Common engineering materials reach in many demanding applications such as automotive or aerospace their limits and new developments are required to ful ll increasing demands on performance and characteristics. The properties of ma- rials can be increased for example by combining different materials to achieve better properties than a single constituent or by shaping the material or c- stituents in a speci c structure. Many of these new materials reveal a much more complex behavior than traditional engineering materials due to their advanced str- ture or composition. Furthermore, the classical applications of many engineering materials are extended to new ranges of applications and to more demanding en- ronmental conditions such as elevated temperatures. All these tendencies require in addition to the synthesis of new materials, proper methods for their m- ufacturing and extensive programs for their characterization. In many elds of application, the development of new methods and processes must be acc- plished by accurate and reliable modeling and simulation techniques. Only the interaction between these new developments with regards to manufacturing, m- eling, characterization, further processing and monitoring of materials will allow to meet all demands and to introduce these developments in safety-relevant applications. The 3rd International Conference on Advanced Computational Engineering and Experimenting, ACE-X 2009, was held in Rome, Italy, from 22 to 23 June 2009 with a strong focus on the above mentioned developments.

This volume highlights the latest developments and trends in advanced materials and their properties, the modeling and simulation of non-classical materials and structures, and new technologies for joining materials. It presents the developments of advanced materials and respective tools to characterize and predict the material properties and behavior.

This book has an important role in advancing non-classical materials on the macro and nanoscale. The book provides original, theoretical, and important experimental results. Some research uses non-routine methodologies often unfamiliar to some readers. Furthermore, papers on novel applications of more familiar experimental techniques and analyses of composite problems are included. This book brings together research contributions from eminent experts on subjects that have gained prominence in material and chemical engineering and science. It presents the last developments along with case studies, explanatory notes, and schematics for clarity and enhanced understanding. The book includes new research and studies, including: • New research on the efficiency of gas purification • The transport properties of films of chitosan-amikacin • Operating conditions of clearing of gas in a rotoklon • Properties and characteristics of varies materials and compounds Professors and instructors and postgraduate students focusing on adhesive interaction improvement will find the book valuable, as will industry professionals.

This volume highlights the latest developments and trends in advanced non-classical materials and structures. It presents the developments of advanced materials and respective tools to characterize and predict the material properties and behavior. It also includes original, theoretical, and important experimental results that use non-routine methodologies often unfamiliar to the usual readers. The chapters on novel applications of more familiar experimental techniques and analyses of composite problems underline the need for new experimental approaches.

Impact cratering is arguably the most ubiquitous geological process in the Solar System. It has played an important role in Earth’s history, shaping the geological landscape, affecting the evolution of life, and generating economic resources. However, it was only in the latter half of the 20th century that the importance of impact cratering as a geological process was recognized and only during the past couple of decades that the study of meteorite impact structures has moved into the mainstream. This book seeks to fill a critical gap in the literature by providing an overview text covering broad aspects of the impact cratering process and aimed at graduate students, professionals and researchers alike. It introduces readers to the threat and nature of impactors, the impact cratering process, the products, and the effects – both destructive and beneficial. A series of chapters on the various techniques used to study impact craters provide a foundation for anyone studying impact craters for the first time.

Self-organizing approaches inspired from biological systems, such as social insects, genetic, molecular and cellular systems under morphogenesis, and human mental development, has enjoyed great success in advanced robotic systems that need to work in dynamic and changing environments. Compared with classical control methods for robotic systems, the major advantages of bio-inspired self-organizing robotic systems include robustness, self-repair and self-healing in the presence of system failures and/or malfunctions, high adaptability to environmental changes, and autonomous self-organization and self-reconfiguration without a centralized control. “Bio-inspired Self-organizing Robotic Systems” provides a valuable reference for scientists, practitioners and research students working on developing control algorithms for self-organizing engineered collective systems, such as swarm robotic systems, self-reconfigurable modular robots, smart material based robotic devices, unmanned aerial vehicles, and satellite constellations.

This book reports on cutting-edge research within the new field of active rheology control of cementitious materials, presenting new ideas developed within the ERC Advanced Grant Project, SmartCast (hosted at Ghent University), which extend the possibilities of admixtures and additions beyond current options. The research presented here develops a new method of actively controlling the rheology of fresh concrete during casting operations by incorporating specially designed responsive components. This results in real-time changes to the rheological behaviour of the cementitious material, allowing the user to intervene actively after the cementitious material has left the mixing phase. This newly gained agility contributes to increased processing speed and placement reliability in the case of traditional casting methods and can also facilitate advanced 3D concrete printing. The different routes followed to achieve this Active Rheology Control are explained within. The book suits researchers and innovative practitioners and is the first comprehensive text to present these new findings. The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

