Recycling automotive waste has increasingly become an alternative solution towards producing sustainable materials given the rising issue of raw material shortages and waste management challenges at global level. The improper end-of-life vehicle (ELV) waste management poses detrimental impacts on the environment. This paper proposes a novel method to develop thermal insulation sandwich panels using ELV waste, motivated by the critical needs of creating high-performance thermal insulation for buildings. Six sandwich panels (P1-P6) of different weight and ratio of shredded ELV particles were manufactured. The sandwich panels structure was made of three layers: a core, and a glass face sheet bonded to each side. The core structure composed of Polycarbonate (PC) from headlamp lenses and polyurethane (PU) from seat, bonded using resin casting approach. Thermal conductivity of the samples was measured using guarded hot-plate apparatus. Results corroborated that thermal conductivity of ELV-based sandwich panels reduced remarkably compared to panel without ELVs, recorded at 15.51% reduction. Composition gives the best thermal performance was made of mixed ELV core materials of ratio 50%PC:50%PU, it has a thermal conductivity value of 0.1776 W/mK. The transparency data were obtained using Haze-gard plus haze meter. The best luminous transmittance value was exhibited by P2 (100% PC), 67.47%. The best clarity value and haze value were shown by P6 (25% PC: 75% PU), 55.13% and 52.6% respectively. ELV waste can be recycled to develop useful sustainable thermal insulation to improve thermal and optical transparency performance of buildings as a substitute for conventional materials which have a relevance for future façade concepts.
Taxis, being a significant element of mobility, play a sufficiently great role in public transportation. However, the issues towards taxi services have gradually increaseddue tothe poor servicesgiven to passengers by taxi operators,leadingto the demand for otherride servicealternatives.With the developmentof technology, GrabCarwasdeveloped and launched asanonline taxi booking through smartphone application which can easily connectpassengers and drivers. The main purpose of this study is to find out the perception of taxi operators towards GrabCar service and vice versa sothatthere will be a clear point of view to identify opportunities andchallenges for taxi operators. Standardized open-endedinterviews were conducted with5taxi and 5 GrabCar operatorsin Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Nerus. Interview transcriptswere analyzed using content analysis. The findingsshowedthat there weremore challenges than opportunities for the taxi operators. This studycould help the government to improvetaxi services in general and GrabCar servicesin sharing economy.
The inhibitory activity of diflubenzuron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, on the ecdysis of Aedes sp. larvae was evaluated in earthen jars and automobile tires. Two formulations of diflubenzuron were used in this study: Dimilin(R) WP (wettable powder), 25% and Dimilin GR (granular), 2%. The equivalent rate of 25 g/ha, 50 g/ha and 100 g/ha active ingredients for both WP and GR formulations were used in this study. Generally, at the higher dosage of 100 g/ha, both formulations were more effective against Aedes mosquitoes. On the whole, the WP formulation appeared to perform better than the GR formulation in terms of residual activity.
Aging is attributed to both genetic and environmental factors. Occupational exposure is one of the environmental factors with potential genotoxic effects. Researchers try to determine factors involved in genetic damages at hazards exposure that could accelerate aging. Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) gene contributes in activation and detoxification of the environmental hazards. This polymorphism plays an important role in susceptibility of inter-individuals to DNA damage at the occupational exposure. The current study evaluated the possible influence of this gene polymorphism in aging by genomic damages through the biomarkers alterations of micronuclei (MN), comet tail length and telomere length shortening at the exposure. In this study, buccal cells were collected from the oral cavity of exposed workers and non-exposed controls. The CYP2E1 genotypes were detected by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). The wild genotype significantly affected MN frequency (p = 0.007) and relative telomere length (p = 0.047) in the older group of workers. It was concluded that the interaction of gene polymorphism and exposure enhances DNA damage and accelerates aging consequently.
The purpose of this study was to determine the indoor air quality (IAQ) status of an automotive assembly plant in Rawang, Selangor, Malaysia using selected IAQ parameters, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), temperature, relative humidity (RH) and respirable particulate matter (PM10). A cross-sectional study was conducted in the paint shop and body shop sections of the plant in March 2005. The Q-TRAK Plus IAQ Monitor was used to record the patterns of CO, CO2, RH and temperature; whilst PM10 was measured using DUSTTRAK Aerosol Monitor over an 8-hour time weight average (8-TWA). It was found that the average temperatures, RH and PM10 in the paint shop section and body shop sections exceeded the Department of Safety and Health (DOSH) standards. The average concentrations of RH and CO were slightly higher in the body shop section than in the paint shop section, while the average concentrations of temperature and CO2 were slightly higher in the paint shop section than in the body shop section. There was no difference in the average concentrations of PM10 between the two sections.
