Technical Investigation Research Articles

Reliability Index for Steel Structure’s Technical State and Residual Life Assessment

The article is dedicated to problem of technical state assessment of real steel truss under operation for residual life prediction after technical investigation. The reliability index is calculated based on design, real and prospective loads. Method of statistical data analysis adopted for stress-strain determination also for all kinds of applied loads. The residual life with the reliability index determined as a transition from satisfactory to emergency technical state. The method provides the possibility for estimation of future safety steel structures operation with technical investigation results only that exclude any subjective opinion.

Systematic Assessment of Practical Challenges in Rural Domestic Sewage Treatment in China: Examining Treatment Models, Ecological Risks, and Management Dilemmas

The treatment and purification of rural domestic sewage (RDS) is a pivotal focus in enhancing the living environment in rural areas. Since 2008, special funds for comprehensive rural environmental improvement have been established by the Chinese government. Numerous projects have been implemented to treat RDS, resulting in a significant enhancement of China’s rural sewage treatment ratio. However, current discussions often focus on technical investigations, process selection, and operation modes pertaining to urban sewage while overlooking the unique challenges posed by decentralized sewage treatment facilities in rural areas. This work aims to provide technical support for addressing rural sewage treatment and purification in China through an analysis of limitations associated with prevailing mainstream sewage treatment and separation technologies, ecological risks arising from new pollutants present in domestic wastewater, and subsequent management difficulties.

Survey on Advances in Broadband Signal Generation and Processing of ASIC Semiconductors for Defense Satellites

To replace the field-programmable gate array semiconductors used in the defense satellite industry, we conducted a technical investigation of application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) semiconductors. The analysis results show that ASIC semiconductors have the heat dissipation, reliability, and radiation resistance capabilities required in a space environment and excellent performance indicators related to the resolution of synthetic aperture radar payloads, such as operating frequency. Research and development of mission-customized ASIC semiconductors that fit the requirements for NSP(new-space paradigm) should be preceded to expanse bases of the space industry, national security capabilities for next-generation space deveolpment also to secure competitiveness of technology and domestic supply chain as space parts itselfs.

Методика проведения агротехнических исследований в опытах с кукурузой

There are stated methodic peculiarities of observations in field experiments with corn. There are presented observations and accounts in field experiments with corn by following indicators: plant structure, growth, and development; phenology and biometrics; diagnostics of mineral nutrition of corn; elements of yield structure; analytic observations in laboratory; yield account and the calculation of the nutrients consumption, protein yield. The article is based on a published book “Methodology of agricultural and technical investigations in experiments with main field crops” by Lukomets V.M., Tishkov N.M., and Semerenko S.A. (Krasnodar, 2022).

Методика проведения агротехнических исследований в опытах с сахарной свёклой

There are stated methodic peculiarities of observations and accounts in field experiments with sugar beet. There are presented plant structure, growth, and development; necessary observations and accounts by following indicators: phenology and biometrics; elements of yield structure; analytic observations in laboratory; yield account and the calculation of the consumption of nutrients. The article is based on a published book “Methodology of agricultural and technical investigations in experiments with main field crops” by Lukomets V.M., Tishkov N.M., and Semerenko S.A. (Krasnodar, 2022).

АНАЛИЗ ОТЧЕТОВ ПО РЕЗУЛЬТАТАМ РАСЧЕТОВ ПОЖАРНЫХ РИСКОВ НА ОБЪЕКТЫ ЗАЩИТЫ ПРИ ПРОИЗВОДСТВЕ СУДЕБНЫХ ПОЖАРНО-ТЕХНИЧЕСКИХ ЭКСПЕРТИЗ ПО КРУПНЫМ РЕЗОНАНСНЫМ ПОЖАРАМ В ХОДЕ УГОЛОВНОГО И АРБИТРАЖНОГО ПРОЦЕССА

The most important aspects affecting the analysis of reports on the results of fire risk calculations performed in the framework of the preparation of special technical specifications and design documentation for warehouse facilities are considered. The analysis was performed during the forensic fire and technical investigations of fires in warehouse buildings, including those with the installed multi-tier mezzanines. The fragments of calculations included in the special technical conditions are studied and provided below. Measures aimed at improving the quality of risk calculations are proposed.

