Internet of Things for Future Smart City Using 5G Networks

The future of cities lies in blending new technologies with existing infrastructure to tackle tangible, pressing issues such as environmental sustainability and economic opportunities. The enormous pressure towards efficient city initiatives by both government and private sector businesses to invest in Information and Communication Technologies to find sustainable solutions to diverse opportunities and challenges (e.g., waste management). Future smart cities are the key to fulfill the ever growing demands of citizens. Successful smart cities will build a strong, flexible, digital infrastructure that integrates new technology into existing structures. The main goal of a smart city is to optimize city functions and promote economic growth while also improving the quality of life for citizens by using smart technologies and data analysis. According to a new report from @NavigantRSRCH, there are more than 250 smart city projects from178 cities around the world, and the majority focus on government and energy, initiatives, followed by transportation. Keywords: 5G network, Internet of things (IOT), Smart Waste Management System, Safety and Security, Sustainable

A New Method to Determine the Steel Fibre Content of Existing Structures—Test Setup and Numerical Simulation

The diagnostics of constructions built with steel fibre reinforced concrete are extremely difficult to conduct because, typically, no information on the actual amount and orientation of the fibres is available. Therefore, it is of great interest to engineers to have the possibility to determine the steel fibre content and, at best, also the orientation of the fibres in existing structures. For this purpose, an easy-to-use test setup was developed and tested, in the course of laboratory investigations. This method can be used for cylinders, for example drilling cores, that can later be taken of existing structures, to determine both the fibre content and orientation. Based on these results, a model for cylindrical specimens was derived, which can be used for varying concrete compositions with steel fibre contents of up to 80 kg/m3. In the case of missing information concerning the concrete composition, it allows an initial estimation for the fibre content. In case additional information about the concrete composition is available, a much higher accuracy of the projected steel fibre content and therefore, an assessment of the building’s condition is possible.

A New Method to Determine the Steel Fibre Content of Existing Structures—Evaluation and Validation

The in-situ measurement of the content and orientation of steel fibres in concrete structures is of great importance for the assessment of their specific mechanical properties, especially in the case of repair. For existing structures, the actual fibre content as well as the orientation of the fibres, which is based on many factors such as casting or compacting direction, is typically unknown. For structural maintenance or rehabilitation, those factors have to be determined in order to apply meaningful structural design calculations and plan necessary strengthening methods. For this reason, a new method based on the analysis of drilling cores of concrete structures has been established. The newly developed non-destructive test setup used in this research consists of a framework for cylindrical specimens in combination with an LCR meter to determine the electrical resistance of the fibre reinforced concrete. In combination with a suitable FEM model, concretes with fibre contents up 80 kg/m3 were analysed to derive a first model to assess the actual fibre content of steel fibre reinforced concretes. After a calibration of the literature’s equation by use of an adjusted aspect ratio for the analysis of drilling cores, the estimation of the fibre content is possible with high accuracy for the tested material combination. The results show that the newly developed test method is suitable for the rapid and non-destructive structural diagnosis of the fibre content of steel fibre reinforced concrete based on drilling cores using electrical resistivity measurements.

A Social Justice Approach to Developing Equity and Diversity in Gifted Programming

This chapter encourages educators to expand boundaries and build new, innovative approaches to increasing equity and diversity in gifted programming. Using a social justice approach to gifted programming, the authors describe methods for overcoming barriers that have historically, and continue, to suppress access to appropriate services for underserved populations in gifted education. This chapter provides an impetus for educators to reflect on ways to build upon and improve existing structures to adopt and adapt practices that embrace an inclusive approach to gifted identification and programming.

Micro Credentialing in the Landscape of Higher Education

Focusing on micro credentials, which are shorter, industry-specific courses designed to demonstrate competencies in a specific skillset, this chapter aims to contribute by analyzing and assessing the use of micro credentialing in the higher educational landscape. The chapter will begin with an overview of micro course, focusing on their history and current use in higher educational institutions. Next, the chapter will assess the strengths, limitations, and impacts of micro courses. Finally, the chapter will conclude with a reflection on the lessons universities can learn from the existing structures of micro course programing with the aim of providing administrators, instructors, and educators insights into the impacts these courses could have on broader continuing education programs.

Composite materials based on natural fibres applied for structural reinforcement

Environmental problems and environmental protection triggered a rapid development of natural fibres as sustainable materials for the reinforcement of reinforced concrete structures. Synthetic fibre polymer composite materials have been widely accepted by the construction industries as an effective external reinforcement material to rehabilitate deficiencies in existing structures. These materials have exceptional performance such as high strength to weight ratio, corrosion resistance and lightness. However, the disadvantages include high costs during manufacturing and end-of-life services, less environmentally friendly and causing adverse effects on human health. This article presents an experimental program on the use of natural fibres as reinforcement in composite materials for structural strengthening. Different types of natural fibre fabrics (hemp, flax, mixed hemp and cotton) in terms of their mechanical properties were studied. The fibre and fibre fabric sheets were tested in tension test and compared with carbon and glass fibre fabric sheet as reference. So, this study carries out the effect of natural hemp and flax fibre fabric thickness on ultimate loads of specimens. In addition, the ultimate load and stiffness of strengthened beams were investigated. In fact, the results show that the reinforcement technique allows to increase the load-bearing of strengthened structure by 8% to 35% in bending tests.

Gender Awareness and Women Managers in Tourism

The purpose of this chapter is to reveal women top-level managers' gender awareness in relation to two aspects: 1) perceptions of discrimination and 2) views of what could be done towards gender equality (by the state, organizations, and women themselves), so that more women can advance their careers. Women top-level managers in the Portuguese tourism sector were interviewed. The interview data suggests that discrimination might still be pervasive in the Portuguese tourism industry. However, many women do not perceive it as “real” discrimination and have contradictory discourses about it. Informants were also asked what could be done so that more women advance in their careers. They place the solution to the problem of gender equality mostly in women's hands. While some of the strategies proposed by women confront the gender order, others align with the status quo by ensuring that women “fit in” without challenging existing structures.