Shell and spatial structures: Between new developments and historical aspects

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A novel model for uncertainty propagation analysis applied for human thermal comfort evaluation

The comfort sensation is mainly affected by six variables: air temperature, mean radiant temperature, air velocity, relative humidity, personal metabolism and clothing insulation. These are characterized by different mean values and distributions. To analyze the uncertainty propagation three numerical models are used: the Fully Monte Carlo Simulation MCSs, the Monte Carlo Simulation Trials MCSt, and a novel model named "Adaptive Derivative based High Dimensional Model Representation" (AD-HDMR). In the paper these three different methods are applied to the thermal comfort evaluation, through the PMV Index, they are analyzed and their efficiency was verified in terms of computational time. To allow a revision of this index, the effect of the different variables was then analyzed

Uncertainty based optimal planning of residential building stocks retrofits

In this work the uncertainties related to the optimal planning/allocation of government subsidies for residential building stocks retrofits are considered and the uncertainty based planning problem is formulated and solved as a multi-objective, constrained problem. Different multi-objective algorithms are considered with the idea to determine the most effective and efficient approach that can be customized as planning tool to be used by the public administration personnel. The preliminary comparison between 2 multi-objective evolutionary algorithms and a deterministic one is presented and optimal/pareto results are analysed

Indirect contact pressure evaluation on pneumatic rod seals

This paper deals with the experimental evaluation of contact pressure at the interface between an elastomeric rod seal for pneumatic cylinders and its metallic counterpart without interposing any intrusive measuring device. A new test bench, which is able to measure the radial force exerted by a rod seal displaced at constant velocity on a sensorized portion of a cylinder rod over time, was designed and manufactured. The seal was pressurised to reproduce actual working conditions. A data postprocessing methodology was developed for an indirect evaluation of contact pressure starting from the experimental data set of the radial force exerted by the seal on the rod. At first, the measured radial force signal was filtered and properly fitted obtaining a differentiable function; then, contact pressure distribution was computed as a function of radial force time derivative, seal velocity and rod diameter. Preliminary experimental results are presented

Service robots for agriculture: A case of study for saffron harvesting

In general, service robots are described with different characteristics for different tasks. In this chapter service robots are analyzed as machines in the agricultural field. The mechanisation in agriculture is discussed and service robots are described for particular tasks. In particular, the harvesting and treatment of high commercial value products is discussed for robotized applications. A significant case study is described and discussed for a robotized system with the aim to harvest and separate the Saffron flower spice