Utilizability Method Research Articles

Automatic detection and classification process for concrete defects in deteriorating buildings based on image data

ABSTRACT Defects in buildings accelerate the deterioration of building conditions and threaten the structural safety of buildings. Building condition assessments are essential to identify and assess building defects. However, with the vast number of buildings, individual inspections are nearly impossible, highlighting the need for innovative solutions. Therefore, this study presented a safety inspection process that automatically detects and classifies defects using image data that can be easily acquired at a low cost and confirms the location of defects through 3D modeling. A CNN model is developed to detect defects in images of aging buildings, and the proposed process is validated through a case study to demonstrate its effectiveness. The case study focused on the effectiveness and convenience improvement of the proposed process compared to the existing methods of inspecting the exterior of buildings. The effectiveness of the proposed process was reviewed through the case study, and it was confirmed that more efficient safety inspections could be supported using only image data compared to the existing methods. In particular, the safety inspection process of this study is expected to be applied in practical use within a short period since it is an easily utilizable method for inspectors.

Using the utility method - F-scheme in studying the long-term thermal performance of the heat-storage and transmitting wall (Trombe wall)

With the development of building construction engineering and the way to obtain energy from natural sources, the sun has become an important source to avail from thermal energy. In this research, the study of the long-term thermal performance of a passive solar heating system containing an absorber and storage wall was done by using the general design utilizability Method The equations of the mathematical model for this system were solved using the MATLAB environment program. In order to calculate the values of the solar refractive index (f) for this system for the four months of the winter season (November to February). The climatic conditions during these months are the daily values based on the monthly average in the city of Kut (Iraq). Since the best type of wall is the concrete wall, changes are made to this type of wall. A number of variables that affect the performance of the wall have been changed, including in it = wall area, wall thickness. The results showed that increasing the wall area and decreasing the thickness leads to an increase in the value of the solar refractive index, and the maximum values of the solar refractive factor were found during November, and the concrete material is the best performing material among brick and stone material, according to previous studies.

CREB3L1 Overexpression Can Reliably Discriminate Ph-MPNs from Reactive Cases

Discrimination of Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (Ph-MPNs) from reactive hypercytosis and myelofibrosis is imperative because treatment strategies differ greatly, and an exhaustive search for the underlying cause becomes mandatory in reactive cases. However, discrimination is not necessarily easy in the real-world setting, and a simple and universally utilizable method that can efficiently differentiate Ph-MPNs from reactive cases is awaited. We extracted platelet rich plasma (PRP) derived RNAs from 9 essential thrombocythemia (ET) patients (3 patients with JAK2V617F, 3 patients with MPLW515L/K, and 3 patients with CALR exon 9 frameshift mutation) and 6 patients with reactive thrombocytosis (3 cases due to chronic inflammation, and 3 cases due to rebound thrombocytosis) and performed RNA-seq to identify a gene expressed specifically in ET. RNA-seq analysis followed by differential expression and principal component analysis revealed that CREB3L1 had the highest impact in discriminating ET from reactive cases. Subsequently, expression levels of CREB3L1 in PRP were quantified by reverse transcription quantitative PCR and compared within patients with various Ph-MPNs harboring either JAK2, MPL, or CALR mutations, chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), and reactive cases, and found that CREB3L1 expression levels were significantly higher in 66 ET compared to 33 reactive thrombocytosis (p < 0.0001), 26 polycythemia vera (PV) compared to 23 reactive erythrocytosis (p < 0.0001), 22 primary myelofibrosis and 15 post-PV/ET myelofibrosis (MF) compared to 3 reactive MF (p < 0.001, and p < 0.01, respectively), and the entire cohort of 129 Ph-MPN compared to 5 CML patients (p < 0.001). A clear cut-off value discriminating Ph-MPNs and non-Ph-MPNs was determined, and sensitivity and specificity were both 1.0000. Furthermore, when we tested CREB3L1 expression levels of triple-negative cases with thrombocytosis, all patients with CREB3L1 overexpression were pathologically diagnosed as ET by bone marrow biopsy. We demonstrate that CREB3L1 overexpression can single-handedly and reliably discriminate Ph-MPNs from reactive hypercytosis, reactive myelofibrosis, and CML. Early utilization of this method in the diagnostic process can guide patients to an efficient diagnosis and free many patients from unnecessary testing. Disclosures Komatsu: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., PharmaEssentia Japan KK, AbbVie GK, Celgene KK, Novartis Pharma KK, Shire Japan KK, Japan Tobacco Inc: Consultancy; Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Novartis Pharma KK, Shire Japan KK: Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Other: member of safety assessment committee in M13-834 clinical trial.; PPMX: Consultancy, Research Funding; Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shire Japan KK, Novartis Pharma KK, PharmaEssentia Japan KK, Fuso Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd., Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutica: Research Funding; Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd.: Patents & Royalties: PCT/JP2020/008434, Research Funding.

