			Home About us Contact

Minimum Effort (minimum + effort)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Engineering	50%

Selected Abstracts

3D Reconstruction of Real World Scenes Using a Low-Cost 3D Range Scanner

COMPUTER-AIDED CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE ENGINEERING, Issue 7 2006
Paulo Dias
The article describes the mechanical and control issues addressed to physically achieve the 3D sensor used to acquire the data. It also presents the techniques used to process and merge range and intensity data to create textured polygonal models and illustrates the potential of such a unit. The result is a promising system for 3D modeling of real world scenes at a commercial price 10 or 20 times lower than current commercial 3D laser scanners. The use of such a system can simplify measurements of existing buildings and produce easily 3D models and ortophotos of existing structures with minimum effort and at an affordable price. [source]

A Numerical Simulation Model for Shield Tunnelling with Compressed Air Support

GEOMECHANICS AND TUNNELLING, Issue 3 2008
Felix Nagel Dipl.-Ing.
This paper is concerned with a numerical simulation model (ekate) specifically designed for shield tunnelling in fully and partially saturated soils based upon the Finite Element Method (FEM). The model considers all relevant components , the soil, the lining, the tail void grouting, the hydraulic jacks and different types of face support , involved in shield tunnelling. The surrounding soft soil is formulated as a three-phase material, consisting of the soil skeleton, pore water and air. This model allows for the simulation of consolidation processes in partially saturated soils as well as of flow of compressed air often used as temporary face support during repair interventions at the cutting wheel. Despite the complexity connected with the relatively high degree of realism of the simulation model, only little effort is required from the user to establish a realistic 3D model for shield tunnelling. To this end an automatic model generator has been developed which allows for a user friendly generation of the discretized model including all components involved and to investigate variants with a minimum effort for the user. The model allows for realistic predictions of settlements and also provides information on deformations and stresses in the ground, the lining and the TBM, respectively. In addition to its use as a prognosis tool in the design process, in particular for tunnelling projects in sensitive urban areas, the model also may be used to assist the driving and steering process in mechanized tunnelling. The paper provides an overview over the main components of the model, the automatic model generator and the tri-phasic representation of the soil. A simulation of a compressed air intervention of a shield tunnel in soft soil demonstrates the applicability of the model. Ein numerisches Simulationsmodell für druckluftgestützte Schildvortriebe In diesem Beitrag wird ein Simulationsmodell basierend auf der Methode der Finiten Elemente (FEM) für die Berechnung schildvorgetriebener Tunnel in un-, voll- und teilgesättigten Böden vorgestellt. In diesem numerischen Modell werden alle beim maschinellen Tunnelbau wesentlichen Komponenten , der Boden, der Ausbau, die Schildschwanzverpressung, die Vortriebspressen sowie unterschiedliche Arten der Ortsbruststützung , wirklichkeitsnah berücksichtigt. Der Baugrund wird im Simulationsmodell als dreiphasiges Material modelliert, bestehend aus dem Korngerüst, dem Porenwasser und der Porenluft. Diese Materialformulierung für den Baugrund ermöglicht die Analyse von Konsolidierungsprozessen in teilgesättigten Böden ebenso wie von Strömungsvorgängen im Boden bei Verwendung von Druckluft als temporärer Ortsbruststützung. Druckluft wird häufig beim Wechsel von Schneidwerkzeugen eingesetzt. Ungeachtet der Komplexität des Modells, die mit der relativ wirklichkeitsnahen Abbildung des Vortriebsgeschehens verbunden ist, ist nur ein sehr geringer Aufwand für die Modellgenerierung erforderlich. Um diesen Eingabeaufwand auf ein Minimum zu reduzieren, wurde ein automatischer Modellgenerator entwickelt, der den Ingenieur bei der Eingabe unterstützt und die Untersuchung von Planungsalternativen deutlich vereinfacht. Das Modell ermöglicht wirklichkeitsnahe Prognosen von Bodenbewegungen und Beanspruchungen, wie sie für die Planung von Vortrieben insbesondere unter setzungsempfindlichen, innerstädtischen Gebieten erforderlich sind. Darüber hinaus stellt das Modell ein wertvolles Hilfsmittel bei der vortriebsbegleitenden Steuerung von Vortriebsmaschinen in Lockergestein dar. Neben den wesentlichen Komponenten des numerischen Modells, des Modellgenerators und der Dreiphasen-Formulierung für den Boden enthält der Beitrag als prototypisches Anwendungsbeispiel die Simulation einer Druckluftintervention in Lockergestein. [source]

A novel artificial habitat collection device for studying resettlement patterns in anguillid glass eels

JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY, Issue 5 2001
V. Silberschneider
The number of glass eels Anguilla australis and A. reinhardtii caught in artificial habitat collectors, made from a PVC base and polyethylene split rope fibres, was related to the number of rope fibre tufts attached to each collector rather than collector area directly. Ageing of collectors in situ to promote algal growth enhanced the catch of glass eels. Glass eels entered the collectors at night primarily during the flood tide, and did not move into the collectors during daylight hours. Glass eel abundance increased with increasing distance from the freshwater drain located in the causeway. The artificial habitat collectors are effective for assessing relative numbers of resettling glass eels and may be useful for studying recruitment and settlement patterns of other anguillid eel species, as well as identifying areas and habitats within a catchment that provide important shelter for glass eels. Sampling glass eels can be carried out with maximum effect and minimum effort using compact, aged artificial habitat collectors on the night time flood tide when low tide coincides with dusk. [source]

Development of Rotary Blood Pump Technology: Past, Present, and Future

ARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 6 2000
Yukihiko Nosé
Abstract: Even though clinical acceptance of a nonpulsatile blood flow was demonstrated almost 45 years ago, the development of a nonpulsatile blood pump was completely ignored until 20 years ago. In 1979, the first author's group demonstrated that completely pulseless animals did not exhibit any abnormal physiology if 20% higher blood flows were provided to them. However, during the next 10 years (1979,1988), minimum efforts were provided for the development of a nonpulsatile, permanently implantable cardiac prosthesis. In 1989, the first author and his team at Baylor College of Medicine initiated a developmental strategy of various types of nonpulsatile rotary blood pumps, including a 2-day rotary blood pump for cardiopulmonary bypass application, a 2 week pump for ECMO and short-term circulatory assistance, a 2 year pump as a bridge to transplantation, and a permanently implantable cardiac prosthesis. Following the design and developmental strategy established in 1989, successful development of a 2-day pump (the Nikkiso-Fairway cardiopulmonary bypass pump) in 4 years (1989,1993), a 2 week pump (Kyocera gyro G1E3 pump) in 6 years (1992,1998), and a bridge to transplant pump (DeBakey LVAD,an axial flow blood pump) in 10 years (1988,1998) was made. Currently, a permanently implantable centrifugal blood pump development program is successfully completing its initial Phase 1 program of 5 years (1995,2000). Implantation exceeded 9 months without any negative findings. An additional 5 year Phase II program (2000,2005) is expected to complete such a device that will be clinically available. [source]