COST Action TU1406: eBook of the 1st Workshop Meeting

COST Action TU1406 aims to address the European economic and societal needs by standardizing the condition assessment and maintenance level of roadway bridges. Currently, bridge quality control plans vary from country to country and, in some cases, within the same country. This therefore urges the establishment of a European guideline to surpass the lack of a standard methodology to assess bridge condition and to define quality control plans for roadway bridges. Such a guideline will comprise specific recommendations for assessing performance indicators as well as for the definition of performance goals, bringing together different stakeholders (e.g. universities, institutes, operators, consultants and owners) from various scientific disciplines (e.g. on-site testing, visual inspection, structural engineering, sustainability, etc.) in order to establish a common transnational language. COST Action TU1406 Workshops aim to facilitate the exchange of ideas and experiences between active researchers and practitioners as well as to stimulate discussions on new and emerging issues in line with the conference topics. This first Workshop essentially focuses on WG1 issues, namely, intends to address performance indicators, how these are assessed (e.g. visual inspection, nondestructive tests and monitoring systems), with what frequency and what values are generally obtained. The main outcomes, given in this eBook, were really important, not only for WG1 developments, but also for all the other WGs and for the Action itself.

Pervasive patient timeline

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de Informação

Simulationsbasierte Frühwarnsysteme zur Unterstützung der operativen Produktionssteuerung und -planung in der Automobilindustrie

Material flow simulation, Simulation-based Early Warning System, Discrete Event Simulation, Production Planning and Control, Automotive Industry, Forecast of Future System States, Monitoring Systems

Comparativa d'eines de monitorització de sistemes

El següent projecte està estructurat en tres fases, les quals tenen com objectiu la comparació d'eines de monitorització de sistemes. Una primera fase d'introducció on comentaré la importància de la monitorització de sistemes i de la descripció de com seleccionar la millor eina. En la segona fase em centraré en l'estudi de cadascuna de les eines. I per últim una tercera fase de conclusions i les línies obertes del projecte.

Use of Sensors in the Treatment and Follow-up of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Glucose control is the cornerstone of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) treatment. Although self-regulation using capillary glycemia (SRCG) still remains the best procedure in clinical practice, continuous glucose monitoring systems (CGM) offer the possibility of continuous and dynamic assessment of interstitial glucose concentration. CGM systems have the potential to improve glycemic control while decreasing the incidence of hypoglycemia but the efficiency, compared with SRCG, is still debated. CGM systems have the greatest potential value in patients with hypoglycemic unawareness and in controlling daily fluctuations in blood glucose. The implementation of continuous monitoring in the standard clinical setting has not yet been established but a new generation of open and close loop subcutaneous insulin infusion devices are emerging making insulin treatment and glycemic control more reliable.

Socio-economic benefits of using space technologies to monitor and respond to earthquakes

Earthquakes represent a major hazard for populations around the world, causing frequent loss of life,human suffering and enormous damage to homes, other buildings and infrastructure. The Technology Resources forEarthquake Monitoring and Response (TREMOR) Team of 36 space professionals analysed this problem over thecourse of the International Space University Summer Session Program and published their recommendations in the formof a report. The TREMOR Team proposes a series of space- and ground-based systems to provide improved capabilityto manage earthquakes. The first proposed system is a prototype earthquake early-warning system that improves theexisting knowledge of earthquake precursors and addresses the potential of these phenomena. Thus, the system willat first enable the definitive assessment of whether reliable earthquake early warning is possible through precursormonitoring. Should the answer be affirmative, the system itself would then form the basis of an operational earlywarningsystem. To achieve these goals, the authors propose a multi-variable approach in which the system will combine,integrate and process precursor data from space- and ground-based seismic monitoring systems (already existing andnew proposed systems) and data from a variety of related sources (e.g. historical databases, space weather data, faultmaps). The second proposed system, the prototype earthquake simulation and response system, coordinates the maincomponents of the response phase to reduce the time delays of response operations, increase the level of precisionin the data collected, facilitate communication amongst teams, enhance rescue and aid capabilities and so forth. It isbased in part on an earthquake simulator that will provide pre-event (if early warning is proven feasible) and post-eventdamage assessment and detailed data of the affected areas to corresponding disaster management actors by means of ageographic information system (GIS) interface. This is coupled with proposed mobile satellite communication hubs toprovide links between response teams. Business- and policy-based implementation strategies for these proposals, suchas the establishment of a non-governmental organisation to develop and operate the systems, are included.

