Exploring the Interplay between CAD and FreeFem++ as an Energy Decision-Making Tool for Architectural Design

The energy modelling software tools commonly used for architectural purposes do not allow a straightforward real-time implementation within the architectural design programs. In addition, the surrounding exterior spaces of the building, including the inner courtyards, hardly present a specific treatment distinguishing these spaces from the general external temperature in the thermal simulations. This is a clear disadvantage when it comes to streamlining the design process in relation to the whole-building energy optimization. In this context, the present study aims to demonstrate the advantages of the FreeFem++ open source program for performing simulations in architectural environments. These simulations include microclimate tests that describe the interactions between a building architecture and its local exterior. The great potential of this mathematical tool can be realized through its complete system integration within CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software such as SketchUp or AutoCAD. In order to establish the suitability of FreeFem++ for the performance of simulations, the most widely employed energy simulation tools able to consider a proposed architectural geometry in a specific environment are compared. On the basis of this analysis, it can be concluded that FreeFem++ is the only program displaying the best features for the thermal performance simulation of these specific outdoor spaces, excluding the currently unavailable easy interaction with architectural drawing programs. The main contribution of this research is, in fact, the enhancement of FreeFem++ usability by proposing a simple intuitive method for the creation of building geometries and their respective meshing (pre-processing). FreeFem++ is also considered a tool for data analysis (post-processing) able to help engineers and architects with building energy-efficiency-related tasks

Reputation-Based Consensus on a Secure Blockchain Network

The aim of this thesis is to research new algorithms of consensus for distributed systems and running these consensus within a secure blockchain network built with Hyperledger Fabric allowing a full traceability of transactions and audit of the process. We will describe every detail involved in the creation of a blockchain network, from the main concepts to developing a production-ready network with identity management and multiple nodes. Using Hyperledger Fabric and Composer we will be able to create simple and complex networks that will be reachable from any client through a REST API. A new reputation-based consensus algorithm will be proposed taking full advantage of the blockchain technology. Each participant of the network will have a reputation level that increases or decreases depending on their behavior with the rest of the network. In every consensus round there’s a verification phase within the blockchain smart contracts that would decide the reputation delta of each participant. With everything developed we will compare the proposed algorithm with others learned in the literature in different scenarios such as when malicious agents try to prevent the consensus being reached or generating an error in the agreed value, we will study the speed, value offset and convergence.Universidad de Sevilla. Master en Ingeniería Industria

Design and Testing of a Structural Monitoring System in an Almería-Type Tensioned Structure Greenhouse

Greenhouse cultivation has gained a special importance in recent years and become the basis of the economy in south-eastern Spain. The structures used are light and, due to weather events, often collapse completely or partially, which has generated interest in the study of these unique buildings. This study presents a load and displacement monitoring system that was designed, and full scale tested, in an Almería-type greenhouse with a tensioned wire structure. The loads and displacements measured under real load conditions were recorded for multiple time periods. The traction force on the roof cables decreased up to 22% for a temperature increase of 30 °C, and the compression force decreased up to 16.1% on the columns or pillars for a temperature and wind speed increase of 25.8 °C and 1.9 m/s respectively. The results show that the structure is susceptible to daily temperature changes and, to a lesser extent, wind throughout the test. The monitoring system, which uses load cells to measure loads and machine vision techniques to measure displacements, is appropriate for use in different types of greenhouses

ggmcmc: Analysis of MCMC Samples and Bayesian Inference

ggmcmc is an R package for analyzing Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations from Bayesian inference. By using a well known example of hierarchical/multilevel modeling, the article reviews the potential uses and options of the package, ranging from classical convergence tests to caterpillar plots or posterior predictive checks

Programación de la secuencia de fabricación en una máquina, con tiempos de preparación variables, mediante la aplicación de Algoritmos Genéticos

