Influência da variabilidade espacial de atributos químicos de um latossolo na aplicação de insumos para cultura de cana-de-acúcar

As técnicas de aplicação localizada e em taxas variadas de insumos agrícolas com auxílio da geoestatística têm sido umas das áreas de concentração de esforços recentes em pesquisas e desenvolvimento ligado à agricultura de precisão. Portanto, o trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a necessidade de aplicação de calcário e fósforo com base no comportamento espacial de atributos químicos do solo. Foram feitas amostragens do solo a intervalos regulares de 50 m, em uma área de 42 ha, na profundidade de 0,0-0,2 m para determinação do pH, Ca, Mg, P, V% e cálculo da necessidade de calagem e superfosfato triplo. Os dados foram submetidos às análises da estatística descritiva, geoestatística e interpolação por krigagem. O uso da técnica de geoestatística possibilitou uma precisa descrição dos atributos do solo o que permitiu a definição de zonas de manejo, indicando os locais de ocorrência de déficit e excesso. A variabilidade espacial dos atributos químicos do solo, possibilita a recomendação de doses de calcário e fósforo com taxas variadas, proporcionando economia e maior eficiência na aplicação.

Avaliação de concreto com adição de fibras de PET submetido a altas temperaturas

The concrete for centuries constituted an essential structural element in the construction industry due to its relative ease of forming, before the weather durability, low cost, its lower maintenance compared to other materials such as steel. However, when the concrete is exposed to high temperatures tends to lose its mechanical characteristics, and may even result in loss of section, which undermines the stability and mechanical strength of structural elements. The pathologies resulting from exposure to elevated temperatures ranging from cracks, pops up chipping explosives (spalling). Recently, the technology of concrete is closely related to the study of its microstructure. The use of fibers added to concrete has been revealed as a solution to increase the mechanical strength of the concrete, it acts directly on the distribution of efforts to act in the play within the microstructure. In this work we used recycled PET fibers embedded in concrete with 15x2mm fck = 30MPa, water/cement ratio of 0.46, in works made for verification of mechanical strength of this mixture submitted to high temperature. The specimens of concrete with addition of PET fibers were tested after exposure to temperatures: ambient (30ºC), 100°C, 200°C, 300°C, 400°C, 600°C and 900°C. It was found that the concrete loses significant strength when exposed to temperatures above 300°C, however the use of fiber PET may delay the risk of collapse of structures for the formation of a network of channels that facilitate the escape of vapor 'water, reducing the pore pressure inside the structural element

Modelagem numérica de estruturas de contenção atirantadas em areia

A numerical study on the behavior of tied-back retaining walls in sand, using the finite element method (FEM) is presented. The analyses were performed using the software Plaxis 2D, and were focused on the development of horizontal displacements, horizontal stresses, shear forces and bending moments in the structure during the construction process. Emphasis was placed on the evaluation of wall embedment, tie-back horizontal spacing, wall thickness, and free anchor length on wall behavior. A representative soil profile of a specific region at the City of Natal, Brazil, was used in the numerical analyses. New facilities built on this region often include retaining structures of the same type studied herein. Soil behavior was modeled using the Mohr-Coulomb constitutive model, whereas the structural elements were modeled using the linear elastic model. Shear strength parameters of the soil layers were obtained from direct shear test results conducted with samples collected at the studied site. Deformation parameters were obtained from empirical correlations from SPT test results carried out on the studied site. The results of the numerical analyses revealed that the effect of wall embedment on the investigated parameters is virtually negligible. Conversely, the tie-back horizontal spacing plays an important role on the investigated parameters. The results also demonstrated that the wall thickness significantly affects the wall horizontal displacements, and the shear forces and bending moments within the retaining structure. However, wall thickness was not found to influence horizontal stresses in the structure

Estudo numérico do comportamento de muros de arrimo em alvenaria estrutural de blocos vazados

