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Politechniki Gdańskiej

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  • Hydrologia obszarów miejskich... opowiedziana inaczej
    • Katarzyna Weinerowska-Bords
    2022

    Zapraszam Czytelników do wspólnej podróży i swoistej nieformalnej rozmowy na temat potrzeby uważności i czujności w pracy inżyniera. Zabawimy się w detektywów i niejako z lupką w dłoni pochylimy się nad pozornie dobrze znanymi procedurami obliczania ilości wód opadowych, nad naszymi inżynierskimi „oczywistościami” i poszukamy pęknięć w tej na pozór dobrze rozpoznanej całości. Zapytamy, co można zrobić lepiej i gdzie tkwią potencjalne pułapki, w które nieświadomie wpadamy, gdy tracimy uważność. Książka przeznaczona jest przede wszystkim dla studentów inżynierii środowiska, ale może się także spodobać innym Czytelnikom, zajmującym się zagadnieniami obliczania ilości wód opadowych, którym nie jest obojętne, czy wyniki własnych obliczeń mają jakieś odzwierciedlenie w rzeczywistości, czy też niekoniecznie…

  • Hydrological Dry Periods versus Atmospheric Circulations in the Lower Vistula Basin (Poland) in 1954–2018
    • Arkadiusz Bartczak
    • Andrzej Araźny
    • Michał Krzemiński
    • Rafał Maszewski
    2022 Pełny tekst Quaestiones Geographicae

    The paper discusses the impact of atmospheric circulation on the occurrence of droughts. The research in-cludes mean monthly discharges for 7 rivers in 1954-2018. Dry periods were determined with Standardised Streamflow Indices (SSI-12). Additionally, the circulation type calendar for Central Poland was used to determine the atmospheric circulation indices: western zonal (W), southern meridional (S) and cyclonicity (C). The analyses indicated a variation in the duration and intensity of droughts in the rivers. 2014-2017 was the driest period with the lowest SSI-12 for most rivers and the highest number of extremely dry months. The advection of air from the West and the South prevailed and anticyclonic synoptic situations dominated over the cyclonic types. Drought spells occurred at a dominance of anticyclonic circulation, with the inflow of air from the North and with increased western zonal circulation.

  • Hydrothermal modification of TiO2 nanotubes in water and alkali metal electrolytes (LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3) – Direct evidence for photocatalytic activity enhancement
    • Mariusz Wtulich
    • Mariusz Szkoda
    • Grzegorz Gajowiec
    • Kacper Jurak
    • Grzegorz Trykowski
    • Anna Lisowska-Oleksiak
    2022 Pełny tekst ELECTROCHIMICA ACTA

    The influence of hydrothermal annealing (HA) of TiO2 nanotubes (TiO2-NTs) in various baths (H2O, LiNO3, NaNO3, KNO3 performed for 4 h, 24 h, 64 h), on their photocatalytic and photoelectrocatalytic properties, was studied. The use of electrolytes was to enable the monitoring of photoactivity changes as a result of the expected impact on the population of hydroxyl groups on the surface. The assumption turned out to be correct and it was proved that the presence of Li+, Na+ or K+ does not allow achieving the same increases in photoactivity as observed for water. Modified samples exhibit significantly decreased F, P and carbon containing species. The length of the HA annealing time considerably affected the geometry of the nanotubes: eliminated clusters, changing the tilting angle of nanotubes, the wall thickness and inter-nanotube distance. Morphology changes due to HA treatment were associated with the interference phenomenon recorded as maximum in the Vis range. HA treatment in water brings about the most photoactive and photoelectroactive material characterized with minor modification in the optical bandgap and position of the flat bad potential. The optical energy bandgap values for electrodes containing alkali metals were reduced (up to 2.72 eV) and flat-band potential was shifted towards the anodic direction (up to 0.25 V disparity). However, increased activity as photocatalysts in the methylene blue degradation process and higher photocurrent generation was achieved for samples after modification in distilled water than in electrolytes, but these parameters are still better in comparison to unmodified titania nanotubes. Long-term treatment in water and electrolytes reduced threshold potentials for oxygen evolution reaction. The studies confirmed the effectiveness of the hydrothermal method for obtaining better photocatalytic parameters of TiO2-NTs and indicate that the presence of alkali metals is not favourable for maintaining high photocatalytic parameters.

  • Hyperbranched polyethylenimine functionalized silica/polysulfone nanocomposite membranes for water purification
    • Vahid Vatanpour
    • Maryam Jouyandeh
    • Seyed Soroush Mousavi Khadem
    • Mohammad Ganjali
    • Hiresh Moradi
    • Somayeh Mirsadeghi
    • Alireza Badiei
    • Amin Esmaeili
    • Navid Rabiee
    • Sajjad Habibzadeh
    • Sasan Nouranian
    • Krzysztof Formela
    • Mohammad Saeb
    2022 CHEMOSPHERE

    Hyperbranched polyethyleneimine functionalized silica (PEI-SiO2) nanoparticles with considerable hydrophilicity were synthesized and incorporated into a polysulfone (PSF)/dimethylacetamide (DMA)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) membrane casting solution in five different ratios to fabricate PEI-SiO2/PSF nanocomposite membranes using nonsolvent-induced phase separation. The hydrophilic PEI-SiO2 nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, FTIR, TGA, and XPS analyses. Morphology, water contact angles, mean pore sizes, overall porosity, tensile strengths, water flux, antifouling and the dye separation performances of the PEI-SiO2/PSF membranes were also studied. The PEI-SiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed in the PSF-based membranes, where a fall in the water contact angle was observed from 65.4° to 49.7° by addition of 2 wt% nanoparticles. The fouling resistance parameters of the PEI-SiO2/PSF membranes were declined with an increase in the nanoparticle concentration, suggesting the superior hydrophilic nature of the PEI-SiO2 nanoparticles. The permeability of the nanocomposite membranes was increased from 38.5 to 70 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 by incorporation of 2 wt% PEI-SiO2. Finally, improvements were observed in the flux recovery ratio (95.8%), Reactive Green 19 dye rejection (99.6%) and tensile strengths of the PEI-SiO2/PSF membranes over the neat PSF and SiO2/PSF membranes, which were used as controls. The results of this study demonstrate the promising application of PEI-SiO2 nanoparticles in improving the separation and antifouling performances of the PSF membranes for water purification.

  • Hyperelastic Microcantilever AFM: Efficient Detection Mechanism Based on Principal Parametric Resonance
    • Amin Alibakhshi
    • Sasan Rahmanian
    • Shahriar Dastjerdi
    • Mohammad Malikan
    • Karami Behrouz
    • Bekir Akgöz
    • Ömer Civalek
    2022 Pełny tekst Nanomaterials

    The impetus of writing this paper is to propose an efficient detection mechanism to scan the surface profile of a micro-sample using cantilever-based atomic force microscopy (AFM), operating in non-contact mode. In order to implement this scheme, the principal parametric resonance characteristics of the resonator are employed, benefiting from the bifurcation-based sensing mechanism. It is assumed that the microcantilever is made from a hyperelastic material, providing large deformation under small excitation amplitude. A nonlinear strain energy function is proposed to capture the elastic energy stored in the flexible component of the device. The tip–sample interaction is modeled based on the van der Waals non-contact force. The nonlinear equation governing the AFM’s dynamics is established using the extended Hamilton’s principle, obeying the Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. As a result, the vibration behavior of the system is introduced by a nonlinear equation having a time-dependent boundary condition. To capture the steady-state numerical response of the system, a developed Galerkin method is utilized to discretize the partial differential equation to a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODE) that are solved by the combination of shooting and arc-length continuation method. The output reveals that while the resonator is set to be operating near twice the fundamental natural frequency, the response amplitude undergoes a significant drop to the trivial stable branch as the sample’s profile experiences depression in the order of the picometer. According to the performed sensitivity analysis, the proposed working principle based on principal parametric resonance is recommended to design AFMs with ultra-high detection resolution for surface profile scanning.

