The Analysis of Essential Factors Responsible for Loss of Labour Productivity in Building Construction Projects in India

The purpose of this paper is to find the essential factors influencing the loss of labour productivity (LP) in construction in India and substantiate these factors with naturalistic observation method in a building construction project. From the past studies, factors influencing the LP are specifically selected for the survey and statistically analyzed to form into defined group of factors. The influence of these factors is then correlated to the field level LP. For this, a case study is conducted using TMS technique to inspect factors influencing LP in an ongoing multi storied residential building construction site in Telangana State, India. The LP factors identified by survey analysis are quantitatively validated with the field study. It is noted that work characteristics, organizational characteristics, assured and safety work and workers management were responsible for 15% loss of LP in the field. Of these, major loss of about 11% is shown by work characteristics factors such as material delay and tools delay. This method can be utilized by construction personnel to measure the loss of LP with the data available from survey methods and also assists the construction personnel in making timely decisions towards the improvement of LP for various activities on the construction project sites

Prediction of Mechanical Properties of Graphene Oxide Reinforced Aluminum Composites

Estimating the effect of graphene oxide (GO) reinforcement on overall properties of aluminum (Al) matrix composites experimentally is time-consuming and involves high manufacturing costs and sophisticated characterizations. An attempt was made in this paper to predict the mechanical properties of GO/Al composites by using a micromechanical finite element approach. The materials used for prediction included monolayer and multilayer GO layers distributed uniformly on the spherical Al matrix particles. The estimation was done by assuming that a representative volumetric element (RVE) represents the composite structure, and reinforcement and matrix were modeled as continuum. The load transfer between the GO reinforcement and Al was modeled using joint elements that connect the two materials. The numerical results from the finite element model were compared with Voigt model and experimental results from the GO/Al composites produced at optimized process parameters. A good agreement of numerical results with the theoretical models was noted. The load-bearing capacity of the Al matrix increased with the addition of GO layers, however, Young’s modulus of the GO/Al composites decreased with an increase in the number of layers from monolayer to 5 layers. The numerical results presented in this paper have demonstrated the applicability of the current approach for predicting the overall properties of composites

Interferometric phase-dispersion microscopy

We describe a new scanning microscopy technique, phase-dispersion microscopy (PDM). The technique is based on measuring the phase difference between the fundamental and the second-harmonic light in a novel interferometer. PDM is highly sensitive to subtle refractive-index differences that are due to dispersion (differential optical path sensitivity, 5 nm). We apply PDM to measure minute amounts of DNA in solution and to study biological tissue sections. We demonstrate that PDM performs better than conventional phase-contrast microscopy in imaging dispersive and weakly scattering samples

Case series of clinical study and surgical management of atlanto axial dislocation our institute experience

Background: Atlantoaxial dislocation refers to a loss of stability between the atlas and axis (C1-C2), resulting in loss of normal articulation. Cervical spine C1-C2 motion segment is the most technically challenging.Methods: This is a prospective and retrospective Study which included 34 patients admitted in King George hospital, Andhra medical college, Visakhapatnam over the past two years (January 2014- January 2016) with AAD.Results: The age of the patients ranged from 3 to 60 years with mean age being 37.67 years. Commonest presenting sign is local tenderness at the back of upper cervical region in 91.17%. Most common procedure done was single sitting trans oral odontoid decompression with posterior occipito cervical fusion with occipital plate and C2, C4 polyaxial screws and lateral mass rods in 18 cases out of 34. The next common procedure performed was C1 lateral mass and C2 pars screw fixation 8 out of 34.Conclusions: Trans oral odentoidectomy and posterior ocipito cervical fusion is ideal and still holds good for irreducible AAD with  ventral compressive pathology