Thirty-two points in Kuala Lumpur were selected where traffic personnel were on duty. Sound level readings were taken three times a day. Generally, the traffic noise levels were between 75 dBA to 85 dBA. The maximum sound level recorded was 108.2 dBA. Noise emitted by traffic equipment and vehicles were up to 133 dBA. Results of audiometric tests revealed that out of 30 who were tested, 24 or 80% were positive for noise-induced hearing loss. A questionnaire survey revealed a lack of knowledge on occupational safety and personal protective equipment.
A survey was conducted in December 1995 to study car occupant restraint usage in Selangor. A total of 1082 car occupants were observed in 536 cars. The results of the study shows that only 57.3% of the car occupants observed were protected by any form of restraints. Most of the cars (99.8%) examined had front seat belts but only 44.2% had rear seat belts. Only 0.6% of the cars were found to have child restraints in the cars. 80.2% of drivers used restraints and only 65.4% of front seat passengers used any forms of restraints. In the case of the rear seat passengers, only 0.42% used an available restraint. More people in the urban areas (84.42%) than in the rural areas (66.51%) used seat belts. Usage of seat belts by car drivers influenced the use of seat belts by front seat passengers. Type of seat belts fitted was associated with usage rate. It is sad to note that 21.9% of the drivers used seat belts incorrectly.
The victim, a 63-year-old prosperous businessman from Labasa, of the Northern Island (Vanua Levu) of Fiji Islands, was found completely decapitated in the early hours of morning in 2004. Initial police investigation did not reveal any history of any medical or family calamity. Further inquiry by the police revealed that on the previous day the deceased had visited all his friends and relatives, and his behavior was not out of the ordinary. The police suspected it to be a case of homicide. On visit to the scene, a completely decapitated body was found in a van on a downhill road. Tire marks were found on the road. A nylon rope was used for ligature strangulation. At autopsy, the decapitation wound of the head and the torso articulated well. The face was congested, and there was tongue bite. Wound margins were clear-cut, with well-demarcated abrasion and multiple imprints of the nylon rope on the neck. The upper one third of the larynx was attached to the head. No other injuries were found on the body. From the findings, it was obvious that asphyxiation was involved in the death before decapitation.
A cross-sectional study to determine the pattern of craniomaxillofacial (CMF) injuries among children involved in road traffic crashes was performed. The association of protective equipment use with the CMF injuries was evaluated.
A comprehensive understanding of physiochemical properties, thermal degradation behavior and chemical composition is significant for biomass residues before their thermochemical conversion for energy production. In this investigation, teff straw (TS), coffee husk (CH), corn cob (CC), and sweet sorghum stalk (SSS) residues were characterized to assess their potential applications as value-added bioenergy and chemical products. The thermal degradation behavior of CC, CH, TS and SSS samples is calculated using four different heating rates. The activation energy values ranged from 81.919 to 262.238 and 85.737-212.349 kJ mol-1 and were generated by the KAS and FWO models and aided in understanding the biomass conversion process into bio-products. The cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents of CC, CH, TS, and SSS were found to be in the ranges of 31.56-41.15%, 23.9-32.02%, and 19.85-25.07%, respectively. The calorific values of the residues ranged from 17.3 to 19.7 MJ/kg, comparable to crude biomass. Scanning electron micrographs revealed agglomerated, irregular, and rough textures, with parallel lines providing nutrient and water transport pathways in all biomass samples. Energy Dispersive X-ray spectra and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated the presence of high carbonaceous material and crystalline nature. FTIR analysis identified prominent band peaks at specific wave numbers. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that these residues hold potential as energy sources for various applications, such as the textile, plastics, paints, automobile, and food additive industries.
A suitable and cost-effective microfabrication technique for processing aluminum micropart is required, as the choice
of aluminum microparts for aerospace, electronics and automobile components is preferred over other metals due to its
excellent properties. Meanwhile, powder injection molding (PIM) is identified as an economical manufacturing technique
for processing ceramic and micro-metal powders into microparts and or components. Therefore, this study investigates
formulation and processing of aluminum PIM feedstock using a custom-made machine. The investigation is focused on
the effect of mixing process parameters (powder loading, rotor speed and mixing temperature) and the suitability of
the backbone polymer. The formulated PIM feedstock constituents are paraffin wax (PW), stearic acid (SA), high-density
polyethylene (HDPE)/ medium-density polyethylene (MDPE) alternatively and aluminum micro-metal powder. Taguchi
method is used for the design of experiments (DOEs) and analysis. In addition, response surface methodology (RSM) is
employed to develop empirical viscosity models. The optimum powder-binder mixing ratio of 58:42 vol. % with rotor
speed of 43 rpm were determined for preparing aluminum PIM feedstock using mini-lab mixer developed. The empirical
model developed for aluminum PIM feedstock viscosity shows a good fit with R2
values of 0.84 using HDPE and 0.96 for
MDPE binder system. This investigation demonstrates preparation and suitability of aluminum PIM feedstock using waxbased
binder system.