Revision to the SUDAS Traffic Signal Standards – Phase 2, Final Report, May 2012

This report provides a summary of the updates to the traffic signal content within the Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) Design Manual Chapter 13 and Standard Specifications Division 8. Major focal points included pole footing design, cabinets and controllers, monitoring systems, communications systems, and figure updates. This work was completed through a project task force with a variety of participants (contractors, Iowa Department of Transportation, city traffic engineers, consultant, vendors, and University research and support staff).

Neuromonitoring after major neurosurgical procedures.

Postoperative care of major neurosurgical procedures is aimed at the prevention, detection and treatment of secondary brain injury. This consists of a series of pathological events (i.e. brain edema and intracranial hypertension, cerebral hypoxia/ischemia, brain energy dysfunction, non-convulsive seizures) that occur early after the initial insult and surgical intervention and may add further burden to primary brain injury and thus impact functional recovery. Management of secondary brain injury requires specialized neuroscience intensive care units (ICU) and continuous advanced monitoring of brain physiology. Monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) is a mainstay of care and is recommended by international guidelines. However, ICP monitoring alone may be insufficient to detect all episodes of secondary brain insults. Additional invasive (i.e. brain tissue PO2, cerebral microdialysis, regional cerebral blood flow) and non-invasive (i.e. transcranial doppler, near-infrared spectroscopy, EEG) brain monitoring devices might complement ICP monitoring and help clinicians to target therapeutic interventions (e.g. management of cerebral perfusion pressure, blood transfusion, glucose control) to patient-specific pathophysiology. Several independent studies demonstrate such multimodal approach may optimize patient care after major neurosurgical procedures. The aim of this review is to evaluate some of the available monitoring systems and summarize recent important data showing the clinical utility of multimodal neuromonitoring for the management of main acute neurosurgical conditions, including traumatic brain injury, subarachnoid hemorrhage and stroke.

Revision to the SUDAS Traffic Signal Standards - Phase 2, 2012

This report provides a summary of the updates to the traffic signal content within the Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) Design Manual Chapter 13 and Standard Specifications Division 8. Major focal points included pole footing design, cabinets and controllers, monitoring systems, communications systems, and figure updates. This work was completed through a project task force with a variety of participants (contractors, Iowa Department of Transportation, city traffic engineers, consultant, vendors, and University research and support staff).

Development of the Acoustic Emission Based Diagnostics Concept for the Rotary Lime Kiln

Reaaliaikainen, ennakoiva kunnonvalvonta on erittäin tärkeä osa modernin tehtaan tai tuotantolinjan toimintaa. Diplomityön teettäjä haluaa edelleen kehittää akustiseen emissioon perustuvaa kunnonvalvonta järjestelmäänsä, jotta siitä olisi enemmän hyötyä asiakkaalle. Diplomityö sisältää johdannonakustiseen emissioon ja akustisiin emissio sensoreihin. Työn tavoitteena oli kehittää päätöksentekojärjestelmä, jota käytettäisiin työn teettäjän valmistamien sensoreiden antaman tiedon automatisoituun analysointiin. Työssä on vertailtu kolmea eri ohjelmistotoimittajaa ja heidän ohjelmiaan, ja tehty ehdotus hankittavasta ohjelmistosta. Lisäksi työssä on kehitetty ohjeita, joiden avulla ohjelmisto ohjelmoidaan tuottamaan reaaliaikaista tietoa ja huolto-ohjeita sen käyttäjille. Lisäksi työssä annetaan ehdotuksia kunnonvalvonta- ja päätöksentekojärjestelmän edelleen kehittämiseen.

Characterization and management of rockslide hazard at Turtle Mountain, Alberta, Canada

In 1903, more than 30 million m3 of rock fell from the east slopes of Turtle Mountain in Alberta, Canada, causing a rock avalanche that killed about 70 people in the town of Frank. The Alberta Government, in response to continuing instabilities at the crest of the mountain, established a sophisticated field laboratory where state-of-the-art monitoring techniques have been installed and tested as part of an early-warning system. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the causes, trigger, and extreme mobility of the landslide. We then present new data relevant to the characterization and detection of the present-day instabilities on Turtle Mountain. Fourteen potential instabilities have been identified through field mapping and remote sensing. Lastly, we provide a detailed review of the different in-situ and remote monitoring systems that have been installed on the mountain. The implications of the new data for the future stability of Turtle Mountain and related landslide runout, and for monitoring strategies and risk management, are discussed.

