An Investigation into Traffic Turning Movement at Jibowu

This paper aims at understanding the behavioral pattern of traffic at Jibowu intersection with a view of using the results obtained as a model for understudying traffic movement at similar intersections in the Lagos metropolis. Consequently, an evaluation of the sampled intersections was carried out by employing a physical measurement of the layout, traffic volume at each turning point, and evaluating it against the back drop of traffic delays at the intersections. The paper reviews the traffic flow situation within the context of increasing motorization, poor infrastructural facilities and a continuous stream of traffic inflow. It highlights the problems with emphasis on the importance of signalization, land use, intersection design and traffic systems management. The paper concludes that most of the bottlenecks experienced at the intersection are man-induced. Rather than obeying traffic regulations, people act otherwise either out of ignorance or gross indiscipline. Secondly the paper posits that the land use allocation in the area should be reviewed especially with emphasis on discouraging the luxury bus operators from using the area as their base or Main Park. Although the paper did not fully measure the delay at the intersection, it has however set the stage for further investigations.Turning Movement, Junction, Traffic Jam, Survey, Delays, Lagos, Turning Points, Signalization

A Hybrid Control Chart-Taguchi Method for Control and Optimization of Safety Conformity

In this paper, a hybrid control chart-Taguchi method (CCTM) is proposed to solve the control and optimization problem regarding safety conformity parameters for a bottling process plant (BPP). The CCTM fuses the conservative control charts, which monitor the safety conformity parameters to promote and maintain the uppermost grade of employees’ physical, social and mental well-being. The control chart result is placed in the Taguchi methodical phase of factor-level determination to cultivate an orthogonal array. Then, the inventive rational ability of the control chart is used to correct the process and hence, enhances the Taguchi method. Consequently, the CCTM can be intensely robust and statistically precise. The proposed CCTM was successfully used to solve the safety conformity problem involving the control and parametric optimization in a bottling process plant. The field data uncovers the ability of the proposed CCTM to control and optimize the bottling process plant parameters. Moreover, it showcases the results as better than an enormously stronger than the conventional Taguchi method

Geohydrological Parameters Estimation from Electrical Resistivity Applications to the Dahomey Basin of Nigeria

Conference ProceedingsAn alternative approach of estimating geohydrological parameters using the electrical resistivity method in investigating aquifer hydrological properties is presented in this research. The application of electrical resistivity to the Dahomey Basin was aimed at delineating the depth to water level, vadose and lithological compositions and aquifer transmissivity. 1D and 2D resistivity data inversion results showed that vadose sediment compositions include porous sandstones, limestones, shales and topsoils. Depth to water level was derived from the inversion. Transverse conductance from the study correlated with the aquifer transmissivity. This study has shown that important geohydrological parameters can be estimated from electrical resistivity which will assist in making informed decisions on expensive pump testing exercises

THE OPTIMIZATION OF FLOW RATES OF AN EXTRUDER

<p>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The article addresses how the flow rates of an extruder can be optimized. It mentions the plastic recycling industry as an example, which is only one of many solid waste recycling industries. The literature on flow rates is reviewed to demonstrate a gap that the current study aims to fills, in the hope that it will stimulate further research in a fertile area.</p><p>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die artikel adresseer die vraagstuk van vloeitempo van ‘n ekstrusieproses. Dit handel met ‘n voorbeeld van ‘n plastiekherwinningsproses wat spruit uit soliede afvalverwerking. ‘n Literatuurstudie toon hoedat die navorsing verdere areas wat braak lê, aanspreek in die hoop dat verdere studie gestimuleer sal word.</p&gt

The Optimization of Packaging System Process Parameters Using Taguchi Method

Packaging systems constitute substantially to product cost, its safety, and optimization. Unfortunately, no previous optimization studies have examined the packaging system in a bottling process plant for the unique, developing country environment. Consequently, the Taguchi method is applied to optimize a process plant's packaging system in a Nigerian plant's real-life situation. Optimal combinations of packaging system parameters that minimize product waste are created. An L4 (23) Taguchi orthogonal array was selected to analyze the data, and signal-to-noise ratios were computed for each experiment's run. Since the aim was to minimize beer waste, the ‘the-smaller-the-better’ signal-to-noise ratio was chosen in the analysis. S/N ratio plots revealed the optimum settings to obtain minimal product waste, namely, A2, B1, and C2 from the main effects plot for signal-to-noise ratios. A two-way ANOVA was performed on the significant factors to determine their percentage contributions to the response (product waste). Through Taguchi's innovative approach, the feasibility of optimizing the packaging process parameters was demonstrated and validated

Optimization of Packaging Process Parameters Using Combined Taguchi Method-present Worth Method/Inflationary Factor Validated

In a previous article, the packaging optimization literature illustrated how to optimize the packaging parameters using the classical Taguchi approach. Notwithstanding, it is compelling to bridge the gap created in the article for further advancement. Thus, this paper contributes to expanding scholarship regarding the area. The paper targets the Taguchi methodical optimization literature in which several scores of research across engineering disciplines and beyond have been undertaken. At present, evaluation using the Taguchi method often stops at the determination of the optimal settings from the response table through a chain of steps from factor-level selection, orthogonal array choice, signal-to-noise determination, and response table evaluation to emerge the optimal parameters. There is no information on the economic aspects of the parameters, yet processes are expected to be sustainable while economic factors play a central role. A novel idea of the present work is introduced where the interest rate and inflationary factor with levels are used to determine the economic strength of each parameter through ranking. Data was collected from a brewery process, and literature data concerning cold arc welding parametric evaluation was used. The outcome demonstrates the workability of the method in the packaging plant and cold arc welding process. The work is useful for packaging managers and welding engineers for planning purposes

