Modern optimization in earthwork construction

Earthworks tasks are often regarded in transportation projects as some of the most demanding processes. In fact, sequential tasks such as excavation, transportation, spreading and compaction are strongly based on heavy mechanical equipment and repetitive processes, thus becoming as economically demanding as they are time-consuming. Moreover, actual construction requirements originate higher demands for productivity and safety in earthwork constructions. Given the percentual weight of costs and duration of earthworks in infrastructure construction, the optimal usage of every resource in these tasks is paramount. Considering the characteristics of an earthwork construction, it can be looked at as a production line based on resources (mechanical equipment) and dependency relations between sequential tasks, hence being susceptible to optimization. Up to the present, the steady development of Information Technology areas, such as databases, artificial intelligence and operations research, has resulted in the emergence of several technologies with potential application bearing that purpose in mind. Among these, modern optimization methods (also known as metaheuristics), such as evolutionary computation, have the potential to find high quality optimal solutions with a reasonable use of computational resources. In this context, this work describes an optimization algorithm for earthworks equipment allocation based on a modern optimization approach, which takes advantage of the concept that an earthwork construction can be regarded as a production line.

Revisões da infraestrutura viária local: o reconhecimento do lugar público no território desruralizado e extensamente urbanizadode Santa Maria da Feira

Tese de Doutoramento Arquitetura, Cidade e Território.

D'une littérature mal nommée

Depuis les années 1980, lorsqu’elle émerge associée à la Marche des Beurs, de son vrai nom Marche pour l’égalité et contre le racisme, la littérature produite par les écrivains français nés de parents immigrés du Maghreb fait l’objet d’une revendication de reconnaissance et de légitimation culturelle qui prolonge la revendication politique d’intégration à la société française des populations issues de l’immigration. L’histoire de ce mouvement littéraire est donc celle de la lutte pour une place dans le champ littéraire français moyennant l’accès au dispositif institutionnel qui y introduit œuvre et auteur : maisons d’édition, presse et médias audiovisuels, librairies, prix littéraires, universités. Cet appareil de reconnaissance et de légitimation, Michel Laronde l’appelle l’Institution. L’un des instruments de l’Institution est la catégorisation.

«L’amour pour principe…». L’actualité d’Auguste Comte

Convegno "Ritorno al Conflito : teorie ed esperienze del XXI secolo", realizado em Bari, de 22 - 23 Out. 2015