Applications today are generally deployed in public cloud environments such as Azure, AWS etc. Mobile edge computing (MEC) enables these applications to be relocated to edge nodes which are located in close proximity to the end user, thereby allowing the application to serve the user at lower latency. However, these edge nodes have limited capacity and hence a problem arises of when to relocate an application to an edge. This thesis project attempts to tackle the problem of detecting when an application’s quality of experience is degraded, and how to use this information in order to generate candidates for relocation to edge nodes. The assumption for this thesis project is there is no insight to the application itself, meaning the applications are treated as blackboxes. To detect quality of experience degradation we chose to capture network packets and inspect protocol-level information. We chose WebRTC and HTTP as communication protocols because they were the most common protocols used by the target environment. We developed two application prototypes. The first prototype was a rudimentary server based on HTTP and the second prototype was a video streaming application based on WebRTC. The prototypes were used to study the possibility of breaking down latency components and obtaining quality of service parameters. We then developed a recommendation engine to use this information in order to generate relocation candidates. The recommendation engine was evaluated by placing the WebRTC prototype under quality of experience affecting scenarios and measuring the time taken to generate a relocation candidate of the application. The result of this project show it is possible in some cases to break down latency components for HTTP based applications. However, for WebRTC based applications our approach was not sufficient enough to break down latency components. Instead, we had to rely on quality of service parameters to generate relocation candidates. Based on the outcomes of the project, we conclude detecting quality of experience degradation for blackbox applications have three generalizations. Firstly, the underlying transport and communication protocol has an impact on available approaches and obtainable information. Secondly, the implementation of the communication protocol also has an impact on obtainable information. Lastly, the underlying infrastructure can matter for the approaches used in this project. / Applikationer idag produktionssätts allmänhet i offentliga molntjänster som Azure, AWS etc. Mobile edge computing (MEC) gör att dessa applikationer kan flyttas till gränsnoder som är placerade i närheten av slutanvändaren, vilket gör att applikationen kan erbjuda användaren lägre latens. Dessa gränsnoder har emellertid begränsad kapacitet och därför uppstår ett problem om när en applikation ska flyttas till en gränsnod. Detta examensarbete försöker ta itu med problemet med att upptäcka när en applikations upplevelsekvalitet försämras, och hur man använder denna information för att generera kandidater för omlokalisering till gränsnoder. Antagandet för detta examensarbete är att det inte finns någon insikt i själva applikationen, vilket innebär att applikationer behandlas som svarta lådor. För att upptäcka försämring av upplevelsekvalitet valde vi att fånga nätverkspaket och inspektera information på protokollnivå. Vi valde WebRTC och HTTP som kommunikationsprotokoll eftersom de var de vanligaste protokollen som användes i målmiljön. Vi utvecklade två applikationsprototyper. Den första prototypen var en rudimentär server baserad på HTTPoch den andra prototypen var en videoströmningsapplikation baserad på WebRTC. Prototyperna användes för att studera möjligheten att bryta ned latenskomponenter och erhålla tjänstekvalitetsparametrar. Vi utvecklade sedan en rekommendationsmotor för att använda denna information till att generera omplaceringskandidater. Rekommendationsmotorn utvärderades genom att placera WebRTC-prototypen under scenarion som påverkar upplevelsekvaliten, och sedan mäta tiden det tog att generera en omlokaliseringskandidat av applikationen. Resultatet av detta projekt visar att det i vissa fall är möjligt att bryta ned latenskomponenter för HTTP-baserade applikationer. Dock för WebRTCbaserade applikationer var vårt tillvägagångssätt inte tillräckligt för att bryta ned latenskomponenter. Istället var vi tvungna att förlita oss på kvalitetsparametrar för tjänsten för att generera omlokaliseringskandidater. Baserat på resultaten av projektet drar vi slutsatsen att upptäcka kvalitetsförsämring av erfarenheter för blackbox-applikationer har tre generaliseringar. För det första har det underliggande transport- och kommunikationsprotokollet en inverkan på tillgängliga tillvägagångssätt och tillgänglig information. För det andra har implementeringen av kommunikationsprotokollet också en inverkan på tillgänglig information. Slutligen kan den underliggande infrastrukturen ha betydelse för de tillvägagångssätt som används i detta projekt.