KC Two-Way Clustering Algorithms For Multi-Child Semantic Maps In Image Mining

Image mining is now a thriving and expanding field of computer science research. Image mining is linked to the advancement of data mining in image preparation. Image mining is used to extract hidden information and in other situations where the photos do not clearly describe the situation. Image mining combines machine learning, data handling, application autonomy, and image preparation concepts. Semantic maps are used to visualize image data stored in image databases. We recommend using Multi-Child Semantic Maps to build semantic maps which fully display the image. In this study, we propose two path clustering on Multi-Child Semantic Maps (MCSM) using the K-C Means Clustering Algorithm, also known as the MCSMK-C algorithm. This algorithm causes image clustering and instructs the mining system to look at the image's top area. When mining, the MCSMK-C algorithm considers the X and Y coordinates. The system looks for groups by examining each object's territory in the database, and it saves a region if it contains more objects than the required number

Graphene and derivatives – Synthesis techniques, properties and their energy applications

2D nanomaterials with exceptional electrical, mechanical and thermal properties are promising reinforcing materials for fabricating high-performance composite materials. Rapid developments in nanotechnology in recent years have facilitated the development of advanced materials for functional devices. In particular, this review is focussed on the application of graphene nanoparticle-based composites (GNP's) and graphene derivatives in the fields of energy storage and conversion devices. This review focuses on these recent developments including the synthesis of graphene-based materials and its derivative, as well as the related achieved electrical, mechanical and thermal properties

Parametric study for graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composites production using Box Behnken design

The production of graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composite through powder metallurgical route requires optimization of process parameters to obtain better performance characteristics. One of the advanced method available for statistical analysis of parameters is Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The statistical analysis was carried out with three parameters, weight percentage of graphene reinforcement Wg (0.05%, 0.1% and 0.2%), stirring time ST(1h, 2h and 3h) and compaction pressure Pc(16T, 17T and 19T) while sintering temperature T kept constant. The performance of the Box Behnken design was analyzed and optimized using Design Expert software for the effective production of composites. From the results obtained from the analysis, the best set of parameters were considered for the future production of composites

Topoisomerase IB: a relaxing enzyme for stressed DNA

DNA topoisomerase I enzymes relieve the torsional strain in DNA; they are essential for fundamental molecular processes such as DNA replication, transcription, recombination, and chromosome condensation; and act by cleaving and then religating DNA strands. Over the past few decades, scientists have focused on the DNA topoisomerases biological functions and established a unique role of Type I DNA topoisomerases in regulating gene expression and DNA chromosome condensation. Moreover, the human enzyme is being investigated as a target for cancer chemotherapy. The active site tyrosine is responsible for initiating two transesterification reactions to cleave and then religate the DNA backbone, allowing the release of superhelical tension. The different steps of the catalytic mechanism are affected by various inhibitors; some of them prevent the interaction between the enzyme and the DNA while others act as poisons, leading to TopI-D NA lesions, breakage of DNA, and eventually cellular death. In this review, our goal is to provide an overview of mechanism of human topoisomerase IB action together with the different types of inhibitors and their effect on the enzyme functionality

Mechanical properties of graphene oxide reinforced aluminium matrix composites

In this paper, the properties of powder metallurgy produced samples of GO reinforced aluminium composites were examined. Discs of 20 mm diameter and 0.5 mm thickness were made from pure Al powder of 35 μm particle size and with GO reinforcement at different GO wt% (0.05, 0.1 and 0.2). The mixture of Al/GO powders prepared through liquid infiltration were cold compacted and then sintered. The GO reinforced Al matrix composites were characterised using the scanning e lectron microscope with energy dispersion spectroscopy (SEM/ EDX ) for investigation of the homogeneous dispersion of GO into the matrix. X - ray diffraction (XRD) analysis for crystallographic phase and micro - Raman spectroscopy w as used to identify the phases inside the composite matrix after the sintering process. Micro hardness and the strength values from the produced Al/GO composites were recorded. It is evident from the results obtained that where uniform mixing is achieved, GO reinforced Al composites ca n be produced with similar hardness values as for those produced from rGO reinforced Al composites