Setting the Port Planning Parameters In Container Terminals through Bayesian Networks

The correct prediction in the transport logistics has vital importance in the adequate means and resource planning and in their optimisation. Up to this date, port planning studies were based mainly on empirical, analytical or simulation models. This paper deals with the possible use of Bayesian networks in port planning. The methodology indicates the work scenario and how the network was built. The network was afterwards used in container terminals planning, with the support provided by the tools of the Elvira code. The main variables were defined and virtual scenarios inferences were realised in order to carry out the analysis of the container terminals scenarios through probabilistic graphical models. Having performed the data analysis on the different terminals and on the considered variables (berth, area, TEU, crane number), the results show the possible relationships between them. Finally, the conclusions show the obtained values on each considered scenario

Concrete constitutive model, calibration and applications

A methodology has been developed for characterising the mechanical behaviour of concrete, based on the damaged plasticity model, enriched with a user subroutine (V)USDFLD in order to capture better the ductility of the material under moderate confining pressures. The model has been applied in the context of the international benchmark IRIS_2012, organised by the OECD/NEA/CSNI Nuclear Energy Agency, dealing with impacts of rigid and deformable missiles against reinforced concrete targets. A slightly modified version of the concrete damaged plasticity model was used to represent the concrete. The simulation results matched very well the observations made during the actual tests. Particularly successful predictions involved the energy spent by the rigid missile in perforating the target, the crushed length of the deformable missile, the crushed and cracked areas of the concrete target, and the values of the strains recorded at a number of locations in the concrete slab

Utilización de patrones de diseño en la asignatura de Procesadores de Lenguaje

La asignatura de Procesadores de Lenguaje comprende el aprendizaje de una teoría formal y el desarrollo práctico de un procesador de lenguaje. La fase de análisis semántico es comúnmente descrita mediante el uso de formalismos tales como gramáticas atribuidas. En este artículo presentamos cómo hemos utilizado patrones de diseño para la enseñanza teórica de sistemas de tipos y el desarrollo práctico del analizador semántico de un compilador. Nuestro enfoque facilita la comprensión de conceptos teóricos gracias a que la notación utilizada (UML) es conocida por los estudiantes. Adicionalmente, los diseños son aplicados en el desarrollo práctico de un procesador de lenguaje, reforzando competencias propias de Ingeniería del Software.Peer Reviewe

Framework for the declarative implementation of native mobile applications

The development of connected mobile applications for a broad audience is a complex task because of the existing device diversity. In order to soothe this situation, device-independent approaches are aimed at implementing platform-independent applications, hiding the differences among the diverse families and models of mobile devices. Most of the existing approaches are based on the imperative definition of applications, which are either compiled to a native application, or executed in a Web browser. The client and server sides of applications are implemented separately, using different mechanisms for data synchronisation. In this study, the authors propose device-independent mobile application generation (DIMAG), a framework for defining native device-independent client-server applications based on the declarative specification of application workflow, state and data synchronisation, user interface and data queries. The authors have designed DIMAG considering the dynamic addition of new types of devices, and facilitating the generation of applications for new target platforms. DIMAG has been implemented taking advantage of existing standard

Design patterns for teaching type checking in a compiler construction course

A course in compiler construction seeks to develop an understanding of well-defined fundamental theory and typically involves the production of a language processor. In a graduate degree in software engineering, the development of a compiler contributes significantly to the developer's comprehension of the practical application of theoretical concepts. Different formal notations are commonly used to define type systems, and some of them are used to teach the semantic analysis phase of language processing. In the traditional approach, attribute grammars are probably the most widely used ones. This paper shows how object-oriented design patterns represented in unified modeling language (UML) can be used to both teach type systems and develop the semantic analysis phase of a compiler. The main benefit of this approach is two-fold: better comprehension of theoretical concepts because of the use of notations known by the students (UML diagrams), and improvement of software engineering skills for the development of a complete language processor

