Quality-aware model-driven service engineering

Service engineering and service-oriented architecture as an integration and platform technology is a recent approach to software systems integration. Quality aspects ranging from interoperability to maintainability to performance are of central importance for the integration of heterogeneous, distributed service-based systems. Architecture models can substantially influence quality attributes of the implemented software systems. Besides the benefits of explicit architectures on maintainability and reuse, architectural constraints such as styles, reference architectures and architectural patterns can influence observable software properties such as performance. Empirical performance evaluation is a process of measuring and evaluating the performance of implemented software. We present an approach for addressing the quality of services and service-based systems at the model-level in the context of model-driven service engineering. The focus on architecture-level models is a consequence of the black-box character of services

The perception of Engineering students toward teaching performance on online learning during COVID-19 pandemic

This study analyzed the perception of Mechanical Engineering and Systems Engineering students in the process of evaluating teacher performance in online teaching due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was descriptive-correlational research. The results showed that the Systems Engineering students performed a better perception with the class session management factor and low qualification to the didactic strategies factor. Likewise, the Pearson correlation test indicated a significant relationship (0.000) between the specific factors on the overall performance factor. The topic factor has the greatest strength on the qualification of the overall performance factor, with a constant Pearson's correlation of 0.964. The Mechanical Engineering students showed a better perception with the class session planning factor and low qualification to the didactic strategies factor. Likewise, the Pearson correlation test indicated a significant relationship (0.000) between the specific factors on the overall performance factor. The didactic strategies factor being the one that has the greatest strength on the qualification of the overall performance factor, with a correlation constant Pearson's of 0.983

Performance Assessment of Concrete Crack Repairing Materials using PZT Transducers

Department of Urban and Environmental Engineering (Urban Infrastructure Engineering)Concrete is a widely used material in construction of civil infrastructure engineerings such as dams, houses, bridges, and energy plants. Due to shrinkage, rapid dry of the concrete, and overload, cracks are usually generated on the concrete structures and can possibly cause durability-related issues and structural damages. Thus, the concrete crack is an important indicator of potential durability degradation and damage, and the crack should be monitored and repaired through regular maintenance. Indeed, identifying and repairing the concrete cracks using healing materials is important. While most research efforts to date have been devoted to investigation of crack locations and sizes and effective repair, few are evaluating the repairing performance. Therefore, to find an effective nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method for assessing the repairing performance of different healing materials is necessary. Meanwhile, the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) employing the Piezoelectric Ceramic Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) is widely used in structural health monitoring (SHM) as an NDE method in the civil engineering field. The PZT-based EMI is usually applied to detect and locate structural damage in operation. This study used PZT EMI to extract the impedance, which was used as the damage indicator to evaluate the repairing performance of three different materials of the healing cement material from Intchem company, superabsorbent polymer (SAP), and epoxy. A comparison study on the different computation methods of damage index (the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), the shift of resonance frequency (SRF) and the mean absolute percentage deviation (MAPD)) is also conducted. Results show that the increase of crack depth level and the completing process of repairing crack can be carried out by the change rates of the impedance (admittance) and the shifts of the resonance frequency of PZT sensor in the selected frequency range clearly. .ope

DIPBench: An Independent Benchmark for Data-Intensive Integration Processes

The integration of heterogeneous data sources is one of the main challenges within the area of data engineering. Due to the absence of an independent and universal benchmark for data-intensive integration processes, we propose a scalable benchmark, called DIPBench (Data intensive integration Process Benchmark), for evaluating the performance of integration systems. This benchmark could be used for subscription systems, like replication servers, distributed and federated DBMS or message-oriented middleware platforms like Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) servers and Extraction Transformation Loading (ETL) tools. In order to reach the mentioned universal view for integration processes, the benchmark is designed in a conceptual, process-driven way. The benchmark comprises 15 integration process types. We specify the source and target data schemas and provide a toolsuite for the initialization of the external systems, the execution of the benchmark and the monitoring of the integration system's performance. The core benchmark execution may be influenced by three scale factors. Finally, we discuss a metric unit used for evaluating the measured integration system's performance, and we illustrate our reference benchmark implementation for federated DBMS

A Systems Engineering Methodology for Wide Area Network Selection using an Analytical Hierarchy Process

In this paper, we apply a systems engineering methodology to select the most appropriate wide area network (WAN) media suite, according to organizational technical requirements, using an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). AHP is a mathematical decision modeling tool that utilizes decomposition, determination, and synthesis to solve complex engineering decision problems. AHP can deal with the universal modeling of process engineering decision-making, which is difficult to describe quantitatively, by integrating quantitative and qualitative analysis. We formulate and apply AHP to a hypothetical case study in order to examine its feasibility for the WAN media selection problem. The results indicate that our model can improve the decision-making process by evaluating and comparing all alternative WANs. This shows that AHP can support and assist an organization in choosing the most effective solution according to its demands. AHP is an effective resource-saver from many perspectives—it gives high performance, economic, and high quality solutions. Keywords: Analytical Hierarchy Process, Wide Area Network, AHP Consistency, WAN alternatives

