Layout Solutions Research Articles

Basic Principles for Designing Backup Spillway with Eroded Insert

Based on the experience accumulated to date in the use of backup spillways with eroded soil inserts and previously conducted studies, recommendations for the design and calculations of such structures are given. Four options for design and layout solutions are presented. The first option is that the eroded insert is located in the body of the earth dam. The erosion-limiting clothing is concrete. The second option is the same, but the erosion-limiting clothing is made of soft polymer material, for example, from geotextile or polymer film. According to the third option, the eroded insert is located in one or several spans of the surface spillway and operates like a “Hydroplus” gate. The fourth option is applicable under appropriate topographic conditions. Here, the eroded insert is located outside the pressure front, bypassing the dam and is a small eroded dam. A procedure for hydraulic calculations is proposed, which are performed in two stages. At the first stage, the dimensions of the spillway opening of the reserve spillway are determined to allow the design flow to pass through. Then, a calculation is made of the erosion of the soil insert located in this hole, which occurs when water overflows over its crest in an emergency. This calculation makes it possible to determine the time of erosion, as well as to construct a hydrograph of water flow through the eroded spillway, graphs of changes in the level of the headwaters and the marks of the crest of the insert during the erosion process. It is convenient to solve differential equations that describe the erosion process using a numerical method. A calculation algorithm is proposed.

Chemical plant optimization layout based on the domino hazard index considering the fixed hazard unit outside the available area

The layout of chemical plants is a significant step to promote the safe and efficient operation of a chemical factory. In the actual production process, the chemical process plant layout may be affected by immovable hazards outside the available layout area. In this paper, the external hazard unit is arranged as one of the chemical process plants. The domino effect potential of all chemical process plants is quantified by using the classical domino hazard index (DHI). A layout optimization model considering the effects of external hazard units has been proposed to obtain the optimal plant layout from economic and safety aspects. The feasible layout solutions are obtained under the orientation, boundary and non-overlapping constraints by the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-Ⅱ). The proposed model is further analyzed through a hypothetical case of three storage tanks outside the acrylic acid (AA) production plant layout area. The results show that the total cost range for the optimal solution is 650348–1365443 $, with corresponding DHI values ranging from 29 to 129. The plant with larger DHI value will be arranged to far away from the external hazard units to obtain a safer layout. This work can provide rational layout solutions for the layout designers to make different decisions according to the actual situation.

SIMULATION OF AN AUTONOMOUS HYDROSTATIC DRIVE

The features of the application of autonomous electrohydraulic drives for power engineering are considered. The classification of linear actuators is given, the analysis of design and layout solutions of developers of autonomous steering actuators for general engineering is performed. The analysis of disadvantages is carried out and the directions of improvement of autonomous drives are presented. A scheme of an autonomous electrohydraulic drive with an automatic power control system based on the use of information from pressure, flow and displacement sensors is proposed. A mathematical model of an autonomous electrohydraulic drive with a power regulator has been developed, which makes it possible to estimate a random change in the load on the executive hydraulic motor and optimize the pump supply in accordance with the required task. The obtained research results confirm that an autonomous hydraulic drive with a power regulator is a promising technical solution that contributes to the development of high-precision power drives and controllability for general mechanical engineering.

On determining structural wall layout during the adaptive reuse process of historic masonry buildings

Defining modifications to a building’s layout during the adaptive reuse of historic masonry buildings can be challenging since the existing structural grid constrains the transformations to be performed. This paper proposes a novel methodology for exploring modifications to a structural wall layout during the adaptive reuse process of historic buildings. The primary objective is to redefine structural wall arrangements to accommodate new openings and/or cuts in existing structural elements, offering designers flexibility in spatial arrangement modifications. Considering that existing buildings are subjected to damage, an evolutionary approach is used to define which wall segments can be removed from the existing layout, according to a multi-objective function that targets minimizing the presence of damaged elements and maximizing the presence of undamaged elements in the design, in addition to minimizing the building’s eccentricity. The problem considers structural constraints based on the compressive capacity and minimum length of shear components. A computational strategy based on Genetic Algorithm is conceptualized as a tool for deriving potential layout solutions that adhere to structural requirements while facilitating the incorporation of new openings. By systematically evolving potential solutions over multiple generations, the algorithm navigates the design space to pinpoint areas within the original shear layout where material can be removed while respecting the given structural constraints. The methodology’s validity is demonstrated through a case study situated in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, providing evidence of the practical application and success of the genetic algorithm approach in real-world scenarios. The findings presented in this paper contribute to the convergence of structural engineering and architectural preservation, offering a systematic and efficient means of determining structural wall layouts for the adaptive reuse of historic masonry buildings. Integrating computational techniques into the adaptive reuse process holds transformative potential, establishing a robust framework for sustainable urban development that honors and enhances the historical fabric of our built environment.

