The unsteady force response of an accelerating flat plate with controlled spanwise bending

The unsteady force response of an accelerating flat plate, subjected to controlled spanwise bending, is investigated experimentally. The flat plate was held normal to the flow (at an angle of attack of $90^{\circ }$ ), and it was dynamically bent along the spanwise direction with the help of internal actuation. Two bending directions were tested. In one case, part of the plate (denoted by flexion ratio) was bent into the incoming flow (the bend-down configuration). In another case, the plate was bent away from the flow (the bend-up configuration). We used two different aspect ratio ( $AR$ ) plates, namely $AR = 2$ and 3. Three acceleration numbers, namely $A_c = 0.57$ , 1.6 and 3.2 (corresponding to dimensional acceleration of 0.036, 0.1 and 0.2 m s $^{-2}$ , respectively) were tested with a fixed terminal Reynolds number (Re) of 18 000. For each acceleration number, three bending durations, namely 1.2, 2.4 and 3.6 s were implemented. The results indicate that the highest impulse was imparted by the highest bending rate (duration 1.2 s) during all three accelerations tested. We show that controlled spanwise bending can significantly change the unsteady force response by manipulating the inertial forces during a start-up manoeuvre. The unsteady forces depend on the vector sum of the forward acceleration and the bending acceleration of the plate. The unsteady drag was augmented when the plate was bent towards the incoming flow. The initial force peaks were significantly reduced when the bending direction was reversed. The development of the edge vortices from the flat plate was measured with the help of particle image velocimetry (PIV) at the 70 % and the 90 % span locations. The PIV measurements were also carried out at the midchord plane closer to the tip region to capture the growth of the tip vortex. The vorticity field calculated from these PIV measurements revealed that controlled bending contributed to a variation in the circulation growth of the edge vortices. During the bend-down case, the circulation growth was faster and the tip vortices stayed closer to the plate. This resulted in increased interaction with the edge vortex at the 90 % span. This interaction was more severe for $AR = 2$ . During the bend-up case, the growth of the edge vortex was delayed, but the vortex grew for a longer time compared with the bend-down case. Finally, a mathematical model is presented which correctly captured the trend of the force histories measured experimentally during both the bend-up and bend-down cases.

Comparison of Normalization Techniques on Data Sets with Outliers

With the fast growing of data-rich systems, dealing with complex decision problems with skewed input data sets and respective outliers is unavoidable. Generally, data skewness refers to a non-uniform distribution in a dataset, i.e. a dataset which contains asymmetries and/or outliers. Normalization is the first step of most multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problems to obtain dimensionless data, from heterogeneous input data sets, that enable aggregation of criteria and thereby ranking of alternatives. Therefore, when in presence of outliers in criteria datasets, finding a suitable normalization technique is of utmost importance. As such, in this work, we compare seven normalization techniques (Max, Max-Min, Vector, Sum, Logarithmic, Target-based, and Fuzzification) on criteria datasets, which contain outliers to analyse their results for MCDM problems. A numerical example illustrates the behaviour of the chosen normalization techniques and an (ongoing) evaluation assessment framework is used to recommend the best normalization technique for this type of criteria.

DEFROSTING OF ANIMAL COLOSTRUM IN A RING RESONATOR OF ULTRA-HIGH FREQUENCY INSTALLATION

The article is devoted to the development of a two-resonator ultra-high-frequency (UHF) installation for defrosting and warming up animal colostrum, which ensures electromagnetic safety during continuous operation. As well as the development and study of the parameters of a microwave installation, which allows defrosting and uniformly warming up colostrum of animals in the field of a standing wave in the electromagnetic field of a traveling wave. A microwave installation is described with working chambers arranged in tiers in the form of an annular and conical resonators, containing, respectively, dielectric containers and dielectric conical plates. The out-of-limit waveguide is calculated and the radiation of the electric field through the loading hole is considered in the absence of the out-of-limit waveguide at a distance from the ring resonator that is greater than the wavelength. For uniform defrosting of colostrum in plastic bottles, they should be moved in a ring resonator and the magnetrons should be positioned with a shift of 120 degrees around the perimeter. Then the resulting strength of the electric field consisting of several initial fields will be equal to the vector sum of their strengths. To achieve a high heating rate of raw materials in the region of positive temperatures, it is necessary to provide a condition for heating a thin layer of liquid with the help of coaxially located conical dielectric trays

