The Discrete element method (DEM) is a methodology to investigatethe interactions among granular materials. It analyzes the behavior of par-ticulate environments by solving force-displacement equations that adhereto Newton’s second law of motion. Despite its usefulness, the DEM is notwithout limitations, and researchers are still facing certain challenges thatrestrict them from performing detailed analyses of granular materials. Thisstudy addresses two issues in DEM modeling of granular materials in rail-way embankments. Firstly, the long computational time required by theDEM for modeling fine angular particles in granular materials is addressedby exploring the effects of particle scaling on the shear behavior of granularmaterial. This study investigates the impact of particle size distribution,particle angularity, and the amount of scaling on the accuracy and compu-tational efficiency of DEM. Secondly, the limitations of DEM in includingthe continuous rail beam structure in the track are addressed by verifyinga DEM model against physical measurements of a full-scale ballasted trackand investigating the influence of including the rail beam structure on high-speed railway ballasted tracks. The results show that the use of particlescaling in the first study significantly improves the computational efficiencyof the DEM while maintaining accuracy, and this method is used in thesecond study to investigate the influence of the rail beam structure on thebehavior of railway tracks. / Diskreta elementmetoden (DEM) är en effektiv metod för att undersö-ka interaktioner i granulära material. Metoden analyserar samverkan mellanpartiklar genom att lösa kraft-deformationsekvationer som följer Newtonsandra lag. Trots dess användbarhet har DEM vissa begränsningar och fors-kare stöter fortfarande på vissa utmaningar som hindrar dem från att ge-nomföra detaljerade analyser av granulära material. Denna studie tar upptvå frågeställningar vid DEM-modellering av granulära material i järnvägs-bankar. För det första behandlas den långa beräkningstiden som krävs föratt modellera granulära material genom att utforska effekterna av parti-kelskalning på skjuvbeteendet. Studien undersöker effekten av partikelstor-leksfördelning och spetsighet på noggrannheten och beräkningseffektivite-ten. För det andra behandlas begränsningarna hos DEM när det gäller attinkludera den kontinuerliga rälsstrukturen i spåret genom att verifiera enDEM-modell mot fysiska mätningar av ett ballasterat spår i full skala ochundersöka inverkan av att inkludera rälsstrukturen. Resultaten i den förstastudien visar att tillämpningen av partikelskalning avsevärt förbättrar be-räkningseffektiviteten samtidigt som noggrannheten bibehålls. Partikelskal-ning används i den andra studien för att undersöka inverkan av rälsstruk-turen på beteendet hos järnvägsspår. / <p>QC 230508</p>

[pt] O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar uma nova estratégia para o problema de empacotamento de discos sem sobreposição para gerar arranjos aleatórios densos. O algoritmo geométrico adota uma abordagem frente de avanço que, com o apoio de uma malha poligonal, utiliza novas heurísticas para determinar as próximas posições para as próximas partículas. Além disso, propomos esquemas de realocação para melhorar o empacotamento no interior do arranjo e perto das bordas dos objetos arbitrários que contêm as partículas. Os resultados provam que nosso algoritmo pode superar trabalhos anteriores, não apenas com a função de distribuição de raios de partículas desejada, mas também aumentando a densidade de empacotamento e o número médio de contatos. / [en] This work aims to present a new strategy for the non-overlapping disk packing problem to generate dense random assemblies. The geometric algorithm adopts an advancing front approach that uses new heuristics to determine the next positions for the incoming particles with the support of a polygonal mesh. Furthermore, we propose relocation schemes to improve the packing at the pack s interior and near the container borders. Experiments prove that our algorithm outperforms previous results, w.r.t the desired particle radii distribution function and increases the packing density and mean number of particle contacts.