Penerapan Metode Profile Matching Dalam Pembuatan Aplikasi Penilaian Kinerja PNS

Performence apprasial of employees routinely conducted once a year at the Regional Personnel Agency (BKD) of South Sumatra Province. BKD leaders have problems in evaluating the performance of their employees / staff. In practice, leaders still call one by one employee / staff to assess their performance by using a special book. Performance appraisal needs to build a system that can assist the process of performance appraisal. This research uses the employee target aspect and work behavior aspect. The method used is matching profile and method of software engineering approach using programming language Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP) and MySQL as database tools. This research produces a decision support system based on the order of rank from the best value to the worst

Recent Advances and Applications of Machine Learning in Metal Forming Processes

Machine learning (ML) technologies are emerging in Mechanical Engineering, driven by the increasing availability of datasets, coupled with the exponential growth in computer performance. In fact, there has been a growing interest in evaluating the capabilities of ML algorithms to approach topics related to metal forming processes, such as: Classification, detection and prediction of forming defects; Material parameters identification; Material modelling; Process classification and selection; Process design and optimization. The purpose of this Special Issue is to disseminate state-of-the-art ML applications in metal forming processes, covering 10 papers about the abovementioned and related topics

A systematic approach for monitoring and evaluating the construction project progress

A persistent problem in construction is to document changes which occur in the field and to prepare the as-built schedule. In current practice, deviations from planned performance can only be reported after significant time has elapsed and manual monitoring of the construction activities are costly and error prone. Availability of advanced portable computing, multimedia and wireless communication allows, even encourages fundamental changes in many jobsite processes. However a recent investigation indicated that there is a lack of systematic and automated evaluation and monitoring in construction projects. The aim of this study is to identifytechniques that can be used in the construction industry for monitoring and evaluating the physical progress, and also to establish how current computer technology can be utilised for monitoring the actual physical progress at the construction site. This study discusses the results of questionnaire survey conducted within Malaysian Construction Industry and suggests a prototype system, namely Digitalising Construction Monitoring (DCM). DCM prototype system integrates the information from construction drawings, digital images of construction site progress and planned schedule of work. Using emerging technologies and information system the DCM re-engineer the traditional practice for monitoring the project progress. This system can automatically interpret CAD drawings of buildings and extract data on its structural components and store in database. It can also extract the engineering information from digital images and when these two databases are simulated the percentage of progress can be calculated and viewed in Microsoft Project automatically. The application of DCM system for monitoring the project progress enables project management teams to better track and controls the productivity and quality of construction projects. The use of the DCM can help resident engineer, construction manager and site engineer in monitoring and evaluating project performance. This model will improve decision-making process and provides better mechanism for advanced project management

A Sustainable, Systematic Process for Continuous Program Improvement

The USA Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) adopted recently a new set of criteria for evaluating engineering programmes. One of these (criterion 3) refers to programme outcomes and assessment. In this article, the author describes the design and implementation of a sustainable, systematic process for defining and assessing programme outcomes. This process involves analysing each outcome into elements, defining a set of attributes for each element, selecting outcome indicators and performance targets, and developing special rubrics for an accurate assessment of student skills. The author also describes a systematic way of addressing specific programme outcomes through course and curriculum design. Each outcome is assessed in a group of selected courses in an effort coordinated by several faculty members. Course changes are implemented as necessary to increase students’ achievements in critical areas. The focus of this effort is to create a process that facilitates the continuous improvement of a programme

Simulation of Wireless Digital Communication Systems

Due to the explosive demands for high speed wireless services, such as wireless Internet, email and cellular video conferencing, digital wireless communications has become one of the most exciting research topics in electrical and electronic engineering field. The never-ending demand for such personal and multimedia services, however, demands technologies operating at higher data rates and broader bandwidths. In addition, the complexity of wireless communication and signal processing systems has grown considerably during the past decade. Therefore, powerful computer­aided techniques are required for the process of modeling, designing, analyzing and evaluating the performance of digital wireless communication systems. In this paper we discuss the basic propagation mechanisms affecting the performance of wireless communication systems, and present a simple, powerful and efficient way to simulate digital wireless communication systems using Matlab. The simulated results are compared with the theoretical analysis to validate the simulator. The simulator is useful in evaluating the performance of wireless multimedia services and the associated signal processing structures and algorithms for current and next generation wireless mobile communication systems