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The purpose of this paper is to present two methods of detection for landmines with minimal metal content.

First, two methods of landmine detection are presented: magnetic and infrared with microwave heating. For each method the numerical algorithm of an object’s position and properties determination are presented. Furthermore, the experimental results of several landmines detection using both methods are presented.

It is possible to detect the landmines with minimal metal content using both magnetic and infrared methods. It is also possible to determine the detected objects’ exact position and properties using developed numerical algorithms.

The idea of using the magnetic method to detect the plastic landmines is, to the best knowledge of the authors, new. For both methods, the numerical algorithms of objects’ parameters determination are original.

The purpose of this paper is mainly the quantitative and the qualitative analysis of a reinforced concrete slab containing two types of delaminations: voids and honeycomb, with different sizes and depths.

In this paper the paper adopts the infra-red thermography as a sounding method. It is used as a tool to estimate the change in temperature or thermal contrast induced by the presence of a defect in specimen besides using numerical simulation based on FEM to develop the prediction of temperature development in concrete structure.

This study shows that the numerical methods can be used to evaluate and validate the experimental results. The coupling of the simulation and the experimentation can be of a great utility because it allows predicting the results before beginning the experimentation.

The paper finds that the use of FEM in the prediction of temperature evolution in concrete, and the validation of the numerical simulation with the results obtained by the experimental measurements have a key importance in the study of civil engineering structure.

Maintenance is one of the most critical and expensive operations during the life cycle of metallic structures, in particular in the aeronautic industry. However, early detection of fatigue cracks is one of the most demanding operations in global maintenance procedures. In this context, non-destructive testing using image techniques may represent one of the best solutions in such situations, especially thermal stress analyses (TSA) using infrared thermography. The purpose of this paper is to access and characterize the main stress profile calculated through temperature variation, for different load frequencies.

In this paper, a cyclic load is applied to an aluminum sample component while infrared thermal image is being acquired. According to the literature and experiments, a cyclic load applied to a material results in cyclic temperature variation.

Frequency has been shown to be an important parameter in TSA evaluations, increasing the measured stress profile amplitude. The loading stimulation frequency and the maximum stress recorded show a good correlation (R² higher than 0.995). It was verified that further tests and modeling should be performed to fully comprehend the influence of load frequency and to create a standard to conduct thermal stress tests.

This work revealed that the current infrared technology is capable of reaching far more detailed thermal and spatial resolution than the one used in the development of TSA models. Thus, for the first time the influence of mechanical load frequency in the thermal profiles of TSA is visible and consequentially the measured mechanical stress.

Active infrared (IR) thermography, because of its high productivity and illustrativeness, is a promising technique in nondestructive testing (NDT). The purpose of this paper is to discuss a concept and practical implementation of a portable experimental unit intended for IR thermographic NDT of corrosion in metallic shells.

The basic theory relates to the analysis of heat conduction in a plate with rear-surface material loss subjected to pulse, thermal wave or arbitrary heating.

The amplitude of temperature anomalies over defects and their characteristic observation times depend on material loss, size and shape of corrosion defects. A flexible architecture of the inspection unit is proposed to include flash tubes, halogen lamps and laser-emitting diode (LED) panels as sources of stimulating thermal radiation. In particular, LED heaters might be perspective due to their narrow spectral band, which is beyond a spectral sensitivity of modern IR imagers. It has been found that the IR thermographic technique is convenient for detecting material loss of up to 15–20 per cent in uniformly painted steel shells with thickness up to 8 mm. The concept of signal-to-noise ratio has been applied to evaluate efficiency of data processing techniques, such as Fourier transform and principal component analysis.

The developed equipment and inspection guidelines can be used for detecting hidden corrosion in metallic objects, such as above-ground tanks, pipes, containers, etc.

The utilisation of emerging technologies for the inspection of bridges has remarkably increased. In particular, non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies are deemed a potential alternative for costly, labour-intensive, subjective and unsafe conventional bridge inspection regimes. This paper aims to develop a framework to overcome conventional inspection regimes' limitations by deploying multiple NDT technologies to carry out digital visual inspections of masonry railway bridges.

This research adopts an exploratory case study approach, and the empirical data is collected through exploratory workshops, interviews and document reviews. The framework is implemented and refined in five masonry bridges as part of the UK railway infrastructure. Four NDT technologies, namely, terrestrial laser scanner, infrared thermography, 360-degree imaging and unmanned aerial vehicles, are used in this study.

A digitally enhanced visual inspection framework is developed by using complementary optical methods. Compared to the conventional inspection regimes, the new approach requires fewer subjective interpretations due to the additional qualitative and quantitative analysis. Also, it is safer and needs fewer operators on site, as the actual inspection can be carried out remotely.

This research is a step towards digitalising the inspection of bridges, and it is of particular interest to transport agencies and bridge inspectors and can potentially result in revolutionising the bridge inspection regimes and guidelines.

