1. When technology meets sustainability: microplastic removal from industrial wastewater, including impact analysis and life cycle assessmentJan Puhar, Michael Toni Sturm, Erika Myers, Dennis Schober, Anika Korzin, Annamaria Vujanović, Katrin Schuhen, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Microplastics (MPs) that are ubiquitous in aquatic environments and industrial wastewater streams have been identified as key hotspots of MP contamination. It is significantly more effective to remove MPs at these points before they enter municipal wastewater streams. This study is an environmental assessment of a novel pilot plant for the removal of MPs and the chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater with a high MP contamination from a plastics manufacturer in Germany. MP removal is based on physical–chemical agglomeration–fixation by organosilanes. Formed agglomerates are separated using a belt filter. The COD is removed by an adsorption process. The resulting MP removal was 98.0 ± 1.1% by mass and 99.9987 ± 0.0007% by particle count, while the COD was reduced by 96 ± 2.7%. The system’s sustainability is evaluated using the Life Cycle Assessment methodology, evaluating system construction, operation, and end-of-life considerations. The current pilot plant is also compared to an optimized circular and sustainable upgrade, where drivers of environmental burdens are eliminated and collected MPs are reused. Significant reductions in environmental impact categories are achieved and the global warming potential is reduced by 96%. This study provides a sustainability assessment of a novel technology and circular solution to remove MPs from highly polluted industrial wastewater.
Ključne besede: microplastics, life cycle assessment, impact analysis, removal technology, sustainable process design, carbon footprint, water quality, circular economy
Objavljeno v DKUM: 14.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 1
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2. Optimizing H-BIM workflow for interventions on historical building elementsSara Guerra de Oliveira, Salvatore Antonio Biancardo, Andrej Tibaut, 2022, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Intervention projects for historical buildings depend on the quality of multidisciplinary
data sets; their collection, structure, and semantics. Building information model (BIM) based workflows for historical buildings accumulate some of the data sets in a shared information model that
contains the building’s geometry assemblies with associated attributes (such as material). A BIM
model of any building can be a source of data for different engineering assessments, for example, solar
and wind exposure and seismic vulnerability, but for historic buildings it is particularly important
for interventions like conservation, rehabilitation, and improvements such as refurbishment and
retrofitting. When the BIM model is abstracted to a semantic model, enabling the use of semantic
technologies such as reasoning and querying, semantic links can be established to other historical
contexts. The semantic technologies help historic building experts to aggregate data into meaningful
form. Ontologies provide them with an accurate knowledge representation of the concepts, relationships, and rules related to the historic building. In the paper, we are proposing an improved
workflow for the transformation of a heritage BIM model to a semantic model. In the BIM part the
workflow demonstrates how the fully parametric modelling of historical building components is
relevant, for example, in terms of reusability and adaptation to a different context. In the semantic
model part, ontology reuse, reasoning, and querying mechanisms are applied to validate the usability
of the proposed workflow. The presented work will improve knowledge-sharing and reuse among
stakeholders involved in historic building projects.
Ključne besede: heritage building information modelling (H-BIM), algorithmic design, semantic model, ifcOWL, Erlangen CRM, OWL, SPARQL
Objavljeno v DKUM: 13.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 0
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3. Cost optimization of reinforced concrete section according to flexural crackingPrimož Jelušič, 2022, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: A series of distributed flexural cracks develop in reinforced concrete flexural elements
under the working load. The control of cracking in reinforced concrete is an important issue that
must be considered in the design of reinforced concrete structures. Crack width and spacing are
influenced by several factors, including the steel percentage, its distribution in the concrete crosssection, the concrete cover, and the concrete properties. In practice, however, a compromise must
be made between cracking, durability, and ease of construction and cost. This study presents the
optimal design of a reinforced concrete cross-section, using the optimization method of mixed-integer
nonlinear programming (MINLP) and the Eurocode standard. The MINLP optimization model
OPTCON was developed for this purpose. The model contains the objective function of the material
cost considering the crack width requirements. The crack width requirements can be satisfied by
direct calculation or by limiting the bar spacing. Due to the different crack width requirements, two
different economic designs of reinforced concrete sections were proposed. The case study presented
in this study demonstrates the value of the presented optimization approach. A direct comparison
between different methods for modelling cracking in reinforced concrete cross-sections, which has
not been done before, is also presented.
Ključne besede: crack width, cost optimization, optimal design, mixed-integer non-linear programming
Objavljeno v DKUM: 13.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 0
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4. CAE artificial neural network applied to the design of incrementally launched prestressed concrete bridgesTomaž Goričan, Milan Kuhta, Iztok Peruš, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Bridges are typically designed by reputable, specialized engineering and design companies with years of experience. In these firms, experienced engineers share and pass on their knowledge to younger colleagues. However, when these experts retire, some of the knowledge is lost forever. As a subset of artificial intelligence methods, artificial neural networks (ANNs) can solve the problem of acquiring, transferring, and preserving specialized expert knowledge. This article describes the possible application of CAE ANN to acquire knowledge and to assist in the design of incrementally launched prestressed concrete bridges. Therefore, multidimensional graphs in the form of iso-curves of equal values were created, allowing practicing engineers to understand complex relationships between design parameters. The graphs also contain information about the reliability of the results, which is defined by an estimated parameter. The general rule is that results based on a larger number of actual data points are more reliable. Finally, an ANN BD assistant is proposed as an application that assists engineers and designers in the early stages of design and/or established engineers and designers in variant studies and design parameter optimization.
