SLIIT International Conference On Engineering and Technology Vol. 02 [SICET] 2023

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://rda.sliit.lk/handle/123456789/3551

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Open Access
Physical and Mechanical Characteristics of Lime-based Cementitious Grout
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Thienoosan, S.; Goonewardena, D.J.C.Y.; Tharmarajah, G.
Grout is an essential part in soil and rock anchoring while large amount of grout is consumed in anchoring process and capacity of anchoring can be increased by strengthening the grout. Increasing the strength of the grout or achieving the strength of the cement-based grout by partially replacing the cement with hydrated lime and by adding coir fiber can produce sustainable and structurally acceptable grout. This research study investigates grout with water/solid (w/s) ratio of 0.45, 0.7 while replacing the blended Hydraulic cement (BHC) content with hydrated lime by 35%, 50% and 65% with 1% coir fiber, superplasticizer and silica fume. The results show that flow of the grout is reduced with the addition of lime, fiber. Bleeding is improved in the lime-based grout. Compressive strength reduces with the addition of lime while grout achieves improved strength in long term. Compositions with 35% Lime content showed better performance and w/s ratio of 0.45 had the best compositions comparing the physical and mechanical characteristics. The fiber grout sample with w/s = 0.45 and 35% lime content had the best results with flow of 135mm, final bleeding of 3.75%, bleeding settlement in less than one hour and compressive strength at 7days, 28days are 10.4Mpa, 21.75Mpa respectively.
Open Access
Object Recognition and Assistance System for Visually Impaired Shoppers
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Tennekoon, S; Abhayasinghe, N; Wedasingha, N
Shopping is indeed effortless for many individuals. However, it could certainly be a struggle and chaotic experience for the visually impaired. Visual impairment causes many societal stigma and inconvenience to visually impaired individuals. Although shopping may sound extremely easy, this is a crucial social activity for many visually impaired (VI) individuals. Visually impaired (VI) shoppers always require assistance when shopping for product identification purposes. This may lead to greater inconvenience as delays, lack of information and product familiarity of shop assistants may occur. Therefore, allowing visually impaired shoppers to independently perform shopping regardless of size and position of the shopping mall is essential. This encourages them to participate in enhanced social activities and perform their daily chores in independence. Although many products have been developed to assist visually impaired shoppers at shopping malls, due to their drawbacks, some of these have seem to undergo failures in producing accurate information to the visually impaired shopper for object identification and caused inconvenience. This project proposes a feasible solution for visually impaired shoppers to perform their shopping at ease and independently. Object recognition has been made possible in order to identify garment items while shopping with no assistance of another individual. The Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has been used to obtain a sufficiently good accuracy and precision with a validation accuracy of 90%. Some of the novel techniques such as Ensemble Modelling has also been performed in order to reduce any generalization errors of the prediction and achieve a greater accuracy while overcoming all of the drawbacks of the currently existing products in the market. The overall product is proposed to attain maximum consumer population of visually impaired shoppers with satisfaction, reliability, and low cost.
