Blast Loaded Columns—State of the Art Review

The ever-present threat of terrorist attacks in recent decades gives way to research towards blast-resistant design of structures. Columns, as one of the main load-bearing elements in residential buildings and bridges, are becoming interesting targets in bombing attacks. Research of column blast load behavior leads toward increased safety by identifying shortcomings and problems of those elements and acting accordingly. Field tests and numerical simulations lead to the development of new blast load mitigation technics, either in the design process or as a retrofit and strengthening of existing elements. The article provides a state-of-the-art literature review of filed blast load tests and numerical simulations of a bridge and building columns.

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A Systematic Literature Review of the EFQM Excellence Model from 1991 to 2019

International Journal of Applied Research in Management and Economics ◽

10.33422/ijarme.v2i2.211 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 11-15

Author(s):

Muhammad Yousaf ◽

Petr Bris

Keyword(s):

Quality Management ◽

Data Collection ◽

Literature Review ◽

Systematic Literature Review ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Web Of Science ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Future Research ◽

European Foundation ◽

The Subject

A systematic literature review (SLR) from 1991 to 2019 is carried out about EFQM (European Foundation for Quality Management) excellence model in this paper. The aim of the paper is to present state of the art in quantitative research on the EFQM excellence model that will guide future research lines in this field. The articles were searched with the help of six strings and these six strings were executed in three popular databases i.e. Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct. Around 584 peer-reviewed articles examined, which are directly linked with the subject of quantitative research on the EFQM excellence model. About 108 papers were chosen finally, then the purpose, data collection, conclusion, contributions, and type of quantitative of the selected papers are discussed and analyzed briefly in this study. Thus, this study identifies the focus areas of the researchers and knowledge gaps in empirical quantitative literature on the EFQM excellence model. This article also presents the lines of future research.

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Costs and Benefits of Autonomous Shipping—A Literature Review

Applied Sciences ◽

10.3390/app11104553 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 4553

Author(s):

Ewelina Ziajka-Poznańska ◽

Jakub Montewka

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Business Models ◽

Financial Models ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Costs And Benefits ◽

Capital Costs ◽

Research Activities ◽

Benefit Estimation ◽

Autonomous Ship ◽

The Cost

The development of autonomous ship technology is currently in focus worldwide and the literature on this topic is growing. However, an in-depth cost and benefit estimation of such endeavours is in its infancy. With this systematic literature review, we present the state-of-the-art system regarding costs and benefits of the operation of prospective autonomous merchant ships with an objective for identifying contemporary research activities concerning an estimation of operating, voyage, and capital costs in prospective, autonomous shipping and vessel platooning. Additionally, the paper outlines research gaps and the need for more detailed business models for operating autonomous ships. Results reveal that valid financial models of autonomous shipping are lacking and there is significant uncertainty affecting the cost estimates, rendering only a reliable evaluation of specific case studies. The findings of this paper may be found relevant not only by academia, but also organisations considering to undertake a challenge of implementing Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships in their operations.

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Systematic Literature Review on Smart Mobility: A Framework for Future “Quantitative” Developments

Journal of Planning Literature ◽

10.1177/0885412221994246 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088541222199424

Author(s):

Mauro Francini ◽

Lucia Chieffallo ◽

Annunziata Palermo ◽

Maria Francesca Viapiana

Keyword(s):

Cluster Analysis ◽

Literature Review ◽

Systematic Literature Review ◽

Performance Indicators ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Measurement Model ◽

Broader Impacts ◽

Research Goal ◽

Smart Mobility ◽

Definition Of

This work aims to reorganize theoretical and empirical research on smart mobility through the systematic literature review approach. The research goal is to reach an extended and shared definition of smart mobility using the cluster analysis. The article provides a summary of the state of the art that can have broader impacts in determining new angles for approaching research. In particular, the results will be a reference for future quantitative developments for the authors who are working on the construction of a territorial measurement model of the smartness degree, helping them in identifying performance indicators consistent with the definition proposed.

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Cash Flow Bullwhip—Literature Review and Research Perspectives

Logistics ◽

10.3390/logistics5010008 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 8

Author(s):

Hicham Lamzaouek ◽

Hicham Drissi ◽

Naima El Haoud

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Customer Service ◽

Cash Flow ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Research Work ◽

Bullwhip Effect ◽

Research Perspectives ◽

Financial Perspective ◽

The Impact ◽

Exhaustive List

The bullwhip effect is a pervasive phenomenon in all supply chains causing excessive inventory, delivery delays, deterioration of customer service, and high costs. Some researchers have studied this phenomenon from a financial perspective by shedding light on the phenomenon of cash flow bullwhip (CFB). The objective of this article is to provide the state of the art in relation to research work on CFB. Our ambition is not to make an exhaustive list, but to synthesize the main contributions, to enable us to identify other interesting research perspectives. In this regard, certain lines of research remain insufficiently explored, such as the role that supply chain digitization could play in controlling CFB, the impact of CFB on the profitability of companies, or the impacts of the omnichannel commerce on CFB.

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Ultraviolet-C as a Viable Reprocessing Method for Disposable Masks and Filtering Facepiece Respirators

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13050801 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 801

Author(s):

Talita Nicolau ◽

Núbio Gomes Filho ◽

Andrea Zille

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Systematic Literature Review ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Multiple Methods ◽

Ultraviolet C ◽

Single Use ◽

Uv C ◽

New Strategies

In normal conditions, discarding single-use personal protective equipment after use is the rule for its users due to the possibility of being infected, particularly for masks and filtering facepiece respirators. When the demand for these protective tools is not satisfied by the companies supplying them, a scenario of shortages occurs, and new strategies must arise. One possible approach regards the disinfection of these pieces of equipment, but there are multiple methods. Analyzing these methods, Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) becomes an exciting option, given its germicidal capability. This paper aims to describe the state-of-the-art for UV-C sterilization in masks and filtering facepiece respirators. To achieve this goal, we adopted a systematic literature review in multiple databases added to a snowball method to make our sample as robust as possible and encompass a more significant number of studies. We found that UV-C’s germicidal capability is just as good as other sterilization methods. Combining this characteristic with other advantages makes UV-C sterilization desirable compared to other methods, despite its possible disadvantages.