  • Identification of defected sensors in an array of amperometric gas sensors
    • Marta Dmitrzak
    • Paweł Kalinowski
    • Piotr Jasiński
    • Grzegorz Jasiński
    2022 Sensor Review

    Purpose Amperometric gas sensors are commonly used in air quality monitoring in long-term measurements. Baseline shift of sensor responses and power failure may occur over time, which is an obstacle for reliable operation of the entire system. The purpose of this study is to check the possibility of using PCA method to detect defected samples, identify faulty sensor and correct the responses of the sensor identified as faulty. Design/methodology/approach In this work, the authors present the results obtained with six amperometric sensors. An array of sensors was exposed to sulfur dioxide at the following concentrations: 0 ppm (synthetic air), 50 ppb, 100 ppb, 250 ppb, 500 ppb and 1000 ppb. The damage simulation consisted in adding to the sensor response a value of 0.05 and 0.1 µA and replacing the responses of one of sensors with a constant value of 0 and 0.15 µA. Sensor validity index was used to identify a damaged sensor in the matrix, and its responses were corrected via iteration method. Findings The results show that the methods used in this work can be potentially applied to detect faulty sensor responses. In the case of simulation of damage by baseline shift, it was possible to achieve 100% accuracy in damage detection and identification of the damaged sensor. The method was not very successful in simulating faults by replacing the sensor response with a value of 0 µA, due to the fact that the sensors mostly gave responses close to 0 µA, as long as they did not detect SO2 concentrations below 250 ppb and the failure was treated as a correct response. Originality/value This work was inspired by methods of simulating the most common failures that occurs in amperometric gas sensors. For this purpose, simulations of the baseline shift and faults related to a power failure or a decrease in sensitivity were performed.

  • Identification of Unstable Reference Points and Estimation of Displacements Using Squared Msplit Estimation
    • Marek Zienkiewicz
    2022 MEASUREMENT

    The article presents a new version of the method for estimating parameters in a split functional model, which enables the determination of displacements of geodetic network points with constrained datum. The main aim of the study is to present theoretical foundations of Msplit CD estimation and its basic properties and possible applications. Particular attention was paid to the efficacy of the method in the context of geodetic network deformation analysis and to the robustness properties of the proposed method. The theoretical considerations were verified by means of two computational tests conducted using the Monte Carlo simulation. The obtained results of methods of estimation parameters in a split functional model were compared with the results of classical method of the least squares estimation. The numerical examples provided in the study indicate the basis properties of Msplit CD estimators being determined.

  • IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Students and Young Professionals Just After the Pandemic Time [Students and Young Professionals News]
    • Marek Jasinski
    • Marek Turzyński
    • Dmitri Vinnikov
    • Andrii Chub
    2022 IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine

    Report on IEEE IES Society student activities in year 2022.

  • IFI16 Impacts Metabolic Reprogramming during Human Cytomegalovirus Infection
    • Gloria Griffante
    • Weronika Hewelt-Belka
    • Camilla Albano
    • Francesca Gugliesi
    • Selina Pasquero
    • Sergio Fernando Castillo Pacheco
    • Greta Bajetto
    • Paolo Ettore Porporato
    • Erica Mina
    • Marta Vallino
    • Christian Krapp
    • Martin Roelsgaard Jakobsen
    • John Purdy
    • Jens Schneider von Deimling
    • Santo Landolfo
    • Valentina Dell’Oste
    • Matteo Biolatti
    2022 Pełny tekst mBio

    Cellular lipid metabolism plays a pivotal role in human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection, as increased lipogenesis in HCMV-infected cells favors the envelopment of newly synthesized viral particles. As all cells are equipped with restriction factors (RFs) able to exert a protective effect against invading pathogens, we asked whether a similar defense mechanism would also be in place to preserve the metabolic compartment from HCMV infection. Here, we show that gamma interferon (IFN-g)-inducible protein 16 (IFI16), an RF able to block HCMV DNA synthesis, can also counteract HCMV-mediated metabolic reprogramming in infected primary human foreskin fibroblasts (HFFs), thereby limiting virion infectivity. Specifically, we find that IFI16 downregulates the transcriptional activation of the glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) through cooperation with the carbohydrate-response element-binding protein (ChREBP), thereby reducing HCMV-induced transcription of lipogenic enzymes. The resulting decrease in glucose uptake and consumption leads to diminished lipid synthesis, which ultimately curbs the de novo formation of enveloped viral particles in infected HFFs. Consistently, untargeted lipidomic analysis shows enhanced cholesteryl ester levels in IFI16 KO versus wild-type (WT) HFFs. Overall, our data unveil a new role of IFI16 in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism upon HCMV replication and uncover new potential targets for the development of novel antiviral therapies.

  • IgG Avidity Test as a Tool for Discrimination between Recent and Distant Toxoplasma gondii Infection—Current Status of Studies
    • Lucyna Holec-Gąsior
    • Karolina Sołowińska
    2022 Pełny tekst Antibodies

    Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite, is the causative agent of one of the most prevalent zoonoses worldwide. T. gondii infection is extremely important from a medical point of view, especially for pregnant women, newborns with congenital infections, and immunocompromised individuals. Thus, an accurate and proper diagnosis of this infection is essential. Among the available diagnostic tests, serology is commonly used. However, traditional serological techniques have certain limitations in evaluating the duration of T. gondii infection, which is problematic, especially for pregnant women. Avidity of T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies seems to be a significant tool for discrimination between recent and distant infections. This article describes the problem of diagnosis of T. gondii infection, with regard to IgG avidity tests. The IgG avidity test is a useful serological indicator of toxoplasmosis, which in many cases can confirm or exclude the active form of the disease. IgG antibodies produced in the recent primary T. gondii infection are of low avidity while IgG antibodies with high avidity are detected in the chronic phase of infection. Furthermore, this paper presents important topics of current research that concern the usage of parasite recombinant antigens that may improve the performance of IgG avidity tests.

  • Ikony architektury portu w Gdyni-styl i struktura
    • Maria Sołtysik
    2022

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  • Imaging polarimeter with high-accuracy measuring principles in crystal optics
    • Mykola Shopa
    • Serhiy Kobyakov
    • Yaroslav Shopa
    2022 Pełny tekst OPTO-ELECTRONICS REVIEW

    An imaging polarimeter based on the principles of high-accuracy polarimetry well known in crystal optics is proposed. The application of scientific digital cameras for performance light measurements leads to precise data on polarizers quality, i.e., maps of extinction ratio and transmission axis. Processing of numerous images, acquired at various settings in the polarizer-sample-analyser system, allows to determine the two-dimensional distribution of the phase retardation of birefringent plates. Several results of imaging polarimetry experiments on birefringent plates demonstrate the impact of multiple light reflections on the measured phase retardation values. Experimental data for LiNbO3 and SiO2 crystal plates have been presented, demonstrating the capabilities of the proposed type of imaging polarimeter in the crystal optics studies. This technique also allows the measurement of the eigen wave ellipticities, associated with the optical activity of crystals.

  • Impact and stretching standardized tests as useful tools for assessment of viscoelastic behavior for highly rubberized asphalt binder
    • Xiaoxiao Yu
    • Weihong Yang
    • Lu Zhang
    • Krzysztof Formela
    • Shifeng Wang
    2022 CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS

    Asphalt binder is generally identified as a brittle material at low service temperature or under high-speed load, and the brittleness becomes serious after weathering aging. Improving the toughness of asphalt binder through adding high-content of crumb tire rubber is an efficient method to solve this problem. Devulcanized rubber modified asphalt binder (DRMA) with different contents (15–40%) of devulcanized rubber (DR) were prepared and their conventional physical properties, toughness, rheological properties, and microstructure were characterized by DSR, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, sol–gel analysis, gel permeation chromatography and optical microscopy. It was found that DRMA with 35% DR content still had a good processing property. According to the results of Charpy impact and stretching tests, the toughness of DRMA measured under dynamic or fast-speed loads dramatically increased with an increase of DR content. Remarkably, the brittle-tough transition of DRMA with approximately 25% DR content was identified. The toughening effect of DR on asphalt binder was explained in terms of the decreased temperature stress, the improved speed of stress dissipation, and the increased fracture energy of DRMA. These findings provided a perspective on the viscoelastic characteristics of DRMA under a dynamic load by simple adaptation of standardized tests dedicated for polymers.

