scholarly journals Deterioration Mechanisms and Advanced Inspection Technologies of Aluminum Windows

Materials ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 354
Author(s):  
Huaguo Chen ◽  
Cheuk Lun Chow ◽  
Denvid Lau

Aluminum windows are crucial components of building envelopes since they connect the indoor space to the external environment. Various external causes degrade or harm the functioning of aluminum windows. In this regard, inspecting the performance of aluminum windows is a necessary task to keep buildings healthy. This review illustrates the deterioration mechanisms of aluminum windows under various environmental conditions with an intention to provide comprehensive information for developing damage protection and inspection technologies. The illustrations reveal that moisture and chloride ions have the most detrimental effect on deteriorating aluminum windows in the long run, while mechanical loads can damage aluminum windows in a sudden manner. In addition, multiple advanced inspection techniques potential to benefit assessing aluminum window health state are discussed in order to help tackle the efficiency problem of traditional visual inspection. The comparison among those techniques demonstrates that infrared thermography can help acquire a preliminary defect profile of inspected windows, whereas ultrasonic phased arrays technology demonstrates a high level of competency in analyzing comprehensive defect information. This review also discusses the challenges in the scarcity of nanoscale corrosion information for insightful understandings of aluminum window corrosion and reliable window inspection tools for lifespan prediction. In this regard, molecular dynamics simulation and artificial intelligence technology are recommended as promising tools for better revealing the deterioration mechanisms and advancing inspection techniques, respectively, for future directions. It is envisioned that this paper will help upgrade the aluminum window inspection scheme and contribute to driving the construction of intelligent and safe cities.

Author(s):  
Maimuna M Shehu ◽  
Ibrahim M Adamu

This paper investigates the factors governing the determination of budget deficit in Nigeria from 1981q1 through 2016q4. Our methodology is based on Johansen cointegration and Vector Error Correction model (VECM) approach. The result from the Johansen cointegration test suggests one cointegrating vector, which indicates the existence of a long run cointegrating relationship. Evidence from the long run and short run parameters suggest that exchange rate, interest rate and one year lag of budget deficit are the major determinants of budget deficit. Therefore, to achieve a realistic fiscal surplus, the government should determine a high level of accountability in its fiscal operations. In addition, any fiscal surplus should be channeled into productive investments to diversify the economy and reduce the likelihood of potential budget deficits.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andi Prastowo

The study of games in education is not new, from traditional games to modern website-based games have been done. Studies have even proved that traditional games have more proven value and benefits in the long run for education than modern games. However, the fact that the quality of education in various countries of the world is uneven, although they also know and have traditional games as part of its cultural elements. Like one of them can be seen in the quality of basic education in Indonesia, especially in the ability of thinking high level is still low. Moreover, in the 21st century students are required to have global skills of the 21st century. From this point the need to be studied about how the traditional Javanese games, as one of the greatest cultural heritages in Indonesia, can serve as a strategy to cultivate 21st century global skills for madrasah ibtidaiyah / primary school. This research is done by literature study with the method of textual criticism and external critic and then continued with synthesis. The findings of this study indicate that some traditional Javanese games are basically potential as a strategy to cultivate 21st century skills. This is not apart because the characteristics and form of some traditional Javanese game contains characteristics of 21st century skills that include critical thinking, communication, cooperation, and creativity.


