Research Publications (Engineering and Built Environment)

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The application and benefits of emerging digital technologies for Industry 4.0
(2024-05) Govender, Nevek; Olanrewaju, Oludolapo A.
Industry 4.0 technology advancement in recent years has enabled organizations to capitalize on new processes and tools towards making their businesses more profitable and efficient. 4IR Technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Condition Monitoring and Internet of Things have been at the forefront of the digital revolution and have transformed the way organizations do business. However, these complex technologies come with many challenges such as startup costs, lack of knowledge experts as well as the limited technology foundation for both business owners, as well as their employees. Therefore, this study looks at the current knowledge of Industry 4.0 from individuals in the industry, which will provide information on the current trends as well as possible knowledge gaps. The research also explores the benefits of Industry 4.0 technologies by using machine learning technology to elaborate on how we can enhance organizations’ efficiencies. The purpose of this study is to contribute towards the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 and provide encouragement for organizations to start their digital revolution. The research follows both a qualitative and quantitative analysis process. The qualitative data is analyzed from a survey of individuals which enables us to dissect and better identify the current trends, and possible knowledge gaps whilst the quantitative data is analyzed using machine learning software to highlight the potential that can be attained if organizations decide to implement these types of technologies. A content and grounded theory method was used to analyze the qualitative data, as the feedback from the interviewees was constantly reviewed and compared with each other whilst also comparing that to the initial hypothesis statements. It was seen that current trend is that individuals in the industry are excited and are aware of Industry 4.0, but there are still some challenges such as legacy machines, return of investment and knowledge gaps. For the quantitative data, a thematic analysis was used, in the form of machine learning software, to identify patterns in the results and interpret them in a way that can be understood better. From the analysis, it was seen that the machine learning software has a positive impact as the software was able to identify the highest points of failure as well as the type of failure which occurred for a machine. The timeline of failure was also deduced and therefore the organization would be able to put measures in place to restrict these failures from happening. The research provides great benefit for future researchers as well as organizations on topics relating to Industry 4.0 towards connecting the power of the technologies to create a smooth transition within the workplace. The survey analysis offers a better understanding of the current trends in the industry, and the research in general provides a foundation towards the understanding of Industry 4.0, and provides valuable insight on the greater role that new digital technologies play towards creating a better future for organizations.
Capacity challenges facing civil engineering contractors in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa
(IJEIT, 2013-05) Ntuli, Bonga; Allopi, Dhiren
Insolvency maybe broadly defined as an inability of business entity to meet pending financial commitments. For a construction firm, such a situation creates conditions whereby a business entity is unable to fulfill its contractual obligations with regard to work in progress or credit owing. There are indications to suggest that during times of adverse conditions, the occurrences of insolvencies are mutually exclusive and remain a subject of debate. The occurrences of these financial facilities seem to have adversely affected business operations within the civil engineering construction Industry. in South Africa, figures released by the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) in 1992 were suggesting an expected general decline in work load handling by this sector. This was a result of scaling down of heavy Infrastructure projects because of government shifting focus to housing and other related projects mainly towards meeting the needs of the previously disadvantaged communities. During that period large contractors suffered financially and some went through insolvency. The South African government had also put emphasis to transform the sector to allow participation of emerging and small contractors but this was not properly regulated as most of these contractors did not have the experience and skills to operate sustainable construction firms. The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) was established in 2000 as a statutory body to provide leadership to stakeholders and to stimulate sustainable growth, reform and improvement of the construction sector for effective delivery and the industry’s enhanced role in the country’s economy. Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB’s) regulations were implemented after 2003 and are continuously improving the sector’s growth. This research seeks to evaluate the findings of an investigation regarding challenges facing Civil Engineering Contractors in KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa. The research reports on the basis of the hypothesis that “the prominent factors associated with civil engineering contractor’s insolvencies are related to operational and strategic issues”. The analysis of the findings from the questionnaires and liquidators reports supports the hypothesis that operational management and strategic factors attribute to high failure rate amongst civil engineering contractors. From the findings, a number of recommendations are made to develop strategies to promote growth and sustainability in the civil construction industry especially amongst emerging contractors. This paper focuses on the questionnaire feedback from construction firm owners and will discuss the findings of the survey.
