Finite element analysis of mechanical properties for 2D woven kenaf composite

Woven composite based on natural fiber increasingly used for many applications in industries because of their advantages such as low cost, low weight, less damage to processing equipment, improved surface finish, good relative mechanical properties and renewable resources, but there are some problems as cost and protracted development period to perform reliability evaluation by experimental with real scale. Predictive modeling technique is used to minimize the need for physical testing, shorten design timescales and provide optimized designs. Mechanical properties of woven fabrics for technical textile depend on a) type of raw materials b) type and count of warp and weft yarns c) yarn density and d) the type of weave structure. The effect of fabric architecture to the mechanical properties is investigated. The optimum fabric structure is crucial due to the combination of difference of yarn size and weave pattern are observed. The research is conducted in the microscopic, mesoscopic and the macroscopic scale. The benefit using the hierarchal method of multi scale modeling is: (1) it encourages a reduced reliance on costly trial and error. (2) Lead-time for the introduction of new technologies is reduced, (3) the multi-scale modeling system lowers the likelihood of conservative or compromised designs that might have resulted from reliance on less-than-perfect material. Woven kenaf composite is modeled using the modeling software to get the properties of the model. Further, the model is analyzed using finite element analysis to predict the mechanical properties of the woven kenaf composite. In addition, the effect of the combination of yarn size and weave pattern of the woven kenaf composite is stated based on the mechanical properties to predict the optimum structure of woven kenaf composite

Pendekatan terapeutik dan pencegahan relaps di antara penagih separa pulih kolektivisme dan keluarga mereka di Malaysia

Recovering addicts are those who struggling to give up drug but risk relapsing. Establishing therapeutic alliance between RAs and their family can help overcome many problems, resulting from continuous conflicts between them, and also help in RAs’ recovery process. This study examined the readiness of RAs and their families to establish and maintain therapeutic alliance and to study RAs and their families’ abilities to prevent relapse two years after treatment completion. This research also identified indicators for RAs and their families’ readiness to establish and maintain therapeutic alliance, as well as to explore the suitability of Collective Family Therapy (CFT) module in the treatment of Malay RAs. Four open-orientation groups consisted of four RAs and 32 family members were used in eight treatment sessions. The CFT mentioned was used as a treatment couple with pre and post test. After the treatment, group members were given two years to practice CFT skills before follow up test were conducted. Data analysis collected using qualitative methods showed there is a high readiness to establish and to maintain therapeutic among the RAs and their families’ members. The follow-up test showed that three out of four RAs had successfully prevented relapse and enjoying a drug-free living. The CFT module was found suitable to create an environment that is conducive to treat Malay collectivist RAs. Family identity was identified as the indicator for RAs and their families’ readiness to establish therapeutic alliance, whilst faithfulness is the indicator for the maintenance of therapeutic alliance. The abilities of RAs and their families to establish and maintain therapeutic alliance had successfully created the environment required to empower the Malay collectivist values that help preventing relapse. Collectivist value-based CFT’s module is appropriate to be used as an important ingredient in a therapeutic approach to prevent relapse for other collectivist communitie

Storage Area Networks (SANs) in Business Environment

Storage Area Networks (SAN) in Business Environment is titled and initiated to design and implement Storage Area Networks architecture in the business operation. The project is divided into two terms, first is the research ofStorage Area Networks and the second is system development onthe Storage Area Networks Knowledge Management System. Research on the Storage Area Networks was based on the problem statement and objective of the project while the Storage Area Networks Knowledge Management System is the system in making decision to implement Storage Area Networks. The project will require a hybrid model for System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology. Reviews on the system will be made according to the SDLC and the objectives of the project. Artificial Intelligent module is used for the Storage Area Networks system to determine the best Storage Area Networks solution for the business. Research will be more onthe implementation of the Storage Area Networks in the business based onthe cost, availability and the architecture of the Storage Area Networks. Advantages of the Storage Area Networks and several criteria inthe Storage Area Networks will be part of the Storage Area Networks research. Storage Area Networks give the best solution for business as the database is an important asset for the business. Performance, availability, flexibility and scalability are the main subject in considering Storage Area Networks. Keywords: Storage Area Networks, Knowledge Management System, hybrid model. System Development Life Cycl

Malaysian Banks Competitive Advantage Through Merger and Acquisition

We analyze the determinants of Malaysian banks competitive advantage by using a sample of nine local commercial banks operating in Malaysia for the period of five years, from 2005 to 2009. The main objective of this study is to determine whether merger and acquisition increase competitive advantage among banks, to explore the relationship between cost leadership, differentiation, focus and market capitalisation to the bank's competitive advantage and to document the strategies adopt by banks in order to stay competitive and survive. This study has chosen trend analysis, descriptive analysis, correlation analysis and regression analysis to identify the determinants of the competitive advantage of local banks in Malaysia. The dependant variable is competitive advantage (measure by profit before tax and zakat), where for independent variables are cost leadership ( measure by profit margin ratio and net income to total employee ratio), differentiation ( measure by size of total assets), focus (measure by profit from conventional banking) and market share (measure by market capitalization and loan to deposit ratio). By doing this research, we can conclude that local banks in Malaysia gain competitive advantage after merger and acquisition. As the profit and market share by each bank increase, it will help the bank to increase their competitive advantage

