Search Results (1,744)

Grouted connection segments are key load-transfer components in offshore wind jacket structures, and their axial compressive performance is essential for the safety and reliability of the foundation system. This paper develops a finite element model of a grouted connection segment incorporating steel-fiber-reinforced high-strength grout to investigate its mechanical behavior and parametric effects under axial compression. A 1:7-scale model test is conducted to verify the numerical model through comparisons of the load–displacement response and strain responses at key locations. The steel tubes are simulated using a trilinear hardening elastoplastic model, while the steel-fiber-reinforced high-strength grout is represented using the concrete damaged plasticity model with corresponding tensile and compressive constitutive relationships and damage parameters to characterize its nonlinear response. Based on the validated model, a full-scale numerical model is established to analyze the effects of steel tube thickness, shear key spacing, shear key height, and shear key width using the control variable method. The results indicate that steel tube thickness has the most significant influence on the ultimate bearing capacity and can improve the load-bearing capacity and ductility of the structure. Shear key spacing mainly affects axial stiffness and deformation compatibility, while shear key height and width have limited effects on the ultimate bearing capacity but contribute to local deformation control and stiffness enhancement. The findings provide a validated numerical basis for evaluating the axial compressive behavior of steel-fiber-reinforced grouted connections and offer a useful reference for the design and parameter optimization of grouted connection segments in deep-water offshore wind jacket structures. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used in water research. However, many AI models, particularly complex machine learning models, often generate outcomes that are difficult for humans to interpret. Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) has been developed to address these challenges by providing transparent and human-interpretable explanations of model behavior and predictions. We conducted a structured narrative review using predefined searches of Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus to synthesize empirical XAI applications across six water-research domains: hydrological processes, water quality and pollution, groundwater systems, urban water systems, climate–water interactions, and water and wastewater treatment. The review covers feature-importance methods, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME), partial dependence plots (PDPs), individual conditional expectation (ICE) plots, accumulated local effects (ALE) plots, counterfactual explanations, and deep-learning attribution methods. Building on previous reviews and perspectives focused on particular water domains or methodological priorities, we provide a cross-domain synthesis of XAI spanning natural and engineered water systems, with emphasis on method selection, model and data compatibility, explanation reliability, and operational implementation. These capabilities, however, must be interpreted with appropriate caution because XAI explanations remain conditional on the data, fitted model, and explanation method, and therefore should not be treated as evidence of causal mechanisms or environmental controls. Recognizing these limitations, we provide practical guidance for selecting and evaluating XAI methods and outline priorities for developing reliable, scalable, and operationally useful AI systems for water research and management. Full article

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), also referred to as unmanned aerial pesticide application systems (UAPASs), are increasingly used for crop protection applications because of their operational efficiency and precision. However, UAV spraying is typically conducted at very-low volumes (VLVs) (10–20 L ha⁻¹), resulting in highly concentrated spray solutions that may alter formulation behavior relative to conventional ground applications. In this study, a total of nineteen commercially available herbicide, insecticide, and fungicide formulations representing multiple formulation classes were evaluated under UAV-relevant (10 L ha⁻¹) and conventional ground application conditions. Tank-mix compatibility, sprayability, droplet size distribution, driftable fines, dynamic surface tension (DST), and droplet spreading were assessed. Tank-mix incompatibility was most frequently observed in mixtures containing emulsifiable concentrate (EC) formulations, with five of 11 commonly used tank mixes exhibiting severe incompatibility at UAV rates despite compatibility at conventional application volumes. Formulations containing suspended actives, including suspension emulsions (SEs), suspension concentrates (SCs), oil dispersions (ODs), and water-dispersible granules (WDGs), showed the greatest risk of filter and screen clogging, whereas EC and soluble liquid (SL) formulations exhibited acceptable sprayability. UAV-rate spray solutions generally produced comparatively finer droplet spectra than ground-rate solutions, increasing driftable fines by up to 36.6% depending on formulation type. DST decreased by 2.5–35.2% under UAV conditions, with the largest reductions observed for SC and EC formulations. Reduced DST was associated with increased droplet spreading, particularly for fungicide formulations, where droplet spreading increased up to 718.8% relative to ground-rate preparations. These results demonstrate that formulation behavior can differ substantially under VLV conditions and that formulation-specific evaluation of compatibility, sprayability, atomization characteristics, and surface-tension-dependent behavior is required when products are deployed through UAV spray systems. Full article

