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Mobile ad-hoc cloud can exploit the computing resources (e.g., smartphones, vehicles, and unmanned systems) scattered in the mobile environment to form a self-organized ad-hoc local resource pool for providing opportunistic computing services. However, the highly dynamic and distributed characteristics of the mobile ad-hoc network environment bring great challenges in privacy and security in such opportunistic resource sharing. In this article, we first discuss the attractive features of blockchain for providing such resource sharing services in the mobile ad-hoc network environment in a secure and trustful way and then discuss the problems caused when using existing consensus protocols in such an environment. We accordingly devise a blockchain based trustful mobile ad-hoc cloud architecture, AdChain cloud. We describe the functions at different layers in this architecture, including the network layer, blockchain layer, and smart contract layer. To adapt to the high dynamics of the mobile ad-hoc network environment, we design a stability-aware consensus protocol at the blockchain layer. Simulation results show that our solution can achieve improved performance as compared with existing work.

The shear, flexural and axial tensile bond strengths of alkali-activated slag concrete hollow block (AASCHB) masonry layered with alkali-activated slag (AAS) mortar were investigated in this study. A comprehensive experimental investigation was conducted to assess the effect of the AAS mortar strength on the bond characteristics of the masonry. The bond strength of the AASCHB masonry was found to be directly related to the compressive strength of the AAS mortar, where higher compressive strength led to higher bond strength. In addition, new expressions for the bond strength were developed for AASCHB masonry based on the compressive strength of AAS mortar.

Recently, alkali-activated slag mortars have attracted considerable attention as environmentally friendly materials. The objective of this paper was to explore the influence of an alkaline activator (NaOH or NaOH/Na2CO3 solutions) on the performance of alkali-activated slag (AAS) mortars with pottery sand as fine aggregate. Five Na2CO3-to-NaOH ratios of 0/100, 20/80, 40/60, 60/40, and 80/20, and three Na2O contents of 4%, 6%, and 8%, were used to prepare AAS mortars. The water-to-slag ratio and slag-to-aggregate ratio were kept constant, at 0.38 and 0.8, respectively. The setting time, fluidity, compressive strength, and drying shrinkage were measured. The reaction hydrates were analyzed using microscopy and elemental analysis, while the pore structures were characterized using mercury intrusion porosimetry. The experimental results showed that both the Na2CO3-to-NaOH ratio and Na2O content had a significant effect on the fresh and hardened properties of AAS mortars. A high Na2CO3-to-NaOH ratio and low Na2O content resulted in AAS mortars with longer initial and final setting times. The higher Na2CO3-to-NaOH ratios led to a higher late compressive strength of AAS mortars, where the 6% Na2O samples showed the best performance with Na2O contents of 4–8%. In addition, the drying shrinkage behavior of AAS mortars as a function of Na2CO3-to-NaOH ratio was dependent on the Na2O content. Moreover, the compressive strength and drying shrinkage have a direct relationship with the microstructure of AAS mortars.

This study focused on the engineering properties of alkali-activated slag (AAS) pastes prepared by mixing an activator consisting of sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide at room temperature. The water-to-slag ratio of AAS paste was kept constant at 0.35 by mass. AAS pastes were prepared using the activator with five different silicate moduli of 1, 1.2, 1.4, 1.6, and 1.8 and three different Na2O contents of 6%, 8%, and 10%. The results showed that both the silicate moduli and Na2O contents had significant effects on the engineering properties of AAS pastes. All the AAS pastes exhibited properties such as fast setting, good workability, and high early compressive strength. The final setting time varied from 9 to 36 min, and the fluidity was in the range of 147–226 mm. The 1 d compressive strength of all the AAS pastes, which could be easily achieved, had values above 55 MPa, whereas the highest strength obtained was 102 MPa with the silicate modulus of 1 and Na2O content of 8% at room temperature. The drying shrinkage increased as the silicate modulus increased. Furthermore, the hydration products and microstructures of AAS pastes were explained according to the microanalysis methods.

