The Ciborium or Lantern Tower of Valencia Cathedral: Geometry, Construction and Stability

Early 18th century treatise writer Tomas Vicente Tosca1 includes in his Tratado de la montea y cortes de Canteria [On Masonry Design and Stone Cutting], what is an important documentary source about the lantern of Valencia Cathedral. Tosca writes about this lantern as an example of vaulting over cross arches without the need of buttresses. A geometrical description is followed by an explanation of the structural behavior which manifests his deep understanding of the mechanics of masonry structures. He tries to demonstrate the absence of buttresses supporting his thesis on the appropriate distribution of loads which will reduce the "empujos" [horizontal thrusts] to the point of not requiring more than the thickness of the walls to stand (Tosca [1727] 1992, 227-230). The present article2 assesses T osca' s appreciation studying how loads and the thrusts they generate are transmitted through the different masonry elements that constitute this ciborium. In order to do so, we first present a geometrical analysis and make considerations regarding its materials and construction methods to, subsequently, analyze its stability adopting an equilibrium approach within the theoretical framework of the lower bound limit analysis

A Process to Implement an Artificial Neural Network and Association Rules Techniques to Improve Asset Performance and Energy Efficiency

In this paper, we address the problem of asset performance monitoring, with the intention of both detecting any potential reliability problem and predicting any loss of energy consumption e ciency. This is an important concern for many industries and utilities with very intensive capitalization in very long-lasting assets. To overcome this problem, in this paper we propose an approach to combine an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) with Data Mining (DM) tools, specifically with Association Rule (AR) Mining. The combination of these two techniques can now be done using software which can handle large volumes of data (big data), but the process still needs to ensure that the required amount of data will be available during the assets’ life cycle and that its quality is acceptable. The combination of these two techniques in the proposed sequence di ers from previous works found in the literature, giving researchers new options to face the problem. Practical implementation of the proposed approach may lead to novel predictive maintenance models (emerging predictive analytics) that may detect with unprecedented precision any asset’s lack of performance and help manage assets’ O&M accordingly. The approach is illustrated using specific examples where asset performance monitoring is rather complex under normal operational conditions.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad DPI2015-70842-

Aerodynamic Optimization of High-Speed Trains Nose using a Genetic Algorithm and Artificial Neural Network

An aerodynamic optimization of the train aerodynamic characteristics in term of front wind action sensitivity is carried out in this paper. In particular, a genetic algorithm (GA) is used to perform a shape optimization study of a high-speed train nose. The nose is parametrically defined via Bézier Curves, including a wider range of geometries in the design space as possible optimal solutions. Using a GA, the main disadvantage to deal with is the large number of evaluations need before finding such optimal. Here it is proposed the use of metamodels to replace Navier-Stokes solver. Among all the posibilities, Rsponse Surface Models and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) are considered. Best results of prediction and generalization are obtained with ANN and those are applied in GA code. The paper shows the feasibility of using GA in combination with ANN for this problem, and solutions achieved are included

3D numerical study of the transient behaviour on plasticity induced crack closure

Daniel Camas, Fernando Antunes, Pablo Lopez-Crespo, Antonio Gonzalez-Herrera, 3D Numerical Study of the Transient Behaviour on Plasticity Induced Crack Closure, Abstract Booklet of the MSMF9, Edited by Pavel Sandera, Brno University of Technology, 2019, pp. 136.The numerical analysis of the plasticity induced crack closure requires the development of the plastic wake. Transient behaviour is observed when the crack starts to grow. The plastic wake length has an influence on the crack closure results and a great impact on the computational cost. Previous works have analysed the influence of this parameter considering bi-dimensional specimens in either plane strain or plane stress conditions. Lately, some three-dimensional models have appeared in order to analyse the crack closure phenomenon. The main scope of this study is to quantify and comprehend the minimum length required to stabilise the crack opening and closure values considering a three-dimensional model. On this purpose, a CT aluminium specimen has been modelled three-dimensionally and several calculations have been made in order to evaluate the influence of the simulated plastic wake. The numerical analysis is made in terms of crack closure and opening values.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

