Installation Method Research Articles

Automatic assembly of prefabricated components based on vision-guided robot

On-site assembly of prefabricated components is crucial for the construction efficiency and quality of prefabricated buildings. In this process, a prefabricated component is first lifted and transported to the vicinity, where it will be installed using a crane. Subsequently, multiple workers collaborate to align the components with the target installation area. However, this manual installation method is time-consuming and unreliable in accuracy. A vision-based robot-assisted component installation system is proposed in this study. After the initial alignment using a crane, the two robots cooperate to adjust the position and orientation of the component accurately. This automated assembly method consists of the following tasks: (1) The target installation pose of the component, which can be used as a guide for the movements of robots, is extracted from the building information model (BIM) based on the industry foundation class standard. (2) An optical-marker-based method is applied to position the robots in the coordinate system of the site and identify the pose of the reserved hole in the lifting prefabricated component. Based on this pose, the robot is manipulated to thread the end effector into the reserved hole. (3) A planned working path of the end effector in Cartesian space combined with the current pose of the end effector and the target installation pose is obtained. (4) The end effector moves along a predetermined path to drive the component precisely. Finally, the accuracy, feasibility, and effectiveness of the robotic automated construction method are verified through installation tests on a precast panel.

Comparative study on dynamic responses of integrated installation process of a 5-MW and a 15-MW offshore wind turbine considering a pre-installed foundation

The integrated installation method for offshore wind turbines has the characteristics of high efficiency and low economic cost due to the small amount of construction work. However, the complexity of the entire system is exacerbated by environmental loads and mechanical couplings. Hence, it is urgent to investigate the dynamic response of OWTs during integrated installation procedures. This work compares the dynamic responses between NREL 5 MW and IEA 15 MW OWT installation systems. The hydrodynamics are calculated using the potential flow theory and the Morison equation, while the aerodynamics under wind turbine parked conditions are computed using the blade element momentum theory. Time domain simulations, considering various wind and wave conditions, are conducted via SIMA. This paper discusses the effects of wind and wave loads on the motion responses of catamaran installation vessel and spar, the relative motion at the mating point, and the sliding gripper forces, respectively. The results reveal that both the surge motions of the catamaran and the spar and the pitch motion of the spar exhibit sensitivity to wind loads. During installation, the motion response of the IEA 15 MW model is more dramatic than that of the NREL 5 MW system. Under wave-only conditions, the radial distances of the mating points for both NREL 5 MW and IEA 15 MW systems reach 1.65 m and 2.51 m, respectively. However, the influences of wind loads and wave incident angle are limited.

Chemoenzymatic Installation of Site-Specific Chemical Groups on DNA Enhances the Catalytic Activity.

Functional DNAs are valuable molecular tools in chemical biology and analytical chemistry but suffer from low activities due to their limited chemical functionalities. Here, we present a chemoenzymatic method for site-specific installation of diverse functional groups on DNA, and showcase the application of this method to enhance the catalytic activity of a DNA catalyst. Through chemoenzymatic introduction of distinct chemical groups, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and benzyl, at specific positions, we achieve significant enhancements in the catalytic activity of the RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme 10-23. A single carboxyl modification results in a 100-fold increase, while dual modifications (carboxyl and benzyl) yield an approximately 700-fold increase in activity when an RNA cleavage reaction is catalyzed on a DNA-RNA chimeric substrate. The resulting dually modified DNA catalyst, CaBn, exhibits a kobs of 3.76 min-1 in the presence of 1 mM Mg2+ and can be employed for fluorescent imaging of intracellular magnesium ions. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the superior capability of CaBn to recruit magnesium ions to metal-ion-binding site 2 and adopt a catalytically competent conformation. Our work provides a broadly accessible strategy for DNA functionalization with diverse chemical modifications, and CaBn offers a highly active DNA catalyst with immense potential in chemistry and biotechnology.

Structural Characteristics of Steel Pipe Piles Using CLSM

Recently, as underground construction becomes larger and deeper, temporary facilities must be designed, and methods suitable for the construction environment, such as the shape of surrounding structures and ground conditions, must be applied. Among them, the importance of self-contained earth retaining wall temporary facility construction is growing. Therefore, the installation method and construction technology of the self-contained earth retaining wall temporary facility structure must be improved. In this study, to evaluate the structural behavior of steel pipe piles for self-contained earth retaining wall, a full-scale specimen was fabricated, the steel pipe ends were welded with round steel plates, and CLSM was filled through the sand compaction inside the steel pipe. Subsequently, compressive and flexural strength tests were conducted on the specimen in which both ends of the steel pipe were welded with round steel plates. Additionally, a finite element analysis of the vertical displacement of the bending specimen according to the load was performed based on the results from the ANSYS finite element analysis, and the results were compared.