Postural adjustment as a function of scene orientation

Visual orientation plays an important role in postural control, but the specific characteristics of postural response to orientation remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the relationship between postural response and the subjective visual vertical (SVV) as a function of scene orientation. We presented a virtual room including everyday objects through a head mounted display and measured head tilt. The room orientation varied from 165° left to 180° right in 15° increments. In a separate session, we also conducted a rod adjustment task to record the participant’s SVV in the tilted room. We applied a weighted vector sum model to head tilt and SVV error, and obtained the weight of three visual cues to orientation: frame, horizon and polarity cues. We found substantial contributions of all visual cues to head tilt and SVV error. For SVV error, frame cues made the largest contribution, whereas polarity contribution made the smallest. Head tilt tended to follow a similar pattern to SVV error, but the pattern was unclear. These findings suggest that multiple visual cues to orientation are involved in postural control, and imply different representations of environmental coordinates across postural control and verticality perception.

Reducing Blasting-Induced Ground Vibrations at the Velkolom Čertovy Schody-Západ Quarry

The study discusses the use of the electronic initiation system and software modeling to reduce ground vibrations induced by blasting works. The main part compares non-electric and electronic initiation systems, namely how the system-type affects the peak vector sum (PVS). The study evaluates blasting works conducted between 2011 and 2020 at the Velkolom Čertovy schody quarry. KonĘprusy limestone deposit mined from a quarry Velkolom Certovy schody belongs to one of the most significant mining locations in the Czech Republic. The main mining technology used in breaking rock mass at the Velkolom Čertovy schody quarry is blasting (namely bench blasts and overburden blasts). Blasting generates ground vibrations that affect the surroundings of the quarry. The information on ground vibrations is continuously collected at the predetermined measurement sites through a monitoring network. The network constantly monitors peak particle velocity (PPV), PVS, frequency, and other parameters. The key measurement site appears to be Prošek Dome (M15) in the Koneprusy Caves. At this measurement site, the limit value of the PVS is stipulated at 3.0 mm s-1. If this value is exceeded, it is necessary to establish measures which lead to blasting restrictions (e. g. decrease in the weight of the deck charge, bench blast rows reduction). To meet the criteria, the Velkolom Čertovy schody-západ quarry started to use the electronic initiation system (E*STAR) along with the specialized software Paradigm for vibration modeling. This study, using data collected at the measurement sites Prošek Dome (M15) and KonĘprusy No. 19, compares the PVS generated by the non-electric initiation system (Shock*Star) without modeling and by the electronic initiation system (E*STAR) with modeling. As reference years for non-electric initiation were stipulated years 2011, 2012, 2013, and for electronic initiation years 2018, 2019, and 2020. An analysis of 467 bench blasts executed at the quarry was conducted - or rather, the analysis of the PVS values collected at the pre-selected measurement sites. The analysis shows that the average value of the PVS at the measurement site Prošek Dome (M15) decreased from 2.05 mm s-1 to 1.64 mm s-1 when using the electronic initiation system with vibration modeling. The decrease in the PVS value was observed at the measurement site KonĘprusy No. 19 as well, namely from 0.48 mm s-1 to 0.31 mm s-1. In addition, significantly fewer occasions of exceeding the PVS limit value were reported at the measurement site Prošek Dome (M15), specifically from 6.7 % to 2.7 % of the blasting works conducted within the selected reference years. The study also describes fundamental principles of work with the Paradigm software. Based on the vibration analysis, parameters of the bench blasts need to be adjusted: timing, number of deck charges or rows, etc. Finally, the study summarizes the benefits of the electronic initiation system with modeling.