Assessment of the annual performance of solar collectors by means of the utilizability method

This report presents some results from a comparative analysis of the long-term efficiency of flat-plate and evacuated tube solar collectors under different operating conditions. The analysis involves calculation of the daily utilizibility factor, which is defined as the fraction of total monthly solar radiation over an inclined surface that exceeds the critical value. The monthly values of the critical radiation and the daily utilizability factor for the solar collectors are determined under different climatic conditions and different temperatures of the heat transfer fluid. The obtained results are used to compare the annual performance of the solar collectors.

A Method For Solving Balanced And Unbalanced Trapezoidal Intuitionistic Fuzzy Assignment Quandary

In this paper, we discuss Trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy assignment quandary(TrIFAP). In classical assignment quandary, Cost always remains same. But, here we develop an method to solve Trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy assignment quandary where cost is not deterministic numbers but infelicitous ones. Here, the costs(profits) matrix have all the elements they are TrIFN and others have been immensely colossal demonstration against the classical method. Then its trapezoidal membership and non-membership functions are defined. In general compare the findings from different methods attested the same picture. Numerical examples show that an intuitionistic fuzzy ranking method is very efficacious and utilizable method for handling a TrIFAP.

Educational solar energy tool in Matlab environment

In this work, an educational tool to be used in solar energy courses is proposed. It consists of software, named Softsun, with educational purposes, which allows performing some tasks applicable to solar thermal and photovoltaic systems. Among other things, this software allows: obtaining the I–V​ curve of diode models using data from manufacturers, calculating solar radiation components to use the f-chart or utilizability methods for solar thermal and photovoltaic systems, and dealing with economic aspects. This software was developed within Matlab, being able to simulate several processes with a user-friendly platform. Softsun also has other functions, such as support, theories, conversion units and reports, if required by the user. The main purpose is an educational tool in the area of solar energy, which helps the teaching and learning process commonly used in engineering.

Analysis of swimming pool solar heating using the utilizability method

A study was carried out to predict the long-term energy performance of swimming pool solar heating systems for four Brazilian cities using the utilizability method. The chosen cities were Brasília, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre and São Luís. The pool area was kept constant and both glazed and unglazed solar thermal collectors were considered for the different locations, with a slope equal to the latitude of each city. The meteorological data used in the analysis such as wind speed, ambient temperature, radiation on a horizontal surface and clearness index were specific for each city and obtained from Meteonorm. The geometric parameters of the collectors were constant for all simulations and the results were carried out with a specially developed computational code. In addition, statistical analyses of the data using ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) and Tukey’s test were made.

Estimation of indoor contamination source location by using variational continuous assimilation method

Information on concentration of contaminants is important for management of indoor air quality. Recently, data assimilation techniques are used in order to accurately estimate location and intensity of contamination source in addition to concentration field. In this study, the variational continuous assimilation (VCA) method, which was originally developed in meteorological simulations, was applied to estimates of indoor air quality. The method modifies the governing equations of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model by adding a correction term which reduces the error between original CFD calculation and observed data. In the mass conservation equation, the correction term can be assumed to be a pseudo source term. The validity of VCA method was confirmed by numerical experiments for two-dimensional steady-state calculation with the following procedures: (i) “true” concentration field was produced by CFD calculations with “true” concentration source; (ii) “pseudo-observation” data were extracted from “true” concentration field; (iii) the VCA method was applied to “false” CFD calculations without contamination source to produce “corrected” concentration field using “pseudo-observation” data; (iv) “corrected” concentration field and contamination source were compared with “true” dataset. The numerical experiments revealed the following findings: the VCA method can identify the area where the contamination source was located; and the VCA method can also reduce errors between “true” and CFD-calculated concentration field although the peak concentration was not well-estimated. These results suggest that the VCA method is a utilizable method to estimate concentration field, and location and intensity of contamination source.