Green hydrogen production through water electrolysis is a key pathway to the decarbonization of future energy systems. However, part of the electrical input is transformed into waste heat. In this study, alkaline, proton-exchange membrane, anion-exchange membrane, and solid oxide electrolysis systems are compared in terms of operating temperature, heat generation, heat transfer medium, and integration constraints. Reported COP values for commercial high-temperature vapour-compression heat pumps range from 2.4 to 5.8, depending on operating conditions. The heat-pump technologies reviewed include vapour-compression systems with single-stage, multistage, cascade, and transcritical configurations, together with absorption and adsorption systems, with a focus on suitable working fluids and practical limitations. The review distinguishes between direct heat recovery and heat recovery assisted by heat pumps, and it identifies two main areas of application: external supply for district heating, industrial consumers, and energy communities; and internal support for feedwater preheating, water cycle integration, and steam generation. A selection framework is proposed in which source- and sink-temperature compatibility determines thermodynamic feasibility, COP characterizes heat-pump performance, and LCoH supports techno-economic comparison. Direct heat recovery should be preferred when temperatures are compatible, while heat pumps can operate as enabling technologies when temperature upgrading is required and system-level economic and environmental performance remains advantageous. Full article

Integrating traditional textile heritage into contemporary furniture design offers an innovative way to preserve cultural identity through modern materials and decorative techniques. This study investigates the color stability of hybrid decorative plywood panels fabricated using mechanical perforation and sewing techniques inspired by traditional textile motifs. The samples were evaluated using UV-induced artificial aging, alongside color measurements before and after exposure, microscopic analysis, and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The approach enables traditional decorative patterns to be transferred onto wood-based materials, creating contemporary furniture decorations, while preserving and reinterpreting the textile heritage. Results revealed distinct aging behaviors depending on the finishing system. Changes in total color difference (ΔE*)—4.36 for red thread, 4.21 for unvarnished reference, 3.34 for oiled, 0.72 for water-based, 2.55 for nitrocellulose-based, and 0.52 for epoxy-coated samples—demonstrated that both the coated plywood substrate and the textile thread were affected by aging after 72 h of UV exposure. Epoxy resin and water-based coatings provided the greatest color surface stability, while oil- and solvent-based finishes exhibited varying degrees of chromatic alteration due to their different responses to ultraviolet radiation and moderate temperature. The stitch technique showed good structural compatibility with plywood and preserved the integrity of heritage-inspired motifs after artificial aging for 72 h of UV exposure relative to long-term furniture use, which is a limitation of the present study. However, the red cotton sewing thread was more sensitive to light exposure, showing a slight UV-induced discoloration, with effects varying according to coating type. FTIR investigations demonstrated that UV aging of the cotton thread resulted in some photo-oxidative degradation of cellulose, which may explain the minor incipient microstructural degradation phenomena observed by SEM. Full article

Small-scale clay-brick yards require molding equipment that increases output while remaining mobile, locally serviceable, and compatible with intermittent material supply. This article documents the functional architecture and exploratory operational performance of the mobile 12-cavity hydraulic clay-brick molding machine (ML12). Its design contribution is the integration of a dimensioned wheeled steel chassis, seated paired-lever controls, a translating feed hopper/distributor, a 12-cavity mold, two vertical hydraulic actuators, and a water-spray cleaning subsystem in a four-stage operating cycle. A retrospective concept-appraisal matrix compares this architecture with fixed automated and mobile manual concepts; equal weighting and one-at-a-time ±25% weight variations preserve the ML12’s highest internal score, without establishing stakeholder preference or empirical superiority. The evidence base also comprises sequential daily production logs: ten days of traditional manual molding followed by ten days of ML12-assisted molding. Mean gross green-brick output was 720 ± 86 bricks/day in the traditional period and 1495 ± 16 bricks/day in the ML12 period; corresponding descriptive throughputs were 86.5 and 186.9 bricks/h. A rejection-rate sensitivity analysis shows that, if traditional production had no rejects, ML12 conforming output would equal the traditional gross mean at a 51.8% ML12 rejection rate; this quantity boundary is not an estimate of quality or economic break-even. A preliminary linear-static finite-element case for a reconstructed frame returned a maximum von Mises stress of 112.3 MPa, 1.82 mm resultant displacement, and a minimum elastic safety factor of 2.23 on the reported medium mesh; the result is limited to the specified 1.0 kN load case and is not structural certification of the complete machine. Because the operational comparison was non-randomized and did not control staffing, operators, clay batch, moisture, weather, energy use, or rejection rate, the observed difference cannot be attributed exclusively to the machine. The results establish the machine architecture, an operational signal, and a bounded preliminary frame response, but not brick quality, ergonomic benefit, full structural safety, environmental benefit, or commercial return. Full article

