New doctoral dissertation

June 16, 2025
VILNIUS TECH Library invites you to follow the published new dissertations. The dissertation „Developing and investigating a plant-based loose-fill thermal insulation material“ prepared by VILNIUS TECH Nerijus Augaitis. The dissertation was prepared in 2018–2025. Scientific consultant – Dr Saulius Vaitkus.

The dissertation was defended at the public meeting of the Dissertation Defence Council of the Scientific Field of Materials Engineering in the Aula Doctoralis Meeting Hall of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University at 10 a.m. on 16 June 2025.

The dissertation examines loose-fill thermal insulation materials from wood processing waste. The dissertation aims to create a fire- and water-resistant, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient loose-fill thermal insulation material from wood waste. The dissertation consists of an introduction, three chapters, general conclusions, lists of literature and sources, the author’s scientific publications on the topic of the dissertation, and a summary in English. The introduction chapter discusses the research problem and the relevance of the work, describes the research object, formulates the aim and objectives of the work, describes the research methodology, scientific novelty of the work, practical significance of the work results, and defendable statements. The introduction closes by presenting the author’s publications, participation at conferences on the topic of the dissertation, and the structure of the dissertation. The First Chapter analyses literature sources on the variety of thermal insulating composites, their classification, types of structure, raw materials and additives used, methods and possibilities of use in construction, and discusses their operational properties. At the end of the chapter, conclusions are formulated, and the dissertation tasks are specified. The Second Chapter presents the properties of plant-based raw materials: nWC – uncleaned pine sawdust, WC – cleaned pine sawdust, MB – wood bark, LT-HS – Lithuanian hemp shives, FR-HS – French hemp shives, components used for coatings – liquid glass, tung oil, and expandable graphite, used for the production of loose-fill thermal insulating materials, and the research methods selected to study the structure and physical properties of pine wood chips with multi-component coatings. The Third Chapter presents the research on plant-based raw materials and their selection for forming loose-fill thermal insulating materials. It focuses on the effect of a multi-component suspension on the thermal conductivity coefficient, water absorption, surface humidity, water vapour permeability, thermal stability, and flammability properties of loose-fill thermal insulating materials. It presents the results of structural studies of loose-fill thermal insulating materials from pine sawdust covered with multi-component suspension coatings. The topic of the dissertation has been published in three scientific articles: in the Web of Science database Science Citation Index Expanded peer-reviewed publications with a citation index.

Doctoral dissertation readers can search via VILNIUS TECH Virtual Library.

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New doctoral dissertation
New doctoral dissertation
VILNIUS TECH Library invites you to follow the published new dissertations. The dissertation „Performance investigation of a hybrid car engine fuelled with gasoline and gaseous mixtures“ („Benziną ir dujų mišinius naudojančio hibridinio automobilio variklio efektyvumo tyrimas“) prepared at VILNIUS TECH by Tadas Vipartas. The dissertation was prepared in 2021–2026. Scientific consultant – Prof. Dr Alfredas Rimkus. The dissertation was defended at the public meeting of the Dissertation Defence Council of the Scientific Field of Transport Engineering in the Aula Doctoralis Meeting Hall of Vilnius Gediminas Technical University at 9 a.m. on 12 June 2026. This dissertation investigates the use of alternative fuels (natural gas and hydrogen) to increase the efficiency of a spark-ignition engine. The impact of different fuels and engine control algorithms on the combustion process and on energy and ecological indicators was determined and evaluated by analysing the emerging technological constraints within the context of a power-split (series-parallel) hybrid powertrain. The dissertation presents a review of scientific literature, analysing the directions for internal combustion engine improvement, the properties of gaseous fuels and the challenges of their application, along with the operating principles of automotive hybrid powertrains. Bench tests were conducted to investigate the effect of late intake valve closing timing on an engine operating on natural gas, and the influence of hydrogen additives on the combustion process and knock control. The numerical analysis of the engine’s combustion process was performed using AVL BOOST™ software, while the energy and ecological indicators of the hybrid vehicle were evaluated through experimental research and numerical simulation in the AVL CRUISE™ software. The following main results were obtained in the dissertation: retarding the intake valve closing timing increased the brake thermal efficiency and NOx emissions while reducing carbon dioxide emissions when the engine operates on natural gas. It was determined that a hydrogen additive in the fuel improves the engine’s energy indicators, but increases nitrogen oxides emissions and the risk of engine knock. Engine knock is effectively managed by retarding the ignition advance angle. Numerical simulation results confirmed that these trends persist during the Worldwide Harmonized Light-duty Vehicles Test Cycle: the use of hydrogen reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, but increases nitrogen oxides emissions. The dissertation results revealed the potential of these technologies and strategies for their application. The obtained data can be applied in the development and selection of advanced engine control algorithms and in the formulation of technologically sound environmental standards. Nine scientific articles have been published on the topic of the dissertation: six in scientific journals indexed in the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science database with an impact factor, one in a scientific journal indexed in the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science database without an impact factor, one in conference proceedings indexed in the Clarivate Analytics Web of Science Conference Proceedings Citation Index, and one in peer-reviewed conference proceedings not indexed in international databases. The research results were presented at three scientific conferences in Lithuania and Poland. Doctoral dissertation readers can search via VILNIUS TECH Virtual Library.
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