Author(s):  
Iryna Zrybnieva

With the development of market relations, growing uncertainty and risk, the high level of competitiveness of the enterprise largely depends on the level of its innovation activity. In this article the author described the factors influencing the formation of the competitive potential of the subjects of innovative entrepreneurship, carried out their classification. In his opinion, the competitiveness of innovative entrepreneurs depends primarily on the economic situation achieved through economic strategy (policy). The economic policy of ensuring the competitiveness of the subjects of innovative entrepreneurship is formed both at the macroeconomic and microeconomic level. At each level of management requires a special organizational and economic approach that ensures the transformation of available resources into competitive advantages through the use of certain competencies. The author concludes that the achievement of competitive advantages in the market in the future and high competitiveness of the enterprise in the long run are possible due to efficient use of resource potential, high strategic opportunities to reproduce resource potential, strategic marketing orientation of the product offer. With the growth of the dynamics of competitiveness of the studied subject of innovative entrepreneurship, it is necessary to determine its position in the internal environment, ie to identify how the current ability to compete corresponds to the opportunities present in the external environment. With declining dynamics (as an option – the lack of dynamics), including those obtained in the current assessment of competitiveness, it is necessary to first identify the reasons for the decline in the competitiveness of the subject of innovative entrepreneurship. Given that the assessment of competitiveness integrates three key aspects, the reasons, respectively, can be social, economic or technological in nature (or be characterized by a combination of them). Competitiveness as an internal mechanism of effective activity of an economic entity transforms the market into a system of factors influencing the process of competition, thereby forming competitiveness in the field of a separate competitive field.


2006 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 549-570 ◽  
Author(s):  
ISABEL SANZ-VILLARROYA

This article analyses the short-run periods that can be derived from the GDP per capita series for Argentina between 1875 and 1990, after extracting its segmented long-run trend using time series techniques and unit root tests. It also studies the economic forces which, from the aggregate demand side, might provide an explanation for this behaviour. This mode of operation makes it possible to identify successive cycles more accurately than in previous studies. A high level of agreement is observed between the results of this study and arguments in the literature regarding the causes shaping these short-run periods: the analysis demonstrates that exports were the key factor until 1932 while after this year consumption and investment came to predominate.


Biomolecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 852
Author(s):  
Wenying Zhang ◽  
Ting Yang ◽  
Shuangyan Zhou ◽  
Jie Cheng ◽  
Shuai Yuan ◽  
...  

Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are light-gated transmembrane cation channels which are widely used for optogenetic technology. Replacing glutamate located at the central gate of the ion channel with positively charged amino acid residues will reverse ion selectivity and allow anion conduction. The structures and properties of the ion channel, the transport of chloride, and potential of mean force (PMF) of the chimera protein (C1C2) and its mutants, EK-TC, ER-TC and iChloC, were investigated by molecular dynamics simulation. The results show that the five-fold mutation in E122Q-E129R-E140S-D195N-T198C (iChloC) increases the flexibility of the transmembrane channel protein better than the double mutations in EK-TC and ER-TC, and results in an expanded ion channel pore size and decreased steric resistance. The iChloC mutant was also found to have a higher affinity for chloride ions and, based on surface electrostatic potential analysis, provides a favorable electrostatic environment for anion conduction. The PMF free energy curves revealed that high affinity Cl− binding sites are generated near the central gate of the three mutant proteins. The energy barriers for the EK-TC and ER-TC were found to be much higher than that of iChloC. The results suggest that the transmembrane ion channel of iChloC protein is better at facilitating the capture and transport of chloride ions.


1978 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-182
Author(s):  
Steven D. Harris ◽  
Jerry M. Owens ◽  
Robert A. North

Recent advances in artificial intelligence technology have resulted in commercially available computer systems that are able to synthesize auditory messages and to recognize spoken words and phrases in near-real-time with a high level of reliability. Several researchers have enumerated the benefits that are expected to accrue from computer recognition of speech (1971, 1975). Beek, Neuberg, and Hodge (1977) summarized the possible applications of this new technology to military systems. Curran (1978) and Coler, Plummer, Huff and Hitchcock (1978) reported significant progress in the development of automated speech understanding systems for the control of on-board systems in military aircraft.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars P Feld ◽  
Christoph A Schaltegger ◽  
Janine Studerus