The incorporation of kenaf fiber fillers into a polymer matrix has been pronounced in the past few decades. In this study, the effect of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with a short kenaf fiber (20 mesh) with polypropylene (PP) added was investigated. The melt blending process was performed using an internal mixer to produce polymer composites with different filler contents, while the suitability of this melt composite for the injection molding process was evaluated. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was carried out to investigate the thermal stability of the raw materials. Rheological analyses were conducted by varying the temperature, load factor, and filler content. The results demonstrate a non-Newtonian pseudoplastic behavior in all samples with changed kenaf fillers (10 to 40 wt %) and MWCNT contents (1 to 4 wt %), which confirm the suitability of the feedstock for the injection molding process. The addition of MWCNTs had an immense effect on the viscosity and an enormous reduction in the feedstock flow behavior. The main contribution of this work is the comprehensive observation of the rheological characteristics of newly produced short PP/kenaf composites that were altered after MWCNT additions. This study also presented an adverse effect on the composites containing MWCNTs, indicating a hydrophilic property with improved water absorption stability and the low flammability effect of PP/kenaf/MWCNT composites. This PP/kenaf/MWCNT green composite produced through the injection molding technique has great potential to be used as car components in the automotive industry.
Over the last decade, the progressive application of natural fibres in polymer composites has had a major effect in alleviating environmental impacts. Recently, there is a growing interest in the development of green materials in a woven form by utilising natural fibres from lignocellulosic materials for many applications such as structural, non-structural composites, household utilities, automobile parts, aerospace components, flooring, and ballistic materials. Woven materials are one of the most promising materials for substituting or hybridising with synthetic polymeric materials in the production of natural fibre polymer composites (NFPCs). These woven materials are flexible, able to be tailored to the specific needs and have better mechanical properties due to their weaving structures. Seeing that the potential advantages of woven materials in the fabrication of NFPC, this paper presents a detailed review of studies related to woven materials. A variety of factors that influence the properties of the resultant woven NFRC such as yarn characteristics, fabric properties as well as manufacturing parameters were discussed. Past and current research efforts on the development of woven NFPCs from various polymer matrices including polypropylene, polylactic acid, epoxy and polyester and the properties of the resultant composites were also compiled. Last but not least, the applications, challenges, and prospects in the field also were highlighted.
The application of natural fibers is rapidly growing in many sectors, such as construction, automobile, and furniture. Kenaf fiber (KF) is a natural fiber that is in demand owing to its eco-friendly and renewable nature. Nowadays, there are various new applications for kenaf, such as in absorbents and building materials. It also has commercial applications, such as in the automotive industry. Magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2) is used as a fire retardant as it is low in cost and has good flame retardancy, while polyester yarn (PET) has high tensile strength. The aim of this study was to determine the horizontal burning rate, tensile strength, and surface morphology of kenaf fiber/PET yarn reinforced epoxy fire retardant composites. The composites were prepared by hybridized epoxy and Mg(OH)2 PET with different amounts of KF content (0%, 20%, 35%, and 50%) using the cold press method. The specimen with 35% KF (epoxy/PET/KF-35) displayed better flammability properties and had the lowest average burning rate of 14.55 mm/min, while epoxy/PET/KF-50 with 50% KF had the highest tensile strength of all the samples. This was due to fewer defects being detected on the surface morphology of epoxy/PET/KF-35 compared to the other samples, which influenced the mechanical properties of the composites.
The topcoat color of motor vehicles offers vital information while investigating vehicular accidents, especially in instance of hit-and-run, since witnesses seldom perceive and retain the plate details. Differences in color perceptions among individuals with normal vision may lead to confusion in determining the color of the car involved. In this way, witnesses of crash accidents could potentially initiate flawed leads in forensic investigation, and thus affect the administration of justice. In this study, the inter-rater reliability of vehicle color determination by different volunteers was explored. Six individuals observed the topcoat colors of 500 stationary and 500 moving vehicles from five locations, employing a common system of color gradation. The outcome was binary: the vehicle color was either a "match" or "non-match". This was followed by statistical analysis in terms of the colors' frequencies and inter-rater reliability, based on which more suitable color descriptions were determined for subsequent comparisons of stationary and moving vehicles. Higher match frequencies and greater inter-rater reliability were observed when color gradations were disregarded. The frequency of correct matches could have been closely related to their relative on-the-road distribution, regardless of the statuses of observed vehicles. It was also found that black and white were associated with a greater number of matches than were intermediate colors, which should be carefully interpreted during forensic investigation to avoid wrong leads. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the forensic significance of vehicle topcoat color determination, particularly in cases where witness statements are crucial.
