Artigos de Revista

Household water use structure can vary significantly depending on several factors like personal habits, socio-economic, cultural and climatic conditions. In the absence of Portuguese data on domestic water consumption, a field study was carried out in order to obtain information that could help support the definition of water conservation measures within the scope of the Portuguese National Program for the Efficient Use of Water. The paper describes the methodology and results obtained in this study, which involved approximately 100 participants that made a characterization of their appliances and detailed recordings of all water uses. Results allowed for the determination of average values of usage duration and frequency for each appliance, total volume consumed per water appliance and per capita water consumption. In terms of consumption structure, it was found that showering and bathing were the main components (36±13%) followed by taps (29±10%) and toilet flushing (21±7%).

Coastal area morphodynamic modeling systems couple modules for tidal hydrodynamics, wave propagation,sediment transport and bottom update. The non-linear coupling between these modules generates spuriousoscillations and stability problems that are still poorly understood. This paper assesses and compares variousmethods to avoid the oscillations and improve the stability of a coastal area morphodynamic modeling system(MORSYS2D). The model is assessed with a simple case, the propagation of a sinusoidal bedform, and acomplex natural system (Óbidos Lagoon, Portugal), whose exceptional dynamics enhances numerical problemsin the morphodynamic models. The best results are obtained with a combination of methods: a predictorcorrectormethod to improve the implicitness of the solution, along-flux diffusion in the Exner equation tocontrol oscillations, and a morphological factor below unity to reduce the Courant number. With these methods,the modeling system can be used with Courant numbers well above unity.

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As the objective of the artificial recharge related to the Algarve test site is to rehabilitate groundwater, all non-conventional and available water sources will have to be considered if the purpose is to overcome the groundwater quality non-conformity with the requirements of the Water Framework Directive by 2015. The assessment of non-conventional water resources was made in Deliverable D31 (cf. Lobo-Ferreira et al., 2006a), coordinated by LNEC, on the

Field load testing is an effective method to evaluate bridge performance and to calibrate structural models. This paper presents the load tests of the cable-stayed Rainha Santa Isabel Bridge which crosses the Mondego River near Coimbra, in Portugal. During these tests, several parameters were measured, like vertical displacements of the deck, horizontal displacements of the mast, rotations, strains and stay forces. Different types of equipment were used in order to get more accurate measurements. The experimental results are compared with the analytical values computed with a finite element model of the bridge.

A modificação da medeira é feita com o objectivo de melhorar determinadas propriedades do material, como sejam a sua durabilidade e estabilidade dimensional. Evoluindo a partir de estudos laboratoriais realizados nos anos 20 e 30 do séc. XX, alguns destes processos permitiram, entretanto, a colocação no mercado de diversos produtos de madeira modificada, que começam a fazer parte da vida corrente.

A linguagem UML é actualmente uma ferramenta largamente disseminada para a modelação de sistemas de informação. No entanto, entre a esquematização conceptual de um sistema e a sua implementação existe um passo crucial de transformação que nos propomos melhorar. Este artigo apresenta trabalho para o desenvolvimento de um sistema de geração de sistemas aplicacionais, directamente baseados na especificação UML de diagramas de actividade (geração de workflows) diagramas de classe (geração de bases de dados). A transposição entre a modelação e a implementação é feita através do XMI gerado por uma ferramenta de modelação UML, servindo de base para a geração do sistema final. Por sua vez, este ultimo suporta-se num backend implementado na linguagem de Programação em Lógica ISCO, tirando partido da propriedades declarativas desta linguagem no acesso a bases de dados, e um frontend AJAX, facilitando alterações assíncronasque venham a ser realizadas sobre as especificações do sistema, depois de gerado.Este artigo, sendo relativo a um work in progress não propõe ainda conclusões definitivas sobre as implicações desta abordagem, mas já apresenta alguns resultados preliminares relativamente a comparações com outro sistema de gestão de fluxo de dados.

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This paper describes the behavior of single rigid-block structures under dynamic loading. A comprehensive experimental investigation has been carried out to study the rocking response of four blue granite stones with different geometrical characteristics under free vibration, and harmonic and random motions of the base. In total, 275 tests on a shaking table were carried out in order to address the issues of repeatability of the results and stability of the rocking motion response. Two different tools for the numerical simulations of the rocking motion of rigid blocks are considered. The first tool is analytical and overcomes the usual limitations of the traditional piecewise equations of motion through a Lagrangian formalism. The second tool is based on the discrete element method (DEM), especially effective for the numerical modeling of rigid blocks. A new methodology is proposed for finding the parameters of the DEM by using the parameters of the classical theory. An extensive comparison between numerical and experimental data has been carried out to validate and define the limitations of the analytical tools under study.

This paper presents some detailed information about the reserve of the resistance capacity ofthe various series of I-sections used in steel construction, according to the European, American, Britishand Japanese standards, when bent about their strong or weak axes. A brief discussion is also presentedabout the existence of a geometrical configuration that minimises the reserve of the cross-section plasticresistance in bending about the strong axis, with or without a combined axial force.