Eksistensi Direktorat Jenderal Penegakan Hukum Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan dalam Penanganan Kasus Pencemaran Lingkungan oleh Pabrik Pengolahan Kelapa Sawit di Riau

Indonesia faces complex environmental problems due to management that is out of balance with economic and population growth. One prominent case is the alleged environmental pollution by PT SIPP in Bengkalis, Riau, involving unauthorized waste disposal and damage to a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). This study aims to describe the role of the Directorate General of Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement (DG Gakkum LHK) in handling the case. Using a qualitative approach and descriptive method, data was collected through a literature study covering environmental pollution regulations and similar cases. The DG Gakkum LHK, which falls under the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, plays an important role in environmental law enforcement through technical policies, supervision, investigation, and application of administrative and criminal sanctions. Since its establishment in 2015, DG Gakkum has improved law enforcement with a multi-instrument approach and cooperation with civil society and relevant law enforcement. In the PT SIPP case, DG Gakkum took decisive action by arresting two company officials and revoking the business license. This research highlights the important role of DG Gakkum in maintaining environmental quality and the sustainability of natural resource management, as well as the challenges faced in enforcing environmental law in Indonesia. Efforts to increase public and business awareness about the importance of environmental protection as well as effective cooperation between government agencies and the community are key in addressing environmental issues holistically.

The extraordinary universe of Peter Apian: technical investigation of five copies of a 16th-century astronomical book

In 1540, in Ingolstadt, Germany, the influential astronomer and printer Peter Apian produced the Astronomicum Caesareum: a printed and hand-coloured astronomical book visualising the Ptolemaic universe through the use of diagrams and wheelcharts, worthy of his imperial patron, Charles V. About 130 copies have survived to this day, with varying degrees of paper quality and level of decoration, and only eleven volumes are considered deluxe copies. We thoroughly analysed one deluxe volume held at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, and compared the results with four (one deluxe and three standard) other copies from institutions in the UK. A non-invasive analytical protocol was applied, including extensive microscopy, fibre-optic reflectance spectroscopy (FORS), X-ray spectroscopy (XRF), macroscale XRF (MA-XRF) and Raman spectroscopy. The most interesting pages were chosen based on art-historical evidence and the variety of the colour palette, including on volvelles (wheelcharts) and coats of arms. Following a systematic approach, we analysed the same pages in each volume, gathering information on the colour palette in all the volumes. The type of paper and the presence of watermarks were also documented. A wide range of materials was identified in the five copies, including red, purple and yellow organic dyes, lead white, verdigris, vermilion, azurite, indigo, smalt, and lead–tin yellow. Mosaic gold was used to embellish certain paint passages in the deluxe volumes and metals (gold and silver) were applied on some pages. The comprehensive findings were essential to identify specific traits related to Apian’s workshop, to differentiate deluxe from standard copies, to suggest an order of production of the copies, and to provide new information on this landmark book and more generally in an under-researched field of study.

Technical investigation of the ternary pumped storage hydro units with ultra-high-water head

Abstract This paper introduces the ternary pumped storage hydro unit technology and its development status, discusses the technical characteristics of the ternary unit, and looks forward to the broad application prospect of the ternary unit technology in the ultra-high head pumped storage power station. The main technical advantage of the ternary pumped storage hydro unit by using the Pelton turbine as the turbine component is that the hydraulic short circuit operation mode of the combined operation of pump and turbine can realize the smooth adjustment of the input power of the unit pumping condition. In addition, the conversion time between working conditions is greatly shortened compared with the conventional reversible pumped storage unit, thus greatly enhancing the power grid’s ability to absorb and adjust new energy.

