Selected factors determining the development of the tourist services market in Poland

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to characterize and systematize selected determinants of the development of the tourist services market in Poland. It is used to present various concepts of factors, connections and stimulators of the tourism market.DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: The configuration and scope of the research process were based on available literature, statistical data, empirical calculations, and experiences of scientists dealing with the tourism market. The research results of the Central Statistical Office, the Polish Economic Institute,etc. were used.FINDINGS: The need for actions to improve the functioning of the tourism market has been demonstrated, including: limiting seasonality in tourist traffic, increasing the consumption of tourist services by foreign tourists, technological innovations in the field of digitization and "big data", etc.PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: The necessity, comprehensiveness and universality of research are becoming a modern requirement for the effectiveness of analyzes of the functioning of the tourism market. The issue of the impact of selected factors in the development of the tourism market in Poland presented in the study is aimed at: increasing its competitiveness compared to other countries in Europe and the world, increasing the tax revenues of the state budget from tourism, increasing the share of tourism in GDP.ORIGINALITY/VALUE: The adopted course of analysis of the impact of selected factors in the development of the tourism market shows a further need to conduct comprehensive research, both theoretical and practical. In order to gain a competitive advantage in the development of the tourism market, activities for its development in the field of new technologies, e.g. digitization and "big data" calculations, should be strengthened.peer-reviewe

Discharge Flow of Spherical Particles from a Cylindrical Bin: Experiment and DEM Simulations

A series of the DEM simulations of the outflow of wooden spheres from a flat-bottomed container was reported, considering the maximum diameter to arrest the flow. Numerical simulations of the discharge process were performed, and the micro-mechanics of the discharged particles were described. The effect of the sliding friction coefficient between particles, rolling friction coefficient, and modulus of elasticity of particles on the clogging process was investigated. The results of the simulations of the mass flow rate of spheres have shown a fairly close agreement with the experimental results. The real particles of wood were not perfectly spherical, their properties were anisotropic, and their frictional properties were non-homogenously distributed on the surface. Nevertheless, these deviations from ideal conditions did not produce a considerable discrepancy in the results. No direct relationship between the interparticle friction and the clogging was found; however, a relationship between the stability of the dome formed at flow arrest and the rolling friction was observed. An increase in Young’s modulus of particles by two orders of magnitude did not affect the clogging process, but a slightly higher probability of clogging was found for softer particles

The content of chlorides in blast-furnace slag cement as a factor affecting the diffusion of chloride ions in concrete

Blast-furnace slag cement (CEM III) has a wide range of acceptable Cl- content according to EN 197-1: 2012. This makes possible to use alternative fuels for the production of cement, which can increase the chlorides content in the clinker. However, it raises several new research problems, among them the problem of increase of the risk of Cl- penetration intensity due to the higher concentration of chlorides in cement, presented in this paper. Studies have shown that after a short hardening time (28 days) the rate of diffusion of chloride ions increases slightly with the increase in the content of chlorides in the cement CEM III, but after full stabilization of concrete properties (1 year), the content of chlorides in cement CEM III practically does not affect the diffusion rate of chloride ions in concrete

The content of chlorides in blast-furnace slag cement as a factor affecting the diffusion of chloride ions in concrete

Blast-furnace slag cement (CEM III) has a wide range of acceptable Cl- content according to EN 197-1: 2012. This makes possible to use alternative fuels for the production of cement, which can increase the chlorides content in the clinker. However, it raises several new research problems, among them the problem of increase of the risk of Cl- penetration intensity due to the higher concentration of chlorides in cement, presented in this paper. Studies have shown that after a short hardening time (28 days) the rate of diffusion of chloride ions increases slightly with the increase in the content of chlorides in the cement CEM III, but after full stabilization of concrete properties (1 year), the content of chlorides in cement CEM III practically does not affect the diffusion rate of chloride ions in concrete

The Durability of Concrete Modified by Waste Limestone Powder in the Chemically Aggressive Environment

The idea of sustainable development assumes that natural resources must be treated as limited goods and that waste must be managed rationally. This idea and the constant striving to reduce production costs make the use of waste materials as substitutes for traditionally used raw materials from non-renewable sources increasingly popular. In cement concrete technology, there are many possibilities to use waste as components of mortars and concretes. The subject of this paper is a fine-grained material, obtained as a by-product during the preparation of aggregate for mineral-asphalt mixtures. The aim of the research was to test the suitability of the selected type of powder, namely limestone powder, as a component of cement composites. The paper presents an evaluation of the potential of using the limestone powder as a substitute for the fine aggregate, focusing on the impact of such a modification on aspects of durability. The sulfate degradation and chloride ion diffusion in concrete were investigated. The overall desirability function has been determined. It was demonstrated that the satisfactory value of the general desirability can be attributed to most of the investigated concretes. Positive test results support the potential of replacing part of natural fine aggregate with the tested waste limestone dust without a negative impact on the durability of concrete

Discrete Element Method Modelling of the Diametral Compression of Starch Agglomerates

Starch agglomerates are widely applied in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, and food industries. The formation of potato starch tablets and their diametral compression were simulated numerically and verified in a laboratory experiment to analyse the microscopic mechanisms of the compaction and the origins of their breakage strength. Discrete element method (DEM) simulations were performed using EDEM software. Samples comprised of 120,000 spherical particles with radii normally distributed in the range of 5–36 μm were compacted in a cylindrical die with a diameter of 2.5 cm. The linear elastic–plastic constitutive contact model with a parallel bonded-particle model (BPM) was used to model the diametral compression. DEM simulations indicated that the BPM, together with the linear elastic–plastic contact model, could describe the brittle, semi-brittle, or ductile breakage mode, depending on the ratio of the strength to Young’s modulus of the bond and the bond-to-contact elasticity ratio. Experiments confirmed the findings of the DEM simulations and indicated that potato starch (PS) agglomerates can behave as a brittle, semi-brittle, or ductile material, depending on the applied binder. The PS agglomerates without any additives behaved as a semi-brittle material. The addition of 5% of ground sugar resulted in the brittle breakage mode. The addition of 5% gluten resulted in the ductile breakage mode

Breakage Strength of Wood Sawdust Pellets: Measurements and Modelling

Wood pellets are an important source of renewable energy. Their mechanical strength is a crucial property. In this study, the tensile strength of pellets made from oak, pine, and birch sawdust with moisture contents of 8% and 20% compacted at 60 and 120 MPa was determined in a diametral compression test. The highest tensile strength was noted for oak and the lowest for birch pellets. For all materials, the tensile strength was the highest for a moisture content of 8% and 120 MPa. All pellets exhibited a ductile breakage mode characterised by a smooth and round stress–deformation relationship without any sudden drops. Discrete element method (DEM) simulations were performed to check for the possibility of numerical reproduction of pelletisation of the sawdust and then of the pellet deformation in the diametral compression test. The pellet breakage process was successfully simulated using the DEM implemented with the bonded particle model. The simulations reproduced the results of laboratory testing well and provided deeper insight into particle–particle bonding mechanisms. Cracks were initiated close to the centre of the pellet and, as the deformation progressed, they further developed in the direction of loading