Gypsum rich soils are found in many parts of the world, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Most gypsum occurs in the form of evaporites, which are minerals that precipitate out of water due to a high rate of evaporation and a high mineral concentration. Gypsum rich soils make good foundation material under dry conditions but pose major engineering hazards when exposed to water. Gypsum acts as a weak cementing material and has a moderate solubility of about 2.5 g/liter. The dissolution of gypsum causes the soils to undergo unpredictable collapse settlement leading to severe structural damages. The damages incur heavy financial losses every year. The objective of this research was to use geophysical methods such as free-free resonant column testing and electrical resistivity testing to characterize gypsum rich soils based on the shear wave velocity and electrical resistivity values. The geophysical testing methods could provide quick, non-intrusive and cost-effective methodologies to screen sites known to contain gypsum deposits. Reconstituted specimens of ground gypsum and quartz sand were prepared in the laboratory with varying amounts of gypsum and tested. Additionally geotechnical tests such as direct shear strength tests and consolidation tests were conducted to estimate the shear strength parameters (drained friction angle and cohesion) and the collapse potential of the soils. The effect of gypsum content on the geophysical and geotechnical parameters of soil was of particular interest. It was found that gypsum content had an influence on the shear wave velocity but had minimal effect on electrical resistivity. The collapsibility and friction angle of the soil increased with increase in gypsum. The information derived from the geophysical and geotechnical tests was used to develop statistical design equations and correlations to estimate gypsum content and soil collapse potential.

Ce travail de recherche tend à explorer les différents niveaux de processus psychiques liés aux problématiques d’addiction et de grande précarité, du point de vue de la psychologie clinique et de la psychopathologie. Ce questionnement s’est construit à partir du cadre d’une pratique professionnelle de psychologue clinicien intervenant auprès d’un public précaire.Nous soutenons que loin d’être unilatéralement une conséquence de la vie dans la grande précarité, ni même la cause de la « clochardisation », la symptomatologie addictive dans un tel contexte témoigne du rapport du sujet précaire à son corps, à l’altérité et à l’environnement. Nous tentons donc d’explorer dans cette recherche la multitude de scènes corporelles rencontrées auprès de nos patients, et leur potentialité symbolisante, tandis que l’objet d’addiction se placerait comme un contenant dont le contenu à incorporer permettrait une réactualisation de scènes traumatiques de l’histoire du sujet.Ces écueils de la symbolisation, que le sujet tente d’incorporer pour les revivre et les loger sous forme de sensations sur et dans le corps, seraient issus d’épisodes de décramponnement à l’objet primaire, générant alors des vécus de honte primaire extrêmement douloureux et destructeurs, que nous qualifions de honte essentielle et d’effondrement honteux.Ces considérations nous ont amenés à proposer plusieurs fonctions de l’addiction chez le sujet précaire. Les rituels d’incorporation et l’incorporation - elle-même - se poseraient en alternative à l’émergence de l’auto-réflexivité et de représentations insupportables.Les scènes du corps révélées durant la prise de produit, à travers leurs différentes formes d’expressions, tenteraient de trouver une issue à une situation de deuil inachevé, tandis que l’appareil somatopsychique pourrait momentanément s’éprouver comme unifié et contenant. Ce reflux de l’informe vers la sensorialité et la motricité témoignerait d’un processus plus large tendant à investir le corporel sur le versant mortifère.Nous proposons d’analyser à l’aide des médiations thérapeutiques quatre situations cliniques, permettant de saisir les enjeux psychiques de l’addiction chez les sujets précaires. / This research aims at exploring the different levels of psychic processes related to addiction problems and great precariousness from a clinical and psychopathological point of view. This questioning was built from the professional experience of a clinical psychologist working with precarious and addicted patients.This work contends that, far from being a unilateral consequence of living in great precariousness, and not even the cause of homelessness, addictive symptomatology in such a context illustrates the relationship of the precarious subject with his body, with the otherness and with his environment. This research tries to explore the great variety of corporal scenes encountered among our patients and their symbolizing potentiality while the addictive object would turn into a container whose contained would allow a reactualization of the subject’s traumatic scenes.These symbolization failures that the subject tries to incorporate in order to live them again and turn them into sensations on and inside his body, would stem from sensations felt when breaking away from primary object, thus generating extremely painful experiences of primary shames called essential shame and shameful collapse. These considerations have led us to offer several functions of addiction for precarious subjects. Rituals of incorporation and incorporation itself, could be an alternative against auto-reflexivity and unbearable representations.While taking drugs, the body scenes revealed through their different forms of expression would strive to solve an unfinished mourning situation, while the somatopsychic apparatus could momentarily feel unified and contained.This backward surge of the formless towards sensoriality and motricity would suggest a wider process tending to place the corporeal image on the deadly side With the help of therapeutic mediations, we propose to analyze four clinical situations that will enable us to understand the psychic stakes of addiction for precarious patients.

