Tuned liquid dampers simulation for earthquake response control of buildings

This paper is focused on the study of an earthquake protection system, the Tuned Liquid Damper (TLD), which can, if adequately designed, reduce earthquake demands on buildings. This positive effect is accomplished taking into account the oscillation of the free surface of a fluid inside a tank (sloshing). The behaviour of an isolated Tuned Liquid Damper, subjected to a sinusoidal excitation at its base, with different displacement amplitudes, was studied by finite element analysis. The efficiency of the TLD in improving the seismic response of an existing building, representative of modern architecture buildings in southern European countries was also evaluated based on linear dynamic analyses

Interplate versus intraplate strike-slip deformed belts: examples from SW Iberia

A complete transition in tectonic style between pure thrust belts and pure strike-slip beltscan be envisaged, both in interplate and intraplate settings, by a combination of thrust and strike-slipcomponents of displacement. The accommodation of shortening components in strike-slip deforma-tion belts has been discussed recently on the basis of two alternative perspectives: (1) the “sub-horizon-tal attachment model”, where discrete strike-slip faulting of rigid blocks in the schiszosphere evolves tocontinuous movement in plastosphere through a bottom-up driving mechanism controlled by verticalcoupling across the lithosphere, and (2) the “accommodation model” that considers decoupling with-in a heterogeneous and anisotropic plastosphere. Two examples of variable shortening componentaccommodation in strike-slip deformation belts of the SW Iberia Variscides are reported and discussed.In the Tomar-Badajoz-Córdoba shear zone, an important shortening component is accommodated inflat-lying bends around the horizontal axis within a WNW-ESE flower-structure with sinistral strike-slip component; the geodynamic evolution points to an intraplate setting for this structure. In the N-S, Porto-Tomar-Ferreira do Alentejo, dextral shear zone, the shortening component is restricted torestraining bends around the vertical axis; the geodynamic evolution allows inferring a transformnature for this structure, thus indicating an interplate setting. For these examples, the “accommodationmodel” is preferred to the “sub-horizontal attachment model”info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Efeito das próteses da anca no comportamento dinâmico do fémur humano

Neste artigo é caracterizada a modificação do comportamento dinâmico do osso do fémur introduzida pela aplicação de próteses da anca. A modificação estrutural é identificada e quantificada pela variação das quatro primeiras frequências naturais, medidas experimentalmente, de modelos sintéticos do osso do fémur humano com e sem implante. É apresentada a metodologia experimental aplicada no processo de caracterização, bem como os resultados obtidos

Perdas por Volatilização de Diferentes Adubos Nitrogenados Aplicados no Cafeeiro Conilon.

O Brasil é o maior produtor de café do mundo, sendo que esta cultura está presente em mais de 80 países. A espécie Coffea Canephora L. apresenta potencial produtivo elevado, entretanto tal produtividade é dependente principalmente da fertilidade do solo, em especial do elemento nitrogênio. Deste modo, objetivouse comparar as perdas por volatilização de diferentes adubos nitrogenados no cultivo do cafeeiro Conilon. Foram avaliadas no experimento cinco fontes de adubos nitrogenados: T1= uréia perolada comum (45% N); T2= Uréia (45% N) + NBPT; T3= uréia (44,6% N) + 0,15% de Cu2+ e 0,4% de B; T4= uréia (37% N) + enxofre (17%) e T5= nitrato de amônio (34% N). O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso com seis repetições, sendo que a câmara coletora de amônia foi posicionado no solo entre a terceira e quarta planta de cada parcela experimental, na projeção da copa do cafeeiro. Foi constatado que a Uréia perolada (T1) e Uréia (37%) + enxofre (17%) (T4) apresentaram maiores perdas de NNH3, os quais não diferiram significativamente entre si. Não foi verificada diferença significativa entre os tratamentos Uréia+NBPT, Uréia+Cu+B e Uréia+S. Verificou-se que o Nitrato de amônio obteve a menor perda total de N por volatilização. Não foi detectado efeito do tempo sobre a volatilização dos adubos. Conclui-se que a utilização de fertilizantes com eficiência aumentada proporciona menores perdas de N para a atmosfera, reduzindo possíveis impactos ambientais, assim como aumenta o aproveitamento de N pelas lavouras cafeeiras

REVIEW OF CFD SIMULATION OF OXY-COAL COMBUSTION FOR ELETRICAL POWER GENERATION: OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES

The oxy-combustion has generated significant interested for reduction of CO2 emission when the fossil fuel is coal, due to simplification on the separation process of CO2 from the flue gas, it can be more easily stored in reservoir. The CFD numerical simulation techniques in oxy-coal combustion has the potential to contribute to designers in cost savings and reduced computational time; Furthermore, such techniques also provide a robust tool for better understanding and description of the aerothermodynamics processes involved, as well as, aiding the design of most efficient furnaces. However, to obtain representative results of the physical phenomena, the numerical models employed by CFD needs to be suitable for oxy-coal combustion. So, the aim of the paper is to carry out a review of the recent models that are being used for turbulence, combustion and pollutant emissions. Moreover, it is shown a comparison of different results obtained in the numerical simulation of oxy-coal combustion among new models, existing models and experiments. The analysis of the models and experiments shows that the challenges that are still being faced to obtain better accuracy of numerical simulation results. Improvements in the models for oxy-coal combustion can be seen like potential opportunities to investigate and optimize the process that occur in the combustion