In recent years, the technical progress of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) has increased rapidly. This has made it economically possible for tasks where one earlier needed helicopters or airplanes. By equipping UAVs with high-quality cameras, the utility has expanded. With detailed photos from a UAV together with digital photogrammetry, special software can be used to create point clouds, 3D-models, elevation models and ortomosaics over smaller geographic areas.  Due to the easy access and that the use of UAVs has increased among private users, the Swedish transport agency has set up rules that determine how UAVs should be used. In these regulations, UAVs are separated into different groups from A1 to A3 based on the weight of the aircraft. The regulations make it illegal to fly a UAV heavier than 250 g over people who are not informed about the flight. Since there are several industries where it could be interesting to fly over people, DJI has manufactured a UAV-model called DJI Mini 2. This UAV weighs 249 g and can therefore be flown over people. In this project, two different flights have been carried out. One with the DJI Mini 2 weighing 249 g and one with the DJI Mavic 2 Pro weighing just under 1 kg. During the flight, overlapping pictures were captured and orthomosaic and elevation models were created from those. The purpose of the project was to investigate if the same accuracy can be achieved with a mini-UAV as with a larger UAV. The study also investigated whether the models were accurate enough to use as a ground model along roads and railroads.  In the Dronelink software, two different flight routs were created over Örsholmens IP in the east­ern part of Karlstad, Sweden. Dronelink created the flightpath based on the UAVs different specifications and the overlap between images that were acquired. A geodetic control network was created using GNSS-technology. Five points were measured twice with 45 minutes in between and calculated in SBG GEO. The next day, a surveying total station was established centrally between the points in the geodetic control network. Thereafter 19 ground control points were measured, and 398 ground points distributed in 20 different control profiles. After the points were measured, the flights were carried out. A total of two flights by each UAV model were made the same day. Then the flight with the best results were used for further processing.  The photos taken were processed in Agisoft Metashape. In the software, point clouds, elevation models and orthomosaic were created. The elevation model was then compared to the measured control profiles. The orthomosaic was used to compare the ground control points.  The results showed that the elevation model created with Mavic 2 Pro was within the SIS tolerance on all different types of surfaces to be used for modelling along roads and railways. The elevation model from the DJI Mini 2 was withing the tolerance on grass and asphalt but not on gravel sur­face. The mean deviation on gravel was -1,37 cm outside the tolerance. The planar comparison showed that both models were withing the tolerance to achieve HMK level 3 standard. / Den tekniska utvecklingen av obemannade flygfarkoster har de senaste åren utvecklats i snabb takt. Flygfarkosterna som ofta benämns UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) har gjort det möjligt att till en låg kostnad genomföra uppdrag som tidigare krävt helikopter eller flygplan. Genom att utrusta en UAV med en högkvalitativ kamera så ökar dess användningsområde. Med hjälp av detaljerade digi­tala bilder tagna med UAV, och digital fotogrammetri i specialprogramvaror kan punktmoln, 3D-modeller, höjdmodeller och ortomosaik över mindre geografiska områden framställas.  På grund av att UAV-användningen ökat snabbt så har Transportstyrelsen tagit fram ett regelverk för hur en UAV får användas. I detta regelverk så delas olika UAV-modeller in i grupper från A1 till A3 baserat på vikten. Regelverket gör att en UAV som är tyngre än 250 g inte får flygas över männi­skor som inte är informerade om att flygningen pågår.  Eftersom det i flera branscher kan vara intressant att flyga över platser där människor rör sig fritt så har DJI tillverkat en UAV-modell som heter DJI Mini 2. Denna UAV väger 249 g och får därför flygas över människor. I detta projekt har två olika flygningar gjorts med DJI Mini 2 som väger 249 g och med Mavic 2 Pro som väger knappt 1 kg. Under flygningen togs överlappande bilder och höjdmodeller och ortomosaik skapades från dessa. Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka om lika hög noggrannhet kan uppnås med en mini-UAV som med en större modell. Studien undersökte även om modellerna uppnår kraven i SIS-TS 21144:2016 och HMK för att få användas till att skapa markmodell längs väg och järnväg.  I programvaran Dronelink så skapades två flygrutter över Örsholmens IP i den östra delen av Karl­stad. Dronelink skapade rutterna baserat på de olika UAV-specifikationerna och bildöverlappet som valdes för flygningarna. På platsen skapades ett nytt stomnät med hjälp av GNSS-teknik. Fem punk­ter mättes in två gånger med 45 minuters mellanrum och beräknades i SBG GEO. Dagen efter eta­blerades en totalstation centralt mellan punkterna mot stomnätet. Därefter mättes 19 markstöd in och 398 punkter fördelat i 20 olika kontrollprofiler. Efter att punkterna var inmätta genomfördes flygningarna. Totalt gjordes två flygningar med de olika UAV-modellerna på samma dag. Därefter valdes de flygningar som visade bäst resultat för vidare bearbetning.  Bilderna som togs bearbetades i programvaran Agisoft Metashape och punktmoln, höjdmodell och ortomosaik genererades. Höjdmodellen användes sedan för att jämföras mot de inmätta kontrollprofilerna. Ortomosaiken jämfördes med de inmätta kontrollpunkterna.   Resultatet visade att höjdmodellen som skapades med Mavic 2 Pro var inom SIS-TS 21144:2016 toleranserna på samtliga underlag för att få användas för modellskapande på väg och järnväg. Höjdmodellen som skapades med DJI Mini 2 var inom toleransen på gräs och asfalt men inte på grusunderlag. Medelavvikelsen på grus var -1,37 cm utanför toleransen. Vid jämförelsen i plan vi­sade resultatet att båda modellerna var inom HMKs toleranser för att uppnå HMK-standardnivå 3.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Production of graphite dust inside the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) influences the reactor operation negatively. Graphite is used as a moderator in the reactor core and the formation and transportation of graphite dust away from the reactor core decreases the amount of moderator which in turn has a negative impact on the reactor operation. High levels of radioactive dust may also contaminate reactor components which may pose a health risk to maintenance personnel. In this study a pressure vessel was designed and used to measure the wear of a graphite pebble in helium at elevated temperatures. By means of a multi-linear regression analysis a proper mathematical function was established in order to relate graphite wear to certain tribological parameters. These parameters were identified through a literature study. Discrete Element Modelling (DEM) was used to simulate the gravitational flow of graphite pebbles through the reactor core. The experimentally determined mathematical function was incorporated into the DEM simulation to estimate the annual mass of graphite dust to be produced by the PBMR pebble bed as a result of pebble-pebble interaction and pebble-wall interaction during refuelling. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die vorming van grafiet stof binne die korrelbed-modulêre reaktor (PBMR) beïnvloed die werking daarvan negatief. Grafiet word gebruik as 'n moderator in die reaktor kern en die vorming en vervoer van grafietstof weg van die reaktor kern lei tot 'n afname in die hoeveelheid moderator en dit het 'n negatiewe impak op die werking van die reaktor. Hoë vlakke van radioaktiewe grafietstof kontamineer ook reaktorkomponente wat 'n gesondheidsrisiko vir onderhoudspersoneel inhou. In hierdie studie was 'n drukvat ontwerp en gebruik om die slytasie van 'n grafietkorrel in helium by verhoogde temperature te meet. 'n Multi-lineêre regressie analise is dan gebruik om 'n wiskundige funksie daar te stel wat die verband tussen grafietslytasie en die eksperimentele parameters vas stel. Hierdie parameters was met behulp van 'n literatuurstudie geïdentifiseer. Diskrete Element Modellering (DEM) was gebruik om die gravitasionele vloei van grafietkorrels in die reaktor te modelleer. Die eksperimenteel bepaalde wiskundige funksie word in die DEM simulasie ge-inkorporeer om 'n skatting te maak van die jaarlikse massa grafietstof wat gevorm sal word in die PBMR korrelbed as 'n gevolg van korrel-korrel interaksie en korrel-wand interaksie gedurende hersirkulasie.

Mountain glaciers are expected to be the greatest contributor to sea level rise over the next century. Glaciers provide a good indicator of global climate and how to monitor their change is an increasingly important issue for climate science and for sea level rise forecasts. However, there has been little direct measurement of glacier volume change in New Zealand. This study explores the use of remotely sensed data for measuring glacier volume change from 1965 to 2006. Digital photogrammetric methods were used to extract topographic data of the Tasman Glacier from aerial photography and ASTER imagery for the years 1965, 1986, 2002 and 2006. SRTM C band data from 2000 were also analysed. Data were compared to an existing digital elvation model produced from the New Zealand Digital Topographic Database to test for their reliability. Using regression analysis, the data were filtered and points representing rock were used to correct points on the glacier ice for vertical bias. The quality of the data extracted from the aerial photography was good on rock and debris covered ice, but poor on snow. The data extracted from ASTER was much more reliable on snow in the upper glacier than the aerial photography, but was very poor in the lower debris covered region of the glacier. While the quality of the SRTM data is very high, there is a second order distortion present in the data that is evident over elevation differences. However, the overall mean difference of the SRTM rock from TOPODATA is close to zero. An overall trend could be seen in the data between dates. However, the 2006 ASTER data proved unreliable on the debris covered section of the glacier. Total volume change is therefore calculated for the period between 1965 and 2002. The data show a loss of 3:4km³ or 0:092km³ per year, an estimated 6% of the total ice in New Zealand. This is compared to estimates using the annual end of summer snowline survey between 1977 and 2005 of 1:78 km³, or 0:064km³ per year. The spatial resolution of ASTER makes high temporal resolution monitoring of volume change unlikely for the New Zealand glaciers. The infrequency of aerial photography, the high cost and vast time involved in extracting good quality elevation data from aerial photography makes it impractical for monitoring glacier volume change remotely. However, SRTM and other radar sensors may provide a better solution, as the data do not rely heavily on user processing.

