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On-road performance comparison of two identical cars consuming petrodiesel and biodiesel
Publication . Serrano, L.; Carreira, V.; Câmara, R.; Gameiro da Silva, M.
The present work studies the impact on vehicle performance and fuel consumption when using 100% diesel with petroleum origin (fossil diesel), compared to a mixture of 20% biodiesel in 80% of fossil diesel fuel (B20). For the accomplishment of this work an assessment was made using some primary tests on a chassis dynamometer, measuring vehicle performance and consumption. Subsequently a methodology was developed to conduct road tests. These considered the simultaneous circulation of two identical vehicles, fed with the two different fuels, but running on the same traffic and road conditions. Both vehicles were equippedwith geo-referencing systems (GPS) and datameasured by the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) were acquired. A precision balance was used in fuel consumption measurements of an auxiliary reservoir. The results demonstrate that the use of biodiesel has a penalizing effect on themass fuel consumption and on vehicle's performance, but this is largely dependent on the type of circuit used. One can also conclude that the methodology
implemented on the study of fuel alternatives is extremely important. It is noticeable that for different route needs, different energetic solutions are more suitable than others, which can only be properly assessed by conducting road tests.
Additive manufacturing as an enabling technology for digital construction: A perspective on Construction 4.0
Publication . Duarte, José Pinto; Bartolo, Paulo Jorge; Craveiro, Flávio; Bartolo, Helena
The construction sector plays a key role in any country's economy.According to a report published by the World Economic Forum, the construction industry currently accounts for about 6% of the world GDP [1] and is expected to reach around 14.7% in 2030 [2]. Construction is a strategically important sector for the European economy involving a wide range of stakeholders and companies, providing 18 million jobs[209]. According to the World Economic Forum, a 1% rise in productivity worldwide could save $100 billion a year in construction costs [3], with the potential to contribute for a country's competitiveness and sustainable development [4–6]. The construction industry consumes a very significant proportion of the raw materials produced around the world, using for instance 50% ofthe global steel production, and is responsible for 30% of the world greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, it provides the fabric of the built environment on which society depends [1,3]. The population living in urban areas is rapidly increasing, which impacts the need for affordable houses, public transportation and utility infrastructure.
Yet the perceived image of the construction sector is predominantly low-tech, still relying on craft-based methods, characterized by a poorperformance and quality image [7–10]. The 2016 survey ‘Sustainability in the Supply Chain’ carried out bythe Scape Group [11] concluded that 58% of all construction supplier And contractor respondents identified skilled workforce shortages as anobstacle for a future modernized construction sector
Quantification of Maximal Force Produced in Standard and Contra-Standard Sculling in Synchronized Swimming. A Pilot Study
Publication . Diogo, V.; Soares, S.; Tourino, C.; Carmo, C.; Aleixo, I.; Morouço, P.; Figueiredo, P.; Vilas-Boas, J. P.; Fernandes, R. J.
Studies carried out in synchronized swimming are very scarce, namely those which include biomechanical analysis of the sculling technique. The purpose of this study was to measure the maximal force produced in standard and contra-standard sculling, using a 30s maximal tethered synchronized swimming test. One former female synchronized swimmer and one former female swimmer performed a 2x30s maximum intensity tethered synchronized swimming test, in standard and contra-standard sculling conditions, respectively. Parameters studied were maximal, mean and minimum force, the time when maximal and minimum force occurred, and fatigue index. Results showed that the higher values of maximal and mean force were found in standard sculling, both for the synchronized swimmer and the swimmer. The swimmer attained higher values of absolute and relative maximal force in the standard sculling, but lower values in the contra-standard technique, when compared to the synchronized swimmer. Fatigue Index results evidence that the maximal force declined during the 30s in both participants and in both sculling conditions. This parameter was higher for the contra-standard sculling performed by the swimmer, and for the standard sculling for the synchronized swimmer. In conclusion, there were differences in force production in standard and contra-standard sculling between a swimmer and a synchronized swimming. Those differences could probably be explained by differences in skill competence.
HaLert: A Resilient Smart City Architecture for Post-Disaster Based on Wi-Fi HaLow Mesh and SDN
Publication . Ortigoso, Ana Rita Lameiro; Frazão, Luís Alexandre Lopes; Fuentes, Daniel Alexander Lopes; Correia, Luís Filipe Jesus; Costa, Nuno Alexandre Ribeiro da; Pereira , António Manuel de Jesus
Catastrophic events are often unpredictable, making the reuse of existing infrastructures
crucial to developing alternative communication strategies that minimise their
impact on public communication and the timely dissemination of official alerts. The
advent of smart cities, characterised by dense and geographically distributed IoT networks,
offers significant potential for such reuse. Furthermore, in post-disaster contexts,
uncertainty and panic can endanger public safety and hinder rescue operations,
particularly in a hyperconnected world where communication failures and misinformation
can intensify these risks.
This dissertation presents HaLert, a resilient smart city architecture based on a Wi-
Fi HaLow IEEE 802.11s mesh network, enabling rapid resource reallocation to support
an emergency communication system for exchanging text, location, image, audio, and
video between citizens and authorities. The system also delivers verified, emotionaware
information through Armando, a chatbot integrating Retrieval-Augmented Generation
(RAG) with cumulative context tracking. Network monitoring and configuration
are facilitated by Software-Defined Networking (SDN) via a LoRa controlledflooding
mesh network.
A prototype of HaLert architecture was implemented and tested in real urban indoor
and outdoor scenarios. Results show that despite environmental impacts on latency
(15–54.8 ms) and throughput (134–726 Kbps upload, 117–682 Kbps download),
the Wi-Fi HaLow network remained stable, while the LoRa network achieved a 94.96%
average message success rate.
Literacia Financeira de Gestores e Empresários
Publication . Gonçalves, Alexandre Santos; Costa, Magali Pedro; Lisboa, Inês Margarida Cadima
As micro, Pequenas e Médias Empresas (PME) representam a esmagadora maioria do tecido empresarial português, desempenhando um papel central na criação de emprego e no crescimento económico. Neste contexto, a literacia financeira assume-se como um recurso estratégico, permitindo reforçar a sustentabilidade, enfrentar desafios de gestão e aumentar a resiliência em cenários de incerteza.
Este estudo avalia o nível de literacia financeira dos gestores e empresários de micro e PME do distrito de Leiria e como fatores sociodemográficos se relacionam com o nível de literacia financeira. Para tal, foi aplicado um questionário estruturado em quatro dimensões: perfil sociodemográfico, inclusão financeira e gestão de contas bancárias, planeamento financeiro e tesouraria, e compreensão de conceitos financeiros fundamentais.
Os resultados revelam um nível elevado de literacia, traduzido no acompanhamento regular das contas bancárias e no uso de instrumentos básicos de planeamento. Contudo, persistem lacunas em áreas técnicas, como juros compostos e demonstrações financeiras, bem como fraca diversificação de produtos de financiamento e práticas de sustentabilidade. A análise estatística indica que as habilitações literárias e a existência de formação específica na área económico-financeira impactam o nível de literacia financeira, já o género e a idade não apresentam um impacto significativo.
Conclui-se que os gestores demonstram competências relevantes para a gestão quotidiana; contudo, o nível de literacia financeira identificado pode não ser suficiente para sustentar, de forma consistente, uma estratégia orientada para a competitividade, a inovação e a sustentabilidade. O estudo contribui com evidência empírica atualizada e reforça a necessidade de programas de educação financeira adaptados às micro e PME portuguesas.