The production of clean and efficient energy from municipal solid waste (MSW) is extremely urgent matter due to an increasing energy demand and environmental concerns. In this study, a high steam parameter  circulating fluidized bed (CFB) MSW incineration system, equipped with a mechanical, biological treatment and external heat exchanger systems, was introduced and a comparative study with a typical mechanical grate  incineration system and conventional CFB  incineration system was carried out from a life-cycle, environmental and exergetic perspective which could assess different energy and material outputs based on real operating data. Moreover, the potential system optimization of this advanced CFB system was proposed. The results showed that the advanced CFB system was more environmentally friendly and resource-efficient than conventional MSW incineration systems. The recovery of material should be given priority over energy recovery. According to the assessment of the environment, and energy and material recovery, a process improvement with an incinerated refuse-derived fuel and a semi-compost produced by MBT as a soil conditioner was highly recommended. According to the official reports , in Chin surface .To obtain a higher energy recovery from MSW, an advanced circulating fluidized bed (CFB) incineration system equipped with a mechanical biological treatment (MBT) system and final steam superheater used as external heat exchanger (EHE) located in solids return, was investigated and constructed to achieve high steam parameters in order to make the MSW incineration system more environmentally friendly and energy efficient, while its environmental savings, resource benefits, and energy efficiencies lacked a quantitative evaluation.For part of the MBT system, the integrated material recovery and valorization system improve resource efficiency. The poly-generation of the MBT system enhances product diversification and minimizes financial risks . MBT hasFor the part of the EHE system, an external heat exchanger (EHE) located in the solids returns is widely used in large CFB systems, as shown in The life cycle assessment (LCA) is a holistic evaluation methodology that quantifies all the environmental burdens of a product or service from the cradle to the grave throughout the life cycle . The LCA2 zero-emission” energy systems [The LCA is able to identify and quantify energy, material and waste emissions; however, as it is based on the first law of thermodynamics, it encounters many difficulties in application, especially when comparing different energy forms because it considers only quantity but not quality ,22. Exer systems , and MSW systems . However systems ,21, whilThe resource value of land can be defined as the total natural potential net primary production (NPP) of a land area if it is not occupied by humans ,29. Due The goal of this study is to compare the environmental impact, material and energy efficiency of three waste-to-energy cases by LCA and ELCA, in order to advise waste treatment. This study evaluated the environmental burdens and resource use efficiencies of the advanced CFB incineration system equipped with MBT and the EHE. The conventional CFB and MG incineration systems were compared with this advanced CFB system using the methods of environmental LCA and exergetic LCA. The two assumed process improvements, corresponding to whether semi-compost should be recycled as soil conditioner or sent to landfill sites, were modeled and compared with the current operation of this advanced CFB system. All the data used for the calculation were collected from real operational report and records, and the functional unit was unified as 1000 kg of raw MSW, and the plants selected were representative in China. The LCA was used to measure environmental burdens, while the ELCA quantified the relevant resource use efficiencies. Afterward, the considered ELCA results with land use were compared with the case of not taking land use into account. The final results could serve as the scientific basis for further developing advanced MSW incineration systems in the future.As guided by the International Organization for Standardization (standards 14040 series) , LCA conELCA was proposed and developed by combining the concept of exergy analysis and environmental LCA. Consequently, the general framework of ELCA was recognized as identical compared to LCA . The lifCExC) was defined as “the ratio of all CExC of the output products and input resources” and calculated as shown in Equation (1) [I” represented the input flows, including MSW, electricity, hydrated lime, active carbon, titanium dioxide, ammonia, cement, diesel oil, and coal; “O” referred to the output flows, which were different useful products, mainly electricity.In this study, the calculation of CExC was perfected and land use was taken into consideration. The natural potential net primary production (NPP), which was the amount of NPP a land area would produce if it was not occupied by humans ,29, coultion (1) :(1)ηCExCeX,useful” represented the exergy of the useful products.Based on LCI results and CExC method, cumulative degree of perfection (CDP) could be used to evaluate the degree of thermodynamic imperfections of the selected thermal conversion systems. CDP was proposed and defined as the ratio of exergy content of the products to the total CExC of the input energy and materials as presented in Equation (2) :(2)CDP=e2 at 5.86 MJ/kg, which meant the exergy required to store 1 kg of CO2 in a depleted oil well at 8 MPa was 5.86 MJ. The abatement exergy of SO2 and NOx was 57.0 and 16.0 MJ/kg, respectively [AbatCExC) is proposed in Equation (3) [2, SO2 and NOx.In addition, ELCA could also be applied to assess the environmental impacts by taking into account the exergy consumption for the treatment of emissions to the environment . Abatemeectively . The devectively . Therefotion (3) :(3)ηAbatsoil conditioner) or by landfilling the semi-compost (S1landfill). S2 represented the conventional CFB incineration system and S3 was the current, prevailing MG incineration system. The specific descriptions of the five scenarios can be found in the part “Specific descriptions of the five scenarios”, soil conditioner vs. S1landfill, respectively) were conducted from the environmental burdens and exergetic resource use efficiencies using LCA and ELCA.In this study, five MSW incineration scenarios were considered. The advanced CFB incineration system equipped with MBT and the EHE system was considered as the base system (S1). For this advanced CFB system, two general downstream semi-compost utilities were investigated by using the semi-compost as soil conditioner . Mechanical biological treatment (MBT) of mixed streams is becoming increasingly popular as a method for treating MSW . The outsoil conditioner with the utilization of semi-compost sorted from MBT as soil conditioner for farmland, was also proposed and evaluated in this study, even though its commercial application is still under research. The APC system and the treatment of solid residues of S1soil conditioner were almost the same as S1.Generally, one potential advantage of MBT technology over the waste incineration plant was the production of semi-compost that could be used as phosphate fertilizer or soil conditioner, which was good for soil and planting. Thus, S1landfill was represented as a variant of the advanced CFB system, which was set to send the produced semi-compost to landfill site in Zibo. The landfill disposal of semi-compost was chosen because, on the one hand, semi-compost sorted from the MBT system had a high content of ash which could cause adverse effects to the combustion; on the other hand, semi-compost could be used for fertilizer/soil conditioner, which was not previously studied in depth. Compared to S1 and S1soil conditioner, the same APC system and solid residues treatment methods were adopted in S1landfill.S1S2 represented the conventional circulating fluidized bed MSW incineration system in Hangzhou, China, with 485 °C and 53 bar boiler parameters. Available from 2015, this 24 MW system handles approximately 400,000 tons of MSW per year. Though S2 also had an external heat exchanger to produce superheat steam, the produced steam was much lower than S1 , and S2 had no pretreatment for raw waste. In this study S2 were regarded as conventional CFB systems. In order to control the emission of flue gas pollutants, the selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR) equipment and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system were installed; flue gas treatment facilities composed of a semidry scrubber, active carbon absorption and bag house filters were also used [S3 reflected the MG incineration system in Zhuji, China, which was built to substitute old CFB incineration plant for the improvement of technology and environment protection. The plant based on mechanical moving grate (MG) for the production of electricity (24 MW), and S3 was just a half of completion of the whole construction. The selected MG system, with an annual capacity of 147,782 t, was assumed to be in operation for 30 years as designed. A main advantage of the MG incinerator was its capacity to the treat unsorted waste . Heat reThe qualitative life cycle inventories used for calculating LCA and ELCA results were similar, mainly due to the on-site operational records, supplemented by the literature and standard regulations. As for the semi-compost sorted from the MBT system shown in Based on the collected data and assumptions, the inventory data was summarized in x in the conventional CFB system (S2) and MG system (S3) was slightly lower than the advanced CFB systems . The reason for this was mainly due to the use of SCR technology in S2 and S3.It was obvious that the emission of NO2, SO2, NOx were included. The NPP of materials/energy were calculated according to the area of land use and the relevant characterization factor (CF) of the land resources. According to the study of Alvarenga [2.year for China, Germany, the USA and Europe, respectively. The chemical exergy of MSW could be calculated by Equations (4) and (5) [The background data of ECLA are listed in lvarenga , the ave and (5) :(4)e=β×LIn order to identify the key substances and corresponding stages, the six most important characterized environmental impacts were studied here, including climate change (CC), fossil depletion (FD), human toxicity (HT), ironizing radiation (IR), particulate formation (PF), and photochemical oxidant formation (POF) . The res2. Thus, S2 exhibited the highest impact for almost every category.The conventional CFB system (S2) consumed more electricity, coal and diesel than the MG system (S3) , which increased not only the indirect environmental damages from the relevant production of energy/materials but also the direct emissions, such as fossil CO3-N) were considered, the environmental impacts generally appeared as a very small value, proportional to the amount of waste water treated. In general, the impacts from the waste water treatment of S1 exhibited higher values than S2 and S3, and the drawbacks mainly resulted from a higher production of waste water from complex pretreating systems and leachates from both biological reactions and residues landfill.Among the five different life cycle stages of the impact contributors, the impacts caused by waste water treatment were relatively small, accounting for less than 1.2% of the total environmental burdens, except for the offset from the energy/material recovered. The results were based on the reality that the consumption of reagents for cleaning waste water in power plants was not available. In the waste water treatment stage, the waste water from the operational plants and the leachates from the solid residues landfill were first treated inside the plant and then sent to the waste water treatment plant for deep-cleaning; thus, if the reagents used for treating water were not taken into consideration and only the limited water emissions  verified a significant role of the external heat exchanger (EHE) located in solid returns, as well as the MBT system, which could not only recycle useful resources like ferrous and non-ferrous metals, but also allowed a higher steam parameter to increase the overall energy efficiency. Additionally, the debugging and stable operation of MBT in an advanced CFB incineration system were of vital importance to its entire environmental performance.soil conditioner and S1landfill) was also conducted. It appeared that the incineration plant under the condition of S1soil conditioner performed the best when compared