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 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.

Visando o estudo de diversos tipos de fundações implantou-se um Campo Experimental de Engenharia Civil na Unesp, campus de Bauru. Neste local foram realizados inúmeros ensaios de investigação geotécnica cujo solo é uma areia fina argilosa de baixa compacidade, com características colapsíveis, representativo de uma grande área do Estado. Neste trabalho apresentam-se os resultados de trinta provas de carga à compressão, executadas neste campo experimental em dez estacas apiloadas, sendo doze provas em estacas instrumentadas com o uso de strain-gages. Em cada estaca executaram-se três provas de carga, sendo a terceira com inundação prévia do solo, para se verificar o efeito da colapsibilidade na capacidade de carga. A instrumentação permitiu determinar a parcela de carga resistida por atrito e pela ponta da estaca. Os resultados são comparados a métodos empíricos normalmente utilizados no Brasil. Os resultados obtidos servem como subsídios para os projetistas desse tipo de fundação de uso muito freqüente no interior do estado de São Paulo. / In order to study different foundation types, the Unesp (São Paulo State University) in Bauru, created an experimental field in Civil Engineering. In this site an extensive soil investigation program were carried out. The topmost soil is a clayey fine sand with collapsible characteristic. The paper presents the results of thirty compression load tests carried out in ten uncased displacement cast in place piles (pounded piles, called apiloadas in Brazil), where twelve load tests were instrumented with electrical strain gages. In each pile three load test were conducted, two in natural condition and the third after soaking the soil, in order to evaluate the influence of the soil collapsibility in the results. The instrumentation permitted the evaluation of the ultimate bearing, the skin friction, the end-bearing stress and the load transfer distribution along the pile length. Comparation are made between results obtained and predicted by empirical methods that used SPT and CPT results. The results obtained provides the basis for a more rational design procedure and has a major interest for those who are dealing with foundation design of this type, frequently used in the interior of São Paulo State which soil is similar from a geotechnical point of view.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate how to construct a system to measure load in a mobile unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR) bearing. In vivo loads have been measured in a total knee replacement (TKR), but with TKR the kinematics are different from those of the normal knee, whereas they are close to normal in a mobile UKR, so the loads measured by an instrumented UKR would be more representative of the normal knee. On the principle of measuring compression of an object under load, the load may be estimated. Compression measurement using a capacitive sensor was the optimal solution to measure load, based on life expectancy of the sensor and bearing integrity. A capacitive sensor within a polyethylene (UHMWPE) bearing has not been used before. The visco-elastic and temperature dependent properties of UHMWPE were determined with experiments. UHMWPE had an approximately linear response after ten minutes of applying a constant load. A temperature sensor should be used in vivo to compensate for temperature effects acting on the elastic modulus of UHMWPE. Finite element modelling demonstrated that positioning the sensor under the centre of the bearing concavity resulted in the largest capacitive change. The influence of various dimensional parameters on sensor output was simulated, and the conclusion was that the sensor only needs to be calibrated once. An electronic module inserted into a bearing had less than 5 % influence on bearing compression. Capacitive sensors were made from polyimide, using standard production methods, and embedded within a UKR bearing using the standard compression moulding process. The embedded sensor had a second order low pass frequency response, with a corner frequency of 9 Hz, twice the frequency required for typical functional loading such as gait. Physiological load signals, gait and step up/down, were applied to the bearing. The capacitance to load response was approximately linear. Load was estimated using a linear method and a dynamic method. The linear method performed best, with an accuracy of force estimation better than 90 %. In vitro tests were performed using a commercially available transceiver, two stan- dard antennas and a custom antenna, designed to be incorporated in the bearing. Wireless communication between an implanted custom antenna and an external an- tenna was shown to be feasible. Experiments were also performed that demonstrate that inductive powering of the bearing was feasible. In addition to load measurement, a proposal for dynamic measurement of the orien- tation angles of both the tibia and the femur was made. Power and volume calculations showed that it is possible to place an electronic module within the bearing. This thesis has not only demonstrated that it is feasible to make an instrumented bearing for UKR but has also provided a basic design for manufacturing.

