Experimental Investigation of Two Test Setups on Straw Bales Used as Load-Bearing Elements of Buildings

The importance of green and sustainable materials in civil engineering is undeniable. Alongside modern practices that improve the properties of standard building materials, there are ways to revive forgotten techniques, including straw bale buildings. Straw bales are load-bearing structures, which are applied based on handed-down experience and lack standard approaches in testing, design, and application. Therefore, a goal ahead is to describe every aspect of the process in technical detail. The objective of this paper is to highlight practical ideas for testing straw bales on a hydraulic press machine and to provide a basic statistical investigation of the results obtained. Two basic series were prepared, one without a side barrier and the other with a side barrier. The reason for this was to delineate the limits of the real behaviour of the straw bale on the load bearing wall of the house. Due to the assumed slight embedment of adjacent bales, the real result were within these limits. The experimental plan, basic results, simplified correlations, and statistical evaluation are presented. Recommendations for a further testing and evaluation are provided. As expected, the results with and without the lateral barrier differ by almost 18% for the true strain.

Scientific and Practical Approaches to Improving Noise Muffler Designs of Piston Internal Combustion Engines Based on Theory of Numbers

A methodological method based on the use of the theory of preferred numbers has been proposed in order to improve the most important parameters of the working bodies of noise mufflers. As a result of many years of scientific research, the authors have established a previously unknown theoretical relationship between the main series of preferred numbers, golden ratio and Fibonacci series numbers. A new direction in the development of number theory has been considered in the paper, its classification has been compiled, including the geometric theory of numbers, preferred numbers, containing a new basic series of preferred numbers using the Fibonacci sequence. New formulas have been obtained to determine the denominators of geometric progressions for the series of preferred numbers and the area of a circle. Determining the area of a circle using the new formula allows to get more accurate values. A new formula for determining the circumference of a circle has also been derived. The designs of perforated partitions have been developed, in which the laws of the new basic series of preferred numbers are used. Determining the area of a circle using the new formula allows you to get more accurate values. A new formula for determining the circumference of a circle is also obtained. The designs of perforated partitions have been developed, in which the regularities of the new basic series of preferred numbers have been used. A calculated substantiation of the main geometric and structural dimensions of noise mufflers is given using a mathematical model of a perforated golden partition and new basic series of preferred numbers, which allow to obtain a noise muffler design that has the lowest possible aerodynamic resistance with the maximum possible reduction in the noise level of exhaust gases from internal combustion engines. An innovative model of a noise muffler for reciprocating internal combustion engines with improved hydraulic and acoustic characteristics based on the theory of numbers is proposed in the paper. The theory of preferred numbers applies to any technical device.

C-skeleton in the genetic code from a basic series 5 → 0, guiding valences and other numeral features in the code

The search for regularities in the background for the genetic code and its codon assignments is here further developed, earlier shown to have many correlations with numeral series of integers 5 →0 with different exponents. The atomic mass analysis here counts on 20 + 4 double-coded amino acids, here including Ile AUA as such. A central finding here is that the C-skeleton seems to build on an hierarchical development of the mentioned basic series giving top numbers equal to those returning in side-chain divisions and on first three levels those of C-atoms in base-pair domains. It can very elementary explain the 3/2-division in the weight series. A few main results from earlier articles are shortly recapitulated, since it’s shown here that an x­3-series times 15 (x = integers 5 → 0) joins those earlier aspects and add new ones. It’s found also that atoms with valences 4 + 3 relative those with 2 + 1 make up a 3 to 1-division in both base-pair groups of codon domains, strengthening the earlier observation of valences as one important guiding principle in the relation between codons and domains of amino acids; valences of the atoms which in themselves make up a basic series 5 → 0 in the code when phosphorus P is included. Finally, fundamental factors in the code are gathered, where step 4 →3 seems reign at bottom of the code and number 7, exactly mean value of all atoms.

Experience and prospects of environmental mapping of Kharkiv region

The purpose of this article is to acquaint a wide range of specialists in the field of ecology and nature protection with the achievements of scientists at the Department of physical geography and cartography of V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University in the field of environmental mapping and search for reasons to reduce the number of cartographic works on this topic. Main material. The system of regional environmental and nature protection cartographic works of Kharkiv region includes 24 units of finished cartographic products, supplemented by hundreds of primary auxiliary maps serving as the basis for creating the resulting maps. The authors reveal the history of the creation of the first regional series of environmental maps in the USSR, published with the DSP stamp, the Directions of their use-in the process of planning environmental activities in the region until 1990 and their further use as a visual educational material. The structure and content of a separate environmental map, three series of maps and four environmental atlases are described. A separate comprehensive map provides an overview of the environmental conditions and nature protection in the region and is intended as a demonstration tool for regional organizations and as a reference guide for educational institutions. The basic series of maps provides an overall assessment of the ecological state and nature protection. A series of maps of dynamic and depositing components of the natural environment characterize deteriorating quality of atmospheric air and water, their environmental condition and protection measures. The maps provide information about the eco-environmental assessment of soils, vegetation and wildlife. Environmental and nature protection atlases of the region fully disclose the features of interaction in the “nature-society” system and are intended for specialists in the field of ecology and nature protection for educational purposes, promoting environmental knowledge. The development of interactive cartographic products on environmental issues, such as nature protection maps of Kharkiv region on the GeoMixer web GIS platform, is considered as a promising direction for the development of environmental cartography in the region. Conclusions and further research. The developed cartographic works are used in fragments l, not systematically. Today, the activity of creating maps and atlases on this topic has significantly decreased mainly due to the lack of unifying objective, ideological, state-oriented structures, lack of funds and lack of interest of local authorities in obtaining visual information about the region’s environment.

The Second Class

Chapter 7 describes and provides scripts for teaching the second class in the Koru Basic series. The class begins with an opening meditation, then moves into “check-in.” During check-in, the students discuss their experience doing their mindfulness “homework” over the preceding week and ask questions. The mindfulness-based skill taught during the second class is walking meditation. The closing guided meditation teaches students to use a gatha, a meditation poem that is used to help anchor their awareness in the present moment. The chapter ends with closing comments for the class and frequently asked questions for the second class. Questions and answers in this chapter address goals of meditation, working with restlessness, working with thoughts, and strategies for staying consistent with meditation practice.

Solid-State Battery Modeling Case Studies for the Analysis of a Micro-Robot Power System

Recent works by the authors have presented modeling and simulation techniques for analyzing repeated fast dynamic loading of thin-film solid-state batteries. These techniques were developed to address timescale issues in modeling battery discharge under these types of loads. In this paper, we explore various consequences of battery usage in potential micro-robotic applications based on use of these modeling techniques in a series of case studies. Impact of electrochemical versus simple lumped parameter battery modeling is first examined. This is followed by projection of battery performance in basic series versus boost converter arrangements to supply thin-film piezoelectric robotic actuators. Potentially advantageous battery and conversion circuit configurations are identified.

Design and Analysis of Resonant Wireless Power Transfer System

In this paper, the modelling and analysis of resonant wireless power transfer (RWPT) system are carried out by using circuit theory. Equations of the efficiency and frequency are derived for basic series-series circuit topology and series-parallel-mixed circuit topology. The designed model uses the series-parallel-mixed topology. The model is tested for two different peak-to-peak voltage levels including 20 V and 40 V. The achieved efficiency at 20 V is 49.10% and at 40 V is 49.52% approximately. The modelling is performed by using advanced design system (ADS) high frequency design software. In addition, an overview of currently available wireless power transfer (WPT) technologies and the recent study on inductive wireless power transfer (IWPT) and resonant wireless power transfer (RWPT) systems is also presented.