to S1 and S1landfill, except for the impact category of CC. As presented in soil conditioner reached the value of −223 kg CO2 equivalent and was found to be slightly higher than S1 system . The environmental savings of using semi-compost as a soil conditioner could not negate the electricity credits by using semi-compost as a fuel, as the resulting S1soil conditioner achieved a lower score for the impact of CC than S1. The semi-compost sorted from the MBT system appeared to have a high ash content and a low calorific value. During the combustion in the incineration, a lot of fly ash was produced and the consumption of relevant reagents increased so that it was not be suitable for combustion to generate power. S1soil conditioner recycled the semi-compost as a soil conditioner which could be seen as a certain amount of phosphate fertilizer, preventing the large environmental damages from producing phosphate fertilizer, as well as reducing the use of the chelating agent for fixing fly ash. So the environmental savings  proved higher than the credits from the electricity produced by the semi-compost in S1. By contrast, S1landfill exhibited the highest impacts for all categories . S1landfill lacked the advantage of environmental credits via the electricity recovered as compared to S1 (371 kWh per t-MSW for S1landfill comparing to 381 kWh per t-MSW for S1). Additionally, the S1landfill semi-compost was seen as containing useless residues and was sent to the landfill sit; therefore, the total amount of residues for landfill increased and more energy/materials (like HDPE and clay) were consumed for this purpose, resulting in an increase in the indirect environmental burdens, as well as the direct emissions, i.e., NH3 and CH4.A parallel comparison between the three advanced CFB scenarios , S1soil conditioner exhibited the best normalized environmental performance due to the use of a semi-compost from the MBT system as soil conditioner, substituting phosphate fertilizer. This finding, that the recovery of materials improves the environmental performance of an MSW management system, is also supported by other authors [The impact from the energy/material offset of S1 reached −1.104 person equivalent, and was found to be more significant than S2  and S3 . The reason for this was mainly attributed to the use of the MBT pre-treatment system and the EHE in the solids returns; the former recycled useful resources like ferrous and non-ferrous  metals. The latter allowed the boiler to employ higher steam parameters than those of a conventional waste boiler . The results clearly indicated the advantages of using semi-compost as a soil conditioner rather than fuels. Therefore, it was recommended that recycle or reuse should always be considered superior to disposal or landfill.The conclusion from the characterization of the environmental impacts and normalized environmental impacts showed that the environmental performance of the advanced CFB scenarios varied in a descending order: S1soil conditioner produced the highest net electricity power and recycled compost, and so it had the best performance.Moreover, the different sensitivity factors of the inputs/outputs were calculated for S1. The sensitivity factor was the ratio of the result change to the input/output variable change. The net electricity sensitivity factor for the normalized results, CC, FD, HT, IR, and POF, were −1.11, −1.17, −0.98, −0.84, −0.89, respectively, meaning the power generation efficiency had a great influence on the environment. Therefore, the efficiency improvement was very necessary. The materials were recycled from MBT  and the sensitivity factors were −0.03, −0.01 and −0.04, respectively. This indicated that fertilizer was the most environmentally friendly output among the recyclable materials. Again, the S1CExC) of the considered scenarios in descending order were as follows: 65% of S1 > 59% of S3 > 51% of S2, and 68% of S1soil conditioner > 65% of S1 > 63% of S1landfill, respectively. If the cumulative exergy consumption of land resources was considered, the ranking results were maintained but the values of each scenario increased; these values were 66%, 69%, 65%, 52%, and 60% for S1, S1soil conditioner, S1landfill, S2, and S3, respectively. The increments of ηCExC seemed reasonable because the main contributor of the difference was the amount of electricity, while all five scenarios exhibited a net recovery of electricity. The input cumulative exergy consumption of electricity increased by less than 45 MJ per t-MSW if the CExC of land resources was taken into consideration, while the output cumulative exergy consumption of electricity increased by more than 160 MJ per t-MSW, approximately four times the input value. Considering that the values of ηCExC from the five scenarios were higher than the relevant performances without considering land use, this reflected that the framework which brought land use into the CExC was a more general evaluation of the cumulative exergy consumption of a process/system.CExC, which was due to the highest consumption of coal and diesel used for keeping the stable burning .In general, the advanced CFB system (S1) was found to be more resource-efficient than the conventional CFB and MG system (S2 and S3). This can be explained from the perspective of the energy/materials recovered. If the MBT system and the EHE were used in the MSW CFB incineration plant, the output-useful resources increased, including ferrous and non-ferrous metals, the substitution of bricks, the produced electricity, and even the substitution of a soil conditioner or phosphate fertilizer for semi-compost. Therefore, the sum of the output, CExC, was higher than the conventional MSW incineration systems which could only achieve the recovery of electricity with a lower efficiency. Based on the results of the ELCA, the output, CExC, of the advanced CFB (S1) reached a value of 5365 MJ per t-MSW, while the value of S2 and S3 appeared to show lower values of 4338 MJ and 4593 MJ, respectively. On the contrary, the conventional CFB system (S2) had the lowest ηsoil conditioner appeared to be the best ηCExC among the advanced CFB scenarios, regardless of whether the NPP of land resources was considered or not. There were two main reasons for this result, one was that the S1soil conditioner generated less fly ash than S1, leading to a lower consumption of the chelating agent. Additionally, the input, CExC, of the chelating agent decreased dramatically from 468 MJ of S1 to 343 MJ for S1soil conditioner. The other result was that the S1soil conditioner recycled the semi-compost which could increase the CExC of 364 MJ, leading to the total CExC of the useful outputs reaching a higher value of 5529 MJ for S1soil conditioner, which was 5366 MJ for S1. Meanwhile, the input, CExC, reached the lower value of 8181 MJ for S1soil conditioner and 8306 MJ for S1. As a result, the calculated ηCExC of S1soil conditioner was higher than S1, while among the advanced CFB systerm, S1landfill performed the worst due to the disposal of useful semi-compost. To be more specific, the output, CExC, of S1landfill reached the value of 5165 MJ which was much lower than both S1 and S1soil conditioner.S1AbatCExC) of different scenarios, the results showed that 58%, 61%, 56%, 37%, and 52%, of the AbatCExC efficiency were achieved by S1, S1soil conditioner and S1landfill, S2, and S3, respectively. When taking land use into consideration, the values of the AbatCExC efficiency of S1, S1soil conditioner and S1landfill, S2, and S3 reached 60%, 63%, 58%, 38%, and 54%, respectively. Similar to the difference calculated from the CExC efficiency, the produced electricity played an import role in calculation, which again revealed that the framework of the ELCA should take land use into consideration. The values of the AbatCExC efficiency were lower than the relevant CExC efficiency, due to the subtraction of the abatement exergy from the total output CExC. It was obvious that S2 consumed large amounts of coal and diesel and emitted the highest CO2 pollutants into the atmosphere as compared to S3 and S1, so the abatement exergy loss of S2 exhibited the highest value at 1200 MJ, while the abatement exergy of other systems  was no more than 550 MJ. Additionally, the CExC efficiency and AbatCExC efficiency of S2 were the worst. With respect to the advanced CFB system (S1) and MG system (S3), S1 showed a better performance of AbatCExC efficiency than the conventional MG system, which could also be explained from the perspective of the energy/materials balance. Though the results of the AbatCExC efficiency seemed reasonable, the abatement exergy for the other emissions, especially heavy metals and dioxins, was lacking and the values were unavailable to obtain. Therefore, only the abatement exergy of CO2, SO2 and NOx was considered in this study. However, the model and results could be easily updated if the data became available in the near future.With regard to the abatement exergy and AbatCExC efficiency (ηsoil conditioner and S1landfill) was also conducted. It appeared that S1 led to an inferior performance than S1soil conditioner, and S1landfill exhibited the worst result. As mentioned, S1soil conditioner recycled semi-compost as a soil conditioner substituting phosphate fertilizer, which brought more gains of the output, CExC, than the CExC of the electricity recovered by semi-compost combusting in S1. Moreover, when taking abatement exergy into account, the consumed AbatCExC of S1soil conditioner was lower than that of S1 due to less CO2, SO2 and NOx emissions, indicating the material recovery as using a soil conditioner was a good method for the efficient utilization of semi-compost sorted from the MBT system. This was similar to the result and analysis of the CExC efficiency that S1landfill performed the worst once more in the AbatCExC efficiency compared to S1 and S1soil conditioner.A parallel comparison about AbatCExC efficiency for the three advanced CFB scenarios  was superior to the conventional CFB (S2), and the MG (S3) system and conventional CFB (S2) system had the lowest efficiency.The CDP of the considered scenarios reflected that the consumed energy/materials derived from natural resources were recovered by the final useful products (mainly electricity). If land resources were seen as natural resources and the NPP of land use was embodied in the ELCA, the calculated CDP would be declined comparative to CDP from the conventional ELCA framework. Though the changing tendency may not change too much, the method considering land use was indeed a more scientific and holistic framework, which was efficient in analyzing all kinds of energy or material production processes, especially those with much land use, such as landfill site and industrial parks. From the definition, it was observed that CDP declined comparative to the CExC efficiency, which was the ratio of the total amount of CExC of the output and input flows. The CDP of the five selected scenarios, as shown in soil conditioner performed the best and had the highest CDP among advanced CFB scenarios due to the recycled semi-compost as a soil conditioner substituting phosphate fertilizer and other useful resources, as well as a high recovery of electricity.As the CDP indicates the thermodynamics perfection and the degree of the renewability of a system or a process, as well as quantifying the energy utilization efficiency at a life cycle level , the advFor the sake of applying the life cycle assessment to an advanced circulating fluidized bed incineration system, five scenarios were proposed and parallel comparisons were conducted from the environmental impacts and exergetic efficiency perspectives using the methods of LCA and ELCA.The results showed that the advanced circulating fluidized bed incineration system (S1) exhibited higher net environmental savings and CExC efficiencies than conventional circulating fluidized beds (S2) and moving grate (S3) incineration systems due to a higher energy and material recovery.soil conditioner) using semi-compost as a soil conditioner obtained the highest net environmental savings, CExC efficiency, CDP and AbatCExC efficiency, indicating the positive improvements which could be achieved if semi-compost was used for material recovery rather than energy recovery.The different energy and material recovery waste treatment scenarios in the process improvements were assessed. The scenario (S1The ELCA was also conducted based on the consideration of land use. It was observed that a more thorough and scientific evaluation could be achieved with the combination of land resources and ECLA.