Herein, vinylbenzyl chloride (VBC)-grafted styrene-butadiene (SB) copolymers, with high contents of VBC (22–32 mol%), were synthesized and blended with low amounts (n = 3–10 wt%) of unfunctionalized poly(phenylene oxide) (PPO). Being well-known for its great chemical compatibility with polystyrene, PPO was selected as non-conductive, hydrophobic and mechanically robust component to be blended with graft copolymers in order to reduce their water uptake, thus improving their dimensional and mechanical stability after quaternization with trimethylamine. The resulting blend membranes were characterized in terms of thermal, mechanical, and ex situ electrochemical properties. Blend membranes generally presented improved mechanical properties, as well as reduced water uptake with respect to AEMs not containing PPO, while retaining ion conductivity values of 11.3–16.6 mS cm⁻¹, higher than that of a commercial hydrocarbon-based benchmark. Among the investigated blend AEMs, g-VBC-32/PPOn membranes were found to have the highest conductivity values (>15 mS cm⁻¹) and the best trade-off between water uptake, mechanical properties and hydrogen permeability. Overall, these results highlight pristine PPO blending as a cost-effective, simple and scalable route to improve the mechanical and dimensional stability of hydrocarbon-based AEMs. Full article

Replacing synthetic colorants with natural alternatives requires source-specific extraction strategies because pigment classes differ in polarity, pH response and thermal stability. This first-pass screening focused on six plant and agro-food matrices: red cabbage, Iris germanica petals, dragon fruit, orange peel, spent coffee grounds and pine bark. Each matrix was subjected to twelve extraction treatments combining water, ethanol, acetone 30%, acid/base modifiers, boiling water, freezing and ultrasound assistance. Extracts were evaluated by visible transmittance spectroscopy from 360 to 740 nm, operationally transformed to apparent optical attenuation according to Aapp (λ) = −log10 [%T (λ)/100] only where measured %T exceeded 0.01; this signal may include both absorption and light scattering, and converted to CIELAB coordinates under D65/10° conditions. The combined spectral and colorimetric approach separated the extracts into red-purple and yellow-brown groups. Red cabbage and Iris showed anthocyanin-like behaviour, dragon fruit showed a betalain-compatible magenta response, orange peel showed carotenoid-compatible short-wavelength attenuation, and coffee grounds and pine bark generated broad brown-yellow profiles. Pigment-family assignments remain putative because chromatographic identification was not performed. This study is explicitly intended as a proof-of-concept descriptive mapping step rather than as a statistically validated extraction optimisation. Because every matrix–treatment combination was prepared once, all comparisons in this article describe the observed screening preparations only; they do not estimate reproducible treatment effects, confidence intervals or statistical significance. The previous equal-weight low-L*/high-C*ab intensity score has been removed from the revised analysis. No extraction yield, recovery percentage, mass balance, purity, pigment concentration or application performance was measured; accordingly, this study describes the optical appearance of the obtained extracts and does not quantify colorant recovery. Visible transmittance, apparent optical attenuation and CIELAB coordinates support only literature-informed class-level hypotheses and cannot identify a pigment family or individual compound. Full article

Super-resolution (SR) of remote-sensing imagery is commonly assessed through spatial fidelity or visual sharpness, although index-based geomatics requires preservation of cross-band spectral relationships. We compare five Sentinel-2 full-band SR configurations (LDSR-S2, SRGAN, SPAN, Mamba, and SWIN) in two hazard-mapping cases: flood-water detection during the 2024 Valencia flood and burn-scar mapping after the 2025 Palisades wildfire. Each model refines four native RGB–NIR bands, while SEN2SR reconstructs the remaining bands to produce a ten-band product at $2.5$ m. We evaluate native-grid reconstruction, the introduction of high-frequency details, and downstream thematic, boundary, and edge-region metrics against a bilinear-interpolation baseline. Dynamic-threshold MNDWI and dNBR detectors are applied independently to each output. Among the learned configurations, SWIN achieves the strongest native-grid reconstruction and task-specific spectral consistency and the strongest fire agreement, but adds the least high-frequency content. Flood full-ROI gains are modest, with LDSR-S2 increasing the F1-score from 0.085 for bilinear interpolation to 0.091. All learned configurations increase flood-edge recall, F1-score, and IoU while reducing edge precision and balanced accuracy. LDSR-S2 gives the strongest final edge F1-score and IoU in both tasks, Mamba gives the lowest learned-model symmetric flood-boundary distance. SPAN yields the best spatial consistency and lowest learned flood-edge spectral error and SRGAN adds the most high-frequency content and the largest combined edge-region gain, alongside the greatest task-specific spectral deviation and the largest symmetric boundary-distance increases. Thus, increased edge activation does not establish uniformly improved delineation or recovered sub-pixel detail. These cases demonstrate feasibility rather than generalization. Operational validation requires more diverse, time-synchronous, high-resolution, spectrally compatible references. Full article

