Stability of a gantry crane was a challenge in its structure design. A new risk-based stability assessment approach was proposed in this paper. Analytical method was introduced firstly, and then finite element method was adopted to evaluate the stability of square bar. In order to verify the finite element models, results of buckling analysis were compared with the results of analytical method. Secondly, this finite element analysis was applied in stability assessment of a gantry crane, and through parameterized analysis risk elements were identified. Finally, risk-based stability assessment was applied to this gantry crane, and neural network algorithm was adopted to evaluate the risk elements which were defined by finite element analysis. The evaluating results were well consistetent with statistical data, which indicated this risk-based stability assessment approach was reliable which showed a potential in engineering application.

In most cases, scratching of the surface of a polymeric glass elicits brittle behavior and industrial solutions like coating have been successfully used to improve the scratch resistance. The origin of the success of the coating technique is still of great research interest since one of the limitations of this technique is the risk of cracking and chipping. In terms of interfacial adhesion characterization, a wide variety of methods have been used to assess this property of material systems. Nevertheless, the adhesion of coatings still remains to be successfully determined in a test which can reproduce the damage undergone by the coated surface during its real lifetime. In this context, scratch test constitutes a good candidate. The present study deals with the scratching technique as an interfacial adhesion measurement in coated systems. Using a single-asperity scratching device allowing in-situ observation of the scratch, the fracture of a thin nano-composite coating deposited on its substrate was investigated under different conditions of temperature and scratching speed. Four types of fracture kinetics were observed depending on these two variables. One of these exhibits a stable blister growth at the same speed as the movement of the indenter over hundreds micrometers. This slow and extensive growth of a blister was obtained at 80 °C at a scratching speed of 10 μm/s. When the blister has reached a certain size, it propagates with the indenter without increasing further in size: it constitutes the steady state blister growth. A variational form of the energy balance of a blistering process is proposed, which permits to assess the adhesion of the system. Actually, the energy spent in the delamination process can be determined by following the delaminated area during the blistering process with regard to the scratching distance. The main difficulty is to estimate the energy dissipated in plastic flow. Different tests were conducted with various indenters: spheres with different radius and roughness. Thanks to this multi-criterion approach, it was possible to fit a unique value of the adhesion in the case of experimental stable blistering growths. The results are discussed with regard to reliability and probe characteristics.

When the Norwegian government introduced the CO 2 tax for hydrocarbon fuels, the challenge became to improve the performance of off-shore power systems. An oil and gas platform typically operates on an island (stand-alone system) and the power demand is covered by two or more gas turbines. In order to improve the plant performance, a bottoming cycle unit can be added to the gas turbine topping module, thus constituting a combined cycle plant. This paper aims at developing and testing the numerical model simulating the part-load and dynamic behavior of a novel power system, composed of two gas turbines and a combined gas turbine coupled with an air bottoming cycle plant. The case study is the Draugen off-shore oil and gas platform, located in the North Sea, Norway. The normal electricity demand is 19 MW, currently covered by two gas turbines generating each 50% of the power demand, while the third turbine is on stand-by. During oil export operations the power demand increases up to 25 MW. The model of the new power plant proposed in this work is developed in the Modelica language using basic components acquired from ThermoPower, a library for power plant modelling. The dynamic model of the gas turbine and the air bottoming cycle turbogenerator includes dynamic equations for the combustion chamber, the shell-and-tube recuperator and the turbine shafts. Turbines are modelled by the Stodola equation and by a correlation between the isentropic efficiency and the non-dimensional flow coefficient. Compressors are modelled using quasi steady-state conditions by scaling the maps of axial compressors employing a similar design point. The recuperator, which recovers the exhaust heat from the gas turbine, is modelled using correlations relating the heat transfer coefficient and the pressure drop at part-load with the mass flow rate. Thermodynamic variables and dynamic metrics, such as the rise time and the frequency undershooting/ overshooting, are predicted. Considering a load ramp of 0.5 MW/s, an undershooting of 4.9% and an overshooting of 3.0% are estimated. The rise time is approximately 30 s. Moreover, findings suggest that decreasing the core weight of the recuperator leads to limiting the frequency fluctuations, thus minimizing the risk of failure of the power system.