This study investigated the properties of alkali-activated slag (AAS) pastes with NaOH and a blend of NaOH and Na2CO3 as the alkaline activator. The effects of five different Na2CO3 to NaOH molar ratios (0:10, 0.9:10, 2.5:10, 5.7:10 and 15:10) and three different Na2O contents (4%, 6% and 8%) in the alkaline activator on the setting time, mechanical performance and drying shrinkage were tested. The water to slag ratio was 0.35 by weight. The results showed that both the Na2CO3 to NaOH molar ratios and Na2O contents are major factors influencing the fresh and hardened pastes. Higher Na2CO3 to NaOH molar ratios yielded a longer setting time and higher compressive strength. The Na2O content of 6% was more sensitive to the properties compared with 4% and 8% Na2O. When the Na2O content was 4%, the drying shrinkage increased as the Na2CO3 to NaOH molar ratio increased; however, when the Na2O content increased to 6% and 8%, the drying shrinkage decreased as the Na2CO3 to NaOH molar ratio increased. The main hydration products were C-S-H(I), hydrotalcite, calcite and gaylussite. There was a strong relationship between the drying shrinkage and pore structures of AAS. Consequently, the Na2CO3 to NaOH molar ratio of 15:10 and Na2O content of 6% can be regarded as the optimum mix proportion.

Cache-enabled device-to-device (D2D) communication has emerged as a promising paradigm for caching popular contents at user devices and using D2D communication among adjacent users to relieve cellular traffic overload. To maximize traffic offloading, optimal content-selection for caching and helper-receiver matching are two key concerns. In this paper, we deal with the two key issues by leveraging user characteristics, which are crucial to D2D content sharing but often omitted by existing work in this field. We first propose a comprehensive model that profiles user characteristics including user preference, user activity degree, and user relationship. To provide an accurate estimation of user relationship, a new metric named expected correlation coefficient (ECC) is further proposed, which can reveal the potential offloading opportunities behind the contacts between users. We then design a novel user-centric caching policy that integrates the above-mentioned models into content caching policy to optimize the caching efficiency. Furthermore, we propose an online learning algorithm by leveraging the Combinatorial Multi-Armed Bandits (CMAB) method to achieve efficient helper-receiver matching among users. Experiments based on real-world traces and content requesting records were conducted. The results demonstrate that when compared with existing algorithms, our proposed algorithm improves the offloading ratio by nearly 10% and the system utility approximately by 20%.

Channel qualities between UAVs vary drastically due to the mobility of UAVs. Conventional channel coding relies on channel state information (CSI) estimation and active bit rate selection and thus cannot adapt well to such varying channel conditions. In contrast, rateless codes can achieve almost optimal bit rate under varying channel conditions without CSI estimation and explicit rate selection. In rateless codes, Spinal codes are one of the most prominent solutions and perform much better than other rateless codes over the mobile fading channel between UAVs. However, Spinal codes still face the challenge of error accumulation effect, which largely hurts the transmission efficiency. In this paper, we for the first time analyze the error accumulation effect and its impact on the performance of Spinal codes under mobile fading channel conditions between UAVs. Furthermore, we propose a model for helping the decoder estimate the quality of each received symbol. Based on such model, trust function based Spinal codes (TFSC) are then proposed. Its main idea is to treat received symbols differently according to their qualities so that those symbols with better qualities can contribute more to the decoding process. Simulation results demonstrate that TFSC can significantly mitigate the error accumulation effect and improve the efficiency of Spinal codes, which achieves 1.1x to 4.4x overall performance improvement when compared with Spinal codes over the mobile fading channel between UAVs.