Fragmentation differences in the EI spectra of three synthetic cannabinoid positional isomers: JWH-250, JWH-302, and JWH-201

The cannabinomimetic drug JWH-250 is found in herbal “spice” mixtures and is banned in many parts of the world. It is easy to misidentify JWH-250 with the positional isomers JWH-302 and JWH-201 using conventional gas chromatograph/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) because all three compounds have similar GC retention times and nearly identical mass spectra. The isomers differ by the position of a methoxy group on one of the aromatic rings; the methoxy is either ortho, meta or para relative to the indole substituent. Statistical analysis of principal fragment ions in the 70eV electron ionization mass spectra of each synthetic cannabinoid showed the three isomers to be very significantly different in their respective ratios of m/z 121:91, thus forming an utilizable method for differentiation. The different abundance ratios of m/z 121:91 is explained by the ease of loosing the methoxy group when it is ortho, meta or para to an acetyl-indole-containing group in the different isomers. The ratios of m/z 121:91 were averaged across three different instruments over an extended period and provided m/z 121:91 ratios of: JWH-250 (ortho isomer)=0.4±0.02 (95% CI, N=14); JWH-302 (meta isomer)=1.3±0.1(95% CI, N=6); and JWH-201 (para isomer)=7.2±0.5 (95% CI, N=7).

Experience of Traditional Teaching Methods in Architectural Design Education: “Mimesis Technique”

Architectural design education aims creativity and differs from other education systems. Educational sciences consist of sub-discipline titles such as “education methods”, “teaching techniques”, “educational environment”, “education tools” and “educational psychology”. In creativity education, it is necessary to use some of these componentssimultaneously. In the semester that was conducted in Gazi University, Department of Architecture, some of methods and techniques have been used sequential. Theoretical period was “narrating lecture”, “discussion” and “ask a question” in data collection and evaluation. During the creativeness part of design education, “mimesis” technique has been tried. Contemporary design samples related to design problem have been shown and students were requested to be inspired from these examples for their new designs. At this stage, it is aimed to evaluate the progress in designing skills of students by using deductive mimesis technique. As conclusion, that technique is time saver and idea generator in creating new solutions. Inspiring from the main features of shown samples instead of imitate them, is utilizable method in architectural creativity education.

A feasibility study using simulation-based optimization and Taguchi experimental design method for material handling—transfer system in the automobile industry

Nowadays, so as to adapt to the global market, where competition is getting tougher, firms producing through the modern production approach need to bring not the only performance of the system designed both during the research and development phase and the production phase but also the performance of the product to be developed as well as the process to be improved to the highest level. The Taguchi method is an experimental design technique seeking to minimize the effect of uncontrollable factors, using orthogonal arrays. It can also be designed as a set of plans showing the way data are collected through experiments. Experiments are carried out using factors defined at different levels and a solution model generated in ARENA 3.0 program using SIMAN, which is a simulation language. Many experimental investigations reveal that the speed and capacity of automated-guided vehicle, the capacities of local depots, and the mean time between shipping from the main depot are the major influential parameters that affect the performance criteria of the storage system. For the evaluation of experiment results and effects of related factors, variance analysis and signal/noise ratio are used and the experiments are carried out in MINITAB15 according to Taguchi L16 scheme. The purpose of this study is to prove that experimental design is an utilizable method not only for product development and process improvement but it can also be used effectively in the design of material handling–transfer systems and performance optimization of automation technologies, which are to be integrated to the firms.

Estimation of slump value and Bingham parameters of fresh concrete mixture composition with artificial neural network modelling

High performance is the most important expectation from concrete which is commonly used in today’s construction technology. To form a high performance concrete “HPC”, two fundamental properties are required. These properties are optimization of the materials used to form the concrete and the workability of fresh concrete during shaping. Many scientists have used rheological properties in conjunction with Bingham model to determine the workability of fresh concrete. Bingham model is represented by two parameters: yield stress and plastic viscosity. Even though, many models are developed to explain rheological properties, there is no acceptable easy to use method. In this study, artificial neural network “ANN” is used to determine the rheological properties of fresh concrete. Ferraris and de Larrard’s experimental slump, yield stress and viscosity data from different composed concretes is used in this study. Slump, yield stress and viscosity are estimated with respect to mixture design parameters. Obtained results from this study indicates that ANN is a utilizable method to determine the rheological proporties (Bingham model) of fresh concrete. Key words: Fresh concrete, Bingham flow, slump value, artificial neural network.