Open Access
Impact to the Quantity Surveyors Due to the Current Economic Crisis in Sri Lanka
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Manawasinghe, S.I; Gunarathna, N; Perera, S
This research focuses on the impact to the Quantity Surveyors due to the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka. The Easter bomb attack, covid 19 pandemic, and political instability can be seen as the proximate causes of the current economic crisis, while there were many structural issues of the local economy which had paved way for the same. As a developing country, the crisis had a stronger impact on the construction industry than other industries of the economy. The main reasons for the collapse of the construction industry are the suspension of construction projects by the government, the increase in the price of construction materials, the lack of investors to invest in new projects, and bottlenecks in terms of wrong policy directives. The professionals in the construction industry were severely impacted by the downfall. Among the professionals in the construction industry, this study focusses on QSs- (Quantity Surveyors). Thirty (30) semi-structured interviews were carried out in terms of data gathering. The survey findings demonstrated the type of organization and working experience of QSs. The collected data were analyzed using techniques of thematic analysis. Moreover, the findings identified factors which were the challenges due to current economic crisis and proposed strategies to help overcome those challenges
Open Access
Appropriateness of Commercial Mediation as an Alternative Dispute Resolution Method for Subcontractor Disputes in Sri Lanka
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Hettiarachchi, D.D; Wijesinghe, T; Perera, B.K.C
Disputes in relation to construction sub-contractors are undeniable and quite diversified in common dispute arena with the legal concerns arising out of Doctrine of Privity of Contracts. Continuation of these disputes can adversely affect the cost, quality, and time metrics in a construction project. The merits of commercial mediation as an alternative dispute resolution method, in this regards Sri Lankan construction industry were less explored. Thus, the aim of this research is to determine the appropriateness of commercial mediation as an alternative dispute resolution method for subcontractor disputes. To achieve this aim, a mixed research approach was adopted. Qualitative data was collected through semi structured expert interviews. Then through a questionnaire survey, quantitative data has been gathered. While qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis, quantitative data were analyzed through relative importance index and descriptive analysis based on central tendency dispersion. Initially, both common attributes of commercial mediation and subcontractor disputes in construction industry were listed out. Then, the inter-relationship between two factors were observed. According to the findings, bespoke and incomplete contracts, subcontractor unawareness and lack of knowledge about contract details, liability and responsibility issues, failure to respond in time, interface issues and lack of coordination were identified as the most significant attributes of subcontractor disputes. Further, it was proven that except the attribute ‘having freedom to accept or reject the solution’, all the other attributes of commercial mediation were applicable in resolving subcontractor disputes. Hence, the commercial mediation was determined as an appropriate alternative dispute resolution method in resolving subcontractor disputes in construction projects. All the limitations and necessary recommendations for further studies are presented at the end of the study.
Open Access
Keynote Address-1: Multi-scale Experimentation and Modeling for Problem Solution in Water and Environmental Systems – Challenges and Opportunities
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Illangasekare, T
Meeting the increasing needs of a growing world population, exacerbated by climate change, will continually challenge water and environmental scientists and engineers for years to come. Theoretical, modeling, computational advances, and monitoring and characterization technologies will help meet some of these challenges. Field and laboratory studies for conceptualization, hypothesis testing, and modeling have continued to advance the sciences. However, the data to study some problems cannot always be obtained in the field where many factors contribute to the uncertainty of measurements and model parameter estimates. The primary thesis of this talk is that laboratory experiments conducted at multiple test scales in conjunction with multi-scale models will provide new insights into complex processes and accurate data for reliable predictions. Design and implementation of theory-driven experiments from examples of groundwater contamination, carbon dioxide storage to mitigate global warming, and land/atmospheric interactions applied to food security are presented to show how advances can be made for practical problem solutions. A case is made that addressing water and environmental problems requires laboratory and field studies and modeling interaction. Further, water and environmental scientists and engineers must work in multidisciplinary teams at the disciplinary interfaces of earth, water, energy, and the environment to address current and emerging local and global problems of water and the environment.
Open Access
A Multifunctional Communication System for Differently Abled People
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Gunaratne, K.M.S.T.; Senanayaka, V.P.; Walakuluarachchi, E.I.; Malasinghe, L
A person should be able to connect with other people to have a fulfilling life. Having challenges such as being blind, deaf, or mute is a significant concern in this matter. According to world statistics and research, it has shown that 0.2% of the world’s population lives with severe deaf blindness. This project aims to design and develop a communication system to improve interactions between a person without any disability and a deaf-blind person or between two deaf-blind people. Each may communicate differently, so this system will have a textual display for those who can see, a speech output for those who can hear, and a tactile braille display for those who cannot see or hear. This system can benefit educational institutes and care homes facilitating people with the above disabilities. The primary purpose of this system is to make the differently abled people feel independent and confident by seeing, hearing, and talking to each other without facing the barriers in the translation.