  • Impact evaluation of a cycling promotion campaign using daily bicycle counters data: The case of Cycling May in Poland
    • Beatrice Biondi
    • Aleksandra Romanowska
    • Krystian Birr
    2022 Pełny tekst TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART A-POLICY AND PRACTICE

    The promotion of active and sustainable transport modes as an alternative to motorised individual transport has become a key policy priority in Europe, to reduce air pollution, road congestion, noise, traffic injuries, and the adverse health outcomes of sedentary lifestyles. Policymakers are implementing a wide range of measures to encourage this shift in attitudes and behaviours. These interventions are most valuable when targeting children and young people, as they weigh in habit formation and result in longer term benefits. More specifically, soft transport policies include measures like informational and educational campaigns, marketing techniques, personalized services and incentives. Among this type of policies, the gamification approach based on a competition mechanism and relative reward is applied to promote cycling behaviour, especially directed towards children. In this study we evaluate the Cycling May policy, a wide campaign aimed at promoting commuting to school by bicycle and implemented in several cities in Poland, and targeting schoolchildren and their families. We apply a quasi-experimental design based on observed daily bicycle counts on bicycle lanes in the targeted city of Gdansk and in a control city, over a three-years period. Estimates from a difference-in-difference panel regression show that the policy generated a 18% average increase in daily bicycle traffic. Despite the positive estimated effect during the intervention, our findings suggest that the behavioural change is not sustained after the intervention ends, consistently with findings from similar research.

  • Impact of cross-section centers estimation on the accuracy of the Point cloud spatial expansion using robust M-estimation and Monte Carlo simulation
    • Paweł Dąbrowski
    • Marek Zienkiewicz
    2022 MEASUREMENT

    The point cloud spatial expansion (PCSE) method creates an alternative form of representing the shape of symmetrical objects and introduces additional descriptive geometric parameters. An important element of the procedure is determining the course of the axis of symmetry of cylindrical objects based on cross-sections of point clouds. Outliers occurring in laser measurements are of great importance in this case. In this study, six robust estimation methods were used to determine the coordinates of the section centers. Accuracy analysis was performed both for data simulated with the Monte Carlo method and the real data. The study showed the advantage of robust methods for the PCSE method over the classical method of least squares estimation.

  • Impact of low-temperature sintering on the Fe-based amorphous coatings
    • Amjad Iqbal Falak
    • Ayesha Iqbal
    • Ahmed Zubair Jan
    • Muhammad Bilal Hafeez
    2022 Pełny tekst

    Bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) have gained a lot of attention in recent years due to their outstanding properties such as high hardness and excellent wear and corrosion resistance. However, they are restricted in industrial applications due to their extreme brittleness. Iron based amorphous coatings from BMGs are the best solution to use them by overcoming the problem of extreme brittleness. The coatings can be sprayed by various thermal techniques such as flame spraying (FS), high velocity air fuel (HVAF), High velocity oxy fuel (HVOF) spraying process and plasma spray (PS) process. In this study, we have developed iron-based amorphous coating via HVOF and found interesting effect of structural relaxation at low temperature. Iron-based amorphous alloy powder with Fe48Mo14Cr15Y2C15B6 composition was used as the feedstock powder. The coatings sprayed by HVOF the techniques showed compact coatings as observed by the Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results and amorphous phase was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction analysis at various temperature. Further investigations on the mechanical properties and chemical properties show that low temperature sintering improve the property of coatings.

  • Impact of Propeller Emergence on Hull, Propeller, Engine, and Fuel Consumption Performance in Regular Head Waves
    • Mohammad Ghaemi
    • Hamid Zeraatgar
    2022 Pełny tekst Polish Maritime Research

    In this study, the impact of propeller emergence on the performance of a ship (speed), propeller (thrust, torque, and RPM), a diesel engine (torque and RPM) and fuel consumption are analysed under severe sea conditions. The goal is to describe the variation in the system variables and fuel consumption rather than analysing the motion of the ship or the phenomenon of propeller ventilation in itself. A mathematical model of the hull, propeller, and engine interactions is developed in which the propeller emergence is included. The system parameters are set using model experiments, empirical formulae, and available data for the engine. The dynamic response of the system is examined in regular head waves under submerged and emerged conditions of the propeller. The pulsatility and the extent of variation ystem of hull, propeller, and engine are elaborated using quantitative and qualitative terms and absolute and relative scales. The simulation begins with a ship moving on a straight path, in calm water, with a constant speed for the ship, propeller and engine under steady conditions. The ship then encounters regular head waves with a known time series of the total resistance of the ship in waves. Large motions of the ship create propeller emergence, which in turn reduces the propeller thrust and torque. This study shows that for a specific ship, the mean ship speed, shaft angular velocity, and engine power were slightly reduced in submerged conditions with respect to calm water. We compared the mean values of the variables to those in the emerged condition and found that the shaft angular velocity was almost the same, the ship speed was considerably reduced, and the engine power significantly dropped with respect to calm water. The ratios of the amplitude of fluctuation to the mean (Amp/Mean) for the ship speed and angular velocity of the shaft under both conditions were considerable, while the Amp/Mean for the power delivered by the engine was extremely high. The outcomes of the study show the degree of influence of propeller emergence on these variables. We identify the extent of each change and categorise the variables into three main groups based on the results

  • Impact of Temperature and Nanoparticle Concentration on Turbulent Forced Convective Heat Transfer of Nanofluids
    • Janusz Cieśliński
    • Dawid Lubocki
    • Slawomir Smolen
    2022 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    Theoretical analysis of the influence of nanoparticles and temperature on the average Nusselt (Nu) number and the average heat transfer coefficient (HTC) during the turbulent flow of nanofluid in a horizontal, round tube was carried out. The Nu number is a function of the Reynolds (Re) number and the Prandtl (Pr) number, which in turn are functions of the thermophysical properties of the liquid and the flow conditions. On the other hand, the thermophysical properties of nanoliquids are primarily a function of nanoparticle concentration (NPC) and temperature. Hence, the correct determination of the value of the Nu number, and then the HTC, which is needed for engineering calculations, depends on the accuracy of determining the thermophysical properties of nanofluids. In most cases, the thermophysical properties of the nanofluids are calculated as functions of the corresponding thermophysical properties of the base liquid. Therefore, the accuracy of the calculations of the thermophysical properties of nanofluids is equally determined by the reliable correlations for the base liquids. Therefore, new correlations for the calculation of the thermophysical properties of water have been developed. The results of calculations of the thermophysical properties of the base liquid (water) and the water-Al2O3 nanofluids by use of carefully selected correlations is presented. It was established that even for small concentrations of nanoparticles, a significant intensification of heat transfer using nanofluids as compared to the base liquid is obtained for the tested temperature range.

  • Impact of the Finite Element Mesh Structure on the Solution Accuracy of a Two-Dimensional Kinematic Wave Equation
    • Dariusz Gąsiorowski
    2022 Pełny tekst Water

    The paper presents the influence of the finite element mesh structure on the accuracy of the numerical solution of a two-dimensional linear kinematic wave equation. This equation was solved using a two-level scheme for time integration and a modified finite element method with triangular elements for space discretization. The accuracy analysis of the applied scheme was performed using a modified equation method for three different uniform triangular meshes with the same resolution, but with a different structure. The modified equation approach based on the Taylor series truncation allowed the numerical diffusivity and dispersivity tensors to be derived, which are directly associated with numerical errors. The derived tensors depend on parameters such as the space and time interval, flow velocity and weighting coefficients. A detailed analysis carried out for the particular values of these parameters enabled an assessment of the numerical errors that may be generated in the solution for the assumed mesh structure. The theoretical analysis was confirmed by using numerical simulations carried out for an arbitrary domain and auxiliary conditions. According to the obtained results, it appeared that it is possible to improve the accuracy of the numerical solution by choosing the proper mesh structure and numerical parameters for the applied algorithm.

