Mohammad Golam Ali, Rasheeduzzafar and Fahd H. Dakhil
Damage due to corrosion of reinforcing steel has been established as the main cause of deterioration of concrete structures. In the United States alone, corosion damage to bridge…
Abstract
Damage due to corrosion of reinforcing steel has been established as the main cause of deterioration of concrete structures. In the United States alone, corosion damage to bridge decks and support structures has been estimated between $165 and $500 million annually. In the Arabian Gulf, severe corrosion conditions exist: high salt content in water and aggregates used in concrete and also high salt content in the atmosphere causing serious corrosion in reinforced concrete structures. For this region, the cost of damage has not been fully estimated but must run into hundreds of millions of dollars. Cathodic protection may be thought of as the ultimate solution to the problem of corrosion in this region.
Concrete durability has now become a subject of considerable world‐wide concern and study. Many statements have been published outlining the magnitude and cost to society of the…
Abstract
Concrete durability has now become a subject of considerable world‐wide concern and study. Many statements have been published outlining the magnitude and cost to society of the problem of premature deterioration of reinforced concrete structures. In the majority of cases, steel reinforcement corrosion has been determined to be the root cause of the problem. A number of individual causes exist, however the principal agents are carbonation and chloride contamination.
The area of risk assessment of suicide in prisons is addressed. The role of mental disorder, anger and violence are considered. A theoretical model of suicidal behaviour is…
Abstract
The area of risk assessment of suicide in prisons is addressed. The role of mental disorder, anger and violence are considered. A theoretical model of suicidal behaviour is presented. The value of such models, as a means of integrating research data into evidence‐based practice is reviewed.
Kazimierz Darowicki and Juliusz Orlikowski
The basic characteristics of a cathodic protection system, using cable anodes, have been reviewed. Cable anodes differ from typical anode systems because of the anode installation…
Abstract
The basic characteristics of a cathodic protection system, using cable anodes, have been reviewed. Cable anodes differ from typical anode systems because of the anode installation method. An anode system based on cable anodes is not installed in point locations; the anode is located at a small distance from the protected structure and runs in parallel along the route of the structure to be protected. An elastic conducting composite of very good mechanical properties is used as the anode material. This solution can result in a reduction in operating costs, and the avoidance of under‐protected and over‐protected zones, or protective current interference, on other structures.
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A.D. Beardsworth and E.T. Keil
The main findings of a detailed qualitative study of themotivations, beliefs and attitudes of practising vegetarians and vegansare reported. It is concluded that vegetarianism…
Abstract
The main findings of a detailed qualitative study of the motivations, beliefs and attitudes of practising vegetarians and vegans are reported. It is concluded that vegetarianism, while remaining very much a minority option, is increasing steadily in the UK population, although the rate of increase appears to vary by such factors as age, gender and socio‐economic category. Those who opt for a non‐meat‐eating dietary pattern may well represent the vanguard of a form of ethical consumerism to which food producers, processors and retailers will need to be increasingly responsive in the near future.
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Wonjoon Kim, Byungki Jin, Sanghyun Choo, Chang S. Nam and Myung Hwan Yun
Sitting in a chair is a typical act of modern people. Prolonged sitting and sitting with improper postures can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. Thus, there is a need for a…
Abstract
Purpose
Sitting in a chair is a typical act of modern people. Prolonged sitting and sitting with improper postures can lead to musculoskeletal disorders. Thus, there is a need for a sitting posture classification monitoring system that can predict a sitting posture. The purpose of this paper is to develop a system for classifying children’s sitting postures for the formation of correct postural habits.
Design/methodology/approach
For the data analysis, a pressure sensor of film type was installed on the seat of the chair, and image data of the postu.re were collected. A total of 26 children participated in the experiment and collected image data for a total of seven postures. The authors used convolutional neural networks (CNN) algorithm consisting of seven layers. In addition, to compare the accuracy of classification, artificial neural networks (ANN) technique, one of the machine learning techniques, was used.
Findings
The CNN algorithm was used for the sitting position classification and the average accuracy obtained by tenfold cross validation was 97.5 percent. The authors confirmed that classification accuracy through CNN algorithm is superior to conventional machine learning algorithms such as ANN and DNN. Through this study, we confirmed the applicability of the CNN-based algorithm that can be applied to the smart chair to support the correct posture in children.
