Electronic Theses and Dissertations (Masters)
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/37972
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Item The Enhancement of the SDLC Methodology utilised in the Delivery of Digital Healthcare Products(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Asamoah-Bekoe, Michael; Sunjka, BernadetteThe digital healthcare industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, resulting in increased competition among companies operating in this market. Company X, a competitor in this industry, utilises a mixed set of methodologies across their teams, where some methodologies may be outdated. With the emergence of new software development lifecycle methodologies (SDLC), it is crucial for Company X to adapt their current approach to remain competitive. As part of a research study, 24 participants from various teams in Company X were interviewed to gain insights into the industry, the current methodology being used, and how management could ensure a smooth transition to a new SDLC methodology. According to the study results, 21% of participants from Team A-D were unwilling to change their current methodology, while 37% were willing to make a switch. The remaining 42% were indifferent, with their decision depending on the reason for the transition. Based on the literature review and the findings from the study, a conceptual framework was developed to guide the process of transitioning to a new SDLC methodology.Item Metallic Equivalent of Aircraft Landing Gear Using Composite Materials(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Kotze, Marius Hugo; Boer, MichaelThere are two types of Light Sport Aircraft landing gear configuration. The taildragger and tricycle arrangement where the difference is specified by the position of the main landing gear. Shipment delay of the current Aluminium 7075 T6 landing gear has caused further delays in the manufacturing of the BushCat Light Sport Aircraft. Thus, a composite alternative was required which could be manufactured locally. The objective was to determine which locally available material was best suited as an alternative to the current Aluminium 7075 T6 design. This included estimation of the correct design loads acting on the BushCat aircraft main landing gear and to specify a composite alternative that could withstand these calculated design application loads. The loads that were used would be obtained from the ASTM F2245-14 regulations and EASA CS-23 amendments. The loads were validated by means of Finite Element Analysis and analytical calculations. Drop tests were also conducted by the company and image processing was used to compare the calculated deformations to the FEA results. This was used to validate the load and constraint applications in Ansys 2023 R2 software. The composite materials used for analysis were unidirectional epoxy e-glass wet layup and prepregs fibres. A coupon study was conducted on Aluminium 7075 T6 alloy and [0/90/90/0], [0/45/45/0], [0/90/45/0] layered unidirectional epoxy e-glass wet layup and prepreg coupons loaded under tension, compression, bending and torsion. The FEA results were validated using analytical calculations obtained from the Classical Lamination Theory. It was concluded that the unidirectional epoxy e-glass prepreg coupons were best suited as an alternative as better results in withstanding the applied load applications were obtained. The prepreg fibres also contained a lower void content in comparison to the wet layup fibres, thus increasing the fatigue life of the composite laminate as well as reducing the moisture absorption. The final composite landing gear was analysed using the Puck-failure criterion and it was found that after analysis and modifications were conducted, the newly designed composite landing gear could withstand the applied loads during limit load and ultimate load conditions without any fibre or inter-fibre failure in the strut of the landing gear. It was found that, failure had occurred in one of the fibre plies near the bolted regions of the axle section during ultimate (emergency) landing conditions and was thus concluded that the composite landing gear should still be inspected when attempting emergency landing at higher load conditions at an aircraft maximum take-off weight of 600 kg. The final composite landing gear design after modifications was 4.613 kg heavier than the Aluminium 7075 T6 landing gear. With regards to manufacturing the final composite landing gear a vacuum bagging process should be followed where the final vacuum bagging assembly containing the composite layup of the landing gear should be placed inside an oven or autoclave to start the curing process. Once the composite landing gear is cured, it could be machined into its final shape were non-destructive techniques such as ultrasound of thermography should be used to inspect the final composite landing gear for any air of volatile compounds withing the laminate. Static and dynamic destructive testing should also be used to validate if the final composite landing gear can withstand all landing conditions aircraft maximum weight without any fibre failure or delamination occurring.Item The development of cannabis in emerging markets- Evaluating the prospective value chain, market accessibility, and