Usually masonry structures has low tension strength, hence the design to flexural efforts can results in high reinforcement ratio, specification of high unit and prism strength, structural members with larger section dimensions and modification in structural arrangement to be possible to use masonry members. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the stiffness, the efforts distribution and the effect of horizontal elements (girders) and vertical elements (counterforts) distribution on the behavior of masonry blocks retaining walls. For this purpose, numerical modeling was performed on typical retaining wall arrangements by varying the amount and placement of horizontal and vertical elements, beyond includes elements simulating the reactions of the soil supporting the foundation of the wall. The numerical modeling also include the macro modeling strategy in which the units, mortar and grout are discretized by a standard volume that represents the masonry elastic behavior. Also, numerical model results were compared with those ones of simplified models usually adopted in bending design of masonry elements. The results show horizontal displacements, principal and shear stresses distribution, and bending moments diagrams. From the analysis it was concluded that quantity and manner of distribution of the girders are both important factors to the panel flexural behavior, the inclusion of the foundation changed significantly the behavior of the wall, especially the horizontal displacements, and has been proposed a new way of considering the flanges section of the counterforts

Adoção de tecnologias de informação nas micro e pequenas empresas fornecedoras da Petrobras no Rio Grande do Norte

A pesquisa tem como objetivo identificar as barreiras à adoção de tecnologias de informação por parte das micro e pequenas empresas. A pesquisa teórica foi orientada por estudos sobre adoção de tecnologias de informação e os fatores determinantes para esta adoção. Quanto à amostra, foi delimitada aos pequenos fornecedores não adotantes do sistema de compras eletrônicas da Petrobras no Rio Grande do Norte. A pesquisa é exploratória, do tipo levantamento de dados, com abordagem quantitativa. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada nos meses de novembro e dezembro de 2006, junto a 55 empresas, através de um questionário estruturado, respondido pelos gestores. Para a análise dos dados, foram utilizadas técnicas estatísticas, tais como análise descritiva e exploratória de dados, testes de hipótese e análises multivariadas de dados. Os resultados evidenciam a existência de uma infra-estrutura de TI básica, com baixo nível de utilização dessas tecnologias para propósitos mais avançados dentro das empresas e em especial a sua utilização para as atividades de gestão e estratégias de acesso a mercados, principalmente o seu uso como ferramentas para o comércio eletrônico. Os resultados mostraram também que os aspectos técnicos e financeiros são percebidos como obstáculos maiores que os fatores socioculturais e humanos. As variáveis relacionadas com os custos da TI e de consultoria externa, a percepção de dependência de fornecedores de TI e a falta de priorização de esforços ára a TI

Oportunidades de melhoria ergonômica das exigências físicas da atividade jangadeira em Ponta Negra Natal-RN

The fishing is an activity with rafts marked by unpredictability, poor tools, physical stress, awkward postures, risk of accidents and incidents, which contribute to insecurity in the context of activity. This study aimed to contribute to reducing of physical effort and the biomechanical impacts in jangadeiro activity of artisanal fishing using jangadas on the beach of Ponta Negra, Natal-RN. To achieve this purpose the methodology of the Work Ergonomic Analysis - WEA became a reference using techniques such as observational and interactional observation notes, photographs, videos, action conversational and listening verbalizations. The resulting activity in health jangadeiro, discussed in this research were: static postural assessment, flexibility of movement of shoulder flexion-extension, flexibility of the hamstrings and lower back, grip and musculoskeletal pain. It was found from observations, interactions and activity analysis, that in carrying out fishing rafts are frequent awkward postures associated with demand for power and many are already feeling the jangadeiros reflections of years of life dedicated to this work. These have already adopted some measures to manage the activity, such as job rotation during the expedition of capture. Therefore, there is a need to expand these measures of activity management, as well as design and capabilities of the raft, seeking positive changes in the activity and consequently the quality of life jangadeiro

Metodologia para modelagem, validação e programação de controladores lógicos industriais usando statecharts básicos

Due of industrial informatics several attempts have been done to develop notations and semantics, which are used for classifying and describing different kind of system behavior, particularly in the modeling phase. Such attempts provide the infrastructure to resolve some real problems of engineering and construct practical systems that aim at, mainly, to increase the productivity, quality, and security of the process. Despite the many studies that have attempted to develop friendly methods for industrial controller programming, they are still programmed by conventional trial-and-error methods and, in practice, there is little written documentation on these systems. The ideal solution would be to use a computational environment that allows industrial engineers to implement the system using high-level language and that follows international standards. Accordingly, this work proposes a methodology for plant and control modelling of the discrete event systems that include sequential, parallel and timed operations, using a formalism based on Statecharts, denominated Basic Statechart (BSC). The methodology also permits automatic procedures to validate and implement these systems. To validate our methodology, we presented two case studies with typical examples of the manufacturing sector. The first example shows a sequential control for a tagged machine, which is used to illustrated dependences between the devices of the plant. In the second example, we discuss more than one strategy for controlling a manufacturing cell. The model with no control has 72 states (distinct configurations) and, the model with sequential control generated 20 different states, but they only act in 8 distinct configurations. The model with parallel control generated 210 different states, but these 210 configurations act only in 26 distinct configurations, therefore, one strategy control less restrictive than previous. Lastly, we presented one example for highlight the modular characteristic of our methodology, which it is very important to maintenance of applications. In this example, the sensors for identifying pieces in the plant were removed. So, changes in the control model are needed to transmit the information of the input buffer sensor to the others positions of the cell

Um sistema de visão para navegação robusta de uma plataforma robótica semi-autônoma

Large efforts have been maden by the scientific community on tasks involving locomotion of mobile robots. To execute this kind of task, we must develop to the robot the ability of navigation through the environment in a safe way, that is, without collisions with the objects. In order to perform this, it is necessary to implement strategies that makes possible to detect obstacles. In this work, we deal with this problem by proposing a system that is able to collect sensory information and to estimate the possibility for obstacles to occur in the mobile robot path. Stereo cameras positioned in parallel to each other in a structure coupled to the robot are employed as the main sensory device, making possible the generation of a disparity map. Code optimizations and a strategy for data reduction and abstraction are applied to the images, resulting in a substantial gain in the execution time. This makes possible to the high level decision processes to execute obstacle deviation in real time. This system can be employed in situations where the robot is remotely operated, as well as in situations where it depends only on itself to generate trajectories (the autonomous case)

SurRFE -Sub-rede de filtragens específicas

The increasing of the number of attacks in the computer networks has been treated with the increment of the resources that are applied directly in the active routers equip-ments of these networks. In this context, the firewalls had been consolidated as essential elements in the input and output control process of packets in a network. With the advent of intrusion detectors systems (IDS), efforts have been done in the direction to incorporate packets filtering based in standards of traditional firewalls. This integration incorporates the IDS functions (as filtering based on signatures, until then a passive element) with the already existing functions in firewall. In opposite of the efficiency due this incorporation in the blockage of signature known attacks, the filtering in the application level provokes a natural retard in the analyzed packets, and it can reduce the machine performance to filter the others packets because of machine resources demand by this level of filtering. This work presents models of treatment for this problem based in the packets re-routing for analysis by a sub-network with specific filterings. The suggestion of implementa- tion of this model aims reducing the performance problem and opening a space for the consolidation of scenes where others not conventional filtering solutions (spam blockage, P2P traffic control/blockage, etc.) can be inserted in the filtering sub-network, without inplying in overload of the main firewall in a corporative network

Otimização de modelos de predição da perda de propagação aplicáveis em 3,5GHZ utilizando algoritmos genéticos

