An evaluation of Quasi-Moment-Method calibrated pathloss models for Benin City Nigeria

This paper introduces the Quasi-Moment-Method (QMM) as a novel radiowave propagation pathloss model calibration tool, and evaluates its performance, using field measurement data from different cellular mobile communication network sites in Benin City, Nigeria. The QMM recognizes the suitability of component parameters of existing basic models for the definition of ‘expansion’ and ‘testing functions’ in a Galerkin approach, and simulations were carried out with the use of a FORTRAN program developed by the authors, supported by matrix inversion in the MATLAB environment. Computational results reveal that in terms of both Root Mean Square (RMS) and Mean Prediction (MP) errors, QMM-calibrated models performed much better than an ‘optimum’ model reported for the NIFOR (Benin City), by a recent publication. As a matter of fact, the QMM-calibrated COST231 (rural area) model recorded reductions in RMS error of between 31.5% and 71% compared with corresponding metrics due to the aforementioned ‘optimum’ model. The simulation results also revealed that of the five basic models (COST231-rural area and suburban city, ECC33 (medium and large sized cities), and Ericsson models) utilized as candidates, the two ECC33 models, whose performances were consistently comparable, represented the best models for QMM-model calibration in the Benin City environments investigated.

A FORTRAN Program to Model Magnetic Gradient Tensor at High Susceptibility Using Contraction Integral Equation Method

The magnetic gradient tensor provides a powerful tool for detecting magnetic bodies because of its ability to emphasize detailed features of the magnetic anomalies. To interpret field measurements obtained by magnetic gradiometry, the forward calculation of magnetic gradient fields is always necessary. In this paper, we present a contraction integral equation method to simulate the gradient fields produced by 3-D magnetic bodies of arbitrary shapes and high susceptibilities. The method employs rectangular prisms to approximate the source region with the assumption that the magnetization in each element is homogeneous. The gradient fields are first solved in the Fourier domain and then transformed into the spatial domain by 2-D Gauss-FFT. This calculation is performed iteratively until the required accuracy is reached. The convergence of the iterative procedure is ensured by a contraction operator. To facilitate application, we introduce a FORTRAN program to implement the algorithm. This program is intended for users who show interests in 3D magnetic modeling at high susceptibility. The performance of the program, including its computational accuracy, efficiency and convergence behavior, is tested by several models. Numerical results show that the code is computationally accurate and efficient, and performs well at a wide range of magnetic susceptibilities from 0 SI to 1000 SI. This work, therefore, provides a significant tool for 3D forward modeling of magnetic gradient fields at high susceptibility.

Photoionization and Electron-Ion Recombination of n = 1 to Very High n-Values of Hydrogenic Ions

Single electron hydrogen or hydrogenic ions have analytical forms to evaluate the atomic parameters for the inverse processes of photoionization and electron-ion recombination (H I + hν↔ H II + e) where H is hydrogen. Studies of these processes have continued until the present day (i) as the computations are restricted to lower principle quantum number n and (ii) to improve the accuracy. The analytical expressions have many terms and there are numerical instabilities arising from cancellations of terms. Strategies for fast convergence of contributions were developed but precise computations are still limited to lower n. This report gives a brief review of the earlier precise methodologies for hydrogen, and presents numerical tables of photoionization cross sections (σPI), and electron-ion recombination rate coefficients (αRC) obtained from recombination cross sections (σRC) for all n values going to a very high value of 800. σPI was obtained using the precise formalism of Burgess and Seaton, and Burgess. αRC was obtained through a finite integration that converge recombination exactly as implemented in the unified method of recombination of Nahar and Pradhan. Since the total electron-ion recombination includes all levels for n = 1 −∞, the total asymptotic contribution of n=801−∞, called the top-up, is obtained through a n−3 formula. A FORTRAN program “hpxrrc.f” is provided to compute photoionization cross sections, recombination cross sections and rate coefficients for any nl. The results on hydrogen atom can be used to obtain those for any hydrogenic ion of charge z through z-scaling relations provided in the theory section. The present results are of high precision and complete for astrophysical modelings.

