Experimental damage detection grammian matrix

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) has diverse potential applications, and many groups work in the development of tools and techniques for monitoring structural performance. These systems use arrays of sensors and can be integrated with remote or local computers. There are several different approaches that can be used to obtain information about the existence, location and extension of faults by non destructive tests. In this paper an experimental technique is proposed for damage location based on an observability grammian matrix. The dynamic properties of the structure are identified through experimental data using the eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA). Experimental tests were carried out in a structure through varying the mass of some elements. Output signals were obtained using accelerometers.

Detecção de falhas em sistemas incertos com atraso no sinal de controle

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influências e contribuições da teoria das restrições em sistemas de medição de desempenho: uma análise teórico-conceitual

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Performance measurement and indicators for water supply management: review and international cases

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito da restrição alimentar quantitativa sobre o ganho compensatório e composição da carcaça de frangos

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a influência do nível de restrição alimentar sobre o ganho compensatório e composição da carcaça de frangos Ross. Foram utilizados frangos machos, submetidos a restrição alimentar quantitativa de 30% e 70% do consumo diário das aves alimentadas ad libitum, entre o 8º e o 14º dias de idade e realimentados ad libitum até 42 dias de idade, em um experimento inteiramente casualizado, segundo um esquema em parcelas subdivididas, tendo como parcelas o programa alimentar (ad libitum, restrição 30% e 70%) e subparcelas a idade das aves (dias). O ganho de peso, peso da carcaça, peso do intestino e quantidade total de gordura dos frangos restritos a 70% foram significativamente menores aos 42 dias de idade; no entanto, não foram verificadas diferenças significativas quanto a estes parâmetros entre frangos restritos em 30% e os alimentados ad libitum. A conversão alimentar, o comprimento do intestino e a gordura abdominal não foram afetados pelo programa alimentar. Os resultados obtidos nestes experimentos evidenciam que frangos de corte submetidos a restrição alimentar de 30% apresentaram ganho compensatório durante o período de realimentação; no entanto, a restrição de 70% é muito severa, afetando de forma negativa tanto o desempenho quanto a qualidade da carcaça dos frangos.

Percepção dos efeitos do trabalho em turnos sobre a saúde e a vida social em funcionários da enfermagem em um hospital universitário do Estado de São Paulo

O trabalho em turnos existe desde o início da vida social dos homens, sendo utilizado em diferentes setores, como na indústria de produção de bens de consumo e de serviços. A área da saúde exige o sistema em turnos para manutenção de atividades durante 24 horas. Teve-se como objetivo identificar os sistemas de turnos em funcionários de enfermagem em um hospital universitário, avaliar a percepção sobre os prováveis efeitos do trabalho em turnos em sua saúde e vida social e o grau de participação desses funcionários na forma de organização de sua jornada. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva e exploratória, cujos resultados foram obtidos mediante questionário aplicado a 348 funcionários da enfermagem do Hospital de Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Botucatu, São Paulo. Dentre os resultados, observou-se que, em sua maioria, eles tinham menos de 40 anos, eram casados, do sexo feminino, com um filho pelo menos, cumprindo uma escala de turnos alternados, com freqüência de revezamento superior a quinze dias e referindo queixas de caráter neuro-psíquico, gastrintestinal e cardiovascular. Houve ainda queixas sobre relacionamento e tempo de convivência. Na maioria das vezes, era pouca a participação do funcionário na forma de organização de sua escala de trabalho.

Networked control system for the guidance of a four-wheel steering agricultural robotic platform

A current trend in the agricultural area is the development of mobile robots and autonomous vehicles for precision agriculture (PA). One of the major challenges in the design of these robots is the development of the electronic architecture for the control of the devices. In a joint project among research institutions and a private company in Brazil a multifunctional robotic platform for information acquisition in PA is being designed. This platform has as main characteristics four-wheel propulsion and independent steering, adjustable width, span of 1,80m in height, diesel engine, hydraulic system, and a CAN-based networked control system (NCS). This paper presents a NCS solution for the platform guidance by the four-wheel hydraulic steering distributed control. The control strategy, centered on the robot manipulators control theory, is based on the difference between the desired and actual position and considering the angular speed of the wheels. The results demonstrate that the NCS was simple and efficient, providing suitable steering performance for the platform guidance. Even though the simplicity of the NCS solution developed, it also overcame some verified control challenges in the robot guidance system design such as the hydraulic system delay, nonlinearities in the steering actuators, and inertia in the steering system due the friction of different terrains. Copyright © 2012 Eduardo Pacincia Godoy et al.