Towards elderly social integration using a multimodal human-computer interface

This paper presents a multimodal prototype application that aims to promote the social integration of the elderly. The application enables communication with their social network through conferencing and social media services, using natural interaction modalities, like speech, touch and gestures. We begin by discussing the requirements and design guidelines that were taken into account for the development of the prototype. We also present the key elements of the development stage and the results of a usability study conducted with ten elderly volunteers. The usability study reveals that such a multimodal solution can simplify accessibility to the considered services. Results indicate that this system is simpler, more natural and more enjoyable than the current user interfaces. Furthermore, the natural interaction modalities of the proposed prototype, allow elderly to be more efficient and have a better user experience, thus contributing with an easier and faster way for this population to join the information era.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Zigzag graphene nanoribbon edge reconstruction with stone-wales defects

In this paper, we study zigzag graphene nanoribbons with edges reconstructed with Stone-Wales defects, by means of an empirical (first-neighbor) tight-binding method, with parameters determined by ab initio calculations of very narrow ribbons. We explore the characteristics of the electronic band structure with a focus on the nature of edge states. Edge reconstruction allows the appearance of a new type of edge states. They are dispersive, with nonzero amplitudes in both sublattices; furthermore, the amplitudes have two components that decrease with different decay lengths with the distance from the edge; at the Dirac points one of these lengths diverges, whereas the other remains finite, of the order of the lattice parameter. We trace this curious effect to the doubling of the unit cell along the edge, brought about by the edge reconstruction. In the presence of a magnetic field, the zero-energy Landau level is no longer degenerate with edge states as in the case of the pristine zigzag ribbon.Fundacao para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) SFRH/BD/44456/2008.FEDER - Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade - COMPET

The Coupled Aerosol and Tracer Transport model to the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (CATT-BRAMS) ? Part 1: Model description and evaluation

International audienceWe introduce the Coupled Aerosol and Tracer Transport model to the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (CATT-BRAMS). CATT-BRAMS is an on-line transport model fully consistent with the simulated atmospheric dynamics. Emission sources from biomass burning and urban-industrial-vehicular activities for trace gases and aerosol particles are obtained from several published datasets and remote sensing information. The tracer and aerosol mass concentration prognostic includes the effects of sub-grid scale turbulence in the planetary boundary layer, convective transport by shallow and deep moist convection, wet and dry deposition, and plume rise associated with vegetation fires in addition to the grid scale transport. The radiation parameterization takes into account the interaction between aerosol particles and short and long wave radiation. The atmospheric model BRAMS is based on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), with several improvements associated with cumulus convection representation, soil moisture initialization and surface scheme tuned for the tropics, among others. In this paper the CATT-BRAMS model is used to simulate carbon monoxide and particulate material (PM2.5) surface fluxes and atmospheric transport during the 2002 LBA field campaigns, conducted during the transition from the dry to wet season in the southwest Amazon Basin. Model evaluation is addressed with comparisons between model results and near surface, radiosonde and airborne measurements performed during the field campaign, as well as remote sensing derived products. We show the matching of emissions strengths to observed carbon monoxide in the LBA campaign. A relatively good comparison to the MOPITT data, in spite of the fact that MOPITT a priori assumptions imply several difficulties, is also obtained

The genome sequence of the highly acetic acid-tolerant zygosaccharomyces bailii-derived interspecies hybrid strain ISA1307, isolated from a sparkling wine plant

In this work, it is described the sequencing and annotation of the genome of the yeast strain ISA1307, isolated from a sparkling wine continuous production plant. This strain, formerly considered of the Zygosaccharomyces bailii species, has been used to study Z. bailii physiology, in particular, its extreme tolerance to acetic acid stress at low pH. The analysis of the genome sequence described in this work indicates that strain ISA1307 is an interspecies hybrid between Z. bailii and a closely related species. The genome sequence of ISA1307 is distributed through 154 scaffolds and has a size of around 21.2 Mb, corresponding to 96% of the genome size estimated by flow cytometry. Annotation of ISA1307 genome includes 4385 duplicated genes (~90% of the total number of predicted genes) and 1155 predicted single-copy genes. The functional categories including a higher number of genes are 'Metabolism and generation of energy', 'Protein folding, modification and targeting' and 'Biogenesis of cellular components'. The knowledge of the genome sequence of the ISA1307 strain is expected to contribute to accelerate systems-level understanding of stress resistance mechanisms in Z. bailii and to inspire and guide novel biotechnological applications of this yeast species/strain in fermentation processes, given its high resilience to acidic stress. The availability of the ISA1307 genome sequence also paves the way to a better understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying the generation and selection of more robust hybrid yeast strains in the stressful environment of wine fermentations.This research was supported by FCT and FEDER through POFC-COMPETE [contracts PEst-OE/EQB/ LA0023/2011_ research line: Systems and Synthetic Biology PTDC/AGR-ALI/102608/2008, PEst-C/BIA/ UI4050/2011, and post-doctoral grant to M.P. (SFRH/BPD/73306/2010) and PhD grants to J.F.G. (SFRH/ BD/80065/2011) and F.C.R. (SFRH/BD/82226/2011)]. U.G. acknowledges the Austrian Science Fund (FWF, special research project F3705)