Ce travail de thèse porte sur le simulation d’écoulements diphasiques compressibles, visqueux et conductifs, à l’aide de schémas numériques aux différences finies centrées d’ordre élevé. Pour cela, les équation utilisées sont les équations de Navier-Stokes complétées de deux équations d’advection décrivant l’interface et d’une équation permettant d’estimer la température au sein d’un liquide et d’un gaz. Elles sont résolues à l’aide de méthodes numériques conservatives précédemment développées pour l’aéroacoustique, adaptées dans la présente étude à la simulation d’écoulements diphasiques. Les choix des équations et des méthodes numériques sont validés à l’aide de divers cas test monodimensionnels proposés dans la littérature. Les résultats obtenus sont en accord avec les solutions analytiques ou de référence. Deux écoulements 2D composés de deux gaz sont ensuite considérés. Le premier cas concerne l’instabilité de Richtmyer-Meshkov qui se développe à l’interface entre de l’air et du SF6. Le second cas porte sur une bulle cylindrique remplie d’hélium ou de R22 impactée par une onde de choc plane se propageant dans l’air. Pour ces deux écoulements, une étude de convergence de maillage est effectuée et les solutions numériques sont comparables aux données expérimentales de la littérature. L’influence du nombre de Reynolds sur la déformation de l’interface de la bulle d’hélium est également montrée. Enfin, l’implosion d’une bulle d’air dans l’eau est étudiée. Dans un premier temps, l’implosion sphérique de la bulle suite à son interaction avec une onde de pression convergente est simulée. Les résultats sont en bon accord avec les solutions prédites par le modèle de Rayleigh-Plesset. L’influence de l’épaisseur initiale de l’interface et de la conductivité thermique est montrée. Dans un second temps, l’implosion non sphérique d’une bulle proche d’un mur et impactée par une onde de choc plane est considérée. La pression imposée sur le mur et la température au sein de l’écoulement sont quantifiées. Enfin, une étude de l’effet de la distance initiale entre le mur et la bulle sur l’implosion est menée. / This PhD work concerns the simulation of compressible, viscous and conductive two-phase flows, using high-order centered finite-difference schemes. The equations governing two-phase flows are the Navier-Stokes equations in conjunction with two advection equations governing the interface and one equation allowing to estimate the temperature within a liquid and a gas. These are solved using conservative numerical methods which are validated from the resolution of various 1D test cases taken from the literature. The results obtained are in good agreement with the analytical or reference solutions. Then, two 2-D flows composed of two gases are considered. The first case concerns the Richtmyer-Meshkov instability developping at the interface between air and SF6. The second case deals with a cylindrical bubble filled with helium or R22 which is hit by a plane shock wave travelling through air. For these two flows, a grid convergence study is conducted and the numerical solutions compare well with the experimental data of the literature. The effect of the Reynolds number on the deformation of the bubble interface is also shown. Finally, the collpase of an air bubble in water is studied. Firstly, the spherical collapse of the bubble due to its interaction with a spherical converging shock wave is simulated. The results are in good agreement with the solutions predicted by the Rayleigh-Plesset model. The effect of the initial interface thickness and the thermal conductivity on the collapse is investigated. Secondly, the non-spherical collapse of a bubble near a wall impacted by a plane shock wave is considered. The pressure imposed on the wall and the temperature within the flow are quantified. Finally, the influence of the initial stand-off distance between the wall and the bubble is examined.

