GENERATING OF ELECTRICITY FROM MAGNETOELECTRIC COMPOSITE WITH USE OF CHANGES IN DIRECTION OF MAGNETIC FIELD VECTOR

Paper shows study on the magnetoelectric composite material placed in an external magnetic field with changing magnetic field vecotr. An experimental setup for investigation of magnetoelectric properties of magnetostrictive-piezoelectric material was prepared. The hybrid structure is made of magnetostrictive composite (based on Terfenol-D) and piezoelectric material. Experimental results shown the response of prepared hybrid material to the rate of changes of direction of magnetic field vector. Investigation were mainly focused on possibility of generating of electric power from prepared material. It was found that the prepared hybrid material exhibits magnetoelectric effect in the case of work when direction of magnetic field vector was changing. This effect might be use in Energy Harvesting applications.

PERSONAL RESOURCES IN COPING WITH STRESS AMONG PARAMEDICS PART 1

The concept of personal resources is used in health psychology in reference to all the factors that help in coping with stress. Moos and Schafer define personal resource as: ‘relatively stable personal and social factors, which influence the way the individual tries to tackle life crises and stress transactions’. Many researchers count the following as important personal resources: social support, ways of coping with stress, self-esteem and self-efficacy, sense of coherence, level of optimism, ability to act assertively, locus of control. Paramedics can be associated with jobs requiring above-average level of both health and psychological costs. Thus, determination of the relation between the sense of coherence and ways of coping with stress will be the subject of this project.

LEGAL REGULATIONS IN THE FIELD OF CULTURAL HERITAGE PROTECTION IN POLAND IN THE YEARS 1944-1989 IN TERMS OF CULTURAL SECURITY OF THE COUNTRY

The article attempts to analyze the meaning of legal regulations developed in the field of cultural heritage protection in the years 1944-1989. It has been argued that these years were markedly different in terms of law in the sphere of cultural heritage protection than the period between 1918 and 1939 analyzed by the author in another article. The author decided to refer to legal acts and literature in the form of elaborations and magazines in the field of monuments protection. The specificity of the chosen subject and problem required the choice of a scientific method in the form of legal acts analysis, supported by literature review. The presented information shows that the period between 1944 and 1989 was characterized by a different approach of the Polish authorities towards the issue of cultural heritage protection in comparison to the years 1918-1939. The mentioned protection had an instrumental character and was one of the political-ideological tools influencing the society. Furthermore, the growth of legal protection of cultural assets in the age of the PRL took place in the conditions of centralized administration that adopted the idea of social distribution of many such assets, which led to devastation of numerous immovable monuments and sometimes also the antique furnishings. All the introduced legal regulations required a thorough change and redefinition of the legal status after the political-structural transformation of 1989.

RESEARCH ON THE INFLUENCE OF GEOMETRIC PARAMETERS ON THE PHENOMENON OF SNAKING OF ARTICULATED VEHICLES

The article presents the results of own numerical research conducted to determine the influence of the differential, causing the occurrence of the non-uniform torsion of wheels on the same axle and the changes in the width of an articulated vehicle, on the changes of the angle in the turn joint leading to snaking. An attempt was also made to determine the influence of swaying on vehicle stability. The quantitative influence of the above mentioned factors has been determined. Analytical formulae are also presented.

IDENTIFICATION OF STRAINS IN A MULTILAYER COMPOSITE PIPE

The paper presents the measurements and the analysis of deformations between lay-ers and the outside surface of a multilayer filament wound composite pipe. The pipe was made through the hoop wrap of roving stripes hence ring-shaped samples were prepared for test purposes. Carbon fibers and glass fibers were used for winding. In the course of their manufacturing, strain gauges and fiber optic sensors were placed be-tween the composite layers. Then, the strength tests were performed. The samples were subjected to the internal pressure of 30 MPa. During the tests peripheral defor-mations were measured on outside surfaces of individual layers of the structure.

