Topic Review
Embedded Sensors with 3D Printing Technology
Embedded sensors (ESs) are used in smart materials to enable continuous and permanent measurements of their structural integrity, while sensing technology involves developing sensors, sensory systems, or smart materials that monitor a wide range of properties of materials. Incorporating 3D-printed sensors into hosting structures has grown in popularity because of improved assembly processes, reduced system complexity, and lower fabrication costs. 3D-printed sensors can be embedded into structures and attached to surfaces through two methods: attaching to surfaces or embedding in 3D-printed sensors.
  • 10
  • 28 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Historic-Building Information Modeling and Artificial Intelligence
Heritage- or Historic-Building Information Modeling (H-BIM) reconstruction from laser scanning or photogrammetric surveys is a manual, time-consuming, overly subjective process, but the emergence of AI techniques, applied to the realm of existing architectural heritage, is offering new ways to interpret, process and elaborate raw digital surveying data, as point clouds. The proposed methodological approach for higher-level automation in Scan-to-BIM reconstruction is threaded as follows: (i) semantic segmentation via Random Forest and import of annotated data in 3D modeling environment, broken down class by class; (ii) reconstruction of template geometries of classes of architectural elements; (iii) propagation of template reconstructed geometries to all elements belonging to a typological class. Visual Programming Languages (VPLs) and reference to architectural treatises are leveraged for the Scan-to-BIM reconstruction. 
  • 15
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Built Environment for People with Sensory Disabilities
People with sensory disabilities constitute a significant portion of society whose accessibility needs must be prioritized in the design of the built environment. Sensory disabilities cause a gap in the environmental information received, most commonly visual and/or auditory cues, that requires consideration to create equal opportunities and experiences for all. 
  • 43
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Friction Dissipative Beam-to-Column Connections for MRFs
The use of friction-based beam-to-column connections (BCCs) for earthquake-resistant moment-resistant frames (MRFs), aimed at eliminating damage to beam end sections due to the development of plastic hinges, has been prevalent since the early 1980s. Different technical solutions have been proposed for steel structures, and some have been designed for timber structures, while a few recent studies concern friction joints employed in reinforced concrete structures. Research aimed at characterizing the behavior of joints has focused on the evaluation of the tribological properties of the friction materials, coefficient of friction, shape and stability of the hysteresis cycles, influence of the temperature, speed of load application, effects of the application method, stability of preload, the influence of seismic excitation characteristics on the structural response, statistical characterization of amplitude, and frequency of the slip excursion during seismic excitation. Studies aimed at identifying the design parameters capable of optimizing performance have focused attention mainly on the slip threshold, device stiffness, and deformation capacity. 
  • 25
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Solar Wall Technology
Solar walls provide transformative solutions by harnessing solar energy to generate electricity, improve thermal comfort, and reduce energy consumption and emissions, contributing to zero-energy buildings and mitigating climate change. In hot and humid regions, solar walls can reduce indoor temperatures by 30% to 50%, significantly improving energy efficiency. Optimizing the performance of solar walls includes factors such as glazing, shading, solar orientation, ventilation, and catalytic techniques, allowing them to be adapted to different climates. Innovative solar wall variants that include photovoltaic panels, water storage, and phase-change materials offer multifunctionality and sustainability in building design and are in line with global energy efficiency and environmentally conscious goals.
  • 22
  • 27 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Local Route Planning Algorithms for Unmanned Surface Vehicles
Covering approximately 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, the ocean is a vast domain studied by oceanographers—a multidisciplinary scientific branch that explores the geological, biological, chemical, and physical aspects of this dynamic environment. USVs are extensively utilized for search, patrol, resource exploration, and various other tasks due to their compact size and affordable price. The development status of USV route planning is considered an active research area and continues to evolve. Route planning addresses three primary challenges: firstly, accomplishing the task of moving from the initial point to the final destination; secondly, avoiding obstructions along the way; and lastly, selecting the ideal course, which can prioritize minimizing time or conserving control effort.
  • 26
  • 26 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Photonic Crystals in Photovoltaics
Photonic crystals are artificial structures with a spatial periodicity of dielectric permittivity on the wavelength scale. These structures come in various materials and can be constructed in 1D, 2D, and 3D formats, providing a wide range of options for customizing the material's optical properties and potential applications. One of promising application is in the field of solar energy. By utilizing PCs in the design of solar cells, researchers can enhance their performance and efficiency by improving e.g., light management and increasing light trapping capabilities. This innovation can potentially significantly improve solar cells' effectiveness of all generations.
  • 24
  • 26 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Green Closed-Loop Supply Chain Response to Carbon Policies
As greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to increase, governments throughout the world are under increasing pressure to enact legislation restricting emissions and implement environmental measures, such as the Kyoto Protocol and the European Union Emission Trading System.
  • 23
  • 26 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Large-Scale Hydrogen Production Systems Using Marine Renewable Energies
The electrochemical dissociation of water using renewable energies allows the production of green hydrogen and oxygen. The behavioral aging dynamics of the electrolyzer and fuel cell (FC) devices must be considered to increase the effectiveness and sustainability of the power-to-hydrogen and hydrogen-to-power systems. Their operation is greatly influenced by factors such as the temperature, dynamic current profiles imposed by the renewable energy sources (RESs), and gas pressure (in electrolyzers and FCs), which accelerate their degradation.
  • 43
  • 26 Mar 2024
Topic Review
Autonomous Vehicles Affect Traffic Conditions in Mixed Traffic
Different methodologies are being used to study the effects of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in mixed traffic to exhibit the interactions between autonomous and human-driven vehicles (HVs). Microscopic simulation tools are popular in such an assessment, as they offer the possibility to experiment in economical, robust, and optimistic ways. A lack of reliable real-world data (also known as natural data) to calibrate and evaluate the connected autonomous vehicle (CAV) simulation model is a major challenge.
  • 133
  • 25 Mar 2024
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