Sharif Digital Repository

We employ the horizontal visibility algorithm to map the velocity and acceleration time series in turbulent flows with different Reynolds numbers, onto complex networks. The universal nature of velocity fluctuations in high Reynolds turbulent Helium flow is found to be inherited in the corresponding network topology. The degree distributions of the acceleration series are shown to have stretched exponential forms with the Reynolds number dependent fitting parameter. Furthermore, for acceleration time series, we find a transitional behavior in terms of the Reynolds number in all network features which is in agreement with recent empirical studies  

The present study investigates the turbulence characteristic of turbidity current experimentally. The three-dimensional Acoustic-Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) was used to measure the instantaneous velocity and characteristics of the turbulent flow. The experiments were conducted in a three-dimensional channel for different discharge flows, concentrations, and bed slopes. Results are expressed at various distances from the inlet, for all flow rates, slopes and concentrations as the distribution of turbulence energy, Reynolds stress and the turbulent intensity. It was concluded that the maximum turbulence intensity happens in both the interface and near the wall. Also, it was observed that the... 

Insulated rail joints (IRJs) are widely used in signaling and broken rail identification systems. Track deterioration adjacent to IRJ is frequent due to excessive dynamic forces generated at IRJs by the repetitive passage of the ongoing traffic. Hence, they exhibit low service life and are considered high-risk elements and maintained through high standards. With a view to increase operational speed and the annual operational throughput, many improved structural designs have been proposed, of which inclined IRJs are the focus of this paper. To compare noise, vibration, and adjacent sleepers' vertical displacement of square and 30° and 45° cut joints, a series of field tests have been carried... 

We have studied the effect of annealing temperature on the statistical properties of WO3 surface using atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques. We have applied both level crossing and structure function methods. Level crossing analysis indicates an optimum annealing temperature of around 400°C at which the effective area of the WO3 thin film is maximum, whereas the composition of the surface remains stoichiometric. The complexity of the height fluctuation of surfaces was characterized by roughness, the roughness exponent and the lateral size of surface features. We have found that there is a phase transition at around 400°C from one set to two sets of roughness parameters. This happens due... 

Dynamic behaviour of a trimaran vessel is investigated in this study. The body of the trimaran is composed of a centre hull with a quite slender wave piercing bow profile (a length-to-width ratio of 12.96) and two outriggers with Wigley mathematical body forms. Several seakeeping tests are conducted on the model of the trimaran vessel in a towing tank in order to study its heave and pitch motions at different Froude numbers of 0.2, 0.37, and 0.51. Generated waves in the towing tank are of regular type with the wave length changing from 0.6 m to 2.4 m by an increment of 0.3 m. Amplitude of the waves is equal to either 25 mm or 35 mm. A resonance peak can be detected on the curve of the heave... 

Due to substantial impacts of nanoparticles on mass and heat transfer, having knowledge about different types of nanoparticles can contribute to access high efficiencies. As an investigation, in the present study, a number of liquid-liquid extraction experiments were designed by the use of Taguchi design model in order to study the impacts of SiO2 and MgO nanoparticles on mass transfer, in the batch systems. Acetic acid was considered as solute in some organic phases (i.e., n-butanol, n-butyl acetate, toluene, and chloroform), and pure water was applied as solvent. Taguchi experiment design method made more precision and convenience in the work. Final results showed reduction of mass... 

We use multifractal detrended fluctuation analysis (MF-DFA) to study the electrical discharge current fluctuations in plasma and show that it has multifractal properties and behaves as a weak anti-correlated process. Comparison of the MF-DFA results for the original series with those for the shuffled and surrogate series shows that correlation of the fluctuations is responsible for the multifractal nature of the electrical discharge current. © 2009 IOP Publishing Ltd. and SISSA  

Two seemingly unrelated, but fundamental challenges in evolutionary theory, are the evolution of costly signals and costly cooperative traits, both expected to reduce an individual’s fitness and diminish by natural selection. Here, by considering a well mixed population of individuals who produce signals and decide on their strategies in a game they play, based on the signals, we show that costly signals and costly cooperative strategies can co-evolve as a result of internal dynamics of the system. Costly signals evolve, despite their apparent cost, due to a favorable cooperative response they elicit. This favorable strategic response can be quantified in a fitness term which governs the... 