The Distinct Element Method (DEM) and Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA) are the two most commonly used discrete element methods in rock mechanics. Discrete element approaches are computationally expensive as they involve the interaction of multiple discrete bodies with continuously changing contacts. Therefore, it is very important to ensure that the method selected for the analysis is computationally efficient. In this research, a general assessment of DDA and DEM is performed from a computational efficiency perspective, and relevant enhancements to DDA are developed. The computational speed of DDA is observed to be considerably slower than DEM. In order to identify reasons affecting the computational efficiency of DDA, fundamental aspects of DDA and DEM are compared which suggests that they mainly differ in the contact mechanics, and the time integration scheme used. An in-depth evaluation of these aspects revealed that the openclose iterative procedure used in DDA which exhibits highly nonlinear behavior is one of the main reasons causing DDA to slow down. In order to improve the computational efficiency of DDA, an alternative approach based on a more realistic rock joint behavior is developed in this research. In this approach, contacts are assumed to be deformable, i.e., interpenetrations of the blocks in contact are permitted. This eliminated the computationally expensive open-close iterative procedure adopted in DDA-Shi and enhanced its speed up to four times. In order to consider deformability of the blocks in DDA, several approaches are reported. The hybrid DDA-FEM approach is one of them, although this approach captures the block deformability quite effectively, it becomes computationally expensive for large-scale problems. An alternative simplified uncoupled DDA-FEM approach is developed in this research. The main idea of this approach is to model rigid body movement and the block internal deformation separately. Efficiency and simplicity of this approach lie in keeping the DDA and the FEM algorithms separate and solving FEM equations individually for each block. Based on a number of numerical examples presented in this dissertation, it is concluded that from a computational efficiency standpoint, the implicit solution scheme may not be appropriate for discrete element modelling. Although for quasi-static problems where inertia effects are insignificant, implicit schemes have been successfully used for linear analyses, they do not prove to be advantageous for contact-type problems even in quasi-static mode due to the highly nonlinear behavior of contacts.

De nos jours, la gestion des flux de matière autour de la zone decontact représente un des principaux verrous scientifiques pourl'amélioration des simulations des procédés d'usinage comme, parexemple, le procédé FSW. Les méthodes basées sur la mécanique desmilieux continus sont couramment utilisées dans ces simulations maiselles rencontrent de nombreuses difficultés dans les zones decontact. Une explication "physique" à ces difficultés estl'utilisation des équations issues de la mécanique des milieuxcontinus pour décrire des phénomènes discontinus. À ce point, laméthode des éléments discrets s'est révélée être une alternative auxapproches continues pour traiter le problème causé par cesdiscontinuités. Cette méthode est en revanche très gourmande en termede temps de calcul.Une solution à long terme passe par un couplage entre méthodescontinues et discrètes qui requiert une zone de recouvrement où lesdeux approches coexistent. Cette zone est classiquement placée dansune région continue et cela oblige à développer la méthode deséléments discrets pour qu'elle puisse opérer dans ce type derégion. Le travail de thèse présente une méthode pour simuler laconduction de la chaleur et le comportement mécanique des milieuxcontinus élasto-plastiques. Cette méthode peut travailler dans la zonecontinue de recouvrement et, en plus, elle peut être facilementcouplée avec les méthodes discontinues classiques.Le couplage entre l'aspect thermique et l'aspect mécanique estégalement étudié et comparé aux résultats expérimentaux issus de labibliographie.

The Nepalese Himalaya, one of the most active regions within the Himalayan Mountain belt, is characterized by a thick succession of Miocene age Siwalik sedimentary rocks deposited at its foreland basin. To date, much of its tectonic evolution, including exhumation in the Nepalese Siwalik, is poorly understood. This study of a quantitative analysis of the bedrock river parameters should provide crucial information regarding tectonic activities in the area. The study investigated geomorphic parameters of river longitudinal profiles from 54 watersheds within the Siwalik section of the Nepalese Himalaya, for the first time. A total of 140 bedrock rivers from these watersheds were selected using stream power-law function and 30-meter resolution ASTER DEM. The quantitative data from the river longitudinal profiles were integrated with published exhumation ages. Results of this study show, first, a presence of major and minor knickpoints, with a total of 305 knickpoints identified, of which 180 were major knickpoints and the rest were minor knickpoints. Further classifications of knickpoints were based on structures (lineaments extracted from SRTM DEM), lithology, and possible uplift. Second, the Normalized Steepness index (ksn) values exhibited a range from 5.3 to 140.6. Third, the concavity index of streams in the study area ranged from as low as -12.1 to as high as 31.1 and the values were consistently higher upstream of the knickpoints. Finally, integration of the river profile data with the published exhumation ages show that the regions with a high ksn value correspond to the regions with higher incision and, therefore, are likely to have high uplift. The presence of a break in ksn in the eastern section of the study area suggests that the incision is likely accelerated by Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) movements. Erosion of the thrust sheet could have influenced the rapid uplift of the Siwalik due to isostatic processes. Thus, the timing of the source-region exhumation and its rate suggests that MFT-related tectonics, and/or climate processes, likely influenced the landscape evolution of the study area. The results of this study should help in comprehending the neo-tectonic deformation of the Nepalese Himalaya.

