This research examines different techniques and proposes a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model as a robust tool for flow characterization of load leveling valves. The load leveling valve is a critical component of an air suspension system since it manages air spring pressure, a key function that directly impacts vehicle dynamic performance in addition to maintaining a static ride height. Efficiency of operation of a load leveling valve is established by its flow characteristics, a metric useful in determining suitability of the valve for application in a truck-suspension configuration and for comparison among similar products. The disk-slot type load leveling valve was chosen as the subject of this study due to its popularity in the heavy truck industry. Three distinct methods are presented to model and evaluate flow characteristics of a disk-slot valve. First is a theoretical formulation based on gas dynamic behavior through an orifice; second is an experimental technique in which a full pneumatic apparatus is used to collect instantaneous pressure data to estimate air discharge; and third is a CFD approach. Significant discrepancies observed between theoretically estimated results and experimental data suggest that the theoretical model is incapable of accurately capturing losses that occur during air flow. These variations diminish as the magnitude of discharge coefficient is altered. A detailed CFD model is submitted as an effective tool for load leveling valve flow characterization/analysis. This model overcomes the deficiencies of the theoretical model and improves the accuracy of simulations. A 2-D axisymmetric approximation of the real fluid domain is analyzed for flow characteristics using a Realizable k-ϵ turbulence model, scalable wall functions, and a pressure-based coupled algorithm with a second order discretization function. The CFD-generated results were observed to be in agreement with the experimental findings. CFD is found to be advantageous in the evaluation of flow characteristics as it furnishes precise data without the need to experimentally evaluate a physical model/prototype of the valve, thereby benefitting suspension engineers involved in the development and testing of load leveling valve designs. This document concludes with a sample case study which uses CFD to characterize flow in a modified disk-slot load leveling valve, and discusses the results in light of application on a heavy truck. / MS / A majority of heavy trucks in North America equipped with air suspensions use a device known as a load leveling valve. This is a mechanical control system which manages pressure in air springs to maintain a preset/constant static ride height irrespective of the payload, doing so by sensing the distance between the truck frame and the axle. The rate of airflow to/from air springs in response to a road disturbance or load shift is critical to the stability of the truck when on the road. This rate of airflow for a given set of conditions constitutes flow characteristics of a load leveling valve. Accurate measurement of flow characteristics is necessary to understand the actual effect of the use of a particular valve on a truck-suspension configuration. This research addresses that requirement by presenting three distinct methods to model and evaluate flow characteristics of a load leveling valve, conducted on the disk-slot valve for its popularity in the heavy truck industry. First is a theoretical formulation based on flow of gas through an orifice; second is an experimental technique in which a full pneumatic apparatus is used to collect instantaneous pressure data to estimate air discharge; and third is a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. Significant discrepancies observed between theoretically estimated results and experimental data suggest that the theoretical model is incapable of accurately capturing losses that occur during air flow. The disparities also justify the adoption of CFD as an alternate method. A comprehensive CFD model is proposed as a capable tool for load leveling valve flow analysis/characterization. This model overcomes the deficiencies of the theoretical model and improves the accuracy of simulations. CFD-generated results are found to be in agreement with the experimental findings, highlighting its effectiveness at flow characterization. The ability of a CFD model to furnish precise data without the need to experimentally evaluate a physical model/prototype of the valve promises to benefit suspension engineers involved in the development and testing of load leveling valve designs. This document concludes with a sample case study which uses CFD to characterize flow in a modified disk-slot valve, and discusses the results in light of application on a heavy truck.

Published Article / Several forecasting models are available for research in predicting the shape of electric load curves. The development of Artificial Intelligence (AI), especially Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), can be applied to model short term load forecasting. Because of their input-output mapping ability, ANN's are well-suited for load forecasting applications. ANN's have been used extensively as time series predictors; these can include feed-forward networks that make use of a sliding window over the input data sequence. Using a combination of a time series and a neural network prediction method, the past events of the load data can be explored and used to train a neural network to predict the next load point. In this study, an investigation into the use of ANN's for short term load forecasting for Bloemfontein, Free State has been conducted with the MATLAB Neural Network Toolbox where ANN capabilities in load forecasting, with the use of only load history as input values, are demonstrated.