The telecommunications industry has experienced recent changes, due to increasing quest for access to digital services for data, video and multimedia, especially using the mobile phone networks. Recently in Brazil, mobile operators are upgrading their networks to third generations systems (3G) providing to users broadband services such as video conferencing, Internet, digital TV and more. These new networks that provides mobility and high data rates has allowed the development of new market concepts. Currently the market is focused on the expansion of WiMAX technology, which is gaining increasingly the market for mobile voice and data. In Brazil, the commercial interest for this technology appears to the first award of licenses in the 3.5 GHz band. In February 2003 ANATEL held the 003/2002/SPV-ANATEL bidding, where it offered blocks of frequencies in the range of 3.5 GHz. The enterprises who purchased blocks of frequency were: Embratel, Brazil Telecom (Vant), Grupo Sinos, Neovia and WKVE, each one with operations spread in some regions of Brazil. For this and other wireless communications systems are implemented effectively, many efforts have been invested in attempts to developing simulation methods for coverage prediction that is close to reality as much as possible so that they may become believers and indispensable tools to design wireless communications systems. In this work wasm developed a genetic algorithm (GA's) that is able to optimize the models for predicting propagation loss at applicable frequency range of 3.5 GHz, thus enabling an estimate of the signal closer to reality to avoid significant errors in planning and implementation a system of wireless communication

Estudos e projetos de filtro interdigital em microfita para aplicação prática ao transponder do satélite ITASAT

This work shows a theoretical analysis together with numerical and experimental results of transmission characteristics from the microstrip bandpass filters with different geometries. These filters are built over isotropic dielectric substrates. The numerical analysis is made by specifical commercial softwares, like Ansoft Designer and Agilent Advanced Design System (ADS). In addition to these tools, a Matlab Script was built to analyze the filters through the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method. The filters project focused the development of the first stage of filtering in the ITASAT s Transponder receptor, and its integration with the others systems. Some microstrip filters architectures have been studied, aiming the viability of implementation and suitable practical application for the purposes of the ITASAT Project due to its lowspace occupation in the lower UHF frequencies. The ITASAT project is a Universityexperimental project which will build a satellite to integrate the Brazilian Data Collect System s satellite constellation, with efforts of many Brazilian institutes, like for example AEB (Brazilian Spatial Agency), ITA (Technological Institute of Aeronautics), INPE/CRN (National Institute of Spatial Researches/Northeastern Regional Center) and UFRN (Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte). Comparisons were made between numerical and experimental results of all filters, where good agreements could be noticed, reaching the most of the objectives. Also, post-work improvements were suggested.

Fibras de sisal (Agave sisalana) como isolante térmico de tubulações

In the last decades there was a significant increasing of the numbers of researchers that joint efforts to find alternatives to improve the development of low environmental impact technology. Materials based on renewable resources have enormous potentials of applications and are seen as alternatives for the sustainable development. Within other parameters, the sustainability depends on the energetic efficiency, which depends on the thermal insulation. Alternative materials, including vegetal fibers, can be applied to thermal insulation, where its first goal is to minimize the loss of energy. In the present research, it was experimentally analyzed the thermal behavior of fiber blankets of sisal (Agave sisalana) with and without surface treatment with oxide hidroxide (NaOH). Blankets with two densities (1100/1200 and 1300/1400 g/m2) were submitted to three rates of heat transfer (22.5 W, 40 W and 62.5 W). The analysis of the results allowed comparing the blankets treated and untreated in each situation. Others experiments were carried out to obtain the thermal conductivity (k), heat capacity (C) and the thermal diffusivity (α) of the blankets. Thermo gravimetric analyses were made to the verification of the thermal stability. Based on the results it was possible to relate qualitatively the effect of the heat transfer through the sisal blankets subjected to three heat transfer rates, corresponding to three temperature values (77 °C, 112 °C e 155 °C). To the first and second values of temperature it was verified a considerable reduction on the rate of heat transfer; nevertheless, to the third value of temperature, the surface of the blankets (treated and untreated) in contact with the heated surface of the tube were carbonized. It was also verified, through the analyses of the results of the measurements of k, C e α, that the blankets treated and untreated have values near to the conventional isolating materials, as glass wool and rock wool. It could be concluded that is technically possible the use of sisal blankets as constitutive material of thermal isolation systems in applications where the temperature do not reach values greater than 112 ºC

Análise do desempenho térmico de sistema constutivo de concreto com EPS como agregado graúdo

