La fragmentation d’enveloppes métalliques en expansion dynamique intéresse tant l’industrie civile que celle de la défense. Pour les deux domaines d’application, il s’agit de pouvoir prédire la taille et la vitesse des fragments, résultant de la destruction des enveloppes, afin de mesurer les conséquences que ceux-ci peuvent avoir sur des structures de sécurité. Les modèles de prédiction existants étudient le développement d’un défaut au sein du matériau et arrivent à déterminer une taille caractéristique des fragments. Néanmoins, ces modèles nécessitent une hypothèse dont la validité est remise en cause lorsque la vitesse de déformation est importante. Dans ce travail, nous proposons un nouveau modèle analytique pour des cylindres (sollicitation en traction plane) permettant de s’affranchir de cette hypothèse et d’étudier l’influence du défaut initial en suivant son évolution. Le modèle développé est comparé avec succès à des résultats issus de simulations numériques par éléments finis. Nos travaux permettent notamment de préciser les cadres d’application et de validité des approches classiques. Comme résultats majeurs, la nouvelle approche permet d’analyser les évolutions des perturbations aux faibles déformations mais aussi d’estimer le temps d’apparition des premières décharges élastiques, synonymes de strictions localisées. / This work deals with the fragmentation of dynamically expanding metal shells and covers a problem of interest for both civil and military industries. For both fields of application, it is crucial to predict the size and the speed of fragments, resulting from the destruction of shells in order to measure the consequences that it could have on structures. Current models study the growth of a defect within the material and are able to determine a characteristic size of fragments. Nevertheless, these models require a hypothesis whose validity is questionable when the rate of deformation is important. In this work, we propose a new analytical model for cylinders (equivalent to the dynamic extension of a plate) to overcome this hypothesis and study the influence of the initial defect by following its time evolution. The model is compared successfully with results performed with a finite element method. Our work notably expands the framework of classical linear stability analyses. As a major outcome, the proposed approach is able to track the evolution of a perturbation even for small plastic strain, when the flow may be stable. In addition it is shown that the present approach can predict accurately the time where the elastic unloading is observed in finite element simulations.

This thesis presents a discussion of design tools for analysing block stability around a tunnel. First, it was determined that joint length and field stress have a significant influence on estimating block stability. The results of calculations using methods based on kinematic limit equilibrium (KLE) were compared with the results of filtered DFN-DEM, which are closer to reality. The comparison shows that none of the KLE approaches– conventional, limited joint length, limited joint length with stress and probabilistic KLE – could provide results similar to DFN-DEM. This is due to KLE’s unrealistic assumptions in estimating either volume or clamping forces. A simple mechanism for estimating clamping forces such as continuum mechanics or the solution proposed by Crawford-Bray leads to an overestimation of clamping forces, and thus unsafe design. The results of such approaches were compared to those of DEM, and it was determined that these simple mechanisms ignore a key stage of relaxation of clamping forces due to joint existence. The amount of relaxation is a function of many parameters, such as stiffness of the joint and surrounding rock, the joint friction angle and the block half-apical angle. Based on a conceptual model, the key stage was considered in a new analytical solution for symmetric blocks, and the amount of joint relaxation was quantified. The results of the new analytical solution compared to those of DEM and the model uncertainty of the new solution were quantified. Further numerical investigations based on local and regional stress models were performed to study initial clamping forces. Numerical analyses reveal that local stresses, which are a product of regional stress and joint stiffness, govern block stability. Models with a block assembly show that the clamping forces in a block assembly are equal to the clamping forces in a regional stress model. Therefore, considering a single block in massive rock results in lower clamping forces and thus safer design compared to a block assembly in the same condition of in-situ stress and properties. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine which is  the most important parameter by assessing sensitivity factors and studying the applicability of the partial coefficient method for designing block stability. It was determined that the governing parameter is the dispersion of the half-apical angle. For a dip angle with a high dispersion, partial factors become very large and the design value for clamping forces is close to zero. This suggests that in cases with a high dispersion of the half-apical angle, the clamping forces could be ignored in a stability analysis, unlike in cases with a lower dispersion. The costs of gathering more information about the joint dip angle could be compared to the costs of overdesign. The use of partial factors is uncertain, at least without dividing the problem into sub-classes. The application of partial factors is possible in some circumstances but not always, and a FORM analysis is preferable. / QC 20111201

In this paper, we identify sufficient conditions for Lyapunov Mean Square Stability (LMSS) of a contention-based network of first-order systems, with state-based schedulers. The stability analysis helps us to choose policies for adapting the scheduler threshold to the delay from the network and scheduler. We show that three scheduling laws can result in LMSS: constant-probability laws and additively increasing or decreasing probability laws. Our results counter the notions that increasing probability scheduling laws alone can guarantee stability of the closed-loop system, or that decreasing probability scheduling laws are required to mitigate congestion in the network. / <p>QC 20130116</p>

Small signal stability has always been an important concern for analog designers. Recent advances such as the Loop Finder algorithm allows designers to detect and identify local, potentially unstable return loops without the need to identify and add breakpoints. However, this method suffers from extremely high time and memory complexity and thus cannot be scaled to very large analog circuits. In this research work, we first take an in-depth look at the loop finder algorithm so as to identify certain key enhancements that can be made to overcome these shortcomings. We next propose pole discovery and impedance computation methods that address these shortcomings by exploring only a certain region of interest in the s-plane. The reduced time and memory complexity obtained via the new methodology allows us to extend automatic stability checking to much larger circuits than was previously possible.

No description available.

Control of bulk melt crystal growth techniques is desirable for producing semiconductors with the highest purity and ternary alloys with tunable electrical properties. Because these molten materials are electrically conducting, external magnetic fields are often employed to regulate the flow in the melt. However, complicated by the coupled flow, thermal, electromagnetic and chemical physics, such magnetic control is typically empirical or even an educated guess. Two magnetic flow control mechanisms: flow damping by steady magnetic fields, and flow stirring by alternating magnetic fields, are investigated numerically. Magnetic damping during optically-heated float-zone crystal growth is modeled using a spectral collocation method. The Marangoni convection at the free melt-gas interface is suppressed by applying a steady magnetic field, measured by the Hartmann number Ha. Using normal mode linear stability analyses, suppression of detrimental flow instabilities is quantitatively determined in a range applicable to experiments (up to Ha = 300 for Pr = 0.02, and up to Ha = 500 for Pr = 0.001). The hydrodynamic flow instability for small Prandtl number P r float-zone is confirmed by energy analyses. Rotating magnetic field stirring during confined crystal growth in an ampoule is also modeled. Decoupled from the flow field at small magnetic Reynolds number, the electromagnetic field is solved in a finite element solver. At low AC frequencies, the force is only in the azimuthal direction but penetrates deep into the melt. In contrast, the magnetic shielding effect is observed at high alternating current (AC) frequencies, where the external magnetic field penetrates only by a skin depth into the electrically conducting media within the short AC cycle. As a result, the electromagnetic body force is primarily confined to the ampoule surface. At these high AC frequencies the magnetic flux lines are drastically distorted within the melt. The body force is fully three-dimensional and is much stronger than at low AC frequencies, but is confined to near the ampoule surface due to the magnetic shielding effect. These models promote fundamental understanding of flow dynamics regulated by electromagnetic body forces. They provide quantitative guidance for crystal growth to minimize trial and error experimentation that is slow and expensive.

Linearized stability analysis methodologies, system identification algorithms and optimal control approaches that are applicable to large scale, flexible multibody dynamic systems are presented in this thesis. For stability analysis, two classes of closely related algorithms based on a partial Floquet approach and on an autoregressive approach, respectively, are presented in a common framework that underlines their similarity and their relationship to other methods. The robustness of the proposed approach is improved by using optimized signals that are derived from the proper orthogonal modes of the system. Finally, a signal synthesis procedure based on the identified frequencies and damping rates is shown to be an important tool for assessing the accuracy of the identified parameters; furthermore, it provides a means of resolving the frequency indeterminacy associated with the eigenvalues of the transition matrix for periodic systems. For system identification, a robust algorithm is developed to construct subspace plant models. This algorithm uniquely combines the methods of minimum realization and subspace identification. It bypasses the computation of Markov parameters because the free impulse response of the system can be directly computed in the present computational environment. Minimum realization concepts were applied to identify the stability and output matrices. On the other hand, subspace identification algorithms construct a state space plant model of linear system by using computationally expensive oblique matrix projection operations. The proposed algorithm avoids this burden by computing the Kalman filter gain matrix and model dependency on external inputs in a small sized subspace. Balanced model truncation and similarity transformation form the theoretical foundation of proposed algorithm. Finally, a forward innovation model is constructed and estimates the input-output behavior of the system within a specified level of accuracy. The proposed system identification algorithms are computationally inexpensive and consist of purely post processing steps that can be used with any multi-physics computational tool or with experimental data. Optimal control methodologies that are applicable to comprehensive large-scale flexible multibody systems are presented. A classical linear quadratic Gaussian controller is designed, including subspace plant identification, the evaluation of linear quadratic regulator feedback gain and Kalman filter gain matrices and online control implementation.

The objective of this thesis is to investigate the transient response and optimal economic dispatch of an isolated power system with wind generators. Different types of wind turbines and the classification of Stability are introduced. Then, the process of Transient stability analysis and the concept of Genetic Algorithms are given for explanation. In this thesis, the practical power system of Kinmen is selected for case study. The disturbances introduced by gusting wind and N-1 system contingency are considered in the transient stability analysis. Furthermore, in order to obtain both accuracy and feasibility of the Optimal power dispatch by using Real-parameter Genetic Algorithms, the simulation results should be tested for the restrictions and requirements of the actual operation.

For linear system Ax = b, the traditional condition number is the worst case for all b¡¦s and often overestimated in many problems. For a specific b, the effective condition number is a better upper bound for the relative error of x. But, it is also possible that this effective condition number is overestimated. In this thesis, we study the true ratio of the relative error of x to the relative perturbation of b, called the true condition number. We obtain several new upper bounds and estimates for true condition number. We also explore to change the system to an equivalent one by shifting b to minimize its effective condition number. Finally we apply all our results to functional approximation.

Thermoacoustic tomography (TAT) is a newly emerging modality in biomedical imaging. It combines the good contrast of electromagnetic and good resolution of ultrasound imaging. The mathematical model of TAT is the observability problem for the wave equation: one observes the data on a hyper-surface and reconstructs the initial perturbation. In this dissertation, we consider several mathematical problems of TAT. The first problem is the inversion formulas. We provide a family of closed form inversion formulas to reconstruct the initial perturbation from the observed data. The second problem is the range description. We present the range description of the spherical mean Radon transform, which is an important transform in TAT. The next problem is the stability analysis for TAT. We prove that the reconstruction of the initial perturbation from observed data is not H¨older stable if some observability condition is violated. The last problem is the speed determination. The question is whether the observed data uniquely determines the ultrasound speed and initial perturbation. We provide some initial results on this issue. They include the unique determination of the unknown constant speed, a weak local uniqueness, a characterization of the non-uniqueness, and a characterization of the kernel of the linearized operator.