Open Access
Critical Driving Factors Influencing Awareness and Application of Industrialized Building System (IBS) Technology Among the Building Contractors in Sri Lanka
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Chandrasena, S; Mallawaarachchi, H
As the commonly applied approach in building construction, conventional construction approach is linked to low quality and productivity, higher danger to employee safety, high reliance on labour and cost and time overruns. Hence, Industrialised Building System (IBS) has been emerged as an alternative for conventional construction by overcoming its shortfalls. Previous studies identified the lack of awareness and application can be taken as most critical factor influencing the application of IBS. Also, there are some of other critical factors which directly influence for this regard. Since a few studies has been focused on evaluating the significance of such driving factors, the purpose of this research was to assess the criticality of driving factors influencing awareness and application of IBS technology among the building contractors in Sri Lanka. In order to fulfil aim and objectives of the research, deductive approach under quantitative phenomenon was used. The Survey strategy was adopted as the most ideal research strategy as this research focused on evaluating the criticality of driving factors. Questionnaire survey was used as the primary data collection technique. Accordingly, the questionnaire was distributed to 50 randomly selected practitioners from the building contracting organisations, such as Architects, Quantity Surveyors and Engineers to collect the data. Data were analyzed by using Weighted Mean Average (WMA) and Relative Importance Index (RII) techniques. As derived through analysis, 13 factors affecting the level of awareness and application of IBS, which were identified through literature review were assessed to determine the significant factors. Results revealed that cost of construction is the most significant factor while small contractors’ involvement is the least significant factor. As the main implication this research provides a basis to further improve the use of IBS technology in Sri Lanka and introduce different methods to reduce the initial cost of the construction.
Open Access
OPTIMUM ROUTE PLAN FOR EFFECTIVE COLLECTION OF AN INDUSTRY LEVEL BY PRODUCT/WASTE
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Peiris, M; Gamlath, I; Bandara, S
Effective waste management is critical for sustainable development in manufacturing industries, especially in managing industrial waste. Industrial waste can be transformed into high-quality products through circular economic practices, promoting sustainable development. This research aims to develop a methodology to identify an optimal route plan for collecting and distributing industrial waste and products, promoting circular economy practices. To achieve this objective, waste generated by a selected industry needs to be investigated to determine its potential for reuse in other industries. Data on the quantity and variety of waste generated daily was collected, and industries that use waste as a resource to develop their products were identified. The linkage between industries that demand waste as a raw material and those that generate waste can be established using a Geographical Information System. The study focuses on concrete demolition waste and aims to link metal crushing, aggregate suppliers, and concrete block manufacturing industries. The optimized route plan would benefit third-party subdistributors, reducing transportation costs and facilitating effective transportation. Additionally, it would enable new entrepreneurs to establish industries and maintain a good supply chain, creating jobs.
Open Access
Enhancement of Images Under Low Light Conditions Using Artificial Intelligence
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Marzook, M; Herath, M; Liyanage, M; Thilakanayake, T
Images taken in low light conditions do not contain all the information well-lit images contain. Various features including the colours of objects, details and the quality are lost. Extracting these features from images is very important for any kind of application of it. This study proposes a model to enhance the features of the image taken under low light conditions, by delivering a solution which improves the quality of the image through Artificial Intelligence. Through the proposed method, the clarity of the image is improved, making it closer to a well-lit image equivalent. Both Image Processing and Deep Learning based techniques are explored, including Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based generative models. The Generative models considered are Autoencoders (AE) and Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). The study has been carried out by using several datasets combined together, which include image pairs of well-lit and low light images. A comparison between the two CNN-based generative models is carried out. Through the study, it is quantitatively found, by the Structural Similarity Index and supported by the Peak Signal to Noise Ratio, that the proposed CNNbased Autoencoder model overrides the proposed CNN-based GAN model. This is further supported by qualitative observations of the image results. Both models, however, greatly enhance the low light images, bringing to light features that were not visible beforehand, and also provide results with good colour accuracy. Through this research study, the methods and solutions to enhance low light images have been addressed, as well as providing a comparison between two suitable models, Autoencoders and GANs. The proposed solution is able to address many of the limitations existing in the extent literature.
