Biomimicry: How the environment serves as a guide for technological advancements

Multiple ecological tactics, like the ones described here, can be imitated to strongly affect these two components in the construction sector. This article provides an in-depth examination of the literature on biomimicry-based strategies intended to enhance building designs. This analysis is motivated by the rising need for energy legislation to achieve future local goals and provide a framework for use in Panama. These biomimicry-based methods have undergone more review and evaluation, and the incorporation of organism-based design for three of Panama's climate types has been proposed. Therefore, a SWOT analysis assisted in realizing the full potential that biomimicry-based techniques might have in raising the likelihood of satisfying local and international regulatory standards. In order to design constructions using biomimicry, multidisciplinary collaboration is required. This gives a competitive edge for better-trained human resources and expands horizons in the conventional construction industry. Finally, the analysis provided here might act as the preliminary step for the additional technical assessment using numerical and experimental procedures.     

Cycle Aware: Piloting a module for novice drivers

Introduction: In low-cycling countries, motor-vehicle traffic and driver behavior are well known barriers to the uptake of bicycles, particularly for utility cycling. Lack of separation between cyclists and faster-moving traffic is one key issue, while attitudes of drivers toward and/or harassment of cyclists is another. Cyclist-related driver education has been recommended as a means to improve driver-cyclist interactions. Methods: The driver licensing process provides an opportunity for such education. The Cycle Aware module was developed to test and enhance novice drivers’ knowledge of interacting safely with cyclists. It was piloted across three Australian jurisdictions targeting both novice and experienced drivers. Participants were asked to complete the Cycle Aware module and an accompanying survey. A total of 134 novice and 97 experienced drivers completed the survey with 42 novice and 50 experienced drivers going on to complete the module. Results: Both groups of drivers scored equally well in the module but the very youngest and very oldest participants were more likely to have some incorrect responses. We did not find any relationship between correct module scores and attitudes toward cyclists. Survey results showed both novice and experienced drivers had somewhat positive attitudes toward cyclists. The two cohorts differed on several attitude questions. Sixty percent (60%) of novices compared to 30% of experienced drivers reported feeling concerned when sharing the road with cyclists, and novices were less likely to agree that cyclists had a right to use the roads. Conclusions and practical applications: The analysis suggests novices need to be better equipped to share roads confidently with cyclists and to recognize cyclists as legitimate traffic participants.     

The acceptance of personal protective equipment among Hong Kong construction workers: An integration of technology acceptance model and theory of planned behavior with risk perception and safety climate

Introduction: The phenomenon that construction workers do not use personal protective equipment (PPE) is a major reason for the high occurrence frequency of accidents in the construction industry. However, little efforts have been made to quantitatively examine the factors influencing construction workers’ acceptance of PPE. Method: In the current study, a PPE acceptance model for construction workers (PAMCW) was proposed to address the noted need. The PAMCW incorporates the technology acceptance model, theory of planned behavior, risk perception, and safety climate for explaining construction worker acceptance of PPE. 413 construction workers participated in this study to fill out a structured questionnaire. The PAMCW was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: Results provide evidence of the applicability of the technology acceptance model and theory of planned behavior to the PPE acceptance among construction workers. The positive influence of safety climate and risk perception-severity on attitude toward using PPE was significant. Safety climate positively influences perceived usefulness. Risk perception-worry and unsafe was found to positively affect intention to use PPE. Practical Applications: Practical suggestions for increasing construction workers’ use of PPE are also discussed.     

Inhibiting effects by Fe2O3 on combustion and explosion characteristics of ABS resin

The global increase in the use of, and reliance on, plastics has prompted the demand for acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin in various fields. With this increased requirement, numerous failures have occurred in the ABS process. Those incidents, resulting from electrostatic discharge, powder accumulation, heat accumulation, construction sparks, and plant fires, have caused dust fire and explosions.In this study, the ABS resin was gleaned from the site and tested for its explosion parameters, including minimum ignition temperature of dust cloud (MIT_C), minimum ignition energy (MIE), and minimum explosion concentration (MEC). To improve loss prevention in the manufacturing process, ferric oxide (Fe₂O₃) as an inert additive was added in the ABS powder. According to the MIE test, Fe₂O₃ has an apparent inhibiting effect on dust explosion for the ABS dust. With the proportion of Fe₂O₃ increased from 25 to 50 mass% in ABS, the MIE increased from 67 to 540 mJ. The explosion tests via 20-L apparatus indicated that Fe₂O₃ mixed with ABS could not increase the MEC significantly. However, the explosion pressure dropped by increasing in the ratio of Fe₂O₃ in ABS. This inerting strategy of ABS was deemed to substantially lessen the probability and severity of fire and explosion.     

