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Multi-frequency GNSS satellite signals and their availability enable research in undifferentiated and uncombined models in which a single signal at each frequency is a corresponding independent observation. Such possibilities are reflected by the significant interest in geodetic research as well as in many areas of application of GNSS observation. On the geometric path of the signal between the satellite and the receiver, a significant source of GNSS measurement errors comes from the medium of propagation of electromagnetic waves. Errors attributed to signal propagation are ionospheric and tropospheric signal delay. The mentioned error sources significantly affect the quality of certain pseudorange and, thus, the quality of the receiver's position in the form of three-dimensional coordinates. This paper presents the analysis and determination of the ionospheric delay of GNSS satellite signals based on the determination of Total Electron Content - TEC at five stations (Beograd, Leskovac, Sombor, Zaječar, and Kraljevo) in the territory of the Republic of Serbia. In order to determine TEC values, the software called "GPS-TEC analysis" developed within the Institute for Scientific Research, Boston College, USA was used, which enables the determination of the TEC value on the path between the satellite and the receiver. The data collection was carried out within the year 2022 so that the measurement sessions include characteristic dates when the most significant fluctuations are expected in the context of seasonal variations.

Rail defects due to the rolling contact fatigue have a significant place in the Handbook of Rail Defects in the framework of UIC Code 712 in 2002. The paper presents the system for coding and classification of rail defects according to UIC recommendation IRS 70712 in 2018. The presented classification does not cover all known defects due to the rolling contact fatigue (e.g. stud and belgrospi defects). It is recommended that Infrastructure Manager should supplement the Handbook of Rail Defects with the types of defects noticed on its railway network. The authors recommend information that should be included in the database of rail defects, in order to monitor the development of defects, taken measures and their efficiency, as well as to enable the exchange of statistical data on rail defects at the international level.

The measurement of inclination on gravity concrete dams using the instrument tiltmeter is described and discussed with special reference on obtained results on the dam 'Đerdap 2' acquired in the three years period. Tiltmetar way of operation is presented both through physical principle of vibrating wire sensors and through described design of the instrument. The influence of the temperature on the measurement of the slope is specially emphasized and presented through temperature correction. Processing the results of real inclination measurements on the dam 'Đerdap 2' with and without temperature correction showed the significant difference. Statistical analysis of measurement data consisted of performed regression analysis and forming of corresponding series with the expected measurement values depending on environmental conditions. At the end we give a summary conclusion on the instrument, the influence of temperature on the measurement and statistical model.

This paper investigates the possibility of applying optical fibers as sensors for investigating low energy impact damage in laminar thermoplastic composite materials, in real time. Impact toughness testing by a Charpy impact pendulum with different loads was conducted in order to determine the method for comparative measurement of the resulting damage in the material. For that purpose intensity-based optical fibers were built in to specimens of composite materials with Kevlar 129 (the DuPont registered trade-mark for poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide)) woven fabric as reinforcement and thermoplastic PVB (poly(vinyl butyral)) as the matrix. In some specimens part of the layers of Kevlar was replaced with metal mesh (50% or 33% of the layers). Experimental testing was conducted in order to observe and analyze the response of the material under multiple low-energy impacts. Light from the light-emitting diode (LED) was launched to the embedded optical fiber and was propagated to the phototransistor-based photo detector. During each impact, the signal level, which is proportional to the light intensity in the optical fiber, drops and then slowly recovers. The obtained signals were analyzed to determine the appropriate method for real time damage monitoring. The major part of the damage occurs during impact. The damage reflects as a local, temporary release of strain in the optical fiber and an increase of the signal level. The obtained results show that intensity-based optical fibers could be used for measuring the damage in laminar thermoplastic composite materials. The acquired optical fiber signals depend on the type of material, but the same set of rules (relatively different, depending on the type of material) could be specified. Using real time measurement of the signal during impact and appropriate analysis enables quantitative evaluation of the impact damage in the material. Existing methods in most cases use just the intensity of the signal before and after the impact, as the measure of damage. This method could be used to monitor the damage in real time, giving warnings before fatal damage occurs.

This paper describes the procedure of embedding fiber optic sensors in laminar thermoplastic composite material, as well as damage investigation after ballistic loading. Thermoplastic-reinforced composite materials were made for increased material damage resistance during ballistic loading. Damage inside the composite material was detected by observing the intensity drop of the light signal transmitted through the optical fibers. Experimental testing was carried out in order to observe and analyze the response of the material under various load conditions. Different types of Kevlar reinforced composite materials (thermoplastic, thermo reactive and thermoplastic with ceramic plate as the impact face) were made. Material damage resistance during ballistic loading was investigated and compared. Specimens were tested under multiple load conditions. The opto-electronic part of the measurement system consists of two light-emitting diodes as light sources for the optical fibers, and two photo detectors for the light intensity measurement. The output signal was acquired from photo detectors by means of a data acquisition board and personal computer. The measurements showed an intensity drop of the transmitted light signal as a result of the applied loading on composite structure for all the optical fibers. All the diagrams show similar behavior of the light signal intensity. In fact, all of them may be divided into three zones: the zone of penetration of the first composite layer, the bullet traveling zone through the composite material till its final stop, and the material relaxation zone. The attenuation of the light signal intensity during impact is caused by the influence of the applied dynamic stress on the embedded optical fibers. The applied stress caused micro bending of the optical fiber, changes in the shape of the cross-section and the unequal changes of the indices of refraction of the core and cladding due to the stress-optic effect. The main goal of the experiment was to develop a system for thermoplastic composite structure health monitoring during real life exploitation. The results of the experiments confirmed that optical fibers could be applied as intensity sensors in the real-time monitoring of structural changes in thermoplastic laminar composite materials under ballistic loading. The light signal intensity drops in an optical fiber in response to the applied loading on the composite material.

Cross-axial or transverse sensitivity of an accelerometer can be compensated by digital processing of the output signal. To perform this, it is necessary to determine coefficients that describe a sensor's response to excitation experimentally. Many procedures advised by standards and scientific papers use expensive equipment which is not available in every laboratory. Therefore, a simple method is proposed, namely a variation of the static tilt test, requiring no other measuring equipment than the sensor itself and a flat surface. Results vary depending on sensor surface and housing quality, but it has been shown that cross sensitivity effects can be reduced from several percent usually associated with commercial threeaxial MEMS accelerometers down to 1% or less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality bismuth germanium oxide single crystals were irradiated by a femtosecond pulsed laser beam of increasing power. Analyses performed on irradiated and unirradiated samples showed significant changes in transmittance, transmission spectra, sample color, Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, Verdet constant, magneto-optical property, and absorption coefficient. After irradiation, the transmission spectra values increased whereas anisotropy detected in the transmission spectra of unirradiated samples disappeared. The change of color caused by irradiation was noticeable to the naked eye. The XRD measurements confirmed structural changes induced by laser irradiation, i.e., the laser-beam-incident side of the sample became almost amorphous, whereas the side opposite to the incident can be indexed to the Bi 12 GeO 20 compound. Irradiation caused increase of Raman spectra peaks with the exception of crystal peaks of type E, which disappeared. The femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation can be used to improve bismuth germanium oxide single crystal optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]