To assess the effectiveness of the containment strategies proposed in Japan, an SEIAQR (susceptible-exposed-infected-asymptomatic-quarantined-recovered) model was established to simulate the transmission of COVID-19. We divided the spread of COVID-19 in Japan into different stages based on policies. The effective reproduction number  The coronavirus disease COVID-19) has continued to spread since the first recorded case at the end of 2019 9 has con.A number of containment strategies have been enforced to control the pandemic by many governments including restrictions on travel and public gatherings, school delays or closings, social distancing, and even lockdown measures ,5,6,7,8.The COVID-19 infection in Japan started in the middle of January 2020 . The JapTo assess the containment policies and evaluate the effectiveness of the state of emergency, appropriate modelling studies could offer useful instruction and guidance. A study adopted the susceptible–infected–removed (SIR) transmission model to analyze the effectiveness of the early strategies proposed by the Japan Government . It was The SEIR-like models were also applied in some other studies for the analysis of the transmission of COVID-19 and of the control policies ,17,18,19In this study, we established a susceptible–exposed–infected–asymptomatic–qurantine–recovered/removed (SEIAQR) model. Asymptomatic infection ,21,22 waBased on the simulation results, the declaration of the state of emergency was effective, as shown by the reductions in the coefficients of transmission rates and the basic reproduction number. Then, we used the established model to analyze the second declaration of a state of emergency. Finally, the strategies, with different intensities of isolation, PCR test index and the percentage of users of tracking applications, were optimized to offer some instructions to control the COVID-19 pandemic.S), exposed (denoted by E), infected (denoted by I), asymptomatic (denoted by A), quarantined (denoted by Q) and recovered/removed (denoted by R) populations. The dynamics of the spread of COVID-19 and the interactions between compartments were characterized by the system of Equation . The transmission rates from the compartments E, I and A are denoted by d and d was set to be The structure and dynamics of COVID-19 transmission are shown in  2.0×10−5. d and d 3.0×10−5 and di wed cases a. The ine 5 days  (μ is th fitting b.The confirmed asymptomatic or symptomatic cases were presumed to be isolated and thus could not spread COVID-19. The reproduction number ollowing :(2)Re=βeThe parameters t, where t by solving the SEIAQR model , the transmission parameters decreased from ectivity . The proectivity . In thisp, the PCR test index To investigate the impact of various strategies on the control of the COVID-19 spread, the transmission rates p, the PCR test index By fitting the transmission parameters with the ratio of untracked to tracked cases The p and The Given the previous analysis, in the current stage with enhanced testing parameters but where the basic production number has not been reduced to less than 1, we may consider using a combination of increased isolation level and maintaining a moderate testing intensity.p, the PCR test index In this section, the SEIAQR model was used to predict the spread of COVID-19 the current containment strategies in stage 16 are maintained or modified strategies are adopted. On the basis that the simulation of the previous stages fitted well with the trend of real reported confirmed cases , the impmulation , which pBy maintaining the same current containment strategy in stage 16 (the second state of emergency), the cumulative number of infections would reach a stable peak in early May. The predicted cumulative number of confirmed cases would be around 438,000 (red line in p was decreased by 15% or 30% (dashed or solid pink lines), the effect on controlling the disease spread was not as significant as strengthening the PCR testing or promoting the application. The number of cumulative infections at the peak would be around 428,900 and 421,700, respectively.At the current stage, the proportion of COCOA users is 19.3%. If the proportion  disease ,44. It wThe contour of the effective reproduction number stage 16 . These cThe data from 15 January 2020 to 5 February 2021 were used for the previous fitting and analysis. To validate the model, the number of confirmed cases from 6 February 2021 to 18 February 2021 was predicted by using the same configurations as in stage 16. As can be seen in An SEIAQR model was established to analyze the spread of COVID-19 in Japan and to evaluate the policies to control the pandemic. Generally, SIR or SEIR-like models ,17,20 arThe transmission of COVID-19 was divided into 16 stages primarily determined by the policies put forward by the Japanese Government. The declaration of the state of emergency  could inhibit the rapid development of the disease spread since the effective reproduction numbers Many variables should affect the spread of COVID-19 but are rarely measured. We selected quantifiable indexes including the ratio of the untracked to tracked cases, the PCR test index and the proportion of COCOA app users. The transmission rates and confirmation rates of asymptomatic patients were fitted using these quantifiable variables. Then, for the second declaration of the state of emergency, the number of cumulative cases was predicted. It was found that increasing the PCR test index by 30% could decrease the number of overall infected cases by around critical , it was critical .It was inferred that herd immunity in Japan could be achieved without sacrificing the current healthcare system if the basic reproduction number is less than 2 . Our simThis study could be improved in the future. First, it was assumed that permanent immunity was achieved after recovery and the impact of the vaccine was also not taken into consideration. The compartment of the immune population could be included in the future. In addition, the stages were segregated based on policies. The stages could be divided with multiple approaches, such as using additionally defined indicators  to bette


The Fe and TiO2 extractions from the mechanically activated sample after 10 h compared with the unactivated sample were increased by 12.82% and 4.73%, respectively. The presence of the ilmenite phase in the titanium-enriched slag was confirmed by X-ray diffractometry and EDS patterns, and the content of the TiO2 in the enriched slag can get as high as 43.75%.The titanium-enriched slag was obtained via atmospheric hydrochloric acid leaching of mechanically activated vanadium titanomagnetite concentrates (VTMCs). Under the influence of mechanical activation, specific physicochemical changes were observed via X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and granulometric laser diffraction analysis. Experimental findings revealed that the mechanical activation of VTMCs resulted in a decrease in the median volume particle diameter (d50) and an increase in the specific surface area (SA) with an increased milling time. The results of the leaching experiment revealed that the mechanical activation treatment favors the extraction of iron (Fe) and titanium dioxide (TiO Van pigment ,5. For m pigment ,7,8.2 in the range of 22 wt.% to 25 wt.%, and there have been no known effective means of treating the slag [However, in the blast furnace process, both the Fe and V in VTMCs are reduced to hot metal, while most of the Ti remains unreduced, subsequently forming the Ti-bearing blast furnace slag ,10. The the slag ,12. Thusthe slag . The advthe slag .0.6Ti2.4)O5), metallic iron, ferriferous oxide, and a small amount of silicon dioxide, thus increasing the difficulty of subsequent utilization of the Ti slag [2 in the Ti-enriched slag prepared by two-stage acid leaching could reach 92.5% with further removal of residual carbon. The phase structure of ilmenite in vanadium titanite concentrate was altered by the pretreatment process of the above two processes. However, the preparation process of titanium slag from vanadium titanite concentrate by mechanical activation and hydrochloric acid leaching has not been reported. The mechanical activation process can lead to the increase of disordered structure in minerals, thus improving the reactivity between minerals and leaching agents. Therefore, it is often used to improve the leaching rate of elements in minerals [Existing research on the utilization of VTMCs is still focused on the direct reduction–electric furnace smelting process in which the technological parameters of the direct reduction process are optimized by pre-oxidation and additives ,16. To i Ti slag ,19,20,21 Ti slag  investigminerals ,24,25.In this paper, the mechanical activation-hydrochloric acid leaching method was used to treat vanadium titanite concentrate for the first time. The mechanical activation of VTMCs was investigated to effectively enhance the leaching rate of valuable elements. The hydrochloric acid leaching behaviors of unactivated and mechanically activated V-bearing titanomagnetite concentrate were also investigated. It is expected that the findings of this study will help establish an efficient route in producing Ti-enriched slag from VTMC without altering the mineral structure of the ilmenite phase.3O4 (JCPDS card No. 89-2355) and FeTiO3 (JCPDS card No. 75-1208) are the main crystal structures in the VTMC. As shown in The VTMCs was obtained from the Sichuan Lomon Mining and Metallurgy Co., Ltd., Sichuan, China, and it was dried at 120 °C for 2 h. Its chemical composition, obtained with an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, is presented in The mechanical activation of VTMCs was performed in a vertical planetary ball mill  comprising a steel cup and several steel balls. The milling conditions were: volume of the cup, 500 mL; milling atmosphere, air; milling rate, 200 rpm; ball to powder ratio, 10; activation time, 0–10 h. The milled samples were leached in a 1000-mL three-necked glass reactor. An agitator, a condenser, and a thermometer were fitted into its openings. The reactants were heated using a water bath which controlled the temperature within ±2 °C. In each experiment, 225 mL of 18% hydrochloric acid solution was preheated to the required temperature, and 25 g of the milled sample was added. During the entire leaching operation, the stirring speed, leaching temperature, and time were kept constant at 150 rpm, 90 °C, and 90 min, respectively. These optimization parameters of the acid leaching process refer to the literature .2 in the leach residue was analyzed by potassium dichromate titration and ammonium ferric sulfate titration methods, respectively.The particle size distribution and specific surface areas of the VTMCs and milled products were determined using granulometric laser diffraction analysis . The micromorphology and element distribution maps of the VTMCs, milled products, and leaching residue were characterized via scanning electron microscopy . Their phase compositions were identified by an X-ray diffractometer . The content of the total Fe and TiOThe sample was mixed with sodium borate and sodium carbonate as cosolvent and melted at a high temperature. The melt was decomposed by acid solution. The total iron content in the sample was titrated with potassium dichromate, combining with tin dichloride and titanium trichloride as reducing agents of ferric iron and sodium diphenylamine sulfonate solution as an indicator .The sample and cosolvent were