Intravesical instillation in pure line LEW rats and nude mice

In order to study bladder intravesical instillation methods in pure line LEW rats and nude mice, female LEW rats and nude mice aged 2 to 4 weeks were sacrificed. Their urethra and bladder were observed under anatomical microscopy. A trochar was prepared according to the outline and angle of the urethra. Ink was poured into female rats and nude mice bladder though urethra. Filling and staining of bladder were observed and evaluated under anatomical microscopy. Status and urethral injury of rats and mice were observed. The results showed that urethra anatomic structure of rats and nude mice was different from that of human urethra. When bladder was filled with ink and became blue, liquid was not seen to leak out. The success rate of intubation was high (100%). Living activities of animals weren't influenced by intravesical instillation. It was concluded that bladder irrigation might be a kind of valid and utilizable method in pure line rat and nude mouse empirical study. The model may be a more effective tool for study of bladder tumor.

New approaches on the optimization of directly coupled PV pumping systems

We here use a multi-step optimization procedure to improve utilization of a direct-coupled photovoltaic water pumping systems. The algorithm developed here is simple, fast, and has no numerical problems. The solution can be obtained by using available long-term meteorological data for the design-site and manufacturer data for the system components. The main steps in the algorithm are outlined below: (i) The long-term (16 years, between 1985 and 2001) meteorological database on hourly basis for the design site (Sanliurfa, Turkey), provided in electronic format by the National Meteorology Center, is constructed. (ii) The optimal PV array slope is determined by the linear search method. (iii) The optimal solar radiation interval is determined by the utilizability method. (iv) The optimum number of PV panels and their optimal electrical configuration in the array are determined by a nonlinear search method based on a statistical parameter. The results show that better system performance with less PV array area can be obtained by accurate selection of the array configuration.

Comparison of the performance of PV water pumping systems driven by fixed, tracking and V-trough generators

Photovoltaic pumping systems with solar tracking, coupled to low concentration cavities, have been proposed as a viable alternative to reduce the final cost of the pumped water volume. V-trough concentrators are particularly appropriate for photovoltaic applications since, for certain combinations of the concentration ratio ( C) and vertex angle ( Ψ), they provide uniform illumination on the region where the modules are located. Water pumping systems are only operational when the irradiance is larger than a minimum irradiance level ( I C). Solar tracking increases the average collected irradiance ( I coll ) and, for a system operating with a given critical irradiance level ( I C), it is verified that the smaller the relationship (I C / I coll ) , the larger the useful energy. Thus, the gain, in terms of pumped water volume, provided by solar tracking systems, can be larger than the gain in collected solar radiation. The combination of both devices, tracking and concentration provides an additional increase of the benefits resulting from the use of solar trackers. By means of the “Utilizability Method”, we estimate the long-term gains of pumped water volume, for tracking systems, with and without concentration, against fixed systems. The long-term water volume has been calculated using the characteristic curve of a tested PVP system with a tracking V-trough concentrator. Results show that, for the climate of the city of Recife (PE-Brazil), the annual pumped water volume of the tracking system is 1.41 times the value obtained with the fixed system. In that case, the gains observed for the collected solar energy were around 1.23. For the PVP system with tracking V-trough concentrator the annual benefits for pumped water volume are around 2.49, while for collected solar radiation we found 1.74. The annualized cost of the cubic meter of pumped water has been estimated for the three configurations. Results show a cost reduction of the order of 19% for the tracking system and of 48% for the concentrating system, when compared to the fixed configuration.

03/02426 Solar energy collection by antennas: Corkish, R. et al. Solar Energy, 2002, 73, (6), 395–401

An experimental facility of a photovoltaic array mounted on a one-axis east–west tracker, coupled to a pumping system, was tested for several months, under two working conditions: fixed and tracking mode. Results show that the gain obtained in the daily water volume is higher than the one obtained for the collected irradiation. For values of hemispherical irradiation equal to 5000 and 6000 Wh/m2, the irradiation collected by the tracker plane is 19 and 24% higher than the one collected by the fixed system. However, gains in water volume are equal to 37 and 41%. The reasons for the increase in pumped water volume being larger than the increase in collected irradiance are analyzed. To generalize the experimental results, a long term estimate of the water volume pumped by PV systems driven by tracking collectors was carried out via the utilizability method. As a result, we describe how the benefit ratio in pumped water volume is affected by the contributions due to collected irradiance, utilizability function and a factor Ω, related to the non-linearity of the characteristic curve. Finally, the influence of the critical irradiance (IC) (minimum value of irradiance, necessary to start the water pump operation) on the benefit obtained in pumped water volume, by using tracking systems, is discussed. Numerical simulations show that the increase in pumped water volume, annual average, varies between 1.29 and 1.53 for (IC) within the interval from 275 to 575 W/m2.

