abstract Modelling and prediction of wind speed are essential prerequisites in the sitting and sizing of wind power applications. The profile of wind speed in Nigeria is modelled using artificial neural network (ANN). The ANN model consists of 3-layered, feed-forward, back-propagation network with different configurations, designed using the Neural Toolbox for MATLAB. The monthly mean daily wind speed data monitored at 10 m above ground level for a period of 20 years (1983–2003) for 28 grou...
ABSTRACT Boundaries of six selected countries one from each continent were studied, using fractal dimension technique. The Area – Perimeter relation method was used, where land area covered and boundary length of designated countries were measured in the unit of known box size (Box counting). The loglog plots of these variables were obtained and the slopes were measured as the required dimensions. Fractal dimensions determined lie between 1.19 and 1.55. The scale size of the maps, and the n...
ABSTRACT Engineering research is a sine-qua-non for development of new products, new production processes, hence production lines in the quest for self reliance in any economy. Modeling and simulation is a veritable tool for such research and development. This paper presents the multifaceted use of modeling and simulation as decision tools for engineering facet of an economy drawing examples from two different engineering disciplines- Metallurgical and Civil.
ABSTRACT In this study, the short-term load pattern for the University of Ibadan was investigated and a multilayered feed-forward artificial neural networks (ANN) model was developed to forecast the time series half-hourly load pattern of the system using the load data for a period of 5 years (2000 to 2004). The study showed that the mean half hourly load for the period of study ranged between 1.3 and 2.2 MW, and the coefficient of determination (R2 -values) of the ANN predicted and the measu...
ABSTRACT Commercial act~vated carbons are produced from bituminous and lignite coal. The environmental impacts and potentially increasing cost of coal has encouraged the search for other alternatives in agricultural wastes. The objectives of this study were to develop process flow diagrams for the large scale production of activated carbon from three agricultural wastes namely: coconut shells, oil-palm shells, and sugarcane bagasse as well as carrying out an economic evaluation to estimate th...
ABSTRACT This study explores the potentiality of decimal digits distribution to differentiate between chaotic and random numbers. Ten thousand (10000) random and chaotic numbers each were generated using computer inbuilt random number generator and Logistic equation respectively. The random and chaotic numbers were obtained using FORTRAN codes. Logistic equation was solved for only parameters (Ks7) known to exhibit chaotic behaviour with initial value of 0.3 for all cases. Graphs of decimal d...
Abstract A simulation study of the effect of shear stresses in non-reinforced and reinforced structures was carried in this work. Using the Finite Element Method and equations of elasticity, columns and concrete deck of a simple storey structure were subjected to plane strain conditions. The results showed that proper reinforcement causes stresses to be directed into the reinforcements with the resultant shear stresses in the steel reinforcements far below the yield stresses of the steels. In...
ABSTRACT Modeled grain structures of normalized carbon steels using voronoi tessellation is reported in this work. Three stages of programming were used in modeling the microstructures. The first stage was iteration of the voronoi cells in order to obtain equivalent grain size with experimental specimens. In the second stage, the pearlite phase was introduced using the lever rule represented by a plot of random points. The third layer was modeled to reveal the grain boundaries of the carbon s...
ABSTRACT Runge-Kutta scheme is one of the versatile numerical tools for the simulation of engineering systems. Despite its wide and acceptable engineering use, there is dearth of relevant literature bordering on visual impression possibility among different schemes coefficients which is the strong motivation for the present investigation of the third and fourth order schemes. The present study capitalise on results of tedious computation involving Taylor series expansion equivalent supplement...
Abstract- This study investigated the parameters space of simple and familiar quadratic equation often encounter in science based disciplines and in particular engineering. The aim is strange images creation to excite and launch novices to quest for general understanding of fractal taking parallel clue from Julia and Mandelbrot sets creation using the iterative mechanism of complex quadratic mapping. Preliminary computation of a Julia and Mandelbrot sets was performed on a square complex plan...
Abstract This research work investigated the modeling of Von Mises stress in LNG Spherical Carbon Steel Storage tank using assumed displacement Finite Element analysis based on shallow shell triangular elements. Using equations of elasticity, constant thickness carbon steel spherical storage tanks were subjected to different loading conditions. This paper stresses the need for proper definition of shallow element using sector angles to obtain the shallowness. The shallow spherical triangular ...
Abstract This research work investigated the corrosion resistance of nickel plated low carbon steel in tomato fluid. It simulated the effect of continuous use of the material in a tomato environment where corrosion products are left in place. Low carbon steel samples were nickel electroplated at 4V for 20, 25, 30 and 35 mins using Watts solution.The plated samples were then subjected to tomato fluid environment for for 30 days. The electrode potentials mV (SCE) were measured every day. Weight...
ABSTRACT The main objective of this study is to investigate the corrosion resistance characteristics of electroplated Medium Carbon Steel (MCS) in 0.5mol/dm3 Sodium Carbonate environment. Nickel plating of MCS was done in watts solution for 25 minutes with a current density of 3 A/dm3 at 60oC. The nickel plated MCS was later gold plated for 20 minutes with a current density of 0.2 A/dm3 at 50oC . The plated and unplated MCS were exposed to sodium carbonate environment for 360 hours. The weigh...
Abstract The prevailing wind speed and direction in an environment are critical factors in farmstead planning as they influence the appropriate location and orientation of structures in order to reduce wind load impact and promote a healthy environment. The failure of farm structures especially with roof blown-off arising from wind load has become rampant in Ibadan environ in recent time and an urgent solution is desirable. In this work, an attempt is made to develop a wind rosette for Ibadan...
Abstract This study investigated the corrosion resistance of plated and unplated steels useful as ornamentals in saline environment. Nickel plating of carbon steel was done in watts solution for 25minutes with a current density of 3 Adm-3 at 60o C. The nickel plated carbon steel was later gold plated for 20 minutes with a current density of 0.2 Adm-3 at 50o C . The plated and unplated carbon steels were immersed in saline environment for 360 hours. Weight loss was taken every 24 hours in orde...