mixed evenly and melted at a high temperature using sodium borate and sodium carbonate as cosolvent. The melt was decomposed by acid solution, and the ferric iron was reduced by an aluminum sheet. Under the protection of sodium bicarbonate solution, ammonium thiocyanate solution was used as an indicator to titrate the content of titanium dioxide in the sample.2/g. The SA increased because an increase in the milling time (above 6 h) possibly led to agglomeration of the particles, which is consistent with the literature [The particle size distribution of the unactivated (0 h) and mechanically activated  VTMCs samples are summarized in terature .3O4 and FeTiO3. There was no new phase formation in the samples during the ball milling process. It was observed that the intensities of the XRD diffraction peaks decreased slightly, and the line widths of the diffraction peaks widened marginally with an increase in the milling time in the range of 2–4 h. The recorded XRD spectra were used to evaluate the lattice strain and crystallite size from changes in the profile of the prominent peaks of the magnetite. The results of the evaluation are presented in The XRD patterns of the unactivated and activated VTMCs at different milling times are presented in The morphological changes of the samples before and after the mechanical activation under different milling times are illustrated in 2 initially increased and then decreased with added mechanical activation time. The possible reason for this phenomenon is that the TiOCl2 of the leaching solution can be hydrolyzed to produce the TiO2·nH2O and form precipitation in the leaching slag [To investigate the influences of mechanical activation on the hydrochloric acid leaching behavior of Fe and Ti from the unactivated and mechanically activated VTMCs, all the leaching experiments were performed at 90 °C for 1.5 h. The results are shown in ing slag . The hyd2 extraction from the activated sample compared to that of the unactivated sample was increased by 12.82% and 4.73%, respectively.Considering the mechanically activated sample after 10 h, the Fe and TiOThe result of the XRD pattern of acid leaching residue is presented in 2 contents in the leached residue of the unactivated and activated samples were 32.19% and 43.75%, respectively. Comparing the enrichment of titanium slag in this work and the titanium concentrate in the Panxi area, the iron level contents and the TiO2 in the enrichment of titanium slag are similar. Acid oxide in the enrichment of titanium slag is higher than the titanium slag, and the alkaline oxide is even lower; thus, the enrichment of titanium slag can be used in the production of high titanium slag, and titanium white part of the raw material for using sulfuric acid method.An effective technique to obtain Ti-enriched slag from mechanically activated VTMCs is atmospheric hydrochloric acid leaching.Mechanical activation causes a decrease in the median volume particle diameter (d50) and an increase in the specific surface area (SA) with an increase in the milling time. The XRD patterns and SEM were conducted, and they confirmed the effects of the mechanical activation.It was also demonstrated that mechanical activation could be employed to improve Fe recovery from VTMCs followed by hydrochloric acid leaching.2 in the Ti-enriched slag can reach 43.75%, and the XRD patterns, as well as EDS, confirmed that the major phase in the Ti-enriched slag is the ilmenite.Moreover, the content of the TiO


This paper outlines a design for a fibre-cement panel ventilated façade smart control system based on the acoustic emission method. The paper also provides methodology and test results, as well as statistical analysis of the three-point bending results with AE signal acquisition as a basis for the development of the system in question. The test items were samples cut from a full-size fibre-cement panel for interior and exterior use, according to the standard guidelines. The recorded acoustic emission signals were classified statistically into four classes, which were assigned to the processes occurring in the material structure as a result of the applied load. The system development was based on the differences between the characteristics of the individual signal classes and their number for each test case, as well as on the different distribution of successive classes over time. Given the results of the tests and the resulting conclusions indicating the applicability of the acoustic emission method , a methodology for such assessment was therefore developed. The approach proposed is a reasonable method for assessing the variation in mechanical parameters of fibre-cement panels on the basis of the parameters determined by the non-destructive method indicated. Fibre-reinforced cement-based products have been used in the construction industry for over a century. The inventor of the first fibre-cement panels was an engineer from the Czech Republic, Ludwik Hatschek ,2,3,4, wThe cement-fibre panels are a material exposed to defects and damage, both during the manufacturing process and in service. This fact significantly affects their properties and durability parameters. The production of panels is a complex process governed by the properties and quantities of the individual components and how they are incorporated into the finished product ,16,17,18When these factors occur, there is a high probability that the cement-fibre panel structure will change, resulting in a deterioration of the performance and durability properties ,28,29,30Fibre-cement is subject to the same processes as other cement-based products. One of the most intensive is carbonatization, the intensity of which depends, among other things, on the concentration of carbon dioxide. The way the material behaves during use is also affected by its layered structure. The studies on cement-fibre materials show that in the first years of service, the reaction between the calcium phases and carbon dioxide from air and water has a positive effect on the bonding between the product layers. However, after only about five years, reactions of the carbon with hydration products result in moisture migration tracks in the material. Long-term exposure of the panels to weather ultimately leads to a reduction in the bonding between the layers and the formation of a discontinuity in the matrix. Cellulose fibres also become particularly vulnerable due to increased moisture movement in the material and freeze-thaw cycles. The gradual depolymerisation of the fibres, resulting in, among other things, a decrease in mechanical strength, is a direct effect of these interactions. It is estimated that after about 15 years of service, the strength of cement-fibre panels decreases by up to 40% ,32.Due to the processes taking place in the material of cement-cellulose boards and due to the operational conditions to which they are exposed, it is necessary to at least periodically monitor the buildings made with their use. This type of control should make it possible to detect a possible decrease in the mechanical parameters of the boards.Taking into account the conclusions of the literature review, steps were taken to select a non-destructive method that would allow the control of the built-in boards. The result of the carried-out work is the system for assessing the change in mechanical parameters of fiber-cement panels, presented in the article, based on the acoustic emission method. The paper also presents the research that is the basis for the development of the final diagnostic methodology.The tests prior to the system development to assess the change in mechanical performance of the fibre-cement panels involved three-point bending tests on samples cut from full-size panels together with acoustic emission (AE) signal acquisition. The bending configuration and dimensions of the test pieces were chosen based on the standard guidelines.The test pieces were subjected to environmental conditions  and extreme conditions , and were also tested in air-dry condition. The acoustic emission method in the energy approach was used as the main testing method to determine the change in mechanical parameters of cement-fibre composites.F, displacement and acoustic emission signals AE were recorded during the tests. The distance between the support axes (ls) was 200 mm. A Zwick Roell testing machine was used in the tests. The constant loading speed was 0.1 mm/s.The scheme of the test stand and a photograph of one of the tested samples are shown in According to the manufacturer’s declaration, the boards from which the test elements were cut out consisted of Portland cement, mineral binders, cellulose fibers, color dyes, and admixtures. Accurate quantitative and qualitative data on the composition are protected by patent law. The declared technical parameters of the board are presented in Duration;Rise time;Decay time;RMS;Counts;Counts to peak;Amplitude;Energy;Average frequency;Reverberation frequency;Initiation frequency;Absolute energy;Signal strength;ASL.Fourteen standard AE parameters were used to determine the change in mechanical parameters:USPR). Scattergram of signal strength and duration were used to present the results of the tests after analysis with the created reference signal database. The advantage of creating a database of reference signals is the fact of assigning invariable characteristics to individual classes, marked by graphic symbols and colour. As a result, we can use selected parameters (preferably depicting the transformation of destructive processes) rather than all AE parameters to analyse the processes taking place, which facilitates the interpretation of the results by people not trained in acoustic emission testing. According to Świt et al. [These parameters were used to classify the signals using pattern recognition methods with arbitrary class division  of the mechanical parameters of the tested cement-fibre panels are the classes of acoustic emission signals with the destructive processes assigned to them, namely fibre cracking and fibre pull-out from the cement matrix. The decline in recorded events of this nature allowed assessment of the extent to which mechanical parameters change when exposed to service conditions. The other classes serve as a preliminary confirmation of the presence of other destructive processes in the tested pieces.To assess the change in mechanical parameters as affected by service  conditions, a three-point bending test was conducted during the On the basis of the preliminary tests performed, it was confirmed that the external panels have the mechanical parameters as declared by the manufacturers. It is important to note, however, that the fibre-cement panel compositions and their technological process are strictly protected by the manufacturers, and information on specific components, their quantities and suppliers, and production details are restricted extensively. The fibre-cement panels tested were made using basic components, such as Portland cement CEM I 42.5N, cellulose fibres, synthetic fibres PVA and additives, such as limestone dust. The coloured panels have additional colouring admixtures. All panels were manufactured according to the Hatschek process.The test samples were cut in one direction, parallel to the length of the panel, avoiding the 50 mm edge zone of the panel.Air-dry condition ;Soaking in water for 1 h;Soaking in water for 24 h;25 soaking-drying cycles;50 bath-drying cycles;10 freeze-thaw cycles;25 freeze-thaw cycles;50 freeze-thaw cycles;100 freeze-thaw