The software tools for PLM and project management are often built around several classical concepts: Processes, Activities, Phases, Artefacts, Workflows, Resources and Relationships. This approach does not really consider the team concept and the particular dynamics of the project management. This leads to a paradox with PLM and project management software tools. They tend to reduce risk and improve performance by structuring, streamlining, automating and scheduling projects without considering projects are not well-structured and have their own dynamic. The negation of project management mode increases the risks of project failures, adds stress to team members and requires the addition of complex mechanisms of collaboration and delegation. PLM Software sometimes becomes a limitation for project management. Our partner, LASCOM, a French PLM software developer, decided to make evolve its solutions to provide customers more efficient PLM solutions. LASCOM initiated a reflection around new concepts for enrich its existing models and tools since few years. The company particularly has an interest on the practical use of the concepts of roles and contexts. This paper deals with the addition of these concepts in the models used by LASCOM. This addition is intended to partially solve the problems posed by the generalization of work by project in organizations.

Traditionally the construction sector is very conservative, risk averse and reluctant to adopt new technologies and ideas. The construction industry faces great challenges to develop more innovative and efficient solutions. In recent years, significant advances in technology and more sustainable urban environments has been creating numerous opportunities for innovation in automation. This paper proposes a new system based on extrusion-based technologies aiming at solving some limitations of current technologies to allow a more efficient building construction with organic forms and geometries, based on sustainable eco principles. This novel approach is described through a control deposition software. Current modeling techniques focus only on capturing the geometric information and cannot satisfy the requirements from modeling the components made of multi-heterogeneous materials. There is a great deal of interest in tailoring structures so the functional requirements can vary with location. The proposed functionally graded material deposition (FGM) system will allow a smooth variation of material properties to build up more efficient buildings regarding thermal, acoustic and structural conditions.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO), leading to a higher bone fracture risk, is characterized by a significantly increasing bone porosity. Recently, denosumab, which is able to efficiently interfere with bone resorption, has been approved for the treatment of PMO. In order to optimize the design of drug administration regimes, we propose a computational methodology, based on mechanistic mathematical modeling of bone remodeling, considering the governing biochemical and biomechanical regulation mechanisms, and the targeted action of denosumab. The time-dependent serum concentration of denosumab, obtained from a pharmacokinetics model, is fed into a bone cell population model, allowing for prediction of porosity evolution in PMO patients. In order to account for the mechanobiology of bone remodeling, we utilize the concept of continuum micromechanics, which accurately provides the actual (microscopic) strain state of the investigated bone. Finally, different drug administration regimes are simulated, and their effect on the bone microarchitecture is discussed.

The aim of this study is to investigate the possible role of placental location on the risk of placental abruption in road traffic accidents involving a pregnant driver. Placental abruption accounts for around 50–70% of fetal deaths in motor vehicle accidents. The computational pregnant occupant model, ‘Expecting’, which has a multi-body fetus and a finite element uterus model was developed at Loughborough University and is used in this investigation. The placenta is located in the upper region of the uterus near the fundus in ‘Expecting’. Four locations for the placenta; anterior, posterior, lateral left, lateral right cases are modelled and used in simulations in this study. These models are used to simulate a range of frontal impacts of severity 15 kph and 30 kph. Three cases of occupant restraint: three-point seatbelt with an airbag, three-point seatbelt only and airbag only conditions are investigated. The maximum strains developed in the uterus and utero-placental interface (UPI) have been estimated and compared for these scenarios in order to investigate placental abruption that leads to fetal loss. Placenta located at anterior position is found to be at higher risk than other positions considered.