Predictors of brand referral behaviors of cosmetic brand among gen-Y consumers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between brand knowledge, brand personality, brand experience and brand referral behaviors among Gen-Y in context of cosmetic brand among UUM undergraduate business students. In total, 350 questionnaires were distributed to UUM School of Business Management (SBM) undergraduate students. However, only 338 questionnaires were returned and only 335 questionnaires were usable for further analysis. The data collected through this survey was analyzed by using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23. This study used random sampling method which includes both proportionate sampling and systematic sampling. Proportionate sampling is to identify adequate and relevant number of sample for each program under SBM and systematic sampling specifically to choose the right respondent. The descriptive analysis was used to determine the respondent’s profile. Findings of this study revealed that brand knowledge has a positive significant relationship towards brand referral behaviors. Meanwhile, it was found that brand personality and brand experience has no significant relationship towards brand referral behaviors. This study will help managers and marketers to understand more deeply about brand referral behaviors among Gen-Y. Finally, this study proposes several recommendations for future research

An Investigation of TFRC Over MANET Routing Protocol

A Mobile Ad Hoc Network or MANET is a collection of wireless nodes that are able to junction standalone and which cannot be predicted by a temporary network without any fixed backbone infrastructure. Mobility and the non-fixed infrastructure of MANET are also attractive for sensor networks applications, rescue operations, military, and time-critical applications. MANET routing protocol consist of a table driven and on-demand routing protocol and the specific focus to on-demand routing protocol such as Dynamic Source Routing (DSR) and Ad Hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV). The TCP-Friendly Rate Control (TFRC) provides a smoother congestion control, smoother throughput variance compared with Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). In this paper, we propose an investigation of the performance metrics such as jitter, packet delay, and throughput. We compare the performance metrics of DSR and AODV using extensive simulation experiments Network Simulation (ns-2). Based on the research results, DSR operates better in TFRC over AODV routing protocol and it performed with better in jitter, throughput and packet delay. The DSR protocol perform better with 19.45% to 23.27% less jitter, 36.43% to 69.65% better throughput and 92.56% to 98.05% lower packet delay than the AODV protocol

A critical edition of Sharḥ al-Jumal li al-Zajjājī by Abū al-Ḥasan Ṭāhir b. Aḥmad b. Bābshād b. Mohamed Al-Naḥwī

The present edition of Sharḥ al-Jumal li al-Zajjājī, written by Abū al-Ḥasan Ṭāhir b. Aḥmad b. Bābshād is mainly based on Ẕ MS. No. 1687. This manuscript consists of 312 folios and is divided into two volumes. This thesis presents a critical edition of volume one only; it is hoped that the second volume of this lengthy work may soon be edited also. The present edition is preceded by an introduction which includes a general discussion of the work, of the MSS. used in this edition, of the authorship of Sharḥ al-Jumal and the quotations from the Qur'ān, qirā'āt, Ḥadīth and Poetry that appear in it. Ibn Bābshād intellectual background and grammatical doctrine are also discussed

Mechanical Properties of Pineapple Leaf Fibre Reinforced Polypropylene Laminated Composites

Pineapple leaf fibre which is rich in cellulose,relatively inexpensive and abundantly available has the potential to be used as reinforcement in polymer composite.The present research investigates the tensile, flexural and impact behaviours of pineapple leaf fibrepolypropylene(PALF-PP) composites as a function of volume fraction.Composites specimens with the dimensions of 115 mm x 19 mm and 127 mm x 12.7 mm were cut from the 3 mm thickness laminates to determine tensile and flexural properties using an Universal Testing machine. Specimen with dimensions 63.5 x 12.7 x 3.0 mm were used for Izod impact test was using a TMI pendulum tester The tensile modulus and tensile strength of the composites were found to be increased with fibre content in accordance with the rule of mixtures. The tensile modulus and tensile strength with a volume fraction 10.8 % are 687.02 MPa and 37.28 MPa respectively. The flexural modulus gives higher value at 2.7 % volume fraction.The flexural strength of the composites containing 5.4 % volume fraction was found to be higher than that of pure polypropylene resin by 5.1 %. At 2.7 % volume fraction,the work of fracture is about 6.1 % higher than that of virgin polypropylene. However, at higher percentage volume fraction (5.4 %, 10.8 % and 16.2 %) the work of fracture decrease by about 19.2 % and then 2.7 % of volume fraction.The reasons why flexural and impact properties gave lower values for volume fraction above 5.4 % are possibly due to the fibre-to-fibre interaction,void and dispersion problems. This was confirmed by the micrographs of scanning electron microscopic (SEM).Studies on SEM micrographs were carried out to understand the fibre –matrix adhesion and fibre breakag