  • Impact of thermal loading into the structural performance of ships: A review
    • Krzysztof Wołoszyk
    2022 Pełny tekst OCEAN ENGINEERING

    The presented study reviews the recent advances done regarding the impact of thermal loading on the structural performance of ships. Firstly, the studies related to the mechanical and thermal properties of typical materials used in shipbuilding are outlined. Secondly, a brief introduction to the heat transfer analysis, Finite Element modelling and thermal stresses is provided. Finally, the review of papers dealing with the structural response of ship hull girder elements subjected to thermal loading is outlined. Two main groups of analyses are highlighted, i.e. structural performance at very low and very high temperatures. In each group, the possible future research needs are identified, and conclusions are drawn.

  • Impedance Spectra of RC Model as a Result of Testing Pulse Excitation Measurement Method Dataset
    • Grzegorz Lentka
    2022 Pełny tekst

    The dataset titled Impedance spectra of RC model as a result of testing pulse excitation measurement method contains the impedance spectrum of an exemplary test RC model obtained using pulse excitation. The dataset allows presentation of the accuracy of the impedance spectroscopy measuring instrument, which uses the pulse excitation method to shorten the time of the whole spectrum acquisition.

  • Impedimetric sensing of α-amino acids driven by micro-patterned 1,8-Diazafluoren-9-one into titania- boron- doped maze-like nanocarbons
    • Mattia Pierpaoli
    • Aneta Lewkowicz
    • Bartłomiej Dec
    • Małgorzata Nadolska-Dawidowska
    • Robert Bogdanowicz
    2022 Pełny tekst SENSORS AND ACTUATORS B-CHEMICAL

    The development of impedimetric, non-faradaic label-free sensors for the detection of α-amino acids constitutes a trailblazing technology for the fast and inexpensive quantification of such biomarkers. Since α-amino acids, such as glycine and sarcosine, are basic constituents in biological processes, a variation in their concentration may be an indicator of cardiovascular diseases and metabolic disorders or neurological conditions. The unique properties, including maze-like porosity along with excellent electron transfer behavior, make boron-doped carbon nanowalls (BCNW) an ideal transducer for electrochemical sensing. In order to realize a non-faradaic impedimetric sensor for the detection of α-amino acids, 1,8-diazafluoren-9-one (DFO), a fluorophore commonly used in forensic science, was dispersed into Ti-sol precursor and deposited over a BCNW substrate by spin-coating. Data mining tools have been applied to the raw impedimetric data to directly predict the glycine concentration and to support the underlying material-interface interaction. The developed sensor revealed high selectivity and reproducibility toward glycine and other α-amino acids (phenylamine, sarcosine and tryptophan) and no selectivity toward β-alanine, γ-aminobutyric acid or taurine. The application of density-functional theory (DFT) studies supported the higher affinity with the highest adsorption energy for the reaction product of DFO with glycine. A detection limit of 51 nM was found for glycine.

  • IMPLEMENTACJA ARCHITEKTURY SYSTEMU SYMEC
    • Andrzej Bęben
    • Wojciech Burakowski
    • Maciej Sosnowski
    • Dariusz Więcek
    • Paweł Olender
    • Bartosz Belter
    • Bartosz Krakowiak
    • Michał Hoeft
    • Mariusz Miszewski
    • Adrian Chomicki
    2022 Przegląd Telekomunikacyjny + Wiadomości Telekomunikacyjne

    W artykule przedstawiono docelową architekturę systemu obliczeń na brzegu sieci, która została opracowana, zaimplementowana i wdrożona w ramach projektu SyMEC. W szczególności przedstawiono główne elementy opracowanego systemu, podstawowe realizowane procesy dotyczące zarządzania cyklem życia oferowanych aplikacji i usług MEC, a także doświadczenia wynikające z implementacji prototypu systemu SyMEC i jego wdrożenia w krajowej sieci badawczej PL-LAB 2020. W podsumowaniu przedstawiono kierunki dalszego rozwoju system SyMEC.

  • Implementation of high-precision computation capabilities into the open-source dynamic simulation framework YADE
    • Jan Kozicki
    • Anton Gladky
    • Klaus Thoeni
    2022 Pełny tekst COMPUTER PHYSICS COMMUNICATIONS

    This paper deals with the implementation of arbitrary precision calculations into the open-source discrete element framework YADE published under the GPL-2+ free software license. This new capability paves the way for the simulation framework to be used in many new fields such as quantum mechanics. The implementation details and associated gains in the accuracy of the results are discussed. Besides the "standard" double (64 bits) type, support for the following high-precision types is added: long double (80 bits), float128 (128 bits), mpfr_float_backend (arbitrary precision) and cpp_bin_float (arbitrary precision). Benchmarks are performed to quantify the additional computational cost involved with the new supported precisions. Finally, a simple calculation of a chaotic triple pendulum is performed to demonstrate the new capabilities and the effect of different precisions on the simulation result.

  • Implementing artificial intelligence in forecasting the risk of personal bankruptcies in Poland and Taiwan
    • Tomasz Korol
    • Anestis Fotiadis
    2022 Pełny tekst Oeconomia Copernicana

    Research background: The global financial crisis from 2007 to 2012, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the current war in Ukraine have dramatically increased the risk of consumer bankruptcies worldwide. All three crises negatively impact the financial situation of households due to increased interest rates, inflation rates, volatile exchange rates, and other significant macroeconomic factors. Financial difficulties may arise when the private person is unable to maintain a habitual standard of living. This means that anyone can become financially vulnerable regardless of wealth or education level. Therefore, forecasting consumer bankruptcy risk has received increasing scientific and public attention. Purpose of the article: This study proposes artificial intelligence solutions to address the increased importance of the personal bankruptcy phenomenon and the growing need for reliable forecasting models. The objective of this paper is to develop six models for forecasting personal bankruptcies in Poland and Taiwan with the use of three soft-computing techniques. Methods: Six models were developed to forecast the risk of insolvency: three for Polish households and three for Taiwanese consumers, using fuzzy sets, genetic algorithms, and artificial neural networks. This research relied on four samples. Two were learning samples (one for each country), and two were testing samples, also one for each country separately. Both testing samples contain 500 bankrupt and 500 nonbankrupt households, while each learning sample consists of 100 insolvent and 100 solvent natural persons. Findings & value added: This study presents a solution for effective bankruptcy risk forecasting by implementing both highly effective and usable methods and proposes a new type of ratios that combine the evaluated consumers’ financial and demographic characteristics. The usage of such ratios also improves the versatility of the presented models, as they are not denominated in monetary value or strictly in demographic units. This would be limited to use in only one country but can be widely used in other regions of the world.

