Hierarchical Communication Diagrams

Formal modelling languages range from strictly textual ones like process algebra scripts to visual modelling languages based on hierarchical graphs like coloured Petri nets. Approaches equipped with visual modelling capabilities make developing process easier and help users to cope with more complex systems. Alvis is a modelling language that combines possibilities of formal models verification with flexibility and simplicity of practical programming languages. The paper deals with hierarchical communication diagrams - the visual layer of the Alvis modelling language. It provides all necessary information to model system structure with Alvis, to manipulate a model hierarchy and to understand a model semantics. All considered concepts are discussed using illustrative examples

at the 14th Conference of the Spanish Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAEPIA 2011)

Technical Report TR-2011/1, Department of Languages and Computation. University of Almeria November 2011. Joaquín Cañadas, Grzegorz J. Nalepa, Joachim Baumeister (Editors)The seventh workshop on Knowledge Engineering and Software Engineering (KESE7) was held at the Conference of the Spanish Association for Artificial Intelligence (CAEPIA-2011) in La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain, and brought together researchers and practitioners from both fields of software engineering and artificial intelligence. The intention was to give ample space for exchanging latest research results as well as knowledge about practical experience.University of Almería, Almería, Spain. AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland. University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

Checking and improving business process models in BPMN2

Business Process Modeling (BPM) is a systems engineering activity where we rep- resent the processes of an enterprise, so they can be shared, understood and improved. Despite the set of innovative tools for BPM modelling that exist in the market, they allow modelers to introduce errors during the modelling process. As there is no idea which errors the tools do not detect, what are the most recurrent errors and how could this prob- lem be mitigated, this dissertation presents a study and a proposal to help solving this problem. Firstly, a tool survey was developed to describe the state of the practice on the ability of Modelling Tools to validate BPMN2 models and determine the most recurrent defects introduced by BPMN modellers. Secondly, based on an empirical study using the QUASAR validator we provide evidence on its ability to validate a set of well-formedness rules and best practices and therefore detect errors in BPMN2 Models. Finally, we want to understand if this metamodelling-based validation facility can be used to prevent intro- ducing modelling errors, while speeding up the learning curve.A Modelação de Processos de Negócio (MPN) é uma atividade de engenharia de sistemas onde representamos os processos de uma empresa, para que os mesmos possam ser partilhados, compreendidos e melhorados. Apesar do elevado número de ferramentas de MPN existentes no mercado, estas permitem aos modeladores introduzir erros du- rante o processo de modelação. Como não existe uma ideia clara acerca de quais os erros que as ferramentas não detetam, quais os erros cometidos mais recorrentemente e como o problema pode ser resolvido, esta dissertação apresenta um estudo e uma proposta para resolver o problema. Inicialmente foi efetuado um levantamento do estado da prática da capacidade das ferramentas de modelação para validar os modelos em BPMN2, e determinar os erros mais frequentemente introduzidos pelos modeladores. Em seguida, baseado num estudo empírico, usando o validador QUASAR, fornecemos evidências sobre a sua capacidade para validar o conjunto de regras de boa formação e boas práticas na modelação de processos de negócio e assim detetar os erros introduzidos nos modelos em BPMN2. Finalmente, queremos compreender se esta facilidade de validação baseada em metamodelos pode ser usada para prevenir a introdução de erros durante o processo de modelação de processos de negócio, acelerando assim a curva de aprendizagem do modelador

Rapid prototyping flight test environment for autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles

Test facility is essential for most engineering research activities, from modelling and identification to verification of algorithms/methods and final demonstration. It is well known that flight tests for aerospace vehicles are expensive and quite risky. To overcome this, this paper describes a rapid prototyping platform for autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) developed at Loughborough University, where a number of unmanned aerial and ground vehicles can perform various flight and other missions under computer control. Flexibility, maintainability and low expenses are assured by a proper choice of vehicles, sensors and system architecture. Among many other technical challenges, precision navigation of the unmanned vehicles and system integrations of commercial-off-the-shelf components from different vendors with different operational environments are discussed in detail. Matlab/Simulink based software development environment provides a seamless rapid prototyping platform from concept and theoretic developments to numerical simulation and finally flight tests. Finally, two scenarios performed by this test facility are presented to illustrate its capability

Vibration performance of in situ cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors in medium-rise buildings

