International Transaction Journal
of Engineering, Management,&
Applied Sciences & Technologies
:: International Editorial Board:
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Cover: Humanoid Robots -NAO
(Photo of Naos is copyrighted by Dr. Wataru Takano and Professor Dr. Yoshihiko Nakamura. Humanoid robots, NAO, are being used for Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Seminar at Department of Mechano-Informatics, University of Tokyo. (Photo is used with permission)) (mirror @ calameo)
Feature peer-reviewed articles for Vol.2 No.3 (July 2011):
The work is carried out with an objective of first, evaluating: the thermal characteristics of opaque and transparent parts of the building envelope in hot dry climate of case study “new mosque” building in Baghdad, the impact of sol-air temperatures, heat gain factors and the u-value of envelope section components. Second, it aims to assess the architectural criteria for appropriate passive design of new mosques in hot dry climates. Architectural design and construction of the new mosque (musalla) envelope in Baghdad are thermally inefficient in protecting the indoor space from climatic fluctuations. Therefore, the existing new mosques are not within thermal comfort level. To achieve and maintain that, applying architectural and construction alternatives on the mosque envelope contributes to controlling heat exchange through it as well as enhancing its thermal behaviors that contribute to getting internal thermal balance. The research covers survey of design, construction features, comfort levels in new mosques, and definition of the “model mosque”, as well as identification and thermal assessment of the typical “model mosque”. Computer simulations for building thermal behavior and design modification of building construction components also covered by the research. The findings and conclusion of the impact of simulation changes stated as well as recommendations for possible future mosque and design strategy. The findings show that HVAC systems entail capital, functional and maintenance costs whereas the passive mosque (musallas) building consumes less energy as well as being more likely to be in sympathy with the environment.
- A Practical Step towards Integrating Elderly Pathway Design into Museum Space Planning: Framework of Satisfaction Assessment
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Raed M. A. Elottol and Azizi Bahauddin (School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, MALAYSIA)
Keywords: Interior Environment, Museums’ Design, Pathway Design, Elderly, Satisfaction
Abstract
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The study examines how elderly visitors’ perception, interior environment, pathway design quality, and satisfaction are related in the context of interior environment and space planning of museums. This paper explores a theoretical as well as practical key issue in elderly pathway design in museums in Malaysia. The research intends to explore the elderly pathway design that interacts with the interior environment and space planning in museums. This is to fully understand the relationship between elderly visitors’ satisfaction and pathway design. This paper plans to answer critical questions; what is interior pathway design? How does the pathway design relate to the elderly visitors’ satisfaction? And what is the relationship between elderly visitors’ satisfaction, and pathway design quality? This study is one of the few studies focus on elderly people and pathway design. The empirical analysis carried out on 509 of elderly visitors in 21 museums in Malaysia allows us to confirm that the quality of interior pathway design is a direct determinant of elderly satisfaction. The results also reveal that there is a significant relationship between elderly satisfaction and quality perception. Finally, the interior environment elements of museums such as lighting design, furniture arrangement and finishes materials are also considered.
- Validating Measurements of Perceived Ease Comprehension and Ease of Navigation of an Online Learning Technology: Improving Web Based Learning Tool Adoption and Use
Many universities are realizing that the implementation and use of online learning tool become a competitive advantage to address the actual learning needs. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that influence users’ perceived ease of use of Webct an online learning tool. We administrated a questionnaire to undergraduate students from an university in Quebec, Canada. The results tend to corroborate that ease of comprehension and ease of navigation are the key factors which influence the perceived ease of use of WebCT. More specifically, the terms used in educational web applications must be as simple and relevant as possible. Jargon and technical terms in the wording of text used for links should be carefully avoided. This research is extending the finding of IT adoption studies by specifying what make an online tool easy to use.
- A Land Data Assimilation System Utilizing Low Frequency Passive Microwave Remote Sensing: A Case Study of the Tibetan Plateau
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David Kuria (Department of Geomatic Engineering and Geospatial Information Science, Kimathi University College of Technology, KENYA), Toshio Koike (River and Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, JAPAN),Moses Gachari (Department of Geomatic Engineering and Geospatial Information Science, Kimathi University College of Technology, KENYA),and Souhail Boussetta (River and Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Tokyo, JAPAN),
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Keywords: Soil moisture retrieval, Land Surface Modelling, Data assimilation, Passive microwaves, AMSR-E, Tibetan Plateau, Surface emission model
Abstract
To address the gap in bridging global and smaller modelling scales, downscaling approaches have been reported as an appropriate solution. Downscaling on its own is not wholly adequate in the quest to produce local phenomena, and in this paper we use a physical downscaling method combined with data assimilation strategies, to obtain physically consistent land surface condition prediction. Using data assimilation strategies, it has been demonstrated that by minimizing a cost function, a solution utilizing imperfect models and observation data including observation errors is feasible. We demonstrate that by assimilating lower frequency passive microwave brightness temperature data using a validated theoretical radiative transfer model, we can obtain very good predictions that agree well with observed conditions.