Coalition of 6G and blockchain in AR/VR space : challenges and future directions
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 2021) Bhattacharya, Pronaya; Saraswat, Deepti; Dave, Amit; Acharya, Mohak; Tanwar, Sudeep; Sharma, Gulshan; Davison, I. E.
The digital content wave has proliferated the financial and industrial sectors. Moreover, with the rise of massive internet-of-things, and automation, technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have emerged as prominent players to drive a range of applications. Currently, sixth-generation (6G) networks support enhanced holographic projection through terahertz (THz) bandwidths, ultra-low latency, and massive device connectivity. However, the data is exchanged between autonomous networks over untrusted channels. Thus, to ensure data security, privacy, and trust among stakeholders, blockchain (BC) opens new dimensions towards intelligent resource management, user access control, audibility, and chronology in stored transactions. Thus, the BC and 6G coalition in future AR/VR applications is an emerging investigative topic. To date, authors have proposed surveys that study the integration of BC and 6G in AR/VR in isolation, and hence a coherent survey is required. Thus, to address the gap, the survey is the first-of-its-kind to investigate and study the coalition of BC and 6G in AR/VR space. Based on the proposed research questions in the survey, a solution taxonomy is presented, and different verticals are studied in detail. Furthermore, an integrative architecture is proposed, and open issues and challenges are presented. Finally, a case study, BvTours, is presented that presents a unique survey on BC-based 6G-assisted AR/VR virtual home tour service. The survey intends to propose future resilient frameworks and architectures for different industry 4.0 verticals and would serve as starting directions for academia, industry stakeholders, and research organizations to study the coalition of BC and 6G in AR/VR in industrial applications, gaming, digital content manufacturing, and digital assets protection in greater detail.
Conceptual framework of environmental sustainable interventions with the use of green infrastructure design criteria on projects
(2014) Saroop, Shian Hemraj; Allopi, Dhiren
This paper presents a conceptual framework that incorporates eco-efficiency on Infrastructure projects with the use of the environmentally sustainable criteria on infrastructure projects. Mainstreaming environmental aspects and incorporating the eco-efficiency concept into various stages of infrastructure development have not been considered as much as they should have been. Engineers need to look at greener technologies rather than just using traditional engineering solutions. This paper aims to develop a framework that enables a project to be designed in accordance with environmentally sustainable criteria. The key aim of the framework was to create a more socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable neighbourhood, which focused on combating flooding, waste management, water recycling and enhancing biodiversity.
Creating eco efficient township infrastructure projects with the use of green engineering solutions and sustainability criteria
(Institute of Municipal Enginering of South Africa, 2015) Saroop, Shian Hemraj; Allopi, Dhiren
Globally, the construction industry is one of the main contributors to the depletion of natural resources and a major cause of unwanted side effects such as air and water pollution, solid waste, deforestation, health hazards, global warming, and other negative consequences (Harvey and Wayne, 20084). As we face significant planetary issues such as global warming, it is clear that the engineering profession has a significant part to play in affecting the future of our planet. In order to stay competitive and to meet upcoming stricter environmental regulations and customer requirements, designers have a key role in designing civil infrastructure so that it is environmentally sustainable. These and other factors have compelled the engineer to design with greater care and in more detail. The changing roles of engineers will be highlighted, in order to react to changes in climate. Mainstreaming environmental aspects and incorporating the eco-efficiency concept into various stages of infrastructure development have not been considered as much as they should have been. Engineers need to look at greener technologies rather than just using traditional engineering solutions. This paper looks at the effects of climate change on infrastructure and the changing role of engineers. It aims to demonstrate the use of sustainability criteria on infrastructure projects. The use of the proposed criteria would ensure a sustainable design for township infrastructure services through the consideration of scare resources, ecological sensitivity in the design and planning of infrastructure projects. This paper focuses on the concept of eco-efficiency in infrastructure design that promotes the use of the greener engineering options, enabling him/her to choose the one likely to yield the best performance with the least environmental impact. It looks at a number of recommended green practices on infrastructure services design, that are environmentally sound placing, fewer burdens on the environment.
Designing environmentally sound engineering solutions on infrastructure projects
(World Academy of Research and Publication, 2013-12) Saroop, Shian Hemraj; Allopi, Dhiren
There is a growing complexity of infrastructure planning and the need for coordination of design and environmental requirements. The lack of appropriate tools and skills for sustainable Infrastructure design is often seen as a barrier to sustainable design. Infrastructure development has been focused mainly on financing issues and engineering aspects in the region. Mainstreaming environmental aspects and incorporating the eco-efficiency concept into various stages of infrastructure development have not been considered as much as they should have been. Improvement in the awareness of eco-efficiency concepts is urgently needed among policy-makers, planners and decision-makers. However, the criteria applicable to, and measures for developing eco-efficient and sustainable infrastructure are yet to be fully identified (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, 2006). Engineers need to look at greener technologies rather than just using traditional engineering solutions. The paper focuses on the concept of eco-efficiency in Infrastructure Design that promotes the use of the greener engineering options, enabling him/her to choose the one likely to yield the best performance with the least environmental impact. This paper discussed the application of ‘green technology’ on infrastructure design projects. It gives an overview of the proposed Green Township Infrastructure Design toolkit and looks at a number of recommended green practices on infrastructure services design, that are environmentally sound placing, fewer burdens on the environment. It would ensure a sustainable design of township infrastructure services enforcing the consideration of resources, environmental impacts of design decisions, ecologically sensitivity, innovation, maintenance and materials, at the design stage of a project.
Geo-polymerization of mining tailing for use as a pavement construction material : a review
(Cement & Concrete SA, 2023-07-14) Ikotun, Jacob Olumuyiwa; Aderinto, Gbenga; Katte, Valentine; Babafemi, Adewumi; Combrinck, R.; de Villiers, W.
Abstract Pavement construction usually involves using large quantities of natural aggregate materials majorly extracted from quarries and, in many cases, with the use of conventional stabilizers such as Portland cement, lime, and bitumen. In many developing countries, the exploitation of quarries has been so massive that there exists a shortage of these aggregates. Hence, the use of convenFonal stabilizers is a common pracFce. However, the use of conventional stabilizers is a major source of environmental contaminant for the environment. Therefore, alternaFve aggregate materials and stabilizaFon techniques in pavement construcFon are highly sought aNer. Recently, some researchers have proposed a new approach as an alternaFve to using convenFonal binders via alkali acFvaFon called geo-polymerizaFon to produce geopolymers. Some studies have shown that mine tailings (MT) can be used as a road base material through geopolymerizaFon. Even though there are different types of tailings, specific interest is on copper, iron, and gold tailings, this is due to their dominance in mining areas of South Africa. This paper presents a review of the mechanical properFes of geopolymerized tailings to enhance understanding of their potenFal applicaFon in sustainable infrastructures, such as pavements.
Inclusivity of ICT based solutions to public transportation problems : challenges and opportunities for Bloemfontein
(The Road Association of Serbia Via-vita, 2023-09-22) Bashingi, Ndakhona; Adedeji, Jacob Adedayo; Kumar Das, Dillip; Mostafa Hassan Mostafa, Mohammed
Promoting information and communication technologies as mobility and transportation accessibility solutions in efforts to achieve sustainable transportation excludes socioeconomic vulnerability. ICT-related efforts do not meet the mobility and accessibility needs of every single group in society, resulting in socioeconomic exclusion for specific groups of people. Social exclusion disadvantages vulnerable social groups in society's mobility, while limited mobility reduces access to activities for disadvantaged groups; travel for job hunting, education, work, and health facilities further increases these groups' physical isolation. The need to travel for activities, services, and basic goods for human consumption such as food, water, and medication must be addressed by developing inclusive transportation systems. Through tele-activities, e-payments, security and surveillance, among other components adaptable to travel and mobility, technological solutions have been at the forefront of prescriptions to transportation problems. However, they remain inaccessible to some of society. The study investigates whether inclusive, sustainable public transportation can be fully realized in developing countries by utilizing technology-based travel behavior solutions. It also investigates the effectiveness of ICT solutions to travel, mobility, and accessibility issues in a South African city with a relatively traditional public transportation system. The study considers socioeconomic travel processes as well as travel behavior constructs to inclusivity in order to weigh the prospects of equitable provision of ICT-enabled public transportation services in the developing world. This study discovered that travelers have smartphone access; however, the purposes of smartphones are not directly related to travel and transportation. Furthermore, public transportation service providers do not have an online presence. Overall, for ICT-enabled public transportation to thrive in developing countries, accessible technologies such as calls and SMS that do not require internet access must be considered.