Life cycle cost assessment of geothermal energy assisted hydrogen liquefaction for sustainable and renewable energy applications: Case study and adaptation for Afyon geothermal power plant

This study presents a comprehensive Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA) of geothermal-assisted hydrogen liquefaction, explicitly focusing on the Afyon Geothermal Power Plant (AGPP) as a case study. The study evaluates the economic viability and sustainability of integrating geothermal energy into hydrogen liquefaction. The results of the LCCA contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable energy solutions, offering a nuanced understanding of the economic considerations associated with geothermal-assisted hydrogen liquefaction. The study serves as a model for assessing the economic feasibility of similar systems, fostering informed decision-making in the pursuit of cleaner and more economically sustainable energy pathways. This study has conducted a technical and economic investigation of liquid hydrogen production using geothermal heat and electricity effects. Geothermal water pre-cools the hydrogen by providing heat to the absorption system. Then, the electricity generated in the geothermal plant is used to work in the liquefaction cycle. The generated electricity is used to liquefy hydrogen in the liquefaction cycle. The capacity of the electricity generated from the AGPP produced here is 2621 kW. The proposed system can be achieved by pre-cooling unit H2 up to −30 °C at 120 °C and 150 kg/s geothermal source. In the liquefaction cycle, 0.84 kg/s H2 can be liquefied. As a result, the total energy efficiency of the proposed system can be calculated as 32.4% and exergy efficiency as 15.4%. The system's net present value (NPV) was calculated as 65,320,000 $. When life cycle cost analysis was performed using the levelized annual cost (LAC) method, the project's levelized cost was calculated as 7,673,000 $/yr. The unit cost of the liquid hydrogen produced is 1.252 $/kg. This system's discounted payback period (Ndpp) is calculated as 3.48.

Методика проведения агротехнических исследований в опытах с озимой пшеницей

There are stated methodic peculiarities of investigations in experiments with winter wheat. There are presented plant structure, growth, and development; observations and accounts in the field experiments by following indicators: phenology and biometrics; the diagnostic of mineral nutrition for winter wheat; the determination of elements of yield structure; analytic observations in laboratory; yield account and the calculation of the consumption of nutrients, protein yields. The article is based on a published book “Methodology of agricultural and technical investigations in experiments with field crops” by Lukomets V.M., Tishkov N.M., and Semerenko S.A. (Krasnodar, 2022).

Fifteenth century Florentine mural investigated in situ with VNIR Hyperspectral Imaging and NIR Photography supports interpretation as a bloodletting scene

This study provides new data which suggest a novel interpretative hypothesis not only on the specific painting, but on the use of bloodletting as medical practice in the Florentine Quattrocento. As a part of a cycle of frescoes devoted to the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy, the examined lunette depicts the “Visit to the sick” in a domestic interior, but it has never been considered as an historical document of precise medical practices. The scene’s definitive interpretation is still unresolved because of the uncertainty of some iconographic details. A campaign of in-situ and non-invasive technical investigations was performed to retrieve possible traces of previous details today concealed. The technical solutions adopted to implement the measurements campaign are illustrated, as an experimental example for remote sensing inspection of mural paintings in-situ. The position of the painting high up on a wall of an historical venue led to opting for stand-alone optical imaging techniques which could operate in remote sensing mode. By combining the use of portable Hyperspectral Imaging with Near Infrared photography a set of detailed images could be obtained that highlighted details not otherwise detectable. Focused on the objects held by the persons present, the analysis of the mural of Visit of the Buonomini in her Lying in Bed, the gift of swaddling cloth could be a tourniquet, shadows of folds of a blanket a thumb lancet, and an object held a blood collection bowl, supported the hypothesis that it could be a medieval bloodletting scene.