L’archipel des Açores dans l’océan Atlantique est édifiées sur un épais plateau océanique, à proximité de la jonction triple entre les plaques Nord-américaine (Na), Nubienne (Nu) et Eurasienne (Eu). La formation du plateau et l’origine du volcanisme ont été le plus souvent attribués à la présence d’une instabilité mantellique. Cependant, la répartition et la morphologie des édifices volcaniques semblent avoir été grandement influencés par la déformation régionale liée à la migration de la frontière de plaque (Eu/Nu). En effet, la frontière serait passée d’une faille transformante aujourd’hui inactive, la zone de fracture est des Açores (EAFZ), à un rift ultra lent actif appelé le Rift de Terceira (TR).Lors de ce travail, nous utilisons le volcanisme comme marqueur de la déformation régionale. Nous nous intéressons particulièrement aux îles de S. Miguel et Graciosa, qui sont localisées à l’intérieur du TR, et à Santa Maria, une île volcanique éteinte qui se situe entre la EAFZ et le TR. De par leur position, ces trois îles constituent donc des cibles particulièrement appropriées afin d’étudier l’architecture et l’évolution de la frontière de plaque Eu/Nu durant les dernier Millions d’années. A partir de nouvelles données géomorphologiques, stratigraphiques, géochronologiques et tectoniques, couplées aux données bathymétriques et géophysiques disponibles, nous reconstruisons les étapes successives de construction et de démantèlement de ces îles puis discutons de leur signification géodynamique. Ces données sont ensuite complétées par des expériences de mécanique des fluides afin d’investiguer les liens possibles entre un panache mantellique, la migration de la frontière de plaque sur plusieurs échelles d’espace et de temps.Les résultats montrent que les édifices localisés dans le TR se construisent via des pulses volcaniques courts (<100 kyr) et relativement synchrones, séparés par des épisodes d’effondrements catastrophiques. Nous proposons qu’une telle évolution reflète des épisodes brefs et intenses de déformation régionale le long de la frontière de plaque active. La distribution des marqueurs tectoniques ainsi que leurs orientations N110 et N150 dans la partie Est de S. Miguel, nous conduit à proposer que l’extension oblique du TR est principalement accommodée par les failles bordières majeures du rift. Nous identifions une nouvelle tendance tectonique orientée N50° qui pourrait représenter des failles transformantes accommodant les variations d’obliquité du TR. L’activité de île de Santa Maria est ici datée entre 5.7 et 2.8 Ma. S. Maria a été façonnée par plusieurs effondrements sectoriels catastrophiques, le plus probablement déclenchés par les mouvements tectoniques régionaux. Nous identifions également une nouvelle structure de type graben reliant les îles de S. Maria et S. Jorge plus loin au NW. La forme de ce graben est semblable au TR et est située entre l’ancienne et la nouvelle frontière Eu/Nu. Nous interprétons ce graben comme un ancien rift transitionnel et donc comme une ancienne frontière de plaque Eu/Nu. A partir de nos données géochronologiques, nous proposons que la partie Est de ce rift transitionnel aurait migré vers la partie Est du TR entre 2.8 et 1.7 Ma.La migration de la frontière Eu/Nu a été interprétées par Vogt and Jung (2004) comme résultant de sauts successifs vers le NE de l’axe du Rift afin de maintenir sa position au dessus d’un point chaud fixe. Nos expériences de mécanique des fluides suggèrent que l’archipel des Açores, comme celui des Canaries, du Cap Vert, de Madère ainsi que les volcans sous marins de Great Meteor sont la signature en surface d’un groupe d’instabilités mantellique prenant naissance et remontant à partir du sommet d’un dôme thermochimique situé dans le manteau inférieur. De plus, Ces panaches secondaires pourraient être suffisamment faibles pour adapter leurs mouvements aux équilibres de forces pré-existants, notamment la structure et la morphologie de la lithosphère. / The Azores archipelago in the Atlantic comprises nine volcanic islands which developed on a thick oceanic plateau close to the Triple Junction between the North American (Na), the Nubian (Nu), and the Eurasian (Eu) lithospheric plates. The formation of the plateau and the origin of the volcanism remain controversial, but have been generally attributed to a plume-like mantle instability. However, the distribution of the volcanic edifices east of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) appears greatly influenced by regional deformation associated with the northward migration of the Eu/Nu plate boundary from an extinct old transform fault, the East Azores Fracture Zone (EAFZ), up to the presently active ultra-slow Terceira Rift (TR). In this thesis, we use the volcanism as a marker for regional deformation. We especially focus on S. Miguel and Graciosa, which are located within the TR, and on S. Maria, an old volcanically extinct island located between the EAFZ and the TR. These three islands thus constitute particularly suitable targets to track the architecture and the evolution of the Eu/Nu plate boundary during the last few Myr. From new geomorphological, stratigraphic, geochronologic, structural/tectonic data, and existing bathymetric and geophysical data, we reconstruct the successive stages of growth and destruction of the islands, and discuss their geodynamic meaning. These data are then complemented by fluid dynamic modelling using laboratory experiments to examine the possible links between mantle instability, plate boundary migration and the development of the volcanism on various spatial and temporal scales.The new results on the islands show that the edifices located within the TR grew through short (<100 kyr) and partly synchronous volcanic pulses, separated by catastrophic sector collapses. We propose that such evolution reflects brief and intense episodes of regional deformation along the still active Eu/Nu plate boundary. The distribution of tectonic markers and the recognition of N110 and N150 tectonic structures in eastern S. Miguel leads us to propose that oblique extension in the TR is mainly accommodated by the master faults of the rift, and that the TR is presently not the locus of appreciable sea-floor spreading. Furthermore, we identify a new N050 trend, which may represent transform faults accommodating the variation in obliquity of the TR. The activity of S. Maria is here dated between 5.7 and 2.8 Ma. Like the recent islands, S. Maria experienced catastrophic flank collapses, most probably triggered by regional tectonics. We identify a new graben structure linking Santa Maria to the island of S. Jorge further NW. The shape of this graben is similar to the TR and it is located between the EAFZ and the current plate boundary. We interpret this graben as a former transient rift, and therefore an old Eu/Nu plate boundary. From the new data, we propose that the eastern part of the transient rift migrated to the eastern part of the TR between 2.8 Ma and 1.7 Ma.The overall migration of the Eu/Nu plate boundary to the north and the creation of the Azores plateau has been interpreted by Vogt and Jung (2004) as resulting from successive NE jumps of the rift axis to maintain its position over a fixed ‘hotspot’. Our fluid mechanics experiments suggest that the Azores, as Canary, Cape Verde, Madeira Islands and Great Meteor seamounts might be the surface signature of a cluster of mantle instabilities rising from the top of a large thermochemical dome located in the lower mantle. However, such secondary plumes present a strong time-dependence 5-40 Myr time scale. Moreover, they could be sufficiently weak to adapt their motions to the pre-existing force balances and morphology of the lithosphere. We therefore present a scenario of the Azores area evolution combining a triple junction and decompression melting buoyant material (i.e. such in volatiles and/or temperature) under a thickening lithosphere.

