Cost, Draping, Material and Partitioning Optimization of a Composite Rail Vehicle Structure

This study proposes a novel methodology to combine topology optimization and ply draping simulation to partition composite structures, improve structural performance, select materials, and enable more accurate representations of cost- and weight-efficient manufacturable designs. The proposed methodology is applied to a structure as a case study to verify that the methodology is effective. One design concept is created by subjecting the structure to a kinematic ply draping simulation to inform the partitioning of the structure, improve drapability and performance, and reduce structural defects. A second design concept is created that assumes that plies are draped over the entire structural geometry, forming an integral design. The two design concepts’ topologies are subsequently optimized to specify ideal material and ply geometries to minimize mass and reduce costs. The results indicate that the partitioned structure has a 19% lower mass and 15% lower material costs than the integral design. The two designs produced with the new methodology are also compared against two control designs created to emulate previously published methodologies that have not incorporated ply draping simulations. This demonstrates that neglecting the effects of ply draping produces topology optimization solutions that under-predict the mass of a structure by 26% and costs by 38%.

Applying Software Engineering Design Principles to Agile Architecture

Most enterprise IT systems are very complex with a combination of COBOL and Java programs running on multiple platforms. What is needed is a solid IT architecture that supports the operation and growth of a cross-platform IT system. It must enable the iterative and incremental development of applications that are foreseen in an agile development process. The design concept of such an architecture with its infrastructure and development tool is presented in this chapter. This design concept is based on the design principles and architectural patterns of software engineering. The architecture is a combination of layered, component-based, and service-oriented architectural patterns. The agile development process is based on a model-driven approach. The architecture and development approaches were first introduced in 2004. Since then, many applications have been developed on time and within budget.

Comparison of Ultimate Capacities of RC Chimney Sections under Wind Loading

Diffusion of gaseous and particulate pollutants from tall stacks has formed an important element in the control of air pollution since the industrial revolution began. These tall reinforced concrete chimneys are considered to be cantilever columns subjected to axial load resulted from the self-weight of the shell, linings and other accessories and bending moments which are resulted from the lateral loads like wind forces and earthquake forces. The recently published IS: 4998 – 2015 adopted a limit state design concept which requires well defined stress-strain relationship for concrete and steel. It has been seen that there are many disparities lies between the stress-strain relationships of constituent materials adopted by IS: 4998 – 2015 and other design standards. This paper discusses various methods pertaining to the estimation of the ultimate strength of thin-walled hollow circular sections of reinforced concrete chimneys, subjected to wind loading. A comparative study of various methods based on the prevalent codes reveals considerable disparity in the predicted ultimate strength values. These differences have been critically analyzed and results are discussed in this paper in terms of ultimate strength along with the contribution of concrete and steel, ultimate curvature and depth of neutral axis. For the comparison of above-mentioned parameters, design recommendations of IS 4998 – 2015, CICIND 2011, ACI 307 – 08 are used. HIGHLIGHTS The recently published IS: 4998 – 2015 adopted a limit state design concept which requires well defined stress-strain relationship for concrete and steel which differs in terms of strain and stress limits when compared with other well established RC chimney design codes Various methods pertaining to the estimation of the ultimate strength of thin-walled hollow circular sections of reinforced concrete chimneys, subjected to wind loading are discussed using a comparative study with different parameters of RC chimney For the comparison of above-mentioned parameters, design recommendations of IS 4998 – 2015, CICIND 2011, ACI 307 – 08 are used Stress-strain relationship of concrete and steel also discussed with the bases of the same is also discussed in detail for each of the above codes GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Development and study of the stability of comenic acid solutions

Introduction. The article presents the development of solutions based on the comenic acid substance. The criteria of the studied compositions that affect their stability during storage are evaluated within the framework of the Quality-by-Design concept. The optimal compositions of comenic acid solutions have been established.Aim. The purpose of the study is to develop solutions based on the comenic acid substance and determine the most stable variants of execution.Materials and methods. The study of comenic acid solutions was carried out by using a laboratory pH meter PB-11-P11 (SARTORIUS, Germany) and a liquid/ion chromatograph "Stayer" ("Akvilon" JSC, Russia).Results and discussion. The study made it possible to determine the most stable compositions of solutions based on the comenic acid substance and to establish optimal indicators of their stability criteria. It was found that solutions of comenic acid are the most stable in the pH range: from 4.0 to 6.0. At the same time, regardless of the studied methods of neutralization of comenic acid, solutions are unstable at concentrations of 25 mg/ml or more.Conclusion. As a result of the study, the optimal compositions of solutions based on the comenic acid substance were determined. A comparative analysis of excipients that increase the solubility of comenic acid in aqueous solvents is performed. The stability criteria of the studied solutions are established and their values for ensuring the stability of the developed drug are determined.

A Study on Design of a Drone for Transportation in the Agricultural Sector

A drone is a fast-growing technology that has been used in many applications in the world. The drone also is a new solution for the transportation process in the agricultural sector. The primary purpose of this project is to explore the potential of drone or Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to reduce the dependence on fossil-fueled vehicles to transport the crops within the farm and from the farm to the seller. The use of drones will create lower emission of carbon dioxide and toxic gases that are usually generated by fossil-fueled vehicles. Besides, this research is also essential to reduce the health issues that currently appear from agriculture activities. The objective of this project is to determine the parameters to design a suitable drone for transportation in the agricultural sector. In addition, the design of the drone must be able to carry a maximum of 10 kg of payload, which can be analyzed by simulation and analysis. The simulation and analysis are performed by SolidWorks software. The conceptual design of the drone is proposed by following the George E. Dieter model of the design process. In addition, a simulation on the strength of the drone components and analysis on the thrust of the motor have been conducted to verify the proposed drone design concept based on the determined parameters. The cost estimation of the drone is about RM17683.65 and the overall weight is 26.823 kg. In conclusion, the drone design concept for transportation in the agricultural sector is proposed as a preliminary study for future works.