In turbomachinery applications bladed disks and blisks are subjected to high dynamic loads due to fluctuating gas forces. The dynamic excitation results in high vibration amplitudes which can lead to high cycle fatigue failures (HCF). Herein, the blades are almost identical but differ due to wear or small manufacturing tolerances. These small deviations of the blade properties can lead to a localization of the vibrational energy in single blades and even higher risk of HCF. Intentional mistuning, for example an alternating alignment of two different blades AB around the blisk, has been studied in literature to decrease the sensitivity against statistical mistuning. Using a Component Mode Synthesis (CMS) based mistuning model the influence of intentional mistuning on blisks is analyzed in this paper. Therein, the CMS of the disk is calculated with a fast and accurate cyclic symmetry approach. Therefore, the CMS of the disk can be calculated with one disk segment of the underlying Finite Element Model. The so called Wave Based Substructuring (WBS) is used to reduce the (numerous) coupling degrees of freedom between the disk and the blades with a truncated set of waves. The orthogonal waves are derived with a Singular Value Decomposition or a QR decomposition from the normal modes at the coupling degrees of freedom (DOF) calculated by a cyclic modal analysis of the full structure. In a case study the Reduced Order Model (ROM) of a spatial Finite Element Model is used to determine the influence of intentional mistuning with additional statistical mistuning on the forced response of blisks.

Falls cause substantial morbidity and mortality in the ageing population. Many different causes and risk factors of falls have already been identified for fall prevention. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of the degenerated spinal curvature on the falls in the ageing population. 48 community-dwelling adults over 65 years old participated in this study. Spinal curvatures of the participants are measured in erect posture with a non-invasive device. In addition, questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews are conducted with the participants during data collection sessions. After normalising and fitting a Fourier series curve up to 3 rd harmonics to the actual data, the spinal curvatures are classified into groups according to the fall histories, general health and age of the participants. Significant differences (p<0.05) are found between the spinal curvatures of faller and non-faller participants in the 65–80 years age group. In addition, the effect of arthritis on spinal curvatures is also studied. The preliminary results indicate that the changes in the spinal curvature may be identified as a risk factor for falls in the ageing population.

Whiplash injury/disorder is a common neck-injury in road traffic accidents. This paper introduces energy absorbing car-seat concepts which can reduce the risk of whiplash injuries. Computational multi-body models of a generic car seat and a biofidelic 50th-percentile male human model for rear impact are developed to assess the effectiveness of the proposed car-seat concepts. The numerical sled-test-simulations show that the proposed car-seat concepts can successfully mitigate whiplash injuries for a wide range of crash severity by utilising energy absorbing devices which can remain reusable after a rear-impact. A physical model of a proposed car-seat concept is built and tested to verify the computational models.

In this paper, the effect of three main parameters: a) welding speed, b) cooling rate of fluid flow through the main pipe; and c) number of welding passes, have been studied to obtain an effective method to reduce the burn-through risk during the in-service welding of AISI-316 pipe branch connection to perform hot-tapping. In addition, important patents regarding the new methods of hot-tapping have been reviewed. To carry out numerical simulation, a 3D Finite Element (FE) based thermo-mechanical model has been developed. Using this model, thermo-mechanical stresses and temperature distribution along the main-pipe wall-thickness have been obtained with maximum and minimum allowable welding speeds; and with two high and low level of steam flow rate through the main pipe. The Von-Mises yield criterion using the temperature dependent yield stress has been used to check the main pipe failure during the welding process. The results show that current techniques, including API recommendations, which only rely on the observation of the main-pipe inner wall temperature, does not take into account the effect of mechanical or thermal stresses due to the inline pressure or other working parameters which have significant role in burn-through. In addition, the results show that the increase of welding speed reduces the risk of burn-through but it increases the risk of hot cracking. On the other hand, decreasing the steam flow rate has the opposite effect. It has also been shown that using smaller electrode size is the most effective way to decrease burn-through risk.

This paper focuses on the evaluation of project proposals within the innovation management of manufacturing industries. The goal is to define a strategy-oriented project program within a budgetary framework. This task requires a systematic approach which structures the wide range of information and makes the complexity of decision making controllable. Within the process framework of decision preparation and decision making, a coherent combination of adequate methods, processes and tools is indispensable. For this reason, a set of standardized methods comprised of ABC-analysis, value analysis, portfolio analysis, paired comparison and expert discussion is suggested. Moreover, the central decision-making supporting element is the evaluation of alternative projects with regard to their potential and risk.