  • Improved finite element method for flow, heat and solute transport of Prandtl liquid via heated plate
    • Muhammad Bilal Hafeez
    • Marek Krawczuk
    • Wasim Jamshed
    • Hajra Kaneez
    • Syed M. Hussain
    • El Sayed M. Tag El Din
    2022 Pełny tekst Scientific Reports

    In the current study, a vertical, 3D-heated plate is used to replicate the generation of heat energy and concentration into Prandtl liquid. We discuss how Dufour and Soret theories relate to the equations for concentration and energy. In order to see how efectively particles, interact with heat and a solvent, hybrid nanoparticles are used. It does away with the phenomena of viscous dissipation and changing magnetic felds. The motivation behind the developed study is to optimize solvent and heat storage uses in the biological and industrial domains. This article’s major goal is to explore the aspects of thermal energy and mass transfer that infuence how nanoparticles, hybrid nanoparticles, and 3D melting surface sheets behave. Variable thermal efciency and variable mass transfer are combined. The system of generated PDEs (diference equations) includes the concentration, velocity, and heat energy equations. The numerical calculations are done for Silver (Ag), Molybdenum Disulfde (MoS2) nanoparticles with Ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) as the base fuid using a boundary layer approach to the mathematical formulation. The system of ODEs is formulated through transformations in order to fnd a solution. A Galerkin fnite element algorithm (G-FEA) is adopted to analyze various aspects versus diferent parameters. It has been found that motion into hybrid nanoparticles is reduced by motion into nanoparticles. Additionally, diferences in heat energy and solvent particle sizes are associated with modifcations in magnetic, Dufour, Eckert, and Soret numbers. In contrast to hybrid nanostructures, the output of thermal energy is usually observed to be substantially higher. The magnetic feld parameter decreases the particle velocity. In contradiction to the Eckert number, bouncy parameter, and magnetic parameter set values, the maximum quantity of heat energy is obtained. variable thermal conductivity’s function. The 3D heated vertical surface convective heat transfer of nanofuids and hybrid nanofuids under the impact of a heat source, thermal radiation, and viscous dissipation has not yet been studied, as far as the authors are aware.

  • Improved-Efficacy EM-Based Antenna Miniaturization by Multi-Fidelity Simulations and Objective Function Adaptation
    • Marzieh Mahrokh
    • Mateusz Kozieł
    2022 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    The growing demands for integration of surface mount design (SMD) antennas into miniatur-ized electronic devices have been continuously imposing limitations on the structure dimen-sions. Examples include embedded antennas in applications such as on-board devices, picosatel-lites, 5G communications, or implantable and wearable devices. The demands for size reduction while ensuring a satisfactory level of the electrical and field performance figures can be man-aged through constrained numerical optimization. The reliability of optimization-based size reduction requires utilization of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) analysis, which entails signifi-cant computational costs. This can be alleviated by incorporating surrogate modeling tech-niques, adjoint sensitivities, or the employment of sparse sensitivity updates. An alternative is the incorporation of multi-fidelity simulation models, normally limited to two levels, low and high resolution. This paper proposes a novel algorithm for the accelerated antenna miniaturiza-tion, featuring a continuous adjustment of the simulation model fidelity in the course of the op-timization process. The model resolution is determined by factors related to violation of the de-sign constraints as well as and the convergence status of the algorithm. The algorithm utilizes the lowest-fidelity model for the early stages of the optimization process; it is gradually refined towards the highest-fidelity model upon approaching convergence, and the constraint violations improve towards the preset tolerance threshold. At the same time, a penalty function approach with adaptively adjusted coefficients is applied to enable a precise control of constraints, and to increase the achievable miniaturization rates. The presented procedure has been validated using five microstrip antennas, including three broadband, and two circularly polarized structures. The obtained results corroborate the relevance of the implemented mechanisms from the point of view of improving the average computational efficiency of the optimization pro-cess by 43% as compared to the single-fidelity adaptive penalty function approach. Fur-thermore, the presented methodology demonstrates a performance quality equivalent or even superior to the single-fidelity counterpart in terms of the average constraint violation of 0.01 dB (compared to 0.03 dB for the reference), and the average size reduction of 25% as compared to 25.6%.

  • Improvement of CO2 absorption and inhibition of NH3 escape during CaCO3 precipitation in the presence of selected alcohols and polyols
    • Natalia Czaplicka
    • Dominik Dobrzyniewski
    • Szymon Dudziak
    • Chunqing Jiang
    • Donata Konopacka-Łyskawa
    2022 Pełny tekst Journal of CO2 Utilization

    This research aims to investigate the effect of selected organic substances containing hydroxyl groups on the reduction of NH3 escape and the improvement of CO2 capture during the precipitation of calcium carbonate by carbonation method using post-distillation liquid from the Solvay process and gas stream containing CO2 in the amount corresponding to the exhausted gases produced by the combustion of fossil fuels. Glycerol, ethylene glycol (EG), methanol, isopropanol, pentaerythritol, and neopentyl glycol (NPG) were used as ammonia escape inhibitors. The addition of NPG has been shown to result in the highest reduction of NH3 escape (83.1%) and the highest CO2 capture efficiency (86.1%). During the proposed CaCO3 precipitation with NPG, 98.7% of the NH3 initially introduced into the reaction mixture remains in the solution. Furthermore, the features that should be taken into account when introducing various alcohols and polyols for capturing NH3 and CO2 in the calcium carbonate precipitation via the carbonation method have been discussed.

  • Improvements and new functionalities of UNRES server for coarse-grained modeling of protein structure, dynamics, and interactions
    • Rafał Ślusarz
    • Emilia Lubecka
    • Cezary Czaplewski
    • Adam Liwo
    2022 Pełny tekst Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences

    In this paper we report the improvements and extensions of the UNRES server (https://unres-server.chem.ug.edu.pl) for physics-based simulations with the coarse-grained UNRES model of polypeptide chains. The improvements include the replacement of the old code with the recently optimized one and adding the recent scale-consistent variant of the UNRES force field, which performs better in the modeling of proteins with the β and the α+β structures. The scope of applications of the package was extended to data-assisted simulations with restraints from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and chemical crosslink mass-spectroscopy (XL-MS) measurements. NMR restraints can be input in the NMR Exchange Format (NEF), which has become a standard. Ambiguous NMR restraints are handled without expert intervention owing to a specially designed penalty function. The server can be used to run smaller jobs directly or to prepare input data to run larger production jobs by using standalone installations of UNRES.

  • Improving medical experts’ efficiency of misinformation detection: an exploratory study
    • Aleksandra Nabożny
    • Bartłomiej Balcerzak
    • Mikołaj Morzy
    • Adam Wierzbicki
    • Pavel Savov
    • Kamil Warpechowski
    2022 Pełny tekst WORLD WIDE WEB-INTERNET AND WEB INFORMATION SYSTEMS

    Fighting medical disinformation in the era of the pandemic is an increasingly important problem. Today, automatic systems for assessing the credibility of medical information do not offer sufficient precision, so human supervision and the involvement of medical expert annotators are required. Our work aims to optimize the utilization of medical experts’ time. We also equip them with tools for semi-automatic initial verification of the credibility of the annotated content. We introduce a general framework for filtering medical statements that do not require manual evaluation by medical experts, thus focusing annotation efforts on non-credible medical statements. Our framework is based on the construction of filtering classifiers adapted to narrow thematic categories. This allows medical experts to fact-check and identify over two times more non-credible medical statements in a given time interval without applying any changes to the annotation flow. We verify our results across a broad spectrum of medical topic areas. We perform quantitative, as well as exploratory analysis on our output data. We also point out how those filtering classifiers can be modified to provide experts with different types of feedback without any loss of performance.

  • Improving Re-rankCCP with Rules Quality Measures
    • Piotr Jezusek
    • Aleksandra Karpus
    2022

    Recommender Systems are software tools and techniques which aim at suggesting new items that may possibly be of interest to a user. Context-Aware Recommender Systems exploit contextual information to provide more adequate recommendations. In this paper we described a modification of an existing contextual post-filtering algorithm which uses rules-like user representation called Contextual Conditional Preferences. We extended the algorithm by taking into account rules quality measures while recommending items to a user. We proved that this modification increases the quality of recommendations, measured with precision, recall and nDCG, and has no impact on the execution time of the original algorithm.

