1,753 research outputs found

    Wrapping Snakes for Improved Lip Segmentation

    Get PDF
    If you wish to contact a Curtin researcher associated with this document, you may obtain an email address fro

    An assembly-oriented novel low-carbon masonry building method with unfired 3D printed earthen blocks

    Get PDF
    Conventional earthen building methods such as cob and adobe are relevant for developing countries but labour-intensive, expensive and slow for developed countries. Automation in construction has been increasingly favourable in developed countries, especially buildings constructed with 3D printed cementitious materials. 3D printed earthen materials demonstrate a better environmental performance compared to 3D printed cementitious materials due to the energy intensive manufacturing of cement. Moreover, conventional earthen methods, such as cob, create earthen buildings with solid sections while 3D printing allows a hollow section and various infill designs using less material. Despite the benefits, the research on the mechanical strength of 3D-printed earthen structures is still limited. The lack of data on the mechanical performance of 3D printed earthen structures, is one of the obstacles preventing the mainstream construction industry from approaching this novel building method. Our research investigates an assembly-oriented novel low-carbon masonry building method with unfired 3D-printed earthen blocks and explores its adaptability to the mainstream construction industry with a critical comparison based on mechanical properties

    Computational fluid dynamics for nematic liquid crystals

    Get PDF
    Due to recent advances in fast iterative solvers in the field of computational fluid dynamics, more complex problems which were previously beyond the scope of standard techniques can be tackled. In this paper, we describe one such situation, namely, modelling the interaction of flow and molecular orientation in a complex fluid such as a liquid crystal. Specifically, we consider a nematic liquid crystal in a spatially inhomogeneous flow situation where the orientational order is described by a second rank alignment tensor. The evolution is determined by two coupled equations: a generalised Navier-Stokes equation for flow in which the divergence of the stress tensor also depends on the alignment tensor and its time derivative, and a convection-diffusion type equation with non-linear terms that stem from a Landau-Ginzburg-DeGennes potential for the alignment. In this paper, we use a specific model with three viscosity coefficients that allows the contribution of the orientation to the viscous stress to be cast in the form of an orientation-dependent force. This effectively decouples the flow and orientation, with each appearing only on the right-hand side of the other equation. In this way, difficulties associated with solving the fully coupled problem are circumvented and a stand-alone fast solver, such as the state-of-the-art preconditioned iterative solver implemented here, can be used for the flow equation. A time-discretised strategy for solving the flow-orientation problem is illustrated using the example of Stokes flow in a lid-driven cavity

    Robotic 3D printing with earthen materials as a novel sustainable construction method

    Get PDF
    Additive manufacturing is revolutionising architecture and design by enabling the manufacture of data-driven complex forms created by computational design, which could not be realised by conventional ways of craft and making. Robotic 3D printing with earth presents a promising alternative for the future of earthen architecture. Building with earth is a time tested environmental construction method which can be enhanced with digital fabrication. This paper presents the opportunities and challenges of ongoing research integrating robotic 3D printing with conventional earthen building techniques

    Measuring-up in timber: A critical perspective on mid-and high-rise timber building design

    Get PDF
    Architects, engineers and researchers alike often cite practical reasons for building with wood. Since the development of curved glulam beams and columns over a century ago, the widespread use of massive structural timber elements has allowed architects and engineers to design and build in wood with unprecedented speed and scale. Moreover, rising concerns of climate change and the carbon-dioxide emissions associated with construction encourage the use of wood as a viable alternative to steel and concrete, due to CO2 sequestration in trees.In mid- and high-rise buildings, the current shift from steel and concrete towards massive structural timber elements like glulam, laminated-veneer lumber (LVL) and cross-laminated timber (CLT) is evident in a number of recently completed timber buildings in Europe, ranging from seven to nine storeys. Several speculative design proposals have also been made for ‘timber towers’ of thirty, fortytwo and even sixty-five storeys, recognising that designing with massive structural timber elements in high-rise buildings is still in its infancy. This paper offers a new perspective on building with wood at this scale, beyond carbon sequestrationand construction.This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final version has been published in Architectural Research Quarterly here: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9295856&fileId=S1359135514000268. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 201

    UK utility data integration: overcoming schematic heterogeneity

    Get PDF
    In this paper we discuss syntactic, semantic and schematic issues which inhibit the integration of utility data in the UK. We then focus on the techniques employed within the VISTA project to overcome schematic heterogeneity. A Global Schema based architecture is employed. Although automated approaches to Global Schema definition were attempted the heterogeneities of the sector were too great. A manual approach to Global Schema definition was employed. The techniques used to define and subsequently map source utility data models to this schema are discussed in detail. In order to ensure a coherent integrated model, sub and cross domain validation issues are then highlighted. Finally the proposed framework and data flow for schematic integration is introduced

    Engineered bamboo for structural applications

    Get PDF
    Bamboo is a rapidly renewable material that has many applications in construction. Engineered bamboo products result from processing the raw bamboo culm into a laminated composite, similar to glue-laminated timber products. These products allow the material to be used in standardised sections and have less inherent variability than the natural material. The present work investigates the mechanical properties of two types of commercially available products – bamboo scrimber and laminated bamboo sheets – and compares these to timber and engineered timber products. It is shown that engineered bamboo products have properties that are comparable to or surpass that of timber and timber-based products. Potential limitations to use in structural design are also discussed. The study contributes to a growing body of research on engineered bamboo and presents areas in which further investigation is needed.The presented work is supported by EPRSC Grant EP/K023403/1 and the Newton Trust, and forms part of a collaboration between the University of Cambridge, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and University of British Columbia (UBC).This is the published version. It was first published at http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0950061815001117

    Biofilm-forming capability of highly virulent, multidrug-resistant Candida auris

    Get PDF
    The emerging multidrug-resistant yeast pathogen Candida auris has attracted considerable attention as a source of healthcare–associated infections. We report that this highly virulent yeast has the capacity to form antifungal resistant biofilms sensitive to the disinfectant chlorhexidine in vitro
    • …
    corecore