The electric vehicle (EV) is considered a premium solution to global warming and various types of pollution. Nonetheless, a key concern is the recharging of EV batteries. Therefore, this study proposes a novel approach that considers the costs of transportation loss, buildup, and substation energy loss and that incorporates harmonic power loss into optimal rapid charging station (RCS) planning. A novel optimization technique, called binary lightning search algorithm (BLSA), is proposed to solve the optimization problem. BLSA is also applied to a conventional RCS planning method. A comprehensive analysis is conducted to assess the performance of the two RCS planning methods by using the IEEE 34-bus test system as the power grid. The comparative studies show that the proposed BLSA is better than other optimization techniques. The daily total cost in RCS planning of the proposed method, including harmonic power loss, decreases by 10% compared with that of the conventional method.
The inerter is a two-terminal component that can be added to the spring-and-damper configuration of a suspension system. It has the property that the force exerted is proportional to the relative acceleration at its terminals. Studies have demonstrated the inerter's benefit of providing superior vibration isolation when it is used in the vehicle suspension of passenger cars. However, similar benefit on another common vehicle class on the roads, namely heavy vehicles, remain to be shown, as these vehicles have vastly different parameter values than passenger cars. This study is an investigation on the performance improvement brought by an inerter in the suspension of common heavy vehicles. In the study, the parameter values of a truck and a bus were adopted in the quarter vehicle model with two different spring-damper-inerter configurations (parallel and serial inerter), and the improvements in vibration isolation and road holding capability were determined by optimization of inertance. Results show that the inerter is similarly effective in providing the said improvements when implemented on heavy vehicles instead of on passenger cars, judging from reductions in sprung mass acceleration and dynamic tire load. It is also observed that the performance benefit is associated with larger optimum inertance than that for passenger cars. Overall, the inerter has been shown to be beneficial in the parallel and serial configurations, both of which are common and can be practically implemented in the suspension of heavy vehicles.
Recently, license plate detection has been used in many applications especially in transportation systems. Many methods have been proposed in order to detect license plates, but most of them work under restricted conditions such as fixed illumination, stationary background, and high resolution images. License plate detection plays an important role in car license plate recognition systems because it affects the accuracy and processing time of the system. This work aims to build a Car License Plate Detection (CLPD) system at a lower cost of its hardware devices and with less complexity of algorithms’ design, and then compare its performance with the local CAR Plate Extraction Technology (CARPET). As Malaysian plates have special design and they differ from other international plates, this work tries to compare two likely-design methods. The images are taken using a web camera for both the systems. One of the most important contributions in this paper is that the proposed CLPD method uses Vertical Edge Detection Algorithm (VEDA) to extract the vertical edges of plates. The proposed CLPD method can work to detect the region of car license plates. The method shows the total time of processing one 352x288 image is 47.7 ms, and it meets the requirement of real time processing. Under the experiment datasets, which were taken from real scenes, 579 out of 643 images were successfully detected. Meanwhile, the average accuracy of locating car license plate was 90%. In this work, a comparison between CARPET and the proposed CLPD method for the same tested images was done in terms of detection rate and efficiency. The results indicated that the detection rate was 92% and 84% for the CLPD method and CARPET, respectively. The results also showed that the CLPD method could work using dark images to detect license plates, whereas CARPET had failed to do so.
Space weather forecasting and its importance for the power and communication industry have inspired research related to TEC forecasting lately. Research has attempted to establish an empirical model approach for TEC prediction. In this paper, artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been applied in total electron content using GPS Ionospheric Scintillation and TEC Monitor (GISTM) data from UKM Station. The TEC prediction will be useful in improving the quality of current GNSS applications, such as in automobiles, road mapping, location-based advertising, personal navigation or logistics. Hence, a neural network model was designed with relevant features and customised parameters. Various types of input data and data representations from the ionospheric activity were used for the chosen network structure, which was a three-layer perceptron trained by feed forward back propagation method and tested on the chosen test data. We found that the optimum RMSE occurred with 10 nodes as the best NN for GISTM UKM station for the studied period with RMSE 1.3457 TECU. An analysis was made to compare the TEC from the measured TEC with neural network prediction and from IRI-corr model. The results showed that the NN model forecast the TEC values close to the measured TEC values with 9.96% of relative error. Thus, the forecasting of total electron content has the potential to be implemented successfully with larger data set from multi-centred environment.