The main focus of this paper is the evolution of complex behavior in a system of coupled nonlinear memristor circuits depending on the applied coupling conditions. Thereby, the parameter space for the local activity and the edge-of-chaos domain will be determined to enable the emergence of the pattern formation in locally coupled cells according to Chua's principle. Each cell includes a Niobium oxide-based memristor, which may feature a locally active behavior once it is suitably biased on the negative differential resistance region of its DC current-voltage characteristic. It will be shown that there exists a domain of parameters under which each uncoupled cell may become locally active around a stable bias state. More specifically, under these conditions, the coupled cells are on the edge-of-chaos, and can support the static and dynamic pattern formation. The emergence of such complex spatio-temporal behavior in homogeneous structures is a prerequisite for information processing. The theoretical results are confirmed by

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Large air‐cooled heat exchangers and condensers make use of fan arrays to provide cooling. The performance of the fan arrays are however negatively affected by distorted inlet conditions. Given the size of these fans, quantifying exactly what the detrimental effects are is practically impossible. This serves as motivation for developing a scaled multi‐fan testing platform that is able to mimic the behaviour of a full‐scale array but at a more measureable and manageable scale. This investigation was conducted in two parts. A Reynolds number investigation was conducted to determine what effect incorporating Reynolds number effects will have on the scaled fan performance. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to determine where turbulent transition onset occurs on the full‐scale fan blades and trip wires were then sized and positioned appropriately to recreate the same transition effect. From this initial investigation it was found that the trip wires have an allround negative impact on fan performance but when compensated for by increasing the blade angle, the tripped fan static pressure rise performance is comparable with the non‐tripped fan performance. This suggests that the Reynolds number effects may be ignored for this scaled fan testing investigation. Scaled equivalents of the fans in cooling arrays were tested in a three row multi‐fan array which, using symmetry, represents a typical bay in a full‐scale installation. Various platform heights were simulated and the corresponding decrease in system performance was compared to a model formulated to predict how fan volumetric effectiveness decreases with platform height. The model deviated from the test data at very low platforms heights. A replacement fan for the scaled equivalent fan was tested while installed as the edge fan of a multi‐fan array, the fan worst affected by any inlet disturbance, and was found to perform similarly to the scaled equivalent fan for most platform heights but exceeded the scaled equivalent fan’s performance for the lowest platform height and the most adverse conditions. This proves the effectiveness of the replacement fan as an edge fan. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Groot lugverkoelde warmteruilers maak gebruik van waaier matrikse om verkoeling te voorsien. Die verrigting van die waaieropstelling word egter negatief beïnvloed deur versteurde inlaattoestande. Gegewe die grootte van hierdie waaiers is daar geen praktiese metode om die nadelige invloed van die versteurde inlaattoestande te kwantifiseer nie. Hierdie dien as motivering vir die ontwikkeling van ‘n multi‐waaier toetsplatform wat daartoe in staat is om die gedrag van die volskaal opstelling na te boots maar op ‘n baie meer meetbare en hanteerbare skaal. Hierdie ondersoek was uitgevoer in twee dele. ‘n Reynoldsgetal ondersoek was uitgevoer om te bepaal watter impak dit sal hê op die skaalwaaier verrigting indien die Reynolds getaleffekte ingesluit word in die toetswerk. Berekende vloeidinamka (BVD) was gebruik om te bepaal waar turbulente oorgang voorkom op die volskaal waaierlemme en pooitjiedrade was geselekteer en geposisioneer hiervolgens om dieselfde oorgang te herskep. Vanuit hierdie aanvanklike ondersoek was dit gevind dat die pooitjiedrade ‘n algehele afname in verrigting tot gevolg het, maar wanneer dit oorkom word deur die lemhoek op te stel, die gedrag en verrigting van die gepooitjiede waaier soortgelyk is aan die van die nie‐gepooitjiede waaier. Hierdie gedrag stel voor dat die Reynoldsgetalle maar geïgnoreer kan word vir hierdie skaalwaaier toetswerk. Gelykwaardige skaalwaaiers van die wat in bedryf is in volskaal opstellings was getoets in ‘n drie ry multi‐waaier opstelling wat, deur simmetrie, verteenwordigend is van ‘n tipiese straat in ‘n volskaal opstelling. Verskeie platformhoogtes was gesimuleer en die ooreenstemmende afname in stelsel verrigting was vergelyk met ‘n model wat geformuleer is juis om te voorspel hoe die volumetriese effektiwiteit afneem met platformhoogte. Die model wyk af van die toetsdata by baie lae platform hoogtes. ‘n Vervangingswaaier vir die aanvanklike geskalleerde waaier was getoets as ‘n randwaaier, die waaier wat die ergste benadeel word deur versteurde inlaattoetstande, in die multi‐waaier opstelling. Die vervangingswaaier het soortgelyk aan die aanvanklike waaier verrig vir meeste platformhoogtes, maar oortref die aanvanklike waaier se werksverrigting by die laagste platformhoogte en mees ongunstige toestande. Hierdie bewys die vermoëns van die vervangingswaaier as ‘n randwaaier.

Within the timber industry the processing of sawn wood boards must be done in the right way to ensure that the product fulfills the requirements. Correct processing is crucial for wooden structures consisting of these will live up to their expectations. How the mounting of the board in wooden structures is performed to obtain satisfactory results is depending on how it is physically cupped. Due to this a curvature measuring device is used in the timber industry to detect how a sawn board is physically cupped. After detection, a proper processing can be performed to give a satisfactory product. The Swedish company Nolyx AB currently uses a curvature measuring device consisting of a smart camera with the task of taking a digital picture of the board end grain to determine its cupping. The smart camera currently has deficiencies that this work will investigate. The deficiencies are that the smart camera’s processing of images with certain properties do not give satisfactory results. The algorithms lack the robustness needed to cope with the variations of the item that might arise in the process. The desire of this study is that the smart cameras correctness in terms of variations in the object will increase, leading to financial gains for the company Nolyx AB and increased utilization of raw material for their customers. The result of this work is an algorithm that incrementally extracts and identifies the growth rings in the end grain of the board. The correctness of the image processing in this study is 82%, which is 22% higher compared to the smart camera. / Inom träindustrin måste bearbetning av sågade träbrädor ske på rätt sätt för att produkten skall uppfylla kraven. En korrekt bearbetning är avgörande för att träkonstruktioner bestående av dessa ska leva upp till sina förväntningar. Hur monteringen av brädan vid byggnation av träkonstruktioner utförs för att erhålla tillfredställande resultat beror på hur den fysiskt är kupad. På grund av detta används kupmätare inom träindustrin för att detektera brädans fysiska kupning. Efter detektering kan en korrekt bearbetning utföras vilket ger en tillfredsställande produkt. Företaget Nolyx AB använder idag en kupmätare som består av en smartkamera vars uppgift är att ta en digital bild av brädans ändträ för att avgöra dess kupning. Kupmätaren har idag brister som detta arbete skall angripa. Nämligen att smartkamerans behandling av bilder med vissa egenskaper inte ger tillfredsställande resultat. Algoritmerna saknar den robusthet som krävs för att klara de variationer på objektet som kan uppkomma i processen. Önskan med denna studie är att smartkamerans felfrihet vad gäller variationer i objektet ska öka, vilket leder till ekonomiska vinster för företaget Nolyx AB och ökat utnyttjande av råvaran för sina kunder. Resultatet av det här arbetet är en algoritm som stegvis extraherar och identifierar årsringarnas struktur. Felfriheten för bildbehandlingen i denna studie är 82 % vilket är 22 % högre jämfört med smartkameran.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study presents an outcrop characterisation and modelling of the excellently exposed Permian Kookfontein Formation of the Ecca Group in the Tanqua-Karoo sub-Basin. The sedimentary modelling (i.e. facies architecture and geometry) and petrophysical characterisation followed a hierarchical and deterministic approach. Quantitative outcrop data were based on the thirteen sedimentary cycles that characterise this stratigraphic succession at the Pienaarsfontein se Berg locality; and these data were analysed using a combination of detailed sedimentary log, gamma ray log and photopanel analysis, as well as petrographic thin-section and grain size-based petrophysical analysis. Based on texture and sedimentary structures, twelve depofacies are recognised which are broadly grouped into four lithofacies associations i.e. sandstone facies, heterolithic facies, mudstone facies and soft-sediment deformation facies; these depofacies and lithofacies form the basic building blocks for the flooding surface-bounded facies succession (i.e. cycle). Also, based on sediment stacking and cycle thickness patterns as well as relative position to the shelf break, the succession is sub-divided into: (1) the lower Kookfontein member (i.e. cycles 1 to 5) exhibiting overall upward thickening and coarsening succession with progradational stacking pattern; representing deposition of mid-slope to top-slope/shelf-margin succession, and (2) the upper Kookfontein member (i.e. cycles 6 to 13) exhibiting overall upward thickening and coarsening succession with aggradational stacking pattern; representing deposition of top-slope/shelf-margin to outer shelf succession. Lateral juxtaposition of observed vertical facies variations across each cycle in an inferably basinwards direction exhibits upward change in features, i.e. decrease in gravity effects, increase in waves and decrease in slope gradient of subsequent cycles. This systematic upward transition in features, grading vertically from distal to proximal, with an overall upward thickening and coarsening progradational to aggradational stacking pattern indicates a normal regressive prograding delta. However, in detail, cycles 1-3 show some anomalies from a purely thickening and coarsening upward succession. Deposition of each cycle is believed to result from: (1) primary deposition by periodic and probably sporadic mouthbar events governed by stream flow dynamics, and (2) secondary remobilisation of sediments under gravity. The facies distribution, architecture and geometry which governs the sedimentary heterogeneity within the deltaic succession is therefore mainly a consequence of the series of mouthbar flooding events governed by sediment supply and base-level changes. These series of flooding events resulted in the delineation of the studied stratigraphic interval into two main parasequence sets, i.e. transgressive sequence set and the overlying regressive sequence set. This delineation was aided through the identification of a maximum flooding surface (i.e. maximum landwards shift in facies) above Cycle 3 in the field. The architecture and geometry of the ensuing deposystem is interpreted to have been a river-dominated, gravitationally reworked and waveinfluenced shelf edge Gilbert-type delta. Widespread distribution of soft-sediment deformation structures, their growth-style and morphology within the studied succession are empirically related to progradation of Gilbert-type mouthbars over the shelf break as well as the slope gradients of the Kookfontein deltaic clinoformal geometry. Analysis of hypothetical facies stacking and geometrical models suggests that the Kookfontein sedimentary cyclicity might not be accommodation-driven but rather sediment supply-driven. The workflow employed for petrophysical evaluation reveals that the distribution of reservoir properties within the Kookfontein deltaic sandbody geometries is strongly influenced both by depositional processes and by diagenetic factors, the latter being more important with increased burial depth. The reservoir quality of the studied sandstones decreases from proximal mouthbar sands, intermediate delta front to distal delta front facies. The major diagenetic factors influencing the reservoir quality of the studied sandstones are mechanical compaction, chemical compaction (pressure solution) and authigenic pore-filling cements (quartz cement, feldspar alteration and replacement, calcite cement, chlorite and illite). Mechanical compaction was a significant porosity reducing agent while cementation by authigenic quartz and clay minerals (i.e. illite and chlorite) might play a major role in permeability distribution. The porosity-permeability relationship trends obtained for the studied sandstones show that there is a linear relationship between porosity and permeability. The relative timing of diagenetic events as well as the percentages of porosity reduction by compaction and cementation indicates that compaction is much more responsible for porosity reduction than cementation. The described internal heterogeneity in this work is below the resolution (i.e. mm-scale) of most conventional well-logs, and therefore could supplement well-log data especially where there is no borehole image and core data. The combination of ‗descriptive‘ facies model and schematic geological model for this specific delta, and petrophysical characterisation make the results of this study applicable to any other similar ancient deposystem and particularly subsurface reservoir analogue. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bied ‘n dagsoomkarakterisering en -modellering van die duidelik blootgelegde Permiese Kookfontein-formasie van die Ecca-groep in die Tankwa-Karoo-subkom. Wat die sedimentêre modellering (d.w.s. fasiesargitektuur en -geometrie) en petrofisiese karakterisering betref is ‘n hiërargiese en deterministiese benadering gevolg. Kwantitatiewe dagsoomdata is gebaseer op dertien sedimentêre siklusse wat hierdie stratigrafiese opeenvolging in die Pienaarsfontein se Berg-lokaliteit kenmerk; en die data is geanaliseer met behulp van ‘n kombinasie van gedetailleerde sedimentêre seksie, gammastraal-profiel en fotopaneelanalises, asook petrografiese slypplaatjie- en korrelgrootte-gebaseerde petrofisiese analises. Op grond van tekstuur en sedimentêre strukture is twaalf afsettingsfasies onderskei wat rofweg in vier assosiasies van litofasies gegroepeer kan word: sandsteenfasies, heterolitiese fasies, moddersteenfasies en sagtesediment-deformasiefasies. Hierdie afsettingsfasies en litofasies vorm die basiese boustene vir die fasiesopeenvolging (d.w.s. siklus) wat oorstromingsoppervlakgebonde is. Verder word die opeenvolging aan die hand van sedimentstapeling en skilusdiktepatrone, asook relatiewe posisie tot die rakbreuk, in die volgende onderverdeel: (1) die benede-Kookfontein-deel (d.w.s. siklus 1 tot 5), wat in die geheel ‘n opwaartse verdikkings- en vergrowwingsopeenvolging met ‘n progradasiestapelpatroon vertoon en die afsetting van middelhelling-tot-boonstehelling- of rakrand-opeenvolging verteenwoordig, en (2) die benede-Kookfontein-deel (d.w.s. siklus 6 tot 13) wat in die geheel ‘n opwaartse verdikkings- en vergrowwingsopeenvolging met ‘n aggradasiestapelpatroon vertoon en die afsetting van boonste helling- of rakrand-tot-buiterakopeenvolging verteenwoordig. Die laterale jukstaposisie van waargenome vertikale fasiesvariasies oor elke siklus heen, in ‘n afleibare komwaartse rigting, vertoon opwaartse verandering wat kenmerke betref, naamlik afname in gravitasiegevolge, toename in golwe en afname in die hellinggradiënt van daaropvolgende siklusse. Hierdie stelselmatige opwaartse oorgang van kenmerke, wat vertikaal van distaal tot proksimaal gradiënteer en in die geheel opwaartse verdikking en vergrowwing in ‘n progradasie-tot-aggradasie-stapelpatroon vertoon, dui op ‘n normale regressiewe progradasiedelta. Van naby beskou, vertoon siklus 1-3 egter bepaalde afwykings van ‘n suiwer opwaartse verdikkings- en vergrowwingsopeenvolging. Die afsettings van elke siklus is vermoedelik die gevolg van: (1) primêre afsetting deur periodieke en waarskynlik sporadiese mondversperringsgebeure wat deur stroomvloeidinamika beheer word, en (2) sekondêre hermobilisering van sedimente deur gravitasie. Die fasiesverspreiding, -argitektuur en -geometrie wat die sedimentêre heterogeniteit in die deltaïese opeenvolging beheer, is dus hoofsaaklik ‘n gevolg van die reeks oorstromingsgebeure by die mondversperring, wat deur sedimentvoorsiening en basisvlakveranderings beheer word. Hierdie reeks oorstromingsgebeure het gelei tot die delineasie van die bestudeerde stratigrafiese interval volgens twee hoofparasekwensie stelle, naamlik die transgressiewe opeenvolgings- en die oordekkende, regressiewe opeenvolgingsgroep. Dié delineasie word ondersteun deur die feit dat ‘n maksimum oorstromingsoppervlak (d.w.s. maksimum landwaartse verskuiwing in fasies) bo siklus 3 in die veld uitgeken is. Die argitektuur en geometrie van die daaropvolgende afsettingstelsel word geïnterpreteer as behorende tot ‘n Gilbert-rakranddelta wat deur ‘n rivier gedomineer, deur gravitasie herbewerk en deur golfwerking beïnvloed is. Die wye verspreiding van sagtesediment-deformasiestrukture, en die groeiwyse en morfologie daarvan binne die bestudeerde opeenvolging, is empiries verwant aan die progradasie van Gilbertmondversperrings oor die rakbreuk heen, asook aan die hellinggradiënte van die Kookfontein-deltaïese, klinoformele geometrie. Die analise van hipotetiese fasiesstapeling en geometriese modelle dui daarop dat die Kookfontein-sedimentêre siklisiteit dalk nie deur akkommodasieruimte gedryf word nie, maar deur sedimentvoorsiening. Die werkvloei wat vir petrofisiese evaluering gebruik is dui daarop dat die verspreiding van reservoir-eienskappe in die Kookfontein- deltaïese sandliggaam geometries sterk beïnvloed word deur afsettingsprosesse en diagenetiese faktore. Die diagenetiese faktore word belangriker op groter begrawing diepte. Die reservoir-aard van die bestudeerde sandgesteentes neem algaande af van proksimale mondversperring-sandsoorte tot intermediêre deltafront tot distale deltafrontfasies. Die hoof-diagenetiese faktore wat die reservoir-kenmerke van die bestudeerde sandsteensoorte beïnvloed is meganiese verdigting, chemiese verdigting (oplossingsdruk) en outigeniese porievullingsement (kwartssement, veldspaatomsetting en -vervanging, kalsietsement, chloriet en illiet). Meganiese verdigting is ‘n beduidende poreusheidreduseermiddel, terwyl sementering deur outigeniese kwarts- en kleiminerale (d.w.s. illiet en chloriet) moontlik ‘n belangrike rol by permeabiliteitsverspreiding kan speel. Die poreusheid-permeabiliteit-verhoudingstendense wat bekom is vir die bestudeerde sandsteensoorte dui daarop dat daar ‘n lineêre verhouding tussen poreusheid en permeabiliteit bestaan. Die relatiewe tydberekening van diagenetiese gebeure, asook die persentasie poreusheidvermindering deur verdigting en sementering, dui daarop dat verdigting baie meer as sementering tot poreusheidvermindering bydra. Die interne heterogeniteit wat in hierdie werk beskryf word, is onder die resolusie (d.w.s. mm-skaal) van die meeste konvensionele boorgatopnames, en kan dus boorgatopnamedata aanvul, veral waar daar geen boorgatafbeelding en kerndata bestaan nie. Die kombinasie van die 'deskriptiewe‘ fasiesmodel en skematiese geologiese model vir hierdie spesifieke delta, asook petrofisiese karakterisering, beteken dat die resultate van hierdie studie op enige ander soortgelyke antieke afsettingstelsels toegepas kan word, maar veral op suboppervlakreservoir-analoogstelsels.

In this study, the cooling of a simulated blade under increasing pitch between holes was examined. The change in non-dimensional surface temperature, phi, was measured experimentally to quantify this performance loss. This critical quantification of the sensitivity of cooling to pitch between holes has not been studied previously. A range of blowing ratios and angles of attack were tested. Data are presented in terms of the laterally averaged phi, and in terms of the minimum phi, arguably more important from a design perspective. Increasing the pitch 13% produced no measureable change using either parameter. An increase of 26% in pitch produced only a 4% loss in lateral averages, while some hot points dropped by 10%. These small changes are due to compensating effects of increased internal and through-hole convective cooling. A limit to these effects was shown when increasing pitch 53%. While performance loss in the average was still relatively small at 15%, the minimum phi decreased by 27%. Heat flux gauges were used to gather data on the internal and external surface. The internal impingement used in this study represents a more accurate representation of internal cooling for an actual engine part than has been previously studied, providing a starting point for exploring the differences between engine configurations and those generally investigated in the literature. External heat flux measurements were used to measure the ratio of heat flux with and without film cooling. These results call into question the use of the net heat flux reduction parameter, which is commonly used to quantify overall film cooling performance. / text

In this thesis, we focus on the following topics: supereulerian graphs, hamiltonian line graphs, fault-tolerant Hamiltonian laceability of Cayley graphs generated by transposition trees, and several extremal problems on the (minimum and/or maximum) size of graphs under a given graph property. The thesis includes six chapters. The first one is to introduce definitions and summary the main results of the thesis, and in the last chapter we introduce the furture research of the thesis. The main studies in Chapters 2 - 5 are as follows. In Chapter 2, we explore conditions for a graph to be supereulerian.In Section 1 of Chapter 2, we characterize the graphs with minimum degree at least 2 and matching number at most 3. By using the characterization, we strengthen the result in [93] and we also address a conjecture in the paper.In Section 2 of Chapter 2, we prove that if $d(x)+d(y)\geq n-1-p(n)$ for any edge $xy\in E(G)$, then $G$ is collapsible except for several special graphs, where $p(n)=0$ for $n$ even and $p(n)=1$ for $n$ odd. As a corollary, a characterization for graphs satisfying $d(x)+d(y)\geq n-1-p(n)$ for any edge $xy\in E(G)$ to be supereulerian is obtained. This result extends the result in [21].In Section 3 of Chapter 2, we focus on a conjecture posed by Chen and Lai [Conjecture~8.6 of [33]] that every 3-edge connected and essentially 6-edge connected graph is collapsible. We find a kind of sufficient conditions for a 3-edge connected graph to be collapsible.In Chapter 3, we mainly consider the hamiltonicity of 3-connected line graphs.In the first section of Chapter 3, we give several conditions for a line graph to be hamiltonian, especially we show that every 3-connected, essentially 11-connected line graph is hamilton- connected which strengthens the result in [91].In the second section of Chapter 3, we show that every 3-connected, essentially 10-connected line graph is hamiltonian-connected.In the third section of Chapter 3, we show that 3-connected, essentially 4-connected line graph of a graph with at most 9 vertices of degree 3 is hamiltonian. Moreover, if $G$ has 10 vertices of degree 3 and its line graph is not hamiltonian, then $G$ can be contractible to the Petersen graph.In Chapter 4, we consider edge fault-tolerant hamiltonicity of Cayley graphs generated by transposition trees. We first show that for any $F\subseteq E(Cay(B:S_{n}))$, if $|F|\leq n-3$ and $n\geq4$, then there exists a hamiltonian path in $Cay(B:S_{n})-F$ between every pair of vertices which are in different partite sets. Furthermore, we strengthen the above result in the second section by showing that $Cay(S_n,B)-F$ is bipancyclic if $Cay(S_n,B)$ is not a star graph, $n\geq4$ and $|F|\leq n-3$.In Chapter 5, we consider several extremal problems on the size of graphs.In Section 1 of Chapter 5, we bounds the size of the subgraph induced by $m$ vertices of hypercubes. We show that a subgraph induced by $m$ (denote $m$ by $\sum\limits_{i=0}^ {s}2^{t_i}$, $t_0=[\log_2m]$ and $t_i= [\log_2({m-\sum\limits_{r=0}^{i-1}2 ^{t_r}})]$ for $i\geq1$) vertices of an $n$-cube (hypercube) has at most $\sum\limits_{i=0}^{s}t_i2^{t_i-1} +\sum\limits_{i=0}^{s} i\cdot2^{t_i}$ edges. As its applications, we determine the $m$-extra edge-connectivity of hypercubes for $m\leq2^{[\frac{n}2]}$ and $g$-extra edge-connectivity of the folded hypercube for $g\leq n$.In Section 2 of Chapter 5, we partially study the minimum size of graphs with a given minimum degree and a given edge degree. As an application, we characterize some kinds of minimumrestricted edge connected graphs.In Section 3 of Chapter 5, we consider the minimum size of graphs satisfying Ore-condition.

Šiame darbe aprašytas automobilio numerio identifikavimo uždavinys, šio uždavinio skaidymas į smulkesnes užduotis, tokias kaip numerio lokalizavimas nuotraukoje, numerio suskaidymas į atskirus simbolius, bei rastų simbolių identifikavimas. Kiekvienai šiai užduočiai realizuota po du algoritmus. Numerio lokalizavimo algoritmai remiasi kontūrų išskyrimu ir spalvų intensyvumu, bei morfologinėmis operacijomis nuotraukoje. Surasto numerio skaidymo į simbolius algoritmai remiasi statistiniu pasiskirstymu bei objektų išskyrimu. Simboliams atpažinti panaudota koreliacijos skaičiavimas tarp šablonų ir atpažįstamojo simbolio, bei dirbtinis neuroninis tinklas. Taip pat apžvelgta šiuo metu pasaulyje naudojamas technologijas ir algoritmai, sprendžiantys šį uždavinį bei palyginti rezultatai su savais. / This paper describes the task of vehicle number identification. It is further divided into smaller tasks, such as the localization of the number in the picture, the splitting of the number into individual symbols and the identification of the located symbols. Two algorithms were allocated for each task. The number localization algorithm is based on the exclusion of the contours, colour intensity and morphological operations in the picture. The algorithms used to divide the symbols of the identified number are based on the statistical distribution and object separation. Correlation calculation is used between the templates, identifiable symbol and artificial neural network. Moreover, the paper discusses the technologies and algorithms currently used across the world when dealing with such task, and compares it with the results of this paper.

In the thesis explicit dual parabolic-elliptic models are constructed for the Konenkov flexural edge wave and the Stoneley-type flexural interfacial wave in case of thin linearly elastic plates. These waves do not appear in an explicit form in the original equations of motion within the framework of the classical Kirchhoff plate theory. The thesis is aimed to highlight the contribution of the edge and interfacial waves into the overall displacement field by deriving specialised equations oriented to aforementioned waves only. The proposed models consist of a parabolic equation governing the wave propagation along a plate edge or plate junction along with an elliptic equation over the interior describing decay in depth. In this case the parabolicity of the one-dimensional edge and interfacial equations supports flexural wave dispersion. The methodology presented in the thesis reveals a dual nature of edge and interfacial plate waves contrasting them to bulk-type wave propagating in thin elastic structures. The thesis tackles a number of important examples of the edge and interfacial wave propagation. First, it addresses the propagation of Konenkov flexural wave in an elastic isotropic plate under prescribed edge loading. For the latter, parabolic-elliptic explicit models were constructed and thoroughly investigated. A similar problem for a semi-infinite orthotropic plate resulted in a more general dual parabolic-elliptic model. Finally, an anal- ogous model was derived and analysed for two isotropic semi-infinite Kirchhoff plates under perfect contact conditions.

In this thesis the experimental results of seven full-scale glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforced concrete (RC) slab-column edge connections are presented. The dimensions of the slabs were 2,800×1,550×200 mm with a square column measuring 300×300×2,200 mm. The test connections were divided into two series. Series I included three connections investigating the effect of flexural reinforcement ratio (0.90, 1.35 and 1.80%) when high strength concrete (HSC) is used, while Series II included four connections investigating the effect of GFRP shear reinforcement type and pattern on normal strength concrete (NSC) connections. Test results showed that increasing the reinforcement ratio increased the punching capacity and the post-cracking stiffness of the HSC connections. Furthermore, the use of headed studs and corrugated bars increased the punching capacity and the deformability of the NSC connections. Test results were compared to the predictions of the Canadian and American design provisions for FRP-RC structures. / February 2017