cycles;Direct exposure to flame (resulting in a temperature of up to 400 °C) for 2.5 min;Direct exposure to flame (resulting in a temperature of up to 400 °C) for 5 min;Direct exposure to flame (resulting in a temperature of up to 400 °C) for 7.5 min;Direct exposure to flame (resulting in a temperature of up to 400 °C) for 10 min;Temperature of 230 °C for 3 h.The changes in the mechanical parameters of the fibre-cement panels under environmental and extreme service conditions were assessed for the following test cases:Signal generation under laboratory conditions during the destruction of standard samples in a specified manner;Comparison of signals from the destruction of model samples subjected to different destruction processes;Verification of the reference signals generated by various types and lengths of composite panel loaded to destruction;Final verification on components during standard operation (this step will be performed during further tests).The creation of a reference signal database in the acoustic emission method involves several steps. These include:The assumed number of destructive processes (based on literature and own research);Measures of distance between clusters–in this case Euclidean space with time distribution;The number of iterations necessary to determine the optimal number of classes .The next step was to adopt the standard parameters needed to create a reference signal database, namely:The reference file with four classes obtained in this way was then verified on the samples in laboratory tests with single destructive processes prevailing.BIG DATA analyses to create “BLACK BOX”, which can be used for structural health analysis by people without academic knowledge of AE.As a result of the work performed, a database of reference signals was obtained for assessing the technical condition of the panels. Using the reference signal database, the individual AE parameters are only an illustration of the processes taking place and not a source for analysis. Therefore, it is important to apply The number of classes was imposed by a statistical software using the k-means algorithm for the analysis of AE signals based on the literature reports. Another criterion to explain the imposed number of classes was how well the individual signals matched the correct classes, which in this case was over 90%.k-means algorithm, two of the fourteen acoustic emission parameters–the signals strength and their duration –were used as illustrations of the processes taking place. Individual AE signal classes assigned, based on preliminary tests, to processes occurring in the structure of the tested material include:Class 1 (green colour)–micro-crack initiation;Class 2 (red colour)–crack development and spread;Class 3 (blue)–material delamination, fibre separation;Class 4 (yellow colour)–fibre breakage, material deterioration;After dividing the recorded AE signals into four classes, using the The paper presents graphs of the descriptors over time, including their division into classes, for mock samples from each of the tested series. The results obtained for samples within the group were similar.1 (For the sample from the A1  test cas2 (For the sample from the A2  test cas3 (For the sample from the A3  test cas4 (For the sample from the A4  test cas5 (For the sample from the A5  test cas6 (For the sample from the A6  test cas7 (For the sample from the A7  test cas8 (For the sample from the A8  test cas9 (For the sample from the A9  test cas10 (For the sample from the A10  test cas11 (For the sample from the A11  test cas12 (For the sample from the A12  test cas13 (For the sample from the A13  test cas14 (For the sample from the A14  test cas1–A9) there are signals of all classes from the beginning of the external load action. Shortly after applying the force, class 3 signals begin to appear, indicating that the structural delimination and fibre detachment from the matrix have begun. As the cracks in the tensile zone progresses and the crack deepens, class 4 signals for gradual fibre breakage and material deterioration start to appear at the bottom of the sample. Exceeding the stress limits in the material results in a rapid increase in the recorded descriptors.Analysing 10–A13) and high temperature (A14), the flame interaction did not affect the nature of the signals recorded for the samples torched for 2.5 min (A10), while the prevailing class 2 signals were observed in the other recorded time courses. The author linked this fact to the potential for damage or degradation of the reinforcing fibres when exposed to fire and temperature, which implied a change in the deterioration of the components. It was found that dry samples and samples exposed to environmental conditions, due to the presence of reinforcing fibres, were destroyed by exceeding tensile stresses. On the other hand, the deterioration process of the samples exposed to temperature fluctuations, caused by probable fibre degradation, was caused by exceeding the shear strength. The analysis of the characteristics of the recorded descriptors also revealed that, during the bending of the torched and burned samples, the occurrence of most AE events was associated with the emission of signals with lower power (below 600 nVs) than those of the other groups.For the samples exposed to direct fire . For this case there was also the largest scatter of results. The A8 test cases (frozen-thawed samples for 50 cycles) and A9 (torched samples for 100 cycles) contain single statistical outliers. The lowest values of the class 1 signal number were recorded for the A13 test cases (torched samples for 10 min) and A14 (burned samples).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent samples of the number of class 1 signals , it can 4 test case (soaked-dried samples for 25 cycles). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A7 group (frozen-thawed samples for 25 cycles). The lowest value of the average signal strength of class 1 signals was recorded for the A12 test case (torched samples for 7.5 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the average signal strength class 1 signals , it can 2 test case (soaked samples for 1 h). Also for this case there was the largest scatter of results. The A5 test case (soaked-dried samples for 50 cycles) contains a single statistical outlier. The lowest value of the duration of the class 1 signals was recorded for the A11 test case (torched samples for 5 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal-Wallis test results for independent tests of the average duration of the class 1 signals , it can 2 test case (soaked samples for 1 h). Also for this case there was the largest scatter of results. The A10 test case (torched samples for 2.5 min) contains a single statistical outlier. The lowest values for the number of class 2 signals were recorded for the A14 case (burnt samples).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the number of class 2 signals , it can 1 test case (air-dry samples). For this case there was also the largest scatter of results. The A4 test case (soaked-dried samples for 25 cycles) contains a single statistical outlier. The lowest value of the average signal strength of the class 2 signals was recorded for the A13 test case (torched samples for 10 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the average signal strength of the class 2 signals , it can 1 test case (air-dry samples). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A3 group (soaked samples for 24 h). The A12 test case (torched samples for 10 min) contains a single statistical outlier. The lowest value of the average duration of the class 2 signals was recorded for the A13 test case (torched samples for 10 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the average duration of the class 2 signals , it can 2 test case (soaked samples for 1 h). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A7 group (frozen-thawed samples for 25 cycles). The A2 test case (samples soaked in water for 1 h), A5 (samples exposed to soaking-drying for 50 cycles) and A12 (torched samples for 7.5 min) contain single statistical outliers. The lowest value of the number of the class 3 signals was recorded for the A13 test case (torched samples for 10 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the number of class 3 signals , it can 4 test case (soaked-dried samples for 25 cycles). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A8 group (frozen-thawed samples for 50 cycles). The A14 test case (burned samples) contains a single statistical outlier. The lowest values of the average signal strength of the class 3 signals was recorded for the A13 test case (torched samples for 10 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the average signal strength of the class 3 signals , it can 4 test case (soaked-dried samples for 25 cycles). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A8 group (frozen-thawed samples for 50 cycles). The A1 test case (air-dry samples) and A14 (burned samples) contain single statistical outliers. The lowest value of the average duration of the class 3 signals was recorded for the A13 test case (torched samples for 10 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the average duration of the class 3 signals , it can 2 test case (soaked samples for 1 h). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A6 group (frozen-thawed samples for 10 cycles). The A4 test case (soaked-dried samples for 50 cycles) contains single statistical outliers. The lowest values for the number of the class 4 signals were recorded for the A14 case (burnt samples).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the number of class 4 signals , it can 2 test case (soaked samples for 1 h). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A6 group (frozen-thawed samples for 10 cycles). The A2 test case (soaked samples for 1 h) contains single statistical outliers. The lowest values for the average signal strength of the class 4 signals were recorded for the A14 case (burnt samples).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the average signal strength of class 4 signals , it can 2 test case (soaked samples for 1 h). The largest scatter of results occurred for the A5 case (soaked-dried samples for 50 cycles). The A3 test case (samples soaked in water for 24 h), A6 (frozen-thawed samples for 10 cycles) and A7 (frozen-thawed samples for 25 cycles) contain single statistical outliers. The lowest values for the average duration of the class 4 signals were recorded for the A14 case (burnt samples).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the average duration class 4 signals , it can maxF break force (5 test case (soaked-dried samples for 50 cycles). For this case there was also the largest scatter of results. The A11 test case (burned samples for 50 min.) and A12 (torched samples for 7.5 min.) contain single statistical outliers. The lowest value of the maxF break force was recorded for the A13 test case (torched samples for 10 min).Analysing the graphical representation of the Kruskal–Wallis test results for independent tests of the ak force , it can The Shapiro–Wilk test was conducted to examine the normality of the data distribution. In most cases the data do not have a normal distribution. Therefore, the Spearman correlation coefficient  was used to examine the relationship between the indicated variations.maxF . The more signals, the higher the destructive force.The number of the class 1 signals and the destructive force maxF . The greater power of the signals, the higher the destructive force.The average signal strength of the class 1 signals and the destructive force maxF . The more signals, the higher the destructive force.The number of class 2 signals and the destructive force maxF . The greater power of the signals, the higher the destructive force.The average signal strength of the class 2 signals and the destructive force maxF . The greater average duration of the signals, the higher the destructive force.The average duration of the class 2 signals and the destructive force maxF . The more signals, the higher the destructive force.The number of the class 3 signals and the destructive force maxF . The greater power of the signals, the higher the destructive force.The average signal strength of the class 3 signals and the destructive force maxF . The greater average duration of the signals, the greater the destructive force.The average duration of the class 3 signals and the destructive force maxF . The more signals, the higher the destructive force.The number of the class 4 signals and the destructive force maxF . The greater power of the signals, the higher the destructive force.The average signal strength of the class 4 signals and the destructive force maxF . The greater average duration of the signals, the higher the destructive force.The average duration of the class 4 signals and the destructive force A significant correlation was found to exist between:Based on the distribution of the results of Kruskal–Wallis tests for individual parameters and taking into account the significance of the correlation between them, it can be concluded that the differences in the number of recorded acoustic emission signals of particular classes and the parameters of these signals make it possible to create groups characterizing AE events in connection with the mechanical parameters of boards. This is what has been treated as the basis of the methodology for assessing the condition of cement-cellulose boards.k-means algorithm for the assessment of variations in the mechanical parameters of cement-fibre composites, a methodology for such assessment was therefore developed. The approach proposed is a reasonable method for assessing the variation in mechanical parameters of fibre-cement panels on the basis of the parameters determined by the non-destructive method indicated. During the development of the methodology, the results of research of the recorded frequencies of events were also used, and an approach to tracking acoustic spectra of signals was included, which, according to the authors, is useful as a refinement of observations.Given the results of the tests and the resulting conclusions indicating the applicability of the acoustic emission method based on signal classification using the The suggested methodology is shown schematically on Stage 2 involves conducting acoustic emission measurements on the panels selected in stage 1. Taking into account the size of a single fibre-cement panel used as a façade cladding, it is recommended that the number of measurement points on a single panel should be not less than 4. Again, the distance between the AE sensor locations and the edge of the panel must be at least 50 mm. Once the measurement has been prepared, proceed to the recording of the AE signals. Due to the operating nature of the cladding, it is recommended that the signal acquisition is performed at increased strain on the individual components (preferably during relatively strong wind pressure). Once the measurement is complete, the recorded signals must be processed. The first stage of the analysis involves the classification of AE signals using the developed reference file. At this stage of processing, it is important to remember that signals with a coefficient of determination R2 (matching a given class) of at least 90% can be adopted to assess the extent of variation in mechanical parameters. In the next step, the values of the average signal strength and duration of the class 2, 3, and 4 signals have to be analysed.The final stage (3) is an analysis of the previously obtained results using this testing method with three approaches to process the recorded signals. The analysis is aimed at determining and assessing the extent to which the mechanical parameters change when exposed to the service conditions of the fibre-cement panels tested, based on the results of the conducted tests. Insignificant change in mechanical performance means average signal strength of the class 2 signals over 200 nVs, average duration of the class 2 signals over 750 µs, average signal strength of the class 3 signals over 300 nVs, average duration of the class 3 signals over 150 µs, average signal strength of the class 4 signals over 400 nVs, average duration of the class 4 signals over 1500 µs, and average frequency of AE signals over 300 kHz. Significant change in mechanical performance means average signal strength of the class 2 signals over 200 nVs, average duration of the class 2 signals over 750 µs, average signal strength of the class 3 signals within 100–300 nVs, average duration of the class 3 signals within 100–150 µs, average signal strength of the class 4 signals within 200–400 nVs, average duration of the class 4 signals within 1000–1500 µs, and average frequency of AE signals within 200–300 kHz. Critical change in mechanical performance means average signal strength of the class 2 signals over 200 nVs, average duration of the class 2 signals over 750 µs, average signal strength of the class 3 signals over 100 nVs, average duration of the class 3 signals below 100 µs, average signal strength of the class 4 signals below 200 nVs, average duration of the class 4 signals below 1000 µs, and average frequency of AE signals below 300 kHz.The insignificant change in mechanical parameters is associated with a reduction in MOR flexural strength of no more than 30% with respect to the reference panels. The significant change is a reduction in strength by more than 30% but less than 50%. Deterioration of strength properties by more than 50% was classified as a critical change in mechanical performance.The ability to detect a range of failure mechanisms related to the processes that characterize particular classes of signals in the early stages before they become significant problems;The possibility of observation during the operation of the boards;The ability to locate the sources of damage and to distinguish them;The ability to perform global monitoring of the building object;The possibility of assessing the structure in real operating conditions;Non-invasive method;Possibility of remote monitoring;The ability to detect hard-to-reach damage.The advantages of the presented methodology relate primarily to the general advantages of using the phenomenon of acoustic emission:No possibility to detect existing damage that does not develop and propagate;Extended monitoring time compared to other non-destructive methods .The methodology limits are as follows:When applying the acoustic emission method, two main approaches are used to analyse the acoustic data: the study of AE signal descriptors and/or waveform analysis. In both approaches, data processing is usually based on the analysis of single descriptors or groups of descriptors. However, given the fact that the process of degradation of a building component or structure is not a deterministic but a random process, such a solution causes problems with identification of physical phenomena causing destructive processes. Therefore, current procedures based on precise load control make it difficult to perform diagnostics on large building components under field conditions. Rather, the methods and procedures currently in use are expected to provide information that allows conclusions to be drawn about the effect of recorded defects on the load-bearing capacity and durability of the panels with cement matrix.Under the conditions in which cement-fibre cladding panels operate, assessment on the basis of the current criteria based on single parameters of acoustic signals is unlikely to solve the problem, making it necessary to develop a new concept for assessing the extent of destruction of a civil engineering structure.The methodology presented in this paper is a preliminary version of a reliable assessment of changes in the mechanical parameters of the fibre-cement panels. It is the intention of the authors that, once refined, it will enable panel diagnostics to be performed without the need for any expert training in this area.


Statistically significantly higher values of both D personality dimensions were observed in women than in men with symptoms of SS disorders. In people reporting symptoms of SS disorders, higher average values were observed in both dimensions of type D personality. There were significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: type D personality may contribute to the development of symptoms of stomatognathic disorders.Background: A person’s response to stressors is largely dependent on their personality traits that affect the way stress is controlled and relieved. This article is a quantitative analysis assessing the importance of the distressed personality in the development of stomatognathic system disorders (SSDs) in physiotherapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: The goal of the research was to assess the presence of type D personality in students with symptoms of stomatognathic system disorders. Material and Method: The research was carried out among 300 physiotherapy students. The data were collected using the form of the occurrence of symptoms of SS disorders developed for the purpose of the study and the standardized psychological DS14 questionnaire. Results: In a group of 300 students, the presence of type D personality was found in 160 people (53.3%). People with type D personality had symptoms of SS disorders more often than the group without stressful personality traits. There was a significant difference between the groups regarding all the examined symptoms. In the group of people with type D personality, the most frequently reported symptoms of SS disorders included: headache (51.3%), pain in the neck and shoulder girdle (43.1%), and teeth clenching (35.6%). As many as 70% of the respondents in the group with symptoms of SS disorders (P1) had type D personality, whereas in the asymptomatic group (P2) this result was 23.3%. There was a significant difference between the groups ( The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the education system in Poland and vastly contributed to social isolation, with all due consequences. That, in turn, had a negative impact on the mental and physical health of students and university graduates. The accompanying stressors could have had influenced the development of increased masticatory muscles tension and numerous parafunctions, and thus the formation of stomatognathic system dysfunctions ,3,4,5. TTherefore, the authors of the present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the occurrence of symptoms of SS disorders and type D personality in physiotherapy students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding health psychology, there are three personality types that favor the development of somatic diseases: type A , type C , and type D  . Two appType D consists of two main dimensions, treated as relatively constant personality traits, i.e., negative affectivity (NA) and social inhibition (SI). Negative affectivity is expressed as a tendency to experience strong negative emotions, such