Proceedings on Engineering Sciences

4

Authors: Rodrigo F S Gomes

This paper explores critical factors related to the application of data science in the field of safety and discusses plausive causes to explain why the herewith called safety data science (SDS) is still a distant reality in most organizations. To do that, existing literature was screened and inductive reasoning was used to identify potential barriers for the massive use of SDS. As a result, basic foundations are introduced and three critical factors are discussed: (1) the lack of theoretical foundations in SDS to guide empirical applications; (2) unavailability or poor safety data at the organizational level, and (3) the lack of expertise related to data science from the perspective of safety professionals. The study has important implications. From the theoretical perspective, it offers an initial conceptual baseline for SDS and presents its critical factors. Also, directions are given for safety practitioners to explore SDS at the organizational level.

8

Authors: Badri Narayan Mohapatra

The Internal quality environment in a room/office purely depends on the daylighting. Light pipe offers to bring sunlight through passive way to the core of the building. Reduce the use of electric lighting and utilization of light pipes can create suitable visual activity and contribute more comfort than electric light. This paper aims building light pipe design optimization on lighting level by using cloud based simulation.

10

Authors: Brikena Xhaferi, Gezim Xhaferri

This study aims to examine the type of learner motivation of the students studying foreign languages at South East European University (SEEU) in North Macedonia during their online classes caused by the global Pandemic COVID-19. Both teachers and students of this Institution faced several challenges. In order to be able to reach learning outcomes, the students must be motivated and engaged while attending online lessons. The present study uses two instruments to address the research questions designed; a student questionnaire, Motivation to Learn Online Questionnaire (MLOQ), and a teacher semi-structured interview. Overall, the study results revealed that the participants of the study are more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically. The instructor support was reported to be in a very high level in terms of teacher-students communication, responded to students in a timely manner and providing guidance for the students during online classes. Nevertheless, teachers changed their assessment methods which respond to the students’ needs and tried different instructional techniques to enhance student motivation for learning among which the online quizzes, class discussion and online presentations. The findings of the present study will provide EFL teachers with some new insights and practical ideas for increasing student motivation during online classes.

12

Authors: Bismark Budu, Justice Ekow Abban, Bhagwan Shree Ram

The distribution system is the power grid component that forms the network pathways of distributing the power generated to their various feeders connected across it to meet the required load demand. As of recent, its operation of distributing quality power to its cherished feeders and consumers has become a major challenge due to the complicated nature of applying smart systems to meet the high and sophisticated load demands in this dispensation where advancement in engineering, science and technology is becoming predominant. Currently, high concerns have been raised on soliciting effective management techniques to curb these problems bedeviling the power distribution network. Hence this research article sort to present an overview of some of the pertinent strategic management techniques of smart systems for power distribution operations to bring security, stability, reliability, power quality to the distribution network and also enhance the system performance of the power grid as a whole.

12

Authors: Leonard M. Akuwueke, Chinwuba V. Ossia, Harold U. Nwosu

This study presents the development and physicomechanical optimization of friction lining composites from organic chemically activated carbon. Three types of chemically activated carbon from palm kernel shells (PKS) and coconut shell (CS) giving 3 volumetric ratios of CS (XCS) with 3 particle sizes (XPS) and 3 reinforcement weight concentrations (XWT). The composites were experimentally evaluated for mechanical properties (flexural strength FS, tensile strength TS, hardness H and density D) performance using box-behnken design. ANOVA was used to determine the effects of XPS, XCS and XWT. Results showed that all properties exhibited positive main effects from XPS of order FS>TS>H>D, and a positive XPS and XCS interaction. All properties except hardness exhibited negative XPS and XWT , negative XWT and XCS, and positive XPS and XCS interactions. All, except hardness, showed all positive quadratic effect from XPS, XWT and XCS. The experimental and predicted values showed little or no difference. The friction lining composites optimal properties obtained include: hardness Hmax=87.375?? at XWT=8%wt, XCS=100%CSAC, XPS=60nm; density Dmin=0.97g/cm3 at XCS=100%CSAC, XPS=60nm and XWT=4%wt FSmax=39.97696MPa; at XCS=93.33%CSAC, XPS=150nm, XWT=4%wt and TSmax=28.65MPa at XCS=100%CSAC, XPS=150nm, XWT=4%wt. Hence, all the process variables were relevant for the development of friction-linings using agro-wastes chemically activated carbon.

14

Authors: H. C. O. Unegbu, D.S. Yawas, B. Dan-asabe

A typical construction project has associated key players whose inputs are needed to improve project management effectiveness. The project performance of these key players is impacted by a number of dynamic factors which may be tangibles or intangibles. This research study assessed the impact of the project management knowledge areas on the project performance of construction industry’s key players. A questionnaire was administered to 250 selected project management personnel from 10 randomly selected companies in the construction sector in the North Central Zone of Nigeria operating over the last decade. The valid responses obtained from the respondents were 213. Altogether, 12 latent variables and 52 manifest or observed variables were used for the data analysis after the preliminary data analysis to check the validity, reliability and reduce the number of variables using the average variance extracted (AVE), the Cronbach’s alpha test, the composite reliability test and exploratory factor analysis in Microsoft Excel and the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) respectively. The result of the structural equation model (SEM) in linear structural relationship (LISREL) software used to test 29 hypotheses indicates that skillfulness in the utilization of the project management knowledge areas by the key players in construction projects improves their project performance. This is because 23 of these hypotheses were validated and only 6 were rejected because of unacceptable path coefficients. It was identified that the strongest relationships exist in the interaction of the client and quality management, the client and cost management, the client and communication management, the consultant and communication management and the project manager and quality management in the order of their path coefficients.