Broad band excitation of RE3+ ions doped into tellurite and antimonite glasses

AbstractTernary TeO2-ZnO-TiO2 glasses doped with thulium (Tm) and antimonite glasses Sb2O3-PbO-ZnO/ZnS doped with ErCl3 were prepared by using melt quenching method and investigated by means of transmission, and room and low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. For PL excitation we used 514.5 and/or 532 nm lines, i.e. the wavelengths capable to excite the electronic structure of both studied host glass systems but not in resonance with 4f levels of Tm3+ ions. We were able to observe simultaneously the broad-band luminescence of the host glass and the narrow features due to 4f-4f transitions in RE3+ ions. Special attention was given to the wavelengths range where the broad-band luminescence of the host glass overlaps with 4f-4f transitions within RE3+ ions

3D City Models and urban information: Current issues and perspectives

Considering sustainable development of cities implies investigating cities in a holistic way taking into account many interrelations between various urban or environmental issues. 3D city models are increasingly used in different cities and countries for an intended wide range of applications beyond mere visualization. Could these 3D City models be used to integrate urban and environmental knowledge? How could they be improved to fulfill such role? We believe that enriching the semantics of current 3D city models, would extend their functionality and usability; therefore, they could serve as integration platforms of the knowledge related to urban and environmental issues allowing a huge and significant improvement of city sustainable management and development. But which elements need to be added to 3D city models? What are the most efficient ways to realize such improvement / enrichment? How to evaluate the usability of these improved 3D city models? These were the questions tackled by the COST Action TU0801 “Semantic enrichment of 3D city models for sustainable urban development”. This book gathers various materials developed all along the four year of the Action and the significant breakthroughs

A user-centred approach to design Transport Interchange Hubs (TIH): A discussion illustrated by a case study in the Russian Arctic

This paper proposes a user-centred approach to design Transport In-terchange Hubs (TIH). It is based on a literature review of existing information related to TIHs outside the domain of transport engineering, so the focus is on the building and the usage of it by its main customers: the travellers. A literature review is used to extract high level information on travellers’ needs, technical and functional requirements of TIHs, constraints and design parameters. A prod-uct development approach is used to classify and combine this data so a proper set of design specifications to better address users’ needs is proposed. The method is illustrated through an example in the Russian Arctic, an area with un-der-developed transport facilities for travellers which would benefit from high-level design specifications to address complex needs, requirements and parame-ters involved in designing for extreme climate conditions. A proof of concept, using Axiomatic Design, to develop design specifications and manage constraints is applied and discussed considering major needs involved in building in the Rus-sian Arctic including how different types of simulation tools, essential to assess performance of complex buildings, can be integrated in the early stages of the design workflow. Robust specifications, despite being part of parametric design methods, are underexplored in the architecture design domain, meaning this work can contribute to further research in how to define common design targets and objectives for different stakeholders as well as to manage the collaborative work of consultants involved in designing complex buildings