Hazard Reduction in Deep Excavations Execution

In this article, the authors consider a completely new approach in design, which is related to the use of previously un-adapted technologies known to bridge engineering in geotechnical issues for prestressing of diaphragm wall during deep excavations execution. The bridge technology described here is the prestressing of concrete structures. Hazards related to deep excavations and methods of digging them, such as the ceiling method and top&down method, are presented. Current problems in supporting deep excavation slopes are related to the use of extensive quantities of materials (such as steel struts, ground anchors, or concrete and reinforcement steel). The authors’ method helps to achieve a higher level of sustainability, which is important in a modern approach to geotechnical engineering. The non-linear arrangements of the cables according to the occurrence of the prestressing moments for a given phase are presented. Results related to numerical analysis—showing the correctness of the method and cost optimization results, showing possible savings are presented. The article is a part of the set. In the second (already published) article titled “Modern Methods of Diaphragm Walls Design”, the authors present the concept of the calculation methodology for diaphragm wall design.

Research on Application of Wireless Bridge Technology in the Smart Grid

The construction of smart grid, in the meet of communication network core layer must have the strong bearing capacity and the strong network frame, also requires the access layer have the wide variety and flexible edge access ability. In this article, in accordance with the technical features of the smart grid communication network, combined with the Global Energy Interconnection to the requirement of all kinds of communication. The wireless bridge system based on the IEEE 802.11 series protocol as flexible edge access is applied to the smart grid communications, to forward the power wireless bridge structure design and the bridge monitoring management platform design and safety protection design. The use of a wireless bridge will increase the transmission quality of signal, distance and the safety of the transmission. In this article, the wireless bridge in the application of the smart grid electric power communication network has a role in promoting, has a guiding significance to the construction of the smart grid communication.

A Secure and Scalable Smart Home Gateway to Bridge Technology Fragmentation

Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are already playing an important role in our daily activities as we use them and rely on them to increase our abilities, connectivity, productivity and quality of life. However, there are still obstacles to achieving a unique interface able to transfer full control to users given the diversity of protocols, properties and specifications in the varied IoT ecosystem. Particularly for the case of home automation systems, there is a high degree of fragmentation that limits interoperability, increasing the complexity and costs of developments and holding back their real potential of positively impacting users. In this article, we propose implementing W3C’s Web of Things Standard supported by home automation ontologies, such as SAREF and UniversAAL, to deploy the Living Lab Gateway that allows users to consume all IoT devices from a smart home, including those physically wired and using KNX® technology. This work, developed under the framework of the EC funded Plan4Act project, includes relevant features such as security, authentication and authorization provision, dynamic configuration and injection of devices, and devices abstraction and mapping into ontologies. Its deployment is explained in two scenarios to show the achieved technology’s degree of integration, the code simplicity for developers and the system’s scalability: one consisted of external hardware interfacing with the smart home, and the other of the injection of a new sensing device. A test was executed providing metrics that indicate that the Living Lab Gateway is competitive in terms of response performance.

Adaptiveness of Traditional Judicial Systems to Digital Forms of Evidence

“Digital India” scheme announced by current administration initially had many detractors. But with its finger on the correct pulse of Young, Emergent India, much facilitations were provided with the sole aim to bridge technology with the masses. Hence today smart phones, laptops and computers have become house-hold names even in previously inaccessible areas. But on the down-side we also see a severe increase in crimes committed using computers and internet. Technology is an ever-changing phenomenon. It keeps changing, updating and even reviving itself. Crime has parallelly evolved with the evolution of newer technologies and high-end equipments and tool. With the metamorphosis of criminal-activities from physical world to digital realm, a perpetrator can easily plan, execute and accomplish a crime without being actually physically present at the site of crime, thus making it difficult for investigators, law enforcement officials and traditional legal systems completely depending on physical evidence to recognize the real culprit or to determine guilt and decide the degree of punishment. Using a desktop system or a laptop or even a Smartphone, the criminal can exploit the power of internet, Bluetooth ,Wi-Fi technologies , 4G data-transfer speeds and web-servers to execute an unlawful act sitting miles away from the place where the actual crime happens thereafter leaving absolutely no physical trail of the execution of the offence. Under these conditions, it becomes imperative to utilize digital footprints as they are the only way to determine the factuality of execution of an unlawful act and to identify the real culprit. As the guiding principle of IPC goes "Innocent until proven guilty", digital footprints have to be given their rightful due in the existing Judicial system to help in confirming execution of an unlawful act, detecting the actual culprit and determining the amount of punishment. This paper attempts to highlight the significance of digital footprints and usage of the same by the existing Justice Systems to corroborate, attest and substantiate the execution of an unlawful act.

Precast Bridges of Bamboo Reinforced Concrete in Disadvantaged Village Areas in Indonesia

Bamboo is an inexpensive, environmentally friendly, and renewable building material that thrives in Indonesia. Bamboo has a high tensile strength but also has weaknesses, namely, it is easily attacked by insects and has high water absorption. Utilization of bamboo as a precast concrete bridge reinforcement must be treated first through soaking, drying, and giving a waterproof coating and sand. This research aimed to obtain a precast bamboo reinforced concrete bridge technology with good integrity, with measuring parameters of deformation and deflection according to AASHTO standards. The dimensions of the bridge were a span of 320 cm, a width of 224 cm, and a height of 115 cm. Two bridge frames were connected by four bridge beams. The bridge plate was made of a 10-cm-thick concrete plate. The bridge support of the reinforced concrete is assumed to be the hinge support and the rubber bearing is assumed to be the roller support. The bamboo reinforced concrete frame bridge test was carried out directly with a load of a minibus-type vehicle. The test results show that the precast bamboo reinforced concrete frame bridges have sufficiently good integrity; that is, they can distribute loads with deflection and deformation that do not exceed their permits. The maximum displacement occurs in the bridge frame of 0.25 mm, meeting the requirements based on the AASTHO and RSNI T-12-2004 standards, which is not more than Δmax = L/800 = 3.75 mm. The maximum deformation occurs in the bridge beam of 0.20 mm, and the bridge frame of 0.13 mm meets the requirements based on the AASTHO and RSNI T-12-2004 standards, which is not more than δmax = L/800 = 3.75 mm.