This paper addresses the problem of road safety regarding barrier placement as relative to the curb. A short summary of existing regulations is presented. Numerical simulations using the explicit finite element system Ls-Dyna are shown. In the analysis, variable distance between the barrier and the curb is assumed. The obtained result reveals that the distance has little impact on the working width of the barrier.
There is a considerable increase in the use of noise barriers in recent years. Noise barriers as a control noise solution can increase the insertion loss to protect receivers. This paper presents the results of an investigation about the acoustic efficiency of primitive root sequence diffuser (PRD) on an environmental single T-shape barrier design. A 2D boundary element method (BEM) is used to predict the insertion loss of the tested barriers. The results of rigid and with a different sequence diffuser coverage are also predicted for comparison. Employing PRD on the top surface of T-shape barrier has been found to improve the performance of barriers in comparison with the use of rigid and QRD coverage at the examined receiver locations. It has been found that decreasing the design frequency of PRD shifts the frequency effects towards lower frequencies, and therefore the overall A-weighted insertion loss is improved. It was also found that using wire mesh with reasonably efficient resistivity on the top surface of PRD improves the efficiency of the reactive barriers; however utilizing wire meshes with flow resistivity higher than the specific acoustic impedance of air on the PRD top of a diffuser barrier significantly reduces the performance of the barrier within the frequency bandwidth of the diffuser. The performance of a PRD covered T-shape barrier at 200 Hz was found to be higher than that of its equivalent QRD barriers in both the far field and in areas close to the ground. The amount of improvement compared made by PRD barrier compared with its equivalent rigid barrier at far field is about 2 to 3 dB, while this improvement relative to the barrier model "QR4" can reach up to 4-6 dB.
An efficient system of micropropagation via somatic embryogenesis from root-derived callus was established in
Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.). Twenty-six callus lines were induced on MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962)
medium supplemented with combinations of NAA (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L) plus BA (0, 1 and 2 mg/L), or 2,4-D
(0, 0.1, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/L) plus TDZ (0, 1 and 2 mg/L). Subsequently, two types of somatic embryos were obtained
from callus cultures and named S-type and I-type embryos. The S-type embryos were obtained from an 18-monthold
callus line which was induced and maintained at 2 mg/L TDZ and 0.1 mg/L 2,4-D near the end of each period
of the subculture. These embryos have a developmental barrier, which did not pass through the torpedo stage
and could be overcome by a supplement of 2 or 5 mg/L BA. The I-type embryos were induced from 3-month-old
callus when transferred onto induction media, i.e., MS supplemented with TDZ (2 and 5 mg/L) plus 2,4-D (0 and
0.1 mg/L). The significantly highest response, i.e., 13.3 embryos per callus clump was obtained at 2 mg/L TDZ.
In this study, the results reveal that TDZ has a crucial effect on embryogenic callus induction, proliferation and
subsequent somatic embryogenesis.
High-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are considered as suitable components of future large-scale clean and efficient power generation systems. However, at its current stage of development some technical barriers exists which limit SOFC’s potential for rapid large-scale deployment. The present article aims at providing solutions to key technical barriers in SOFC technology. The focus is on the solutions addressing thermal resistance, fuel reforming, energy conversion efficiency, materials, design, and fuel utilisation issues.
The article presents the results of a detailed study of the geological structure of the Łeba Barrier in the Rąbka cross-section (Southern Baltic, Poland). The barrier separates Lake Łebsko from the Baltic. Five sedimentary complexes were distinguished there (M2-M6). The spatial variability of the grain-size distribution was examined and succession stages of the mollusc fauna occurring in the individual sedimentary complexes were distinguished. Radiocarbon dating was used to establish the age of the most important events during the process of formation of the barrier, which took place in the course of several relative sea-level changes. The first sedimentary complex (M2) at Rąbka is connected with the second ingression (i2) of the Baltic Sea (ca. 6,700-6,000 14C years BP), sea-level stabilization (6,000-5,500 14C years BP), and at last sea-level lowering (5,500-5,000 14C years BP) in the region of the Gardno-Łeba Coastal Plain. The sedimentary complex M3 developed in a lagoonal environment when the barrier was situated north of its present position (5,000-3,000 14C BP). The next lowering of the sea-level made the lagoon shallower and caused the emergence of small but already subaerial stretches of barrier land with a freshwater fauna in the north (4,880š40 14C BP). With the next ingression stage (i3), which took place between 4,500 and 3,000 BP, the barrier shifted to its present-day position and the lagoon changed into a freshwater lake. From 3,000 to 1,700 14C BP fossil soil and peats developed on the barrier surface as a result of another sea-level lowering. The last ingression stages (i4 and i5), younger than 1,700 BP, built up the barrier, practically in its today's location (sedimentary complexes M4 and M5). The youngest sedimentary complex (M-6) is represented by present-day beach sands.
In this work studies of barrier height local values are presented. Distribution of the gate-oxide EBG(x, y) and semiconductor-oxide EBS(x, y) barrier height local values have been determined using the photoelectric measurement methods. Two methods were used to obtain the local values of the barrier heights: modified Powell-Berglund method and modified Fowler method. Both methods were modified in such a way as to allow determination of the EBG(x, y) and EBS(x, y) distribution over the gate area using a focused UV light beam of a small diameter d = 0.3 mm. Measurements have been made on a series of Al-SiO2-Si(n+) MOS structures with semitransparent (tAl = 35 nm) square aluminum gate (1 x 1 mm2). It has been found that the EBG(x, y) distribution has a characteristic dome-like shape, with highest values at the center of the gate, lower at the gate edges and still lower at gate corners. On the contrary, the EBS(x, y) distribution is of a random character. Also, in this paper, both barrier height measurements have been compared with the photoelectric effective contact potential difference fMS(x, y) measurements. These results show good agreement between distribution of the barrier heights EBG(x, y) and EBS(x, y) measurements and independently determined shape of the effective contact potential difference fMS(x, y) distribution.