Denna studie behandlar hur gymnasielever använder de, dem och dom i de skriftliga delarna av nationella proven i Svenska 1 och 3. Genom en variabelanalys har de, dem och dom beräknats i sammanlagt 120 texter uppdelade i Svenska 1 och 3 samt mellan betygen E-C-A. Därefter har den felaktiga användningen analyserats. Den nästan obefintliga mängden dom i texterna var förvånande. Eleverna verkar skilja på texttyper där skriftspråksformerna de och dem ska användas och när det är godtagbart att använda talspråksformen. Majoriteten elever försöker alltså använda de och dem, även om det inte alltid blir rätt vilket tyder på att de och dem fortfarande har övertaget som språknorm i skriftspråket. Resultatet av undersökningen diskuteras utifrån teoretiska perspektiv gällande språkförändringar, språknormer, språkriktighet, skriftspråk, talspråk samt texttriangeln. Avslutningsvis diskuteras resultatet i ljuset av den långa och nästan ständigt pågående debatten kring vilket eller vilka pronomen som bör användas. Debattörernas åsikter går i tre led: stävan efter enhetligt dom, enhetligt de eller fortsatt användning av de och dem. Majoriteten nämnda debattörer verkar dock överens om att de och dem i framtiden kommer ersättas av dom, en process som kommer pågå under lång tid och är omöjlig att förutspå. Resultatet visar att dom som skriftspråk har en lång väg kvar att gå.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-14T13:53:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 412870.pdf: 2946049 bytes, checksum: 483a485b862f13d26d26bc7987c3bc56 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-03-27 / INTRODU??O: O cuidado di?rio de pacientes com dem?ncia constitui um modelo natural?stico de estresse cr?nico. A investiga??o de aspectos psiconeuroimunol?gicos envolvidos no complexo sistema de resposta ao estresse cr?nico e a sua rela??o com fatores com potencial protetivo como a rede de apoio social e a resili?ncia psicol?gica, contribui para a descoberta de formas eficazes de interven??o preventiva em uma popula??o de idosos. METODOLOGIA: Participaram deste estudo 20 cuidadores com idades entre 55 e 78 anos (m?dia 64,7 ? 7,18) e 20 indiv?duos n?o cuidadores com idades entre 54 e 84 anos (m?dia 70,35 ? 9,18), selecionados conforme os crit?rios de inclus?o. Os invent?rios de depress?o, estresse e ansiedade foram avaliados como indicadores de sobrecarga emocional ao estresse cr?nico. A escala de resili?ncia e Diagrama de escolta da rede de apoio social foram avaliados como fatores com potencial protetivo ao estresse. N?veis de cortisol salivar foram mensurados ao acordar (30 e 60 minutos depois de acordar) e ao longo do dia (16h e 21 h). Sangue perif?rico foi coletado pela manh? para avalia??o de prolifera??o de linf?citos T e sensibilidade celular a glicocortic?ides (DEX).RESULTADOS: Os cuidadores apresentaram pontua??o mais alta nos escores de estresse e depress?o (p < 0,0001). Os n?veis de cortisol foram mais baixos nos cuidadores (p < 0,0001) e apresentaram decl?nio nos 30 e 60 minutos ap?s acordar (p < 0,0001). N?o houve diferen?a entre os grupos na prolifera??o linfocit?ria e sensibilidade celular a glicocortic?ides. A rede de apoio social e resili?ncia estavam relacionadas inversamente a depress?o (p< 0,0001) e estresse (p < 0,05) nos cuidadores, mas n?o apresentaram rela??o com a resposta neuroend?crina e imunol?gica. CONCLUS?ES: O estresse cr?nico est? relacionado a sobrecarga emocional nos cuidadores. N?veis mais baixos de cortisol e alta pontua??o no escore de exaust?o do invent?rio de estresse no grupo de cuidadores podem estar relacionados a exaust?o psicol?gica e adrenal. As respostas psiconeuroend?crinas n?o se refletiram em altera??es imunol?gicas. A resili?ncia e rede de apoio social atenuaram alguns efeitos do estresse cr?nico na sobrecarga emocional dos cuidadores.