Design and Development of a Segmented Rubbe-tracked Vehicle for Sepang Peat Terrain in Malaysia

The study describes the design and development of a segmented rubber tracked vehicle for operating on unprepared peat terrain. The vehicle was to traverse accurately and reliably on the 18.79k~lmlo~w bearing capacity peat terrain. The study observed four main contributions towards determining the mechanical properties of peat terrain, developing simulation models for optimizing the design parameters of the vehicle, designing and developing the vehicle to be able to traverse accurately on low bearing capacity peat terrain, and designing an innovative instrumentation system on the vehicle for collecting relevant data to measure vehicle tractive performance. An analytical framework for determining the mechanical properties of peat soil in view of predicting the tractive performance of tracked vehicle was presented. It took into account the load-sinkage and shearing characteristics of peat. An experimental study on the mechanical properties of peat was conducted in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. The stiffness values of surface mat and underlying weak peat deposit from load-sinkage test were determined by specially made bearing capacity apparatus. The mean values of surface mat stiffness before and after drainage were found to be 31kN/m3 and 46k~lr-n~~ respectively. The mean value of underlying peat stiffness before and after drainage were found to be 252kN/m3 and 380kN/m3, respectively. The mean value of internal frictional angle, cohesiveness and shear deformation modulus of the peat soil sample were determined using a direct shear box apparatus in the laboratory. The mean value of internal frictional angle, cohesiveness and shear deformation modulus of the peat soil before and after drainage were found to be 22.80" and 24.3 lo, 2.63kN/m2 and 2.89kN/m2, and 1.2 1 cm and 1.37cm7 respectively. A new simulation technique for studying the basic design parameters of the vehicle with rigid link tracks system on Sepang peat terrain in Malaysia was also presented. The proper track width, ground contact length, pitch and grouser height, idler diameter and location, sprocket diameter and location, road-wheel diameter and geometrical arrangement, the ratio of the road-wheel spacing to track pitch, location of the center ofgravity (CG) of the vehicle are important to select to ensure good tractive performance of the vehicle on unprepared peat terrain. Simulation technique was then used to optimize the design parameters of the vehicle by establishing mathematical models for the trackterrain interaction mechanism. In the simulation study, the 25.5kN vehicle including payloads of 5.89kN was considered to traverse on the peat terrain at lOkm/h. The simulation study for the vehicle of straight running motion showed that the nominal ground pressure of the vehicle was 23.3% lower than the bearing capacity of the peat terrain. From simulated tractive performance results, vehicle average motion resistance coefficient of 6.8 to 7.9%, drawbar pull coefficient of 25.22 to 47%, and tractive efficiency of 74 to 77%, were found for the slippage of 5 to 20%. For the simulation study on the vehicle of turning motion, the result showed that the vehicle ground contact pressure exit from outer track was 14.61% and from the inner track was 6.67% lower than the bearing capacity of the Sepang peat terrain, the sinkage of the vehicle outer track 10.5% lower and inner track 22.5% lower, torque of the outer track sprocket 7.85% higher than the turning moment resistance of the vehicle, and lateral resistance 7.4% higher than the centrifugal force of the vehicle which was ensured the vehicle to maintain the steady state turn on the Sepang peat terrain at a turning speed of 1 Okm/h. The vehicle field tests were conducted on three different types of peat terrains: Terrain Type I, Terrain Type 11, and Terrain Type I11 with two loading conditions at travel speeds of 6km.h and 10km.h. The results showed that the tractive effort of the vehicle was increased 13.7 1 % for Terrain Type 1, 1 1 .O9% for Terrain Type 11, and 13.53% for Terrain Type I11 when the traveling speed was increased from 6kmh to 10krnIh. From the variation of the vehicle tractive operating environment, it was found that the tractive effort of the vehicle at traveling speed of 6kmih increased 8.08%, 5.12%, and 14.14% for changing the vehicle operating environment from Terrain Type I to Terrain Type 11, Terrain Type I1 to Terrain Twe 111, and Terrain Type I to Terrain Type 111, respectively. Similarly, the tractive effort for the vehicle at a traveling speed of lOkm/h increased 6.32%, 7.42%, and 14.22% for changing the vehicle operating environment from Terrain Type I to Terrain Type 11, Terrain Type I1 to Terrain Type 111, and Terrain Type I to Terrain Type 111, respectively. Furthermore, the tractive effort of the vehicle at a traveling speed of 6kmh increased 2.28% for Terrain Type I, 5.124% for Terrain Type 11, and 6.46% for Terrain Type 111 when the vehicle changing operating loading condition from without payload to with full payload. Similarly, the tractive effort of the vehicle at a traveling speed of 1Okm/h increased 1.76% for Terrain Type I, 2.61% for Terrain Type 11, and 6.69% for Terrain Type I11 when the vehicle changing operating loading condition from without payload to with full payload

Suitability of IPO Pricing Methods to Overcome Underpricing: A Comparative Study in Bangladesh

Initial Public Offering (IPO) mechanism gives a part of ownership of companies to small savers and enables investors to contribute to the economic development. This paper explores selected techniques by which companies going to public vary substantially across the world in the most studied market. In Bangladesh, there are two main methods of IPO pricing. One is Fixed Price (FP) method and another is Book Building (BB) method. It is difficult to isolate the impact of book building method relative to fixed price method which is used by the companies to go public. The empirical evidence demonstrates that most of the companies enter into capital market through FP method and BB method is the current issue in the capital market of Bangladesh. This study analyzes the trends of underpricing, overpricing, and oversubscription in initial public offerings (IPOs) listed in Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and to what extent on a year to year basis. After introducing BB method in Bangladesh, 91 companies were listed in DSE during 2008-2015 except mutual fund and bond, out of which 87(95.60%) IPOs were listed through FP method and only 4(4.40%) were listed through BB method, and 89 (97.80%) IPOs were found to be underpriced, only 2 (2.20%) were overpriced while nothing is accurately priced. This research reveals that book building method may diminish the degree of underpricing and also compact the variance of over subscription considering all factors relating to IPOs in Bangladesh. Keywords: IPO, Fixed Price Method, Book Building Method, Primary Market, Underpricing