Current approaches to the estimation of wind-induced wind effects on tall buildings are based largely on 1970s and 1980s technology, and were shown to result in some cases in errors of up to 40%. Improvements are needed in: (i) the description of direction-dependent aerodynamics; (ii) the description of the direction-dependent extreme wind climate; (iii) the estimation of inertial wind effects induced by fluctuating aerodynamic forces acting on the entire building envelope; (iv) the estimation of uncertainties inherent in the wind effects; and (v) the use of applied wind forces, calculated inertial forces, and uncertainty estimates, to obtain via influence coefficients accurate and risk-consistent estimates of wind-induced internal forces or demand-to-capacity ratios for any individual structural member. Methods used in current wind engineering practice are especially deficient when the distribution of the wind loads over the building surface and their effects at levels other than the building base are not known, as is the case when measurements are obtained by the High-Frequency Force Balance method, particularly in the presence of aerodynamic interference effects due to neighboring buildings. The paper describes a procedure that makes it possible to estimate wind-induced internal forces and demand-to-capacity ratios in any individual member by: developing aerodynamic and wind climatological data sets, as well as aerodynamic/climatological directional interaction models; significantly improving the quality of the design via rigorous structural engineering methods made possible by modern computational resources; and properly accounting for knowledge uncertainties. The paper covers estimates of wind effects required for allowable stress design, wherein knowledge uncertainties pertaining to the parameters that determine the wind loading are not considered, as well as estimates required for strength design, in which these uncertainties need to be accounted for explicitly.

Spraying and pollinating date palm trees is currently done manually by a team of three workers from a platform lifted 18 meters or more above the ground. This method is extremely unsafe and many accidents have happened due to lack of stability when the platform is in a lifted position. Alternatively, date clusters are occasionally sprayed by a large pressurized sprayer directly from the ground, a method that is highly unselective and environmentally harmful. In this paper we present the concept of an automatic apparatus that can effectively and accurately spray and pollinate date clusters from a robotic apparatus mounted to a standard tractor operated by a single driver. The apparatus consists of a robotic arm and computer controlled sprayer, guided by a computer vision system that detects and localizes date clusters with a camera. This system will minimize risk of injury, significantly save manpower (from three to one person per team), and deliver the spray with maximum accuracy thereby reducing chemical disposure. A small scaled prototype has been built and is currently under preliminary experiments.

Global competition forces manufacturing companies to operate deep changes in their production systems, involving physical resources, operating procedures and the organization. In this context, the Lean Manufacturing (LM) paradigm is quite popular and lean practice efforts have crossed from the automotive sector into other industries. Most academic contributions to literature concerning LM are on specific aspects of LM, while there is little discussion on the overall implementation of LM. This is despite the fact that lean principles encompass all aspects of manufacturing operations and the need of a systemic approach is clearly shown in practitioner-oriented literature. A number of factors (i.e. cultural, technological and industrial differences) may influence or inhibit the implementation of LM. This paper focuses on some of the critical aspects of LM and analyzes the reason why LM principles are difficult to implement. In particular it suggests that, by formulating a solid scientific basis, the application of LM in industry could become easier and more rigorous, and not only based on past experience. At the same time, the paper suggests that when theory-based tools are used in an isolated way, this carries the risk of not effectively coping with the systemic nature of manufacturing systems. This paper proposes the idea of an innovative methodology able to lead beyond the usual concept of LM, i.e. to adopt its basic principles and systemic perspective, but following a rational and deductive approach that explicitly considers company specific features. The methodology is based on the “Systems of Systems” approach currently being used in the context of complex military initiatives and on the integration of different tools, each focused on specific aspects of the manufacturing system. The paper makes a preliminary attempt to describe how the main aspects of manufacturing systems (resources, quality management systems, production planning and control procedures, etc.) can be represented within the SoS framework and how SoS can support the rational definition of the path leading from corporate strategy to system redesign.