Title Comparison of the loading rate during swimming with the load of various upthrust. Objective Comparison of physical intensity during swimming with the load of high upthrust and low upthrust. Methods The Method used in this work was quantitativ research in the pool with counterflow (Flum, FTVS UK). There were 7 people tested. The loading rate was observed by heart rate monitor with chest strap. It is randomized study with crossed design and the method of data eleboration was comparative analysis. Results The results compare physical intensity during swimming with high upthrust load and very low upthrust load. It shows the differences in intensity between swimming with various types of load. It was found, that swimming with the load of high upthrust causes lower physical intensity than swimming with the load of very low upthrust. Swimming with the load by pulling is just a bit preferable than pushing. The heart rate by pulling is lower about 2 - 7 bpm than pushing. Keywords Military swimming, upthrust of the load, heart rate, swimming with load.

Master of Science / Department of Electrical Engineering / Shelli K. Starrett / Modern power systems are integrated, complex, dynamic systems. Due to the complexity, power system operation and control need to be analyzed using numerical simulation. The load model is one of the least known models among the many components in the power system operation. The two different load models are the static and dynamic models. The ZIP load model has been extensively studied. This has widely applied to composite load models that could maintain constant impedance, constant current, and/or constant power. In this work, various Neural Networks algorithms and fuzzy logic have been used to obtain these ZIP load model coefficients for determining the percentage of constant impedance, current, or power for the various load buses. The inputs are a combination of voltage, voltage change, and power change, or voltage and power, and the outputs consist of the ZIP load model coefficients for determining the type and the percentage of load at the bus. The trained model is used to predict the type and percentage of constant load at other buses using simulated transient data from the 16-generator system. A small study was also done using a dynamic induction machine model in addition to the ZIP load model. As expected, the results show that the dynamic model is more difficult to determine than the static model.

Cette étude s'inscrit dans le domaine des moteurs à doublets d'hélices contrarotatives, aussi appelés open rotors. Elle a porté sur le développement des méthodologies à coût modéré pour la simulation aérodynamique des open rotors. Elle avait pour objectif, d'un côté, la mise en place et la validation de ces méthodologies rapides ; et d'un autre côté, l'approfondissement de la compréhension de l'origine des efforts dans le plan hélice, aussi appelés les efforts 1P. Pour le premier des objectifs, le code HOST-MINT, basé sur la méthode de la ligne portante a été adapté et amélioré pour la simulation de l'aérodynamique instationnaire des hélices et des open rotors. Des validations ont été réalisées avec succès par comparaison avec des données expérimentales et des simulations CFD plus avancées. Cette étude a ainsi ouvert des nombreuses perspectives d'application de ce type de méthodologies rapides dans la conception aérodynamique des futurs open rotors. En outre, cette méthode s'est révélée aussi adaptée pour d'autres domaines autour de l'aérodynamique, comme par exemple, pour les problèmes d'aéroélasticité ou pour les prédictions aéroacoustiques préliminaires. / This study is devoted to the development of moderate-cost methodologies for the aerodynamic simulation of open rotors. The main goals are, on one side, to develop and validate these rapid methodologies, and, on the other side, to better understand the mechanisms behind propeller in-plane loads, also called the 1P loads. To reach the first goal, the HOST-MINT code, based on the lifting-line theory, has been adapted and improved for the unsteady simulation of propellers and open rotors. The code has been assessed by comparison with experimental data and more complex and precise CFD simulations. Finally, the first developments and tests of a Lagrangian/Eulerian coupling strategy between HOST-MINT and the elsA CFD code have been performed. These studies enable to endeavor a number of applications of this type of rapid methodologies in the aerodynamic design of future open rotors. Moreover, these methodologies may be adapted for other domains linked to aerodynamics, such as aeroelastic problems or preliminary aeroacoustic predictions.

