Sharif Digital Repository

Attributed scattering problems have been found to be helpful in inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) imaging and target recognition problems. In this model, the scattering centres are divided into two categories: localised and distributed. Localised scattering centres are those that are concentrated in a small area, while distributed scattering centres are spread out over a larger area. Several methods have been proposed to estimate the scattering centres which aim to accurately identify the location and characteristics of the scattering centres. However, detecting a distributed scattering centre remains a challenging task. A novel technique is proposed based on sparse signals to improve... 

Substations and switching stations are critical segments in an electric power system. Their impacts on system operation and the consequential effects of their components failure are usually more dominant in overall power system reliability. There is always a degree of uncertainty in the practical input data used in reliability analysis. This paper presents a conceptual possibilistic approach using fuzzy set theory to manage the uncertainties in the reliability input data such as failure rate, repair time and operation of protective devices. Suitable fuzzy numbers are proposed for components reliability data. Load of feeders are also represented by fuzzy numbers and their impact on ENS... 

In this paper, we propose a data offloading algorithm in a network comprised of a macro base station and a few number of WiFi access points with overlapped coverage areas. The main goal of our algorithm is how to assign offloaded mobile stations (MSs) to access points (APs). Our approach in proposing the algorithm is based on mapping the problem onto finding a suitable matching algorithm, in order to minimize the average delay of the offloaded packets as one of the main QoS parameters on the one hand and to maximize the utility of the APs on the other hand. The utility of each AP is considered to be a combination of monetary benefit due to offloading service and the cost due to extra energy... 

Molybdenum disilicide (ModSi 2) is an attractive structural material due to its unique combination of properties, namely excellent oxidation resistance, high melting point (2030°C) and relatively low density (6.3g.cm -3). The present work investigates joining of two MoSi 2 parts through Cusil/Zr/Cusil interlayer with Cusil being a commercial eutectic of Cu-Ag alloy. The joining operation was implemented in an inert gas tube furnace by brazing. The brazing temperature ranged at 830-930°C while the operation lasted for 1hr. Interfacial microstructure was studied by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. Applying the... 

The present work investigates joining of two MoSi2 parts through Cusil/Zr/Cusil interlayer with Cusil being a commercial eutectic of Cu-Ag alloy. The joining operation was implemented in an inert gas tube furnace by brazing. The brazing temperature ranged from 800 to 930°C while the operation lasted for 60min. Evaluation of joints strength through shear loading identified the maximum strength 60.31MPa for the brazed sample at 830°C. Interfacial microstructure was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) techniques. Applying the temperature of 830°C was led to a uniform dense joint consisting of various phases with... 

This study aims to investigate the effects of Al2O3 micro and nanoparticles on the microstructure, mechanical, and corrosion properties of the pure titanium surface biocomposites fabricated by friction stir processing (FSP). The microstructure, mechanical, and corrosion properties of samples were evaluated using optical microscopy (OM), electron-backscattered diffraction system (EBSD), hardness tests, tensile tests, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analyses. The OM and EBSD analyses proved the highest amount of grain refinement associated with the formation of strain-free recrystallized grains by applying FSP at the presence of Al2O3 nanoparticles.... 

In this study, natural convection heat transfer in a vertical flat-plate solar air heater of 2.5 m height and 1 m width, with one- and two-glass covers was studied experimentally. Totally six cases of airflow (two for air heater with one glass cover and four for air heater with two-glass covers) were considered. These cases included states that air could flow within spaces between absorber plate and glass covers or air was enclosed in such spaces. Absorber plate temperature, back-plate temperature, glass cover temperatures, mass flow rates of air within channels and the solar radiation were measured. The following relations are suggested:. For channels in which air could flow:Nu = 0.7362... 

This paper focuses on the use of quadratic time-frequency distributions (QTFDs) to characterize the temporal variation of low-frequency electromechanical oscillations (LFEOs) using ringdown data. A refined Margenau-Hill distribution (MHD) and a procedure to extract the instantaneous frequencies and damping factors as well as initial phase angles of system low-frequency modes when the analyzed signal is multi-component are proposed. The refinement process enjoys a fast-converging iterative algorithm and without loss of generality it can be applied to other QTFDs for using in other applications. A non-stationary synthetic signal as well as simulated ringdown data of a 5-area, 16-machine power... 

The purpose of this research was to design a fully automated centrifugal microfluidic system (Lab-on-a-Disk) for isolating cell free fetal DNAs (cffDNAs) from whole blood. To achieve this goal, magnetic silica beads were used, such that after attaching cffDNA to them, they were transferred between chambers by using external fixed magnets. All the standards and required steps for cffDNA extraction including plasma separation, adding proteinase K, lysis buffer, binding buffer, washing buffer, and elution buffer were considered in this designed disk. To evaluate the function of the disk, the collected samples were tested from several aspects. First, the purity of extracted plasma from whole... 

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation tool suited to alter cortical excitability and activity via the application of weak direct electrical currents. An increasing number of studies in the addiction literature suggests that tDCS modulates subjective self-reported craving through stimulation of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The major goal of this study was to explore effects of bilateral DLPFC stimulation on resting state networks (RSNs) in association with drug craving modulation. We targeted three large-scale RSNs; the default mode network (DMN), the executive control network (ECN), and the salience network (SN). Methods:... 

A simple method for the formation of inclusion complex of [60]fullerene with two O2N2-donor aza-crown macrocyclic ligands was introduced. The products were characterized using UV-vis and IR spectroscopies as well as HPLC, and ESI mass spectrometry. The ESI mass and elemental analysis data revealed that the ratio of macroring:[60]fullerene were not the same. The binding capability of the macrorings as well as the number of the macroring addends to [60]fullerene were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Considering percentage mass loss in different steps of TG and the enthalpy changes in DSC found for each of these products, the number... 

The stress field of a multi-phase spherical/cylindrical inhomogeneity with arbitrary interface bonding conditions, subjected to both a uniform temperature change and a uniform hydrostatic tension, is presented. Imperfect bonding conditions are modeled using linear spring model and coherent interface model. In nanosize inhomogeneities, since the surface energy is not negligible with respect to the bulk energy, the effect of surface stresses is incorporated into the formulation. Accurate estimates for the thermal stresses of a functionally graded coated inhomogeneity with perfect and /~or imperfect interfaces are given. The influence of coating stiffness, coating thickness and interface... 

The determination of the thermo-mechanical stress field in and around a spherical/ cylindrical inhomogeneity surrounded by a functionally graded (FG) coating, which in turn is embedded in an infinite medium, is of interest. The present work, in the frame work of Boussinesq/Papkovich-Neuber displacement potentials method, discovers the potential functions by which not only the relevant boundary value problems (BVPs) in the literature, but also the more complex problem of the coated inhomogeneities with FG coating and sliding interfaces can be treated in a unified manner. The thermo-elastic fields pertinent to the inhomogeneities with multiple homogeneous coatings and various combinations of... 

In this communication, a hybrid model based on Least Square Support Vector Machine (LSSVM) was constructed to predict CO2 corrosion rate. The input parameters of the model are temperature, CO2 partial pressure, flow velocity and pH. The data used for training and testing of the developed model are 612 and 109 data, respectively. In order to benefit LSSVM from Kernel learning, we compared three kernel functions to select the most efficient one. Furthermore, Coupled Simulated Annealing (CSA) optimization technique was adapted to choose the best optimal values of the model parameters. The results elucidate that Gaussian Kernel functions is the desired function which can afford high accuracy for... 

For an undirected graph G, a zero-sum flow is an assignment of non-zero real numbers to the edges, such that the sum of the values of all edges incident with each vertex is zero. It has been conjectured that if a graph G has a zero-sum flow, then it has a zero-sum 6-flow. We prove this conjecture and Bouchet's Conjecture for bidirected graphs are equivalent. Among other results it is shown that if G is an r-regular graph (r ≥ 3), then G has a zero-sum 7-flow. Furthermore, if r is divisible by 3, then G has a zero-sum 5-flow. We also show a graph of order n with a zero-sum flow has a zero-sum (n + 3)2-flow. Finally, the existence of k-flows for small graphs is investigated  

Gravity, viscous, and capillary are three main forces affecting flow characteristics in porous media. No analytical solution can be found to model the flow by considering all these forces. In this work, by considering all these forces, the polymer-flooding process is modeled by using a numerical simulation approach. For characterizing the polymer, the modified Blake-Kozeny model is chosen, which benefits consideration of the permeability reduction due to polymer adsorption on the rock surface  

Shear wall panels, including cold-formed steel frames and its attached sheathing, are common lateral load resisting systems of cold-formed steel structures. In this paper, the finite element method is used to study the lateral performance of shear wall panels. The finite element model is validated against experimental results of other researchers. Using the validated model, a parametric study is described to determine strength, drift and seismic behavior of the shear wall panels. Based on the results, it is concluded that the initial stiffness and ultimate lateral strength are dramatically affected by the thickness of the frame members, type of sheathing material, edge screw spacing, height... 

This work presents the optimization of a solar collector surface in solar desiccant wheel cycle which for cooling process with typical configuration naming desiccant wheel, heat exchanger and water spray evaporative cooler. In this cooling cycle the thermal solar energy has used to heat the regeneration air of desiccant wheel cycle. The optimum solar collector surface has determined by taking into account of design parameters such as velocity of air, wheel speed, thickness of the desiccant and hydraulic diameter of the desiccant wheel and also operating conditions such as outside temperature, outside relative humidity, regeneration air temperature and total solar irradiance. For this... 

In this study the investigation of large deflections subject in compliant mechanisms is presented using homotopy perturbation method (HPM). The main purpose is to propose a convenient method of solution for the large deflection problem in compliant mechanisms in order to overcome the difficulty and complexity of conventional methods, as well as for the purpose of mathematical modeling and optimization. For simplicity, a cantilever beam of linear elastic material under horizontal, vertical and bending moment end point load is considered. The results show that the applied method is very accurate and capable for cantilever beams and can be used for a large category of practical problems for the... 

The microstructure evaluation and phase transformation of multi-pass friction stir-processed (FSP) commercially pure titanium were investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy equipped with a backscatter detector, and electron backscatter diffractometer. The microstructure characterization shows that the grain refinement mechanism changed with the increasing number of passes. The equiaxed α grains in the untreated sample changed to lath-shaped grains surrounded by serrated grain boundaries, and produced Widmanstätten morphology during the cooling cycle of FSP. The higher micro-hardness values and bio-corrosion resistances of the FSP-treated samples are due to their...