In the last decades there was a concentrate effort of researchers in the search for options to the problem of the continuity of city development and environmental preservation. The recycling and reuse of materials in industry have been considerate as the best option to sustainable development. One of the relevant aspects in this case refers to the rational use of electrical energy. At this point, the role of engineering is to conceive new processes and materials, with the objective of reducing energy consumption and maintaining, at the same time the benefits of the technology. In this context, the objective of the present research is to analyze quantitatively the thermal behavior of walls constructed with concrete blocks which composition aggregates the expanded polystyrene (EPS) reused in the shape of flakes and in the shape of a board, resulting in a “light concrete”. Experiments were conducted, systematically, with a wall (considerate as a standard) constructed with blocks of ordinary concrete; two walls constructed with blocks of light concrete, distinct by the proportion of EPS/sand; a wall of ceramic bricks (“eight holes” type) and a wall with ordinary blocks of cement, in a way to obtain a comparative analysis of the thermal behavior of the systems. Others tests conducted with the blocks were: stress analysis and thermal properties analysis (ρ, cp e k). Based on the results, it was possible to establish quantitative relationship between the concentration (density) of EPS in the constructive elements and the decreasing of the heat transfer rate, that also changes the others thermal properties of the material, as was proved. It was observed that the walls of light concrete presents better thermal behavior compared with the other two constructive systems world wide used. Based in the results of the investigation, there was shown the viability of the use of EPS as aggregate (raw material) in the composition of the concrete, with the objective of the fabrication of blocks to non-structural masonry that works as a thermal insulation in buildings. A direct consequence of this result is the possibility of reduction of the consume of the electrical energy used to climatization of buildings. Other aspect of the investigation that must be pointed was the reuse of the EPS as a raw material to civil construction, with a clear benefit to reducing of environmental problems

Desenvolvimento de um sistema para análise de integridade estrutural de equipamentos estáticos baseado em cad vps micro cracks e ultrassom

In general, the designs of equipment takes into account the effects and processes of deterioration it will undergo and arrives at an approximate useful life. However, changes in operational processes and parameters, the action of external agents, the kind of maintenance conducted, the means of monitoring, and natural and accidental occurrences completely modify the desired performance of the equipment. The discontinuities that occur in anisotropic materials often and due to different factors evolve from being subcritical to critical acquiring the status of defect and compromising the physical integrity of the equipment. Increasingly sophisticated technological means of detection, monitoring and assessment of these discontinuities are required to respond ever more rapidly to the requirements of industry. This paper therefore presents a VPS (Virtual Pipe System) computational tool which uses the results of ultrasonic tests on equipment, plotting the discontinuities found in models created in the CAD and CAE systems, and then simulates the behavior of these defects in the structure to give an instantaneous view of the final behavior. This paper also presents an alternative method of conventional ultrasonic testing which correlates the integrity of an overlay (carbon steel and stainless steel attached by welding) and the reflection of ultrasonic waves coming from the interface between the two metals, thus making it possible to identify cracks in the casing and a shift of the overlay

Análise de viabilidade técnica de utilização da Fibra de bananeira com resina sintética em Compósitos

This paper aims to present the feasibility of using a composite using discarded material from the cultivation of banana tree (pseudostem), which is fibrillated together with synthetic resin replacing glass fiber to be used in structural elements that do not demand large mechanical stress such as reservoirs, troughs, domes, sewage pipes etc.. For this, there were studies about the mechanical properties of a composite made with polyester resin and fiber of banana tree (Musa sp, musac), in which the splints were removed from the pseudostem, being made fibrillation by hand, with the aid of a brush steel, followed by natural drying. After treatment for cleaning and removal of wax, the fiber was cut into pieces of approximately 60 mm to 100 mm, for, together with synthetic resin, make cards of a features fiber composite with random orientation relative to the weight of the resin. We used three different percentages of fiber (3%, 6% and 9%), in order to make a comparative study between them and what would be the one with the best performance. Were manufactured specimens of each material and then subjected to uniaxial tensile tests, three point bending, moisture absorption and thermal characteristics. The results show that, in general, the use of banana tree fiber is feasible simply by an improvement in the production process (machining of the procedure) and greater care in the manufacture of parts