Finite Element Analysis of Building Collapse during Demolition

A computational strategy that employs a multi-level approach to model the physical phenomena that occur during a structural collapse is used to simulate demolition of a multi-story precast concrete building. The building is modeled by means of beam elements, whose rigidity relations have been derived from a fracture mechanics-based model of cracked RC panels and joints. The motion and deformation of the collapsing building are solved as a transient dynamic problem in the finite displacements/ rotations range. The presented approach appears as an efficient way to verify whether a proposed demolition method leads to the desired mechanism of building collapse. By simulating various blasting scenarios, the most suitable demolition procedure is identified

On the Role of Training Data for SVM-Based Microwave Brain Stroke Detection and Classification

The aim of this work was to test microwave brain stroke detection and classification using support vector machines (SVMs). We tested how the nature and variability of training data and system parameters impact the achieved classification accuracy. Using experimentally verified numerical models, a large database of synthetic training and test data was created. The models consist of an antenna array surrounding reconfigurable geometrically and dielectrically realistic human head phantoms with virtually inserted strokes of arbitrary size, and different dielectric parameters in different positions. The generated synthetic data sets were used to test four different hypotheses, regarding the appropriate parameters of the training dataset, the appropriate frequency range and the number of frequency points, as well as the level of subject variability to reach the highest SVM classification accuracy. The results indicate that the SVM algorithm is able to detect the presence of the stroke and classify it (i.e., ischemic or hemorrhagic) even when trained with single-frequency data. Moreover, it is shown that data of subjects with smaller strokes appear to be the most suitable for training accurate SVM predictors with high generalization capabilities. Finally, the datasets created for this study are made available to the community for testing and developing their own algorithms

Performance analysis of glazed PVT collectors for multifamily building

The paper deals with performance analysis of potential application of glazed photovoltaic-thermal collector for domestic hot water preparation for multifamily building in European climatic conditions. Two different solutions are studied, glazed photovoltaic-thermal collectors integrated in the building envelope and glazed photovoltaic-thermal collectors fixed on the roof of the building. Moreover, the paper presents a comparison with conventional side by side installation of solar thermal collectors and photovoltaic panels to show the benefit of photovoltaic-thermal collectors. Simulation analysis has been done in TRNSYS with use of developed and validated mathematical model of glazed photovoltaic-thermal collector

Design and monitoring of energy-active facade module

Testing of two facade modules under outdoor climatic conditions of Central Europe has been performed for more than two years. The paper analyses the results of long-term monitoring and shows potential benefits of prismatic glazing and photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) collectors integrated into one component. The prismatic glazing reflects beam radiation during summer period and transmits it during the winter period. During summer month solar irradiation transmitted through the prismatic glazing can be about 44 % lower compared to conventional triple glazing. Glazed PVT collector generates heat and electricity simultaneously. PVT collector integrated in the façade module can achieve solar yield during summer 58 kWh/m2.month in heat and 6,3 kWh/m2.month in electricity

Glazed PVT Collector with Polysiloxane Encapsulation of PV Cells: Performance and Economic Analysis

Development of a new concept of glazed PVT collector based on temperature resistant polysiloxane encapsulation material is presented together with the results from experimental testing and modelling. Performance and economic analysis in 4 different European climates has been done to derive the competitive price of the PVT collector concepts with main focus on the glazed PVT collector under development. Results have shown that specific market price 400 to 500 EUR/m2 for the glazed PVT collector should not be exceeded in order to become competitive with conventional combination of photothermal and photovoltaic collectors

Microwave Hyperthermia of Brain Tumors: A 2D Assessment Parametric Numerical Study

Due to the clinically proven benefit of hyperthermia treatments if added to standard cancer therapies for various tumor sites and the recent development of non-invasive temperature measurements using magnetic resonance systems, the hyperthermia community is convinced that it is a time when even patients with brain tumors could benefit from regional microwave hyperthermia, even if they are the subject of a treatment to a vital organ. The purpose of this study was to numerically analyze the ability to achieve a therapeutically relevant constructive superposition of electromagnetic (EM) waves in the treatment of hyperthermia targets within the brain. We evaluated the effect of the target size and position, operating frequency, and the number of antenna elements forming the phased array applicator on the treatment quality. In total, 10 anatomically realistic 2D human head models were considered, in which 10 circular hyperthermia targets with diameters of 20, 25, and 30 mm were examined. Additionally, applicators with 8, 12, 16, and 24 antenna elements and operating frequencies of 434, 650, 915, and 1150 MHz, respectively, were analyzed. For all scenarios considered (4800 combinations), the EM field distributions of individual antenna elements were calculated and treatment planning was performed. Their quality was evaluated using parameters applied in clinical practice, i.e., target coverage (TC) and the target to hot-spot quotient (THQ). The 12-antenna phased array system operating at 434 MHz was the best candidate among all tested systems for HT treatments of glioblastoma tumors. The 12 antenna elements met all the requirements to cover the entire target area; an additional increase in the number of antenna elements did not have a significant effect on the treatment quality

Microwave Catheter Navigation System for the Radiofrequency Liver Ablation

Thermal ablation is a well-known method used in interventional radiology to treat cancer. The treatment success is closely related to the exact catheter location in the treated area. Current navigation methods are based mostly on ultrasound or computed tomography. This work explores the possibility of tracking the catheter position during ablation treatment of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) using an ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna array and microwave radar imaging based on the “Delay and Sum” (DAS) algorithm. The feasibility was first numerically studied on a simple homogeneous liver model. A heterogeneous anthropomorphic 3D model of the treated region consisting of the main organs within the treated area was then used. Various standard radiofrequency ablation (RFA) catheters were placed virtually in the heterogeneous model. The location and orientation of the antenna elements of the developed imaging system and the applied frequency band were studied. Subsequently, an experimental setup consisting of a 3D printed homogeneous anthropomorphic model, eight UWB dipole antennas, and catheters was created and used in a series of measurements. The average accuracy determining the catheter position from simulated and experimental data was 3.88 ± 0.19 and 6.13 ± 0.66 mm, which are close to the accuracy of clinical navigation systems

Non-hydrolytic sol-gel synthesis of amine-functionalized silica: Template- and catalyst-free preparation of mesoporous catalysts for CO2 valorization

Carbon dioxide utilization presents an important and topical research topic. However, the performance of catalysts needed for CO2 transformations does not achieve the necessary levels for their widespread application. To this end, we decided to study non-aqueous condensations providing amine-functionalized silica catalysts, possibly active in CO2-epoxide cycloaddition reaction. While non-hydrolytic sol-gel method is well-known for its efficiency in providing highly porous Lewis and Brønsted acid metallosilicates, here we show for the first time its application for the preparation of silica-based catalysts containing basic groups. First, the reaction conditions were screened to reproducibly obtain porous materials with preserved amine moieties. These were identified as follows: silicon tetraacetate and bridging tertiary amine silanes as precursors, toluene as a solvent, and temperature between 160 and 180 °C. In such a way, materials with up to 776 m2 g−1 and 1.58 cm3 g−1 were obtained in one-step process, without any template, after conventional drying step. Next, the amine-functionalized materials were tested in CO2-epoxide coupling providing cyclic organic carbonates with high selectivity (>99 %) and moderate activity (up to 86 % epichlorohydrin conversion after 1 h at 120 °C and 10 bar CO2). The characterization of spent catalysts revealed a presence of cyclic organic carbonates at the catalyst surface as well as conversion of tertiary amine groups to quaternary ammonium moieties