as anxiety, anger, irritation, and hostility. On the other hand, social inhibition is associated with the tendency to refrain from expressing negative emotions and behavior consistent with these emotions. Refraining from revealing emotions is conscious and is undertaken mainly in social situations, primarily for fear of disapproval and rejection by other people . People Type D personality shows some similarities to other personality characteristics that contribute to the development of somatic diseases, such type A or type C, but above all, to the two dimensions of personality that make up the ‘Big Five’, i.e., neuroticism and introversion. This relationship was confirmed by De Fruyt and Denollet .The theoretical foundations of the type D personality refer to the biological theory of inhibition and activation formulated by Eysenck . AccordiType D personality is linked to neuroticism by a tendency towards a catastrophic perception of reality, a way of evaluating events as highly threatening and harmful and a feeling of strong anxiety and tension . What isThe aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of type D personality in students with symptoms of stomatognathic system disorders. We hypothesized that type D personality traits may contribute to the development of symptoms of stomatognathic dysfunction during the COVID-19 pandemic.The research was carried out from October 2020 to June 2021 among 300 students of physiotherapy at the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. The study group (P1) consisted of 150 students who reported symptoms of SSDs in the questionnaire. The control group (P2) had the same number of participants without SS symptoms.Inclusion criteria in the control group were: first, second, or third year students of physiotherapy studying in a hybrid system (stationary and remotely); no symptoms of SS disorders reported in the past; age 20 to 35; consent to participate in the study. Exclusion criteria were: chronic diseases, including psychosomatic diseases; during or after treatment of SS disorders, and pregnancy. The differentiating factor in the inclusion criteria in the P1 and P2 groups was the presence of symptoms of SSDs in the P1 group. The SSD disorder assessment questionnaire consisted of 10 closed questions concerning the occurrence of symptoms related to the temporomandibular joints, masticatory muscles, and the cervical spine. A standardized DS-14 psychological questionnaire was carried out among all students . The questionnaire consists of seven questions which concern the tendency to experience various negative emotions and seven concerning tendencies to refrain from expressing these emotions. To qualify as Type D, you must obtain a minimum of 10 points in each of the two dimensions i.e., NA and SI.p = 0.05, in the P1 and P2 group, respectively. The group of students with symptoms of SSDs included 103 women (68.7%) and 47 men (31.3%), and the group of asymptomatic participants consisted of 91 women (60.7%) and 59 men (39.3%). There was no difference in the gender structure between the groups, p = 0.14723. A total of 194 women (64.7%) and 106 men (35.3%) participated in the study. Among all the respondents, there were 30.3% of first-year students, 36% of second-year students and 33.7% of third-year students. The average age of the respondents was 21.71 (SD 2.69) and 22.26 (SD 2.10), After analyzing the data from the SS disorders symptom questionnaire in the P1 group, it was found that the most frequently reported symptoms were: headache 68%, pain in the neck and shoulder girdle 58%, teeth clenching 50%, TMJ acoustic symptoms 33.3%, TMJ pain 32.7%, increased masticatory muscle tension 30%, teeth grinding 22.7%, facial pain 12%.The statistical comparison of the results of the SS disorder questionnaire between the groups was omitted due to the lack of occurrence of the studied variables in the P2 group.t-test, the relationship between quantitative variables was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Due to the large number of cases in the study groups, parametric tests were used based on the central limit theorem. The analysis was performed using the Rstudio package  and p values < 0.05 were considered significant.Data are presented as n and % of responses for qualitative variables and the average +/− standard deviation for quantitative features. The Chi 2 Pearson test was used to compare the relationships between the qualitative variables. Comparisons for quantitative variables were made using the Student’s According to the obtained data the presence of type D personality was confirmed in 160 participants (53.3%). The results of the assessment of the presence of type D personality in the P1 and P2 groups are presented below .p = 0.000). As it can be seen from Comparing the occurrence of symptoms of SS disorders between people with and without type D personality, the following results were obtained . The results presented in As shown in Below in According to the present research carried out on a group of 150 physiotherapy students, the most common symptoms of SS disorders were headaches (51.3%), neck and shoulder girdle pain (43.1%), and teeth clenching (35.6%). The studies carried out by Glaros et al. show that involuntary tooth contact is one of the most typical parafunctions observed more frequently in TMD (temporomandibular joint dysfunction) patients than in healthy people . SimilarIn the author’s own research on a group of 300 physiotherapy students, the presence of type D personality was found in 160 participants (53.3%). In accordance with O’Riordan et al., type D people perceive their life events as significantly more stressful than people with a different personality type. Type D personality people also report increased perceptions of negative social relationships and less social support . What isThe results of many studies have shown that the type D personality is a significant predictor of cardiovascular diseases , as well as somatic diseases, such as cancer, peptic ulcer disease, and skin diseases ,39,40,41In a study by Condén et al., a strong relationship was found between the type D personality with psychosomatic symptoms and musculoskeletal pain . However, there are no scientific studies on the evaluation of the relationship between the type D personality and the occurrence of symptoms of stomatognathic system disorders. The studies presented in the literature, taking into consideration related constructs, especially neuroticism, confirm the role of the experience of negative emotions and reserves in relations with other people as those elements of personality that favor the assessment of stress and intensify its the negative effects. According to Moayedi et al., neuroticism may contribute to the pathophysiology of muscular TMD because there is a correlation between chronic pain in TMD and the patient’s neurotic personality . On the other hand, according to the research of Southwell et al., TMJ dysfunctional individuals obtain higher results regarding neurotic and introversion scales . Serra-NResearch over the past twenty years has indicated a connection between several psychological variables and TMD ,47,48. Ip = 0.00000). These results suggest that people with symptoms of SS disorders have personality traits that make them prone to perceived life stress. It is also worth mentioning that significantly higher values of both type D personality components (NA and SI) were observed in women than in men with symptoms of SS disorders. The above-mentioned data may prove that not only type D personality may predispose to SS disorders, but also gender may be an additional factor influencing the frequency of SS dysfunctions. Yeow’s research on a group of 157 psychology students has shown that 50% of men and 46.4% of women had a type D personality. Moreover, women had higher HS when compared to men [The authors of the present study, by utilizing the DS-14 questionnaire, which is used to evaluate the occurrence of type D personality, have observed that it is significantly more common in people reporting symptoms of SS disorders than in asymptomatic people. , noted statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of symptoms, i.e., headache, face pain, TMJ and shoulder girdle, acoustic symptoms and TMJ blocking, teeth clenching and grinding as well as increased masticatory muscles tension. In the symptomatic group, the NA dimension showed higher average values than SI, that is related to the individual’s tendency to experience strong negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, irritation, and hostility. After analyzing the obtained data, it can be claimed that the type D personality, and above all the dimension of negative affectivity, is one of the predictors of symptoms of SS disorders. The research results presented in the literature indicate a relation between the NA dimension and unfavorable eating and shopping habits, symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, alcohol abuse and a low level of life satisfaction. There are many strategies and methods in the field of psychotherapeutic treatment applied to individuals with a disturbed personality. Currently, the main method is a long-term psychodynamic psychotherapy. The literature offers numerous reliable studies confirming the effectiveness and usefulness of this treatment procedure if conducted by a psychologist ,52,53. IBy analyzing the available scientific literature and the results of our own research, it is possible to determine with high probability that the distressed personality may have a great influence on the functioning of the stomatognathic system, in particular on the development of the masticatory organ parafunctions and head and neck pain.Further research is necessary to better understand the impact of the type D personality on the occurrence of stomatognathic system disorders.The presented results, indicating the predictive role of the type D personality in the development of symptoms of SS disorders, should be treated with great caution. First of all, due to the cross-sectional nature of the research and also due to the small group of respondents. One should also remember about the multifactorial determinant of SS disorders, which means that personality is only one of the numerous factors determining the occurrence of SSDs. A particularly important limitation of the presented studies is the lack of assessment of occlusal conditions, including the occurrence of malocclusion in the study group, which constitutes an important etiological factor of the stomatognathic system disorders. In addition, possible missing teeth and traumatic nodes within the masticatory apparatus may be the cause of the appearance of micro and macro injuries in the examined system. Therefore, the authors see the need to continue the research carried out, taking into account the role of occlusion in the formation of SSD.In students with a distressed personality, psychological programs should be implemented, including education and training courses for future graduates, so that they can effectively deal with negative affectivity and social inhibition.Personality type assessment should become one of a mainstays in TMD evaluation, as well as personalized psychological coping strategies an essential part of management.People with type D personality and symptoms of SS disorders should receive psychological support, focused directly on intricate connections between possible somatization issues and catastrophizing aspects of this complex personality trait.