The application of “line drilling” and “buffer holes” methods to reduce blasting vibration

PT Multi Nitrotama Kimia is one of the largest mining service companies that provide blasting services and sales of explosives in Indonesia. PT Putra Perkasa Abadi Jobsite Borneo Indobara is one of PT Multi Nitrotama Kimia’s customers who is facing challenges in optimizing blasting activities. Currently, blasting activities at PT Putra Perkasa Abadi Jobsite Borneo Indobara are carried out within 500 m of the active slope, so that the blasting distance is optimized. In optimizing the blasting distance, it is necessary to maintain slope conditions (no underbreak / no overbreak) and to consider the vibration of blasting results on the slopes. The line drilling method was chosen for the blasting trial stage. In the observation activity, an analysis of the resulting blasting and fragmentation vibrations was carried out. Precise planning and good control in field operations play an important role in this experimental process. Based on the results of the blasting trial, no damage was found in the area 25 m – 100 m from the blasting location and a 10% - 20% reduction in blasting vibration results (Peak Vector Sum) was obtained when compared between normal blasting designs with controlled blasting designs.

Classification of the Korean Sign Language Alphabet Using an Accelerometer with a Support Vector Machine

Recognition and understanding of sign language can aid communication between nondeaf and deaf people. Recently, research groups have developed sign language recognition algorithms using multiple sensors. However, in everyday life, minimizing the number of sensors would still require the use of a sign language interpreter. In this study, a sign language classification method was developed using an accelerometer to recognize the Korean sign language alphabet. The accelerometer is worn on the proximal phalanx of the index finger of the dominant hand. Triaxial accelerometer signals were used to segment the sign gesture (i.e., the time period when a user is performing a sign) and recognize the 31 Korean sign language letters (producing a chance level of 3.2%). The vector sum of the accelerometer signals was used to segment the sign gesture with 98.9% segmentation accuracy, which is comparable to that of previous multisensor systems (99.49%). The system was able to classify the Korean sign language alphabet with 92.2% accuracy. The recognition accuracy of this approach was found to be higher than that of a previous work in the same sign language alphabet classification task. The findings demonstrate that a single-sensor accelerometer with simple features can be reliably used for Korean sign language alphabet recognition in everyday life.

Whole Body Vibration on drivers seat and fender with fully loaded double axle tractor-trailers under different operating conditions

Tractors play an important role in Indian agriculture; it is used for agricultural operations and as a common means of transportation in rural areas. It exposes the drivers and workers sitting on fenders to whole body vibration. which results into back pain, spine degeneration and even spine disc problems. Keeping this in mind a study was carried out to measure the whole body vibration on driver and fender seat with fully loaded double axle tractor-trailer under different operating conditions. Vibration was measured on two terrains (Asphalt, Farm), at three speed (10, 12, 14 km/h on asphalt terrain and 4, 5, 7 km/h on farm terrain, as per ISO-5008 (1979)), in three directions (longitudinal, transverse, and vertical) using tri-axial accelerometers. Data was taken for 120 s each and analyzed using vibration meter and analyzer for three replications of each treatments. Vector sum of vibration and Health Guidance Caution Zone upper and lower limit were obtained for different operating conditions to know the health effect of vibration.