- Prediction of Weld Pool Geometry in Pulsed Current Micro Plasma Arc Welding of SS304L Stainless Steel Sheets
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Kondapalli Siva Prasad (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Technology & Sciences, INDIA), Ch. Srinivasa Rao, and D. Nageswara Rao (Department of Mechanical Engineering, Andhra University, INDIA)
Keywords:Pulsed Current MPAW, SS304L, ANOVA, Bead Geometry
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Abstract
Pulsed Micro Plasma Arc Welding (MPAW) is a metal joining technique widely used in manufacturing of thin sheet components due to its inherent properties. The weld quality and productivity are controlled by the process parameters. The paper discuses about development of mathematical models for weld pool geometry of stainless steel 304L sheets. Design of experiments based on full factorial design is employed for the development of a mathematical model correlating the important controlled pulsed MPAW process parameters like peak current, background current, pulse and pulse width with front width, back width, front height and back height. The developed mode has been checked for adequacy based on ANOVA analysis. Weld bead parameters obtained by the models are found to confirm actual values with high accuracy. Using these models effect of pulsed MPAW process parameters on weld pool geometry are studied.
- Habitability Study on Low-Cost House Design of Modern and Traditional Mid-rise House Units in the City of Mukalla, Yemen
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Anwar Ahmed Baeissa (Department of Architecture and Environmental Planning, Faculty of Engineering and Petroleum, Hadhramout University of Science and Technology, YEMEN), and Ahmad Sanusi Hassan (School of Housing, Building and Planning, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, MALAYSIA)
Keywords:Habitability, House design, Low-cost houses, Traditional style
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Abstract
This study investigates the measurable factors which influence the residential level of satisfaction in low-cost house units in Mukalla, Yemen. The importance of this study is due to the development of this city that has been influenced by modern architecture since colonial period. It is the tradition in Mukalla that most population live in traditional (known as tower houses) and modern mid-rise houses. The work aims to examine the level of habitability of modern house design in comparison to the level of habitability of house design of the traditional houses. The result shows that levels of satisfaction of the respondents who live at traditional house units are generally higher than those in modern house units. The finding of the study indicates house design as an important factor that determines the level of residential satisfaction. This research contributes several proposals from the research findings considered for house design guideline for the local authority to improve quality of modern house layout units with reference to the traditional house design layout in the present and future development.
- Interrelationships between Characteristic Lengths of Local Scour Hole
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Hossein Hamidifar (Department of Irrigation and Reclamation Engineering, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran)
Keywords:Local scour, Hydraulic structures, Characteristic lengths, Sediment, Sluice gate, Horizontal apron
Abstract
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This paper presents the results of an experimental study on local scour of noncohesive sediments downstream of a horizontal rigid apron. The experiments were carried out in a rectangular flume with 9m length, 0.5m width and 0.6m height which includes an alluvial test reach of 1.65m length and 0.2m depth at the end of the apron. Two types of uniform sediment with median diameters of 0.73mm and 1.85mm were used in the experiments. Time variations of the maximum scour depth was measured for some experiments. It was found that the scour hole does not reach the equilibrium state even after 48 hours. However, after the first 12 hours, the rate of extension of the maximum scour depth is found to be less than 0.001 cm/min. Although the scour profile seems to be three dimensional in nature, it was found that there is a geometrical similarity between the scour holes in all of the experiments. Variations of the characteristic lengths of the scour hole such as the maximum scour depth, dsm, the maximum extension of hole, L0, and the dune height, hd, are related to each other. Nondimensional graphs and formulas are suggested to determine the variation of these parameters in different conditions.
- Oxygen Excess Control of Industrial Combustion Through The Use of Automotive Lambda Sensor
Abstract
The objective of this study is to present a simple and low cost method of determining the flue gases oxygen concentration. The method makes use of the Lambda sensor, a part of the fuel injection system of the modern automobile’s engine. A combustion chamber was mounted with a heated Lambda sensor installed in its chimney. Residual oxygen concentrations in the flue gases were estimated by the use of the Nernst equation and compared to a reference combustion analyser. The observed average deviation in the measurements was of about 5 % which is in the range of interest to the industrial combustion.
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