Design, Construction and Testing of a Hydraulic Power Take-Off for Wave Energy Converters

This paper presents the construction, mathematical modeling and testing of a scaled universal hydraulic Power Take-Off (PTO) device for Wave Energy Converters (WECs). A specific prototype and test bench were designed and built to carry out the tests. The results obtained from these tests were used to adjust an in-house mathematical model. The PTO was initially designed to be coupled to a scaled wave energy capture device with a low speed and high torque oscillating motion and high power fluctuations. Any Energy Capture Device (ECD) that fulfils these requirements can be coupled to this PTO, provided that its scale is adequately defined depending on the rated power of the full scale prototype. The initial calibration included estimation of the pressure drops in the different components, the pressurization time of the oil inside the hydraulic cylinders and the volumetric efficiency of the complete circuit. Since the overall efficiency measured during the tests ranged from 0.69 to 0.8 and the dynamic performance of the PTO was satisfactory, the results are really promising and it is believed that this solution might prove effective in real devices.

Contributions on distance-based algorithms, multi-classifier construction and pairwise classification

179 p.

Image-based delineation and classification of built heritage masonry

[EN]Fundación Zain is developing new built heritage assessment protocols. The goal is to objectivize and standardize the analysis and decision process that leads to determining the degree of protection of built heritage in the Basque Country. The ultimate step in this objectivization and standardization effort will be the development of an information and communication technology (ICT) tool for the assessment of built heritage. This paper presents the ground work carried out to make this tool possible: the automatic, image-based delineation of stone masonry. This is a necessary first step in the development of the tool, as the built heritage that will be assessed consists of stone masonry construction, and many of the features analyzed can be characterized according to the geometry and arrangement of the stones. Much of the assessment is carried out through visual inspection. Thus, this process will be automated by applying image processing on digital images of the elements under inspection. The principal contribution of this paper is the automatic delineation the framework proposed. The other contribution is the performance evaluation of this delineation as the input to a classifier for a geometrically characterized feature of a built heritage object. The element chosen to perform this evaluation is the stone arrangement of masonry walls. The validity of the proposed framework is assessed on real images of masonry walls.

Criterios y parametros de desarrollo sostenible aplicables al planeamiento urbano y su ejecución

[ES]Todo aquello, real o conceptual, que podamos imaginar aparece una vez que tiene un soporte físico. La insostenibilidad proviene del uso desaforado de los recursos naturales para satisfacer los deseos del presente, que lleva a una menor disponibilidad de los mismos en el largo plazo. Esto ocurre porque los flujos de materia y energía se modifican y también lo hacen los agentes que en ellos participan. La hoja de ruta para alcanzar la sostenibilidad es, por una parte, ir promoviendo un cambio de conciencia en el seno de la sociedad y a la vez, aplicar soluciones técnicas que lleven el sello de la sostenibilidad. Este cambio, es una actuación conjunta y necesita de la participación de todos los seres humanos para tener esperanzas de éxito. La ciudad, ecológicamente, es un agujero negro e incluye no sólo lo que es, sino también lo que necesita para mantenerse tal y como es. La planificación urbana ecológica intenta aunar lo urbano y lo sostenible, ya que tiene como propósito proponer áreas donde los asentamientos humanos sean favorables y produzcan menos repercusiones negativas en el entorno. Para lograrlo, energía, materiales constructivos, agua, residuos, zonas verdes, comunidad y la incidencia en la legislación son ámbitos en los que el planeamiento urbano sostenible debe actuar. Los seres humanos somos los poseedores de nuestro destino. Los resultados son consecuencia de las acciones. Si algo ocurre es porque nuestras acciones han sido las elegidas para que así sea.

Image-Based Delineation and Classification of Built Heritage Masonry

Fundacion Zain is developing new built heritage assessment protocols. The goal is to objectivize and standardize the analysis and decision process that leads to determining the degree of protection of built heritage in the Basque Country. The ultimate step in this objectivization and standardization effort will be the development of an information and communication technology (ICT) tool for the assessment of built heritage. This paper presents the ground work carried out to make this tool possible: the automatic, image-based delineation of stone masonry. This is a necessary first step in the development of the tool, as the built heritage that will be assessed consists of stone masonry construction, and many of the features analyzed can be characterized according to the geometry and arrangement of the stones. Much of the assessment is carried out through visual inspection. Thus, this process will be automated by applying image processing on digital images of the elements under inspection. The principal contribution of this paper is the automatic delineation the framework proposed. The other contribution is the performance evaluation of this delineation as the input to a classifier for a geometrically characterized feature of a built heritage object. The element chosen to perform this evaluation is the stone arrangement of masonry walls. The validity of the proposed framework is assessed on real images of masonry walls.