This book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date account of management ideas and practices, focusing on the human relations side of construction management. Easily accessible and suitable for use within the classroom or in distance learning situations, it discusses a range of themes and trends covering evidence based management practices in the construction industry. A variety of learning elements will be included, such as case studies, projects, and review questions, fully supported by interactive web based material including multiple choice questions, exercises, annotated links to other relevant web sites and an online glossary to explain key terms. Each chapter will also contain annotated further reading, chapter summaries and outline summaries of relevant legislation within the construction industry.
In contrast to the linear «take-make-dispose» model of resource consumption, a new industrial model is proposed in the form of a circular economy. This model aims to optimize the use of resources and to reduce or eliminate waste, and is based on re-use, repair, ecodesign, industrial ecology, sustainable supply and responsible consumption. Industrial ecology and short supply chains can contribute – particularly on a territorial scale – to the emergence of a real sustainable development. This book develops these concepts and presents experiments that are taking place in France and other countries, in addition to an integrated model which details the mechanisms through which industrial ecology and short supply chains can generate economic, social and environmental profits. The possible issues and obstacles facing these new practices are also analyzed, in order to develop the outline of an adapted management and governance which will enable them to be fully realized.
Offers an overview of state of the art passive macromodeling techniques with an emphasis on black-box approaches This book offers coverage of developments in linear macromodeling, with a focus on effective, proven methods. After starting with a definition of the fundamental properties that must characterize models of physical systems, the authors discuss several prominent passive macromodeling algorithms for lumped and distributed systems and compare them under accuracy, efficiency, and robustness standpoints. The book includes chapters with standard background material (such as linear time-invariant circuits and systems, basic discretization of field equations, state-space systems), as well as appendices collecting basic facts from linear algebra, optimization templates, and signals and transforms. The text also covers more technical and advanced topics, intended for the specialist, which may be skipped at first reading. Provides coverage of black-box passive macromodeling, an approach developed by the authors Elaborates on main concepts and results in a mathematically precise way using easy-to-understand language Illustrates macromodeling concepts through dedicated examples Includes a comprehensive set of end-of-chapter problems and exercises Passive Macromodeling: Theory and Applications serves as a reference for senior or graduate level courses in electrical engineering programs, and to engineers in the fields of numerical modeling, simulation, design, and optimization of electrical/electronic systems. Stefano Grivet-Talocia, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Circuit Theory at the Politecnico di Torino in Turin, Italy, and President of IdemWorks. Dr. Grivet-Talocia is author of over 150 technical papers published in international journals and conference proceedings. He invented several algorithms in the area of passive macromodeling, making them available through IdemWorks. Bjørn Gustavsen, PhD, is a Chief Research Scientist in Energy Systems at SINTEF Energy Research in Trondheim, Norway. More than ten years ago, Dr. Gustavsen developed the original version of the vector fitting method with Prof. Semlyen at the University of Toronto. The vector fitting method is one of the most widespread approaches for model extraction. Dr. Gustavsen is also an IEEE fellow.
The fabrication of MEMS has been predominately achieved by etching the polysilicon material. However, new materials are in large demands that could overcome the hurdles in fabrication or manufacturing process. Although, an enormous amount of work being accomplished in the area, most of the information is treated as confidential or privileged. It is extremely hard to find the meaningful information for the new or related developments. This book is collection of chapters written by experts in MEMS and NEMS technology. Chapters are contributed on the development of new MEMS and NEMS materials as well as on the properties of these devices. Important properties such as residual stresses and buckling behavior in the devices are discussed as separate chapters. Various models have been included in the chapters that studies the mode and mechanism of failure of the MEMS and NEMS. This book is meant for the graduate students, research scholars and engineers who are involved in the research and developments of advanced MEMS and NEMS for a wide variety of applications. Critical information has been included for the readers that will help them in gaining precise control over dimensional stability, quality, reliability, productivity and maintenance in MEMS and NEMS. No such book is available in the market that addresses the developments and failures in these advanced devices.