  • In vivo imaging of the human eye using a two-photon excited fluorescence scanning laser ophthalmoscope
    • Jakub Boguslawski
    • Grazyna Palczewska
    • Slawomir Tomczewski
    • Jadwiga Milkiewicz
    • Piotr Kasprzycki
    • Dorota Stachowiak
    • Katarzyna Komar
    • Marcin Jarosław Marzejon
    • Bartosz L. Sikorski
    • Arkadiusz Hudzikowski
    • Aleksander Głuszek
    • Zbigniew Łaszczych
    • Karol Karnowski
    • Grzegorz Soboń
    • Krzysztof Palczewski
    • Maciej Wojtkowski
    2022 Pełny tekst JOURNAL OF CLINICAL INVESTIGATION

    BACKGROUND. Noninvasive assessment of metabolic processes that sustain regeneration of human retinal visual pigments (visual cycle) is essential to improve ophthalmic diagnostics and to accelerate development of new treatments to counter retinal diseases. Fluorescent vitamin A derivatives, which are the chemical intermediates of these processes, are highly sensitive to UV light; thus, safe analyses of these processes in humans are currently beyond the reach of even the most modern ocular imaging modalities. METHODS. We present a compact fluorescence scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TPEF-SLO) and spectrally resolved images of the human retina based on two-photon excitation (TPE) with near-infrared (IR) light. A custom Er:fiber laser with integrated pulse selection, along with intelligent post-processing of data, enables excitation with low laser power and precise measurement of weak signals. RESULTS. We demonstrate spectrally resolved TPE fundus images of human subjects. Comparison of TPE data between human and mouse models of retinal diseases revealed similarity with mouse models that rapidly accumulate bisretinoid condensation products. Thus, visual cycle intermediates and toxic byproducts of this metabolic pathway can be measured and quantified by TPE imaging. CONCLUSION. Our work establishes a TPE instrument and measurement method for noninvasive metabolic assessment of the human retina. This approach opens the possibility for monitoring eye diseases in the earliest stages before structural damage to the retina occurs. FUNDING. NIH, Research to Prevent Blindness, Foundation for Polish Science, European Regional Development Fund, Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange and Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

  • Incorporation of the sulfur cycle in sustainable nitrogen removal systems - A review
    • Dominika Grubba
    • Zhixuan Yin
    • Joanna Majtacz
    • Hussein Al- Hazmi
    • Jacek Mąkinia
    2022 Pełny tekst JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION

    In wastewater treatment systems, sulfur (S) removal processes are generally based on heterotrophic sulfate (SO42−) reduction by sulfate reducing bacteria and S-dependent autotrophic denitrification by sulfur oxidizing bacteria. A combination of either two cycles (N and S) or three cycles (N, S and C) appears to be a viable approach to sustainable wastewater treatment, resulting in energy savings and reduction of sludge production. This review shows how the S cycle can be coupled with the other cycles in single systems for efficient N and S removal. Operating conditions, advantages, limitations and challenges of such systems are described. S removal processes are generally based on heterotrophic sulfate (SO42−) reduction by sulfate reducing bacteria and S-dependent autotrophic denitrification by sulfur oxidizing bacteria. In terms of pH and temperature, the optimum conditions are determined by the narrowest ranges for heterotrophic SO42− reduction (pH of 7–7.6, T = 28–30 °C). The combined processes allow for almost complete N removal, while the efficiency of SO42− removal can reach up to 75%. Among all the processes linking the N, S and C cycles, SANI (sulfate reduction, autotrophic denitrification and nitrification integrated) has been best recognized. Recently, the growing attention has been paid to the novel sulfammox process, which involves SO42− dependent, anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria. Numerous systems have been developed to combine SO42− reduction, S-dependent autotrophic denitrification and partial nitritation/anammox processes. The coexistence of several bacterial groups and their competition for the substrates is thus a key issue to be considered. Specific inhibitors for each bacterial group also need to be recognized before full-scale implementations. Moreover, modeling the transformations of S compounds has been incorporated with respect to all the processes responsible for those transformations.

  • Incremental dynamic analysis and fragility assessment of buildings founded on different soil types experiencing structural pounding during earthquakes
    • Mahmoud Miari
    • Robert Jankowski
    2022 ENGINEERING STRUCTURES

    The effect of the soil type on buildings experiencing pounding during earthquakes is investigated in this study using the incremental dynamic analysis and fragility assessment methods. Three 3-D structures with different number of storeys (4, 6 and 8) were considered in this study. Three pounding scenarios between these three buildings were taken into account, i.e. pounding between 4-storey and 6-storey buildings, between 4-storey and 8-storey buildings and between 6-storey and 8-storey buildings. First, the effect of the site parameters was investigated so as to take into consideration the values that lead to higher responses. Then, the effects of earthquake-induced pounding between buildings founded on a specified soil type for these three pounding scenarios were analysed and compared with no pounding case. Finally, pounding for these three scenarios was studied under different soil types defined in the ASCE 7-10 code (hard rock, rock, very dense soil and soft rock, stiff soil and soft clay soil). The results of this study indicate that the effect of pounding follows two general trends which are destructive and beneficial. Also, the vibrating buildings was found to be more vulnerable to damage due to pounding when they are founded on the soft clay soil, then when they are founded on the stiff soil, then when they are founded on very dense soil and soft rock, and finally when they are founded on the rock and hard rock.

  • Incremental Dynamic Analysis and Fragility Assessment of Buildings with Different Structural Arrangements Experiencing Earthquake-Induced Structural Pounding
    • Mahmoud Miari
    • Robert Jankowski
    2022

    Structural pounding is considered as one of the most critical phenomena occurring during earthquakes. This paper presents the incremental dynamic analysis and fragility assessment of buildings experiencing earthquake-induced pounding. Three 3-D buildings with different number of storeys and under different structural arrangements have been considered. Three pounding scenarios have been taken into account, i.e. pounding between 5-storey and 7-storey buildings, pounding between 5-storey and 9-storey buildings and pounding between 7-storey and 9-storey buildings. The incremental dynamic analysis and fragility assessment has been performed for these three buildings in the three pounding scenarios as well as for the no pounding case. The results of both incremental dynamic analysis and fragility assessment illustrate that pounding can be beneficial and destructive, depending on the structural response and ground motion shift versus time. No clear relation has been observed because pounding is a highly complicated phenomenon.

  • INDFIRES PROJECT AND SITUATIONAL INDUSTRIAL FIRE REPORTS OF PARTNER COUNTRIES
    • Yilmaz Olcay
    • Kim Lintrup
    • Mariusz Jaczewski
    • Marek Pszczoła
    • Maciej Sawicki
    • Mateja Gris
    • Marcel Kalan
    • Kasim Yilmaz
    2022

    Chapter contains information regarding project and situational reports from all participants.

  • Individual entrepreneurial orientation: comparison of business and STEM students
    • Magdalena Licznerska
    • Tatjana Nikitina
    • Iveta Ozoliņa-Ozola
    • Inga Lapina
    2022 Education and Training

    Abstract Purpose – The purpose of this study is to determine whether there are differences in Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation (IEO) between students who are doing their major in business studies and the ones whose areas of study are science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Design/methodology/approach – The current research investigates which factors and components contribute to EO orientation development among different groups of students. The researchers conducted a survey in Latvia and Poland applying non-parametric inferential statistical methods as well as linear regression analysis to verify the research hypotheses. Findings – The authors identified that there are significant differences between business and STEM students when they analyse their IEO. It turned out that STEM students obtain significantly lower scores for risk-taking and innovativeness but higher for proactiveness. Additionally, it was detected that the chosen field of study affects students’ perception of educational support, thus influencing their innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk propensity. Originality/value – The current research investigates which factors and components contribute to IEO development among different groups of students in under-researched Baltic countries which experienced systemic transformation. The authors believe that universities can use the analysis of their students’ IEO to better allocate their resources, adjust curricula to the real needs of students, because undeniably future societies need entrepreneurial people.

  • Induction Generator with Direct Control and a Limited Number of Measurements on the Side of the Converter Connected to the Power Grid
    • Andrzej Kasprowicz
    • Oleksandr Husev
    • Ryszard Strzelecki
    2022 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    The article presents an induction generator connected to the power grid using the AC/DC/AC converter and LCL coupling filter. Three-level inverters were used in the converter, both from the generator side and the power grid side. The algorithm realizing Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) in inverters has been simplified to the maximum. Control of the induction generator was based on the Direct Field-Oriented Control (DFOC) method. At the same time, voltage control has been used for this solution. TheMPPT algorithm has been extended to include the variable pitch range of wind turbine blades. The active voltage balancing circuit has been used in the inverter DC voltage circuit. In the control system of the grid converter with an LCL filter, the number of measurements was limited to the measurement of power grid currents and voltages. Synchronization of control from the power grid side is ensured by the use of a PLL loop with the system of preliminary suppression of undesired harmonics.