commercialisation(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Rapetsoa, Maisaaya Hellen; Emwanu, B.In recent years, the significance of small businesses in the growth of developing economies has been acknowledged, along with their ability to foster social development, create employment opportunities, advance innovations, and contribute to economic growth. The agricultural sector serves as a catalyst in building a strong economy by increasing income and employment opportunities for the poor while nurturing natural resources. This is evidenced by the vision stated in the Government’s National Development Plan (NDP), which proposes to create close to 1 million jobs by 2030 within the agricultural sector. This study aimed to determine the “strategic interventions required to ensure that South Africa is aligned with the regulatory, social, economic, and knowledge base needed for the effective commercialisation of the cannabis market”. In doing so, knowledge experts were consulted through open-ended interviews to ascertain their views on the growth and trajectory of cannabis as an economic driver. This qualitative study adopted the Wengraf pyramid model to relate the “progression from the Central Research Questions (CRQ) differentiated into several Theory Questions (TQ) and the particular Interview Questions (IQ) and the non-verbal Interview Interventions (II)” (Wengraf, 2001). The selected qualitative method was best suited for this research as it assisted in breaking ground on themes that have limited literature, such as the current research. The data was collected from subject matter experts through open-ended interviews, allowing the participants to freely express and share their knowledge, views, and experiences. An ‘inductive content analysis’ method was used to analyze the data by transcribing and coding the information to identify common themes, links, and categories and gain more understanding of the data received. The study claimed that cannabis has the potential to uplift the economy and alleviate poverty through its commercialisation and that the legal frameworks or lack thereof pose a barrier to the growth and development of this market. The research revealed that there is a greater gap in the market where the knowledge, expertise, and financial instruments are being underutilized therefore rendering South Africa a laggard with considerable ramifications for our global competitiveness. With much at stake and our staggering economy, the common theme was that erratic and deliberate action is required especially in a market where other countries that have legalized cannabis appear to be well under control and thriving. Cannabis has become one of the biggest disruptors of mainstream industries over the last decade, impacting sectors from pharmaceutical, food, and wellness to cosmetics. The subject experts collectively agreed that South Africa is missing out on a multibillion-dollar opportunity.Item Investigating the flow of information in a surface iron ore mining operation(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Loeto Levious, SekwatiAs one of the most advanced iron ore mining operations Sishen Mine has many processes and systems. As an Anglo-American flagship operation, Sishen Mine has implemented many new systems and processes to improve its effectiveness and efficiency. This increased the number of resources (equipment, infrastructure and people). Over the last 10 years, Sishen Mine has doubled the number of employees and resources. The increase in resources, especially employees, processes and systems, has made it difficult for information to flow across the mine. The research aimed to determine the factors that contribute to the issue of gaps in the flow of information. A literature review was done on the current structure of information flow at Sishen Mine and some key discoveries were made. It was found that in a mining operation, there are three main core departments: engineering, mining operation and technical service. These departments depend on each other as the mine value chain is interlinked. The importance of information flow “enabling organisation structure”, communication structure and systems that will be able to enable efficient communication was emphasised. Ten participants across the mine were interviewed to get more details on the research question. The participants had many different views on the research question and as a result, a variety of ideas were discussed. Some of the ideas were linked to what was already discovered during the literature review. Unintegration of KPIs, technical and communication systems, and processes were among the highest contributors to miscommunication between individuals, sections and departments. The mine communication structure was also found not to be centralised and as a result, information flows are divergent. The lack of an integrative culture between individuals resulted in certain professionals having a silo mentality and thus being reluctant to share information. It is envisaged that the Centralised and Integrative System (CAIS) will be able to close the existing gaps in the information flow by focusing on centralising and integrating all critical systems and processes within Sishen Mine.Item Fatigue Crack Propagation in AlSi10Mg Additive Manufactured Aeronautical Parts