Addressing a cutting-edge, multidisciplinary field, this book reviews nanomaterials and their biomedical applications. It covers regeneration, implants, adhesives, and biosensors and strategies for more efficient therapy, diagnosis, and drug delivery with the use of nanotechnology. • Addresses the increasing demand for nanomedicine in a cutting-edge, multidisciplinary field • Introduces concepts, strategies, and requirements of developing materials • Discusses hot topics in drug delivery, such as neural regeneration, cartilage regeneration, bone tissue regeneration, dental regeneration, biomedical imaging, tissue adhesives and biosensors • Includes a chapter about nanotoxicology to help readers further understand the biocompatability of nanomaterials
There has been a continual expansion in aquaculture, such that total production is fast approaching that of wild-caught fisheries. Yet the expansion is marred by continued problems of disease. New pathogens emerge, and others become associated with new conditions. Some of these pathogens become well established, and develop into major killers of aquatic species. Diagnosis and Control of Diseases of Fish and Shellfish focuses on the diagnosis and control of diseases of fish and shellfish, notably those affecting aquaculture. Divided into 12 chapters, the book discusses the range of bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens, their trends, emerging problems, and the relative significance to aquaculture. Developments in diagnostics and disease management, including the widespread use of serological and molecular methods, are presented. Application/dose and mode of action of prebiotics, probiotics and medicinal plant products used to control disease are examined, as well as the management and hygiene precautions that can be taken to prevent/control the spread of disease. This book will be a valuable resource for researchers, students, diagnosticians, veterinarians, fish pathologists and microbiologists concerned with the management of diseases of fish and shellfish.
Comprehensive and timely, Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms: Technology and Applications provides the most up to date information on the various edible mushrooms on the market. Compiling knowledge on their production, application and nutritional effects, chapters are dedicated to the cultivation of major species such as Agaricus bisporus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Agaricus subrufescens, Lentinula edodes, Ganoderma lucidum and others. With contributions from top researchers from around the world, topics covered include: Biodiversity and biotechnological applications Cultivation technologies Control of pests and diseases Current market overview Bioactive mechanisms of mushrooms Medicinal and nutritional properties Extensively illustrated with over 200 images, this is the perfect resource for researchers and professionals in the mushroom industry, food scientists and nutritionists, as well as academics and students of biology, agronomy, nutrition and medicine.
This book presents a comparison of solar cell materials, including both new materials based on organics, nanostructures and novel inorganics and developments in more traditional photovoltaic materials. It surveys the materials and materials trends in the field including third generation solar cells (multiple energy level cells, thermal approaches and the modification of the solar spectrum) with an eye firmly on low costs, energy efficiency and the use of abundant non-toxic materials.
This book gives new insight on plate models in the linear elasticity framework tacking into account heterogeneities and thickness effects. It is targeted to graduate students how want to discover plate models but deals also with latest developments on higher order models. Plates models are both an ancient matter and a still active field of research. First attempts date back to the beginning of the 19th century with Sophie Germain. Very efficient models have been suggested for homogeneous and isotropic plates by Love (1888) for thin plates and Reissner (1945) for thick plates. However, the extension of such models to more general situations –such as laminated plates with highly anisotropic layers– and periodic plates –such as honeycomb sandwich panels– raised a number of difficulties. An extremely wide literature is accessible on these questions, from very simplistic approaches, which are very limited, to extremely elaborated mathematical theories, which might refrain the beginner. Starting from continuum mechanics concepts, this book introduces plate models of progressive complexity and tackles rigorously the influence of the thickness of the plate and of the heterogeneity. It provides also latest research results. The major part of the book deals with a new theory which is the extension to general situations of the well established Reissner-Mindlin theory. These results are completely new and give a new insight to some aspects of plate theories which were controversial till recently.
This book will focus on lignocellulosic fibres as a raw material for several applications. It will start with wood chemistry and morphology. Then, some fibre isolation processes will be given, before moving to composites, panel and paper manufacturing, characterization and aging.