The Application of High-Resolution, Embedded Fibre Optic (FO) Sensing for Large-Diameter Composite Steel/Plastic Pipeline Performance under Dynamic Transport Loads.

Distributed optical fibre sensing (DOFS)-based strain measurement systems are now routinely deployed across infrastructure health monitoring applications. However, there are still practical performance and measurement issues associated with the fibre's attachment method, particularly with thermoplastic pipeline materials (e.g., high-density polyethylene, HDPE) and adhesive affixment methods. In this paper, we introduce a new optical fibre installation method that utilises a hot-weld encapsulation approach that fully embeds the fibre onto the pipeline's plastic surface. We describe the development, application and benefits of the new embedment approach (as compared to adhesive methods) and illustrate its practical performance via a full-scale, real-world, dynamic loading trial undertaken on a 1.8 m diameter, 6.4 m long stormwater pipeline structure constructed from composite spiral-wound, steel-reinforced, HDPE pipe. The optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR)-based strain results show how the new method improves strain transference and dynamic measurement performance and how the data can be easily interpreted, in a practical context, without the need for complex strain transfer functions. Through the different performance tests, based on UK rail-road network transport loading conditions, we also show how centimetre- to metre-scale strain variations can be clearly resolved at the frequencies and levels consistent with transport- and construction-based, buried infrastructure loading scenarios.

Review on Lightweight Mobile Flood Wall Barrier: Way Forward for Malaysia

Flooding is a persisting challenge in Malaysia. Combating flood risk has become a main priority for sustainable development in this country. The application of sophisticated engineering in hard structure approaches and flood control systems are often incongruous to the public. Therefore, there is a need to integrate the soft engineering approaches and the best practises of flood management to mitigate flood risk. There is also a need to integrate the concept of sustainable development into its planning policies towards flood hazard reduction. Mobile flood protection measures are useful as an alternative solution in flood protection and mitigation purposes. Mobile protective systems can be used for temporarily increasing the height of permanent flood protection structures during extreme events and can be utilised as emergency measure against flooding in unprotected low-lying areas. As the available mobile systems differ in the type of material, method of installation and available protection height, a description of their features, and potential application were examined including their respective opportunities and drawbacks. This article presents a review on different types of lightweight mobile flood wall barrier (MFWB) that were implemented to cope with floods in Malaysia with examples of application in other countries such as United Kingdom, Slovakia, and Netherlands. The MFWB products are reviewed and compared to each other according to the types, characteristics, mechanisms, drawbacks and how these measures are integrated into spatial planning. Based on the findings, several suggestions are given on how to improve the flood risk management in flood-prone areas and way forward for Malaysia.

A Review on Design and Analysis of Multifunctional Seats used in Military Vehicle

This paper is based on the study of Design and Analysis of Multifunctional Seats Used in Military Vehicle. Border Security Technologies are being adopted by every country to ensure the safety and sovereignty of their nation. It is crucial to study and understand the latest advancements in security technologies to effectively protect against evolving threats. Just as countries are advancing in defence the threats, they face are also evolving necessitating the upgrading of defence system. Multifunctional Special Vehicles play a crucial role in ensuring the safety of their crew during operational tasks. These vehicles are equipped with specially designed seats that offer a high level of protection in the event of collisions or explosive detonations. The proposed modular structure of these seats brings numerous advantages, including cost reduction using repeatable elements and the ability to easily customize seats with different functions. Moreover, this modular structure enables a faster restoration process in case of any damage. It is essential for the modules to be versatile and adaptable to various seat configurations, considering factors such as their location within the vehicle (e.g., driver's seat, troops' seats, system operators' seats), installation method (e.g., wall, floor, ceiling), and assembly direction (e.g., side mount, rear mount, bottom mount). Key Words: Analysis of Multifunctional Seat, explosion proof seat, absorb explosion energy, Study of Vibration, Human body Impact and Safety in Transport.

