The properties of matrix operations and the properties of Hartenberg-Denavit's co-ordinate system's transformation matrices were used for deriving a dependence facilitating an easier determination of the links' angular velocity vectors in the link-related co-ordination systems. The use of derived dependence does not require determining products of transformation matrices nor inverse matrices. The numbers of necessary algebraic operations for previous and simplified dependences was set up. The use of a simplified dependence was illustrated by a numerical example.

In this paper, we present a synthesis of the parameters of the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and the reconstruction of the distributed strain affecting the grating, performed by means of its reflection spectrum. For this purpose, we applied the transition matrix method and the Nelder-Mead nonlinear optimization method. Reconstruction results of the strain profile carried out on the basis of a simulated reflection spectrum as well as measured reflection spectrum of the FBG indicate good agreement with the original strain profile; the profile reconstruction errors are within the single digit percentage range. We can conclude that the Nelder-Mead optimization method combined with the transition matrix method can be used for distributed sensing problems.

Noise control is essential in an enclosed machine room where the noise level has to comply with the occupational safety and health act. In order to overcome a pure tone noise with a high peak value that is harmful to human hearing, a traditional reactive muffler has been used. However, the traditional method for designing a reactive muffler has proven to be time-consuming and insufficient. In order to efficiently reduce the peak noise level, interest in shape optimization of a Helmholtz muffler is coming to the forefront.

Helmholtz mufflers that deal with a pure tone have been adequately researched. However, the shape optimization of multi-chamber Helmholtz mufflers that deal with a broadband noise hybridized with multiple tones within a constrained space has been mostly ignored. Therefore, this study analyzes the sound transmission loss (STL) and the best optimized design for a hybrid Helmholtz muffler under a space- constrained situation. On the basis of the plane wave theory, the four-pole system matrix used to evaluate the acoustic performance of a multi-tone hybrid Helmholtz muffler is presented. Two numerical cases for eliminating one/two tone noises emitted from a machine room using six kinds of mufflers (muffler A~F) is also introduced. To find the best acoustical performance of a space-constrained muffler, a numerical assessment using a simulated annealing (SA) method is adopted. Before the SA operation can be carried out, the accuracy of the mathematical model has been checked using the experimental data. Eliminating a broadband noise hybridized with a pure tone (130 Hz) in Case I reveals that muffler C composed of a one- chamber Helmholtz Resonator and a one-chamber dissipative element has a noise reduction of 54.9 (dB). Moreover, as indicated in Case II, muffler F, a two-chamber Helmholtz Resonator and a one-chamber dissipative element, has a noise reduction of 69.7 (dB). Obviously, the peak values of the pure tones in Case I and Case II are efficiently reduced after the muffler is added.

Consequently, a successful approach in eliminating a broadband noise hybridized with multiple tones using optimally shaped hybrid Helmholtz mufflers and a simulated annealing method within a constrained space is demonstrated.

The materials mining from rivers have a variety of negative and positive effects. Currently, one of the most important issues in river engineering is the proper management of materials mining. In this research, global experiences and interna-tional standards for managing sand and gravel mining have been applied to evaluate the mining area in the Zohreh River in Khuzestan province (Iran). One of the evaluation methods in this field is the river matrix method. In this method, which is defined on the basis of river pattern, river characteristics such as river size, site location of materials, associated channel and type of deposit are being considered. In this research, a segment of the Zohreh River between Sardasht Zeydun bridge and Mohseniyeh village in which has good potential for gravel mining was selected and evaluated for river characteristics, mining potential and application of river matrix method. The study indicates that the Zohreh River has a braided pattern in the range. The volume of sediment materials in the target area is about 10 000 m3, the length and width of the mining area are 125 and 80 m respectively, and surface extraction with a maximum depth of 1 m was recommended for extraction of materials. At the end of the research, management solutions and solutions for mining of river materials were presented using various standards.

A class of Xorshift Random Number Generators (RNGs) are introduced by Marsaglia. We have proposed an algorithm which constructs a primitive Xorshift RNG from a given prim- itive polynomial. We also have shown a weakness present in those RNGs and suggested its solution. A separate algorithm also proposed which returns a full periodic Xorshift generator with desired number of Xorshift operations.

In this paper, we theoretically analyze the slow-light π-phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (π-FBG) and its applications for single and multipoint/quasi-distributed sensing. Coupled-mode theory (CMT) and transfer matrix method (TMM) are used to establish the numerical modeling of slow-light π-FBG. The impact of slow-light FBG parameters, such as grating length (L), index change (Δn), and loss coefficient (α) on the spectral properties of π-FBG along with strain and thermal sensitivities are presented. Simulation results show that for the optimum grating parameters L = 50 mm, Δn = 1.5×10⁻⁴, and α = 0.10 m^-1, the proposed slow-light π-FBG is characterized with a peak transmissivity of 0.424, the maximum delay of 31.95 ns, strain sensitivity of 8.380 με^-1, and temperature sensitivity of 91.064 °C^-1. The strain and temperature sensitivity of proposed slow-light π-FBG is the highest as compared to the slow-light sensitivity of apodized FBGs reported in the literature. The proposed grating have the overall full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.2245 nm, and the FWHM of the Bragg wavelength peak transmissivity is of 0.0798 pm. The optimized slow-light π-FBG is used for quasi-distributed sensing applications. For the five-stage strain quasi-distributed sensing network, a high strain dynamic range of value 1469 με is obtained for sensors wavelength spacing as small as 2 nm. In the case of temperature of quasi-distributed sensing network, the obtained dynamic range is of 133°C. For measurement system with a sufficiently wide spectral range, the π-FBGs wavelength grid can be broadened which results in substantial increase of dynamic range of the system.

Occupational risk is closely related to work environment. For the same positions, but in different working conditions threats and level of risk can be different. For this also estimating the degree of damage hazard the largest possible should be adopted effects. However, when estimating probability occurrence of threats should include, among others: working conditions, events from the past, or possible employee behavior (in particular those that may be the cause of an accident at work). The source of the above information may be data from statistics or observations of work stations. The article presents the assessment of occupational risk at the position of the laser cutter operator, which was carried out using the Job Safety Analysis (JSA) method. According to this method, occupational risk is determined on the basis of two parameters, i.e.: consequences of C and probability of consequences P. In turn, the probability of consequences is the sum of three factors: frequency of hazard F, probability of event O and avoidability or damage limitation A.