Mobile Crowdsensing (MCS) has become an emerging paradigm to solve complex urban sensing problems by utilizing the ubiquitous sensing capacities of the crowd. One critical issue in MCS is to efficiently allocate tasks to users. We focus on addressing the task allocation problem in a distributed manner, where each user individually and freely makes his decision to undertake tasks. Existing distributed schemes simply consider users behave completely selfishly, which leads to inefficient solutions and damages the overall benefit of all users. Different from existing schemes, in this paper we integrate the social relationship into users' decision making and build a socially aware utility model for each user, which consists of both user's own utility and the weighted sum of his social neighbors' utilities. Based on this, we formulate a novel Socially Aware Task Selection (SATS) game for users in MCS. We theoretically prove the existence of pure Nash equilibrium in the SATS game with the help of a potential game framework. We further propose a distributed user selection algorithm to actually achieve the pure Nash equilibrium. Extensive simulations based on both real and synthetic social relationship graph datasets demonstrate that our approach can achieve more efficient solutions which improve users' overall benefit compared with existing schemes.

Alkali-activated materials have received considerable attention in regarding their use as environmentally sustainable alternatives to Portland cement. However, the brittleness and shrinkage cracking of these materials have hindered their wider application. An effective solution to these problems is adding fibre to the concrete. This study investigated the mechanical properties of basalt and PP fibre-reinforced alkali-activated slag (AAS) concrete. A total of 11 mixture groups with different fibre dosages and lengths were created, and 132 samples were subjected to cube compressive, prism compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength tests. The influence of the fibre dosage and length on the mechanical properties was determined. Owing to the different strength calculation formulas and large shrinkage of the AAS material, significant differences are observed when the tensile strength of AAS concrete is characterized analysed through splitting tensile and flexural strength tests. For the same fibre length and dosage, PP fibre did not improve the strength of AAS concrete as effectively as basalt fibre did. According to the experimental results, a mathematical method was proposed to determine an optimal solution to the bivariate problem.

Topology control is an efficient strategy for improving the performance of wireless ad hoc and sensor networks by building network topologies with desirable features. In this process, location information of nodes can be used to improve the performance of a topology control algorithm and also ease its operations. Many location-based topology control algorithms have been proposed. In this paper, we propose two location-assisted grid-based topology control GBP algorithms. The design objective of our algorithm is to effectively reduce the number of active nodes required to keep global network connectivity. In grid-based topology control, a network is divided into equally spaced squares called grids. We accordingly design cross-sectional topology control algorithm and diagonal topology control algorithm based on different network parameter settings. The key idea is to build near-minimal connected dominating set for the network at the grid level. Analytical and simulation results demonstrate that our designed algorithms outperform existing work. Furthermore, the diagonal algorithm outperforms the cross-sectional algorithm. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Backpressure-based routing and scheduling has been considered as a promising strategy for efficient resource allocation in wireless multihop networks. It has many attractive features such as throughput optimality, achievable adaptive resource allocation, support for agile load-aware routing, and simplicity. In this article, we first categorize existing backpressure-based protocols based on different design criteria and then summarize several key issues faced in the design of efficient backpressure-based protocols. We present a comprehensive survey of state-of-theart backpressure-based protocols for wireless multihop networks. We illustrate how each of the protocols works, and discuss their merits and deficiencies. Finally, we point out some future directions for supporting efficient backpressure- based routing and scheduling.

In this paper, a parametric experimental study developing the alkali-activated slag concrete hollow block (AASCHB) is discussed. Fourteen trial mixes of alkali-activated slag concrete containing pottery sand and ceramsite with different water-to-slag ratios, sand ratios, silicate moduli, and Na2O contents were evaluated to determine the optimal mix for high compressive strength and low drying shrinkage. All four factors evaluated were found to be significant for the desired properties. A series of 390 &times, 190 &times, 190 mm3 AASCHBs were prepared using the optimal mix with a water-to-slag ratio of 0.35, sand ratio of 0.64, silicate modulus of 1.2, and Na2O content of 8%. The compressive strength, flexural strength, water absorption, and moisture content tests of these blocks indicate that the resulting AASCHB can be classified under the strength grade of MU15 as a load-bearing hollow concrete block. The proposed AASCHBs appear to provide a viable solution to the environmental problems of industrial waste and cement production emissions, leading to more sustainable buildings without compromising structural performance.