Stress effects due to different installation methods for pipe piles in sand

Impact-driven pipe piles are commonly used in offshore structures, but vibratory driving is becoming more popular due to advantages regarding noise emissions, material fatigue and installation time. In offshore practice, crane-guided vibratory driving is used for maximum control over the installation process. Regarding the load-bearing behaviour of piles, the influence of the installation method is currently subject to research. To contribute to this question, comparative scale model investigations were carried out on impact-driven, jacked and vibratory-driven piles in dense sand. The tests focused on variations of vibratory installation parameters, including crane-guided and free vibratory driving. Based on measurements at the pile and in the soil, the influence of dynamic pile motions on the soil stress development could be analysed. The well-known increase of radial effective soil stresses due to impact driving could be reproduced. The tests showed that the same effects could be evoked by free vibratory driving if certain vibration parameters were met. Increased soil stresses may be beneficial for the lateral or axial pile behaviour, but can cause problems regarding drivability. A sequential application of crane-guided and free vibratory driving may optimise both the installation process and the bearing behaviour.

Design and Experiment of a Harvesting Header for Wide–Narrow-Row Corn

Aiming to solve the problems of the large harvesting loss and low harvesting efficiency of wide- and narrow-row corn harvesting header in China, a method for the side installation of a header is proposed. A wide–narrow-row corn harvesting header with high working efficiency and low harvesting loss was designed. The collision energy balance equation of corn ears was established. The analysis shows that the kinetic energy change before and after the collision between the ear and the picking plate is the main cause of the shedding of and damage to corn kernels. Based on this, the main structural parameters of the corn harvesting header were designed. Based on the principle of Box–Behnken test, the response surface test was designed. The effects of the plant feeding speed, feeding angle, and rotation speed of a stem pulling roller on harvesting performance were analyzed. The best combination of working parameters was determined: The plant feeding speed was 1.08 m/s, the feeding angle was 52.46°, and the rotation speed of the stem pulling roller was 835.25 r/min. At this time, the grain damage rate was 1.09% and the grain loss rate was 0.14%. The corresponding parameters are verified by experiments. The results show that the grain damage rate was 1.12% and the grain loss rate was 0.14%. The optimization results are essentially consistent with the verification results, which meet the requirements of corn harvesting performance.

Trans-functional green wall’s developed predesign model as a first stage to designers to understand the design and potential performance aspects of green walls

PurposeThis study aims to formulate a user-friendly pre-design model that could be a decision support tool for green wall systems to assist designers in selecting an optimal green wall system aligned with specified performance criteria while concurrently addressing project requirements linked to social and economic parameters. This approach seeks to enhance overall project satisfaction for the designer and the owner.Design/methodology/approachA correlation between the green wall context and design requirements and its performance on the buildings have been defined by considering its social and economic parameters, which represented the owner preferences to ensure the most satisfaction from installation as it achieves the required performance that is defined by the designer such as maximizing thermal insulation, improving indoor air quality, reducing the needed heating and cooling loads, etc. and also to achieve the satisfaction in social and economic requirements defined by the owner such as system installation cost, system maintenance cost, adding beauty value, etc.FindingsThe research developed an easy pre-design model to be a tool for green wall system decision-making for the most suitable system, which contains three main steps: the first one is defining the required performance of the green wall (designer requirements), the second step is limiting the context of the project which is made by designer and the owner requirements and finally the third step is choosing the system components that ensures achieving the requirements of both owners and designer, related to the building and climate context.Originality/valueThe added value lies in developing a green wall decision-making tool, essentially a pre-design model. This model considers the correlation between the project’s context, encompassing climate and building conditions. It provides a structured approach for decision-making in the early stages of green wall design. It offers valuable insights into the optimal choices related to system type, installation methods and plant characteristics. This enhanced decision-making tool contributes to more informed and efficient design processes, considering each project’s specific needs and conditions.

Aplikasi Peralatan Flexible AC transmission Systems (FACTS) Pada Sistem Tenaga Listrik

The power need of South Sulawesi community is increasingly in a row with technology development. At this time, with the lack of new generation and transmission facilities make voltage instability always occur. To relieve it, Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS) is used, that is, Static Compensator (STATCOM) which its basic operating principles functions as a synchronous voltage source. This research aimed to find out voltage conditions and power systems losses of South Sulawesi before and after using STATCOM and determine location of STATCOM installation. This research was carried out in South Sulawesi region specially at PT. PLN (Ltd.) Business Unit of SULSELTRABAR. To determined location of STATCOM installation, Trial and Error Method is used where buses which have voltage exist near to voltage interval limit allowed, became a reference of STATCOM installation. The results shows that voltage condition before STATCOM installed, exist to voltage interval limit allowed, that is, 0.95 – 1.05 pu. However, voltage of Tonasa Tonasa, Bontoala, Pangkep70, and Tallo Lama buses exist near to voltage interval limit allowed. Based on simulation results, an exact STATCOM installation is on two buses, that is, Tonasa and Bontoala buses until voltage of mentioned four buses are improved and near to fundamental voltage, respectively. Power losses after STATCOM installed is increase because when it installed, there are conduction losses and switching losses at STATCOM