Exploring Aluminum Alloy Metal Matrix Composites in EDM Using Coupled Factor-level-present Worth Analysis and Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process

This paper targets two improvement aspects of the electrical discharge machining (EDM) process. First, it formulates the EDM problem as an economic issue incorporating the present worth analysis into the factor-level framework and solves it with the performance analysis flow diagram. Second, it conceptualizes the EDM process as imprecision and uncertainty and solves it with the fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP) approach. At present, these methods are not accessible to the EDM process engineer to machine the work material, AA6061/10%Al2O3AMMCs. In this study, the EDM process application using these methods on AA6061/10%Al2O3AMMCs is considered. This paper investigates the use of fuzzy AHP multi-criteria and the present worth method to produce a structured approach to model multi-response problem of EDM process parametric optimization concerning composite named AA6061/10%Al2O3AMMCs to obtain a robust design and the best parametric selection. The selected performance measures for the inputs to attain the performance flow analysis using the present worth method are MRR = 17.932 to 31.753 mg/min, TWR = 0.171 to 0.289 mg/min, SR = 8.228 to 12.680 mm and OV = 0.292 to 0.406 mm. The performance flow analysis reveals a present with a value of 1.604 based on the equivalence analysis of the flow diagram's positive and negative sides. The FAHP results showed the enhanced values of 0.1051, 0.2290, and 0.6658 for peak current, pulse on time, and duty factor, respectively. The approach is novel and has not been implemented elsewhere to solve the problem for the combination of materials studied

A Hydrogeophysical Appraisals for Surficial Aquifer Potentials of Sedimentary Basin of SW Nigeria

Published ArticleThis study presents the use of geoelectrical method in assessing the surficial aquifer potentials of the multi-layered sedimentary basin of South Western Nigeria. The 18 Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) covering the sedimentary basin was conducted using the schlumberger electrode array. Methodology and data evaluation includes zoning the basin according to their geological formations and rock types. Field resistivity data were inverted into one and two dimensions with IPI2Win Software. The inversion were done to obtain both lateral and vertical layer distribution of beds in the vadose zone, depth to water levels, identification of lithological types and thicknesses and presence of aquifers. Four to six lithological layers were delineated general for the basin from the interpretation of the data inversions. Results showed that vadose sediment compositions include porous sandstones, limestones, shales and topsoils. Transverse conductance from the study correlated with the aquifer transmissivity which suggest possibility of good yield. This study has shown the importance of surface resistivity in aquifer parameters and potentials estimations

Evaluation of Aluminium, Copper and Aluminium-30% Copper Alloy Rivets

This work studied the failure of rivets made from different material compositions; Aluminium, copper, and aluminium-copper alloy under the same working condition. The strength to weight ratio and other properties of these materials make them ideal materials for rivet design. Six different rivets were produced each using pure aluminium ingot, pure copper ingot and aluminium copper alloy and each of the rivet was used to join mild steel together using the same pressing force of 50 kN. Each of the joint was subjected to impact test to measure the amount of impact energy they can absorb before failure. The impact test analysis showed that copper rivets had the highest impact resistance as only partial failure occurred. Impact test analysis of aluminium rivet resulted in fracture, thereby making it a weak material for riveting when it comes to components that requires high loading force. Also, Al-30%Cu alloy has high impact resistance, but less than that pure copper. Thus, it is concluded that for application with expected impact energy ˂ 12J, rivet made from pure copper is recommended. For application with expected impact energy ˂ 10J, rivet made from Al-30% Cu alloy is recommended, while for application with very low impact energy ˂ 5J, rivet made from pure aluminium is recommended. Keywords: Rivet joint, aluminium-copper alloy, pressing force, failure test, Impact energ

The structure of the penis with the associated baculum in the male greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus)

In this study, the structures of penises of eight sexually mature male greater cane rats were examined at both macroscopic and histological levels. Each animal was sacrificed after anaesthesia with ether and then dissected open with the penis exposed from its root. The penises were first grossly examined, measured, and then prepared for histological examination. From this study it was observed that the body size has no allometry with penile size, but the testicular weight correlated with Os penis length in the greater cane rat. Grossly, the penis which was whitish in colour, with a mean length of 5.46 ± 0.36 cm, has no obvious collum penis but a flexura that turns it caudo-ventral and separates the corpus and glans penis. There was the presence of cornified papillae covering parts of the corpus and glans penis as well as a blind sac sacculus urethralis under the urethra on the glans penis. Histologically, the corpora cavernosa penis were completely separated by a connective tissue septum which sent the trabeculae network into the cavernous tissues and replaced the caverns as it moves from corpus to glans penis. The Os penis formed through endochondral ossification after 42 months of age in this animal. Therefore, from a histological standpoint, the cane rat penis belongs to the intermediate type. In conclusion, these findings provide vital information on the penile anatomy of the greater cane rat, which will serve as a basis for comparing penile morphology among the suborder hystricomorpha and expand knowledge of the reproductive biology in this animal. (Folia Morphol 2011; 70, 3: 197–203