Multicontroladores para melhoria da robustez e acomodação de falhas em sistemas

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Aplicação de conceitos da manufatura sustentável: pesquisa-ação em uma empresa gráfica

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Cleaner Production initiatives and challenges for a sustainable world: an introduction to this special volume

This special volume of the Journal of Cleaner Production is comprised of articles presented at the 3rd International Workshop Advances in Cleaner Production held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2011. The content underscores the recognition of the pressing and inescapable need for making changes from unsustainable to sustainable production and consumption patterns. The 48 articles from 15 countries provide different, but complimentary approaches to help industrial and societal sectors in advancing on their paths towards sustainability. Initiatives and challenges are included, which systematically address problems affecting raw material changes, technological modifications, product and policy changes. The findings range from proposals for alternative uses of wastes, substitution of raw materials for environmentally friendlier substances, optimization of industrial processes by source reductions of wastes and emissions and documented economic and environmental advantages of a wide array of initiatives. The roles of operational and managerial practices are also stressed, highlighting the role of diverse stakeholders as promoters of implementation and internalization of innovative cleaner technologies within companies. Systemic assessment tools are employed and experimented with in order to more effectively evaluate the environmental performance of systems on the biosphere scale. The methodological procedures and proposals presented can help in the design and management of production systems, for governmental and corporate policy development, for implementing and monitoring CP Programs, prevention and mitigation strategies, and evaluation of the outcomes of CP initiatives in the production and service sectors. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proposta de diretrizes embasadoras para introdução de sistemas de medição de desempenho em empresas de projetos de instalações prediais

The civil construction in Brazil has grown a lotover the last years. This has caused a greater competition between companies of the sector. A little difference in quality in service or product a company offers can determine their success in the market. There is a growing demand for tools that optimize processes and bring greater quality to each activity in these companies. Performance measurement systems make it possible to control process efficiency and effectiveness using performance indicators. Considering this need, the paper before you has the objective of creating basic guidelines to introduce performance measurement systems inbuilding installations project companies. A theoretical reference is presented to describe organizational aspects of project companies along with performance measurement systems characteristics. Using a qualitative research methodology, a study case was executed with interviews, observation and document analysis as evidence sources. In the study case, limitations where identified, such as, high degree of product and process flexibility, dependence on subjective analysis for decision making and lack of specialized information systems. Considering the theoretical reference and the study case,the proposed guidelines intend to ease and guarantee greater chances of success when implanting one of these systems

Transducer Loading Effect on the Performance of PZT-Based SHM Systems

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Yield of upland rice cultivars in rainfed and sprinkler-irrigated systems in the Cerrado region of Brazil

In upland rice, the reduced grain yield that originates from the moisture stress period is related to the plant's tolerance of water deficiency and may vary between cultivars. The purpose of the work presented here was to evaluate the performance of upland rice cultivars in both rainfed and sprinkler-irrigated systems. A split-plot scheme with 8 replicates in a randomised block design was used. The plots were composed of 2 cropping systems (rainfed and sprinkler-irrigated) and the split-plot consisted of 2 cultivars (IAC 201 and Carajas) which are suggested for cultivation in upland ecosystems. Carajas had a greater number of panicles per square metre, higher spikelet fertility and grain mass, and, consequently, a higher grain yield than IAC 201 regardless of cropping system. IAC 201 was more sensitive to water deficiency than Carajas. Sprinkler irrigation improved spikelet fertility, grain mass and upland rice grain yield. Even when cultivars with a higher tolerance of water deficiency are used, a sprinkler-irrigated system may be a viable method to increase upland rice yield throughout most of the Brazilian Cerrado.

Coupling Surface-Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering and Electronic Tongue as Characterization Tools to Investigate Biological Membrane Mimetic Systems

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Transient stability analysis of electric energy systems via a fuzzy ART-ARTMAP neural network

This work presents a methodology to analyze transient stability (first oscillation) of electric energy systems, using a neural network based on ART architecture (adaptive resonance theory), named fuzzy ART-ARTMAP neural network for real time applications. The security margin is used as a stability analysis criterion, considering three-phase short circuit faults with a transmission line outage. The neural network operation consists of two fundamental phases: the training and the analysis. The training phase needs a great quantity of processing for the realization, while the analysis phase is effectuated almost without computation effort. This is, therefore the principal purpose to use neural networks for solving complex problems that need fast solutions, as the applications in real time. The ART neural networks have as primordial characteristics the plasticity and the stability, which are essential qualities to the training execution and to an efficient analysis. The fuzzy ART-ARTMAP neural network is proposed seeking a superior performance, in terms of precision and speed, when compared to conventional ARTMAP, and much more when compared to the neural networks that use the training by backpropagation algorithm, which is a benchmark in neural network area. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.