Ključne besede: artificial neural networks, bridge design, incremental launching method, expert knowledge, reliability of predictions, prestressed concrete bridges
Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.03.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 5
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7. Exploring the feasibility of generative AI in persona research : a omparative analysis of large language model-generated and human-crafted personas in obesity researchUrška Smrke, Ana Rehberger, Nejc Plohl, Izidor Mlakar, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This study investigates the perceptions of Persona descriptions generated using three different large language models (LLMs) and qualitatively developed Personas by an expert panel involved in obesity research. Six different Personas were defined, three from the clinical domain and three from the educational domain. The descriptions of Personas were generated using qualitative methods and the LLMs (i.e., Bard, Llama, and ChatGPT). The perception of the developed Personas was evaluated by experts in the respective fields. The results show that, in general, the perception of Personas did not significantly differ between those generated using LLMs and those qualitatively developed by human experts. This indicates that LLMs have the potential to generate a consistent and valid representation of human stakeholders. The LLM-generated Personas were perceived as believable, relatable, and informative. However, post-hoc comparisons revealed some differences, with descriptions generated using the Bard model being in several Persona descriptions that were evaluated most favorably in terms of empathy, likability, and clarity. This study contributes to the understanding of the potential and challenges of LLM-generated Personas. Although the study focuses on obesity research, it highlights the importance of considering the specific context and the potential issues that researchers should be aware of when using generative AI for generating Personas.
Ključne besede: user personas, obesity, large language models, value sensitive design, digital health interventions
Objavljeno v DKUM: 14.02.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 4
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8. The difference of managerial approach in more or less design-oriented companiesSanja Rocco, Aleksandra Pisnik, 2020, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: While the market orientation of companies has been thoroughly analysed, a review of the marketing literature indicates that there is significantly less research on Design Orientation, and especially on their relationship. This paper analyzes the variables of Design and Market Orientation on the basis of existing models and develops the measurement instrument for future research. The study also investigates the impact of managerial approach on the exploitation of design resources in the company. Two hypotheses are developed: the first on the DO-MO relationship, acknowledging the multiple dimensions of Design Orientation and the second on the difference in managerial approach between more and less design-oriented companies. The first, qualitative stage of the research served to re-examine the research constructs and variables, while an Internet survey was used in the second, quantitative stage, among managers and CEOs from Croatian companies. The design dimensions in our final model represented intermediaries between Market Orientation, managerial approach, and market outcomes. Results confirm that managers in non-design oriented companies differ from those in design-oriented companies by perceived design value. Managers’ and CEOs’ awareness of design, its value and potentials, are of great importance for design implementation and Design Orientation of a company as a whole, especially in SMEs. Managerial approach, according to results, has a direct effect on Design Orientation, but it also influences Market Orientation, both directly and indirectly, as well as business success. Findings of this study can have implications for scholars, as well as for managers in practice, especially in emerging economies, which lack research in Design Orientation. Future research should be expanded to other countries in the region.
Ključne besede: design management, design orientation, market orientation, emerging markets, managerial approach
Objavljeno v DKUM: 13.02.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 4
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9. Assessment of in-plane timber floor stiffness as structural diaphragms: a numerical approach to lateral load responseJelena Vilotijević, Miroslav Premrov, 2024, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The behaviour of horizontal floor diaphragms plays a crucial role in ensuring the overall response of a building during earthquakes, as the stiffness of these diaphragms determines whether the structure will act as an integrated system. If the diaphragms do not exhibit sufficient stiffness, differences in the redistribution of forces on wall elements arise, increasing the risk of significant deformations and even local damage, which is commonly observed in earthquake-affected areas. Additionally, flexible diaphragms heighten the risk of torsional effects. Due to these factors, more attention should be given to the response of buildings with flexible diaphragms. Eurocode standard specifies general requirements under which diaphragms should be considered rigid within their plane, depending on the maximum diaphragm moment. However, specific guidelines regarding the geometric and material properties of elements that significantly impact seismic behaviour are not included in the existing European standards. This served as a basis for conducting a numerical study analysing the in-plane behaviour of floor elements made from different materials. This study, limited to a simple box-shaped structure with masonry walls, symmetrical in both orthogonal directions, evaluated and thoroughly analysed the deformations for different types of diaphragms, including prefabricated wooden frame-panel floors, CLT panels, and reinforced concrete slabs. Special emphasis was placed on wooden structural elements due to the increased demand for timber construction, as the behaviour of these elements needs to be properly studied, especially in seismic regions. The study results were obtained through FEM analysis using the SCIA Engineer software, version 22. The modelling of elements was carried out considering the orthotropy of brick wall and wooden ceiling elements, as well as simulating the appropriate shear stiffness of the connecting means.
Ključne besede: horizontal diaphragms, floor flexibility, lateral load resisting system, timber frame-panel floor, cross-laminated timber, concrete slab, seismic design
Objavljeno v DKUM: 10.01.2025; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 16
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10. Eco-design processes in the automotive industryEwelina Staniszewska, Dorota Klimecka-Tatar, Matevž Obrecht, 2020, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Every year approximately 70 million passenger cars are being produced and automotive industry is much bigger then just passenger cars. The impact of automotive industry on the environment is tre-mendous. From extracting raw materials through manufacturing and assembly processes, exploitation of the vehicle to the reprocessing irreversible, extensive environmental damage is done. The goal of this study is to show how implementing eco-design processes into supply chain management can re-duce the impact of automotive industry on the environment by e.g. reducing the use of the fuel, in-creasing the use of recycled materials. Focus is on evaluation of current state, environmental impacts and potential improvements for design, raw materials, manufacturing and distribution and end-of-life phase.
Ključne besede: eco-design processes, automotive industry, supply chain management, business processes, cleaner production, environmental impacts, logistics
Objavljeno v DKUM: 18.12.2024; Ogledov: 0; Prenosov: 4
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