As observações astronômicas dos últimos 15 anos revelaram que o universo atualmente está expandindo aceleradamente. No contexto da relatividade geral se acredita que a energia escura, cujo melhor candidato é a densidade do vácuo ($\\Lambda/8\\pi G$), é o agente responsável por este estado acelerado. No entanto, o termo $\\Lambda$ tem duas sérias dificuldades: o problema da constante cosmológica e o problema da coincidência. Com o objetivo de aliviar o problema da constante cosmológica, muitos modelos adotam um termo $\\Lambda$ dinâmico, permitindo seu decrescimento ao longo de toda a história cósmica. Neste tipo de modelo, a equação de conservação do tensor momento energia total exige uma troca de energia entre a densidade do vácuo e as outras componentes energéticas do universo; o que também alivia o problema da coincidência. Neste trabalho discutimos diferentes consequências de um vácuo dinâmico no âmbito cosmológico e no processo de colapso gravitacional. Em particular, analisamos o caso em que a densidade do vácuo possui uma dinâmica não trivial com a escala de energia típica do universo, que depende monotonamente do parâmetro de Hubble, decrescendo ao longo de toda a história cósmica. Nos referiremos a este modelo como modelo deflacionário. Nesse contexto, utilizando os primeiros termos da expansão para a densidade do vácuo, sugerida pela teoria do grupo de renormalização em espaço-tempos curvos, propomos um novo cenário cosmológico baseado numa densidade do vácuo dinâmica. O cenário proposto é completo no sentido de que o mesmo vácuo é responsável pelas duas fases aceleradas do universo, conectadas por uma fase de radiação e um estágio de domínio da matéria. Neste cenário o universo plano é não singular, iniciando sua evolução a partir de um estágio do tipo de Sitter e, portanto, toda a história cósmica ocorre entre duas fases de Sitter limites. Este modelo não apresenta o problema de horizonte, e nele a nucleossíntese cosmológica ocorre como no modelo de Friedmann, e embora este modelo seja muito próximo do modelo $\\Lambda$CDM, o grande acúmulo de observações no estágio recente do universo permitirão que este poda ser testado. Adicionalmente, mostraremos que generalizações do modelo deflacionário incluindo curvatura espacial apresentam propriedades e vantagens similares. Usando observações de $H(z)$, da luminosidade de supernovas tipo Ia, da função de crescimento linear das perturbações escalares, e da posição do pico das oscilações acústicas de bárions conseguimos vincular um dos parâmetros do modelo. Por outro lado, analisando a física do universo primordial, assumindo um vácuo não perturbado, conseguimos limitar um segundo parâmetro fazendo uso do índice espectral das perturbações escalares. Com o objetivo de fazer uma análise mais completa do modelo no âmbito cosmológico, analisamos também as possíveis restrições oriundas da validade da segunda lei da termodinâmica em sua forma generalizada (GSLT). Para isto investigamos a evolução tanto da entropia associada ao horizonte aparente do universo, que é um horizonte atrapante devido a que o escalar de Ricci é positivo, como do seu conteúdo material. Motivados pela forma como a singularidade primordial do universo é evitada devido aos efeitos do decaimento do vácuo, incluímos no presente trabalho outra linha de desenvolvimento: a análise dos estágios finais do processo de colapso gravitacional em presença de uma densidade do vácuo dinâmica. Centraremos esta análise na determinação de modelos que possam ou não evitar a formação de um buraco negro. Mostraremos que modelos com um termo de vácuo proporcional à densidade de energia total do sistema, não podem evitar a formação de uma singularidade no estágio final do processo de colapso. Adicionalmente obteremos correções para a massa colapsada, para o tempo de formação do horizonte e para o tempo de colapso como função dos parâmetros do modelo e da curvatura espacial. Por último analisaremos a influência de uma densidade do vácuo capaz de dominar sobre as outras componentes no regime de altas energias, mostrando que este tipo de dinâmica na densidade do vácuo evita a formação de um estado final singular. / The astronomical observations of the last 15 years revealed that the universe is currently undergoing an expanding accelerating phase. In