The main issue of this article are eco-bridges, pedestrian-friendly imaginary sites (enclave) of greenery in urban tissues. Discussed cases include the implementations of projects such as: the High Line in New York and the Garden Bridge in London. The main theme of the article is to compare the green bridges in the urban tissue embedded with “living root bridges”. The author of the article highlights the potential limits for “living root bridges” in the urban tissue, resulting from the climate, time of their creation and limits of urban space. She also notes the strong tendency to create green areas in the “concrete” urban structure, but also the use of artificial materials in tissue of “living root bridges”.
In the last two decades several new concepts of photodetectors to improve their performance have been proposed. New strategies are especially addressed to the group of so called high-operating-temperature detectors where - apart from increasing of operating temperature - both the size and power consumption reduction is expected. In this paper a new strategy in the photo-detector design is presented - the barrier detectors: CnBn; CnBnN+, CpBn and unipolar barrier photodiodes. In spite of considering barrier detectors based on AIIIBV bulk compounds and type-II superlattices as having theoretically a better performance than those based on HgCdTe, the latter compound is also used to fabricate barrier detectors. Among many new applications of barrier detectors the detection of explosives can be extremely important due to an increased threat of terrorist attacks. This paper presents the status of the barrier detectors and compares the performance of mid-wave HgCdTe barrier detectors and unipolar barrier photodiodes.
The presented work gives an overview on simulation and experimental results of the power supply parameters’ influence on DBD discharge uniformity. The proposed study is about the use of quasi-pulsed, power electronic power supply and a saturable inductor in series with the discharge cell [1]. The simulation results are presented with a parallel DBD reactor model with linear critical voltage distribution. A more uniform current waveform is observed, however, due to small reactor capacitances no streamer formation could be verified in calculations. An experimental test stand was prepared with a double dielectric barrier discharge arrangement. The experimental results are presented with regard to the electrical oscilloscope waveforms and ICCD camera imaging. A more homogenous plasma was observed in the case of saturable inductor with saturation current set at the point of discharge formation. Two possible mechanisms are connected with this phenomenon – inductive element current support during discharge and/or current rise-time limitation [1].
Return migration has been increasingly gaining prominence in migration research as well as in migration policies across the world. However, in some regions, such as the Caucasus, the phenomenon of return mi-gration is little explored despite its significance for the region. Based on 64 interviews with returnees and key informants together with additional online surveys with Armenian migrants, this study discusses im-portant issues about return and reintegration with policy implications. It covers voluntary returnees as well as the participants of the assisted voluntary return and reintegration programmes and presents the case for a multiplicity of the return migration motivations and experiences which are dependent on the return pre-paredness and the strategies which the returnees use.
One of the most effective designs to control the road traffic noise is the T-shaped barrier. The aim of this study was to examine the performance of T-shape noise barriers covered with oblique diffusers using boundary element method. A 2D simulation technique based on the boundary element method (BEM) was used to compute the insertion loss at the center frequency of each one-third octave band. In designed barriers, the top surface of the T-shaped noise barriers was covered with oblique diffusers. The width and height of the barrier stem and the width of its cap were 0.3, 2.7, and 1 m, respectively. Angles of he oblique diffusers were 15, 30, and 45 degrees. The oblique diffusers were placed on the top surface with two designs including same oblique diffusers (SOD) and quadratic residue oblique diffusers (QROD). Barriers considered were made of concrete, an acoustically rigid material. The barrier with characteristics of QROD, forward direction, and sequence of angles (15, 30, and 45 degrees) had the greatest value of the overall A-weighted insertion loss equal to 18.3 to 21.8 dBA at a distance of 20 m with various heights of 0 to 6 m.
Acoustic barriers which are positioned along traffic lanes are designed to protect the surroundings from excessive noise. Such structures are to reverberate, diffract and damp the propagating acoustic waves. However, this method of shielding has some disadvantages which include constraint visibility and structure-born noise. The interaction between traffic-caused movement of air mass and acoustic barriers may generate infra noise waves. That is undesirable and should be estimated. The authors undertook the research to diagnose the plausible side effect of structure-born noise of such barriers because it may influence human body (Kasprzak, 2014). As a mechanical structure, the acoustic barrier is characterized by mechanical parameters which, in the field of modal analysis, are made up of natural frequencies, damping factors and mode shapes. In this paper the authors investigated the acoustic pressure distribution in the neighborhood of a real acoustic barrier in the scope of infra noise propagation. The methods of modal analysis were used to identify natural frequencies of the barrier and dominating frequencies of propagating waves in the far field. The correlation between observed vibration and acoustic signals is presented.
The performance of HgCdTe barrier detectors with cut-off wavelengths up to 3.6 μm fabricated using metaloorganic chemi- cal vapour deposition operated at high temperatures is presented. The detectors’ architecture consists of four layers: cap contact, wide bandgap barrier, absorber and bottom contact layer. The structures were fabricated both with n- and p-type absorbing layers. In the paper, different design of cap-barrier structural unit (n-Bp′, n+-Bp′, p+-Bp) were analysed in terms of various electrical and optical properties of the detectors, such as dark current, current responsivity time constant and detectivity.
The devices with a p-type cap contact exhibit very low dark current densities in the range of (2÷3)×10-4 A/cm2 at 230 K and the maximum photoresponse of about 2 A/W in wide range of reverse bias voltage. The time constant of measured de- vices with n-type cap contact and p-type absorbing drops below 1 ns with reverse bias while the detectivity is at the level of 1010 cm ∙ Hz1/2/W.