An electric power system consists of several generating stations which cater to the load demands of various regions. The prime function of any generating utility is to optimally schedule the real power output of its generating units to meet any specified real power demand subject to various constraints on the operation of the units and the system. The optimal scheduling of individual generators at the least possible cost is referred to as the economic dispatch or economic load dispatch (ELD) problem. The ELD studies play a vital role in the day­to­day operation of the power system and in formulating economic operating strategies, besides ensuring the stability and security of the system. This thesis work makes an effort to probe deeper into some aspects of the economic load dispatch problem and the underlying mathematical formulations and attempts to come up with generalized algorithms that can effectively handle different types of systems under different operating conditions and, to a certain extent, to try and resolve some aspects hitherto unresolved. The primary focus is on developing efficient computational techniques to solve some Specific types of ELD problems in a simple and systematic manner. In the course of this investigation, we highlight some imperfect assumptions involved in the solutions proposed for the ELD problems for systems with complicated constraints like prohibited operating zones (POZ). We also set forth new concepts and strategies and develop new techniques in this investigation to help resolve some of these incorrect propositions and ambiguities. The first chapter introduces the ELD problem in general and proceeds to discuss the effects of the transmission losses and the presence of POZs on both the scheduling of the generators and the complexity of the ELD analysis. It also provides a brief review of some relevant aspects of the state-of-the-art solution techniques and clearly spells out the motivation for the present work. The second chapter presents a generalized algorithm for solving the ELD problem efficiently. The algorithm is effectively applicable to any system comprising power generating units with any type of well-defined, smooth and monotonic cost functions, besides quadratic cost functions usually considered in conventional algorithms. The proposed method first identifies the units that are forced to operate at their generating limits for any given value of the system demand. Subsequently, it limits the ELD problem to calculating The system's incremental cost of received power and the power output of only those units operating within their normal feasible range. The specific improvement introduced here is the development of an efficient computational scheme for calculating the value of the system incremental cost accurately. In addition to quadratic and higher order polynomial cost functions, the proposed algorithm can easily be generalized to include units with smooth, monotonic, non­ polynomial cost functions. The major advantages of the proposed ELD scheme are its inherent simplicity, scalability, rapid convergence and high computational efficiency. These characteristics are particularly important for real-time online implementation. The results obtained for test cases from the literature and some new ones as well are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. The third chapter proposes an algorithm for solving the ELD problem considering power losses in the transmission network. The losses are computed using the transmission loss­ formula A coefficients method suggested by Nanda and Bijwe as an alternative to the conventional B­loss coefficients approach popularized by Kirchmayer. The proposed ELD­with­ Losses scheme builds upon the ELD scheme developed in the second chapter for the lossless case. The specific contribution of the third chapter is the computational approximation suggested for the iterative procedure involving The Newton­Raphson (NR) method with the losses considered, while still retaining the elegant solution scheme developed in the earlier chapter. The results obtained using test cases from the literature are presented to demonstrate the precision and effectiveness of the proposed technique. The fourth chapter presents a novel algorithm for efficiently solving the ELD problem for systems having generators with prohibited operating zones. The proposed ELD­ POZ scheme partitions the no convex solution space into simpler convex intervals in which the ELD scheme developed in the second chapter can be applied directly. The improvisation lies in the optimal ordering­cum­sorting strategy adopted to systematically determine the output levels of the units constrained by POZs and to adjust the output power of the remaining units appropriately. The proposed scheme also recognizes and exactly computes the multiple, equivalent optimal solutions wherever applicable–– another significant contribution of this thesis work. It also seeks to clarify and set right some unintentionally imperfect propositions and assumptions currently prevalent in the literature regarding the formulation and analysis of the ELD problem considering POZs. The results generated for a number of systems using test cases from the literature along with some new ones are presented to clearly illustrate the validity as well as the Simplicity and superiority of the proposed scheme for different types of systems. The final chapter briefly recounts the work done in this thesis work. It also presents a summary of the significant results obtained using the schemes proposed in the earlier chapters, along with the conclusions drawn in support of the validity and superiority of the proposed algorithms. More areas for further investigation and some possible avenues for future applications of the proposed techniques are also indicated.