Este proyecto tiene como objetivo minimizar los retrasos que se producen en un problema de secuenciación. El problema se caracteriza, por un lado, porque se dispone de una sola máquina que requiere de unos tiempos de preparación entre la ejecución de diferentes tipos de piezas. La existencia de estos tiempos de preparación aumentan considerablemente el tiempo de producción en la máquina, por lo que interesa evitarlos, haciendo que las ejecuciones de lotes de una misma pieza sean consecutivas. Por otro lado, existe un carné de pedidos cuyas fechas de vencimiento determinan la presencia de retrasos en las entregas. Para un problema como éste, alcanzar la solución óptima requiere un proceso excesivamente largo. Por ello, se recurre al uso de meta-heurísticas, que, aunque no garantizan encontrar la solución óptima, sí son capaces de hallar una solución satisfactoria en un período de tiempo aceptable. La meta-heurística que se ha escogido son los algoritmos genéticos (Genetic Algorithms). Son una técnica de computación evolutiva, común en la resolución de problemas de optimización, cuyo proceso está basado en las ideas de la evolución natural. Cada uno de los diferentes operadores que configuran los algoritmos genéticos ha sido adaptado al problema, mediante la realización de un programa formalizado con la herramienta informática Visual Basic y que recibe el nombre el nombre de “Secuencia de Fabricación”. Los resultados computacionales obtenidos demuestran que el algoritmo genético propuesto logra explorar el espacio de búsqueda de forma eficaz, acortando los tiempos de resolución del problema

Market Power and Multimarket Contact: Some Evidence from the Spanish Hotel Industry

This is the accepted version of the following article: Fernández, N. and Marín, P. L. (1998), Market Power and Multimarket Contact: Some Evidence from the Spanish Hotel Industry. The Journal of Industrial Economics, 46(3),301–315, which has been published in final form at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-6451.00073This paper analyses the effect of multimarket contact on firms' behaviour. According to Bernheim and Whinston [1990], firms that meet in several markets for an infinite number of periods may find it profitable to redistribute market power among markets where they are operating. We present evidence supporting this prediction by using data from the Spanish hotel industry. Moreover, we also find that the omission of variables measuring multimarket contact creates a downward bias on the effect of concentration on prices. This result questions previous conclusions about the role of competition in industries where multimarket behaviour is expected.Pedro L. Marín gratefully acknowledges financial support from Generalitat Valenciana (GV-3140/95)Publicad

Pattern formation and optimization in army ant raids

Army ant colonies display complex foraging raid patterns involving thousands of individuals communicating through chemical trails. In this paper we explore, by means of a simple search algorithm, the properties of these trails in order to test the hypothesis that their structure reflects an optimized mechanism for exploring and exploiting food resources. The raid patterns of three army ant species, {em Eciton hamatum}, {em Eciton burchelli} and {em Eciton rapax}, are analysed. The respective diets of these species involve large but rare, small but common, and a combination of large but rare and small but common, food sources. Using a model proposed by Deneubourg and collaborators, we simulate the formation of raid patterns in response to different food distributions. Our results indicate that the empirically observed raid patterns maximise return on investment, that is, the amount of food brought back to the nest per unit of energy expended, for each of the diets. Moreover, the values of the parameters that characterise the three optimal pattern-generating mechanisms are strikingly similar. Therefore the same behavioural rules at the individual level can produce optimal colony-level patterns. The evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.Postprint (published version

A new proof of the existence of suitable weak solutions and other remarks for the Navier-Stokes equations

We prove that the limits of the semi-discrete and the discrete semi-implicit Euler schemes for the 3D Navier-Stokes equations upplemented with Dirichlet boundary conditions are suitable in the sense of Scheffer. This provides a new proof of the existence of suitable weak solutions, first established by Caffarelli, Kohn and Nirenberg. Our results are similar to the main result in Guermond, J.-L. (2007) Faedo-Galerkin Weak Solutions of the Navier-Stokes Equations with Dirichlet Boundary Conditions Are Suitable. Journal de Mathématiques Pures et Appliquées, 88, 87-106. We also present some additional remarks and open questions on suitable solutions.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). EspañaJunta de Andalucí

Competencias De Desarrollo Social; Propuesta De Integración a Los Currículos De Las Carreras De Pregrado De La Universidad De Los Lagos Osorno - Chile

El presente trabajo, es una propuesta de incorporación en el currículo de pregrado del componente transversal de desarrollo social, justificado y fundamentado por las características socio culturales y económicas de los estudiantes que ingresan a la Universidad de los Lagos de Osorno- Chile. La propuesta se contextualiza en un marco de mejora de la calidad de la educación superior y de la reforma curricular que esta desarrollando la Universidad, apuntando al desarrollo de competencias por parte de los estudiantes y a una mayor flexibilidad de los currículos