Mechanical components often possess notches. These notches give rise to stress concentrations, which in turn increases the likelihood that the material will undergo yielding. The finite element method (FEM) can be used to calculate transient stress and strain to be used in fatigue analyses. However, since yielding occurs, an elastic-plastic finite element analysis (FEA) must be performed. If the loading sequence to be analysed with respect to fatigue is long, the elastic-plastic FEA is often not a viable option because of its high computational requirements. In this thesis, a method that estimates the elastic-plastic stress and strain response as a result of input elastic stress and strain using plasticity modelling with the incremental Neuber rule has been derived and implemented. A numerical methodology to increase the accuracy when using the Neuber rule with cyclic loading has been proposed and validated for proportional loading. The results show fair albeit not ideal accuracy when compared to elastic-plastic finite element analysis. Different types of loading have been tested, including proportional and non-proportional as well as complex loadings with several load reversions. Based on the computed elastic-plastic stresses and strains, fatigue life is predicted by the critical plane method. Such a method has been reviewed, implemented and tested in this thesis. A comparison has been made between using a new damage parameter by Ince and an established damage parameter by Fatemi and Socie (FS). The implemented algorithm and damage parameters were evaluated by comparing the results of the program using either damage parameter to fatigue experiments of several different load cases, including non-proportional loading. The results are fairly accurate for both damage parameters, but the one by Ince tend to be slightly more accurate, if no fitted constant to use in the FS damage parameter can be obtained.

Este trabalho apresenta os resultados de provas de carga em placa com monitoramento da sucção e do teor de umidade, realizadas nas profundidades de 1,5, 4,0, 6,0 e 8,0 m no Campo Experimental de Fundações da Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos, cujo perfil geotécnico é representativo da região centro-oeste do Estado de São Paulo. Para cada profundidade também se realizou ensaios com pré-inundação do terreno, representando a condição de sucção de matricial nula. Constatou-se que a profundidade e a sucção matricial média no solo sob a placa influem significativamente na capacidade de carga no sistema solo-placa. As curvas tensão x recalque obtidas não se caracterizam ruptura nítida nem indicam o modelo de ruptura física, exigindo assim, a adoção de critérios de ruptura convencional. Devido à semelhança dessas curvas com as curvas e x log\'sigma\' de ensaios de adensamento e, por isso, utilizou-se o método de PACHECO SILVA (1970) como um critério ruptura convencional, comparando-se com valores da tensão de pré-adensamento obtidos em laboratório. Também se utilizou o recalque de 25 mm para obter a correspondente ruptura convencional. / This work presents the results of plate load tests with measurements of soil matric suction and moisture content, carried out in the depths of 1,5 , 4,0 , 6,0 and 8,0 m at the Experimental Field of Foundations of School of Engineering of São Carlos, whose soil profile is representative of the middle-west region of the State of São Paulo. For each depth tests with previous flooding of the land, representing the condition of null matric suction. Were also carried out It was verified that the depth and the average matric suction in the soil under the plate influence significantly in the load capacity of the soil-plate system. The stress settlement curve obtained does not characterize clear rupture nor indicate the model of physical rupture, demanding the adoption of approaches of conventional rupture. Due to the similarity of those curves with the e x log\'sigma\' curves from consolidation tests and, to put that, PACHECO SILVA (1970) method was used as an approach to conventional rupture, being compared with values of the preconsolidation stress obtained in laboratory. It was also used settlement of 25 mm to obtain the corresponding conventional rupture.