Being able to track objects that surround us is key for planning actions in dynamic environments. However, rigorous cognitive models for tracking of one or more objects are currently lacking. In this study, we asked human subjects to judge the time to contact (TTC) a finish line for one or two objects that became invisible shortly after moving. We showed that the pattern of subject responses had an error variance best explained by an inverse Gaussian distribution and consistent with the output of a biased drift-diffusion model. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the pattern of errors made when tracking two objects showed a level of dependence that was consistent with subjects using a single... 

Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) should be able to respond to changing manufacturing requirements and environments. From the layout point of view, FMS need to be rearranged to fit the new requirements. However, rearranging the layout is often undesirable due to its unpredicted high costs and production disruption. This paper proposes a practical approach to mitigate the effects and repercussions of changing environments and avoid rearranging the layout. A robust layout approach is presented, where changes in product demand and mix are absorbed by altering product routes and not rearranging the layout. In this approach, the problem is decomposed into two sub-problems: sub-problem 1 (SP1)... 

Asphaltene precipitation and deposition is one of the main problems in some of the oil fields. The deposited asphaltene results in partial or total blockage of the wellstring and reducing or completely seizing oil production. Asphaltene deposition problems have been experienced in the field for a long time. Although, the asphaltene precipitation has been studied thoroughly and different parameters that effects this process has been investigated but little work has been carried out in the asphaltene deposition across the production system of flowing oil well. This paper introduces a new comprehensive model for description of asphaltene deposition behavior in wellstring. The mechanisms of... 

Ambient Intelligence environments detect and respond to users needs, actions, behaviors and feelings. In the presence of interaction conflicts, user trust plays an important role in accepting Ambient Intelligence environments for living, working, etc. In this paper, we propose a multimedia-supported virtual experiment for online user–system trust studies. We conduct web-based experiments to gather data from a large number of online participants. Subjects experience the environment through an intelligent environment web-based 3D simulator. Our proposed approach can be utilized to measure trust not only in the presence of interaction conflicts, but also in the presence of any other variability... 

Ambient Intelligence environments detect and respond to users needs, actions, behaviors and feelings. In the presence of interaction conflicts, user trust plays an important role in accepting Ambient Intelligence environments for living, working, etc. In this paper, we propose a multimedia-supported virtual experiment for online user–system trust studies. We conduct web-based experiments to gather data from a large number of online participants. Subjects experience the environment through an intelligent environment web-based 3D simulator. Our proposed approach can be utilized to measure trust not only in the presence of interaction conflicts, but also in the presence of any other variability... 

The hardness of the Ni-Cr alloy which is electrodeposited in chloride solution, is optimized by design of experiment method (central composite design). Various parameters were evaluated in order to find significant factors in this process. Frequency, duty cycle, current density and temperature were selected as effective factors. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed on the results of the designed experiments. The best model which can predict the hardness of the Ni-Cr alloy electrodeposits was found whereas the frequency and quadratic behaviour of the current density were the most significant model terms. Serious interaction of the current density with frequency and duty cycle also were... 

A new air shower experiment of the Alborz Observatory, Alborz-I, located at the Sharif University of Technology, Iran, will be constructed in near future. An area of about 30×40 m2 will be covered by 20 plastic scintillation detectors (each with an area of 50×50 cm2). A series of experiments have been performed to optimize the height of light enclosures of the detectors for this array and the results have been compared to an extended code simulation of these detectors. Operational parameters of the detector obtained by this code are cross checked by the Geant4 simulation. There is a good agreement between the extended-code and Geant4 simulations. We also present further discussions on the... 

The main objectives of this study are to determine the influence of crude oil type, salinity, temperature and pressure on the dynamic interfacial tension (DIFT) of crude oil based on the experiments and modeling approaches. DIFT is also modeled using dynamic adsorption models, mono-exponential decay model as well as empirical equations. The results showed that when temperature increases, unlike deionized water which inversion phase temperature was observed, the equilibrium IFT of crude oils/sea water increases due to reduction of surface excess concentration of natural surfactants at the fluid/fluid interface as a dominant mechanism  

The current study examines different arrangements of vortex tubes (VTs) to get higher performances for cooling and heating. The effects of thermo-physical parameters such as inlet feed temperature and inlet/outlet vortex tube pressure on generated temperature gradient are investigated. To estimate the cold outlet temperatures, the available equations in the literature are verified against our experimental data. Moreover, we propose a new equation to estimate the hot outlet temperature based on the upper limit of hot temperature (ULHT) and the lower limit of cold temperature (LLCT), verified with experimental data as well. Further, several arrangements are simulated to obtain the minimum cold...