybaev, «Optimism and Activity» questionnaire (Arousability and Optimism Scale, AOS) Schuller, A. Comunian adapted by N. E. Vodopyanova. Results. It was found that 1st year students show a higher level of tolerance to uncertainty (46,2±11,4) than 5th year students (42,3±11,0). 1st and 5th year boys have a higher tolerance for uncertainty than 1st and 5th year girls. Among 1st and 5th year boys, «activity» (B=1,55; p ≤ 0,001, respectively B=1,24; p≤0,01) and «optimism» (В=1,81; р≤0,03, respectively B=1,62; p≤0,001). The greatest predictors of tolerance to uncertainty among first-year girls are the «integral index of hope» (B=0,84; p≤0,01), «ability to find ways» (B=0,59; p≤0,01) and «activity» (B=2,16; p≤0,001) By the 5th year, girls’ tolerance to situations of uncertainty decreases and hope for a better future disappears. Conclusion. The results of the study contribute to the understanding of the influence of hope and optimism on the development of tolerance to uncertainty. Integration into the educational process of programs aimed at developing tolerance to uncertainty using positive thinking methods can have a positive impact on the future professional activities of future specialists.

Analysis of 10 nm Strained Channel Double Gate Ultra-Thin Body Junctionless MOSFET

Numerous technological improvements and innovative device architecture have been thoroughly explored and tested for continually downscaling components without compromising on performance metrics. The most simplified structure that has been introduced so far is the junctionless transistors. Junctionless transistors have been shown to exhibit excellent electrical behavior with improved short-channel effects. The major challenges with junctionless based transistors are low ON-current drive and high device variability. Strain engineering has been proven to be a viable option to enhance the ON-current performance of the MOSFET. This work incorporated strained silicon in double gate junctionless ultra-thin body MOSFET (DG-JL UTB MOSFET), which enhanced the mobility of the charge carrier as a result of which ON current behavior improves. The simulated results show 30.2% enhancement in the ON-current, subthreshold current reduced to nearly half, ION/IOFF ratio is increased by three times, and Drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) reduced by 25.1% with respect to unstrained device. Analog performance metrics are also calculated for the considered device design. With strained silicon, the value of Gm is increased by more than 30% and transconductance generation factor (TGF) is increased by 28.27% in reference with the unstrained device.

Neural architecture search for image super-resolution: A review on the emerging state-of-the-art

Nowadays, complex and expensive neural architectures are seen by many as a way to improve the performance of existing models in image recognition, voice recognition, translation, and other tasks. Such a perspective caused an increased interest in expert architecture engineering within Deep Learning. Fueled by this interest, neural architecture search originated as a promising way to automate the tedious process of constructing a deep neural network by hand. Over the last five years, we have seen an increasing number of works focusing all efforts on studying the impact of automating deep neural network design. The spotlight has recently turned from automatically discovering classification models to other more complex tasks. Motivated by a desire for high-resolution images in real-world user-centered and expert computer vision applications, architecture search for super-resolution image restoration centers in approaches capable of automatically finding efficient and well-performing models. Here, we present a survey that, beyond delving into an overview of modern approaches to automatic neural network design, focuses on the recollection and study of neural architecture search approaches that have directed their efforts at the super-resolution image restoration tasks and future lines of research found within this emerging area of study.

Causal effects of policy and occupant behavior on cooling energy

Rising energy consumption in buildings has prompted architectural engineers and policymakers to ask “what-if” questions in the pursuit of energy efficiency. Current simulation and machine learning methods rely primarily on correlations and associations necessitating causal inference techniques. In this research, a causal inferential approach combining double machine learning and domain knowledge using directed acyclic graphs is employed. The utility of this approach is demonstrated on the 2015 United States Residential energy consumption survey to evaluate the impact of energy policies and occupant behavior on cooling energy consumption. The results show that energy policies such as energy audits, proper insulation, access to interval data and Energy Star qualified windows significantly reduce energy use intensity (EUI). Additionally, air conditioning usage by occupants causally affects EUI. For instance, proper insulation reduces EUI by 5.603 kWh/m2 while changing static thermostat settings to automatic adjustments at certain times reduces EUI by 3.542 kWh/m2. This study suggests potential energy-saving policies for balanced building energy efficiency and functionality.

Paracrine Activation of STAT3 Drives GM-CSF Expression in Breast Carcinoma Cells, Generating a Symbiotic Signaling Network with Breast Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblasts.