Optimisation of a flexible manufacturing system through the application of greedy knapsack heuristic
(Southern African Institute for Industrial Engineering, 2022-10-03) Dewa, Mendon
The global manufacturing industry is currently facing intense competitive pressure that requires better efficiency, effectiveness and continuous improvement of the manufacturing systems. Production planning in flexible manufacturing systems is crucial for the efficient organisation of production resources to ensure economic effectiveness and meet schedule requirements without violating capacity constraints. The objective of this paper is to develop a cost-effective assignment of parts to a flexible manufacturing system (FMS) through the application of Greedy Knapsack heuristic. A production-planning problem was formulated, the objective function and associated constraints were stated and an Excel based tool was developed to generate solutions Greedy Knapsack heuristic. The tool would assign the best selected parts to the semi-automated FMS in an optimal manner to the production plan. The sample computational results were presented for Greedy Knapsack heuristic, and conclusions were drawn for the flexible manufacturing system.
Process improvement for traditional mould making process through group technology and rank-order clustering algorithm
(PONTE, 2022-06-23) Dewa, Mendon; Pancha, Uttam Bhana
The current environment of changing market trends that include mass customization, sustainability, environmental impact and localized production drives the manufacturing industry to strive for additive manufacturing because of the versatility of the technology. Injection Moulding Company (IMC) is using traditional manufacturing approaches which compromise its competitiveness resulting in decreased production rate and high operational costs due to lengthy changeover times. The aim of the study was to investigate the usage of group technology and rank-order clustering algorithm as mechanisms to aid the reduction of manufacturing lead time for the traditional mould making process. ABC mould demand classification analysis conducted for the top 16 moulds revealed that the moulds for the switch cover ranked highest in terms of the demand of moulds that were fabricated by IMC. The value stream map revealed that there was room for improvement in terms of push to pull and frequent lot transfer, standardising work, reducing cutting time and process scrap, as well as introducing poka yokes and cellular manufacturing, and it was proposed to reduce material movements and setup times. Through the deployment of group technology and rank clustering algorithm, three mould families and three machine cells were derived. As a result, the mould fabrication process was improved by reducing material movements and reducing setup times.
Treatment of water and wastewater for reuse and energy generation-emerging technologies
(IntechOpen, 2019-04-25) Tetteh, Emmanuel Kweinor; Rathilal, Sudesh; Chetty, Maggie; Armah, Edward Kwaku; Asante-Sackey, Dennis
Fresh water quality and supply, particularly for domestic and industrial purposes, are deteriorating with contamination threats on water resources. Multiple technologies in the conventional wastewater treatment (WWT) settings have been adopted to purify water to a desirable quality. However, the design and selection of a suitable cost-effective treatment scheme for a catchment area are essential and have many considerations including land availability, energy, effluent quality and operational simplicity. Three emerging technologies are discussed, including anaerobic digestion, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) and membrane technology, which holds great promise to provide integrational alternatives for manifold WWT process and distribution systems to mitigate contaminants and meet acceptable limitations. The main applications, basic principles, merits and demerits of the aforementioned technologies are addressed in relation to their current limitations and future research needs in terms of renewable energy. Hence, the advancement in manufacturing industry along with WWT blueprints will enhance the application of these technologies for the sustainable management and conservation of water