Processed by Laser Shock Peening(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Chinyama, Joel; Polese, ClaudiaAdditive manufacturing (AM) offers advantages for complex aeronautical parts, but inherent defects can reduce fatigue life. Post-processing techniques such as laser shock peening (LSP) can be used to introduce beneficial compressive residual stress that hinders crack propagation. This study investigates LSP as a method to improve fatigue performance in additively manufactured AlSi10Mg aeronautical parts. It examined how varying LSP treatment laser power intensity (1.5 – 4.5 GW/cm2) affects LSP's effectiveness and identified optimal LSP residual stress profiles for peak fatigue performance. The residual stress profiles that were used in this research were adopted from previous experimental work done on AM-manufactured AlSi10Mg alloys within the Wits AM/LSP group. Previous experimental work results on wrought AA2024-T351 (untreated and LSP-treated cases) indicated that LSP-treated samples have a fatigue life of at least four times longer as compared to as-built samples. AFGROW models with similar geometry, material properties and load conditions were used to predict the fatigue life of as-built and LSP-treated cases. An improvement in fatigue life of at least 3.8 times was observed, which was within an acceptable deviation from the experimental results. These results were used to validate AFGROW models for exploring different specimens. Fracture mechanics models (AFGROW) were used to compare the fatigue life of as-built and LSP-treated AlSi10Mg samples with different LSP power intensity parameters. The results showed that LSP treatment can significantly extend fatigue life, with the optimal laser power intensity found to be 3.0 GW/cm2. This improvement is attributed to the introduction of compressive residual stresses by LSP, which suppress crack initiation and propagation. The effectiveness of LSP was further explored in the context of the Cessna 172/175 horizontal stabilizer, a part that could benefit from AM for weight reduction and structural integrity. AFGROW models were developed to predict the fatigue life of the centre lightening hole in the forward spar, a critical location for crack initiation. The models incorporated a beta correction factor to account for the specific crack geometry and stress distribution. The beta correction factor was determined by comparing the stress intensity factors from the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and AFGROW models. The results again demonstrated a significant increase in fatigue life (of at least six times) for LSP-treated parts compared to as-built parts. AFGROW models with a beta correction factor proved valuable for predicting fatigue life in components with complex geometries. This study confirms that LSP is an effective post-processing technique for mitigating fatigue crack propagation in AlSi10Mg AM aeronautical parts.Item Financial Evaluation of Implementing In-Pit Crushing and Conveying Systems for Waste on Open Pit Mines(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Serepa, Ikaneng; Emwanu, B.The South African mining industry has faced mounting challenges, especially rising expenses that threaten profitability. These escalating costs, driven by various factors including operational expenses such as mining costs, are critical. The distribution of mining costs across activities within the production cycle is crucial, with hauling operations in open pit mines representing a significant portion, as noted by Paricheh et al (2017) at 49%. Due to the substantial economic impact of hauling expenses on mining expenditures, there's a strong incentive to streamline these operations to lower overall costs effectively. Current research highlights a noticeable transition in the mining sector towards embracing in-pit crushing and conveying (IPCC) systems in open pit mines, acclaimed as a cost-effective substitute for conventional truck and shovel (CTS) systems (Awuah-Offei et al, 2009). This research assessed both the integration and financial viability of implementing a waste IPCC system in the loading and hauling operations of an open pit mine. A mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from production records and costs with qualitative insights from expert interviews was used. The findings of this research indicate that while the IPCC system can be integrated, there remains a degree of reliance on the CTS system for material transportation from the pit to the IPCC system. For the CTS system, 55 rigid dump trucks (RDTs) are required, constituting 57% of the initial capital expenditure of R1.27 billion. Conversely, the IPCC system requires only 31 RDTs, accounting for 29% of the initial capital costs of R1.37 billion. However, despite the substantial reduction in RDTs, the IPCC system requires significant investment in a crusher and conveyor belt system for waste management, which constitutes 32% of its capital costs. Examination of the operating costs over the life of the mine indicates that there are no cost advantages associated with operating an IPCC system compared to the CTS system. Operating expenses for the IPCC system exceed those of the CTS system by 58%, predominantly driven by the operational costs of the crusher and belt system, contributing to 