Precast concrete component yard layout optimization considering safety and efficiency

ABSTRACT The contradiction between the space demand for precast concrete components (PCCs) and the limited area of the construction site is reinforced by the increase in the prefabrication rate of prefabricated buildings, and a large number of PCC hoisting operations may have an adverse impact on the safety and efficiency of the construction site. Therefore, the importance of precast concrete component yard layout planning (PCCYLP) is becoming increasingly prominent. Most existing research on construction site layout planning (CSLP) has focused on all temporary facilities on the construction site and has neglected the particularity of PCC when solving the above problems. Based on this, this paper integrates the PCC hoisting efficiency and safety into the existing CSLP research and optimizes PCCYLP solutions by establishing a PCCYLP model. The model proposes a non-centralized PCC yard division method. Moreover, the surplus rectangle algorithm is used to calculate the yard sizes, which are input into the model in alternative ways. Engineering cases verify the effectiveness of the proposed model, and the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm is selected for simulation. The results show that the method can enhance the scientific and reasonable layout solution and provide a favorable guarantee for subsequent safe and efficient construction activities.

Comparative numerical study of floor heating systems using parallel and spiral coil

This article presents a comparative numerical study aimed at determining the optimal pipe layout solution for the heating benches of traditional steam baths, with the goal of ensuring an optimal temperature distribution for customer comfort. This layout incorporates insulation on the lower side to direct most of the emitted heat upwards. The temperature distribution across the floor surface varies depending on the configuration of the buried pipes. Calculations were performed using the CFD software "COMSOL Multiphysics" to investigate the thermal behavior of an underfloor heating system. The results were used to discuss certain critical parameters that require control for the proper operation of the system. These parameters include the flow velocity inside the pipes, inlet temperatures, and pipe configuration. A new parameter designed to measure the thermal homogeneity of the floor was introduced and evaluated. In general, the findings demonstrated that the modulated spiral configuration is the best solution, minimizing pressure losses while ensuring optimal thermal homogenization across the entire floor surface.

Numerical Investigations for Rock-Breaking Process and Cutter Layout Optimization of a PDC Drill Bit with Dual-Cutter

PDC (polycrystalline diamond compact) drill bits are widely employed for rock-breaking in many industries like underground engineering and building constructions. The cutter layout would directly affect the overall performance of the drill bits. Field applications show that the staggered cutter layout strategy of dual-cutter can increase the drilling efficiency of the PDC bit. In order to explore the rock breaking mechanism of this type of drill bit, a numerical model of a dual-cutter and rock breaking with damage evolution based on a hybrid finite and cohesive element method (FCEM) has been established in this work. The model is verified through Brazilian disk tests. The rock breaking processes of this type of bit have been analyzed, including crack initiation, propagation, and the formation of rock debris. Moreover, the effects of horizontal and vertical offset of the back cutter on the MSE (mechanical special energy) have been investigated. Results demonstrate that the dual-cutter can prominently reduce the MSE compared to a single-cutter. The vertical offset of the back cutter has a minor effect on the MSE, while the horizontal offset is of great significance on the MSE. On this basis, the relationships between the MSE and both the vertical and horizontal offset coefficients have been built based on the response surface methodology (RSM). Finally, an optimized layout solution, with optimal vertical and horizontal offset coefficients of 0.641 and 0.497, is determined via the Gray Wolf algorithm.

Cell formation and layout design using genetic algorithm and TOPSIS: A case study of Hydraulic Industries State Company.