the general relativity context is believed that dark energy, whose best candidate is the vacuum energy density $ho_v \\equiv \\Lambda/8\\pi G$, is the fuel responsible for the present accelerating stage. However, the so-called $\\Lambda$-term has two serious drawnbacks, namely: the cosmological constant problem and the coincidence problem. In order to alleviate the cosmological constant problem, many models adopt a dynamical $\\Lambda$ term, thereby allowing its decreasing throughout the cosmic history. In this kind of model, the total energy conservation law defined in terms of the energy momentum tensor requires an energy exchange between the vacuum and the material components of the universe, which also contributes to alleviate the coincidence problem. In the present thesis we discuss different consequences of an interacting vacuum component both in the cosmological scenario as well as in the process of gravitational collapse. In particular, in the cosmological domain, we examine the case where the vacuum has a nontrivial dynamics dependent on a typical energy scale, the Hubble parameter, that decreases in the course of the cosmic history. We will refer to this model as deflationary model. In this context, by using a truncated expansion for the vacuum energy density, as suggested by the renormalization group theory in curved space-time, we propose a new cosmological scenario based on a dynamical $\\Lambda$-term. The proposed scenario is complete in the sense that the same vacuum is responsible for both accelerating phases of the universe, which are linked by two subsequent periods of radiation and non-relativistic matter domination. In this scenario the flat universe is nonsingular and starts its evolution from an asymptotic de Sitter stage, so that the cosmic story takes place between two extreme de Sitter phases. The model is free of the horizon problem as well as of the \"graceful exit\" problem plaguing many inflationary variants. In addition, the cosmological nucleosynthesis occurs as in the Friedmann model and the observations in the latest stages of the universe can potentially differentiate between the deflationary and the standard $\\Lambda$CDM model. The generalizations including spatial curvature are aslo discussed in detail. On the other hand, by using the late time tests like type Ia supernovae, the redshift dependence of the Hubble parameter, $H(z)$, the linear growth function of scalar perturbations, and the peak position of baryon acoustic oscillations we have constrained the basic parameters of the model. Conversely, analyzing the physics of the primordial universe and assuming that the vacuum is a smooth component, we have also constrained the spectral index of scalar density perturbations. In order to establish a more complete analysis of our cosmological scenario, we also discuss the possible constraints arising from the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics, that is, by including the horizon thermodynamics. Since the apparent horizon of the universe behaves like a trapped horizon because the Ricci scalar is positive, we investigate the evolution of both the entropy of the material components and the entropy associated to the horizon. Motivated by the avoidance of the Big-Bang singularity due to the decaying vacuum effects, we have explored another line of development: the analysis of the final stages of gravitational collapse process in the presence of a dynamic vacuum. This analysis focused on the determination of models able to prevent or not the formation of a black hole. In this connection, we shown that the presence of an interacting vacuum proportional to the total energy density of the system does not prevent the formation of a singularity in the final stages of the collapsing process. In addition, we obtain corrections for the collapsed mass, the horizon time formation and the collapsing time as a function of the free parameters and the spatial curvature of the models. Finally, we have also analyzed the influence of a vacuum contribution which dominates the other components into the high energy limit (due to the presence of higher orders terms in the contraction rate), and shown that for this kind of models the growth of the vacuum energy density prevents the formation of the singularity.

