A Regular Perturbation Analysis Of The Non-Linear Contaminant Transport Equation with An Initial And Instantaneous Point Source.

In this research work, we provide a regular perturbation analysis of a non – linear equation arising in contaminant transport. The equation is characterised by advection, diffusion and absorption. Assuming the adsorption term is modelled by a Freundlich isotherm it can be non-linear in concentration and non-differentiable as the concentration approaches zero. We consider the approximation of this equation using a regular perturbation and thereby solving the resulting linear equations analytically

Viscous Dissipation Effect on Flow through a Horizontal Porous Channel with Constant Wall Temperature and a Periodic Pressure Gradient

The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of viscous dissipation, constant wall temperature and a periodic pressure field on unsteady flow through a horizontal channel filled with porous material. The coupled nonlinear differential equations governing the flow were solved analytically using the usual method of separation variables and simple perturbation techniques. Effects of various parameters such as the Darcy, Reynolds, prandtl and Eckert numbers were also studied and visualized

Inclusive Growth Effects of Institutional Quality in Nigeria

This study empirically examined the relationships between institutional quality and inclusive growth as measured by the real GDP per person employed (RGDPE) in Nigeria. An Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) Boundstesting approach to cointegration was employed using annual secondary time series data from 1998 to 2017. The data were sourced from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s statistical Bulletin, National Bureau of Statistics’ final Accounts, IMF’s International Financial Statistics (IFS) and Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGIs). The study concluded that institutional quality had a significant effect on inclusive growth in Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that institutional improvement beyond the present liberal democratic threshold is much needed to effectively harness the human capital resource base. The Nigerian government should adopt a labour-intensive development strategy such that poor active households are comprehensively integrated into productive activities for optimal value-chain finance-growth inclusiveness. This would address the protracted tripartite socio-economic problems of poverty, inequality and unemployment in line with Lin’s comparative advantage conforming hypothesis. e. This would enhance formulating and implementing employment growth-oriented policies that are compatible with the society’s resources endowment and developmental goals

Innovation in Construction Materials-A Review

This study was carried out to review different types of available innovative construction materials. It was found that advancement in nanotechnology, use of mineral admixture, glass and plastic, biological materials, wood and other construction materials have contributed significantly to the growth of discovery and production of innovative construction materials. The implementation of some innovative construction materials, meets the requirements for sustainability, durability, reliability, safety, cost reduction, increasing quality, better mechanical and physical characteristics, flexibility in extreme conditions and locations, simple assembly and environmentally friendly. Construction materials used to carry out project consumed about 40% of the entire cost of the project in the construction industry. The success stories were recorded in the area of turning industrial and agricultural wastes to wealth. This reviewed paper will enrich the database for innovative materials entering the construction industry

Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Reactor Temperature on Soft and Hardwood Pyrolysis Characteristics in a Fixed-Bed Reactor

In this work, product yield distribution at varying reactor temperatures during wood pyrolysis was investigated. Hard and soft wood samples (Mahogany- Khaya senegalensis and Gmelina- Gmelina arborea, respectively) were procured from Pakiotan sawmill in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, South-Western Nigeria. The samples were cut into cuboid shape, each with an average weight of 20 g. The samples were then pyrolyzed in a fixed bed reactor. Experiments were performed at five temperature level (350, 450, 550, 650 and 750 oC) at a fixed holding time of fifteen 15 mins and at vacuum pressure. The weight of char, tar and gas produced in each experiment were then measured, recorded and expressed in percentage of initial weight of the pyrolyzed sample. Results showed that Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) gave maximum char, tar and gas yield of 39.43% at 350 oC, 42.53% at 350 oC and 53.93% at 750 oC, respectively, while for Gmelina (Gmelina arborea), the maximum yields were 28.35% at 350 oC for char, 24.81% at 350 oC for tar and 68.11% at 750 oC for gas. The minimum yield of Mahogany (Khaya senegalensis) for char, tar and gas were 28.35% at 750 oC, 17.72% at 750 oC and 18.04% at 350 oC, respectively and for Gmelina (Gmelina arborea), 17.72% at 750 oC, 14.18% at 750 oC and 46.84% at 350 oC, respectively. This study showed that char and tar yields decreased while gas yield increased as pyrolysis temperature increased. At all temperatures considered, gas yields were higher than tar and char yields for softwood while for hardwood, tar yield declined with increase in temperature with accompanying increase in gas yield. Keywords: Biomass, hardwood, softwood, energy, reactor temperature, pyrolysi

Effect of Trade Liberalization on Performance of Sugar Firms in Kenya: The Case of GovernmentOwned Firms

This study focused on the Kenyan sugar industry in the changing Kenyan business environment. The study sought to establish why Kenyan sugar firms were finding it increasingly difficult to compete within the changing Kenyan business environment. The specific objectives of the study were: one, to establish factors undermining the competitiveness of the local sugar firms; two, to find out if the local sugar firms were making any strategic responses in reaction to the changing Kenyan business environment; and three, to identify what company managers and other stakeholders consider as important measures that need to be undertaken to enhance the competitiveness of government-owned sugar firms. This study involved all the government-owned sugar in Kenya. The study found out that Kenyan sugar firms were facing very stiff competition from imported sugar. As such, local sugar firms are reported to be seriously negatively affected currently. A number of factors were found to be undermining the competitiveness of local sugar firms: competition from imported sugar, inferior production facilities, and poor management of company resources, among others. This study points at a number of strategic measures that the local sugar should put in place in response to the changes currently taking place in the Kenyan business environment; Employee retrenchment, improvement in production efficiency, sub-contracting of services considered to be subsidiary to core functions, and increased marketing activities, are some of the prominently cited strategic measures being undertaken by local sugar firms in response to the changing Kenyan business environment

Integrated geophysical investigation of the causes of road pavement failure along Ibadan-Lagos dual-carriage, Southwestern, Nigeria

An integrated geophysical study has been conducted in a segment of Ibadan- Lagos Dual-carriage road to examine the geological factors responsible for highway failure. Schlumberger Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) and Very Low Frequency Electromagnetic Method (VLF-EM) to evaluate the subsurface integrity, mapping out the subsurface structural features within the sub-grade soil and delineating the bedrock relief as a means of establishing the causes of road pavement failure of 1300 m stretch of road from Ibadan axis. Results from VLF-EM showed the presence of near surface linear geologic structures from the surface to a depth of 15 m which suggests probable conductive zones that have devastating effects to the foundation of the road pavement (g1, g2 and g3). VES results showed the presence of four geologic layers while fractured basement were observed with resistivity value generally less than 100 Ωm which indicates the presence of the water table. The unstable segment is characterized by low resistivity of the near surface materials and shallowness of the aquifer zone on which the road pavement was constructed. The failure of the road is caused mainly by geologic sequence and structures such as clayey subgrade soil under the road pavement and some suspected geological features such as faults and fractures.Keywords: Lithologic contacts, aquifferous zone, geoelectric section, linear contact, sub-grade soi