Cell formation (CF) and machine cell layout are two critical issues in the design of a cellular manufacturing system (CMS). The complexity of the problem has an exponential impact on the time required to compute a solution, making it an NP-hard (complex and non-deterministic polynomial-time hard) problem. Therefore, it has been widely solved using effective meta-heuristics. The paper introduces a novel meta-heuristic strategy that utilizes the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the Technique of Order Preference Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to identify the most favorable solution for both flexible CF and machine layout within each cell. GA is employed to identify machine cells and part families based on Grouping Efficiency (GE) as a fitness function. In contrast to previous research, which considered grouping efficiency with a weight factor (q = 0.5), this study utilizes various weight factor values (0.1, 0.3, 0.7, 0.5, and 0.9). The proposed solution suggests using the TOPSIS technique to determine the most suitable value for the weighting factor. This factor is critical in enabling CMS to design the necessary flexibility to control the cell size. The proposed approach aims to arrange machines to enhance GE, System Utilization (SU), and System Flexibility (SF) while minimizing the cost of material handling between machines as well as inter- and intracellular movements (TC). The results of the proposed approach presented here show either better or comparable performance to the benchmark instances collected from existing literature.

Research on the Innovation of Education Mode of Art and Design Specialties in Colleges and Universities under the Background of Big Data

Abstract Art and design professional education can not keep up with the development speed of the industry, and there is no reference to the market demand data, failing to keep pace with the times, which brings many negative impacts on the employment of students. This paper suggests an art design professional education model that incorporates VR interactive scene technology for this reason. Through the double camera, we simulate the visual principle of the human eye, collect three-dimensional data from VR interactive scenes, and use the image coordinate system and pixel coordinate system conversion operations to pre-process the collected data. The optimal layout solution is sought by adjusting the layout to generate a realistic 3D model of the teaching scene and to realize the construction of the VR interactive scene. The principle and implementation process of the art professional education model supported by the VR interactive scene is elaborated, and the experimental comparison method is used to empirically analyze the art and design professional education model integrating VR technology. The results show that there is a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in the dimensions of adaptability (0.004) and uniqueness (0.044) of design thinking and the cultivation of design thinking ability (0.016) (P<0.05), which indicates that the art and design professional education model integrating the VR scene interaction technology constructed in this paper has a significant effect on the enhancement of design thinking ability of college students.

Optimization of Layout Solutions of Technological Complexes of Mechanical Assembly Production by Reducing Traffic Flows

Optimization of Layout Solutions of Technological Complexes of Mechanical Assembly Production by Reducing Traffic Flows

A multi-objective spatial optimization of wetland for Sponge City in the plain, China

Climate change exacerbates various environmental problems in cities, such as flooding, droughts, and water pollution. As a result of these urban environmental problems, China vigorously promotes the construction of Sponge City. Wetlands are an effective stormwater management facility of Sponge City which can regulate urban stormwater runoff and remove non-point source pollution from stormwater runoff. Wetlands, as sensitive ecosystems in cities, require additional consideration and rational planning in the construction of Sponge City. Wetlands constructed in suitable locations can improve constructed wetland potential, improve wetland benefits, and reduce cost. However, the multi-objective spatial optimization of wetlands in Sponge City is insufficient. To fulfill wetlands planning and construction for Sponge City, a multi-objective optimization method that maximizes constructed wetland potential and pollutant removal and minimizes input costs is proposed by genetic algorithm (NSGA-II, Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II). The wetland space was optimized for the study area, and the Pareto optimal solution of the wetland layout was obtained. The values of the three objectives of wetlands spatial optimization schemes (Pareto optimal solutions) identified is compared with the values of the three objectives of the planned wetlands, which verifies the effectiveness of the wetland spatial optimization method. On the basis of the Pareto optimal solutions, we propose four schemes with the highest economic benefit scheme for constructed wetland potential (constructed wetland potential/input costs), highest economic benefit scheme for pollutant removal efficiency (pollutant removal/input costs), the best compromise scheme between three objectives, and highest constructed wetland potential scheme. Compared with the planned wetlands scheme, these four schemes can increase the constructed wetland potential by 2.2% ∼ 25.1%; increase the TN mass removal by −8.8% ∼28.0%; reduce the input costs by 8.9% ∼ 37.1%.

Underground Parking Layout Generation Based on the WaveFunctionCollapse Algorithm

During the design process, architectural layout configuration is subject to complex constraints such as site conditions and design requirements, resulting in limited design efficiency. This research aims to provide architects with an effective design tool that can generate reference-worthy underground parking layout solutions based on the given site information. In this research, we extract spatial modules from underground parking layouts, and transform the design constraints into adjacency rules based on the analysis of the configuration process for underground parking layout, then develop a generation and optimization model of the underground parking layout based on the WaveFunctionCollapse algorithm (WFC) and Multi-objective Optimization (MOO), and verify the effectiveness of the model through experiments. The results show that with given plan contour and entrance/exit locations as inputs, the model can efficiently generate architectural layout solutions that meet the design objectives.