Skin Diseases Detection Using Convolution Neural Network

As long as dermatological care encounters challenges, advancements in the accuracy of diagnosis and the efficacy of treatment are imperative. Pioneering work has shown that integrating You Look Only Once (YOLO) architecture with Convolution Neural Networks (CNNs) is a promising alternative. This study investigates the transformative potential and provides fresh perspectives on the diagnosis of skin conditions. By means of technical investigation, we uncover its ability to transform still images into proactive changes in dermatological diagnostics. Furthermore, its wide-ranging implications are explored, encompassing enhancements to diagnosis precision, optimization of treatment strategies, and ultimately, better patient results. The paper emphasizes the crucial roles that CNNs and YOLO architecture will play in defining the path by closely reviewing empirical data and real-world applications. Key Words: Convolution Neural Networks (CNN), You Look Only Once (YOLO) architecture, Image processing, Skin diseases classification, Diagnostic accuracy.

Techno-economic and environmental feasibility study of MILD combustion in domestic utility boilers under partial load operation

This paper aims to achieve the benefits of MILD combustion, such as enhanced thermal efficiency with simultaneous NOx reduction in existing conventional domestic hot water utility boilers which encounter partial heat loads. For this purpose, a system based on waste heat recovery and flue gas recirculation (FGR) is introduced to perform techno-economic and environmental studies under continuous fluctuations of heat load demand in a typical building at various climate conditions. Technical investigations on several types of utility boilers revealed that MILD combustion could be implemented only in modulation boilers, which can serve combustion stability requirements in turndown conditions due to partial load demands. Up to 6 % fuel saving, which aligns with a commensurate decrease in CO2 emissions and a minimum 75 % reduction in NOx emissions, is foreseeable by manipulating optimal FGR for each specific boiler in various climate conditions. Finally, economic investigation demonstrated that the payback period for the proposed revamped system is less than one year for most climates.

Detection of arsenic and lead ions in water through validation of the electrothermal atomic absorption method

The validation of the electrothermal spectrometry method for Arsenic and lead determination in water samples guarantees the quality of analytical data. The study was carried out at AQLAB. A theoretical and technical investigation was applied to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the analytical method. Parameters such as INEN standards, Eurachem international standards, AQLAB internal documents, and environmental standards were used to validate the process. Several readings were performed on different samples to make calibration curves for As and Pb, evaluate the method's linearity, and obtain information on the slope, intercept, and determination coefficient. Statistical calculations were used to determine the limit of detection and quantification, repeatability, reproducibility, trueness, and uncertainty. The results show that the hypotheses were fulfilled, calibration curves with determination coefficient higher than 0.995, repeatability standard deviation lower than 16%, calculated F < critical F (4.96), calculated t student < theoretical (2.23), trueness was between 100.29-110.18 and 99.64-107.92%, uncertainty was 20% range 0.005 to 0.10 mg/L and 15% range 0.01- 0.20mg/L, limit of detection was 0.001 and 0.005 mg/L and limit of quantification was 0.01 and 0.02mg/L, respectively. Therefore, the validation method was robust and accurate. Keywords: water samples, analytical data, reliable results, Arsenic, Lead, validation.

Detection of arsenic and lead ions in water through validation of the electrothermal atomic absorption method

The validation of the electrothermal spectrometry method for Arsenic and lead determination in water samples guarantees the quality of analytical data. The study was carried out at AQLAB. A theoretical and technical investigation was applied to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the analytical method. Parameters such as INEN standards, Eurachem international standards, AQLAB internal documents and environmental standards were used to validate the process. Several readings were performed on different samples to make calibration curves for As and Pb, evaluate the method's linearity, and obtain information on the slope, intercept and determination coefficient. Statistical calculations were used to determine the limit of detection and quantification, repeatability, reproducibility, trueness and uncertainty. The results show that the hypotheses were fulfilled, calibration curves with determination coefficient higher than 0.995, repeatability standard deviation lower than 16%, calculated F < critical F (4.96), calculated t student < theoretical (2.23), trueness was between 100.29-110.18 and 99.64-107.92%, uncertainty was 20% range 0.005 to 0.10 mg/L and 15% range 0.01-0.20mg/L, limit of detection was 0.001 and 0.005 mg/L and limit of quantification was 0.01 and 0.02mg/L, respectively. Therefore, the validation method was robust and accurate. Keywords: water samples, analytical data, reliable results, Arsenic, Lead, validation.