In present research work, the effects of rotational speed, feed rate and vibration amplitude have been investigated during novel method of ultrasonic-assisted bone grinding. During dissection of tumors, firstly a bone flap is removed near the target region to create passage for grinding burr. During abrasion, heat is produced, which sometimes increases the temperature to unsafe levels. So, efforts have been made to limit the temperature below the threshold levels of osteonecrosis during bone grinding.

The temperature produced during osteotomy has been measured using infrared thermography camera during the implementation of L18 Taguchi orthogonal array design. Subsequently, main effect plots and contour plots have been presented to analyze and visualize the effect of grinding parameters on temperature rise during bone grinding. Furthermore, the process parameters have been optimized for optimum results for response characteristics using Taguchi SN ratio-based optimization methodology. For multiobjective optimization, the process parameters are further optimized using grey relational analysis.

It is revealed that all three process parameters substantially affect the response characteristics. The proposed optimization methodology is successfully applied on the experimental findings and the optimum results for change in temperature are found to be rotational speed = 3,000 rpm, feed rate = 20 mm/min, amplitude = 10 µm and for standard deviation are 5,000 rpm, 60 mm/min, 10 µm.

The present research findings cannot be generalized, and researchers are encouraged to further investigate the proposed rotary ultrasonic-assisted bone grinding at higher rotational speed up to 60k rpm on the skull bone.

The research on osteotomy is still at its initial phase, and continuous research is carried out for making patients’ life comfortable. In this direction, the authors have proposed a novel osteotomy method to limit the temperature below the threshold limit of osteonecrosis. The outcomes of the present study will be beneficial for the neurosurgeons working in this field.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an inverse approach for 3D thermal sources determination.

The developed approach is based on the Green's function for Poison's equation. Forward and inverse couple electromagnetic‐thermal field problems are formulated. Finite elements models are built and applied. Thermal field data are acquired by thermo vision camera. The thermal field sources are determined inside of the investigated inaccessible volume object using modeled and measured data with the developed approach.

The presented method and implemented examples demonstrate the possibilities of the developed approach for inverse source problem solution and determination of thermal field distributions of electrical devices.

The proposed inverse method uses the Green's function for Poison's equation for solution of thermal field problem taking into account the couple electromagnetic‐thermal problems. Proposed inverse method is very fast, accurate and can be used in many practical activities for electrical current determination and visualization in inaccessible regions only by measured external thermal field. Thermal field data needed for the method are easily acquired by thermo vision camera.

European airliner manufacturer, Airbus Industrie of Toulouse, France, has developed a new thermographic inspection technique for detecting possible water ingress in composite sandwich structures. So successful has the technique proved, that Airbus Industrie is now recommending that all operators of its aircraft adopt this method as the standard inspection measure for such parts.

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is booming as a manufacturing technique in several industrial fields because of its ease of use, the simple-to-meet requirements for its machinery and the possibility to manufacture individual specimens cost-effectively. However, there are still large variations in the mechanical properties of the prints dependent on the process parameters, and there are many discrepancies in the literature as to which are the optimal parameters.

In this paper, thermal evolution of the printed specimens is set as the main focus and some phenomena that affect this evolution are explored to differentiate their effects on the mechanical properties in FDM. Interlayer waiting times, the thermal effects of the position of the extruder relative to the specimens and the printing layout are assessed. Thermal measurements are acquired during deposition and tensile tests are performed on the specimens, correlating the mechanical behavior with the thermal evolution during printing.

Additional waiting times do not present significant differences in the prints. Thermal stabilization of the material is observed to be faster than whole layer deposition. The layout is seen to affect the thermal gradients in the printed specimens and increase the fragility. Strain at breakage variations up to 64% are found depending on the layout.

This study opens new research and technological discussions on the optimal settings for the manufacturing of high-performance mechanical components with FDM through the study of the thermal gradients generated in the printed specimens.

The field of building performance evaluation (BPE) forms a fragmented whole with tools and methods that are not widely applicable. In response, the purpose of this paper is to develop and demonstrate a novel BPE framework to bring consistency and flexibility in evaluating actual building performance.

The paper critically reviews and evaluates existing BPE methods and techniques and situates them in different building life stages. Using a hierarchical approach, a “BPE framework” is devised for new and existing buildings as well as refurbishments. The working of the BPE framework is demonstrated by applying it to four discreet BPE studies to enable cross-comparison of different BPE approaches based on their stage of application, depth and duration of BPE investigations.

The framework is designed to have four graduated levels starting at the “basic” level and developing incrementally to “core”, “comprehensive” and “advanced” levels, thereby focussing on “need to know” rather than “nice to have”. The framework also offers a mechanism to map different types of BPE studies with varying scope and content.

As we enter a world of smart meters and smart buildings, we are transitioning into a new future of understanding building performance. The study helps to better understand which BPE method can be used to study what aspect of building performance and in what building lifecycle stage, against time, cost and user expertise.

The graduated and flexible framework helps to bring consistency in evaluating building performance in an otherwise fragmented field, to help improve building performance.