Alkali-activated slag (AAS) mortars were prepared using pottery sand as a fine aggregate in a ratio of 1 : 1.75 using a blend of sodium silicate and NaOH as an alkaline activator at room temperature. The effects of sodium oxide content and silicate moduli on the setting time, fluidity, consistency, compressive strength, and drying shrinkage of different AAS mortars were determined. These results revealed that sodium oxide content and silicate modulus had little effect on the setting time and workability of the mortar; however, they did have a significant effect on their mechanical performance and drying shrinkage levels. All the AAS mortars exhibited faster setting times, better workability, and higher early and late compressive strength compared to traditional mortars. Optimum compressive strength was achieved at 93 and 123 MPa after 1 d and 28 d, respectively, using a silicate modulus of 1.2 and Na2O content of 8%. The microstructures of mortars were characterized using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometric (SEM/EDS) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). These results reveal that AAS mortars containing pottery sand as a fine aggregate may represent a promising building material with improved properties for use in the construction industry.

Data collection is key issue in vehicular networks since it is vital for supporting many applications in vehicular environments. With the explosive growth of sensing data in urban area, however, strategies for efficient collection of big data in vehicular networks are still far from being well studied. In this paper, we focus on studying this issue and accordingly propose a Software Defined Vehicular Networks (SDVN) architecture. On this architecture, a predictive data collection algorithm is proposed. In this algorithm, packet delivery is fulfilled by cooperative cellular and ad hoc network interfaces, in which collections of big data always adopts ad hoc based multi-hop relaying whenever applicable to forward packets to Road Side Units (RSUs). Cellular networks are used for data uploading only when no multi-hop relaying opportunity is available. Our proposed SDVN architecture enables such efficient cooperative communications, in which predictive routing decisions are made based on real-time network status other than empirical knowledge. Simulation results demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms existing algorithms in terms of packet delivery ratio and transmit efficiency.

Backpressure based scheduling has revealed remarkable performance in wireless multihop networks as reported in a lot of previous work. However, its lack of consideration on energy use efficiency is still an obstacle for backpressure based algorithms to be deployed in resource-constrained wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, we focus on studying the design of energy efficient backpressure based algorithm. For this purpose, we propose a gradient-assisted energy-efficient backpressure scheduling algorithm (GRAPE) for WSNs. GRAPE introduces a new link-weight calculation method, based on which gradient information and nodal residual energy are taken into account when making decisions on backpressure based transmission scheduling. According to the decisions made by this new method, packets are encouraged to be forwarded to nodes with more residual energy. We theoretically prove the throughput-optimality of GRAPE. Simulation results demonstrate that GRAPE can achieve significant performance improvements in terms of energy use efficiency, network throughput, and packet delivery ratio as compared with existing work.

Positioning technique has become an indispensable part of our daily lives. Compared with the well-solved positioning issue in outdoor areas, indoor positioning is still far from being well explored, and existing techniques in this area are still far from being sufficiently mature to be widely used in practice. Recently, visible light communication based indoor positioning, also referred to as visible light based positioning, has attracted great attention and much work has been carried out, which reveals remarkable positioning accuracy. In this article, we provide a comprehensive survey of visible light based positioning. We first introduce some fundamental issues in visible light based positioning and further categorize existing systems in this field according to different design criteria. We then give a comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art systems, and introduce how each of the systems works and discuss their merits and deficiencies. Finally, we discuss challenging issues in this area and also point out future directions.

Summary Back-pressure scheduling has been considered as a promising strategy for resource allocation in wireless multi-hop networks. However, there still exist some problems preventing its wide deployment in practice. One of the problems is its poor end-to-end (E2E) delay performance. In this paper, we study how to effectively use inter-flow network coding to improve E2E delay and also throughput performance of back-pressure scheduling. For this purpose, we propose an efficient network coding based back-pressure algorithm (NBP), and accordingly design detailed procedure regarding how to consider coding gain in back-pressure based weight calculation and how to integrate it into next hop decision making in the NBP algorithm. We theoretically prove that NBP can stabilize the networks. Simulation results demonstrate that NBP can not only improve the delay performance of back-pressure algorithm, but also achieve higher network throughput. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.