Inorganic-bonded bamboo composite (InorgBam) combines the lightweight, high-strength nature of bamboo bundles with the heat resistance, low smoke emission, and environmental compatibility of inorganic binders. However, the inherent surface pores and inter-bundle gaps in this material may facilitate water ingress, and the protective role of waterborne coatings, along with their influence on mechanical performance, remains unclear. This study investigated these issues through short-term water absorption tests, dynamic water contact angle measurements, industrial X-ray computed tomography (CT), and mechanical evaluations. After 48 h of immersion, the coated specimens absorbed only 9.55% water, representing a 59.0% reduction relative to the uncoated group (23.29%). The coated surface exhibited minimal change in contact angle, indicating restricted droplet spreading. CT imaging further revealed a relatively continuous coating layer that sealed surface pores, inter-bundle gaps, and local depressions, with no evidence of deep penetration into the interior. Following coating application, the parallel-to-grain tensile, compressive, and flexural strengths exhibited marginal increases of 3.37%, 2.94%, and 3.27%, respectively, while the dominant failure modes remained unchanged. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the waterborne coating delays moisture ingress primarily through surface sealing and barrier effects, rather than internal pore-filling, thereby preserving the basic mechanical properties of InorgBam under unaged conditions. Full article

Hybrid marine energy systems that integrate wave and current technologies can improve resource complementarity and spatial utilization. However, the ranking stability of selected hybrid concepts under changes in criterion weights, score assumptions, and multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methods requires further examination. This study extends an existing two-stage concept-selection procedure by evaluating four shortlisted wave energy converter–hydrokinetic turbine configurations using stochastic weight-space sampling, criterion-wise weight sensitivity, cross-method consistency, and bounded score-perturbation analyses. A fixed normalized decision matrix is first evaluated using the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) method across three sets of 10,000 criterion-weight scenarios generated using normalized-uniform, Dirichlet α = 1, and Dirichlet α = 0.5 distributions. The same scenarios are then evaluated using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), with ranking consistency quantified using Spearman’s rank correlation and complete-ranking agreement. Score sensitivity is subsequently examined through bounded one-point perturbations of the Stage 2 criterion scores, with SAW and TOPSIS recalculated under equal criterion weights to identify dominance-breaking and rank-reversal conditions. The oscillating water column–Savonius configuration, W1H3, remains first-ranked under all three sampled weight distributions because its normalized criterion scores are equal to or higher than those of every competing configuration across all five criteria. Criterion-wise sensitivity analysis shows that W1H3 is not outranked over the investigated weight range, although it ties with the point absorber–Savonius configuration, W2H3, when the full weight is assigned to mooring synergy or control compatibility. A crossover between W2H3 and the oscillating water column–hybrid Savonius–Darrieus configuration, W1H4, occurs at a co-location-feasibility weight of 0.384615. Across the three weight-sampling distributions, SAW and TOPSIS achieve complete-ranking agreement of 65.91–87.08%, with mean Spearman rank correlations of 0.9318–0.9742; the remaining differences are confined to the ordering of W2H3 and W1H4. Bounded score perturbations show that single one-point score change is sufficient to break the dominance of W1H3 over W2H3, whereas four changes are required for W2H3 to attain a unique first rank under both methods. The results demonstrate that W1H3 is rank-stable under the investigated weight and method variations for the adopted decision matrix, while the score-perturbation analysis identifies the bounded score changes under which the preferred ranking may change. Full article