Rancang Bangun Trainer Pembangkit Lsitrik Tenaga Surya Dengan Metoda Off Grid dan On Grid Sebagai Media Perkuliahan Sistem Pembangkit

The DIV study program is a new study program so there are several courses that require practical equipment that supports the achievement of good learning of power plant systems, the current condition of practical equipment is still lacking and there are some that do not meet practical needs, so this research will create a power plant trainer tool Solar (PLTS) which functions as a learning medium in the integrated generator laboratory in the Electrical Installation Engineering Technology DIV study program. The aim of this research is to improve students' understanding of Solar Cell Power Plants, both installation methods and the working principles of supporting components both with On Grid systems and Off Grid systems. In making this trainer, it was carried out by assembling and making a trainer stand with a welding system and the mid-trainel was made using acrylic to make it easier to assemble the main components of the PLTS system. With this trainer tool, it will be very easy for students to design PLTS systems that will be used according to the energy needs used by customers. so that the installation of PLTS is in accordance with the required requirements, and also with this tool it is able to produce students' skills in assembling and installing PLTS correctly, both with On Grid Systems and Off Grid Systems, and students are able to optimize the placement of the installation position on the Solar Panel Module so that they are able to optimize the lighting received by the solar panels is good.

Installation Technique and Numerical Simulation of Stress on High-Pile Footings During the Translation of Offshore Booster Stations

The foundation of the offshore substation mainly adopts the structure of a conductor support frame, and the installation of the upper blocks of the offshore substation mainly employs a lifting vessel for hoisting. The “Zhegen Sha 300 MW Offshore Wind Power Project” adopts a high-pile cap foundation for the offshore substation, making use of a translational installation method for the upper blocks. The innovative foundation design and installation scheme together form the basis of this project, which is explored in detail in this paper. Numerical simulations examining the bearing performance of the high-pile cap foundation during the translational process of the upper blocks are also performed, allowing finer insights into the design and construction of offshore wind power projects.

The Optimization of a Subsea Pipeline Installation Configuration Using a Genetic Algorithm

The most commonly used subsea pipeline installation method is the S-Lay method. A very important and complex task in an S-Lay installation engineering analysis is to find the optimal pipelay vessel installation configuration for every distinctive pipeline route section. Installation loads in the pipeline are very sensitive to small changes in the configuration of the pipeline supports during laying and other influential parameters, such as the tensioner force, stinger angle, trim and draft of the pipelay vessel. Therefore, the process of an engineering installation analysis is very demanding, and there is a need for an automated optimization process. For that purpose, installation engineering methodology criteria and requirements are formalized into a nonlinear optimization problem with mixed continuous and discrete variables. A special tailored multi-objective genetic algorithm is developed that can be adjusted to any desired combination of criteria and offshore standards’ requirements. The optimization algorithm is applied to the representative test cases. The optimization procedure efficiency and quality of the achieved solution prove that the developed genetic algorithm operators and the whole optimization approach are adequate for the presented application.

Microscopic insights into suction bucket installation in sand: Coupled coarse-grained CFD-DEM simulations

Suction bucket foundations are being used for a wide variety of offshore foundations. However, accurate modeling of its installation remains challenging due to the complexity of soil transportation, in which the soil is typically treated as a continuum and its discrete behavior is neglected. In this paper, the bucket foundation installation in the sand under different installation methods (i.e., jacked and suction-assisted installation) is investigated from a microscopic perspective (i.e., particle scale) based on the three-dimensional coupled computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and coarse-grained discrete element method (CGDEM). It is found that the CFD-CGDEM method can successfully simulate the bucket installation process. Suction-assisted installation results in a significant reduction in the inner skirt friction resistance and end resistance, while the outer skirt friction resistance shows only a minor decrease. During suction-assisted installation, soil loosening inside the bucket contributes more significantly to the soil plug formation compared to the inflow of external soil. Compared to jacked installation, the seepage induces a significant reduction in the effective stress of soil within the interior and below the bucket tip, while it increases the effective stress outside slightly under suction-assisted installation. The work provides an alternative research approach for the suction bucket installation.

Effect of short stem alignment on initial fixation, stress transfer, and failure risk.