Effect of Strategic Human Resources Management (HRM) Practices on Perceived Financial Performance of Non-Governmental Organizations: Empirical Evidence from RDRS Bangladesh

The objective of this study is to identify the certain strategic human resource management (HRM) practices (strategic recruitment and selection, strategic training and development, strategic reward and compensation and strategic performance appraisal) and to determine the relationship between strategic HRM practices and perceived financial performance (measured in  fundraising efficiency, financial transparency, programs/ projects financial efficiency ) of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) using RDRS Bangladesh as a case. The study administered 70 questionnaires to all staffs employed at central office of RDRS Bangladesh. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the study. The findings revealed that as an NGO RDRS Bangladesh embraced strategic HRM practices and it had positive effect on the perceived financial performance. The results of the study recommended that appropriate strategic HRM practices could be useful for enhancing financial performance of NGO sector in Bangladesh. Keywords: Strategic, HRM, Financial Performance, NGO

Delinquency Management in Private Commercial Banks: The Case of Bangladesh

This study examines delinquency management practices, causes of delinquency, and find out the ways of improving loan delinquency in private commercial banks in the context of Bangladesh. A sample of 250 primary observations has been collected through a self-administered questionnaire using a simple random sampling method from the target population during 2017-2018. The target population includes credit and recovery officers, individual and institutional borrowers from 30 private commercial banks in Bangladesh. To analyze the findings, the descriptive statistics of the variables are used and the results are presented in the frequency tables. This paper exposes that, loan client assessment, collateralized lending, sending reminder messages to the borrowers, credit monitoring, setting realistic terms of credit, and insurance of loans are the delinquency management practices in private commercial banks. This research also reveals that improper selection of a loan client, lack of follow up, unhealthy competition among banks, lack of proper analysis of project viability, higher interest rate, under financing/over financing, poor economic conditions, and information asymmetry are main causes of loan delinquency. This study also discloses that, strict adherence to credit policy, visiting client after loan disbursement, proper valuation of security, regular/timely release of funds, training and advice given to loan clients, loan given to business not against collateral, post loan services, fixation of lower interest rates, and proper documentation before disbursement can be main strategies of improving loan delinquency in private commercial banks. The findings of this research would help private commercial banks to reduce non-performing loans and improve delinquency management. Key Words: Delinquency management, non-performing loans, commercial banks, Banglades

Islamic Management and its Present Applications in Islamic Organizations in Bangladesh

As Islamic Economics and Islamic Banking concepts are established practically, now it is our obligation to establish Islamic Management as a distinct concept. In this article an attempt has been taken to define Islamic Management, to identify its special features and principles, and to prove the distinctness of its entity. But it is a fact that traditional authors ignore the great contributions of Islam towards management. But it is Islam, where managerial appeals were coming from the very beginning of civilization the messengers of Allah (SWT) and it culminated in the last prophet Muhammad (SAW). Due to lack of research and deviation from Islam the golden history of the Muslims is dominated day by day by secular and materialistic managerial concepts. Unfortunately many conventional managerial concepts remain unsuitable to the organizations of Muslim society. Consequently Islamic Organizations, from family to national level, cannot show productive role in comparison to conventional organizations. In these circumstances, it has been proposed in the present study to practice management based on Islamic values, adopting the exemplary leadership role, human resource management and development strategy proposed by Islam and application of motivational techniques according to divine teachings. Lastly the constraints and possible remedial measures of Islamic Management have been pointed out

The Impact of Capital Structure on the Profitability of Publicly Traded Manufacturing Firms in Bangladesh

This research explores the impact of capital structure on the profitability of publicly traded manufacturing firms in Bangladesh. In this paper, we applied the fixed effect regression to find out the correlation among independent variables (debt ratio, equity ratio and debt to equity ratio) and dependent variables (return on asset, return on equity and earnings per share). A sample of 50 observations of selected 10 manufacturing companies listed in Dhaka Stock Exchange has been analyzed over the period of 2013 to 2017. This research reveals that the debt ratio and equity ratio have a significant positive impact but debt to equity ratio has a significant negative impact on ROA. This paper also exposes that, equity ratio has a significant positive impact but debt to equity ratio has a significant negative impact on ROE. Finally, debt and equity ratio has a significant negative impact on EPS. Findings of this research will help the listed manufacturing companies to maintain an optimum capital structure which will lead to the maximization of stockholders wealth

Quantitative analysis of Mouza map image to estimate land area using zooming and Canny edge detection

In Bangladesh, mouza map is used to maintain the record of land measurement, which is a form of interpreting land ownership as well as estimation. Unfortunately, the automatic determination of land is still under development. As a result, land administrators have to encounter multiple hurdles while evaluating any area by employing local civil engineers. Thus, our country needs an automated land estimation system so that it can reduce time, cost and other difficulties which inspired us to develop a system that requires only mouza map image. Once image acquisition is done, we applied the curvature interpolation techniqueto zoom the map that helps to select any area by the Area Selection Method. The selected area is then segmented by employing the Canny edge detection method. Finally, the area is calculated from the segmented image and extracted features of the selected location. Compared to the field measurement, the system gave the accuracy of 89.8%. Hence, the land administrators will be able to provide the land information to the landowners promptly