Desarrollo de competencias transversales a través de mini-videos de animación didácticos

Los estudiantes de ingeniería que desean optar a un puesto de trabajo al finalizar sus estudios, deben ser los mejores entre candidatos de gran nivel académico. En tiempos de crisis económica, no sólo es necesario aportar la titulación requerida por la empresa, sino además un valor añadido y diferenciador que no posean los demás candidatos. Este artículo nace pretendiendo desarrollar esta idea. Nuestro objetivo es fortalecer, apoyándonos en el uso de las TIC, competencias transversales en los alumnos de Grado en Ingeniería en el área Industrial de la Universidad Europea (UE), de tal forma que tras finalizar sus estudios puedan aportar a las mejores empresas ese valor diferenciador que se está exigiendo en el mundo profesional.SIN FINANCIACIÓNNo data 2014UE

Molecular dynamics study of paraffin/polyethylene blends as phase change materials for energy efficiency in buildings

The greenhouse gas emissions and global energy consumption associated with construction materials can be greatly reduced by incorporating phase change materials into buildings. These materials can absorb and release energy during a phase transition, thus reducing the energy consumption while achieving human thermal comfort. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to study the miscibility of both linear and branched polyethylene with two types of paraffin (octadecane and hexatriacontane) at two different temperatures. The results showed that blending was better at high temperatures for both polymers, and branched polyethylene was more miscible with both paraffins than linear polyethylene was. Hexatriacontane exhibited better blending characteristics. From the molecular dynamics results, we concluded that linear polyethylene/paraffin blends were more suitable as phase change materials in buildings than branched polyethylene/paraffin blends, as they were miscible at high temperatures but separated into two phases at ambient temperature. The optimal blends were subsequently incorporated into a cement model to study their influence on the mechanical properties of this construction material. The introduction of the blends into the cement model deteriorated its mechanical properties.Universidad Europea de Madrid (2022/UEM27)3.1 Q* JCR 20220.451 Q2 SJR 2022No data IDR 2022UE

Reinforcing cement with pristine and functionalized carbon nanotubes: Experimental and simulation studies

In recent years, the addition of carbon nanotubes to construction materials has attracted considerable interest, due to the improvement of mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of cement. The incorporation of carbon nanotubes into a cement matrix causes an increase of several mechanical properties of up to 170% even with low carbon nanotubes concentrations. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of the type of functionalization and number of walls of carbon nanotubes on the interaction between these nanostructures and a cement surface and thus, on the improvement of their mechanical properties. Thus, single-walled and double-walled carbon nanotubes were used to investigate the influence of the number of walls. The effect of carbon nanotube functionalization was studied using carbon nanotubes functionalized with carboxyl and carboxylate groups. The experimental results demonstrate that the incorporation of carbon nanotubes into the cement matrix improves the mechanical properties of the resulting material. Functionalized carbon nanotubes perform better than pristine carbon nanotubes. Electrostatic attractions play a central role in establishing strong interactions between the carbon nanotubes and the cement surface. The presence of neutral polar groups on the carbon nanotube surface also improves this interaction. The number of walls seems to be less important.2017/UEM092018/UEM184.500 JCR (2020) Q2, 115/333 Material Science, Multidisciplinary0.709 SJR (2020) Q2, 77/513 Civil and Structural EngineeringNo data IDR 2019UE

Learning together - working together. PBL in cooperation with companies

In the context of a Project Based engineering School (PBS), every student carries on at least one capstone project. The project has, among its objectives, to bring the "real world" to the students, which is done through the collaboration of external agents, such as companies, institutions or NGOs. In this work we sought to identify the concerns experienced by students, teachers and companies involved in the projects developed in the PBS according to their perceptions. To do so, we made an online survey to teachers, students and companies taking part in the projects as well as an informal interview to companies’ representatives. It seems that the perception of the students is influenced by the type of collaboration with the company (in the proposal, in giving feedback or just the evaluation of their results). They feel their work more important when they asses them and have more sense of responsibility as the project is real. However, they also feel anxiety and stress when making the final presentation in front of a company. In general, students recognized that projects with companies are a powerful experience as they provide closeness to the professional world. Teachers say that coordination between parties is a key factor in the definition of the concrete objectives of the project and the subjects involved. They find difficult to match the curricula matching with the company needs, but help them to learn in a closer way to their students’ future as engineers. It seems that a global involvement of companies decreases not only the university-business distance, but also facilitates a rapprochement due to its involvement in the learning of future engineers.Sin financiaciónNo data (2017)UE

Mechanical Properties of Cement Reinforced with Pristine and Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes: Simulation Studies