67% of the IPCC system's costs. The financial assessment results show a positive and acceptable net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and payback period for both systems. Nevertheless, the CTS system exhibits superior financial performance, with a NPV of R7.45 billion, an IRR of 83.1%, and a shorter payback period of 1.2 years, and is recommended as a viable option for the mine.Item Measurement of combustion airf low into burners in coal fired plants(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Manqele, Gladwell Sizwe; Schmitz, WalterThis research study is aimed at achieving accurate measurement of mass flow rates in large square industrial square ducts at Eskom’s boiler plants. For safe and efficient operation of Fossil Fuel Firing Boiler Plants, the utility has put in place the Fossil Fuel Firing Regulation Standard which requires that the Total Combustion Air flow be measured at exit from the air heaters, into the ducts. In this study, a sophisticated airflow measuring probe was acquired, herein the current study referred to the 14-hole Omniprobe. The accuracy was found to be within 5% in a free stream flow field. A Five-hole probe was calibrated in the free-stream wind tunnel. The calibration process enabled the derivation of the probe specific polynomials of Pitch, Yaw, Total Pressure, Static Pressure coefficients and velocity components. A prototype air duct was designed for the study to simulate air flow through square ducts with a 90⁰ bend as an abrupt flow disturbance. To achieve the objectives of the study, 6 planes were identified where air flow velocity profiles were generated using the equal area method. The modeling of the velocity profiles was conducted numerically, using CFD (Ansys Fluent), and experimental, using Pitot-static probe, Omniprobe, and a Five-hole probe. The mass flow rates as measured by the Pitot-static tube were found to be consistent at planes 1, 2, 5, and 6. The mass flow rate as calculated from the Pitot-static probe varied by 2.1% through the duct. This justified the selection of the Pitot-static probe as the reference for this study. The velocity profiles generated from the traverse measurements using the 14-hole Omniprobe showed an error in velocity measurements which are in the proximity of the wall. This can be attributed to the the wall effect. The mass flow rates of air calculated from the Five- hole probe measurements were found to be within 4% of the mass flow rate as calculated from the results of the reference probe in the 1st and 2nd planes upstream of the bend. After the 90⁰ flow disturbance bend, the accuracy drops to 13% at plane 5 and improved slightly at plane 6 to 11.7%. This is attributed to complex flow pattern at these planes. The study concludes that the Pitot-static tube remains the preferred instrument for use in measuring flow rates using the equal area method in large square ducts. The Five-hole probe can be applied where the flow field is not distorted in conjunction with CFD. The Omniprobe’s accuracy in measuring the velocity magnitude, and the angularity of the flow field was verified in an open stream wind tunnel. This study recommends exploring the use of an L-type 14-hole Omniprobe for application in large square industrial ducts.Item Distributed Electric Propulsion on a Joined-Wing Air-Taxi(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Brand, Darren Mark; Schekman, S.Urban Air Mobility (UAM) is a form of aerial transportation within urban areas with the main intention of easing traffic congestion. Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing (EVTOL) air-taxis are currently in development, but no single configuration has been identified as superior for UAM. There is still scope for alternate designs to be explored. A major obstacle to successful UAM operations is the combination of high energy requirements for VTOL and low battery energy densities, thereby affecting operational aircraft range. Aerodynamic efficiency has been identified as a critical factor for achieving maximum flight range while electric battery technology is matured. It is proposed that an air-taxi which combines Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP) with a joined-wing may achieve superior aerodynamic efficiency compared to other air-taxi designs. A joined-wing air-taxi capable of carrying four passengers and a pilot has been developed with four alternative DEP configurations. These aircraft are herein investigated and compared against one another. A computational approach was followed using STAR- CCM+ to evaluate the flow characteristics and forces around the aircraft for both climb and cruise conditions. It was found that a “Non-DEP” configuration with four proprotors can achieve up to 5% higher aerodynamic efficiency than a DEP variant. However, this configuration suffers with poor lifting capability at high angles of attack. The sensitivity of aerodynamic efficiency to changes in the number of proprotors and their spacing was seen to be negligible according to this investigation.Item Aerodynamic Force Variation on a Trailing MotoGP Motorcycle in a Corner(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) Shaw, Craig Byrne; Boer, MichaelMotorcycle racing is a popular form of motor racing. The MotoGP category produces exciting and competitive races