Layout and yaw optimisation of an offshore wind farm through analytical modelling

In this work, a computational tool for analytical large scale modelling of offshore wind farms is presented. Using Horns Rev 1 as a reference baseline, an optimal layout and yaw angle setting for one wind direction based on aerodynamic considerations is proposed. Based on a wake model presented by Qian & Ishihara, flow velocities as well as turbulence intensities are predicted when several wake flows are superimposed. Subsequently, the aerodynamic performance of the wind turbines is calculated. The proposed tool shows good agreement with measurement and LES data. The influence of performance-driving parameters, namely turbine spacing, ambient turbulence intensity and yaw angle are investigated. The axial spacing and ambient turbulence are identified as the most significant factors. Based on these results, the proposed optimal layout solution suggests a higher power yield of up to 57 %, while the optimal yaw angles found in this work show a power increase of over 6% compared to the baseline layout.

Performance comparison of reinforcement learning and metaheuristics for factory layout planning

Factory layout planning is a time-consuming process that has a large impact on the operational performance of a future factory. Besides, changing technologies and market requirements result in a frequent reconfiguration of the factory layout. Automated planning approaches can generate high-quality layout solutions and reduce the planning time compared to mere manual planning. Recent studies indicate that reinforcement learning is a suitable approach to support the early phase of the layout planning process. In this context, reinforcement learning shows potential performance-related advantages by learning the problem-related interdependencies compared to current metaheuristic approaches, which are commonly applied to the regarded problem. However, recent studies only consider a low number of reinforcement learning approaches and regarded application scenarios. In consequence, the performance in different problem sizes and of various existing reinforcement learning approaches has not been investigated. Besides, no comparison between reinforcement learning approaches and existing metaheuristics was performed for factory layout planning. As a consequence, the potential of reinforcement learning based factory layout panning can not be evaluated appropriately. Therefore, an encompassing comparison to metaheuristics is still an open research question. Regarding this background, the performance of 13 different reinforcement learning and 7 commonly used metaheuristics for three layout planning problems with different sizes is investigated in this paper. The approaches are applied to all three layout planning problems in order to compare their performance capabilities. The results indicate that the best-performing reinforcement learning approach is able to find similar or superior solutions compared to the best-performing metaheuristics.

Grid-scale crop dynamic layout optimization model considering stakeholders' cropping preferences and practice behaviours

Rapid population growth has led to an increasing demand for food, accompanied by an increase in the resources invested in producing food, and the extensive food production practices have placed a huge burden on the environment. There is an urgent desire of need to find a sustainable model of food production. Therefore, this study attempted to develop a dynamic regional grid-scale crop layout model (ABCAMODP-Crop) combining agent-based model, multi-objective programming, dynamic programming and cellular automata model to promote more sustainable food production from a supply-side perspective. The model can: (1) take into account the planting preferences and practical behaviours of government and farmer as stakeholders in crop layout; (2) further weigh the conflicts among the various objectives that stakeholders are concerned with from resource, environmental, nutritional and economic dimensions; (3) consider the impact of the previous year's crop layout on the next year's crop placement; and (4) obtain grid-scale accurate crop layout solutions by considering the spatial variability of optimization parameters and the neighborhood effects of crop layout cells. The model was applied to the Shiyang River Basin in China to verify its usefulness. Over the entire planning period, crop layout schemes optimized with the objective of integrating irrigation water productivity, environmental impact, nutrient availability and economic benefits have higher comprehensive benefits than the original scheme, with an increase in average irrigation water productivity per unit area of 14.55%, an increase in total yield of 14.45%, an increase in total carbohydrate availability of 7.39%, an increase in total calcium availability of 18.74%, an increase in total net carbon sequestration of 8.05%, an increase in total net benefit of 20.08%. The model developed allows for a holistic view of crop layout and guides decision-makers in a rational distribution of regional crops, thus promoting more sustainable food production. It can equally be extended to other regions as a generic modelling framework.

Cascading failure model and resilience enhancement scheme of space information networks

Space information networks provide global users with high-speed Internet services. The failure of a small number of satellites can trigger cascading failures that can bring down the network. Therefore, enhancing the network’s resilience under cascading failures is crucial. In this paper, we establish a cascading failure model for space information networks for the first time. The gravity model-based load calculation method, entity failure mechanisms, and new survivability measures are presented. The load unbalances of satellites are the leading cause of cascading failures, and the layout of the gateways determines the final load distribution. Therefore, a load-oriented gateway layout optimization model is developed. In order to obtain better optimization performance, a gateway layout solution algorithm based on the cuckoo search is given. Exhaustive simulations are carried out in a case satellite constellation, and the results show that the proposed approach is reasonable and able to enhance the resilience of the network under cascading failures.