This study evaluated the paracrine signaling between breast carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and breast cancer (BCa) cells. Resolving cell-cell communication in the BCa tumor microenvironment (TME) will aid the development of new therapeutics. Here, we utilized our patented TAME (tissue architecture and microenvironment engineering) 3D culture microphysiological system, which is a suitable pathomimetic avatar for the study of the BCa TME. We cultured in 3D BCa cells and CAFs either alone or together in cocultures and found that when cocultured, CAFs enhanced the invasive characteristics of tumor cells, as shown by increased proliferation and spread of tumor cells into the surrounding matrix. Secretome analysis from 3D cultures revealed a relatively high secretion of IL-6 by CAFs. A marked increase in the secretion of granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) when carcinoma cells and CAFs were in coculture was also observed. We theorized that the CAF-secreted IL-6 functions in a paracrine manner to induce GM-CSF expression and secretion from carcinoma cells. This was confirmed by evaluating the activation of STAT3 and gene expression of GM-CSF in carcinoma cells exposed to CAF-conditioned media (CAF-CM). In addition, the treatment of CAFs with BCa cell-CM yielded a brief upregulation of GM-CSF followed by a marked decrease, indicating a tightly regulated control of GM-CSF in CAFs. Secretion of IL-6 from CAFs drives the activation of STAT3 in BCa cells, which in turn drives the expression and secretion of GM-CSF. As a result, CAFs exposed to BCa cell-secreted GM-CSF upregulate inflammation-associated genes such as IL-6, IL-6R and IL-8, thereby forming a positive feedback loop. We propose that the tight regulation of GM-CSF in CAFs may be a novel regulatory pathway to target for disrupting the CAF:BCa cell symbiotic relationship. These data provide yet another piece of the cell-cell communication network governing the BCa TME.

An edge computing and distributed ledger technology architecture for secure and efficient transportation

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) faces significant challenges in achieving its goal of sustainable and efficient transportation. These challenges include real-time data processing bottlenecks caused by high communication latency and security vulnerabilities related to centralized data storage. We propose a novel architecture that leverages Edge Computing and Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) to address these concerns. Edge computing pushes cloud services, such as vehicles and roadside units, closer to the data source. This strategy reduces latency and network congestion. DLT provides a secure, decentralized platform for storing and sharing ITS data. Its tamper-proof nature ensures data integrity and prevents unauthorized access. Our architecture utilizes these technologies to create a decentralized platform for ITS data management. This platform facilitates secure processing, storage, and data exchange from various sources in the transportation network. This paper delves deeper into the architecture, explaining its essential components and functionalities. Additionally, we explore its potential applications and benefits for ITS. We describe a case study focusing on a data marketplace system for connected vehicles to assess the architecture’s effectiveness. The simulation results show an average latency reduction of 83.35% for publishing and 87.57% for purchasing datasets compared to the cloud architecture. Additionally, transaction processing speed improved by 18.73% and network usage decreased by 96.67%. The proposed architecture also achieves up to 99.61% reduction in mining centralization.

A novel energy harvesting technology from the movements of air masses

The displacement of air masses caused by the movement of objects or vehicles is often characterized by considerable energy content, which, with appropriate technologies, can be partially recovered. In this sense, numerous scientific works consider rail transport as a possible context for application. However, the literature in the sector highlights how using existing wind technologies in these areas involves many difficulties, mainly related to the turbulent and impulsive nature of the airflows generated. This work presents the architecture and general aspects of an innovative technology for obtaining electrical energy from variable and impulsive airflows, such as those due to the rapid transit of railway trains in tunnels, without precluding its use in other similar fields. The innovative aspect mainly concerns the independent control of two distinct typologies of bladed elements, which can also have translational movement and drag-based and lift-based aerodynamic behavior to improve the adaptability of the embodiment to the site’s fluid dynamic and geometric characteristics. Furthermore, the structural simplification of the apparatus, shifting some of the technological complexity to the control systems, brings further advantages in terms of construction cost, robustness, maintenance, reuse, and transferability to different contexts. Of course, the counterpart of these benefits lies in the software and hardware of the control devices. Analytical models to determine the non-dimensional performance coefficients of the two basic types have been reported as has the architectural model of the control system. The technology shown in this work is protected by an EP and US Patent.

Emerging Hybrid Metal Halide Glasses for Sensing and Displays.

Glassy hybrid metal halides have emerged as promising materials in recent years due to their high structural adjustability and low melting points, offering unique merits that overcome the limitations of their crystalline and polycrystalline counterparts as well as other conventional amorphous semiconductors. This review article comprehensively explores the structural characteristics, electronic properties, and chemical coordination of hybrid metal halides, emphasizing their role in the glass transition from the crystalline phase to the amorphous phase. We examine the intrinsic disorder within the amorphous phase that facilitates light transmission and discuss recent advances in device architecture and interface engineering by optimizing the charge transport of glassy hybrid metal halides for high-quality applications. With full theoretical understanding and rational structural design, potential applications in displays, information storage, X-ray imaging, and sensing are highlighted, underscoring the transformative impact of glassy hybrid metal halides in the fields of materials science and information science.

Directions for the development of information and methodological support for industrial complex enterprises based on the uniform digital platform of the RF «Gostech»

The article presents the directions for the development of information and methodological support (IMS) for the activities of industrial enterprises on the basis of the unified digital platform "RosTech", which are of particular importance in the organization of innovative activities at the present stage, carried out in conditions of geoplastic instability and the influence of economic sanctions against Russia from unfriendly states. The article reflects that the GosTech platform is intended for the implementation of processes of the full life cycle of industrial activities of industrial enterprises, according to the developed methodology, features of the organization of technological processes, the use of digital services and platform products that ensure the formation and operation of platform information systems, for the purpose of methodological support of production activities of enterprises. The article substantiates that the essence of IMO in the activities of industrial enterprises, based on the GosTech platform, is represented by the formation and use of innovative technologies, digital services, business models of production, taking into account artificial intelligence objects available at enterprises. Also, IMO, lies in the development of individual competencies of enterprise employees, the implementation of new opportunities for implementing innovative activities in the production processes of the enterprise, increasing operating efficiency and competitiveness. The article reflects that the GosTech platform creates conditions for designing the architecture of the production technologies used, developing the operation of the information systems used, by providing instrumental services for automated software development, monitoring its quality, monitoring operating parameters, and ensuring the information security of the information systems used. The work presents that the main goal of creating IMO on the GosTech platform is: reducing the production time of industrial products, increasing the efficiency of processes for the development of information systems used in the enterprise, moving to a new level of their compatibility, ergonomics, security and reliability. As a result of the use of IMO based on the GosTech digital platform, the innovative activity of enterprises and the degree of interaction with government agencies and institutional entities increases. The effectiveness of IMO management decisions in the innovative activities of industrial enterprises is determined by the effectiveness of managing the services and artificial intelligence objects used, which are the main tools for ensuring innovative activities. Thus, IMO management decisions in innovation activities contribute to the formation of new innovative products and technologies.

OpenBIM in the global architecture engineering and construction industry: a literature review of academic research

Much has been said to promote openBIM. However, little has been done to articulate its past, present, and future prospects. This paper aims at reporting a critical review of academic research on openBIM in the global architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Through a systematic filtering process, we selected articles that are relevant, comprehensive, and with clear definitions of openBIM. Non-academic publications and studies with insufficient details were excluded. This process allowed for an initial review of 335 publications, narrowed to 49 academic journal articles published from 2009 to 2024. We discovered that in the past 15 years the openBIM literature has been expanding steadily along with openBIM industry applications. However, we identified four limitations of this expansion: (1) lack of interoperability, (2) library readiness, (3) domain knowledge gaps, and (4) lack of liability issues. Continuous improvement of the openBIM domain is needed, including standardizing codes, training talents, and exploring potential collaborations with other technologies.

Parametric Modeling and Column Grid Analysis of the Sakyamuni Pagoda at Fogong Temple: Insights into the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda

The Sakyamuni Pagoda of Fogong Temple, also known as the Yingxian Wooden Pagoda or the Wooden Pagoda of Ying County, is China’s oldest and tallest wooden pagoda. This pagoda was constructed in 1056 and has faced many challenges, including earthquakes, wars, and mistreatment. However, it is currently in danger of potential collapse due to severe structural challenges. Preserving this historic monument requires interdisciplinary collaboration across architectural history, materials science, and engineering. This paper proposes the development of a parametric model to build the pagoda that can be used for future preservation efforts. While not precisely reflecting the pagoda’s current condition, with the changes in inputs, the geometries of the structural members can be updated in real time, which offers adaptability crucial for preservation efforts. With the understanding of the original construction techniques, including its leaning column systems, the model not only helps preservation but also reveals the creativity of the architects or the craftsmen at the time. The 3D model, which includes more than 32,000 pieces along with the parametric files that can generate the column grid and dougongs, has been published along with this paper, and those files are available in the Data Availability Statement. In summary, the full digital model presented alongside this paper, unavailable elsewhere to the general public, serves as a practical preservation tool that can also be used for raising awareness for this cultural heritage site.