Abstract This paper analyses the importance of fiscal mechanisms for regional stabilization and redistribution in Switzerland. Switzerland is particularly interesting in this context because it features both a high level of fiscal autonomy for Swiss cantons, and explicit fiscal transfers between the federal government and the cantons. Based on a panel data analysis, we study the redistributive and stabilizing properties of fiscal equalization transfers, federal government transfers in general, direct federal taxation, the unemployment insurance scheme, and the first pillar pension scheme. We find a combined redistributive effect of these mechanisms of about 20%. This means that long-run income differentials of 1 Swiss franc between cantons translate into differences of long-run disposable income after taxes and transfers of about 80 cents. The combined contemporary stabilization effect with respect to short-term income fluctuations amounts, at best, to 10%, which is a small effect compared to previous findings for other countries.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nyoman Suryadiputra

<p>Challenges to peatland restoration in Indonesia<br>By <br>Nyoman Suryadiputra*) </p><p><br>Tropical peat swamps in Indonesia are currently experiencing degradation at a very alarming rate. Degradation starts from the time of land clearing (generally burned / uses fire) for both private and community-owned plantations, then a very massive network of drainage canals is built (every 1 Ha of peat land cleared, about 120 m - 700 m long canals are needed). These drainage canals aim to reduce the surface water level of peat so that the land can be planted (especially for) oil palm or acacia. However, peat water release can go out of control, beyond the peatland water level threshold determined by government regulation No 71/2014 on Peatland Management, as a result peat becomes dry, flammable and emits large amount of GHGs. In the long run, if drainage and fires continue, peatlands will experience subsidence, form basins, peat even disappear, flooded during rain and eventually the land becomes unproductive (stranded) and difficult to restore. Such conditions will be more severe and difficult to overcome if in the landscape (peatland hydrology unit) there are various activities by various parties, each of whom has different interests and understandings of peatland use. Regarding the above, restoration of peatland that has been damaged has a very serious challenge. Damage that is getting heavier will have a high level of difficulty and a long recovery time. In addition, the success rate of restoration is determined by benchmarks or recovery criteria that have not been scientifically determined and adopted by the Indonesian government.</p><p><em>Keywords : peatland, degradation, landscape, restoration    </em></p><p><br>*)  Director of Wetlands International Indonesia</p>


Author(s):  
Giovanni Federico ◽  
Nikolaus Wolf

The history of Italy since its unification in 1861 was accompanied by a dramatic increase in the country's integration with European and global commodity markets: foreign trade in the long run grew on average faster than the overall economy. Italy's comparative advantage changed fundamentally, from a high concentration of a few trading partners and a handful of rather simple commodities, into a wide diversification of trading partners and more sophisticated commodities. The chapter uses a new long-term database on Italian foreign trade at a high level of disaggregation to document and analyze these changes. The chapter concludes with an assessment of Italy's prospects from a historical perspective.


2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 276-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Ruiz-Jaramillo ◽  
Emilio Mascort-Albea ◽  
Antonio Jaramillo-Morilla

Purpose – Growing awareness of the importance of preserving the built environment has created an increasing demand for experts capable of performing building inspections to ensure a high level of preservation. Technical surveys include a set of procedures and tests that have become essential tools providing the necessary knowledge required for maintenance, preservation and improvement of buildings. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Within this set of inspection techniques, this paper presents a method developed to produce vertical deformation plans from the levelling data obtained from different floors of a building. It also explains how to perform accurate levelling and an outcome analysis to provide displacement maps. Thus, based upon obtained measurements, it is possible to achieve 2D contour maps and three-dimensional (3D) surface mapping by means of specialized software that is typically used for cartographic and territorial analysis. Findings – The developed methodology provides easier analysis of the deformation of buildings and structures. Consequently, the method produces relatively accurate outcomes that are sufficient to make a proper assessment that facilitates the diagnostic and decision-making process. The case studies analysed show the applicability and usefulness of the procedure. Originality/value – This sustainable and non-destructive system is an essential instrument for providing valuable and useful information to the specialist. The 2D/3D graphical data displays enable easier analysis of survey results, also aiding comprehension of these results in the context of liability claims.


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