Muitas são as pesquisas que avaliam as variáveis intervenientes no colapso dos solos: contudo, pouco tem sido publicado a respeito da influência da trajetória de ciclos de umedecimento e secagem, no comportamento colapsível do solo, e do colapso em condições de carregamento triaxial. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estudar o colapso de um solo arenoso, típico da região centro-oeste do Estado de São Paulo, frente a tais variáveis através de ensaios edométricos convencionais, edométricos com controle de sucção e triaxiais. Dos ensaios edométricos convencionais caracterizou-se o colapso sob vários níveis de tensão, determinando assim a sobrecarga de inundação que causa máximo colapso. Nos ensaios de compressão triaxial, cada amostra foi inundada sob um determinado estado de tensão, caracterizado pela relação &#9631/&#9633. Nestes ensaios foi observado que as deformações volumétricas são dependentes da tensão confinante e da relação &#9631/&#9633, e que as deformações axiais por colapso são menores que as medidas nos ensaios edométricos convencionais. Nos ensaios edométricos com sucção controlada verificou-se que o valor inicial da sucção apresenta influência no valor do colapso total. Quanto aos ciclos de umedecimento e secagem, o solo sofreu colapso insignificante quando a sucção foi reduzida a um mesmo valor pela segunda vez. Os resultados experimentais dos ensaios edométricos com sucção controlada foram então modelados de acordo com o modelo de ALONSO et. al, (1990), e as adaptações a esse modelo propostas por FUTAI (1997) e MACHADO (1998), verificando-se a capacidade de cada formulação em representar matematicamente o comportamento colapsível do solo estudado. / There are many researches that evaluate and discuss the factors which interfere in the collapse of soils. However, not many have been published regarding the influence of the cycles of wetting in the collapsible behavior of the soil, and neither have collapse strains under triaxial load. The present work deals with the collapse behavior of a sandy soil, typical from the center-west of the State of São Paulo, considering the aforesaid aspects and using conventional oedometer, suction controlled oedometer and triaxial compression tests. In conventional oedometer tests, the influence of overburden stress on the induced wetting on collapse strains was characterized. Collapse strains were also measured in triaxial compression tests, varying the ratio of principal stress (&#9631/&#9633) when the samples are inundated. It was observed that collapse volumetric strains are dependent on confining stress and on &#9631/&#9633, and that, axial and radial strains are related to the ratio of &#9631/&#9633. The axial collapse strains observed in triaxial compression tests were shown to be lower than the ones measured in conventional oedometer tests. In controlled suction tests, the amount of collapse strains under gradual suction reduction was studied including the influence of suction reversals. It was noted that the initial suction influences the amount of collapse strains, and that, in the cycles of wetting and drying, the strains after the second cycle tended to be negligible. Experimental results from suction controlled oedometer tests were modeled through the model by ALONSO et. al. (1990) and by the adaptations to this model proposed by FUTAI (1997) and MACHADO (1998).

Neste trabalho consideramos o modelo de Potts na árvore de Cayley submetida a um campo magnético. Esse campo pode ser representado pela interação dos spins da árvore com um spin adicional, denominado spin fantasma. Essa nova rede passa a ser chamada de árvore de Cayley fechada e assimétrica. Sendo uma rede hierárquica, ela representa soluções exatas que são obtidas quando as técnicas do grupo de renormalização no espaço real são aplicadas. Subtraindo os efeitos de superfície e considerando somente o interior da árvore (rede de Bethe), esses resultados reproduzem os resultados da aproximação de campo médio de Bethe-Peierls. Com a finalidade de estudar a função de correlação do modelo de Potts na rede de Bethe, consideramos primeiramente uma cadeia de Potts interagindo com um spin fantasma. Através das regras de composição em série e paralelo e do método da quebra e colapso para as trasmissividades térmicas (função de correlação) obtemos uma fórmula de recorrência para a função de correlação entre quaisquer dois spins na cadeia. Mostramos então que pela invariança translacional da rede de Bethe qualquer par de spins pode ser mapeado no sistema anterior. A seguir consideramos o modelo de Potts de um estado na árvore de Cayley fechada e assimétrica. Decimando os spins interiores da unidade geradora da rede, obtemos um mapa polinomial quadrático para a transformação do grupo de renormalização (mapa de Bethe-Peierls). O diagrama de fase desse sistema é então obtido do conjunto de Mandelbrot através de uma transformação de Mobius. O mapa de Bethe-Peierls apresenta dois pontos fixos, que são relacionados com as fases ferro e paramagnética e o regime caótico é identificado com a fase vidro de spin. Esse sistema revela ser o exemplo mais simples de vidro de spin de McKay-Berker-Kirkpatrick. Na rede de Bethe e a campo nulo esse sistema apresenta transições de fase de segunda ordem. Analisando o comportamento crítico da função de correlação e de suas derivadas, vemos que se identificarmos a função de correlação entre o spin fantasma e qualquer spin da rede com a magnetização (por spin) e a função de correlação entre dois spins primeiros vizinhos com a energia interna do sistema, cinco expoentes críticos ((&#948, &#946, &#947 &#8217, &#945, &#945 &#8217) são calculados e satisfazem as relações de escala. Para ilustrar o procedimento recursivo apresentado para calcular a função de correlação entre dois spins separados por ligações m na rede de Bethe, consideramos os spins de Potts de um estado. Obtemos então de forma explícita as correlações para m=1, 2 e 3.0 / In this work we consider the Potts model on the Cayley tree subjected to a magnetic Field. This field can be represented by the interaction