Numerical Implementation of a Hydro-Mechanical Coupling Constitutive Model for Unsaturated Soil Considering the Effect of Micro-Pore Structure

An unsaturated soil constitutive model considering the influence of microscopic pore structure can more accurately describe the hydraulic–mechanical behavior of unsaturated soil, but its numerical implementation is more complicated. Based on the fully implicit Euler backward integration algorithm, the ABAQUS software is used to develop the established hydro-mechanical coupling constitutive model for unsaturated soil, considering the influence of micro-pore structure, and a new User-defined Material Mechanical Behavior (UMAT) subroutine is established to realize the numerical application of the proposed model. The developed numerical program is used to simulate the drying/wetting cycle process of the standard triaxial specimen. The simulation results are basically consistent with those calculated by the Fortran program, which verifies the rationality of the developed numerical program.

Modified spectral format based on probability level using site-specific uniform hazard spectrum

Deficiencies of the four spectral formats i.e., 2%/50-yr, 5%/50-yr, 10%/50-yr and AASHTO (American Association of State Highway Officials) 2009 demand modification of the spectral formats for bridge design application in Canada. Among them the 10%/50-yr spectrum is dropped from current investigation as its difference with Canadian Highway Bridge Design Code (CHBDC) 2006 is too large to modify. This study introduces an approach calibrating on the values of elastic seismic response coefficient to provide a new shape of the Canadian bridge design spectrum based on modified 2%/50-yr, modified 5%/50-yr and modified AASHTO spectral formats. A Digital Visual Fortran program was prepared to determine the optimum values of the modification factors incorporated into the three spectral formats calibrated on the data of 389 cities of Canada. Thus, here it is developed the strategies of modifying the three spectral formats based on the best probability level for CHBDC using site-specific Uniform Hazard Spectrum (UHS). Finally, select the most suitable spectral format to apply for the design base shear calculations for the bridges of Canada.

A tool to measure Fortran source code metrics using syntax analysis

The rapid development of software quality measurement methods, the need in efficient and versatile reengineering automatization tools becomes increasingly bigger. This becomes even more apparent when the programming language and respective coding practices slowly develop alongside each other for a long period of time, while the legacy code base grows bigger and remains highly relevant. In this paper, a source code metrics measurement tool for Fortran program quality evaluation is developed. It is implemented as a code module for Photran integrated development environment and based on a set of syntax tree walking algorithms. The module utilizes the built-in Photran syntax analysis engine and the tree data structure which it builds from the source code. The developed tool is also compared to existing source code analysis instruments. The results show that the developed tool is most effective when used in combination with Photran’s built-in refactoring system, and that Photran’s application programming interface facilitates easy scaling of the existing infrastructure by introducing other code analysis methods.

Detecting the Yarkovsky effect using the GAIA DR2 catalogue

<p>The orbital motion of small bodies is affected by the Yarkovsky effect. First-time the effect was proposed by Yarkovsky in 1901 and then popularized by Öpik in 1950s. However, the first direct detection was only made in 2003 using radar observations. Nowadays there are hundreds of detections for NEAs and only a few for Main-Belt objects. In this work, I attempt to detect the Yarkovsky effect among multiple Main-Belt objects and other asteroids. I will show preliminary results for five asteroids using the OrbFit software.  OrbFit is a Fortran program for orbit propagation, ephemerides computation, orbit determination, close approach analysis, and impact monitoring. Orbits were calculated using FitObs with and without the Yarkovsky effect. Next, the ephemeris were computed for the times of GAIA observations and compared with the GAIA DR2 data.</p>

A Comprehensive Energy and Exergoeconomic Analysis of a Novel Transcritical Refrigeration Cycle