SAFETY OF INVESTMENT PROCESS PARTIES IN THE ASPECT OF CONSTRUCTION WORK CONTRACT

The essential characteristics of a construction investment project include, but are not limited to: individual, comprehensive, specialized, complex and multi-step nature of activities, significant time constraints, demand for different qualifications and resources (material, financial). The above characteristics are a potential source of risk, which makes it necessary to accurately describe the mutual relations of entities involved in the project - primarily in the scope of the content of a construction work contract. Its task is to settle the commitments of the parties, their rights and obligations, and the responsibility for actions taken at the stage of preparation and implementation of the investment, in order to ensure its safe and non-conflicting realization. Signing a construction work contract results in the assumption of specific responsibilities by each party. In practice there are numerous examples of contractual clauses, which constitute a gross violation of the safety and balance of the parties in the area of fair and even distribution of potential risk. Most often two groups of contractual provisions are observed in the content of works contracts. The first one contains an unreasonable limitation of the contractor's entitlements, the other includes the irrational extension of the contractor's obligations and the transfer of numerous consequences of potential risks. The incorrect, i.e. unequal division of risk and its consequences is the most common cause of disputes between parties to a construction work contract. The paper presents the issue of asymmetry in the allocation of risks and limitations in shaping the contents of the public procurement contract, in terms of the safety of parties to construction work contracts

POLAND’S TROOP CONTRIBUTIONS TO US-LED MILITARY OPERATIONS AS A SECURITY POLICYINSTRUMENT

This article addresses the issue of Poland's troop contributions to US-led military operations, which for Poland constituted a salient instrument for attaining its security policy goals. It is argued that the United States of America played a pivotal role in Poland’s security policy, and by providing it with active support for the military operations in which the US exercised political and/or military leadership, Poland hoped to advance its security agenda. This assumption stemmed from America’s leading role in the global system and a conviction that it could influence its development in the way suiting the Polish interest. The article is in four parts. First, it examines the significance of foreign deployments as an instrument for attaining Poland’s security policy goals. Next, it explains the role the United States was assigned in Poland’s security policy. After that, it recounts the operations of Polish military contingents in US-led allied and coalition military operations. Finally, it discusses whether and how the engagement in those operations contributed to enhancing Poland’s security. The article embraces the period from the first military operation to which Poland deployed troops following the collapse of the Communist bloc in 1991 to the termination of the ISAF operation, which has had the largest Polish presence to date, in 2014. Keywords:

CONSTRUCTION PROCESS ACCORDING TO LATVIAN BUILDING REGULATIONS

Building regulations are still different in many European countries even the European Union directives did unify many acts for construction works and construction products in the member countries. The scheme of the construction process organized as per the Latvian building regulations are presented and commented in the paper. In particular, duties and responsibilities, as far as formally required qualifications of all engineers officially registered for the given construction process, will be shown.

CONDITIONS OF THE DECISION - MAKING PROCESS

In the article it has been emphasized, without analyzing the problematic situation, that making decision is becoming an increasingly complex process. This is influenced by many factors, mainly the dynamism of changes taking place and the significant impact of the environment. Information is essential to take correct and effective decisions. It is not always certain (reliable). Uncertainty and risk accompany decision makers and the point is that the decisions are adequate to the ensuing situation and create realistic determinants for achieving objectives – the implementation of the planned tasks. Interdisciplinary knowledge and high competences of persons making resolutions of complex decision problems are indispensable.

IMPACT OF THE DECISION ON TRANSPORT SYSTEMS’ RELIABILITY IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS

In the study, the authors focused on determination of reliability indicators of the transport systems, which currently constitute the Polish Armed Forces’ equipment. The methods of research of car fleets composed of distinct types of vehicles are presented. The algorithms of reliability indicators’ determination addressed in the study can serve to analyze other set of transportation means used in rescue, seasonal transport and specialized transportation assignments, as well as to determine the security level of any mission conducted. The appearance of information technology allowed transferring the paper-based registration system of operational occurrences into an integrated information system. It enables to follow the history of transportation fleets including single pieces of the equipment. The knowledge of reliability of particular types of the vehicles allows for proper planning of missions within the framework of possessed transport assets capacity. The study presents the method of achieving the intended objective to increase the effectiveness of management of motor vehicles fleet used intermittently. The algorithm for the selection of a vehicle or a group of vehicles for execution of tasks, developed on the basis of analytical procedures, envisages the assignment of mobile assets, complication and complexity of their structures, the level of modernity, operational history and branch regulations. Determined reliability indicators for particular groups of vehicles can be implemented into the Multilevel Information System