of the tree spins with an additional one, denominated ghost spin. This new lattice is then called closed-asymmetric Cayley tree. Being a hierarchical lattice it comes to have exact solutions which are obtained when the real-space renormalization group techniques are applied. Subtracting the surface effects and considering only the tree interior (Bethe lattice), these results reproduce the results of Bethe-Peierls mean-field approximation. With the objective of studying the pair-correlation function of the Potts model on the Bethe lattice, we at first consider a Potts chain interacting with a ghost spin. Throughout the series-parallel composition rules and the break-collapse method for the thermal transmissivities (pair-correlation function) we obtain a recursive relation for the correlation function between any two spins on the chain. We then show, due to the translational invariance of the Bethe lattice, that any pair of spins can be mapped into the latter system. Next we consider the one-state Potts model on the closed asymmetric tree. Decimating the inner spins of the generating unit for the lattice, we obtain a quadratic polynomial map for the renormalization group transformation (Bethe-Peierls map). The phase diagram of this system is obtained from the Mandelbrot set throughout a Mobius transformation. The Bethe-Peierls map has two stable fixed points which are related to the ferro and paramagnetic phases and the chaotic regime is identified with the spin-glass phase. This system turns out to be the simplest example of a McKay-Berker-Kirkpatrick spin glass. On the Bethe lattice with vanishing field this system presents second-order phase transitions. Analyzing the critical behavior of the pair-correlation function and of this derivatives, we see that if we identify the correlation function between the ghost spin and any spin on the lattice with the magnetization (per spin), and the correlation function between two nearest-neighbor spins with the internal energy of the system, five critical exponents (&#948, &#946, &#947 &#8217, &#945, &#945 &#8217) are calculated and they satisfy the scaling relations. In order to illustrate the recursive procedure presented to calculate the pair-correlation function between spins m bonds apart on the Bethe lattice, we consider the one-state Potts spins. We obtain explicitly the correlation for m=1, 2 and 3.

Nos últimos anos verificou-se um crescimento acentuado da complexidade da avaliação da segurança em Sistemas Elétricos de Potência (SEPs). O aumento das interligações, aliado à operação das redes com altos níveis de carregamento, aumenta a probabilidade de ocorrência de incidentes que podem levar o SEP à instabilidade de tensão, culminando com o colapso de tensão e grandes prejuízos à qualidade do fornecimento de energia elétrica. Neste trabalho foi proposta uma ferramenta rápida para a manutenção da segurança de SEPs no contexto da Estabilidade de Tensão (ET). Para tal, foi desenvolvida uma metodologia rápida para a análise de contingências. Selecionadas as críticas, a eliminação da criticalidade das mesmas é realizada via ações preventivas. Neste contexto, foram desenvolvidas duas abordagens para a seleção de ações preventivas. Na primeira procura-se minimizar o número de controles via técnicas de agrupamento de dados, para eliminar a criticalidade de uma contingência. Na segunda abordagem foi desenvolvida uma estratégia para obtenção de um grupo de controles para eliminar a criticalidade de todas as contingências. Ambas as abordagens baseiam-se em uma metodologia de análise de sensibilidade da margem de ET em relação aos controles preventivos que também foi proposta nesta tese. A eficácia da ferramenta foi comprovada por intermédio de simulações em um SEP. Os resultados foram bastante satisfatórios, os grupos de controles obtidos pela primeira abordagem representam um conjunto mínimo de ações preventivas para eliminar a criticalidade de uma contingência específica. Já na segunda abordagem, foi possível determinar um grupo de controles para a eliminar simultaneamente a criticalidade de todas as contingências. Como produto científico deste doutorado foram obtidas novas metodologias rápidas para a análise de segurança do SEP no contexto da ET. / The complexity of the security assessment in Electric Power Systems (EPS) has received much attention from researches in recent years. The continuous growth in the number of interconnections, allied to networks operating with high loading levels, enhance the probability of incidents that can lead the EPS to voltage instability. Voltage collapse and considerably loss of the electric supply are the principal consequences of this scenery. In this study, we propose a fast tool for supporting the EPS security, in the context of Voltage Stability (VS). To this end, a fast methodology was developed for contingency analysis. Once the critical contingencies are selected, their criticalities are eliminated through the selection of preventive actions. In this context, two approaches were developed. In the first one, we aim at minimizing eh number of controls by using clustering techniques. In this case, the principal objective is to eliminate the criticality of a contingency. In the second approach, we developed a strategy for obtaining a groups of controls in order to eliminate the criticality of all contingencies. Both approaches are based on a methodology for sensitivity analysis of the VS margin with respect to preventive controls which is also proposed in this thesis. The effectiveness of the tool was corroborated by simulations in a EPS. We found the results satisfactory, since the groups of controls achieved by the first approach represent a minimum set of preventive actions that can be taken to eliminate the criticality of a specific contingency. In the second approach, it was possible to determine a minimum group of controls that eliminate the criticality of all contingencies simultaneously. New fast methodologies for security analysis of the EPS in the context of the VS is considered the main scientific product result of this doctorate.