A comprehensive energy and exergoeconomic analysis of a novel transcritical refrigeration cycle (NTRC) is presented. A second ejector is introduced into the conventional refrigeration system for the utilization of the gas-cooler waste heat. The thermodynamic properties of the working fluid are estimated by the database of REFPROP 9, and a FORTRAN program is used to solve the system governing equations. Exergy, energy, and exergoeconomic analyses of the two cycles are carried out to predict the exergetic destruction rate and efficiency of the systems. The optimum gas cooler working pressure will be determined for both cycles. A comprehensive comparison is made between the obtained results of the conventional and the new cycles. An enhancement of approximately 30% in the coefficient of performance (COP) of the new cycle was found in comparison to the value of the conventional cycle. In addition, the results of the analysis indicated a reduction in the overall exergy destruction rate and the total cost of the final product by 22.25% and 6%, respectively. The final product cost of the proposed NTRC was found to be 6% less than that of the conventional ejector refrigeration cycle (CERC), whereas the optimum value of the gas cooler pressure was 10.8 MPa, and 11.4 MPa for the NTRC and CERC, respectively.

B EFFECT OF BOUNDARY CONDITIONS ON BUCKLING LOAD FOR LAMINATED COMPOSITE DECKS PLATES

Finite element (FE) method is presented for the analysis of thin rectangular laminatedcomposite decks plates under the biaxial action of in – plane compressive loading. Theanalysis uses the classical laminated plate theory (CLPT) which does not account for sheardeformations. In this theory it is assumed that the laminate is in a state of plane stress, theindividual lamina is linearly elastic, and there is perfect bonding between layers. The classicallaminated plate theory (CLPT), which is an extension of the classical plate theory (CPT)assumes that normal to the mid – surface before deformation remains straight and normal tothe mid – surface after deformation. Therefore, this theory is only adequate for bucklinganalysis of thin laminates. A Fortran program has been developed. New numerical results aregenerated for in – plane compressive biaxial buckling which serve to quantify the effect ofboundary conditions on buckling loading. It is observed that, for all cases the buckling loadincreases with the mode number but at different rates depending on whether the plate is simplysupported, clamped or clamped – simply supported. The buckling load is a minimum whenthe plate is simply supported and a maximum when the plate is clamped. Because of therigidity of clamped boundary condition, the buckling load is higher than in simply supportedboundary condition. It is also observed that as the mode number increases, the plate needsadditional supp

Effect of CO2 Dilution on the Laminar Burning Velocities of Premixed Methane/Air Flames at Elevated Temperature

With increased interest in reducing emissions, the staged combustion concept for gas turbine combustors is gaining in popularity. For this work, the effect of CO2 dilution on laminar burning velocities of premixed methane/air flames was investigated at elevated temperature through both experiments and numerical simulations. Validation of the experimental setup and methodology was completed through experimental testing of methane/air mixtures at 1 bar and 298 K. Following validation, high temperature experiments were conducted in an optically accessible constant volume combustion chamber at 1 bar and 473 K. Laminar burning velocities of premixed methane/air flames with 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% CO2 dilution were determined using the constant pressure method enabled via schlieren visualization of the spherically propagating flame front. Results show that laminar burning velocities of methane/air mixtures at 1 bar increase by 106–145% with initial temperature increases from 298 K to 473 K. Additions of 5%, 10%, and 15% CO2 dilution at 1 bar and 473 K cause a 30–35%, 51–54%, and 66–68% decrease in the laminar burning velocity, respectively. Numerical results were obtained with CHEMKIN (Kee et al., 1985, “PREMIX: A Fortran Program for Modeling Steady Laminar One-Dimensional Premixed Flames,”) using the GRI-Mech 3.0 (Smith et al., 2019) and the San Diego (“Chemical-Kinetic Mechanisms for Combustion Applications,” San Diego Mechanism Web Page, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Combustion Research), University of California at San Diego, San Diego, CA) mechanisms. It is concluded that the GRI-Mech 3.0 (Smith et al.., 2019) better captures the general overall trend of the experimental laminar flame speeds of methane/air/CO2 mixtures at 1 bar and 473 K. Additionally, the dilution, thermal-diffusion, and chemical effects of CO2 on the laminar burning velocities of methane/air mixtures were investigated numerically by diluting the mixtures with both chemically active and inactive CO2 following the determination of the most important elementary reactions on the burning rate through sensitivity analysis. Finally, it was shown that CO2 dilution suppresses the flame instabilities during combustion, which is attributable to the increase in the burned gas Markstein length (Lb) with the addition of diluent.