Pakistan Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences

Design Solutions for Revitalisation of Buffer Zones in Cultural Heritage Sites

2023-03-08T15:25:21+05:00

This paper examines various design solutions towards urban regeneration of buffer zone areas in the context of cultural heritage sites. Although buffer zones play an essential role in protecting the values of core zones, yet due to the implementation of legislative limitations and local construction regulations, they suffer from a decline in urban growth. This study aims to suggest a variety of design solutions to regenerate the context of buffer zone areas after a critical study and analysis of their urban setting. The study area locates in Kampung Jawa (KJ), situated in the historical city of Melaka, Malaysia. At the initial phase, this study adopted a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to explore and survey the study area. The required data was collected through observation, questionnaire, interviews with stakeholders as well as available documents and statistics about the area. After analysing the data and based on the principles and design rationales derived from precedents studies, suggestions and recommendations for the revitalization of the site are developed in the form of design proposals. The study concludes that five important factors, including a sense of place, optimum land utilization, compatibility with the neighbouring districts, appropriate circulation network, and safeguarding imageability and identity of the site, are among the most vital factors for revival and regeneration of deprived buffer zone areas.

Factors of Urban Identity in a Cultural City: Findings from a Field Study in the City of Tabriz, Iran

2024-01-22T06:00:10+05:00

The urban identity as the most salient spatial statement of a community’s character has a role in determination of values, norms, and human relations within the physical layout of an urban area. Acquiring the optimum and authentic identity and overcoming the identity crisis, especially in larger cities, are the concerns of Iran’s municipal management. The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that are related to the urban identity in cities. The findings of this research can orient the urban managers and programmers to enhance the physical factors that influence urban identity. The method of this research is descriptive-analytical, and the results can turn into the practical aspects. The city of Tabriz in Iran was selected as the case study. The sample size includes 390 subjects being randomly chosen. The questionnaires were filled from public and in busy urban spaces of Tabriz city including Bazaar and Maqsudia districts. The collected data has been analysed on SPSS in terms of purpose by using the factor analysis and also multiple regression analysis. The findings of research show that 26 variables identified can be classified under four general categories including meaning-perception identity, physical-formal identity, social identity, and historical-natural identity. The four extracted factors can determine 65.50% of total changes of indexes studied. The results of multiple regression showed that the extracted factors overall can determine 99.8% of variance of dependent variable urban identity in the city of Tabriz. The factors of meaning-perception, social, physical-formal, and historical-natural factors respectively have the highest affectivity on the extent of urban identity according to the views of the respondents.

Comparative analysis of alternative fuels and powertrains for goods transport vehicles: A case study of Catalonia, Spain

2023-11-23T06:38:28+05:00

By 2050, the European Union aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions to achieve carbon neutrality. Therefore, like other sectors, emissions from the goods transport sector need to be reduced as well. A proactive shift to cleaner vehicles with alternative propulsion systems to conventional systems is required. The environmental impact of various engine technologies is currently gaining traction when considering the purchase of goods transport vehicles. This study introduces various alternative fuels and powertrains in the context of Catalonia, Spain. However, the observations and discussions provided in this paper can be applied to other countries, with slight variations conforming to local markets. Apart from discussing the alternative options, a comparison including technical and financial evaluation, infrastructure evaluation, risks/opportunities evaluation, and emission evaluation is provided. The paper further enlists the risks and opportunities available for each alternative with a 15-year horizon, and lastly provides a SWOT analysis. This study not only offers a guidance to the goods transport operators regarding alternative fuels and powertrains but also provides the general readers with a broad understanding of the topic.

Effective role of graphene oxide nanostructured materials in enhancing the physico-mechanical characteristics of concrete structures

2023-05-06T03:17:59+05:00

Nanostructured graphene oxide (GO) materials have been studied world-wide for various technological applications now-a-days. Due to its good dispersability in water, this can exhibit high aspect ratio. In this research work, a detailed experimental study has been carried out on concrete with addition of GO in appropriate levels (0, 0.03 and 0.06 wt%). The addition of GO after sonication in water was carried-out in the concrete at the time of mixing the cementitious material along-with other conventional additives. The prepared concrete cubes, cylinders and prisms with / without GO were studied for the compressive strength, flexural strength, elastic modulus and ductility index. The hydration process in concrete were enhanced effectively with the presence of GO and enhanced the concrete properties to a greater level.