Photovoltaic pumping systems driven by tracking collectors. Experiments and simulation

An experimental facility of a photovoltaic array mounted on a one-axis east–west tracker, coupled to a pumping system, was tested for several months, under two working conditions: fixed and tracking mode. Results show that the gain obtained in the daily water volume is higher than the one obtained for the collected irradiation. For values of hemispherical irradiation equal to 5000 and 6000 Wh/m 2, the irradiation collected by the tracker plane is 19 and 24% higher than the one collected by the fixed system. However, gains in water volume are equal to 37 and 41%. The reasons for the increase in pumped water volume being larger than the increase in collected irradiance are analyzed. To generalize the experimental results, a long term estimate of the water volume pumped by PV systems driven by tracking collectors was carried out via the utilizability method. As a result, we describe how the benefit ratio in pumped water volume is affected by the contributions due to collected irradiance, utilizability function and a factor Ω, related to the non-linearity of the characteristic curve. Finally, the influence of the critical irradiance ( I C) (minimum value of irradiance, necessary to start the water pump operation) on the benefit obtained in pumped water volume, by using tracking systems, is discussed. Numerical simulations show that the increase in pumped water volume, annual average, varies between 1.29 and 1.53 for ( I C) within the interval from 275 to 575 W/m 2.

Performance of solar systems with non-linear behavior calculated by the utilizability method: application to PV solar pumps

Based on the utilizability method we derived, in the first part of the paper, an analytic expression to calculate the time average of physical quantities non-linearly dependent on collected solar radiation. Results are applied to photovoltaic pumping systems (PVPS). Water flow propelled by various types of pumps, centrifugal or progressive cavity displacement, for example, can be conveniently written as a second degree polynomial of the collected solar radiation. In that case, the long-term time average of relevant physical parameters, like water flow or hydraulic power, can be calculated with a very simple expression. The procedure is validated comparing long-term averages of maximum water volume pumped by a PV system, obtained with the utilizability method, with those found by running a 10-year time series. Comparison is made for several climatic regions in Brazil. Results show very good agreement for every month of the year and all locations, with a maximum deviation of 1.7%. The method applied to calculate long-term averages, maximum water volume for example, can be useful for evaluation and design procedures of photovoltaic pumping equipment.

The probability density function [formula omitted] of the clearness index: A new approach

Utilizability methods which predict long-term average energy delivery of solar systems are all based on the precise knowledge of frequency distributions of insolation values. This paper presents a simple and physical model for the clearness index probability density function, from which frequency distributions are easily derived. The model predictions agree very well with experimental data from Guadeloupe, a tropical humid area. It is very likely that this model will apply in other tropical areas and, at the expense of a slight increase in complexity, for other climates.

Procedure for the determination of the maximum surface which can be irrigated by a photovoltaic pumping system

The area which can be irrigated with photovoltaic equipment, of a defined power, is an important design parameter of an integrated photovoltaic irrigation system. In this paper, a procedure has been developed to maximize the area of the surface irrigated. The analysis considers the interaction of four subsystems: local climate, irrigated crops, soil and photovoltaic pumping equipment. At first the mechanical energy available in the shaft of the moto-pump is calculated by the utilizability method. Then an analytical relation between mechanical energy, volume of pumped water and manometric height is obtained and correlated with experimental results. This correlation is used to obtain the volume of pumped water as a function of mechanical energy. Finally, a water balance is done, considering the irrigated surface as a variable. The maximum surface which can be irrigated has to satisfy the following conditions: (a) the water supply has to satisfy the water demand at any time of the year, (b) the water stored in the soil has, for safety reasons, to be no less than 20% of its field capacity. The procedure is illustrated with an example developed for a crop of grapes in the area of Petrolina PE, Brasil. The maximum surface which can be irrigated with a 450 W photovoltaic equipment results, in this example, to be equal to 1.57 ha. When the storage capacity is not considered, the maximum area becomes equal to 1.44 ha. The procedure can also be used to determine the optimum inclination angle of the photovoltaic panels.