Det finnes begrenset med informasjon angående vibrasjonsegenskapene til CLT-gulvsystemer installert i konstruksjoner. Ingeniører som ønsker å anvende CLT sin utmerkede styrke til masse forhold støter ofte på et bruksgrensetilstand problem. På grunn av et relativt lavt forhold mellom masse og stivhet blir systemet lett satt i bevegelse og vibrasjoner blir et problem. Helt siden introduksjonen av CLT har det blitt arbeidet med å utforme retningslinjer som skiller mellom akseptabelt og ikke-akseptabelt design. De fleste av disse retningslinjene tar ikke hensyn til betydningen av ikke-bærende konstruksjoner. Denne avhandlingen anvender OMA for å belyse hvordan in-situ gulv blir påvirket av omkringliggende elementer. Et omfattende studie har blitt utført på syv ulike gulv ved Ås videregående skole i løpet av prosjektperioden. Totalt ble tretten forskjellige tester utført for å samle inn feltdata.Innhentede data ble analysert for å bestemme gulvenes vibrasjonsegenskaper og for grundig å dokumentere effekten av in-situ elementer. Overføring av bevegelse på tvers av ikke-bærende skillevegger er gitt spesiell oppmerksomhet for å forklare oppdaget modusformer. Fordelingen av bevegelse er dokumenter gjennom VDV og arms konturkart. En analytisk del er inkludert for å vurdere hvor nøyaktig oppdatert Eurokode 5 kan forutsi fundamental egenfrekvens og kvadratisk gjennomsnitt for akselerasjon. Den aksepterte antagelsen om at ikke-bærende skillevegger kan ignoreres i design fasen utfordres. Gjennom detaljerte in-situ eksperimenter er det demonstrert at de har innflytelse på modale egenskaper. Spesielt er modusformen til den fundamentale egenfrekvensen påvirket av omkringliggende skillevegger. Integrasjon av CLT-gulvsystemer i konstruksjoner øker raskt kompleksiteten, noe som redusere antall identifiserbare modusformer. Fordeling av bevegelse på gulvet er vist til å følge lav frekvens modusformer via VDV og arms. Konsekvensen av dette er at skillevegger spiller en viktig rolle i å bestemme kritiske aksjelerasjonspunkter. Den reviderte EC5 systematisk undervurder av gulvenes grunnfrekvenser, mens den overestimerer gulvenes akselerasjons egenskaper. En slik unøyaktigheten reduseres byggekodens egenskap til å skille mellom akseptabelt og ikke-akseptable design.There is limited information regarding the vibration characteristics of CLT floor systems within superstructures. As designers utilise the excellent strength-to-mass ratio of CLT, they are often faced with a serviceability problem. Due to the relatively low mass-to-stiffness ratio, the system is prone to oscillation, and vibration becomes a major issue. In recent years, there have been a lot of efforts to establish guidelines for distinguishing between acceptable and unacceptable design. However, many of these guidelines do not consider the importance of non-bearing structures. This thesis utilises OMA to highlight how in-situ floors are affected by surrounding elements. A comprehensive study was conducted on seven floors within Ås High School during the thesis project. In total thirteen distinct tests were carried out to gather field data, which was then analysed to determine modal characteristics. By determining modal characteristics, the effects of in-situ elements are thoroughly documented. Transfer of motion across non-bearing partitions is given special attention to explain detected mode shapes. The distribution of motion is documented through VDV and arms contour maps. An analytical component has been incorporated to assess the accuracy of the updatedEurocode 5 in calculating the fundamental natural frequency and root-mean-square acceleration. The standing assumption that non-bearing partition walls can be ignored during design is challenged. Through detailed in-situ experiments, it becomes clear that they play an essential role in determining the modal characteristics of the floors. It has been found that partition walls have a significant impact on all modal characteristics. The configuration of surrounding partition walls especially impacts the fundamental mode shape. As the CLT floor system is integrated into the superstructure, its complexity rapidly increases, decreasing the number of identifiable modes. Distribution of motion across floors documented with VDV and arms is shown to follow low-frequency mode shapes. The consequence is that partition walls play an important role in determining critical acceleration spots. The revised EC5 underestimates the fundamental frequencies performance of the floors while overestimating its arms performance. This inaccuracy reduces its effectiveness in discriminating between acceptable and unacceptable design

Integrated anaesthesia software : data acquisition, controlled infusion schemes and intelligent alarms

Tese de doutoramento. Engenharia Biomédica. Universidade do Porto. Faculdade de Engenharia. 201