Reduction of Base Shear: A Review on Different Observations that Reduces Base Shear in Multistoried Buildings

Abstract: India, now classified among the world's most densely populated countries, faces a pressing issue of land scarcity in its major urban cities. To address this challenge, constructing taller buildings emerges as a compelling solution, offering enhanced functionality within limited space. This study conducts an extensive review of relevant literature, examining a wealth of previous research conducted that reduced the base shear. The information collected from this survey forms the initial research objectives for our upcoming technical investigation.

Song, wind, and mayhem: The Indiana State Fair stage collapse.

The study of planning and execution failures resulting in disastrous outcomes for public events often offers much value when preparing for similar future events. While not recent, the lessons learned from the Indiana State Fair stage collapse of 2011 remain especially pertinent, due to thorough technical and managerial forensic investigations and their rigorous examination during subsequent litigation about the fatal event. Continued concern about life safety and inconsistent building code enforcement and design guidance for publicly occupied temporary structures, eg, outdoor stages, recently drew recommended changes by the International Code Council for the 2024 edition of the International Building Code. Codification of technical lessons learned is seldom immediate. Even with checklists and written plans of action, the full context of managerial lessons learned can be forgotten, as people without first-hand experience of earlier disasters plan later events. Salient events of the past can reinforce valuable lessons for today's practitioners, even to produce building code changes. That is certainly so for the Indiana State Fair stage collapse of August 2011.

Analysis of the mechanical behavior of an alternative sand for foundry molding

The exploration and beneficiation of iron ore result in a substantial generation of waste, predominantly directed towards tailings dams, heightening environmental concerns. Faced with this environmental challenge, numerous studies have been devoted to seeking sustainable solutions, aiming at the utilization of waste in various sectors of the economy. In this context, this study focuses on the technical feasibility investigation of using sandy iron ore waste as molding sand in foundry processes. Foundry molding sand, crucial in casting, must meet specific requirements and exhibit particular characteristics to effectively fulfill its function. To address this issue, test specimens were fabricated using three distinct types of sands: Standard Sand, Sand 01 (without magnetic separation), and Sand 02 (subjected to magnetic separation), combined with two binders (bentonite and sodium silicate). Subsequently, the test specimens underwent mechanical tests for tension, flexure, and compression, with the aim of evaluating their ability to withstand applied forces. The results of these tests revealed that Sand 02, when combined with sodium silicate, demonstrated satisfactory performance, in accordance with established standards and studies for obtaining sands intended for molding in foundry processes.

Technical, Economic, and Environmental Investigation of Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage Integrated with Photovoltaic Systems in Jordan

In this study, the technical and economic feasibility of employing pumped hydroelectric energy storage (PHES) systems at potential locations in Jordan is investigated. In each location, a 1 MWp off-grid photovoltaic (PV) system was installed near the dam reservoir to drive pumps that transfer water up to an upper reservoir at a certain distance and elevation. PVsyst (Version 7.3.4) is implemented to simulate the water flow rate pumped to the upper reservoir at each location. The water in the upper reservoir is presumed to flow back into the dam reservoir through a turbine during peak hours at night to power a 1 MW load. Based on the water volume in the upper reservoir, the power generated through the turbine was estimated using HOMER Pro® (Version 3.15.3), and the power exported to the grid (when the power generated from the turbine is more than the power required by the driven load) was also determined. It is worth mentioning that scaling up the size of PV and hydropower systems is a straightforward approach considering the modular nature of such systems. However, the quantity of water in the dam reservoir that is allowed to be pumped is the main determinant for the size of a PHES system. The technical and economic results show that the potential of employing these locations to implement PHES systems is great. In addition, a study was conducted to estimate how much CO2 emissions were reduced by generating renewable energy compared to generating the same amount of energy from fossil fuels. These systems increase renewable energy in the energy mix in Jordan, stabilize the grid, and balance the loads, especially during peak periods. More importantly, PHES systems contribute to making the energy sector in Jordan more sustainable.