O processo de integração de informações na memória pode acontecer de forma incidental, em que informações não relevantes para os objetivos de uma tarefa de memorização são conjugadas. Nosso trabalho buscou relacionar os efeitos da conjunção incidental dentro do armazenador visuoespacial e a possível interferência da carga perceptiva e cognitiva. No Capítulo 1 buscamos identificar como ocorre a conjunção incidental entre forma e cor (Exp1) e como a carga perceptiva pode influenciar nesta conjunção (Exp2). Os resultados do Exp1 mostram que cor e forma são conjugadas de forma incidental e assimétrica, em que a cor interfere no reconhecimento da forma, mas a forma não interfere no reconhecimento da cor. O Exp2 demonstra que a alta carga perceptiva não afeta a conjunção incidental, sugerindo que é um processo automático. No Capítulo 2 buscamos identificar a conjunção incidental de cor e localização e como a similaridade e a carga cognitiva podem afetar sua ocorrência. No terceiro experimento (Exp3) procuramos identificar as características da conjunção incidental da informação visual e espacial em uma tarefa de reconhecimento, no quarto experimento (Exp4) avaliamos o efeito da similaridade da informação visual na memorização de cores, e no quinto experimento (Exp5) avaliamos o efeito da carga cognitiva na memorização através de uma tarefa secundária atencional. Os resultados do Exp3 mostram que cor e localização são conjugadas de forma incidental e assimétrica, em que a localização interfere no reconhecimento da cor, mas a cor não interfere no reconhecimento da localização. O Exp4 demonstra que a conjunção incidental da localização e da cor é mais acentuada nas provas com similaridade alta e que a carga cognitiva tem um efeito semelhante ao da similaridade, aumentando o efeito da conjunção incidental (Exp5). Os dados apontam que a conjunção incidental de forma e localização é passível de interferência durante sua codificação. / The memory binding information process can happen incidentally, so that irrelevant information to the objectives of a memory task are associated with the relevant to it. Our study aimed to find the effects of incidental conjunction in the visuospatial store and the possible interference of the perceptual and cognitive load in this process. In Chapter 1, we intended to identify how does work the incidental binding of shape and color (Exp1) and how the perceptual load can influence this conjunction (Exp2). Results of Exp1 show that color and shape are conjugated in an incidental and asymmetric way, wherein color interferes in shape recognition, but shape does not interfere in color recognition. Results of Exp2 show that high perceptual load does not affect the incidental binding, suggesting that it is an automatic process. In Chapter 2 we intended to identify how does work the incidental binding of color and spatial location and how the similarity and the cognitive load may affect this occurrence. In the third experiment (Exp3), we tried to identify the features of incidental binding between visual and spatial information on a reconnaissance task. In the fourth experiment (Exp4), we evaluated the effect of similarity of visual information in the color memorization. In the fifth experiment (Exp5), we evaluated the effect of cognitive load on memorization through a secondary attentional task. Results of Exp1 show that color and location are conjugated in an incidental and asymmetric way, wherein location interferes in color recognition, but color does not interfere in location recognition. The Exp4 show that the incidental binding of location and color is more evident in tasks with high similarity and the cognitive load has a similar effect to the similarity, increasing the occurrence of incidental binding (Exp5). The data indicate that incidental binding of form and location is subject to interference during its codification.

A conexão de geradores distribuídos nas redes de subtransmissão e de distribuição de energia elétrica se mostra cada vez mais crescente devido aos inúmeros benefícios técnicos e econômicos alcançados com essa tecnologia. No entanto, há importantes implicações técnicas que precisam ser analisadas antes que um gerador distribuído seja conectado em paralelo ao sistema elétrico. Um aspecto a ser analisado, e que é comum entre as concessionárias de energia elétrica é a adequação da proteção anti-ilhamento, a qual tem a função de detectar essa condição e, automaticamente, desconectar os geradores distribuídos, dentro de um tempo pré-determinado, e assim mantê-los até que o fornecimento de energia seja restabelecido. Neste contexto, este trabalho analisará o desempenho dos relés de proteção anti-ilhamento em face de diferentes tipos de cargas que acabam afetando o tempo de detecção do ilhamento. Com isso, pretende-se obter subsídios para que os ajustes desses relés sejam calculados de forma eficiente. Os relés estudados são o relé de sub/sobrefrequência e o relé de taxa de variação da frequência, e o gerador distribuído é do tipo síncrono equipado com controle de tensão. As análises mostraram que no instante em que ocorre um ilhamento os fatores que mais influenciam no desempenho dos relés de proteção anti-ilhamento são as condições de carga e geração, tempo de detecção estabelecido, tipo do relé adotado, ajuste do mesmo e modelo de carga utilizado. / The connection of distributed generators to power subtransmission and distribution networks has been increasing recently due to the technical and economic benefits that such technology can provide. However, there are important technical issues that need to be carefully analyzed before a distributed generator is connected to electrical systems. One issue to be analyzed, which is common sense among utility companies, is the anti-islanding protection, whose main goal is to detect unintentional islanding and, automatically, disconnect the distributed generators within a required time-interval. In this context, this work will analyze the performance of anti-islanding protection relays in face of different load types. With this study, one intend to get support for adjusting these relays efficiently. The relays studied in this work are the under/over frequency and the rate of change of frequency relays, and the distributed generator is a synchronous machine equipped with an automatic voltage regulator. The analyzes showed that the moment a islanding occurs the most important factors influencing the performance of relays anti-islanding protection are the conditions of load and generation, detection time set, type and relay setting adopted and load model.