Open Access
The Effect of Timely Delivery of Construction Projects on the Economic Growth in Sri Lanka
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Dehereagoda, H; Gamage, I.S
Economic growth is the increase in the production of goods and services in the economy from one time period to the next. Construction, as the sector with the biggest multiplier effect, has helped continue to accelerate Sri Lanka's economic growth. Timely construction output generates socioeconomic growth and wealth generation in a country. Delays are one of the major issues in the construction industry in Sri Lanka, which can have an ultimate impact on the growth of the national economy. Therefore, the research aims at investigating the effect of the late completion of construction projects in the public sector on the factors contributing to economic growth in Sri Lanka. A mixedmethod approach was adopted, using preliminary interviews and questionnaires as data collection techniques. The collected data was analyzed using manual content analysis and the relative importance index (RII). Twenty (20) factors contributing to the economic growth in Sri Lanka were identified through both literature and preliminary interviews. Among them, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), external debt, an effective procurement system, open direct assessment, and a proper system of transportation are themost important factors, as highlighted by the respondents. The impact of the delay in completion of public sector construction projects on the identified factors was identified through the questionnaire and classified into three levels: less impacted (RII < 50%), averagely impacted (50% < RII < 70%), and highly impacted (RII > 70%). Including foreign direct investment, credit to the private sector, a proper system of transportation, the material price index, imports and exports, and the service sector overall, twelve factors have been dispersed between 0.65 and 0.70, which represents an overall percentage of 60%. So the findings validate that there is a strong impact on economic growth from public sector project delays. In a nutshell, the research findings revealed that the on-time completion ofpublic sector construction projects strongly affects economic growth, which thereby emphasizes the importance of the on-time completion of construction projects. This study further recommends that in order for a project to proceed well and be completed on schedule, sufficient planning should be done before construction begins with the aid of new technology.
Open Access
The Impact of Labour Motivation on Project Performance with an Insight into the Sri Lankan Construction Industry
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Lakshan, H.G.S; Wijesinghe, T; Perera, B.K.C
Construction labour is a vital resource in the construction industry as they mostly reshape the raw materials into skyscrapers and other living enclosures. In Sri Lanka, the construction industry has been constantly exposed to many uncertainties and challenges. Being a developing country that lead to many socio-economic issues and constant changes in the living standards caused demotivational impacts on the Sri Lankan labour force. Thus, optimizing labour productivity through labour motivation is a significant challenge due to the various category and type of labours. This study aims to identify and evaluate different labour motivational factors in improving the building construction project performances. In accomplishing the aim, the mixed method approach was used and 5 number of interviews, 39 questionnaire responses were taken into the analysis. After the analysis there were 14 most significant labour motivation factors which applicable for Sri Lankan building construction industry. Cost centers for those were collected from the expert interviews and their cost on motivation factors were analyzed the data collected from the questionnaire. After the analysis financial and time cost centers have been identifies as the major cost centers that have been incurred when implementing labour motivational factors. Moreover, checked the association between labour motivational factors and project performance in terms of time saving, cost saving and quality improvement. As a result, they were associated with them. A framework was developed to aid in the selection of best motivational factors in optimizing project performance. As the last part of this study, the motivational recommendations were made to increase the labour productivity. Furthermore, these findings will be useful in optimizing building project performance.