Pork is highly perishable during storage, leading to enormous economic losses and potential food safety hazards. Anthocyanins (ANTs) possess excellent antioxidant and antibacterial activities, but their poor stability in practical applications limits their industrial application. To address these issues, a novel composite preservation film was prepared by the four-sided applicator solution casting method, using polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) as matrix materials and ANTs@ZIF-8 as functional filler. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) encapsulated ANTs to enhance its stability and achieve sustained release, while the PLA/PBAT was selected for its good biodegradability, mechanical and barrier properties. The structure and properties of the PLA/PBAT/ANTs@ZIF-8 composite films were investigated, and the results showed that ANTs@ZIF-8 nanoparticles had stable dispersibility in the matrix, which effectively improved the compatibility between nanoparticles and the film matrix. The prepared composite films exhibited excellent tensile strength (TS), elongation at break (EAB) and water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), as well as good antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus. Furthermore, the practical pork preservation performance of the films was investigated, and the results demonstrated that the composite films could effectively reduce the pH value, water loss, color difference, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) content and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of fresh pork during storage, successfully extending the shelf life of pork to 12 days. This study develops a multifunctional, biosafe, and biodegradable PLA/PBAT composite film incorporated with ANTs@ZIF-8, providing a feasible strategy and scientific reference for the design and development of high-performance active biodegradable packaging materials. Full article

The scientific problem addressed in this study is how a continuous mechanical architecture can maintain stable lettuce handling while improving treatment-medium access to irregular, overlapping leaf surfaces. We formulate this problem as a morphology-informed design and evaluation task. The proposed machine integrates soil removal, a reserved vision-based yellow-leaf detection and root-trimming station, multi-angle disinfection, water–air washing, combined airflow drying, film wrapping, weighing, and boxing modules on a chain-conveyor platform with bowl-shaped fixtures. The evaluation follows a design-to-evidence workflow: lettuce morphology and process requirements are mapped to module geometry; chain, lead-screw, gear, and motor parameters are checked analytically; an application-oriented geometric spray-coverage model tests fixed versus swinging bilateral nozzles; static finite element analysis screens the frame under defined design loads; and prototype assembly verifies spatial compatibility. The covered-surface proxy increased from 7.24% for fixed bilateral spraying to 13.58% for a ±35° swinging case under explicit screening assumptions, while the frame analysis gave 0.0224 mm maximum deformation and 7.30 MPa maximum von Mises stress. These outputs support a preliminary, mechanically feasible platform and a testable explanation for why adjustable spray orientation may improve access to complex lettuce surfaces. They do not constitute measured cleaning, microbial, trimming, drying, packaging, throughput, or reliability performance. Full article

Natural fibres, both bio-based and mineral-derived, are increasingly investigated for use in mortar as a means of improving technical efficiency while potentially reducing reliance on synthetic fibres where performance and durability are adequate. This review synthesises mortar-focused evidence across cement-based binders, air lime and natural hydraulic lime binders, gypsum-based binders and clay-based binders, with emphasis on mix designs, fibre–matrix interactions, durability-related behaviours and engineering applications. Across binder systems, the most consistently reported benefit of fibre incorporation is improved crack control and post-crack integrity, provided that fibre dispersion, dosage, and workability are adequately controlled. Some formulations also exhibit reduced measured drying shrinkage, whereas changes in compressive and flexural strength are inconsistent, reflecting the effects of fibre type and content, water demand, density, pore structure and matrix–fibre bonding. Durability is strongly binder- and exposure-dependent. For cement-based mortars, alkaline and calcium-rich pore solution remain key limits for many plant fibres, especially under wetting–drying exposure. For lime-based, gypsum-based and clay-based mortars, chemical attack is generally less severe, but performance and property retention remain sensitive to moisture history, curing path and conditioning. Hygrothermal and hygric effects are conditional and should be considered alongside density, moisture state, pore structure and water uptake. Overall, natural fibres are most convincing when crack control, post-crack integrity, compatibility or moisture-related performance are required, rather than for universal strength or durability improvement. For that, further studies and optimisation are needed. Full article

Membrane separation technology is extensively used in water treatment. However, during long-term operation, biofouling caused by bacteria and other microorganisms significantly limits the service life of membranes. Introducing antibacterial nanomaterials onto the membrane surface or into the internal structure is an effective way to combat biofouling. This review systematically summarizes recent progress in antibacterial membranes modified with different nanomaterials. First, we classify antibacterial nanomaterials by dimensionality and highlight their physicochemical properties and effects on overall membrane performance. Furthermore, we summarize the advantages, disadvantages, and applicability of three antibacterial nanomaterial modification strategies for membranes, including surface coating, grafting, and blending. Subsequently, we analyze in depth the main antibacterial mechanisms that enhance membrane performance, including metal ion release, reactive oxygen species oxidation, physical contact disruption, and anti-adhesion, as well as their synergistic effects. Finally, we critically evaluate the remaining challenges, such as interfacial compatibility between nanomaterials and polymers, controlled release of metal ions, and environmental safety. This review provides a reference for the rational design of high-performance antibacterial membranes. Full article