A caracterização das cargas do tráfego é de grande importância para o dimensionamento de pavimentos, bem como para a quantificação do desempenho para fins de gerência de pavimentos. A utilização de abordagens empíricas para determinar os efeitos das cargas do tráfego nas estruturas de pavimentos, datadas dos anos 1960, apresentam sérias limitações, pois seus resultados são válidos somente para os mesmos, ou muito similares, fatores intervenientes que prevaleciam quando do seu desenvolvimento. Os fatores relativos às solicitações do tráfego e às características dos veículos (tipo de eixo, tipo de rodagem, pressão de enchimento dos pneus e tipo de suspensão) são bem diferentes, atualmente, daquelas existentes há 50 anos. Tendo em vista que os modelos de desempenho são importantes ferramentas dos sistemas de gerência de pavimentos (SGP) para prever a evolução da condição ao longo do tempo e/ou tráfego acumulado e, portanto, dependentes de uma consistente caracterização do tráfego, o objetivo desta pesquisa foi analisar os efeitos da caracterização do tráfego sobre o desempenho dos pavimentos, a partir da geração de modelos estatísticos baseados no conceito proposto pelo método da AASHTO 2002, de espectros de carga por eixo dos veículos comerciais de carga, comparando-os com o conceito de equivalência de carga, desenvolvido a partir do AASHO Road Test na década de 1950. Dados de pesagens realizadas no ano de 2008 no Posto de Pesagem de Veículos da SP-160 Rodovia dos Imigrantes, km 28, pista Sul, foram utilizados para o desenvolvimento dos espectros de carga e posterior modelagem. Testes estatísticos e práticos foram realizados para determinar a variabilidade mensal dos Fatores de Veículos (FV) em relação ao valor médio do ano de 2008. Apesar da análise estatística com a aplicação do teste Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) ter apresentado diferenças significativas entre os espectros mensais e anuais, a variação observada nos fatores de tráfego não resultou em diferenças práticas na espessura final do pavimento. Os modelos estatísticos foram desenvolvidos separadamente para cada classe de veículo e de eixos que o compunha, tendo sido usadas distribuições de probabilidade Log-normal e Weibull para modelar os espectros de carga. Os parâmetros dos modelos foram obtidos através do método dos mínimos quadrados, complementado com a realização de testes K-S e Qui-quadrado, destacando-se a obtenção de coeficientes de determinação (R2) superiores a 0,90. A comparação entre os resultados previstos pelos modelos e os dados originais, feita tanto pela abordagem empírica como empírico-mecanística, com uso dos programas computacionais ELSYM5 e MEPDG, evidencia o modelo Weibull como o mais indicado para aplicação em rodovias brasileiras com características de tráfego semelhantes às da Rodovia dos Imigrantes. / The characterization of traffic loads is of great importance for pavement design, as well as for the measurement of performance in a pavement management system. The use of empirical approaches to determine the effects of traffic load on pavement structures, dating from the 1960\'s, presents serious limitations, since its results are just valid for the same or very similar intervening factors that prevailed at the time of its development. The traffic load factors and vehicle characteristics (axle type, tire type, tire inflation pressure, and suspension type) are quite different today from those existing 50 years ago. Given that the performance models are important tools of pavement management systems (PMS) to predict the evolution of pavement condition over time and/or accumulated traffic and therefore dependent on a consistent characterization of the traffic, the objective of this research was to analyze the effects of traffic characteristics on pavement performance through the generation of statistical models based on the concept proposed by the AASHTO 2002 method, axle load spectra of commercial vehicles, comparing them with the concept of load equivalence factor, developed through the AASHO Road Test in the 1950s. Data collected in 2008 in a weighing station located on Immigrant Highway - SP-160, km 28, southern runway, were used for the development of load spectra and subsequent modeling. Practical and statistical tests were performed to determine the variability of monthly vehicle-factors (FV) to the mean value for the year 2008. Despite the statistical analysis, performed by applying the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (KS) test, have shown significant differences between the monthly and annual spectra variation, there were not practical differences in the final thickness of the pavement associated to changes in vehicle-factors. Statistical models were developed for each vehicle class and for its axles, having been used Log-normal and Weibull probability distributions to model the load spectra. The model parameters were obtained from the method of least squares, complemented by the KS and chi-square tests, being important to mention that the coefficients of determination (R2) were greater than 0.90. The comparison between the results predicted by the models and the original data, made either by empirical and empiricalmechanistic approaches, with use of computer programs ELSYM5 and MEPDG, shows that the Weibull model is the most suitable for application in Brazilian highways with similar traffic characteristics to the Immigrants Highway.