Open Access
Human Following Robot
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Batheegama, M; Mendis, A; Jayawardena, M
The main purpose of this project is to develop a robot that can follow a human to help their activities easy in a well-planned manner. The first implementation of this project is to detect a human and follows the human in a single human environment. The last implementation is to upgrade this into a robot that can detect humans in a busy environment. When designing a robot to work as a human follower it must fulfill some requirements. The issues which are more focused to resolve in here are, the size and mobility while tracking the humans and obstacle detection of the robot. There are many human assistant robots that manufacture small scale in size, but they are not capable of well-assistance and also most of the physically large robots find it hard to assist and handle some activities. Most of the humans following robots are designed for single work, therefore people tend to spend more money on buying robots to fulfill various work. Usually, the components that are used to develop human detection robots are expensive and it is one of the reasons why these types of assistants are expensive. Here, one of the problems which is mobility of the robot while tracking was resolved by developing a more suitable structure, improving the motor-control method, and adding a step-climbing mechanism to the robot. As the robot is manufactured to follow a human, a method to identify a human using image processing is implemented. Also, a method of detecting the position of human is also implemented. And also, the power plan design and all the electronic developments including the power supply unit development and also the power level checker as well has been implemented. Finally in order to make it less complex the circuit has made on PCB.
Open Access
Development of Roughness Prediction Model for Sri Lankan Expressways
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Nilawfer, S; Madushani, S; Sandamal, K; Gomes, A
Expressways play a pivotal role in industrial and export development in Sri Lanka by providing access to the production sector in addition to the passenger transport in between transport hubs. A reliable pavement performance prediction model is essential for pavement management systems to optimize the cost of maintenance and rehabilitation planning. In this study, pavement roughness prediction of expressways in the long-term performance was conducted using International Roughness Index (IRI) which is used as a global parameter to measure the ride comfort of road users and the unevenness of pavement. Firstly, initial IRI values for Sri Lankan expressways were established by using current data and found that, it varies between 0.90 to 1.45 m/km. Secondly, IRI prediction model developed with cumulative traffic volume, considering outer lane IRI as the dependent variable due to higher deterioration rate compared to inner lane. Moreover, it was found that, there is a good relationship between IRI with cumulative traffic with R-squared of 0.60. Further, it can be concluded that, the outcomes of this study can be effectively used for Sri Lankan context in long term performance evaluation and expressway maintenance planning.
Open Access
Computational Approach for Determining the Variation of Coefficient of Secondary Compression in Secondary Settlement Prediction of Soft Soils
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Thilakarathne, T.M.D.; Vidurapriya, K.V.D.; Thilakasiri, H.S.
Secondary consolidation settlement takes place in soils after the completion of primary consolidation settlement, which is due to the dissipation of pore water pressure under the applied loads. The secondary settlement usually occurs due to the plastic adjustment of the soil particles and most commonly takes place in organic fine grained soils or soft soils. Hence, it is important to accurately estimate the secondary settlement in soft soils as the final stability of infrastructures built on soft soil grounds mainly depends on the amount of secondary settlement that takes place after the end of primary consolidation settlement. The coefficient of secondary compression (C) is a governing parameter in predicting the secondary settlement which is the slope of the consolidation curve for void ratio versus time. Also, various empirical correlations have been found by the past researches to find the value of the coefficient of secondary compression. In most of the instances, the secondary settlement is estimated by considering the coefficient of secondary compression as a constant value. However, the C value shows a variation with time and this could affect the secondary settlement estimation. Hence, it is necessary to investigate how the variation of coefficient of secondary compression affects the estimation of the secondary settlement in soft soils. In this study, the settlement data obtained from the Weligama Bay Marriot Resort and Spa project, Sri Lanka, is compared with the settlement values obtained from a computer generated programme. The progarmme simulates the settlement by considering the variation of the coefficient of secondary compression and by considering a constant coefficient of secondary compression value. The results show that the consideration of varying coefficient of secondary compression (with time) gives more accurate results than considering a constant coefficient of secondary compression in settlement prediction in soft soils.
Open Access
Implementation of Smart Parking System Using Image Processing
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Amarasooriya, P.M.D.S.; Peiris, M.P.P.L.; Herath, H.M.D.S.