The numerical simulation of the forming process is a consolidated technique to verify, a priori, the effectiveness of the designed “method” to realize components obtained by sheet metal forming. As it is used in the industrial field at present, the limit of the forming simulation is that simulation results are based on an initial hypothesis that isn’t really true, that is on the hypothesis that the forming process is deterministic. Facts prove such affirmation is wrong considering that each input variable/datum of the simulation is non-deterministic by definition [1]. Therefore, a more realistic approach that uses the process simulation should consider this uncertainty by treating the process parameters as uncertain in an admissible domain. The authors are, at the moment, engaged in the development of an on line control and test system based on acquisition modules composed by a laser and two CCD video cameras. Its aim is to allow the statistical monitoring of the forming process through the investigation of the produced parts, and to point out, with a sufficient confidence level, situations of incipient process drift. The sampling frequency is 1, 2 parts per minute depending on the part main dimensions, therefore an express loading system of the part has been designed without clamps adoption [2]. The support provided by the non-deterministic simulation to the on line control system is very important. In fact, in the first phase of the production screening, for each produced part it allows to verify the areas that have a higher “risk” of defect on the basis of the simulation results. Moreover, as well as the simulation supplies useful suggestions on the areas of each piece at top priority where the quality control is executed, the quality control system can also provide interesting information for the non-deterministic process simulation system, thanks to the data and the measurements carried out on line, in order to increase the numerical-experimental correlation of the designed control system.

In dealing with complex and ill-defined systems of an offshore application, modelling of human reasoning for the purpose of risk assessment requires the effectiveness of a systematic logic-based approach. Floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) installations, for example, combine traditional process technology with marine technology, and thus are quite dependent on technical design and operational safety control. Such safety-critical dependencies require novel approaches to properly analyse the risk involved. Hence, a proposed framework utilising approximate reasoning and evidential reasoning approaches is provided for modelling the assessment task. As based on fuzzy set theory, the model enables uncertainties to be described mathematically and further processed in the analysis of the structures. The forms of membership functions that could be used in representing fuzzy linguistic variables to quantify risk levels are presented. A case study of collision risk between FPSO and shuttle tanker due to technical failure during tandem offloading operation is used in this paper to illustrate the application of the proposed model. Furthermore, the obtained results from the case study provide confirmation that at various stages of offshore engineering systems design process the framework of incorporated approximate reasoning is a suited and convenient tool for attaining reliable risk analysis.

The Department of Health and the Design Council jointly commissioned a scoping study to deliver ideas and practical recommendations for a design approach to reduce the risk of medical error and improve patient safety across the NHS. The research was undertaken by the Engineering Design Centre at the University of Cambridge, the Robens Institute for Health Ergonomics at the University of Surrey and the Helen Hamlyn Research Centre at the Royal College of Art. The research team employed diverse methods to gather evidence from literature, key stakeholders, and experts from within healthcare and other safety-critical industries. Despite the multiplicity of activities and methodologies employed, what emerged from the research was a very consistent picture. This convergence pointed to the need to better understand the health care system as the context into which specific design solutions must be delivered. Without that broader understanding there can be no certainty that any single design will contribute to reducing medical error and the consequential cost thereof.

Incremental forming is nowadays increasing its presence in industry as a new but interesting process, especially for production of small batches or unique components. Anyway, relevant efforts have to be spent in order to reduce the typical incremental forming processes drawbacks that risk to belittle the high advantages in terms of costs and simplicity. In fact, the process duration, usually equal to several minutes even if the operations are carried out on high speed numerical controlled units, and a certain tendency to produce no precise parts, can reduce industrial interest about incremental forming. A possible strategy to reduce the latter item is the design of modified trajectories able to take into account both the springback effects and the stiffness reduction due to the particular clamping equipment. In this paper the above introduced strategy is pursued integrating an on-line measuring system, based on a digital inspector, and a CNC open program. The actual geometry is acquired in some remarkable points and a compensation routine modifies the coordinates of the future punch path. The modification policy has been developed by using an effective FE code. An experimental verification shows the good potentiality of the suggested methodology.

A parametric anthropometric model of a pregnant woman has been produced for use in crash protection research. The model is based on anthropometric measurements of pregnant women, with the initial model representing a 5 th percentile woman in her 30 th week of gestation. The model has been developed to be easily scaleable so women of different sizes can be modeled and adapted to simulate any stage of pregnancy. Previous research has simply added an enlarged abdomen to existing females models. However the model presented describes a comprehensive depiction of the altered pregnant form by incoporating the anthropometry of the entire body. This paper presents the pregnant occupant model for use in evaluation of safety systems and vehicle interiors. This work is the first step toward a computational pregnant occupant for crash protection research, capable of simulating dynamic impact response and predicting injury risk in automobile crashes.