Originality/value
This study successfully performed the posture classification of children using CNN technique, which has not been used in related studies. In addition, by focusing on children, we have expanded the scope of the related research area and expected to contribute to the early postural habits of children.
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Nandish V. Patel, Tillal Eldabi and Tariq M. Khan
The purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing artificial complex adaptive systems, like information systems and organisations, by developing a proof‐of‐concept…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the problem of designing artificial complex adaptive systems, like information systems and organisations, by developing a proof‐of‐concept conceptual proto‐agent model.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper develops an exploratory proto‐agent model and evaluates its suitability for implementation as agent‐based simulation.
Findings
The paper focuses on understanding the effect of emergence when designing artificial complex adaptive systems and produces a proto‐agent model that identified agents and their behavioural rules for modelling.
Practical implications
In deferred action, agents act in emergent organisation to achieve predetermined goals. Since emergence cannot be predicted, information systems and organisation design approaches that cater for emergent organisation are required.
Originality/value
The deferred action construct is a synthesis of planned approaches and contingency approaches to design information systems. It recognises the effect of emergence on information systems.
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Pimlapas Pongsakornrungsilp and Siwarit Pongsakornrungsilp
This research aims to demonstrate how the circular economy is employed to drive the sustainability of the tourism industry in Krabi, Thailand, through the concept of mindful…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to demonstrate how the circular economy is employed to drive the sustainability of the tourism industry in Krabi, Thailand, through the concept of mindful consumption and service-dominant logic (hereafter S-D logic).
Design/methodology/approach
A seven-year longitudinal study (2013–2020) was conducted through four studies from different perspectives, including macro, meso and micro levels of development in Krabi province.
Findings
Krabi tourism stakeholders have collaborated to co-create green culture and behavior whereby the value network among stakeholders plays an important role in driving the circular economy in practice.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides an understanding of how the circular economy society has been co-created. However, further research should be conducted in other tourism cities by focusing on the key success factors that drive the circular economy.
Originality/value
The longitudinal study with multi-perspective micro, macro and meso levels of development in this study has shed the light on how the circular economy (CE) policy can be turned into practice.
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Lerato Aghimien, Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa and Douglas Aghimien
The workforce management model conceptualised for the effective management of the construction workforce was subjected to expert scrutiny to determine the suitability and…
Abstract
The workforce management model conceptualised for the effective management of the construction workforce was subjected to expert scrutiny to determine the suitability and applicability of the identified practices and their attributed variables to the construction industry. In achieving this, a Delphi approach was adopted using experts from construction organisations in South Africa. These experts comprised workforce management personnel and construction professionals in senior management positions. The data were analysed using appropriate statistical tools such as interquartile deviation, Kendell’s coefficient of concordance, and chi square to determine consensus among these experts. After a two-round Delphi, the seven constructs proposed in the conceptualised workforce management model were adjudged to be important and worthy of adoption by construction organisations seeking to improve workforce management in the current fourth industrial revolution era.
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Private label brands have achieved double-digit growth in the Thai market. To expand market share, private label brands need to identify clearly what triggers consumer purchases…
Abstract
Purpose
Private label brands have achieved double-digit growth in the Thai market. To expand market share, private label brands need to identify clearly what triggers consumer purchases. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumer decision-making styles and actual purchases of private label products in a Thai market context, using price consciousness, quality consciousness, brand consciousness, value consciousness, and risk perception as factors for investigation.
Design/methodology/approach
Responses from a total of 240 respondents from four product categories were collected through mall intercepts in five hypermarkets and supermarkets in Bangkok, and a regression-based model was employed to identify the associations.
Findings
The results indicate a significant relationship between price-conscious and brand-conscious consumers, and private label purchases and show that the relationship between quality-conscious, value-conscious, and risk-adverse consumers and private label purchases is insignificant. It concludes that price-conscious consumers are the ones most likely to purchase private label products in low-differentiation categories. An opposite relationship prevails for consumers who are brand conscious in low-differentiation, high-risk, and low-risk categories.
Research limitations/implications
The outcomes of this research suggest that private label brands should maintain a low-price strategy while striving for continuous improvement in quality to capture additional quality- and value-conscious consumers. It also suggests that national brands invest in brand-building strategies rather than competing on price.
Originality/value
This study enhances an understanding of consumer decision-making characteristics for actual private label purchases rather than the intention to purchase and is useful in suggesting an alternative to socio-economic factors as a method of identifying private label purchasers.