  • INDUSTRIAL FIRE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IN PARTNER COUNTRIES
    • Bora Balun
    • Yilmaz Olcay
    • Salvatore Santuccio
    • Mariusz Jaczewski
    2022

    Chapter contains information regardin law regulations of fire safety for constructions in countris participating in project.

  • Infinite chromatic games
    • Robert Janczewski
    • Paweł Obszarski
    • Krzysztof Turowski
    • Bartłomiej Wróblewski
    2022 Pełny tekst DISCRETE APPLIED MATHEMATICS

    In the paper we introduce a new variant of the graph coloring game and a new graph parameter being the result of the new game. We study their properties and get some lower and upper bounds, exact values for complete multipartite graphs and optimal, often polynomial-time strategies for both players provided that the game is played on a graph with an odd number of vertices. At the end we show that both games, the new and the classic one, are related: our new parameter is an upper bound for the game chromatic number.

  • Influence of a Lighting Column in the Working Width of a W-Beam Barrier on TB51 Crash Test
    • Radosław Wolny
    • Dawid Bruski
    • Marcin Budzyński
    • Łukasz Pachocki
    • Krzysztof Wilde
    2022 Pełny tekst Materials

    Road equipment, such as, e.g., road safety barriers and lighting columns, are subject to certification according to the EN1317 standard to be allowed for use on European roads. In engineering practice, due to the terrain conditions, there are cases where other road equipment is installed within the working width of road safety barriers. Such situations are not considered during the certification process. Hence, the aim of this study is to analyze the effect of a lighting column installed within the working width of the barrier on the results of the TB51 crash test. The full-scale crash test and numerical simulation of this event were conducted. In the full-scale crash test, as well as in the simulation, the lighting column prevented the barrier’s post from properly disconnecting from the guardrail, which resulted in the barrier failing to restrain and redirect the 13-t bus. The simulation was quantitatively compared to the experiment, where the correlation coefficient of ASI curves equaled 84%. The THIV curves differed significantly between the experiment and the simulation, which is explained within the paper. Next, simulations with and without the lighting column were compared. The ASI and THIV in the simulation without the column were 0.33 and 16.1 km/h, respectively. In the simulation with the column, the ASI and THIV were 0.44 and 17.7 km/h, respectively. The maximum roll angle of the vehicle in the simulation without the column was 2.01° and with the column was 5.96°. The main difference, however, was that the system without the lighting column within the working width of the barrier was capable of properly restraining and redirecting the vehicle. The specific mechanics underlying this behavior are described within the paper.

  • Influence of B/N co-doping on electrical and photoluminescence properties of CVD grown homoepitaxial diamond films
    • Srinivasu Kunuku
    • Mateusz Ficek
    • Aleksandra Wieloszynska
    • Magdalena Daniela Tamulewicz-Szwajkowska
    • Krzysztof Gajewski
    • Miroslaw Sawczak
    • Aneta Lewkowicz
    • Jacek Ryl
    • Teodor Gotszalk
    • Robert Bogdanowicz
    2022 Pełny tekst NANOTECHNOLOGY

    Boron doped diamond (BDD) has great potential in electrical, and electrochemical sensing applications. The growth parameters, substrates, and synthesis method play a vital role in the preparation of semiconducting BDD to metallic BDD. Doping of other elements along with boron (B) into diamond demonstrated improved efficacy of B doping and exceptional properties. In the present study, B and nitrogen (N) co-doped diamond has been synthesized on single crystalline diamond (SCD) IIa and SCD Ib substrates in a microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition process. The B/N co-doping into CVD diamond has been conducted at constant N flow of N/C ~ 0.02 with three different B/C doping concentrations of B/C ~ 2500 ppm, 5000 ppm, 7500 ppm. AFM topography depicted the flat and smooth surface with low surface roughness for low B doping, whereas surface features like hillock structures and un-epitaxial diamond crystals with high surface roughness were observed for high B doping concentrations. KPFM measurements revealed that the work function (4.74 eV to 4.94 eV) has not varied significantly for CVD diamond synthesized with different B/C concentrations. Raman spectroscopy measurements described the growth of high-quality diamond and photoluminescence studies revealed the formation of high-density nitrogen-vacancy centers in CVD diamond layers. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results confirmed the successful B doping and the increase in N doping with B doping concentration. The room temperature electrical resistance measurements of CVD diamond layers (B/C ~ 7500 ppm) have shown the low resistance value ~ 9.29 Ω for CVD diamond/SCD IIa, and the resistance value ~ 16.55 Ω for CVD diamond/SCD Ib samples.

  • Influence of Cement Replacement with Sewage Sludge Ash (SSA) on the Heat of Hydration of Cement Mortar
    • Elżbieta Haustein
    • Aleksandra Kuryłowicz-Cudowska
    • Aneta Łuczkiewicz
    • Sylwia Fudala-Książek
    • Bartłomiej Cieślik
    2022 Pełny tekst Materials

    The amount of fly ash from the incineration of sewage sludge is increasing all over the world, and its utilization is becoming a serious environmental problem. In the study, a type of sewage sludge ash (SSA) collected directly from the municipal sewage treatment plant was used. Five levels of cement replacement (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% and 20%) and unchanged water-to-binder (w/b) ratio (0.55) were used. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of sewage sludge ash (SSA) on the hydration heat process of cement mortars. The heat of the hydration of cement mortars was monitored by the isothermal calorimetric method for 7 days at 23 °C. The analysis of chemical composition and particle size distribution was performed on the tested material. The tests carried out have shown that SSA particles have irregular grain morphology and, taking into account the chemical composition consists mainly of oxides such as CaO, P2O5, SiO2 and Al2O3. The concentration of these compounds affects the hydration process of cement mortars doped with SSA. In turn, the content of selected heavy metals in the tested ash should not pose a threat to the environment. Calorimetric studies proved that the hydration process is influenced by the presence of SSA in cement mortars. The studies showed that the rate of heat generation decreased (especially in the initial setting period) with the increasing replacement of cement by SSA, which also reduced the amount of total heat compared to the control cement mortar. With increasing mass of the replacement of cement with SSA up to 20%, the 7-day compressive strength of the mortar samples decreases.

  • Influence of Different Nanometals Implemented in PMMA Bone Cement on Biological and Mechanical Properties
    • Beata Świeczko-Żurek
    • Andrzej Zieliński
    • Dorota Bociąga
    • Karolina Rosińska
    • Grzegorz Gajowiec
    2022 Pełny tekst Nanomaterials

    Cemented arthroplasty is a common process to fix prostheses when a patient becomes older and his/her bone quality deteriorates. The applied cements are biocompatible, can transfer loads, and dampen vibrations, but do not provide antibacterial protection. The present work is aimed at the development of cement with antibacterial effectivity achieved with the implementation of nanoparticles of different metals. The powders of Ag, Cu with particles size in a range of 10–30 nm (Cu10) and 70–100 nm (Cu70), AgCu, and Ni were added to PMMA cement. Their influence on compression strength, wettability, and antibacterial properties of cement was assessed. The surface topography of samples was examined with biological and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties were determined by compression tests. A contact angle was observed with a goniometer. The biological tests included an assessment of cytotoxicity (XTT test on human cells Saos-2 line) and bacteria viability exposure (6 months). The cements with Ag and Cu nanopowders were free of bacteria. For AgCu and Ni nanoparticles, the bacterial solution became denser over time and, after 6 months, the bacteria clustered into conglomerates, creating a biofilm. All metal powders in their native form in direct contact reduce the number of eukaryotic cells. Cell viability is the least limited by Ag and Cu particles of smaller size. All samples demonstrated hydrophobic nature in the wettability test. The mechanical strength was not significantly affected by the additions of metal powders. The nanometal particles incorporated in PMMA-based bone cement can introduce long-term resistance against bacteria, not resulting in any serious deterioration of compression strength.