The Conference was established for the first time in 2023 as part of a programme of activities to sustain research culture environment and dissemination activities at the School of Engineering, Cardiff University, Cardiff United Kingdom. The conference served as a platform to celebrate advancements in various engineering domains researched at our School, and to explore and discuss further advancements in the diverse fields that define contemporary engineering. The structure of the conference programme reflected the multidimensional nature of our research and was built around the priority research areas for the school. 1. Sustainable Energy stands as a testament to our commitment to a greener, more efficient future. We aim to advance energy technology and play a key role in addressing the increasing demand for sustainable and low carbon technologies while reducing environmental impact and ensuring a sustainable environment. Our work helps to drive forward net-zero solutions for achieving the government carbon targets. 2. Advanced Manufacturing represents cutting-edge research into materials, systems and transformative technologies to transform engineering and economic performance in the transport, energy generation and manufacturing industries. Our research in this area focuses on developing smart materials and structures, and sustainable manufacturing processes that help create a sustainable and greener economy. 3. Civil Infrastructure takes centre stage as we improve the sustainability and resilience of infrastructure across the UK and the globe. We work on developing sustainable and resilient total lifecycle solutions across a wide range of domains including construction, structures, energy, geo-environmental and water infrastructure systems. From creating new nano-scale smart materials to macro-scale urban interventions. 4. Compound Semiconductors and Applications represents the cutting edge of electronics, a critical driver of progress in the digital age. We explore the latest developments in compound semiconductor materials, advanced characterisation techniques, quantum optics and novel circuit design methodologies and their diverse applications. We anticipate breakthroughs that will power the next generation of computing, communication, and sensing technologies. 5. Engineering for Health forms a cornerstone of our discussions, recognizing the pivotal role technology plays in revolutionizing healthcare. We are applying the latest research in medical engineering to push the boundaries in areas where innovation has the potential to transform patient care.

Environmental nanotechnology is considered to play a key role in shaping of current environmental engineering and science practices. This book titled "Environmental Nanotechnology" covers the advanced materials, devices, and system development for use in the environmental protection. The development of nano-based materials, understanding their chemistry and characterization using techniques like X- Ray diffraction, FT-IR, EDX, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), high resolution-TEM, etc is included. It also highlights the scope for their applications in environmental protection, environmental remediation and environmental biosensors for detection, monitoring and assessment. Key Features: Covers basic to advanced Nano-based materials, their synthesis, development, characterization and applications and all the updated information related to environmental nanotechnology. Discusses implications of nanomaterials on the environment and applications of nanotechnology to protect the environment. Illustrates specific topics such as ethics of nanotechnology development, Nano-biotechnology, and application in wastewater technology. Includes applications of nanomaterials for combating global climate change and carbon sequestration. Gives examples of field applications of environmental nanotechnology. This book covers advanced materials, devices, and system developments for use in environmental protection. The development of nano-based materials, understanding its chemistry and characterization by the use of X-Ray diffraction, FT-IR, EDX, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and high resolution-TEM give the scope for their application in environmental protection, environmental remediation, and environmental biosensors for detection, monitoring, and assessment. The green chemistry based on nano-based materials prevents pollution and controls environmental contaminants.

This book addresses topics of mobile multi-agent systems, pattern formation, biological modelling, artificial life, unconventional computation, and robotics. The behaviour of a simple organism which is capable of remarkable biological and computational feats that seem to transcend its simple component parts is examined and modelled. In this book the following question is asked: How can something as simple as Physarum polycephalum - a giant amoeboid single-celled organism which does not possess any neural tissue, fixed skeleton or organised musculature - can approximate complex computational behaviour during its foraging, growth and adaptation of its amorphous body plan, and with such limited resources? To answer this question the same apparent limitations as faced by the organism are applied: using only simple components with local interactions. A synthesis approach is adopted and a mobile multi-agent system with very simple individual behaviours is employed. It is shown their interactions yield emergent behaviour showing complex self-organised pattern formation with material-like evolution. The presented model reproduces the biological behaviour of Physarum; the formation, growth and minimisation of transport networks. In its conclusion the book moves beyond Physarum and provides results of scoping experiments approximating other complex systems using the multi-agent approach. The results of this book demonstrate the power and range of harnessing emergent phenomena arising in simple multi-agent systems for biological modelling, computation and soft-robotics applications. It methodically describes the necessary components and their interactions, showing how deceptively simple components can create powerful mechanisms, aided by abundant illustrations, supplementary recordings and interactive models. It will be of interest to those in biological sciences, physics, computer science and robotics who wish to understand how simple components can result in complex and useful behaviours and who wish explore the potential of guided pattern formation themselves.