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Modifying Building Energy-Saving Design Based on Field Research into Climate Features and Local Residents’ Habits

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14020442 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 442

Author(s):

Xiaoyue Zhu ◽

Bo Gao ◽

Xudong Yang ◽

Zhong Yu ◽

Ji Ni

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Energy Saving ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Average Energy ◽

Field Tests ◽

Building Energy ◽

Building Energy Efficiency ◽

Local Conditions ◽

Building Energy Saving ◽

Average Energy Consumption

In China, a surging urbanization highlights the significance of building energy conservation. However, most building energy-saving schemes are designed solely in compliance with prescriptive codes and lack consideration of the local situations, resulting in an unsatisfactory effect and a waste of funds. Moreover, the actual effect of the design has yet to be thoroughly verified through field tests. In this study, a method of modifying conventional building energy-saving design based on research into the local climate and residents’ living habits was proposed, and residential buildings in Panzhihua, China were selected for trial. Further, the modification scheme was implemented in an actual project with its effect verified by field tests. Research grasps the precise climate features of Panzhihua, which was previously not provided, and concludes that Panzhihua is a hot summer and warm winter zone. Accordingly, the original internal insulation was canceled, and the shading performance of the windows was strengthened instead. Test results suggest that the consequent change of SET* does not exceed 0.5 °C, whereas variations in the energy consumption depend on the room orientation. For rooms receiving less solar radiation, the average energy consumption increased by approximately 20%, whereas for rooms with a severe western exposure, the average energy consumption decreased by approximately 11%. On the other hand, the cost savings of removing the insulation layer are estimated at 177 million RMB (1 USD ≈ 6.5 RMB) per year. In conclusion, the research-based modification method proposed in this study can be an effective tool for improving building energy efficiency adapted to local conditions.

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A Rapid Review on Community Connected Microgrids

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13126753 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (12) ◽

pp. 6753

Author(s):

Moiz Masood Syed ◽

Gregory M. Morrison

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Energy Use ◽

Residential Buildings ◽

Optimal Solution ◽

Building Energy ◽

Rapid Review ◽

Solar Pv ◽

Electricity Cost ◽

Building Energy Use

As the population of urban areas continues to grow, and construction of multi-unit developments surges in response, building energy use demand has increased accordingly and solutions are needed to offset electricity used from the grid. Renewable energy systems in the form of microgrids, and grid-connected solar PV-storage are considered primary solutions for powering residential developments. The primary objectives for commissioning such systems include significant electricity cost reductions and carbon emissions abatement. Despite the proliferation of renewables, the uptake of solar and battery storage systems in communities and multi-residential buildings are less researched in the literature, and many uncertainties remain in terms of providing an optimal solution. This literature review uses the rapid review technique, an industry and societal issue-based version of the systematic literature review, to identify the case for microgrids for multi-residential buildings and communities. The study describes the rapid review methodology in detail and discusses and examines the configurations and methodologies for microgrids.

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Unobtrusive Health Monitoring in Private Spaces: The Smart Home

Sensors ◽

10.3390/s21030864 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (3) ◽

pp. 864 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ju Wang ◽

Nicolai Spicher ◽

Joana M. Warnecke ◽

Mostafa Haghi ◽

Jonas Schwartze ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Literature Review ◽

Health Monitoring ◽

Smart Home ◽

State Of The Art ◽

Home Health ◽

Environmental Data ◽

Behavioral Data ◽

Sensor Technology ◽

Current Sensor ◽

Home Health Monitoring

With the advances in sensor technology, big data, and artificial intelligence, unobtrusive in-home health monitoring has been a research focus for decades. Following up our research on smart vehicles, within the framework of unobtrusive health monitoring in private spaces, this work attempts to provide a guide to current sensor technology for unobtrusive in-home monitoring by a literature review of the state of the art and to answer, in particular, the questions: (1) What types of sensors can be used for unobtrusive in-home health data acquisition? (2) Where should the sensors be placed? (3) What data can be monitored in a smart home? (4) How can the obtained data support the monitoring functions? We conducted a retrospective literature review and summarized the state-of-the-art research on leveraging sensor technology for unobtrusive in-home health monitoring. For structured analysis, we developed a four-category terminology (location, unobtrusive sensor, data, and monitoring functions). We acquired 912 unique articles from four relevant databases (ACM Digital Lib, IEEE Xplore, PubMed, and Scopus) and screened them for relevance, resulting in n=55 papers analyzed in a structured manner using the terminology. The results delivered 25 types of sensors (motion sensor, contact sensor, pressure sensor, electrical current sensor, etc.) that can be deployed within rooms, static facilities, or electric appliances in an ambient way. While behavioral data (e.g., presence (n=38), time spent on activities (n=18)) can be acquired effortlessly, physiological parameters (e.g., heart rate, respiratory rate) are measurable on a limited scale (n=5). Behavioral data contribute to functional monitoring. Emergency monitoring can be built up on behavioral and environmental data. Acquired physiological parameters allow reasonable monitoring of physiological functions to a limited extent. Environmental data and behavioral data also detect safety and security abnormalities. Social interaction monitoring relies mainly on direct monitoring of tools of communication (smartphone; computer). In summary, convincing proof of a clear effect of these monitoring functions on clinical outcome with a large sample size and long-term monitoring is still lacking.

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