Polytechnic University of Catalonia

About: Polytechnic University of Catalonia is a education organization based out in Barcelona, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Finite element method & Population. The organization has 16006 authors who have published 45325 publications receiving 949306 citations. The organization is also known as: UPC - BarcelonaTECH & Technical University of Catalonia.

Med-CORDEX initiative for Mediterranean climate studies

Abstract: The Mediterranean is expected to be one of the most prominent and vulnerable climate change “hot spots” of the 21st century, and the physical mechanisms underlying this finding are still not clear. Furthermore complex interactions and feedbacks involving ocean-atmosphere-land-biogeochemical processes play a prominent role in modulating the climate and environment of the Mediterranean region on a range of spatial and temporal scales. Therefore it is critical to provide robust climate change information for use in Vulnerability/Impact/Adaptation assessment studies considering the Mediterranean as a fully coupled environmental system. The Med-CORDEX initiative aims at coordinating the Mediterranean climate modeling community towards the development of fully coupled regional climate simulations, improving all relevant components of the system, from atmosphere and ocean dynamics to land surface, hydrology and biogeochemical processes. The primary goals of Med-CORDEX are to improve understanding of past climate variability and trends, and to provide more accurate and reliable future projections, assessing in a quantitative and robust way the added value of using high resolution and coupled regional climate models. The coordination activities and the scientific outcomes of Med-CORDEX can produce an important framework to foster the development of regional earth system models in several key regions worldwide.

PGD-Based Computational Vademecum for Efficient Design, Optimization and Control

Abstract: In this paper we are addressing a new paradigm in the field of simulation-based engineering sciences (SBES) to face the challenges posed by current ICT technologies. Despite the impressive progress attained by simulation capabilities and techniques, some challenging problems remain today intractable. These problems, that are common to many branches of science and engineering, are of different nature. Among them, we can cite those related to high-dimensional problems, which do not admit mesh-based approaches due to the exponential increase of degrees of freedom. We developed in recent years a novel technique, called Proper Generalized Decomposition (PGD). It is based on the assumption of a separated form of the unknown field and it has demonstrated its capabilities in dealing with high-dimensional problems overcoming the strong limitations of classical approaches. But the main opportunity given by this technique is that it allows for a completely new approach for classic problems, not necessarily high dimensional. Many challenging problems can be efficiently cast into a multidimensional framework and this opens new possibilities to solve old and new problems with strategies not envisioned until now. For instance, parameters in a model can be set as additional extra-coordinates of the model. In a PGD framework, the resulting model is solved once for life, in order to obtain a general solution that includes all the solutions for every possible value of the parameters, that is, a sort of computational vademecum. Under this rationale, optimization of complex problems, uncertainty quantification, simulation-based control and real-time simulation are now at hand, even in highly complex scenarios, by combining an off-line stage in which the general PGD solution, the vademecum, is computed, and an on-line phase in which, even on deployed, handheld, platforms such as smartphones or tablets, real-time response is obtained as a result of our queries.

Nonlinear equations for fractional Laplacians II: Existence, uniqueness, and qualitative properties of solutions

Abstract: This paper, which is the follow-up to part I, concerns the equation $(-\Delta)^{s} v+G'(v)=0$ in $\mathbb{R}^{n}$, with $s \in (0,1)$, where $(-\Delta)^{s}$ stands for the fractional Laplacian ---the infinitesimal generator of a L\'evy process. When $n=1$, we prove that there exists a layer solution of the equation (i.e., an increasing solution with limits $\pm 1$ at $\pm \infty$) if and only if the potential $G$ has only two absolute minima in $[-1,1]$, located at $\pm 1$ and satisfying $G'(-1)=G'(1)=0$. Under the additional hypothesis $G"(-1)>0$ and $G"(1)>0$, we also establish its uniqueness and asymptotic behavior at infinity. Furthermore, we provide with a concrete, almost explicit, example of layer solution. For $n\geq 1$, we prove some results related to the one-dimensional symmetry of certain solutions ---in the spirit of a well-known conjecture of De Giorgi for the standard Laplacian.

Low carbon and low embodied energy materials in buildings: A review

Abstract: This paper presents a review of the literature on low carbon and low embodied energy materials in buildings. Embodied energy is defined and discussed vs. operating energy of buildings and its growing importance due to the implementation of the Energy Building Performance Directive (EBPD) in Europe as example. The difficulty of measuring embodied energy and the difficulty in comparing published data are highlighted, showing an example of proposed new methodology found in the literature. Relationship between embodied energy and embodied CO2 or CO2 footprint is defined. Different materials defined in the literature as low carbon materials are referred, such as cement and concrete, wood, bricks, rammed earth and sandstone. The review shows the research efforts found in the literature to develop new materials with less embodied energy. Finally, the effect of material substitution in the embodied energy of a building is reviewed in the literature.

Calcium phosphate bone cements for clinical applications. Part I: solution chemistry.

Abstract: Calcium phosphate cements have been the subject of many studies in the last decade because of their biocompatibility, their capacity to fill bone cavities and their hardening properties; properties which are desirable in a broad range of surgical applications. The setting and hardening of these materials are controlled by dissolution–precipitation chemical reactions at room or body temperature and involve crystalline phase transformations. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers