Submitted by Geandra Rodrigues (geandrar@gmail.com) on 2018-03-23T11:00:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 rosangeladossantoscastro.pdf: 1101560 bytes, checksum: 04b40cb14db3d01f10d656b408ec5a01 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2018-03-23T12:26:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 rosangeladossantoscastro.pdf: 1101560 bytes, checksum: 04b40cb14db3d01f10d656b408ec5a01 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-23T12:26:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 rosangeladossantoscastro.pdf: 1101560 bytes, checksum: 04b40cb14db3d01f10d656b408ec5a01 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-27 / A presente pesquisa foi realizada no âmbito do Mestrado Profissional em Gestão e Avaliação da Educação do Centro de Políticas Públicas e Avaliação da Educação da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (CAEd/UFJF). O caso de gestão discute problemas de implementação de um programa de correção de fluxo escolar, chamado “Projeto Avançar (PA)”. O foco do estudo é uma escola da rede estadual, localizada no município de Itacoatiara/AM. Neste sentido, a pergunta norteadora desse caso de gestão é: “Quais ações podem ser tomadas pela gestão escolar para minimizar as dificuldades encontradas na implementação do Projeto Avançar na Escola Estadual Augusto Montenegro?”. A hipótese ora defendida é a de que as dificuldades, com relação ao Projeto Avançar, indicam falhas na implementação da política pública, que podem estar associadas à falta de melhor conhecimento e capacitação acerca da iniciativa, por parte dos responsáveis da Coordenadoria Regional de Educação de Itacoatiara, e pelos atores escolares (gestores e professores), que tentam empreender o Projeto. Assim, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo geral: identificar os problemas enfrentados pela Escola Estadual Augusto Montenegro na implementação do PA e propor ações para minimizar os problemas encontrados. Os objetivos específicos definidos foram: i) descrever como ocorre a implementação do Projeto Avançar na Escola Estadual Augusto Montenegro; ii) analisar os problemas detectados na implementação do Projeto Avançar na referida escola; e, por fim, iii) propor um Plano de Ação Escolar (PAE), que contribua para o desenvolvimento do Projeto Avançar na escola analisada. Para tanto, optou-se por uma pesquisa de caráter qualitativo. Como instrumentos de pesquisa de campo, foram realizadas entrevistas com o Coordenador Regional de Educação de Itacoatiara (CREI), com a Coordenadora Adjunta da CREI, com a Gestora, com a Pedagoga da instituição de ensino e com os professores do Projeto. Para realizar as análises, o estudo foi organizado em três eixos: i) acompanhamento pedagógico na implementação do PA, ii) formação continuada dos professores do PA e, por fim, iii) a falta do livro didático. Foram utilizadas as reflexões de pesquisadores como: Mainardes (2006), que estuda a implementação de políticas públicas; Condé (2012), que aborda as políticas públicas inseridas no âmbito educacional; e Lück (2004), que reflete sobre a operacionalização dos Programas de Correção de Fluxo Escolar no Brasil. / The following research is developed in the range of the Professional Master degree in Education Management and Evaluation of the Center of Public Policies and Evaluation of Education of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (CAED/UFJF). The case of management in study discusses problems of implementing a school flow correction program, called "Move Forward Project (MFP, Projeto Avançar in Portuguese)". The focus of the study is a state school, located in the municipality of Itacoatiara, Amazonas. In this sense, the guiding question of this management case is: "What actions can be taken by the school management to minimize the difficulties encountered in implementing the Move Forward Project at the Augusto Montenegro State School?". The hypothesis defended here is that the difficulties regarding the Move Forward Project indicate failures in the implementation of the public policy, which may be associated with a lack of knowledge and professional training regarding the project by those in charge of the Regional Education Coordination of Itacoatiara, and by the school staff (managers and teachers), who try to undertake the Project. Therefore, this research has as a global objective to identify the problems faced by the State School Augusto Montenegro in the implementation of the MFP and suggest actions to minimize the problems encountered. The specific objectives defined were: i) to describe how the implementation of the Move Forward Project occurs in the State School Augusto Montenegro; ii) analyze the problems detected in the implementation of the Project in said school; and, finally, iii) to propose a School Action Plan (SAP), which contributes to the development of the Project in the school analyzed. For this purpose, a qualitative research was chosen. As field research instruments, interviews were conducted with the Regional Coordinator of Education of Itacoatiara (CREI, in Portuguese), with the Adjunct Coordinator of CREI, with a Manager, with the Pedagogue of the educational institution and with the teachers of the Project. To perform the analysis, the study was organized in three aspects: i) pedagogical follow-up in the implementation of the MFP, ii) continuous professional training of the MFP teachers, and iii) the lack of the textbook. We used the academical thoughts of researchers such as: Manairdes (2006), which studies the implementation of public policies; Condé (2012), which addresses the public policies inserted in the educational scope; and Lück (2004), which reflects on the operationalization of the School Flow Correction Programs in Brazil.

Submitted by Geandra Rodrigues (geandrar@gmail.com) on 2018-06-14T14:24:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 luizantoniocorreajunior.pdf: 10680548 bytes, checksum: ce7a694d4d68a5a959f30492cf71a879 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2018-06-27T14:51:20Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 luizantoniocorreajunior.pdf: 10680548 bytes, checksum: ce7a694d4d68a5a959f30492cf71a879 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-27T14:51:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 luizantoniocorreajunior.pdf: 10680548 bytes, checksum: ce7a694d4d68a5a959f30492cf71a879 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-27 / Esta dissertação descreve, inicialmente, um sistema implementado em FPGA para a geração de modulações digitais. Posteriormente, descreve uma plataforma capaz de realizar a estimação de modelos com coeficientes lineares e demonstra aplicações de pré-distorção. O trabalho começa com uma breve visão sobre os conceitos básicos envolvidos na dissertação. É descrito como se comportam os sinais e os sistemas no domínio discreto, é feito um resumo sobre o que é um FPGA e, após isso, são analisadas figuras de mérito, ferramentas matemáticas utilizadas para medir a qualidade dos modelos. No capítulo 3, é apresentada uma ferramenta em FPGA capaz de gerar sinais com diversas modulações digitais que serão utilizadas na identificação e pré-distorção. No capítulo 4 é abordado a construção e validação de um algoritmo de estimação eficiente utilizando o método de Mínimos Quadrados. A identificação de um filtro, utilizando um sinal de trem de impulsos, é mostrado na seção 4.2. A resposta do filtro no domínio da frequência é comparada com a resposta medida por um equipamento comercial, onde os resultados mostram que o modelo obtido representa bem um filtro real. A criação de um modelo de pré-distorção é mostrado no capítulo 5. A qualidade do modelo é avaliada por quatro Figuras de Mérito diferentes. As conclusões sobre o trabalho e as pesquisas futuras são apresentadas no último capítulo. / This work describes initially a system implemented in FPGA for the generation of a digital modulations. After, it describes a platform capable of performing the estimation of a device under test. Finally, it shows applications of this platform for pre-distortion purposes. A brief overview of the basic concepts involved in the dissertation are presented, as signals and systems in the discrete domain, FPGA, and Figures of Merit, tools used to measure the quality of the models. In chapter 3, a FPGA tool capable of generating signals with various digital modulations is presented. This platform will lately be used for identification and pre-distortion purposes. Chapter 4 shows the construction of efficient estimation algorithm using the Least Squares method. The identification of a filter using a pulse wave signal is shown in the section 4.2, and the resulting frequency domain curve is compared to that generated by a commercial equipment, where results show that the estimated model represents well a real filter. A pre-distortion model of a filter is shown in the chapter 5. The quality of the model is evaluated by four different Figures of Merit. Conclusions about the work and future research are drawn in the last chapter.

A laser-triangulating range camera uses a laser plane to light an object. If the position of the laser relative to the camera as well as certrain properties of the camera is known, it is possible to calculate the coordinates for all points along the profile of the object. If either the object or the camera and laser has a known motion, it is possible to combine several measurements to get a three-dimensional view of the object. Camera calibration is the process of finding the properties of the camera and enough information about the setup so that the desired coordinates can be calculated. Several methods for camera calibration exist, but this thesis proposes a new method that has the advantages that the objects needed are relatively inexpensive and that only objects in the laser plane need to be observed. Each part of the method is given a thorough description. Several mathematical derivations have also been added as appendices for completeness. The proposed method is tested using both synthetic and real data. The results show that the method is suitable even when high accuracy is needed. A few suggestions are also made about how the method can be improved further.

The process of combining two views of a scene in order to obtain depth information is called stereo vision. When the same is done using a computer it is then called computer stereo vision. Stereo vision is used in robotic application where depth of an object plays a role. Two cameras mounted on a rig is called a stereo camera system. Such a system is able to capture two views and enable robotic application to use the depth information to complete tasks. Anomalies are bound to occur in such a stereo rig, when both the cameras are not parallel to each other. Mounting of the cameras on a rig accurately has physical alignment limitations. Images taken from such a rig has inaccurate depth information and has to be rectified. Therefore rectification is a pre-requisite to computer stereo vision. One such a stereo rig used in this thesis is the GIMME2 stereo camera system. The system has two 10 mega-pixel cameras with on-board FPGA, RAM, processor running Linux operating system, multiple Ethernet ports and an SD card feature amongst others. Stereo rectification on memory constrained hardware is a challenging task as the process itself requires both the images to be stored in the memory. The FPGA on the GIMME2 systems must be used in order to achieve the best possible speed. Programming a system that does not have a display and for used for a specific purpose is called embedded programming. The purpose of this system is distance estimation and working with such a system falls in the Embedded Systems program. This thesis presents a method that makes rectification a step ahead for this particular system. The functionality of the algorithm is shown in MATLAB and using VHDL and is compared to available tools and systems.

Ce projet de recherche doctoral vise à proposer solution améliorée du codec de codage d’images LAR (Locally Adaptive Resolution), à la fois d’un point de vue performances de compression et complexité. Plusieurs standards de compression d’images ont été proposés par le passé et mis à profit dans de nombreuses applications multimédia, mais la recherche continue dans ce domaine afin d’offrir de plus grande qualité de codage et/ou de plus faibles complexité de traitements. JPEG fut standardisé il y a vingt ans, et il continue pourtant à être le format de compression le plus utilisé actuellement. Bien qu’avec de meilleures performances de compression, l’utilisation de JPEG 2000 reste limitée due à sa complexité plus importe comparée à JPEG. En 2008, le comité de standardisation JPEG a lancé un appel à proposition appelé AIC (Advanced Image Coding). L’objectif était de pouvoir standardiser de nouvelles technologies allant au-delà des standards existants. Le codec LAR fut alors proposé comme réponse à cet appel. Le système LAR tend à associer une efficacité de compression et une représentation basée contenu. Il supporte le codage avec et sans pertes avec la même structure. Cependant, au début de cette étude, le codec LAR ne mettait pas en oeuvre de techniques d’optimisation débit/distorsions (RDO), ce qui lui fut préjudiciable lors de la phase d’évaluation d’AIC. Ainsi dans ce travail, il s’agit dans un premier temps de caractériser l’impact des principaux paramètres du codec sur l’efficacité de compression, sur la caractérisation des relations existantes entre efficacité de codage, puis de construire des modèles RDO pour la configuration des paramètres afin d’obtenir une efficacité de codage proche de l’optimal. De plus, basée sur ces modèles RDO, une méthode de « contrôle de qualité » est introduite qui permet de coder une image à une cible MSE/PSNR donnée. La précision de la technique proposée, estimée par le rapport entre la variance de l’erreur et la consigne, est d’environ 10%. En supplément, la mesure de qualité subjective est prise en considération et les modèles RDO sont appliqués localement dans l’image et non plus globalement. La qualité perceptuelle est visiblement améliorée, avec un gain significatif mesuré par la métrique de qualité objective SSIM. Avec un double objectif d’efficacité de codage et de basse complexité, un nouveau schéma de codage LAR est également proposé dans le mode sans perte. Dans ce contexte, toutes les étapes de codage sont modifiées pour un meilleur taux de compression final. Un nouveau module de classification est également introduit pour diminuer l’entropie des erreurs de prédiction. Les expérimentations montrent que ce codec sans perte atteint des taux de compression équivalents à ceux de JPEG 2000, tout en économisant 76% du temps de codage et de décodage. / This doctoral research project aims at designing an improved solution of the still image codec called LAR (Locally Adaptive Resolution) for both compression performance and complexity. Several image compression standards have been well proposed and used in the multimedia applications, but the research does not stop the progress for the higher coding quality and/or lower coding consumption. JPEG was standardized twenty years ago, while it is still a widely used compression format today. With a better coding efficiency, the application of the JPEG 2000 is limited by its larger computation cost than the JPEG one. In 2008, the JPEG Committee announced a Call for Advanced Image Coding (AIC). This call aims to standardize potential technologies going beyond existing JPEG standards. The LAR codec was proposed as one response to this call. The LAR framework tends to associate the compression efficiency and the content-based representation. It supports both lossy and lossless coding under the same structure. However, at the beginning of this study, the LAR codec did not implement the rate-distortion-optimization (RDO). This shortage was detrimental for LAR during the AIC evaluation step. Thus, in this work, it is first to characterize the impact of the main parameters of the codec on the compression efficiency, next to construct the RDO models to configure parameters of LAR for achieving optimal or sub-optimal coding efficiencies. Further, based on the RDO models, a “quality constraint” method is introduced to encode the image at a given target MSE/PSNR. The accuracy of the proposed technique, estimated by the ratio between the error variance and the setpoint, is about 10%. Besides, the subjective quality measurement is taken into consideration and the RDO models are locally applied in the image rather than globally. The perceptual quality is improved with a significant gain measured by the objective quality metric SSIM (structural similarity). Aiming at a low complexity and efficient image codec, a new coding scheme is also proposed in lossless mode under the LAR framework. In this context, all the coding steps are changed for a better final compression ratio. A new classification module is also introduced to decrease the entropy of the prediction errors. Experiments show that this lossless codec achieves the equivalent compression ratio to JPEG 2000, while saving 76% of the time consumption in average in encoding and decoding.

The aerodynamic integration of an aero-engine intake system with the airframe can pose some notable challenges. This is particularly so for many military air- craft and is likely to become a more pressing issue for both new military systems with highly embedded engines as well as for novel civil aircraft configurations. During the late 1960s with the advent of turbo-fan engines, industry became in- creasingly aware of issues which arise due to inlet total pressure distortion. Since then, inlet-engine compatibility assessments have become a key aspect of any new development. In addition to total temperature and total pressure distortions, flow angularity and the associated swirl distortion are also known to be of notable con- cern. The importance of developing a rigorous methodology to understand the effects of swirl distortion on turbo-machinery has also become one of the major concerns of current design programmes. The goal of this doctoral research was to further the current knowledge on swirl distortion, and its adverse effects on engine performance, focusing on the turbo-machinery components (i.e. fans or compressors). This was achieved by looking into appropriate swirl flow descriptors and by correlating them against the compressor performance parameters (e.g loss in stability pressure ratios). To that end, a number of high-fidelity three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models have been developed using two sets of transonic rotors (i.e. NASA Rotor 67 and 37), and a stator (NASA Stator 67B). For the numerical purpose, a boundary condition methodology for the definition of swirl distortion patterns at the inlet has been developed. Various swirl distortion numerical parametric studies have been performed using the modelled rotor configurations. Two types of swirl distortion pattern were investigated in the research, i.e. the pure bulk swirl and the tightly-wound vortex. Numerical simulations suggested that the vortex core location, polarity, size and strength greatly affect the compressor performance. The bulk swirl simula- tions also showed the dependency on swirl strength and polarity. This empha- sized the importance of quantifying these swirl components in the flow distortion descriptors. For this, a methodology have been developed for the inlet-engine compatibility assessment using different types of flow descriptors. A number of correlations have been proposed for the two types of swirl distortion investigated in the study.

The large unlicensed 3 GHz overlapping bandwidth that is available worldwide at 60 GHz has resulted in renewed interest in 60 GHz technology. This frequency band has made it attractive for short-range gigabit wireless communication. The power amplifier (PA) directly influences the performance and quality of this entire communication chain, as it is one of the final subsystems in the transmitter. Spectral efficient modulation schemes used at 60 GHz pose challenging requirements for the linearity of the PA. To improve the linearity, several external linearisation techniques currently exist, such as feedback, feedforward, envelope elimination and restoration, linear amplification with non-linear components and predistortion. This thesis is aimed at investigating and characterising the distortion components found in PAs at mm-wave frequencies and evaluating whether an adaptive predistortion (APD) linearisation technique is suitable to reduce these distortion components. After a thorough literature study and mathematical analysis, it was found that the third-order intermodulation distortion (IMD3) components were the most severe distortion components. Predistortion was identified as the most effective linearisation technique in terms of minimising these IMD3 components and was therefore proposed in this research. It does not introduce additional complexity and can easily be integrated with the PA. Furthermore, the approach is stable and has lower power consumption when compared to the aforementioned linearisation techniques. The proposed predistortion technique was developed compositely through this research by making it a function of the PA’s output power that was measured using a power detector. A comparator was used with the detected output power and the reference voltages to control the dynamic bias circuit of the variable gain amplifier. This provided control and flexibility on when to apply the predistortion to the PA and therefore allowing the linearity of the PA to be optimised. Three-stage non-linear and linear PAs were also designed at 60 GHz and implemented to compare the performance of the APD technique and form part of the hypothesis verification process. The 130 nm silicon-germanium (SiGe) bipolar and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (BiCMOS) technology from IBM was used for the simulation of the entire APD and PA design and for the fabrication of the prototype integrated circuits (ICs). This technology has the advantage of integrating the high performance, low power intensive SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) with the CMOS technology. The SiGe HBTs have a high cut-off frequency ( > 200 GHz), which is ideal for mm-wave PA applications and the CMOS components were integrated in the control logic of the digital circuitry. The simulations and IC layout were accomplished with Cadence Virtuoso. The implemented IC occupies an area of 1.8 mm by 2.0 mm. The non-linear PA achieves a of 11.97 dBm and an of -10 dBm. With the APD technique applied, the linearity of the PA is significantly improved with an of -6 dBm and an optimum IMD3 reduction of 10 dB. Based on the findings and results of the applied APD technique, APD reduced intermodulation distortion (especially the IMD3) and is thus suitable to improve the linearity of PAs at mm-wave frequencies. To the knowledge of this author, no APD technique has been applied for PAs at 60 GHz, therefore the contribution of this research will assist future PA designers to characterise and optimise the reduction of the IMD3 components. This will result in improved linear output power from the PA and the use of complex modulation schemes at 60 GHz. ## Die groot ongelisensieerde oorvleuelde bandwydte van 3 GHz wat wêreldwyd by 60 GHz beskikbaar is, het hernude belangstelling in 60 GHz-tegnologie tot gevolg gehad. Hierdie frekwensieband het dit aantreklik gemaak vir kortafstand-gigabis draadlose kommunikasie. Aangesien die drywingsversterker een van die finale subsisteme in die seintoestel is, het dit ’n direkte invloed op die werkverrigting en kwaliteit van die hele kommunikasieketting. Spektraaldoeltreffende modulasieskemas wat by 60 GHz gebruik word, stel uitdagende vereistes vir die lineariteit van die drywingsversterker. Om die lineariteit te verbeter, is daar tans verskeie eksterne linearisasietegnieke beskikbaar, soos terugvoer, vooruitvoer, omhullende eliminasie en -restorasie, lineêre versterking met nie-lineêre komponente en predistorsie. Hierdie tesis het ten doel om die distorsiekomponente wat by millimetergolffrekwensies in drywingsversterkers gevind word, te ondersoek en te karakteriseer en om te bepaal of ’n aanpassende predistorsielinearisasietegniek geskik is om hierdie distorsiekomponente te verminder. Na ’n deeglike literatuurstudie en wiskundige analise is gevind dat die derde-orde-intermodulasiedistorsiekomponente (IMD3) die ergste distorsiekomponente was. Predistorsie is geïdentifiseer as die mees effektiewe linearisasietegniek om hierdie IMD3-komponente te minimeer en die gebruik daarvan is gevolglik in hierdie navorsing voorgestel. Dit bring nie addisionele kompleksiteit mee nie en kan maklik met die drywingsversterker geïntegreer word. Daarbenewens is die benadering stabiel, met laer kragverbruik in vergelyking met die linearisasietegnieke wat voorheen genoem is. Die voorgestelde predistorsietegniek is in hierdie navorsing ontwikkel deur dit ’n funksie van die drywingsversterker se uitsetkrag te maak, wat gemeet is deur ’n kragdetektor te gebruik. ’n Vergelyker is saam met die gemete uitsetkrag en die verwysingspannings gebruik om die dinamiese voorspanningsbaan van die veranderlike winsversterker te beheer. Dit het toegelaat vir beheer en buigsaamheid in die aanwending van die predistorsie op die drywingsversterker en gevolglik vir die optimering van die lineêriteit van die drywingsversterker. Driefase- nie-lineêre en lineêre drywingsversterkers is ook by 60 GHz ontwerp en geïmplementeer om die werkverrigting van die aanpassende predistorsietegniek te vergelyk en dit vorm deel van die verifikasieproses van die hipotese. Die 130 nm-silikon-germanium (SiGe) bipolêre en metaaloksiedhalfgeleier- (BiCMOS) tegnologie van IBM is gebruik vir die simulasie van die hele aanpassende predistorsietegniek- en drywingsversterkerontwerp en vir die vervaardiging van die prototipe- geïntegreerde stroombane. Hierdie tegnologie het die voordeel dat dit die hoë werkverrigting en lae krag-intensiewe SiGe-heterovoegvlak-bipolêre transistors (HBTs) met die CMOS-tegnologie integreer. Die SiGe-HBTs het ’n hoë afsnyfrekwensie ( > 200 GHz), wat ideaal is vir mm-golfdrywingsversterkeraanwendings en die CMOS-komponente is in die beheer-logika van die digitale stroombaan geïntegreer. Die geïntegreerde stroombaan beslaan ’n area van 1.8 mm by 2.0 mm. Die nie-lineêre drywingsversterker behaal ’n van 11.97 dBm en ’n van -10 dBm. As die APD-tegniek toegepas word, word die lineariteit van die drywingsversterker beduidend verbeter tot ’n van -6 dBm en ’n optimum-IMD3-vermindering van 10 dB. Volgens die bevindings en resultate van die APD-tegniek wat toegepas is, verminder APD intermodulasiedistorsie (veral die IMD3) en is gevolglik geskik om die lineariteit van drywingsversterkers by mm-golffrekwensies te verbeter. Na die wete van hierdie skrywer is daar nie voorheen enige APD tegniek toegepas vir drywingsversterkers by 60 GHz nie, gevolglik sal die bydrae van hierdie navorsing toekomstige drywingsversterkerontwerpers help om die vermindering van die IMD3-komponente te karakteriseer en optimeer. Dit sal verbeterde lineêre uitsetkrag van die drywingsversterker tot gevolg hê, asook meer komplekse modulasieskemas by 60 GHz toelaat. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / PhD / unrestricted

Les éléments de poutres classiques (Euler-Bernoulli, Timoshenko, Vlassov…), sont tous basés sur certaines hypothèses simplificatrices, qui ont pour conséquence de fixer la forme de la cinématique de l'élément. Ceci revient à réduire un modèle ayant par définition une infinité de d.d.l., à un modèle avec un nombre fini de d.d.l.. Quel que soit donc le chargement auquel sera soumise la poutre, elle se déformera toujours selon la cinématique adoptée au départ. L'objectif de cette thèse est de s'affranchir des hypothèses inhérentes aux modèles de poutres classiques, pour développer un nouveau modèle de poutre enrichie, capable de représenter d'une manière précise les déformations globales aussi bien que locales. Ce type d'élément, permettra la représentation de la flexion transversale dans une poutre, de capturer des effets locaux, produits par exemple par un câble d'ancrage ou de précontrainte sur un tablier de pont, ou encore de traiter le traînage de cisaillement sur des poutres à grandes largeurs. Après un bref rappel de quelques théories de poutres classiques, on présentera dans les deux premiers articles, une nouvelle méthode pour la détermination de modes transversaux et de gauchissements, basée sur une analyse aux valeurs propres d'un modèle mécanique de la section pour l'obtention de la base des modes transversaux, et un procédé d'équilibre itératif pour la détermination de la base des modes de gauchissements. La cinématique ainsi définie, le PTV sera utilisé pour obtenir les équations d'équilibre de la poutre, pour ensuite en déduire la matrice de raideur à partir de leur solution analytique. Dans le troisième article, une nouvelle méthode est proposée pour l'obtention d'une cinématique plus appropriée, où les bases des modes transversaux et de gauchissements sont obtenues en fonction des chargements extérieurs. Cette méthode est basée sur l'application de la méthode des développements asymptotiques à la résolution des équations fortes décrivant l'équilibre d'une poutre / The available classical beam elements (such as Euler-Bernoulli, Timoshenko, Vlassov…), are all based on some hypothesis, that have the effect of defining the kinematic of the beam. This is equivalent to reducing a model with an infinity of d.o.f., to a model with a finite d.o.f.. Thus, for arbitrary loadings, the beam will always deform according to the adopted kinematics. The objective of this thesis, is to completely overcome all the hypothesis behind the classical beam models, to develop a new higher order beam model, able to represent precisely the global and local deformations. This kind of element will also allow the derivation of the transversal bending of the beam, to capture the local effects due to anchor or prestressing cables, or to treat the shear lag phenomenon in large width spans. After a brief review of some classical beam theories, we will develop in the two first articles a new method to obtain a basis for the transverse deformation and warping modes. The method is based on an eigenvalue analysis of a mechanical model of the cross section, to obtain the transverse deformation modes basis, and an iterative equilibrium scheme, to obtain the warping modes basis. The kinematic being defined, the virtual work principle will be used to derive the equilibrium equations of the beam, then the stiffness matrix will be assembled from their analytical solution. In the third article, a new method is proposed for the derivation of a more appropriate kinematic, where the transverse deformation and warping modes are obtained in function of the external loadings. The method is based on the application of the asymptotic expansion method to the strong form of the equilibrium equations describing the beam equilibrium

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Quiet earplug noise protectors worn by a group of South African industrial workers exposed to excessive noise in the workplace. This was achieved by investigating the prevalence and amplitudes of distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), as they have been found to be sensitive to the effects of noise on the cochlea (Vinck, Van Cauwenberge, Leroy,&Corthals, 1999, p. 52). DPOAEs were recorded before and after noise exposure and were compared in order to determine whether the earplugs are providing sufficient protection against cochlear damage. DPOAEs were recorded using a test protocol where the primaries are fixed at L1 = 60dB SPL and L2 = 35dB SPL (L1 - L2 = 25dB) with an f2/f1 ratio of 1.18. The f2 frequencies were selected to correspond closely to the audiometric test frequencies of 2000Hz, 3000Hz, 4000Hz, 6000Hz and 8000Hz. The study found the prevalence of DPOAEs to be statistically stable and repeatable. This was true for DPOAEs measured successively during the same test sitting, as well as comparing prevalence determined before and after exposure to eight hours of noise. DPOAE prevalence alone was therefore not found to be a good indication of the temporary threshold shift (TTS) associated with the effects of noise on the cochlea. However, a significant finding of the study was that normal DPOAEs were recorded in only six right ears (24%) and seven left ears (28%) before noise exposure, even though all the subjects presented with hearing thresholds better than 25dB SPL. This may mean that cochlear pathology is already evident in some of the subjects tested. Further results of the study showed DPOAE amplitudes to be sensitive to the negative effects of excessive noise, as there was a significant difference between DPOAE amplitudes measured before and after the noise exposure. DPOAE amplitudes, specifically in the frequencies that are known to be affected by noise such as 4000Hz and 6000Hz, measured after the work-shift were significantly smaller than those measured before exposure to noise. Although correct usage of the earplugs could not be controlled for the duration of the noise exposure, each subject was instructed on the correct usage of the hearing protection before entering the noise zone. Bearing this limitation of the study in mind, because DPOAE amplitudes were reduced the implication is that the Quiet earplugs are not providing sufficient protection against the harmful effects of noise. / Dissertation (M (Communication Pathology))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology / Unrestricted

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