Towards waste management in higher education institute: The case of architecture department (CIC-New Cairo)

Waste Management represents a significant challenge Higher Educational Institutes (HEIs) face as they strive to achieve their sustainability goals. The fundamental concern lies in the impact of waste on health and socioeconomics. Consequently, there is a pressing need to adopt effective waste management techniques. The issue becomes more complex within HEIs, which generate substantial types of waste. The amount of waste produced by HEIs and diverse campus activities exacerbates the problem. Compounding this challenge is the lack of proper waste segregation and disposal methods. The research aims to define the specific checkpoints for waste management that should be considered to apply the waste management plan in HEIs by developing a workflow of waste management in HEIs. Any HEI can create a closed-loop system for effective waste management by following these workflow processes. To be able to test the efficiency of the workflow, the research employs a questionnaire via question-pro targeted at all CIC-architecture department users, followed by creating a four weeks project in the environmental control course by applying the process of the workflow of waste management in HEIs which finds that the most waste type for architecture engineering is papers which resulted in developing the waste management methods to be applied on most of the curriculum's courses then ended by suggesting another method related to cooperating with non-profit recycling firms. Finally, the results confirm the research objectives which shows that the existence of waste management workflow helps the stakeholder to develop a waste management plan suitable to the activities of each college.

Exploring the Tectonic Dimension: Past, Present and Futures of the use of Technology in Architecture

Exploring the Tectonic Dimension: Past, Present and Futures of the use of Technology in Architecture

A hybrid FEM-IBM-level set algorithm for water entry of deformable body

Water entry of deformable bodies has been investigated extensively despite the major challenges in precise simulations of the whole physical process. Inspired by the basic idea of immersed boundary method (IBM), a hybrid FEM-IBM-level set algorithm is proposed where structural compliance is considered. The flow is described by Navier-Stokes equations with an added body force while the drastically moving object of arbitrary geometry is represented by several Lagrangian points on solid boundary. The direct forcing IBM is enhanced and coupled with finite element method (FEM) to facilitate simulation of severe fluid-structure interactions. Consequently, the added body force is calculated implicitly based on the exact velocity boundary condition with divergence-free condition ensured simultaneously. The improved conservative level set technique is adopted for accurate depiction of instantaneously distorted water surface, and the strongly coupled system is resolved iteratively through a partitioned scheme. Examples including sedimentation of a disk, water entry of deformable wedge and cylindrical shell are performed for validation. Specifically, hydroelastic impact of a three-dimensional conical shell is investigated, and the influence factors of entry dynamics are discussed. The results demonstrate the reliability and great potential of present algorithm for practical applications in ocean engineering, naval architecture and military engineering, etc.

Development of a DSP based collaborative computing platform for power system

Abstract With the advancement of information technology, there has been tremendous progress in data production, processing, and storage technology, especially in data processing technology. With the rapid development of the power grid, its operation has become more intelligent and efficient. Traditional power system simulation and analysis tools have disadvantages, such as slow message transmission and the inability to share data, which cannot meet the requirements of modern power system simulation calculations. DSP was introduced and developed by the Southern Power Grid Research Institute and can perform various simulation calculations such as transient stability calculation, power flow calculation, and short circuit calculation. It is widely used in departments such as power planning and design. However, the data calculated by DSP is input through a data card, which is cumbersome and difficult to manage. In order to meet the new requirements of power system simulation analysis, a power system collaborative computing platform has been developed based on DSP, which makes DSP data maintenance and management more efficient and intuitive. It comprehensively improves the efficiency of power grid planning work. This article provides a detailed analysis of the architecture design and application problems of the power system collaborative computing platform, clarifies the requirements of large-scale interconnected power grids for simulation computing data management, and proposes solutions that can meet the needs of simulation computing data management in China’s power grid from two aspects: key data architecture issues and software architecture technology.