A numerical analysis of the plastic wake influence on plasticity induced crack closure

Fatigue crack closure has been studied by means of finite element method since long time ago. Most work has been performed considering bi-dimensional models. Lately, the use of threedimensional models has been extended. Nevertheless, the methodology employed has been taken from that developed for bi-dimensional cases. There are a great number of previous bi-dimensional studies which analyse different numerical parameters and optimise them. The current computational capabilities allow a comprehensive study of the influence of the different modelling parameters in a similar way to those studies carried out with bidimensional models, with the advantage, that the evolution along the thickness of the analysed parameters can be taken into consideration. In particular, one of the key issues is related to the plastic wake length which is developed during the previous loading cycles. This residual stresses have a great influence on the crack opening and closure values. As the numerical analysis are complex and computationally expensive, the length of the simulated wake is a critical parameter. In this work, a comprehensive study of the effect of the plastic wake in fatigue crack closure is made. On this purpose, a CT aluminium specimen has been modelled three-dimensionally and several calculations have been made in order to evaluate the influence of the simulated plastic wake length. The numerical analysis is made in terms of crack closure and opening values as in terms of the stress and strain fields near the crack front.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

El Museo de Sitio Tulipe: una propuesta de análisis de su narrativa visual, escrita y oral

El eje central de esta investigación, constituye una propuesta de análisis del Museo Tulipe, mediante sus narrativas visuales, escritas y orales, interconectadas entre sí y que exponen lo que hoy se conoce acerca del pasado aborigen de la cultura Yumbo. El Museo cumple con la función institucional de preservar y difundir el patrimonio cultural, estableciendo un discurso en torno a los orígenes de la identidad a partir de la difusión de esta cultura ancestral, decisiva para la integración regional entre las regiones de la Costa y las interandinas de la hoya del río Guayllabamba. En este sentido, el discurso que se ha establecido sobre la cultura Yumbo ha sido el de considerarla como una nación, por el hecho físico de haber conseguido legar una monumental infraestructura arquitectónica, mediante la cual se pudieron acondicionar y desarrollar en la región de los pies de los montes occidentales, en las estribaciones del volcán Pichincha. Esta tesis constituye un ensayo crítico sobre la manera de catalogar a esta cultura ancestral, debido a que hace falta tomar más en cuenta y resaltar las formas de gobiernos cacicales de los señoríos étnicos, como una alternativa de buenas administraciones, que en estas regiones andinas se dieron en la época aborigen, al generar autonomía entre las comunidades y un incesante intercambio entre ellas, lo que motivo en este caso, el florecimiento de esta cultura subtropical. De esta manera defiendo que es necesario visibilizar y valorar estas formas de gobierno desacreditadas por la historia nacional, como una especie de reivindicación de lo subalterno frente a los procesos de globalización

Neyman-Pearson Decision in Traffic Analysis

The increase of encrypted traffic on the Internet may become a problem for network-security applications such as intrusion-detection systems or interfere with forensic investigations. This fact has increased the awareness for traffic analysis, i.e., inferring information from communication patterns instead of its content. Deciding correctly that a known network flow is either the same or part of an observed one can be extremely useful for several network-security applications such as intrusion detection and tracing anonymous connections. In many cases, the flows of interest are relayed through many nodes that reencrypt the flow, making traffic analysis the only possible solution. There exist two well-known techniques to solve this problem: passive traffic analysis and flow watermarking. The former is undetectable but in general has a much worse performance than watermarking, whereas the latter can be detected and modified in such a way that the watermark is destroyed. In the first part of this dissertation we design techniques where the traffic analyst (TA) is one end of an anonymous communication and wants to deanonymize the other host, under this premise that the arrival time of the TA\u27s packets/requests can be predicted with high confidence. This, together with the use of an optimal detector, based on Neyman-Pearson lemma, allow the TA deanonymize the other host with high confidence even with short flows. We start by studying the forensic problem of leaving identifiable traces on the log of a Tor\u27s hidden service, in this case the used predictor comes in the HTTP header. Afterwards, we propose two different methods for locating Tor hidden services, the first one is based on the arrival time of the request cell and the second one uses the number of cells in certain time intervals. In both of these methods, the predictor is based on the round-trip time and in some cases in the position inside its burst, hence this method does not need the TA to have access to the decrypted flow. The second part of this dissertation deals with scenarios where an accurate predictor is not feasible for the TA. This traffic analysis technique is based on correlating the inter-packet delays (IPDs) using a Neyman-Pearson detector. Our method can be used as a passive analysis or as a watermarking technique. This algorithm is first made robust against adversary models that add chaff traffic, split the flows or add random delays. Afterwards, we study this scenario from a game-theoretic point of view, analyzing two different games: the first deals with the identification of independent flows, while the second one decides whether a flow has been watermarked/fingerprinted or not

ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN, DIFFERENTIAL BEHAVIOURS AND BUSINESS INNOVATION

The participation of women in entrepreneurial activity forty years ago was virtually an exception. However, nowadays this is an important economic and social phenomenon, with an outstanding impact on the dynamics of both advanced and emerging economies. This is significant not only from a quantitative viewpoint. The fact that female personal features, motives and managerial methods differ from those of men gives a new and interesting perspective –which is still subject to debate- to the analysis regarding training and consolidation of enterprises. Gender-related differences can be the vehicle to introduce innovative aspects that could be influential in the uncertain and changing economic environment after the current crises, particularly in those fields where business output is related to the quality of life. Adopting a previous regional model as a basis of study, we analyse in this work the characteristics that differentiate entrepreneurial women in Spain on the grounds of data collected from an own drafted survey regarding the entrepreneurial activity (607 complete questionnaires) carried out in 2009. The results obtained indicate the coexistence of two different types of entrepreneurial women. The first group gathers those women whose enterprises show, generally speaking, a similar sectoral distribution to that of the whole productive fabric, although with a slight tendency to be more present in services activities. Their characteristics and attitudes are, in general, quite similar to those registered among entrepreneurial men and many of these women come from entrepreneurial families. The second group is mainly made up of entrepreneurial women –frequently with family burdens and low qualified- devoted to services, particularly personal services and retail trade. Technological and managerial characteristics of companies managed by the entrepreneurial women belonging to this group differ substantially from the average of the economy, with a much more traditional and less innovative profile.

Index for asset value measure obtained from condition monitoring digitalized data interpretation. A railway asset management application

Hosted by the Johannes Kepler University, Linz, Austria. May 23-24, 2019The objective of any asset is to provide value to the organization, being the corner stone to get a highest possible economic benefit in a sustainable way. An effective asset value management demands method that allow measuring and comparing the expected value with the real value realized at any time during its life cycle for value informed decision-making. Digitalization is providing new data about events and states related to asset condition and risk, information that can be reinterpreted to generate value measure strategies. This paper presents a proposal of TVO (Total Value of Ownership) model where it is possible to quantify and measure the value, including its monitoring throughout the life cycle of the asset and/or system. Proposed TVO model is focused on Safety, one of the most relevant value factors for Industry and Infrastructure sectors. Asset events and states are intrinsically linked to the defined failure modes. Consequently, it is necessary to structure the system information around the failure modes that have been defined, in order to obtain a value measurement index. A railway use case is presented

An approach to quantify value provided by an engineered asset according to the ISO 5500x series of standards

Asset Intelligence through Integration and Interoperability and Contemporary Vibration Engineering Technologies : Proceedings of the 12th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management and the 13th International Conference on Vibration Engineering and Technology of Machinery. 2-4 August 2017, Brisbane, AustraliaThe purpose of any asset is to provide value to the organization and its stakeholders. In Asset Management, the concept of value encompasses quantitative and qualitative, as well as tangible and intangible benefits that assets may provide to an organization. The definitions of asset and value are not only closely linked but also complementary. An “asset” provides the means for the realisation of “value” thus the management of an asset is strategic and has to be linked to an organization’s value norms. This paper extrapolates from the definitions in ISO 5500x series of standards to describe a generic approach for quantifying the value provided by engineered assets deployed by a business organisation.Unión Europea. 64573