Journal Issue:
Journal of Advances in Engineering and Technology (JAET)

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Volume

Volume 01

Number

Issue i

Issue Date

2022-11

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

2950-7138

Journal Volume

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Journal Volume

Articles

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PublicationOpen Access
Developing a Rubber based Nanocomposite
(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2022-09-22) Sadique, M. I. F
Polymer compounds such as Natural Rubber (NR), which consists of compounds such as isoprene, are capable of being processed for the manufacture of a range of rubber based products for a large variety of applications. The properties of a natural rubber compound are susceptible to enhancements in their properties through the incorporation of nanofillers into its matrix. This study addresses the preparation of a natural rubber based nanocomposite that utilizes graphene as a nanofiller for the facilitation of the required enhancement in the rubber compounds properties. The nanocomposite specimens used in the study were prepared by means of acid-coagulation. The acid-coagulation formulation utilized was adapted from methodologies employed in commercial applications. The enhancement in the rubber properties due to the incorporation of the nanofiller was validated by means of mechanical testing. Prior to the testing, the applicable standard for tensile property testing was identified to be ASTM D412. Through the acclaimed standard, a mould to facilitate the preparation of the required specimens was 3D printed from PETG. The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of large concentrations of graphene (beyond 2.5wt %).The results from the mechanical testing of the acidcoagulated samples exhibited enhancements in the elongation at break and tensile strength between unfilled NR and the graphene filled NR nanocomposite. With the incorporation of 5wt% of graphene, the elongation at break of the rubber increased to 687%, showing a 25% increase. The tensile strength of the rubber increased to 4.07 MPa, showing an enhancement of 102% in comparison to the pristine rubber compound.
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PublicationOpen Access
Vertical Axis Wind Turbine for Sri Lankan Southern Highway
(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2022-09-22) Perera, S; Nandasena, D; Wijayakumara, D; Guruvita, K
Based on studies, most of the areas in Sri Lanka have an average amount of wind that could be resourceful in generating wind power. The area from Colombo along the coastal line to Matara is considered to have less wind potential. It’s a major disadvantage to the country’s energy generation plan as wind is one of the best renewable energy sources available in Sri Lanka. Concerning the energy crisis in the country, the necessity for a renewable energy source has arisen. Since renewable resources are used as standalone systems, the level of advancement increases while reducing the amount of stress on the main electrical grid when balancing the frequency. Highways can be followed as one of the country’s leading divisions that could be used for the use of renewable energy. The southern expressway in Sri Lanka requires an average of 375 kW of electricity only for lighting purposes. If the lights are turned on for 12 hours, then the amount of energy requirement is 4,500 KWh. It would save a considerable amount of energy from the national grid if that energy could be provided using renewable sources. This reduction of energy consumption from the main grid would benefit both the authorities of the Sri Lankan power system and the public. To address the aforementioned issue, a vertical axis wind turbine is proposed in this project to be installed on highways. The main requirements of the project are highlighted in the introduction and problem statement. All the details of the outcomes such as optimized rotor, gear system, generator and the PIC-based power management system are explained in detail with the steps taken to optimize the system at every possible step. There are plans which may facilitate the future development of the product included in the latter part of the document.
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PublicationOpen Access
Attributes of ADR in the Sri Lankan Construction Industry
(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2022-09-22) Edirisinghe, V; Marsh, D; Borthwick, F; Siriwardena, M; Cotgrave, A
Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods were introduced to the construction industry to avoid the negative effects of litigation in relation to the cost, time, and business relationships of a construction project. This study focused on identifying the current ADR practices in the Sri Lankan construction industry and examined the specific attributes of each method to create a more effective process. A qualitative research strategy was carried out with interviews with industry professionals working in the Sri Lankan Construction Industry. Content analysis using NVivo software was used to analyse the data. The key findings revealed that the neutral third party has good knowledge of construction. Despite the differences in each ADR method, disputing parties do not have the confidence in the neutral third party or trust in the process. This study also revealed that the unavailability of these key attributes will finally affect the cost and reputation of the ADR methods. Therefore, the research suggests that to improve the ADR process and its success there should be awareness studies on ADR methods and training for ADR practitioners within the Sri Lankan Construction Industry.
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PublicationOpen Access
Factors Affecting Red-Light Running of Pedestrians at Signalized Intersections
(SLIIT, Faculty of Engineering, 2022-09-22) Herath, C; Amarasingha, N
Hundreds of pedestrians have died and many have been injured in the past decades as a result of Red Light Running (RLR) infractions. According to the United States Department of Transportation, 846 pedestrians have died and 143,000 have been injured in 2019 due to RLR violations. The majority of previous studies have focused on pedestrian behavior at an intersection, whereas only a few have looked into pedestrian RLR violations. The main objectives of this research are to find the pedestrians’ RLR rate in Sri Lanka and to find ways to reduce the RLR rate of pedestrians at the signalized crossing. Video observation surveys were conducted to collect data at three signalized intersections within Kandy city limits during weekdays for two hours per site. Pedestrian demographic variables such as gender and age; crossing characteristics such as crossing type, direction, crossing speed etc; and site characteristics such as crossing length, pedestrian green time, etc. were recorded. Chi-square and binary logistic regression tests were done. Results showed that out of 178 females, 130 had compliance with signal phases and out of 386 males, only 215 had compliance with RLR of a pedestrian. Furthermore, other independent variables such as age, crossing type, direction etc. were also associated with compliance RLR of pedestrians under Chi-square results. Based on the results of binary logistic regression, the variables such as gender, crossing type, number of traffic lanes, and pedestrian speed are significant when decreasing the log of probability -0.658, -3.040, -1.022 and -2.556 of compliance for RLR respectively. Variables that crosswalk utilization are also significant when increasing the log of probability of RLR 1.406 of compliance for RLR. The results would help develop safer pedestrian infrastructures and engineering countermeasures as well as assist the researchers and practitioners in better understanding pedestrian crossing behavior at signalized intersections.

Description

Editorial Committee Prof. Upaka Rathnayake Prof. Niranga Amarasingha Prof. Migara Liyanage Dr. Sujeewa Hettiwatte Dr. Mudith Karunarathna Ms. Nishanthi Gunarathna Advisory Board Prof. Dilanthi Amarathunga University of Huddersfield, UK Prof. Janaka Ekanayake, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka Prof. Kyaw Thu Kyushu University, Japan Prof. Jagath Manatunge University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka Prof. George Mann Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada Prof. Srinath Perera, Western Sydney University, Australia Prof. Ahmed Abu–Siada Curtin University, Australia Prof. R. Thevamaran, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA Prof. S. C. Wirasinghe University of Calgary, Canada Editorial Assistant / Secretary of the Journal Ms. Nishanthi Gunarathna

Keywords

Sentinel-2 Satellite Data, Forest Cover Mapping, Southeast Sri Lanka, Remote Sensing, Random Forest Classifier, Heatwaves, Temperature Analysis, Climate Study, South Korea, 1994 Heatwave, Weather Characteristics, Pedestrian Behavior, Red-Light Running, Signalized Intersections, Traffic Safety, Human Factors, ADR, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Construction Industry, Sri Lanka, Dispute Management, Vertical Axis Wind Turbine, Renewable Energy, Wind Power, Highway Applications, Rubber Nanocomposite, Nanotechnology, Material Development, Polymer Science, Knee Exoskeleton, Dynamic Modelling, ADAMS-Simulink, Assistive Technology, Biomechanics, Rehabilitation Engineering