Carbonaceous-coated Bi12GeO20 (CB) composites were fabricated via an in-situ coating strategy to enhance H2O2-assisted sonocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). Structural and microscopic characterizations revealed that the carbon coating suppressed crystal growth, reduced particle size, and established intimate interfacial contact with Bi12GeO20 (BGO). Among all as-prepared samples, the composite 3% CB exhibited a favorable balance between catalytic performance and carbon loading, achieving over 90% TC removal within 40 min in the presence of H2O2 under ultrasonic irradiation. Electrochemical analyses revealed that carbon modification significantly improved charge separation and reduced interfacial resistance. Fluorescence and ESR measurements revealed the generation of reactive oxygen species and highlighted the important role of hydroperoxyl radicals (·O2H) in the enhanced sonocatalytic process. Several degradation intermediates were identified, and possible transformation pathways were suggested involving hydroxylation, demethylation, and ring-opening. The enhanced performance was attributed to the synergistic effects of acoustic cavitation, carbon-mediated interfacial charge transfer, and H2O2 activation. In addition, a probable sonocatalysis mechanism was eventually proposed. This work provides an interfacial carbon-engineering strategy for constructing efficient bismuth-based sonocatalysts for antibiotic-containing wastewater treatment.
Humanitarian crises are escalating globally, with disaster-affected populations increasing by 23% annually. Yet traditional single-vehicle logistics systems fail catastrophically when infrastructure is compromised, creating life-threatening delays in critical supply delivery. While emerging truck-drone integrated systems show promise, existing research remains fragmented across disciplines, lacking systematic analysis of risk-aware optimization approaches and their real-world applicability. This study addresses two primary research objectives: (1) to develop a comprehensive taxonomy of mathematical models and solution methodologies for truck-drone humanitarian logistics, and (2) to quantify performance improvements and identify implementation barriers. A systematic review of 132 peer-reviewed papers from Scopus (2020–2026) was conducted using PRISMA methodology, complemented by bibliometric analysis of citation networks. The analysis reveals that hybrid solution approaches dominate the field (67 studies), with emergency response applications showing the strongest research focus (36 studies), though only about 40% report validation beyond purely simulated experiments. This review identifies three main contributions: a structured taxonomy of 15 distinct problem formulations and 8 solution categories, a quantitative benchmarking framework revealing performance trade-offs, and identification of critical research gaps in uncertainty modelling and stakeholder coordination. The results inform policy frameworks for regulatory approval while offering practitioners evidence-based counsel for decisions about technology adoption. This analysis lays the groundwork for more robust humanitarian logistics networks by advancing both theoretical knowledge and actual application of risk-aware truck-drone systems.
Gate turnaround performance shapes on-time operations and stand utilisation, yet remains exposed to architectural complexity, shared-area gate corridors and peak passenger loads. This paper reports a field study of a Real-Time Boarding Route Management System (rtBRMS) that introduces an algorithmic, rule-based flow-control engine coordinating door actuation, terminal access points and passenger routing, in real time using live gate-area conditions. To determine whether such automation produces measurable improvements under live operational constraints, a 48-stratum field study of 171 flights was conducted at the field-study airport, aggregating event-level sensor traces into flight-level performance indicators and analysing them with Welch t-tests, Type-III General Linear Models, Estimated Marginal Means contrasts and Firth-penalised logistic regression. The system reduced average passenger-flow gate occupation time, defined here as the span between the start of deboarding and the end of boarding, a measure that is distinct from the wider ICAO Doc 10121 turnaround Gate Occupation Time. It also compressed boarding and deboarding windows, increased passenger throughput across all load levels and gate configurations and raised the probability of meeting the IATA AHM-aligned high-performance boarding (≤13 min) and deboarding (≤11 min) indicators. These findings show that rtBRMS delivers a scalable, architecture-agnostic, real-time flow-control framework that stabilises gate-area queues, harmonises multi-terminal passenger routing, removes critical human-error pathways in shared-corridor door handling, and improves operational resilience under peak-load and high-complexity conditions. The paper provides field-based evidence that rule-based passenger-flow automation is a deployable lever for reliable and scalable turnarounds while regulatory pathways for security-critical autonomous systems continue to evolve.
This paper challenges conventional wisdom that core-technology competence and innovation persistence drive innovation success in architecturally distinct technologies. Using Internet of Things (IoT), we theorise its multi-layered architecture creates conditions where specialisation produces cognitive lock-in whilst breadth enables cross-domain integration. Analysing 93,777 patents from 2,619 UK firms (2008–2017), we find: (1) core-technology competence negatively predicts IoT patenting; (2) related and unrelated technological diversification positively influence IoT innovation, reversing absorptive capacity arguments; (3) innovation persistence strengthens IoT innovation through interaction with unrelated but not related diversification. Analysis across Big Data, 3D printing, and Robotics confirms generalisability. These findings identify architectural distinctiveness as a boundary condition requiring revision of core competence, absorptive capacity, and innovation persistence frameworks. Firms should prioritise technological breadth over depth; policymakers should foster diverse knowledge connections rather than supporting innovation champions.
This study presents an experimental investigation of extruded aluminium circular hollow sections (CHS) subjected to compression and bending, with emphasis on local buckling and the design of slender sections. Nine stub column and seven four-point bending tests were conducted on aluminium CHS made of alloys 6063-T66, 6063-T6, 6082-T6, 6061-T6, covering outer diameter-to-thickness D/t ratios from 16.60 to 62.73. Validated finite element models were used to generate 64 simulations, extending the database to a wider range of cross-sectional slenderness. The experimental and numerical results were used to assess the local buckling provisions of EN 1999-1-1:2007, EN 1999-1-1:2023 and the Continuous Strength Method (CSM).Attention was given to the revised local buckling coefficient for CHS in compression introduced in EN 1999-1-1:2023, whereby k0 was increased from 3 to 6, substantially increasing the number of sections classified as Class 4. Two approaches for Class 4 were assessed: the effective-thickness method specified in EN 1999-1-1:2023 and the shell buckling provisions of EN 1999-1-5:2023. Reliability analyses in accordance with EN 1990 demonstrate that the EN 1999-1-1:2023 provides reliability levels closest to the target value for compression, whereas the combined EN 1999-1-1:2023 and EN 1999-1-5:2023 approach generally is generally more conservative. For bending, a simplified design method for Class 4 sections is proposed that avoids the complexity of EN 1999-1-5:2023 while achieving comparable reliability and design efficiency. The results demonstrate that the statistical characterisation of aluminium material properties influences reliability-based calibration and highlight the need for further experimental data, particularly for Class 4 sections in bending.