In recent years, the number of vehicles in use has shown a steady increase, leading to a clear demand for larger parking areas. However, the traditional methods for detecting occupancy of slots in smart vehicle parking areas are no longer feasible due to the high cost of sensors and the need to monitor larger areas. In response to this challenge, the present study aims to propose a cost-effective, fast, and accurate solution for updating and indicating the real-time number of free parking slots in a parking area. Specifically, the proposed solution utilizes video footage from a camera as the input device and applies the YOLO v3 object detection algorithm for image processing to detect the coordinates of both parking lots and parked vehicles separately. To train and evaluate the model, we used the PKLot database as the dataset and tested the model's performance under different weather conditions. The proposed model achieved an average performance of 88.01%, with the highest performance demonstrated on sunny days and the lowest performance recorded on rainy days.
Open Access
Determination of the Growth Curve of Chlorella sp. under Optimum Conditions in Automated Growth Chambers for Biofuel Production
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Viduranga, S.A.V.; Balasooriya, B.L.W.K.; Bandara, N.G.C.
Microalgae have a great potential for producing biofuels because of their capacity to accumulate high content of lipids. Chlorella sp. is the mostly applied microalgae sp. for biofuel production at the industrial level. The current study aimed to determine the optimum conditions for mass culture Chlorella sp. and to generate a growth curve to determine growth patterns over time. The samples were collected from Chlorella pure cultures available in the laboratory. Chlorella colonies were identified morphologically. Liquid cultures were prepared in BG 11 medium, The effects of four different temperatures (20°C, 25°C, 30°C, and 35°C), two light intensities (6000 lux and 2000 lux.) under aerated and non-aerated conditions on the growth of Chlorella cultures in 250 mL flasks (n=3) were studied using a custom-designed automated growth chamber using Arduino technology. The culture growth was monitored by determining the cell density (cells/ml) and light absorbance (750 nm) at 0, 96, 192, 288, and 384 hours after inoculation. and After 16 days, cells were harvested (6000 rpm, 5 min, room temperature) and the dry biomass (g/ml) was measured after oven drying at 70 °C. Optimal conditions for the efficient mass culture of Chlorella sp. were found as 30 °C temperature, 6000 lux light intensity with aeration conditions. Under those optimum growth conditions, 6L photo-bioreactors were designed. Absorbance and cell density (cells/ml) of Chlorella sp. were monitored with time to develop the growth curve of Chlorella sp. The growth of isolated Chlorella sp. was characterized by an exponential phase from 8.86 to 45.41 hr after inoculation with a specific growth rate of 0.06 hr-1 and a doubling time of 11.46 hr. The Chlorella growth rate was 0.027 hr-1 without optimum conditions, and the doubling time (Tg) was 25.6 hr.
Open Access
Negotiation as an ADR Technique in the Sri Lankan Construction Industry
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Deshabhi, K.A.G; Edirisinghe, V; Dahanayaka, G; Siriwardana, M
The construction industry is complex, and disputes are common in this industry. One primary method used in dispute resolution in the Sri Lankan construction industry is negation. Negotiation is considered a cost and time-effective alternative dispute resolution method. However, the contracts formed based on Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) do not include negotiation as a dispute resolution (DR) method. Therefore, this study aims to find the reasons for the failures in dispute negotiation and develop a framework to improve dispute negotiation in the Sri Lankan construction industry. There were two methods applied in this research. Because to avoid being based on a limited set of construction industry-related disputes. Five interviews were conducted by construction industry professionals to organize the data collection through documentaries and selected construction industry professionals are one projects director, one Chartered quantity surveyor, one engineer, one project manager, and one quantity surveyor to cover management level, chief level, and senior level. Then 250 claims were collected relevant to design changes, payment-related issues, time-related issues, documentation, and work quality. Out of those five types of claims, the majority of payment and timerelated disputes were resolved unsuccessfully through negotiation. Reasons for those disputes to fail in resolving through negation are negotiation outcome do not have statutory powers, the attitude of disputing parties, lack of negotiation skills, lack of trust towards negotiation, and less documentary information. The study recommends CIDA improve negotiation practices in the Sri Lankan construction industry by providing proper training, including negotiation as a compulsory DR, provide awareness programs to the industry stakeholders on dispute negotiation and its benefits.