Developing a Vehicle Selection Procedure for Logistic Operators of Catalonia, Spain

2023-11-23T06:38:03+05:00

The worldwide need for energy continues to rise as it tries to meet the growing demands of a growing human population, with fossil fuels remaining the primary source. However, the use of fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases (GHGs) and pollutants into the environment, which contribute considerably to the phenomena of global warming. Alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) present a dual advantage of reducing fuel expenses and curbing greenhouse gas emissions, making them an attractive choice for consumers in the market. However, the rapid pace of technological advancements has made the selection of the right AFVs a complex decision for goods transport operators. This paper introduces a comprehensive methodology for vehicle selection in an effort to improve access to information about the affordability of alternative fuels and to assist logistics operators in making well-informed decisions about the most appropriate technology for their specific needs. The developed method entails a step-by-step filtration process that includes financial and technical evaluations, infrastructure assessment, a review of risks and opportunities, and emission estimation. A vehicle selection example is also included at the end of the paper to offer readers with practical knowledge.

Assessing the Relationship between Down Time and Product Quality in the Plastic Manufacturing Sector

2024-01-01T08:04:42+05:00

Maximizing production while avoiding downtime has become crucial for industries in the complex industrial landscape of today. In order to satisfy client demands, it is essential to provide high-quality products, which may be done by following efficient maintenance procedures. Examining the link between maintenance practices and product quality in the plastic processing industries is the primary goal of this study. The researchers watched the production unit and reviewed documentary material to learn more about the production procedures, equipment performance, and equipment condition. After that, statistical analysis, including chi-square tests and correlation tests, was used to find the nature of the connection between maintenance and product quality in the plastics business. By contrasting the estimated chi-square value with the crucial table value, the chi-square test's findings revealed that there is indeed a substantial correlation between the maintenance and quality of a product. The correlation analysis also showed a significant association between maintenance procedures and product quality. This study emphasizes the significance of a proper maintenance culture in the plastic processing sector for raising productivity and achieving consumer expectations for high-caliber goods. The results highlight the value of spending money on carefully thought-out maintenance tasks to improve product quality.

Static and Fatigue Analysis of A Small Wind Turbine Blade

2022-12-06T04:52:29+05:00

Small wind turbine blades are subjected to fatigue due to continuous variations in the wind speed and wind direction which leads to failure, without serving the design life of 20 years. Hence, it is important to test the small wind turbine blades for static and fatigue strength before placing them into operation. This research paper presents the results of static test experiments conducted on a blade of 1.5 m length made of glass fiber reinforced plastic. During the experiments, six strain gauges are mounted at distances of 0.375, 0.750 and 1.125 m from the blade root on the upper and lower surface and induced stresses are calculated from the strains recorded in 0.5 (equivalent to 60 m/s wind speed), 1, 1.5 and 2 kN. This blade was also tested for the completely reversed amplitude of 100 mm at the 8 Hz frequency to study the fatigue behaviour using computational software FEMFAT designed for fatigue analysis and a dedicated experimental setup developed in the laboratory. The static stresses induced in the blade are found at considerably lower than the permissible limit. The fatigue damage and life results obtained through FEMFAT also indicate the expected reliability and safe design life. This is also confirmed through the experimental test carried out for 1.6 × 10⁷ cycles.

Experimental Validation of State Estimation of Non-Linear Twin Rotor System using Extended Kalman Filter

2023-02-22T08:50:40+05:00

In this paper, theoretical and experimental validation of state estimation capability of Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is done on MIMO twin rotor system. Different immeasurable states are estimated. For theoretical validation, states with different behaviors (e.g. random, exponential, sinusoidal and abruptly changed) are generated and outputs are calculated. These outputs are invoked in EKF algorithm that provides an estimate of above generated states. Comparison between self-generated and estimated states is made. In practical, information of immeasurable process states is needed. Therefore experimental readings of inputs and outputs of the system are inserted in the EKF algorithm that provides the close estimate of desired immeasurable states. This experimental validation is carried out for open loop and closed loop twin rotor system data. The results show that EKF estimates are precise and fast convergent to the actual twin rotor states.

A Comprehensive Comparative Analysis of Image Restoration Algorithms: Performance Metrics and Insights

2024-01-09T04:55:35+05:00

This research paper presents a rigorous comparative analysis of five leading image restoration algorithms: Wiener Filter, Adaptive Histogram Equalization (AHE), Denoising through Non-Local Means (NLM), Iterative Back Projection (IBP), and Richardson-Lucy (RL) Deconvolution. With a focus on applications in medical imaging, surveillance, and remote sensing, the study addresses challenges related to noise and degradation. Our evaluation, conducted on a diverse dataset, employs key performance metrics such as Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR), Mean Squared Error (MSE), Structural Similarity Index (SSIM), Feature Similarity Index (FSIM), and Universal Image Quality Index (UIQI). The research yields compelling evidence, positioning the Richardson-Lucy Deconvolution algorithm as the optimal choice. Demonstrating superior performance in high-quality image reconstruction, noise reduction, and structural preservation, RL Deconvolution emerges as the most suitable technique for a range of real-world scenarios. This research contributes pivotal insights, steering the practical application of image restoration towards heightened efficacy and reliability.