Concrete is well known for its compression resistance, making it suitable for any kind of construction. Several research studies show that the addition of carbon nanostructures to concrete allows for construction materials with both a higher resistance and durability, while having less porosity. Among the mentioned nanostructures are carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which consist of long cylindrical molecules with a nanoscale diameter. In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been carried out, to study the effect of pristine or carboxyl functionalized CNTs inserted into a tobermorite crystal on the mechanical properties (elastic modulus and interfacial shear strength) of the resulting composites. The results show that the addition of the nanostructure to the tobermorite crystal increases the elastic modulus and the interfacial shear strength, observing a positive relation between the mechanical properties and the atomic interactions established between the tobermorite crystal and the CNT surface. In addition, functionalized CNTs present enhanced mechanical properties.Sin financiación3.748 JCR (2021) Q1, 18/79 Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering0.604 SJR (2021) Q2, 212/591 Materials Science (miscellaneous)No data IDR 2021UE

Incluyendo los proyectos integradores en las guías de aprendizaje: proceso de análisis, control y gestión de guías

Con el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior (EEES), se buscan unos principios de convergencia en las titulaciones surgiendo las “guías de aprendizaje”. Éstas recogen los contenidos de cada asignatura, su estructura, criterios de evaluación, las competencias propias del título y el trabajo a desarrollar por los estudiantes, garantizando que la materia cumple con la función asignada dentro del plan de estudios. Su elaboración supone un ejercicio de planificación, reflexión y coordinación pues ha de relacionar los resultados de aprendizaje de la asignatura con las competencias a desarrollar, a través de actividades formativas y de evaluación. Para los estudiantes es un documento de referencia que les permitirá obtener el máximo aprovechamiento del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. La integración del Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos en nuestros grados implica, para estas guías, que han de servir además como un instrumento de coordinación de los proyectos en las asignaturas. Así, este documento ha de incluir una descripción detallada del proyecto y su planificación para integrarlo con el resto de metodologías y de asignaturas. Se presenta una experiencia de creación de una guía de aprendizaje nacida de la colaboración de los profesores a través de una comunidad de prácticas. La guía es una herramienta de coordinación entre los estudiantes, el profesorado, el departamento y el centro que, como instrumento de transparencia, comprensible y comparable, sirve para mejorar y aprender. Gracias a esta comunidad se detectaron carencias en las guías de aprendizaje anteriores, se incluyeron los proyectos integradores y se generó un formato único. Se propuso el uso de herramientas informáticas para facilitar a los profesores el completarla y compartirla entre los distintos agentes, así como la búsqueda, procesado y análisis de la misma al filtrar por campos.Sin financiaciónNo data (2017)UE

Microstructure and Electrical Conductivity of Cement Paste Reinforced with Different Types of Carbon Nanotubes

Over the last few years, the addition of small amounts of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to construction materials has become of great interest, since it enhances some of the mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of the cement. In this sense, single-walled and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs and MWCNTs, respectively) can be incorporated into cement to achieve the above-mentioned improved features. Thus, the current study presents the results of the addition of SWCNTs and MWCNTs on the microstructure and the physical properties of the cement paste. Density was measured through He pycnometry and the mass change was studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The microstructure and the phases were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Finally, the electrical conductivity for different CNT concentrations was measured, and an exponential increase of the conductivity with concentration was observed. This last result opens the possibility for these materials to be used in a high variety of fields, such as space intelligent systems with novel electrical and electronic applications.Sin financiación3.748 JCR (2021) Q2, 28/69 Physics, Condensed Matter0.604 SJR (2021) Q2, 147/427 Condensed Matter PhysicsNo data IDR 2021UE

Interfacial Shear Strength of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes-Cement Composites from Molecular Dynamics and Finite Element Studies

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are nanometer-sized structures that can be used to reinforce cement matrices. The extent to which the mechanical properties are improved depends on the interfacial characteristics of the resulting materials, that is, on the interactions established between the CNTs and the cement. The experimental characterization of these interfaces is still impeded by technical limitations. The use of simulation methods has a great potential to give information about systems lacking experimental information. In this work, molecular dynamics (MD) and molecular mechanics (MM) were used in conjunction with finite element simulations to study the interfacial shear strength (ISS) of a structure formed by a pristine single-walled CNT (SWCNT) inserted in a tobermorite crystal. The results show that, for a constant SWCNT length, ISS values increase when the SWCNT radius increases, while for a constant SWCNT radius, shorter lengths enhance ISS values.Sin financiación3.748 Q2 JCR 20210.604 Q2 SJR 2021No data IDR 2021UE