Parental concerns pertaining to communication abilities are essential as it does aid in the identification of the children at risk of physical and mental health problems.The current study followed a cross sectional study design. The study focussed on developing a questionnaire targeting the parental concerns in Typically developing (TD) children and children with Receptive-Expressive Language Disorders (CWRELD) between 3.7 and 6.6 years of age; to administer the developed questionnaire on parents of TD children and CWRELD; and to analyse and compare the concerns faced by parents of TD children and CWRELD across 3.7 and 6.6 years of age.Fifty-one parents of TD children and 51 parents of CWRELD participated in the study. The study was carried out in three phases- Phase I included the development and validation of questionnaire; Phase II included data collection using the developed questionnaire; and Phase III included performing statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics was done to determine the mean and standard deviation (SD) for both the TD and CWRELD groups.The results revealed that the concerns exhibited by parents of CWRELD were significantly higher than that of parents of TD children. Chi square results indicated statistically significant findings across all the domains between TD children and CWRELD (p<0.05).The developed questionnaire can be used in clinical settings to help track parental concerns which may aid in the early identification of children at risk of various communication disorders. Additionally, this questionnaire may be considered for monitoring parental concerns throughout the course of the intervention program. Parents, who share an intricate relationship with their children, do play a vital role in their children’s communication development. It is, therefore quite natural for parents to have concerns pertaining to their communication, with these concerns playing a key role in the lives of the children . These cThe significance of parental concerns in the detection of children with mental health problems has been extensively studied. In a study done in Australia, the signs used to identify impairments in speech and language did include parent-rated concerns of expressive and receptive language, along with the usage of speech-language pathology services, and reduced scores in the receptive vocabulary test . StudiesThe lack of knowledge of parental concerns creates a barrier for assessment and management. Parents being the primary communication partner, it becomes essential for speech language therapists to determine the type of concerns parents go through when it comes to communication skills. Therefore, parents become a crucial and integral part of the rehabilitation team. Sometimes an excessive or lack of concern may have an adverse effect on the child’s well-being. Parental concerns do aid in the identification of the children at risk of physical and mental health problems. Thus, there is a need to address parental concerns, which is one of the predictive factors of children’s problems by health professionals. In order to understand the type of concerns faced by the parents of children with communication disabilities, it also becomes essential to understand the concerns faced by parents of typically developing children. This area of study which is least explored can be carried out in the form of questionnaires which have been vastly used in the western population. However, adapting a culturally different questionnaire towards an Indian society may have its own ramifications. Therefore, the objectives of the current study were: (1) to develop a questionnaire targeting the parental concerns in typically developing (TD) children and children with Receptive - Expressive Language Disorders (CWRELD) between 3.7 and 6.6 years of age; (2) to administer the developed questionnaire on parents of TD children and CWRELD; and (3) to analyse and compare the concerns faced by parents of TD children and CWRELD.2The participants included in this study were TD children and CWRELD between 3.7 and 6.6 years of age. A cross-sectional design along with a convenience sampling procedure was employed to compare the parental concerns across the groups. Ethical approval was received from the Institutional Ethical Board before the commencement of the study. The procedures followed in the current study were in accordance with the Helsinki declaration of 1975, as revised in 1983.2.11.Fifty-one parents of TD children and 51 parents of CWRELD between 3.7 and 6.6 years of age participated in this study. The participants were divided into 6 groups with equal age (6 month) intervals. The details of the participants under each age group have been mentioned in Table The participants were recruited based on the following selection criteria. The inclusion criteria included parents of TD children between 3.7 and 6.6 years of age under their respective age groups who have clinically normal speech and language skills. Parents of CWRELD between 3.7 and 6.6 years of age whose diagnosis was ascertained using the Assessment of Language Development  were inc2.2st September 2019 and 30th January 2020. The study was carried out in three phases - Phase I: Development of questionnaire; Phase II: Data collection; and Phase III: Statistical analysis. In phase 1, a questionnaire was conceptualized with the intention of addressing the concerns of parents pertaining to the communication abilities of their children. The questionnaire was developed based on the literature review and usage of the existing standardized tools that targeted age specific communication skills of children with communication disabilities. The questionnaire is comprised of 5 domains - (1) Concerns related to the understanding and use of phonology (PH); (2) Concerns related to the understanding and use of morpho-syntax (MS); (3) Concerns related to the understanding and use of semantics (S); (4) Concerns related to the understanding and use of pragmatics (P); and (5) concerns that addressed general (GC) aspects. Each domain consisted of a series of items, which were categorized specific to each age group except for the general concerns domain. A total of 30 items were initially included under PH; 50 items under MS; 132 items under S; 82 items under P; and 26 items under GC. A response system for the parents was devised which included 0 as no concern, 1 as uncertain, and 2 as concerned. The constructed questionnaire underwent content and construct validation. For the content validation, the appropriateness of the items under each domain and age, and the response system were validated by 3 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) with more than 3 years of experience. The rating was done based on 3 aspects - ‘appropriate’, ‘requires modification’ or ‘can be eliminated’. The content validity index was calculated by dividing the total number of SLPs who rated the item as appropriate/total number of SLPs involved in validation. The items that obtained a content validity score of >0.8 were considered, after which the items were finalized for the data collection. The total number of items in the questionnaire that were included for the final field testing were 28 in PH; 25 in MS; 66 in S; 41 in P; and 13 in GC (Appendix). The construct validation of the questionnaire was ascertained after the completion of the data analysis of the retrieved samples. The results pertaining to the efficacy of the questionnaire have been indicated in the results section, when comparing the typically developing and the CWRELD group.The parents were explained about the purpose of the study, and informed consent was obtained prior to the initiation of the study. The study was conducted within the hospital premises in the city of Mangaluru, between 1In phase 2, the parents who participated in the pilot study were not considered for the data collection. Prior to the commencement of the data collection, the participants (mother/father) and their child’s demographic data were collected. The developed questionnaire was administered individually to each of the participants (from both TD and CWRELD groups) from each age group. The questionnaire administration was carried out through an interview method. The questions were asked to each participant who had a child who fit under a specific age group . All questions were asked for the child’s chronological age level and below, up till 1 year of age. For example, a participant who has a child falling under Group III, were asked questions pertaining to the domains of 4.6 - 5 years of age, and all questions of all age groups (Group I and II) below the target age group. Each participant took 15-20 minutes to complete the questionnaire. It took more duration when the participants responded descriptively to the items as well as when they were doubtful or unaware of the questions asked to them.In phase 3, the data obtained from the two groups (TD children and CWRELD) were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS 17 version. Descriptive statistics was done to obtain the mean and standard deviation (SD) for the total scores of each of the domains  under each age group for both the TD and CWRELD groups. The results of the descriptive statistics were used to establish a hierarchical representation of parental concerns. Chi square analysis was used to determine the level of significance between parental concerns of TD children and CWRELD groups.31).The results of the descriptive statistics revealed that, the overall concerns exhibited by parents of CWRELD were significantly higher than that of parents of TD children. The mean and SD of concerns exhibited by both parents of TD children and CWRELD are depicted in Fig. (2.The mean and SD of concerns exhibited by parents of CWRELD with/secondary to different disorders across the five domains are represented in Table 2) represents the mean and SD of concerns exhibited by both parents of TD children and CWRELD as a function of age (3.7-6.6 years).Fig.  = 61.199, p<0.001], Semantics , Pragmatics  and General concerns .The parental concerns that were not mentioned for certain age groups indicated that no concerns were reported. Chi square analysis was used to obtain the level of significance of parental concerns of TD children in comparison to CWRELD across the five domains. Statistically significant findings were obtained across all the domains between TD children and CWRELD (p<0.05). The statistical test values obtained were for Phonology [χ (19) = 59.105, 4the ability of familiar and/or unfamiliar persons to understand the child’s speech. As observed in the current study, parents portrayed fewer concerns about the understanding of their child’s speech by familiar and unfamiliar persons. As earlier reported, preschool children are usually found to be more intelligible when talking with a variety of communicative partners [usage of complex sentences. The subtle concerns exhibited by parents in MS domain can be attributed to the lack of awareness in young talkers about the commonality among words belonging to the same syntactic categories  [child’s preference for cartoons, usage of longer dialogues, and informal words. Compared to PH, MS and P, the GC domain achieved the highest mean score, indicating that parents were having greater general concerns about their TD children. These concerns which were GC4, GC11, GC10, GC1, GC2, GC9, GC13, GC6, addressed issues related to the parent’s time spent for qualitative interaction with the child, sharing ability of child, interest towards books, having number concepts, and interest in extracurricular activities. In contrast to the parental concerns addressed in PH, MS, P and GC, the S domain did not portray any concerns. These findings were in accordance with the study done by Brown, MacAdam-Crisp, Wang, and Iarocci [On considering the mean values of parental concerns, a significant difference was observed across the TD children and CWRELD, with parental concerns being higher in CWRELD compared to TD children. It was observed that minimal parental concerns were reported in the TD group. Here, for the PH domain, items PH15 and PH16 majorly contributed to the concerns that were addressed by the parents. These concerns were pertaining to partners . Similarb, noun) . Typicalb, noun) . In the  Iarocci , who indnaming ability, ‘wh’ questions, usage of objects, knowledge of the semantic category, and understanding word meaning. Studies done by Goodwin, Fein, and Naigles [story narration, asking permission, providing descriptive details and engaging with other children. Brinton and Fujiki [usage of pronouns, plurals, present and past tense and formation of simple sentences. These concerns exhibited by parents can be attributed to the language that is significantly less complex in individuals with receptive and expressive language impairments seen in ASD [production of speech sounds, pronunciation and the ability of understanding. These findings were supported by Thomas-stonell, Oddson, Robertson, and Rosenbaum [parent’s time spent for qualitative interaction with the child, sharing ability of child, interest towards books, having alphabet knowledge, and having number concepts. Studies have reported parental concerns of pre-schoolers with disabilities, pertaining to their relationship with peers and their readiness for school [When considering the results obtained by the CWRELD group, the greatest concern was evident in the S domain, indicating that parents were more concerned about the semantic comprehension and usage by their children. All 66 items did contribute to the mean score of 36.49 in the S domain. The highest frequency of concerns was observed to be in S52, S47, S49, S54, S50, S48, S46, S32, S23, S22, S58, S56, S9 that addressed issues related to  Naigles  did indi Naigles  and voca Naigles . In the d Fujiki , found cd Fujiki , and ADHd Fujiki . In MS dn in ASD . Donahueosenbaum  who statosenbaum . Similarr school . These rr school  who statConsidering the parental concerns, the results of the descriptive statistics revealed a significant difference between CWRELD with/secondary to different types of disorders. Among the different types of disorders, the highest mean score of parental concerns was reported by the GDD group. These findings were supported by Paquette and Japel  who statConsidering the mean values of parental concerns in S domain across the age groups, the 4.1 to 4.6-year-olds obtained the greatest concerns; the 4.7 to 5.0-year-olds obtained the highest concerns in PH domain; while the 6.1 to 6.6-year-olds obtained highest concerns in domains MS, P and GC. The results did not depict any significant pattern of concerns across the age groups. On contrary, a study done by Kaitz  suggesteIn the present study, since the numbers of items were not equally distributed across the domains, this would have likely resulted in an overestimation of concerns in certain domains which had the highest number of items that were addressed, compared to domains which had the least number of items to address the concerns. Although utmost homogeneity was tried to be maintained in the CWRELD group, this group did comprise of six heterogeneous disorders either causing or associated with a receptive and expressive language disorder.The findings of this study do provide insights into the concerns among different types of disorders and also concerns about functions at different ages. It can be inferred that parental concerns did contribute to the development and the well-being of the child. The developed questionnaire can be used in clinical settings which helps to track parental concerns of TD children and CWRELD. The findings from the present study may help pave the way to understand parental concerns which may aid in counselling and in the early identification of the children at risk of various communication disorders. Additionally, this questionnaire may be considered for monitoring parental concerns throughout the course of the intervention program.