Short stems are advantageous for revision as they preserve autogenous bone. At present, the method of short-stem installation is determined based on the surgeon's experience. To provide the guideline for installing a short stem, we aimed to investigate the alignment effect on the initial fixation of the stem, stress transfer, and the risk of failure numerically. Models in which the caput-collum-diaphyseal (CCD) angle and flexion angle were hypothetically changed based on the two clinical cases of hip osteoarthritis were analyzed using the non-linear finite element method. The medial settlement of the stem increased in the varus model and decreased in the valgus model. With varus alignment, the stresses acting on the femur were high in the distal to the femoral neck. In contrast, the stresses in the proximal to the femoral neck tend to be higher with valgus alignment, although the difference in the femur stress between varus and valgus alignment was slight. Both initial fixation and stress transmission are lower when the device was placed in the valgus model than in the actual surgical case. In order to obtain initial fixation and suppress stress shielding, it is essential to extend the contact area between the medial portion of the stem and the femur along the bone axis, and to ensure adequate contact between the lateral portion of the stem tip and the femur.

Integration of BIM and LCA: a system to predict and optimise embodied carbon for prefabricated buildings

This paper presents the development of a system for automatically predicting and optimising embodied carbon of prefabricated buildings during the design phase. Building information modelling (BIM) is selected as the working environment from data input to results display, highly improving the automation level of carbon assessment. Besides, automatic carbon assessment for on-site installation is achieved by developing a component-oriented on-site emission factor database from a Chinese code. This system also supports optimising embodied carbon by providing various low-carbon alternatives from the perspectives of selecting construction materials, transportation modes, and installation methods. This system is applied to a ten-storey office building for demonstration. It is found that the system can accurately estimate and efficiently reduce the embodied carbon emissions of prefabricated buildings

Ductile adhesive elastomers with force-triggered ultra-high adhesion strength.

Elastomers play a vital role in many forthcoming advanced technologies in which their adhesive properties determine materials' interface performance. Despite great success in improving the adhesive properties of elastomers, permanent adhesives tend to stick to the surfaces prematurely or result in poor contact depending on the installation method. Thus, elastomers with on-demand adhesion that is not limited to being triggered by UV light or heat, which may not be practical for scenarios that do not allow an additional external source, provide a solution to various challenges in conventional adhesive elastomers. Herein, we report a novel, ready-to-use, ultra high-strength, ductile adhesive elastomer with an on-demand adhesion feature that can be easily triggered by a compression force. The precursor is mainly composed of a capsule-separated, two-component curing system. After a force-trigger and curing process, the ductile adhesive elastomer exhibits a peel strength and a lap shear strength of 1.2 × 104 N m-1 and 7.8 × 103 kPa, respectively, which exceed the reported values for advanced ductile adhesive elastomers. The ultra-high adhesion force is attributed to the excellent surface contact of the liquid-like precursor and to the high elastic modulus of the cured elastomer that is reinforced by a two-phase design. Incorporation of such on-demand adhesion into an elastomer enables a controlled delay between installation and curing so that these can take place under their individual ideal conditions, effectively reducing the energy cost, preventing failures, and improving installation processes.

Research on methods and scale of deeply exploitable hydropower resources

Deep development of hydropower is an important measure to optimize the structure of clean energy, meet the peak shaving and backup needs of the power system, and achieve the national dual carbon goals. This article conducts a systematic analysis of the development potential of developed and undeveloped hydraulic resources, including unplanned river sections, undeveloped planned power stations, unit renovation and capacity expansion, and the expansion of existing/ongoing power stations. We focused on studying the factors that affect the deep development of hydropower, including the reasonable operation mode of hydropower with different regulation performance in the power grid, the energy structure characteristics of the power system, and the comprehensive water use requirements. A calculation method for the reasonable installation and utilization hours and deep development resources of hydropower stations with different regulation performance after deep development has been proposed. According to calculations, Zhejiang Province can increase its scale by 3331MW, with great potential for deep development.

In-Peat Geomechanical Monitoring Method under Actual Road Embankment

This paper presents an ongoing ‘in-peat’ geomechanical monitoring exercise under an actual road embankment that is being constructed in Sarawak State of Malaysia. The road embankment will serve as part of 236km second trunk road, which is expected to be completed in 2 years. It measures about 34m wide and 3m high, overlies 5m thick of peat and a soft clay. In-peat monitoring method uses a technique that can monitor the vertical stress, the horizontal stress, the pore water pressure, and the settlement from within the peat layer. This complete set of data are valuable to back analyze the phenomena takes place during and post construction, using the state-of-the-art concept in soil mechanics. Detail site information, installation method and preliminary data are discussed. The installation exercise has been finished and the in-peat monitoring has been started. A professional service was appointed to install and monitor the sensors, which is supervised by the academic and the department of public works. The in-peat monitoring is a critical milestone to better understand the geomechanical behavior of peat under actual road embankment and to verify the current peat conceptual model.