IMAGES OF MENTAL VISUALIZATION IN BIOETHICS

В статье даётся краткий очерк антиномической природы биоэтического дискурса и возможностей его геометрической визуализации. Рассматриваются два варианта визуализации. Первый связан с представлением той или иной ситуации как системы полярностей, которая в свою очередь моделируется в рамках векторной модели. В простейшем случае тезис и антитезис рассматриваются как два перпендикулярных вектора, а синтез – как их векторная сумма. В этом случае можно ввести и более количественную оценку «меры многомерности» полярной системы – как величины проекции её векторного представления на суммарный вектор. С использованием этих конструкций разбирается один пример из биоэтики, связанный со столкновением принципов милосердия и правдивости (проблема «лжи во спасение»). Деяние (действие или бездействие) интерпретируется как своеобразный оператор на событиях, который переводит одни события в другие. Предполагается, что субъект в своих деяниях рассматривает различные возможности и выбирает те из них, которые максимизируют ту или иную ценностную меру субъекта, в данном случае – меру векторной проекции полярного вектора ситуации на суммарный вектор – вектор синтеза базисных полярностей. Второй вариант визуализации связан с понятием антиномий в биоэтике – таких противоречий, которые не являются формально-логическими ошибками. В отличие от последних, в антиномиях как тезис, так и антитезис имеют свой момент оправдания в рамках тех или иных условий. Используется также понятие «антинома» – логического субъекта антиномии, который предицируется тезисом и антитезисом антиномии. Редукции антиномии соответствуют двум крайним аспектам антинома, которые называются его «редуктами» – по аналогии с редукцией волновой функции в квантовой механике. Приводятся различные примеры антиномов: биоэты, глоболоки, холомеры. В биоэтах один редукт выражает в большей мере биологические (биоредукт), второй – этические (эторедукт) определения антинома. В глоболоках выделяются глобальный (глоборедукт) и локальный (локоредукт) виды редуктов: первый выражает более глобальные (универсальные) этические определения, второй – более локальные, связанные с ценностями и нормами того или иного сообщества. Наконец, холомеры – вид антиномов, где антиномически соединяются определения целого (холоредукт) и части (мероредукт). Даётся их интерпретация как многомерных ментальных объектов в некотором обобщённом пространстве, так что крайние их аспекты (редукции антиномии) можно представить как проекции более многомерного состояния. В заключении делается предположение о связи биоэтических проблем с идеей ментальной многомерности, что составляет основу возможной визуализации как интерпретации ментальной многомерности на векторном её представлении. The article provides a brief outline of the antinomic nature of bioethical discourse and the possibilities of its geometric visualization. Two visualization options are considered. The first is associated with the representation of a particular situation as a system of polarities, which in turn is modeled in the framework of a vector model. In the simplest case, the thesis and the antithesis are considered as two orthogonal vectors P1 and P2, and the synthesis is considered as their vector sum S = P1+P2. In this case, we can also introduce a more quantitative estimate of the “measure of multidimensionality” M(P) of the polar system – as the magnitude of the projection of its vector representation P on the sum vector S, i.e. M(P) = (P,es), where es = S/|S| is the unit vector of the vector S, and (P,es) is the scalar product of the vectors P and es. Using these constructs, the author analyzes one example from bioethics related to the clash of the principles of mercy and truthfulness (the problem of “lying for salvation”). An act (action or omission) is interpreted as a kind of an operator on events that transforms some events into others. It is assumed that the subject considers various possibilities in their actions and chooses those that maximize a particular value measure of the subject, in our case, the measure M(P) of the vector projection of the polar vector P of the situation on the sum vector S – the vector of synthesis of basic polarities. The second version of visualization is related to the concept of antinomies – such contradictions that are not formal logical errors – in bioethics. In contrast to errors, in antinomies, both the thesis and the antithesis have their moment of justification within the framework of certain conditions. The concept “antinome” is also used; it is the logical subject of antinomy, which is predicated by the thesis and the antithesis of antinomy. Antinomy reductions correspond to two extreme aspects of the antinome, which are called its “reducts” – by analogy with the reduction of the wave function in quantum mechanics. Various examples of antinomes are given: bioets, globolocs, and holomers. In bioets, one reduct expresses the biological (bioreduct) definition of the antinome, another the ethical (ethoreduct) one. In globolocs, global (globoreduct) and local (locoreduct) types of reducts are distinguished: the former expresses more global (universal) ethical definitions, the latter more local ones, related to the values and norms of a particular local community. Finally, holomers are a kind of antinomes in which the definitions of the whole (holoreduct) and the part (meroreduct) are antinomically connected. They are interpreted as multidimensional mental objects in some generalized space, so that their extreme aspects (antinomy reductions) can be represented as generalized projections of a more multidimensional state within certain constricted conditions (reduction intervals). In this case, it is possible to geometrically visualize such states as, for example, three-dimensional objects in space, through which antinomes can be modeled, and their reducts as two-dimensional projections of a three-dimensional body on certain projection planes (intervals of reducts). In this case, one of the central tasks of bioethics is to determine the boundaries of the demarcation of some intervals from others. For example, in solving the problem of abortion and the status of the human embryo, such a demarcation is expressed in the search for a time point that would separate the phase of a more biological definition (bioreduct) of the embryo from its more ethical state (ethoreduct). In conclusion, the author suggests that bioethical problems are connected with the idea of mental multidimensionality, which forms the basis of a possible visualization as an interpretation of mental multidimensionality in its vector representation.