due to motorcycles following each other so closely. This has led to significant aerodynamic advancements being made in the MotoGP category over the past decade. Motorcycles and riders often race within the wake of a leading motorcycle as a result of this competitive racing. Racing in the wake provides an advantage on a straight due to the reduced drag force. This allows for greater acceleration and an opportunity to overtake the leading motorcycle. The effect of the wake on a trailing motorcycle in a corner has not been explored in depth. This research was focused on the aerodynamic force variation on a trailing motorcycle in the wake of leading motorcycle. The optimal position for the trailing motorcycle to gain an advantage over the leading motorcycle was determined subsequently. This was achieved using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The geometry of the motorcycle was obtained using 3D scans of a 1/18th scale model 2018 Repsol Honda RC213V. The geometry of the rider was drawn using CAD. Initial CFD models were created simulating the motorcycle and rider in a straight line to compare to existing published data for validation. The CFD cornering methodology was developed by Queens University in association with Siemens. The method makes use of rotating reference frames. This simulates the motorcycle and rider cornering at a constant velocity around a constant radius corner. Models were created for a singular motorcycle and rider at varying lean angles between 40 and 60 degrees with matched velocities and corner radii. The aerodynamic forces of drag, lift and side force were analysed on the motorcycle and rider for each case. The trends for these forces were determined relative to the changing lean angles. The drag on the motorcycle and rider increased non-linearly as the lean angle increased with the side force following a similar trend. The lift on the motorcycle and rider also increased non-linearly as the lean angle increased. These same CFD models were recreated with a second motorcycle and rider following a leading motorcycle to determine the effect the wake had on the aerodynamic forces. The second motorcycle and rider were positioned 1 characteristic length behind the leading pair on the same racing line. The drag on the trailing motorcycle and rider decreased as the lean angle increased. The lift on the trailing motorcycle and rider followed a similar trend to the leading pair with it increasing as the lean angle increased and the side force fluctuates as the lean angle increased. This resulted in the trailing motorcycle having a negative allowable change in forward acceleration relative to the leading motorcycle at lean angles lower than 60 degrees. The optimal position for a trailing motorcycle in a corner was determined by positioning the motorcycle and rider on various racing lines and following distances behind the leading motorcycle and rider. This created a grid pattern of the tested trailing positions. Two smaller racing line radii, three larger racing line radii and three different following distances were tested. The optimal trailing position at a 50 degree lean angle was found to be 1 characteristic length behind and on a racing line 1 characteristic width larger than the leading motorcycle. This position resulted in a positive allowable change in forward acceleration relative to the leading motorcycle around a corner radius of 125.86 m at 38.36 m/s. This iii position was tested around another two corner radii of 75 m and 150 m. This resulted in a negative allowable change in forward acceleration of around the 75 m radius corner and a greatly improved positive change in forward acceleration around the 150 m radius corner. From these results it was concluded that this optimal position is only viable around larger radius corners. It was approximated that this optimal position provides the trailing motorcycle an advantage around corner with radii larger than 86.8 m.Item Prediction of Water Hyacinth Coverage on Hartbeespoort Dam(University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2024) de Gouveia, Claudia D. Camacho; Bührmann, Doctor JokeWater hyacinth is an invasive weed contributing to Hartbeespoort Dam’s poor water quality. Although biological control is the most effective and sustainable method of controlling water hyacinth, the dam has unfavourable conditions for agents that the weed thrives in. Literature uses mathematical models and remote sensing to theorise growth rates or estimate coverage. However, prediction could prove beneficial as planning biological control is essential to its success. Hence, a model to predict water hyacinth coverage was developed. This research simplified the complex relationships involved in water hyacinth growth to focus on the most influential factors: temperature and nutrients. Missing data were imputed using multiple k-nearest neighbours. Nutrient datasets had limited data, thus five scenarios were developed to extrapolate datasets, using Monte Carlo simulation and seasonal patterns. The features were used to build ensemble, decision tree, artificial neural network and support vector machine models. Ensemble using the bagging method was the best model resulting in a root mean square error of 4.01 for water hyacinth coverage predictions from 1 June 2018 to 1 May 2019.