Structural Optimization Design of Microfluidic Chips Based on Fast Sequence Pair Algorithm.

The market for microfluidic chips is experiencing significant growth; however, their development is hindered by a complex design process and low efficiency. Enhancing microfluidic chips' design quality and efficiency has emerged as an integral approach to foster their advancement. Currently, the existing structural design schemes lack careful consideration regarding the impact of chip area, microchannel length, and the number of intersections on chip design. This inadequacy leads to redundant chip structures resulting from the separation of layout and wiring design. This study proposes a structural optimization method for microfluidic chips to address these issues utilizing a simulated annealing algorithm. The simulated annealing algorithm generates an initial solution in advance using the fast sequence pair algorithm. Subsequently, an improved simulated annealing algorithm is employed to obtain the optimal solution for the device layout. During the wiring stage, an advanced wiring method is used to designate the high wiring area, thereby increasing the success rate of microfluidic chip wiring. Furthermore, the connection between layout and routing is reinforced through an improved layout adjustment method, which reduces the length of microchannels and the number of intersections. Finally, the effectiveness of the structural optimization approach is validated through six sets of test cases, successfully achieving the objective of enhancing the design quality of microfluidic chips.

Virtual-Simulation-Based Multi-Objective Optimization of an Assembly Station in a Battery Production Factory

The planning and design process of manufacturing factory layouts is commonly performed using digital tools, enabling engineers to define and test proposals in virtual environments before implementing them physically. However, this approach often relies on the experience of the engineers involved and input from various cross-disciplinary functions, leading to a time-consuming and subjective process with a high risk of human error. To address these challenges, new tools and methods are needed. The Industry 5.0 initiative aims to further automate and assist human tasks, reinforcing the human-centric perspective when making decisions that influence production environments and working conditions. This includes improving the layout planning process by making it more objective, efficient, and capable of considering multiple objectives simultaneously. This research presents a demonstrator solution for layout planning using digital support, incorporating a virtual multi-objective optimization approach to consider safety regulations, area boundaries, workers’ well-being, and walking distance. The demonstrator provides a cross-disciplinary and transparent approach to layout planning for an assembly station in the context of battery production. The demonstrator solution illustrates how layout planning can become a cross-disciplinary and transparent activity while being automated to a higher degree, providing results that support decision-making and balance cross-disciplinary requirements.

Предназначение и компоновочно-конструктивное решение Багаевского гидроузла на реке Дон

The information justifying the expediency and conditions for the creation of the Bagaevsky waterworks on the Don River is given. The justification and description of the adopted layout solution of the waterworks and the structural design of the structures ensuring its functioning are given. Based on the results of the technical justification of the project, a rational solution has been developed for the Bagaevsky waterworks, which provides its purpose and diversified use of the water resource potential of the Don River

A systematic decision-support approach for healthcare facility layout design integrating resource flow and space adjacency optimization with simulation-based performance evaluation

Healthcare facilities are recognized as significant public architectural design, given their design complexity. Particularly in the early stages of design process, the spatial configuration cannot be overlooked and it has a significant impact on the functional performance of a building. Existing research on healthcare facility layout design focused on the methods of simulation, procedural and algorithmic approaches with limited consideration of building operational performance, or the well-being of future occupants. In light of this, this article proposes a systematic decision-support approach that combines multi-objective optimization and simulation-based occupancy performance evaluation to offer a well-performance healthcare facility layout solution. The mathematical model's purpose is to optimize building operational objectives, namely, minimizing resource transportation costs and maximizing adjacent requirements between facilities. Then the performance of the mathematical model's Pareto solutions is evaluated using a simulation module that takes user-building interactions into account. To further validate the effectiveness of our approach, we conducted a comparative experiment involving three healthcare architects in the design of a surgical ward layout. Results indicate that the proposed approach can assist architects in achieving a balance between efficiency and safety in healthcare facility layout design, resulting in a more occupant-centric building design. Moreover, this systematic approach provides the theoretical basis on describing how to integrate the widely researched models for architectural layout planning and occupancy performance evaluation.