Open Access
Strength Gain of Organic Soil Deposits Subjected to Increase in the Effective Stress
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Nanayakkara, D.A.S.; Thilakarathne, T.M.D.; Thilakasiri, H.S.
Organic soil has weak shear strength properties in its natural texture. However, a significant gain in strength can be achieved in such soils by increasing the effective stresses using preloading techniques. This research focuses on the organic soil deposits in Sri Lanka by analyzing the data from Colombo- Katunayake Expressway (CKE) project and Elevated Highway (EH) project spanning from New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya. As a developing country, Sri Lanka is facing a huge challenge due to its limited land available towards the infrastructure development. Therefore, construction should also be directed on organic soils despite of considering its weak shear strength properties as the soil can be modified to enhance its properties. To predict the strength gain of organic soils subjected to effective stresses, empirical correlations are used such as Skempton and Bjerrum equation (1957). As depicted in such correlations, the ratio of undrained shear strength and effective overburden pressure is observed against the Plasticity Index (PI) using field data. From the results of the analysis, it is discovered that using empirical correlations is very conservative for organic soils within the Sri Lankan context. Particularly, use of empirical correlations is very safe but beyond the economic considerations. In the extension of the research, an argument is generated to validate the use of PI to predict normalized shear ratio. To validate the argument, SPSS statistical software was used to perform the multiple regression analysis having PI, natural void ratio and organic content as the independent variables. From the statistical analysis, it was found that using only PI to predict the strength gain is not conservative for Sri Lankan organic soils subjected to effective stresses. These generated results are identical to conclusions drawn governing the inorganic soils in the state of Missouri (2011).
Open Access
Keynote Address-2: Securing critical infrastructure and the IIoT
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Murray, I
With the advent of the IoT and its application in industrial settings, there is a significant gap in security policy and implementation as data traverses the traditional Operational Technology (OT) infrastructure and into the IT space. Data gathered in the OT environment now needs to traverse the corporate network to decision makers opening up an array of security and compatibility issues that need to be addressed to keep our critical infrastructure safe.
Open Access
Application of Peak Over Threshold Approach to Model Extreme Motor Insurance Claims: A Case Study
(Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology, 2023-03-25) Appuhamy, P.A.D.A.N.; Borelessa, N.K.; Ekanayake, E.M.P.
Prior to the economic recession in Sri Lanka, the motor insurance business grew significantly due to the excessive importation of vehicles. More vehicles on the road and reckless driving increase the risk of extreme claims, which creates a negative impact on the industry. In order to mitigate this issue, researchers attempted to model extreme claims and thereby to provide information for better management of business. The objective of this study is to identify the best fit model for tail of the claim distribution based on data obtained from a pioneer insurer in Sri Lanka from July to December of 2021. The Peak Over Threshold approach of the Extreme Value Theory was applied to model the extreme claims. The claims at 20 percentiles between 79% and 98% were considered as tentative thresholds and the excessive amounts over each of these thresholds were modeled separately as Generalized Pareto Distributions (GPDs) using four different parameter estimation methods. Then the Mean Squared Error (MSE) at each threshold for each parameter estimation method was examined to compare their performances. The threshold and the parameter estimation method with the minimum MSE were selected as their optimum values while identifying the GPD fitted as the best model. The Bootstrap goodness of fit measured the validity of modelling. The extent of claims varied from Rs. 2167.00 to 193,065.00 during the study period with a positive skewness of 2.45 and leptokurtic, which confirmed the existence of a heavy tailed distribution for claims. The best fitted model was the GPD with the shape and scale of 1.02 and 92.09 respectively, which was attained at the optimal threshold of 91st percentile using the Biased Probability Weighted Moment method. The information on the tail helps review existing strategies for the better management of risk due to such extreme claims in future.