Concrete Swelling in a Double Curvature Dam

Se describe el problema del hinchamiento del hormigón en las presas de doble curvatura. Several chemical reactions are able to produce swelling of concrete for decades after its initial curing, a problem that affects a considerable number of concrete dams around the world. The object of the work reported is to simulate the underlying mechanisms with sufficient accuracy to reproduce the past history and to predict the future evolution reliably. Having studied the available formulations, that considered to be more promising was adopted and introduced via user routines in a commercial finite element code. It is a non isotropic swelling model,compatible with the cracking and other non-linearities displayed by the concrete. The paper concentrates on the work conducted for a double-curvature arch dam. The model parameters were determined on the basis of some parts of the dam’s monitored histories, reliability was then verified using other parts and, finally, predictions were made about the future evolution of the dam and its safety margin

Effect of Concrete Swelling on the Equilibrium and Displacements of an Arch Dam

The Kariba dam is undergoing concrete expansion as a result of an alkali-aggregate reaction. The model adopted to simulate the process is explained in the paper; it is based on the model first proposed by Ulm et al, as later modified by Saouma and Perotti. It has been implemented in the commercial finite element code Abaqus and applied to solve the benchmark problem. The parameters of the model were calibrated using the data recorded up to 1995. The calibrated model was then used for predicting the evolution of the dam up to the present date. Apart from this prediction the paper offers a number of conclusions, such as the fact that the stress level appears to have a major influence on the expansion process; and it presents some suggestions to improve the formulation of the benchmark, such as providing temperature data and widening the locations and conditions of the data employed in the calibratio

Fluid-Structure Interaction in Civil Engineering Structures

The problems being addressed involve the dynamic interaction of solids (structure and foundation) with a liquid (water). Various numerical procedures are reviewed and employed to solve the problem of establishing the expected response of a structure subjected to seismic excitations while duly accounting for those interactions. The methodology is applied to the analysis of dams, lock gates, and large storage tanks, incorporating in some cases a comparison with the results produced by means of simplified analytical procedures

Simulation of Temperatures and Stresses during Construction of a RCC Dam

Se describen las variaciones de temperaturas y de tensiones durante la construcción de presas de hormigón compactado. The curing of concrete is an exothermic process. The heat of hydration generated induces temperature increases in the concrete, which will disappear in the long term by heat conduction in the concrete mass and thermal exchanges with the environment. The problem is of particularly interest for large concrete masses, as is the case of dams, because the time involved in the heat diffusion process grows with the square of the dimensions and a hotter dam interior implies the possibility of cracking the exposed surfaces of the dam. The Cuira dam, currently being built in Venezuela using roller compacted concrete, is a 134 m high, arch-gravity dam. In support of the design, different strategies were analysed, including various combinations of cooling of the water and the aggregate in order to achieve acceptable results. The calculations were conducted with Abaqus, taking into account all the necessary mechanical and thermal characteristics, as well as the relevant non-linearities. The analyses led to the conclusion that no cooling was required, even taking into account the stress state imposed by an early and rapid filling of the reservoir

Testing edible mushrooms to inhibit the pancreatic lipase activity by an in vitro digestion model

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Palanisamy, M. Testing edible mushrooms to inhibit the pancreatic lipase activity by an in vitro digestion model (2012) International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 47 (5), pp. 1004-1010., which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2621.2011.02934.x. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance With Wiley Terms and Conditions for self-archivingOne of the strategies in prevention or treatment of obesity is altering metabolism of lipids by inhibition of dietary fat absorption. The extracts obtained with methanol, water and methanol:water (1:1) from 21 mushroom species were screened as potential sources of pancreatic lipase (PL) inhibitors using a standardised in vitro test. Lepiota procera methanol:water (1:1) extracts showed the highest inhibition activity closely followed by Grifola frondosa, Pleurotus eryngii and Lyophyllum shimeji. Other mushroom strains such as Morchella conica, Marasmius oreades, Lentinula edodes, Amanita ponderosa and Boletus edulis also showed a certain inhibitory activity. However, when the PL inhibitory activity was evaluated using an in vitro digestion model mimicking gut conditions, none of the selected mushroom extracts were able to inhibit PL activity. On the contrary, stimulation of the lipase activity levels was observed and it was not due to endogenous mushroom lipases activitiesThe research was supported by the European Union within the 7th framework programme (7FM-PEOPLE-2009-IIF project 251285), ALIBIRD-CM S2009 ⁄AGR-1469 regional program from the Community of Madrid (Spain) and AGL2010-21537 national R+D program from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovatio