Yaxin Ma, Hong Zhang, Yifei Gao, Zhengxing Men, Ling He and Jianguo Cao
This paper aims to investigate the reason for natural gas leakage from transmission pipelines between Linyi and Shouguang in China during sealing tests, explore the failure…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the reason for natural gas leakage from transmission pipelines between Linyi and Shouguang in China during sealing tests, explore the failure mechanism and provide a reference for taking reasonable measures to prevent such accidents.
Design/methodology/approach
Failure analysis for the steel pipe has been addressed with different methods, such as microstructure analysis, inclusion analysis, corrosion product analysis, macro- and micro-morphology analyses and bacterially catalyzed experiments.
Findings
Several bulges were observed, especially at the bottom of the steel pipe sample, with the distribution and positioning not related to the weld. The inner surface of the steel pipe was severely corroded, and the oxide scale was flaking in many places. The greatest corrosion area was identified at the bottom of the steel pipe near the gas leakage point. Severe pitting and perforation corrosion in the pipeline were observed, and the main corrosion reaction products were Fe3O4, FeO and FeS. The grain orientation distribution near the crack (coarse grains <101> and fine grains <111> at the microcrack tip) indicates that fine grains may be beneficial in hindering crack propagation.
Originality/value
The principal mechanism for the corrosion failure is supposed to be due to the interaction of chloride ions with the sulfate-reducing microorganisms present and the stress corrosion cracking by chloride and sulfide formed by the sulfate-reducing microorganisms.
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Yifei Hu, Xin Jiang, Guanying Huo, Cheng Su, Hexiong Li and Zhiming Zheng
Adaptive slicing is a key step in three-dimensional (3D) printing as it is closely related to the building time and the surface quality. This study aims to develop a novel…
Abstract
Purpose
Adaptive slicing is a key step in three-dimensional (3D) printing as it is closely related to the building time and the surface quality. This study aims to develop a novel adaptive slicing method based on ameliorative area ratio and accurate cusp height for 3D printing using stereolithography (STL) models.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed method consists of two stages. In the first stage, the STL model is sliced with constant layer thickness, where an improved algorithm for generating active triangular patches, the list is developed to preprocess the model faster. In the second stage, the model is first divided into several blocks according to the number of contours, then an axis-aligned bounding box-based contour matching algorithm and a polygons intersection algorithm are given to compare the geometric information between several successive layers, which will determine whether these layers can be merged to one.
Findings
Several benchmarks are applied to verify this new method. Developed method has also been compared with the uniform slicing method and two existing adaptive slicing methods to demonstrate its effectiveness in slicing.
Originality/value
Compared with other methods, the method leads to fewer layers whilst keeping the geometric error within a given threshold. It demonstrates that the proposed slicing method can reach a trade-off between the building time and the surface quality.
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Tongwei Qiu, Qinying He, S.T. Boris Choy, Yifei Li and Biliang Luo
This study investigates the effect of renting in land on farm productivity, and the impacts of rented-in land size and transaction partner type on farm productivity.
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the effect of renting in land on farm productivity, and the impacts of rented-in land size and transaction partner type on farm productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from the 2015 China Household Finance Survey are analyzed using an extended regression model and the two-stage least squares method.
Findings
Farm households that rent in land are likely to achieve higher farm productivity, and ignoring endogeneity underestimates the positive effect of land renting-in. Further evidence indicates that rented-in land size has an insignificant impact on farm productivity, and that there is no difference in farm productivity between lessees renting-in land from acquaintances and those renting-in land from non-acquaintances. These results may be caused by the higher degree of marketization of land rentals between acquaintances in China. With increasing competition in agricultural factor markets, in theory, rented-in land size should not affect farm productivity.
Practical implications
Overall, the analysis suggests that renting in land improves farm productivity, which supports the land transfer policies that have been rolled out in recent decades in China. However, our finding that rented land size does not affect farm productivity, consistent with the results in the literature, implies that the Chinese government should no longer subsidize or prefer large farms with low productivity. More attention should be paid to small lessees and market-oriented land rentals between acquaintances. Promoting the marketization of land transfers inside acquaintance networks could realize the potential of the land market, especially if land transfers decrease.
Originality/value
This study identifies the effects of renting in land, rented-in land size and type of rental transaction partner on farm productivity using nationally representative data. The findings imply that the government should pay more attention to the marketization of land rentals between acquaintances. Although existing studies regard land rental between acquaintances as informal and of low efficiency, the recent evidence shows that China's land markets are changing, and policy makers should adjust their policies accordingly.
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Yifei Zhang, Patrick Lo, Stuart So and Dickson K.W. Chiu
The paper aims to investigate current library instruction programs to help business students make better use of library resources and improve their information. However, students’…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate current library instruction programs to help business students make better use of library resources and improve their information. However, students’ information acquisition ability, library usage and their perception toward library user education are inevitably changing along with the rapidly evolving information landscape as well as the socio-cultural environment driven by information technologies.
Design/methodology/approach
For this study, 90 business students from three different majors at the Faculty of Business and Economics, the University of Hong Kong were invited to participate in the online survey for comparison.
Findings
The findings of this study suggest that the subjects, in general, recognized the importance of library user instruction. However, when the subjects encountered difficulties in information searching, they preferred to use search engines (such as Google) and seek help from their classmates.
Practical implications
The results of this study show that there were distinctive differences in library usage and views toward library instruction among students of three different majors. This study sheds light on the feasible actions of academic libraries to enhance library user instruction services and improve the IL skills among business students.
Originality/value
Although there is much research about the library instruction of academic libraries, scant research focuses on library usage and views toward library instruction of business students, especially on the comparison among different business majors.
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Yifei Tong, Ruiwen Zhao, Wei Ye and Dongbo Li
Crane plays a very important role in national economy with greatly reduced labor intensity, improved production efficiency and promoted social development as an indispensable…
Abstract
Purpose
Crane plays a very important role in national economy with greatly reduced labor intensity, improved production efficiency and promoted social development as an indispensable auxiliary tool and process equipment. Therefore, its energy consumption becomes an unavoidable topic and in fact, energy consumption of crane is very huge. It has been proved to be the most cost-effective way for reducing energy consumption to establish and implement new energy efficiency standard. Thus, it is necessary to analyze and evaluate the energy efficiency for overhead crane so as to propose a new energy efficiency standard. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, four kinds of energy consumption sources of overhead crane is considered, based on which, an energy efficiency grading model for overhead crane based on BP neural network is proposed. Second, DS evidential theory is analyzed and based on it, an energy efficiency evaluation model based on BP neural network and DS evidential theory is proposed. The evaluation procedure is discussed in detail. Then, a case is demonstrated how the evaluation is carried out.
Findings
If overhead cranes with different energy consumptions need to be graded according to energy efficiency, the criterions to establish the energy efficiency labels for overhead cranes is proposed in this paper.
Practical implications
The research results can provide energy efficiency standard proposal of overhead crane for relative departments to monitor the design, manufacturing and use of overhead crane.
Originality/value
An energy efficiency grading model for overhead crane based on BP neural network is proposed. An energy efficiency evaluation model based on BP neural network and DS evidential theory is proposed.
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Parveen Kumar, Pankaj Kumar and Vaibhav Aggarwal
This study aims to examine the determinants of adoption intention toward the rooftop solar photovoltaic (RSPV) systems among residents of peri-urban villages of Gurugram, Haryana…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the determinants of adoption intention toward the rooftop solar photovoltaic (RSPV) systems among residents of peri-urban villages of Gurugram, Haryana, India. This study also analyzes the impact of the adoption of RSPV systems on carbon neutrality from a behavioral perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected using a self-administrated structured questionnaire from 208 male villagers (195 usable) of 22 villages using the purposive sampling technique.
Findings
Results revealed that relative advantage, followed by simplicity, trialability, observability and compatibility, positively and significantly impact villagers’ attitude toward adopting RSPV systems in their homes. Perceived severity and perceived vulnerability significantly influence the perceived behavioral control of villagers toward adopting the RSPV systems. The results show villagers’ attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control are the essential predictors of their adoption intention of the RSPV systems. Most notably, carbon neutrality was significantly affected by villagers’ adoption intention of RSPV systems as the renewable energy source in their homes.
Originality/value
The findings of this study provide that innovation attributes are important factors in shaping the adoption intentions of customers toward RSPV systems. This study is also the extent of previous studies measuring customers’ perception of adopting renewable energy in developed and emerging countries worldwide.
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This paper aims to explore the determinants of maternal and infant health knowledge (M&IHK) adoption and sharing in the short video from an empathy theory perspective. We explore…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the determinants of maternal and infant health knowledge (M&IHK) adoption and sharing in the short video from an empathy theory perspective. We explore how to transfer users from free health knowledge to health-related product purchase intention, which is vital for platform knowledge management and service.
Design/methodology/approach
Focusing on the M&IHK, this study proposes four processes of health knowledge adoption and sharing – knowledge quality persuasion process; source credibility persuasion process; affective empathy emotion process; and cognitive empathy emotion process – to build a framework of M&IHK adoption and sharing. Furthermore, based on adoption and sharing, we explore whether they can promote health-related product purchase intentions. A theoretical model is constructed and tested via Smart PLS in 388 samples.
Findings
In a short video context, perceived knowledge quality and perceived source credibility are still two determinants of health knowledge adoption and sharing. On the contrary, perceived affective empathy and perceived cognitive empathy are two new determinants of health knowledge adoption, but not of health knowledge sharing. Adoption of M&IHK is more driven by both rational thinking and emotional thinking than sharing-only driven by emotional thinking. Adoption and sharing both contribute to health-related product purchase intention, but the female’s intention is more related to rational adoption than the male, which is only related to emotional sharing.
Originality/value
This paper is arguably the first study to examine how short videos impact the mechanisms of M&IHK adoption, sharing and health-related products' purchase intention. It’s perhaps the first study to integrate empathy theory into health knowledge management.
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Sourav Kumar Bhoi, Sanjaya Kumar Panda, Kalyan Kumar Jena, Chittaranjan Mallick and Akhtar Khan
Fish are considered as one of the important aquatic animals in the planet. They play a vital role in the nutrient cycle. They can be considered as one of the healthy food for…
Abstract
Purpose
Fish are considered as one of the important aquatic animals in the planet. They play a vital role in the nutrient cycle. They can be considered as one of the healthy food for human beings. They can also act as a solution for some of the human health problems. If fish are affected by several diseases, they in turn provide an adverse effect on human health. Therefore, it is very much essential to protect fish from being affected by any diseases.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is mainly focused on the identification of the red spot diseased area in fish. In this work, a fuzzy rule based method (FRBAM) and triangular membership function (TMFN) is used to identify the red spot disease (RSD) in the fish by analyzing several red spot diseased fish (RSDF) images. The canny edge detector is used for intermediate processing of RSDF images.
Findings
The proposed method is able to identify the red pixels over the fish by marking the affected area with red color by using a standard RGB model.
Originality/value
The proposed method follows FRBAM and TMFN in order to detect the RSD and canny edge detector for processing of RSDF images. Finally, it is tested using ten different image sizes and the results show its better performance in terms of detection of RSD affected regions of fish and execution time.