  • Influence of Fluid Compressibility and Movements of the Swash Plate Axis of Rotation on the Volumetric Efficiency of Axial Piston Pumps
    • Paweł Załuski
    2022 Pełny tekst ENERGIES

    This paper describes the design of a swash plate axial piston pump and the theoretical models describing the bulk modulus of aerated and non-aerated fluids. The dead space volume is defined and the influence of this volume and the fluid compressibility on the volumetric efficiency of the pump is considered. A displacement of the swash plate rotation axis is proposed to reduce the dead space volume for small swash plate swing angles. A prototype design of a pump with a displaced axis of rotation of a swash plate with two directions of delivery is presented, in which the capacity is changed by means of a valve follow-up mechanism. Comparative results for a pump with a displaced and a non-displaced swash plate rotation axis are presented, which confirm that displacement of the swash plate rotation axis causes an increase in volumetric efficiency that is apparent for high pressure discharge and small swash plate angles. The determined characteristics were compared with a mathematical model taking into account the compressibility of the fluid in the dead space volume and a satisfactory consistency was obtained.

  • Influence of Heat Treatment Temperature on Fatigue Toughness in Medium-Carbon High-Strength Steels
    • G. Wheatley
    • Ricardo Branco
    • José A. F. O. Correia
    • Rui F. Martins
    • Wojciech Macek
    • Zbigniew Marciniak
    • M. Szala
    2022 Pełny tekst Structural Integrity

    Current research has demonstrated that the tempering temperature affects the martensitic transformation of medium-carbon high-strength steels. This temperature plays an important role in the final microstructure, percentage ratios of martensite to ferrite phases and, consequently, in the mechanical properties and the fatigue response. So far, the relationship between the martensitic tempering temperature and the cyclic deformation properties is not clearly understood. Moreover, the effect of the martensitic tempering temperature on fatigue toughness has not been studied yet. Therefore, this paper aims to study, in a systematic manner, the fatigue toughness of medium-carbon high-strength steels heat treated at different temperatures under fully reversed strain-controlled conditions.

  • Influence of Laser Modification on the Surface Character of Biomaterials: Titanium and Its Alloys—A Review
    • Joanna Sypniewska
    • Marek Szkodo
    2022 Pełny tekst Coatings

    Laser surface modification is a widely available and simple technique that can be applied to different types of materials. It has been shown that by using a laser heat source, reproducible surfaces can be obtained, which is particularly important when developing materials for medical applications. The laser modification of titanium and its alloys is advantageous due to the possibility of controlling selected parameters and properties of the material, which offers the prospect of obtaining a material with the characteristics required for biomedical applications. This paper analyzes the effect of laser modification without material growth on titanium and its alloys. It addresses issues related to the surface roughness parameters, wettability, and corrosion resistance, and discusses how laser modification changes the hardness and wear resistance of materials. A thorough review of the literature on the subject provides a basis for the scientific community to develop further experiments based on the already investigated relationships between the effects of the laser beam and the surface at the macro, micro, and nano level.

  • Influence of Material Thickness on the Ductile Fracture of Steel Plates for Shipbuilding
    • Jakub Kowalski
    • Janusz Kozak
    2022 Pełny tekst Polish Maritime Research

    In the shipbuilding industry, the risk of brittle fractures is relatively high because some units operate in arctic or subarcticzones and use high thickness (up to 100 mm) steel plates in their structures. This risk is limited by employing certifiedmaterials with a specific impact strength, determined using the Charpy method (for a given design temperature) and byexercising control over the welding processes (technology qualification, production supervision, and non-destructive tests).However, for offshore constructions, such requirements may prove insufficient. For this reason, regulations employed inconstructing offshore structures require conducting crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) tests for steel and weldedjoints with thicknesses exceeding 40 mm for high tensile strength steel and 50 mm for other steel types. Since classificationcodes do not accept the results of CTOD tests conducted on specimens of sub-sized dimensions, the problem of theoreticallymodelling the steel construction destruction process is of key importance, as laboratory tests for notched elements ofconsiderable thickness (100 mm and higher) are costly and problems stemming from high loads and a wide range ofrecorded parameters are not uncommon. The aim of this research is to find a relationship between material thickness andCTOD value, by establishing and verifying a numerical model that allows recalculating a result obtained on a sub-sizespecimen to a full- size specimen for a ductile fracture mode. This work presents results and conclusions from numericalmodelling and compares them with laboratory test results of the elastic-plastic properties of high thickness steel, typicallyused in offshore applications.

  • Influence of PWHT Parameters on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Behavior of Multi-Pass GTAW Joints of P92 Steel
    • Sachin Sirohi
    • Amit Kumar
    • Shiva Soni
    • Gaurav Dak
    • Sanjeev Kumar
    • Aleksandra Świerczyńska
    • Grzegorz Rogalski
    • Dariusz Fydrych
    • Chandan Pandey
    2022 Pełny tekst Materials

    The 9% Cr steels were developed for ultra-supercritical (USC) power plants to meet the requirements of high operating temperature and pressure. These steels are produced to operate at high temperatures where impact toughness is not a concern; however, it becomes important for the welded joints to have good impact toughness at room temperature for manufacturing. The present work investigates the effect of the post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) parameters, i.e., temperature and time, on the impact toughness of multi-pass gas tungsten arc welded (GTAW) joints of ferritic/martensitic grade P92 steel. The microstructural evolution in welded joints given varying post-weld temperatures and times was studied. The lath martensitic structure of the weld metal for the as-welded joints resulted in high hardness and low impact toughness. The weld fusion zone toughness was 12 J, which was lower than the minimum specified values of 41 J (ASME standards) and 47 J (EN ISO 3580:2017). The PWHT temperature and time were found to have a significant effect on the impact toughness of the weld metal. A drastic increase in the impact toughness of the weld metal was noticed, which was attributed to lath break-up, reduction in dislocation density and reduction in solid solution hardening. The maximum impact toughness of 124 J was measured for PWHT temperature and time of 760 C and 120 min, respectively. The effect of PWHT parameters on tensile strength was also investigated, and test results showed that the joint was safe for USC boiler application as it failed from the region of the P92 base metal. The variation in microstructural evolution along the weldments resulted in hardness variation. PWHT led to homogeneity in microstructure and, ultimately, reduction in hardness value. According to the study, the optimum temperature and time for PWHT of a GTAW joint of P92 steel were found to be 760 C and 120 min, respectively.

  • Influence of Rock Dust Additives as Fine Aggregate Replacement on Properties of Cement Composites—A Review
    • Magdalena Dobiszewska
    • Orlando Bagcal
    • Ahmet Beycioğlu
    • Dimitrios Goulias
    • Fuat Köksal
    • Maciej Niedostatkiewicz
    • Hüsamettin Ürünveren
    2022 Pełny tekst Materials

    Concrete production consumes enormous amounts of fossil fuels, raw materials, and is energy intensive. Therefore, scientific research is being conducted worldwide regarding the possibility of using by-products in the production of concrete. The objective is not only to identify substitutes for cement clinker, but also to identify materials that can be used as aggregate in mortar and concrete productions. Among the potential alternative materials that can be used in cement composite production is rock dust of different geological origin. However, some adversarial effects may be encountered when using rock dust regarding the properties and durability of mortars and concrete. Therefore, comprehensive research is needed to evaluate the adequacy of rock dust use in cementitious composite production. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the scientific findings from past studies concerning the use of various geological origins of rock dust in the production of mortars and concrete. The influence of rock dust as a replacement of fine aggregates on cementitious composites was analyzed and evaluated. In this assessment and review, fresh concrete and mortar properties, i.e., workability, segregation, and bleeding, mechanical properties, and the durability of hardened concrete and mortar were considered.