Assessment of the effect of technical and management characteristics on the frequency of release from piping: An application to a gas storage facility

The assessment of the frequencies of release from piping due to losses of containment is an essential step in the preparing Safety Reports, drawn up as required by the so-called “Seveso” Directive. These are usually calculated starting from the frequencies of random rupture included in international databases and are not plant-specific, furthermore, the quantification of the effect of the safety management system of the facility is not easy. A simple and flexible approach quantifying technical and management characteristics of the plant has been proposed by Milazzo and co-workers in 2010; it is based on the modification of the frequency taken from literature, through the use of the percentages of failure causes actually possible in that plant, and the judgment about their management. The data about the failure causes are taken from the literature and modified by using corrective factors to adapt them to the industrial context. To make possible the application of the method to a large number of major-hazard industry types, some aspects of the approach needed to be improved; these have been identified during a development project coordinated by RINA Consulting, on behalf of Saipem, with the collaboration of the University of Messina. The improvement of the approach focused on two main points, the development of a method to calculate the corrective factors for the failure causes associated with corrosion and erosion phenomena and the strengthening of the methodology for the formulation of the judgment about the safety management. This paper illustrates the fully improved method, as well as an application to a typical gas storage plant.     

高效复合菌在木薯酒精废液处理中的应用研究

对酒精废液生物处理反应器内颗粒污泥中的微生物进行分离纯化.分离出的8株高效优势菌,初步鉴定结果:1号为皮杆菌属;2号为棒杆菌属;3号、4号为微小杆菌属;5号为乳杆菌属;6号为纤维单胞菌属;7号为丙酸杆菌属;8号为红长命菌属.对8种纯化后的菌株进行混合培养,确定了复合菌群生长最佳培养温度为37℃,最适pH值为6.8.在处理过程中投加适量葡萄糖、硝酸铵和微量元素能够提高复合菌群的处理效果.最佳添加量为:葡萄糖0.5g/L,硝酸铵1g/L,Fe2 5mg/L和Ca2 25mg/L.在日处理量100 m3的UASB生物反应器中投加该复合菌群后,木薯酒精废液的COD去除率明显提高,达到90%以上.处理系统运行稳定.     

湘江干流水环境健康风险评价

为研究湘江水环境污染对人体健康产生的危害风险,在简要介绍健康风险评价方法及国内外研究、应用进展的基础上,建立了水环境健康风险评价模式,应用2000年的水质监测资料,对湘江干流主要断面进行了水环境健康风险评价.结果表明,在所评价断面中,非致癌物质由饮水途径所致健康危害的个人年风险按大小排列为Pb＞Hg＞NH3＞酚;化学致癌物质由饮水途径所致健康危害的个人年风险按大小排列为As＞Cd;化学致癌物质对人体健康危害的个人年风险远超过非致癌物质;污染最为严重的为松柏断面,其次是五星断面和三叉矶断面.湘江干流衡阳以上江段水质良好,衡阳以下江段水质较差.研究对湘江干流水污染防治方略的制定具有一定价值.     

模糊综合评价法在道路运输企业安全评价中的应用

我国道路运输企业交通安全形势比较严峻,推行道路运输企业安全综合评价是降低道路运输企业交通事故的有效途径之一.本文运用Delphi法和AHP法建立了道路运输企业安全层次分析模型,构建了安全综合评价指标体系.选用基于"差动"原理的赋权法--G1法计算各指标的权重,应用模糊综合评价法对其进行安全综合评价.采用平均加权法对评价因素的各项指标进行量化处理,从而得到道路运输企业安全的综合评价结果.最后,对陕西省一家道路运输企业进行了实际验证,比较真实地反映了此企业的安全状况.     

黄孢原毛平革菌(Phanerochaete chrysosporium)对3种酚酸物质的降解作用

研究黄孢原毛平革菌(P.chrysosporium)对香草酸、阿魏酸、对羟基苯甲酸的降解作用.结果表明,300 μg/mL的上述3种酚酸物质与黄孢原毛平革菌共培养2 d后,3种酚酸物质的降解率分别达到73.48%、99.09%和54.74%.黄孢原毛平革菌发酵上清液对3种酚酸物质的降解能力较弱,作用2 d后,降解率分别为13.28%,4.47%和5.43%,而该菌菌丝体降解能力很强,作用2 d后3种酚酸物质的降解率分别达到65%,98.37%和48.69%.研究表明,黄孢原毛平革菌对这3种酚酸的降解主要在菌体表面或体内进行.     

基于模糊聚类关联分析法的煤与瓦斯突出程度分析

运用模糊聚类分析方法对煤与瓦斯突出的样本集合进行分类,建立了不同突出程度的模糊模式.用关联分析确定待分析样本与模式的关联程度,以此预测预报样本的煤与瓦斯突出危险程度.实例分析表明,与模糊聚类分类后、将模式与待预报样本组成新样本集合进行聚类分析并以此分类结果进行预报的方法相比,这种预报方法不仅可靠程度高,而且能定量描述待报样本与模式的亲和程度.