Ydinvoimalaitoksen turbiinilaitoksen toiminnan ja kunnonvalvonnan nykytilan kuvaus ja kehittämismahdollisuuksien kartoitus sekä toteutus ja kannattavuusarviointi

Työssä selvitettiin Olkiluodon ydinvoimalaitoksen prosessiseurannassa nykyisin käytössä olevia järjestelmiä sekä tutkittiin prosessisimulointiohjelman käyttömahdollisuuksia osana prosessiseurantaa. Ensisijaisesti tutkittiin kuinka hyvin simulointimalli soveltuu pienien tehopoikkeamien havainnoimiseen. Simulointimalli rakennettiin Endat Oy:n kehittämällä Prosim-simulointiohjelmalla. Simulointimalli on tehty kahdelle eri prosessille. Erilliset mallit rakennettiin sekä vuoden 2003 vuosihuoltoa edeltäneelle prosessille, että vuosihuollossa lauhteen esilämmityksen osalta muutetulle prosessille. Simulointimallien toimintaa käytännössä testattiin suorittamalla simulointiajoja muutamilla prosessin muutostilanteilla ja vertailemalla muutostilanteiden mittapistedataa simulointiohjelman laskemiin tuloksiin. Simulointimallin suurimmat poikkeamat mittapistedataan verrattuna todettiin turbiinilaitoksen korkeapainepuolella sekä lauhduttimessa. Käytännössä havaittiin, että nämä poikkeamat hankaloittavat simulointiohjelman käyttöä käytönvalvonnan työkaluna, eikä sen käytöstä näin ollen saada varsinaista lisäarvoa.

Voimalaitoksen tasemallinnus kunnonvalvonnassa

Diplomityössä mallinnettiin Vattenfallin Myllykosken vastapainevoimalaitos staattisella voimalaitossimulaattoriohjelmalla. Mallinnuksessa käytettiin PROSIM simulaattorioh-jelmaa, jolla on mahdollista suorittaa taselaskentaa sekä online että offline tilassa. Laaditun mallin avulla suoritettiin voimalaitoksen offline simulointia erilaisissa ajotilanteissa. Simulointitulosten avulla suoritettiin voimalaitoksen kokonaishyötysuhteen ja höyryn tuotantokustannusten tarkastelua. Tarkastelun avulla pyrittiin saavuttamaan voimalaitoksen taloudellisin ajotapa kaikissa tarkastelutilanteissa. Lisäksi työssä määritettiin laadittuun voimalaitosmalliin perustuvan kunnonvalvontajärjestelmän laajuus. Järjestelmä hyödyntää PROSIM:n online simulointia sekä automaatiojärjestelmän reaaliaikaisia prosessimittauksia. Kunnonvalvontajärjestelmän (CMS Condition Monitoring System) avulla voidaan suorittaa prosessin optimointia reaaliajassa. Lisäksi järjestelmän avulla voidaan suorittaa voimalaitostaseen raportointia ja seurata voimalaitoskomponenttien toiminnan heikkenemistä. Kunnonvalvontajärjestelmän laajuuden määrittämiseksi rajattiin järjestelmään syötettävät kustannustekijät, kunnonseurantaan asetettavat komponentit ja taselaskennassa käytettävät mittaukset.

Market Potential of Northwest Russia for Telemedicine Applications

The level of health care in Russia is mostly still below the western standards, but lately it has been developing quite positively. Many ICT solutions (telemedicine applications) have been developed for health care in Finland, but since the domestic market is so small, it’s necessary to expand to foreign markets to make the Finnish R&D projects more profitable. Telemedicine applications are not yet widely used in Russia, but since the health care system is going through fast changes, leapfrog effects can be expected and new modern applications and technologies will be implemented. This will open numerous business opportunities for Finnish technology developers. This thesis aims to be the first evaluation of the market and form an outlook of the health care system and telemedicine applications already utilized in Russia. The results of this study can be used for focusing further research ultimately aiming at technology implementation. The study showed that there is potential for many types of telemedicine solutions, e.g. electronic patient records and home monitoring systems; providing that further research in this field is needed.

Market Potential of Northwest Russia for Telemedicine Applications

The level of health care in Russia is mostly still below the western standards, but lately it has been developing quite positively. Many ICT solutions (telemedicine applications) have been developed for health care in Finland, but since the domestic market is so small, it’s necessary to expand to foreign markets to make the Finnish R&D projects more profitable. Telemedicine applications are not yet widely used in Russia, but since the health care system is going through fast changes, leapfrog effects can be expected and new modern applications and technologies will be implemented. This will open numerous business opportunities for Finnish technology developers. This thesis aims to be the first evaluation of the market and form an outlook of the health care system and telemedicine applications already utilized in Russia. The results of this study can be used for focusing further research ultimately aiming at technology implementation. The study showed that there is potential for many types of telemedicine solutions, e.g. electronic patient records and home monitoring systems; providing that further research in this field is needed.