Até meados da década de setenta a atenção dos técnicos do setor elétrico estava voltada aos problemas advindos da chamada instabilidade de ângulo, onde perturbações mais severas, tais como curtos-circuitos, levam os sistemas a perderem estabilidade. À medida que os sistemas foram ficando mais sobrecarregados, algumas não linearidades tornaram-se mais evidentes e problemas que até então não eram observados passaram a ocorrer. Um desses problemas que passou a despertar maior atenção dos engenheiros de potência foi justamente o problema de colapso de tensão. Tal fenômeno está relacionado à incapacidade do sistema elétrico de prover o balanço entre a potência gerada e a requisitada pelas cargas, devido, principalmente, à limitada capacidade de transmissão, ou ainda, devido a um suporte de potência reativa local inadequada. Neste trabalho pretende-se avaliar o grau de impacto que uma contingência ou uma ação de controle teria sobre um sistema de potência. Para avaliar este grau de impacto pretende-se utilizar os conceitos de coerência de cargas, a partir da matriz de impedância nodal, determinando-se quais barras seriam mais influenciadas por uma certa perturbação no sistema. Quando este número de barras é elevado, indica que a contingência deveria ser classificada como mais grave do que uma contingência com margem baixa, porém de impacto local e de fácil solução. Durante o funcionamento do sistema podem ocorrer eventos que afetam as características de tensão e freqüência, causando inclusive a interrupção do fornecimento de energia. Portanto, o engenheiro de operação deve dispor de ferramentas que controlem e que permitam prever esta situação de risco e tomar medidas para evitá-las. Assim, é de extrema importância, a análise de estabilidade do sistema, a fim de em um futuro próximo, prevenir distúrbios no seu funcionamento normal. / Until the middle of the seventies the attention of the technicians of the electricity sector was focused on the problems arising from instability of the callangle, where the most severe, such as short circuits, take the systems to lose stability. As the systems were getting overloaded, some nonlinearities have become more evident and problems that were not seen until then began to occur. One such problem that has awaken the attention of power engineers was precisely the problem of voltage collapse. This phenomenon is related to the inability of the electric system to provide the balance between power generated and required by the loads, mainly due to the limited transmission capacity, or because a local reactive power support inadequate. This work aims to assess the degree of impact that a contingency or an action of control would have on a system of power. To assess the degree of impact is intended to use the concepts of consistency of loads from the nodal impedance matrix, it was determined that bars would be more influenced by a disturbance in the system. When this number of bars is high, indicates that the contingency should be classified as more serious than a contingency margin with low, but the local impact and easy solution. During operation of system events may occur that affect the characteristics of voltage and frequency, causing even the interruption of power supply. Therefore, the operating engineer should have the tools to monitor and to predict that this situation of risk and take steps to avoid them. It is therefore of extreme importance, the analysis of system stability, so that in the near future, to prevent disturbances in their normal operation.

Esta tese apresenta um estudo de solos colapsíveis utilizando provas de carga em placas executados com inundação da cava. Durante o ensaio a sucção foi monitorada com tensiômetros instalados em cinco profundidades distintas. A inundação da cava foi também monitorada pelo uso da técnica de reflectometria no domínio do tempo. Desta forma pode-se acompanhar a evolução da frente de infiltração e da sucção durante todas as fases do ensaio. Foi introduzido também o uso da tomografia computadorizada para registrar as alterações causadas no solo pelo carregamento e posterior inundação. O acompanhamento da frente de infiltração durante o ensaio foi importante para conhecer a profundidade de influência do colapso no maciço do solo. De posse dos valores de sucção, foi possível a utilização de modelos para solo não saturado para verificar a sua aplicabilidade na previsão de comportamento de estruturas de fundação. A tomografia computadorizada forneceu informações a respeito da distribuição de massa específica do solo antes e depois do carregamento, permitindo concluir que a região mais afetada pelo colapso se restringe a 0,25 D. / This thesis presents a soil collapse study using plate load tests performed with soaking the test pit. During the test suction was monitored by tensiometers embedded at five different depths. Thus, it was possible to follow the wetting front and suction evolution all over the tests stages. lt was also introduced the computerized tomography technique to record the soil changing caused by loading and wetting. Monitoring the wetting front during the test was important to know the influence depth of collapse at soil mass. Having the suction values it was possible to use behaviour models of unsaturated soils to verity their applicability on predicting foundations structure settlements. The computerized tomography yields informations about soil unit weight distribution before and after loading, allowing concludes that collapse most affected region is restrained up to 0.25 D.