The mooring of vessels and other floating bodies at sea, such as offshore platforms has necessitated the development of specialised moorings technology. The marine renewable energy (MRE) sector is now at a stage in its development whereby floating devices are adding new challenges to the moorings industries. Floating MRE devices are smaller than, for instance offshore platforms, and are usually targeted for deployment in highly energetic environments. The extreme conditions and the highly dynamic response of an MRE device present challenges in terms of peak loading within the mooring system itself and load transfer to the floating body. Compliant mooring systems provide advantages by reducing the peak loads and fibre ropes are an important asset in achieving such compliance. However, the extent to which existing fibre ropes can safely extend axially to provide compliance is insufficient and is strongly associated to the minimum breaking load (MBL) of the rope. A novel fibre rope mooring tether is presented here that provides advantages over existing ropes. The tether employs a hollow fibre rope containing an elastomeric core, this mechanism de-coupling the extension properties from the strength of the line. The load path is carried through the polyester rope which is terminated conventionally by eye splices, thus minimising any new risks to reliability. Very low axial stiffness is achieved and is shown to be selectable within limits. For comparison, the prototype tether’s MBL of 222 kN is assigned to polyester and Nylon reference ropes. The axial stiifness of these ropes are 590 kN and 463 kN respectively when measured by a secant between the origin and 30% MBL; the novel tether displays an axial stiffness of 72 kN by the same method. This enables the novel tether to achieve more than two and a half times the extension of a comparable Nylon rope in its working range. Numerical modelling of a moored installation demonstrates a threefold reduction in peak load magnitude compared to the existing Nylon rope solution. The tether exhibits two distinct stages of extension, the first having very low axial stiffness. It is demonstrated that the extent of this soft phase can be selected by design and that this might add another useful element of control to moorings design work.

We developed a diffusive load balancing scheme that equalizes the available capacities of nodes in a peer-to-peer (P2P) system. These nodes may have different resource capacities, geographic locations, or availabilities (i.e., length of time being part of the peer-to-peer system). The services on these nodes may have different service times and arrival rates of requests. Using the diffusive scheme, the system is able to maintain similar response times for its services. Our scheme is a modification of the diffusive load balancing algorithms proposed for parallel computing systems. This scheme is able to handle services with heterogeneous resource requirements and P2P nodes with heterogeneous capacities. We also adapted the diffusive scheme to clustered peer-to-peer system, where a load balancing operation may move services or nodes between clusters. After a literature survey of this field, this thesis investigates the following issues using analytical reasoning and extensive simulation studies. The load balancing operations equalize the available capacities of the nodes in a neighborhood to their averages. As a result, the available capacities of all nodes in the P2P system converge to a global average. We found that this convergence is faster when the scheme uses neighborhoods defined by the structure of the structured P2P overlay network rather than using randomly selected neighbors. For a system with churn (i.e. nodes joining and leaving), the load balancing operations maintain the standard deviation of the available capacities of nodes within a bound. This bound depends on the amount of churn and the frequency of load balancing operations, as well as on the capacities of the nodes. However, the sizes of the services have little impact on this bound. In a clustered peer-to-peer system, the size of the bound largely depends on the average cluster size. When nodes are moved among clusters for load balancing, the numbers of cluster splits and merges are reduced. This may reduce the maintenance cost of the overlay network.

D.Ing. / This thesis initially reviews current empirical and probabilistic electrical load models available to distribution design engineers today to calculate voltage regulation levels in low voltage residential, commercial and light industrial consumer networks. Although both empirical and probabilistic techniques have extensively been used for residential consumers in recent years, it has been concluded that commercial and light industrial consumer loads have not been a focus area of probabilistic load study for purposes of low voltage feeder design. However, traditional empirical techniques, which include adjustments for diversity to accommodate non-coincidental electrical loading conditions, have generally been found to be applied using in-house design directives with only a few international publications attempting to address the problem. This work defines the light industrial group of consumers in accordance with its international Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) and presents case studies on a small group of three different types of light industrial sub-classes, It is proposed and proved that the electrical load models can satisfactorily be described as beta-distributed load current models at the instant of group or individual maximum power demand on typical characteristic 24-hour load cycles. Characteristic mean load profiles were obtained by recording repetitive daily loading of different sub-classes, ensuring adequate sample size at all times. Probabilistic modelling of light industrial loads using beta-distributed load current at maximum demand is a new innovation in the modelling of light industrial loads. This work is further -complemented by the development of a new probabilistic summation algorithm in spreadsheet format. This algorithm adds any selected number of characteristic load current profiles, adjusted for scale, power factor, and load current imbalance, and identifies the combined instant of group or system maximum demand. This spreadsheet also calculates the characteristic beta pdf parameters per phase describing the spread and profile of the combined system loading at maximum demand. These parameters are then conveniently used as input values to existing probabilistic voltage regulation algorithms to calculate voltage regulation in single-, bi- and three-phase low voltage distribution networks.

The current driving simulator study investigates the effect of 2 distinct levels of distraction on a drivers’ situational awareness and latent and inherent hazard anticipation. In this study, rear-end crashes were used as the primary crash configuration to target a specific category of crashes due to distraction. The two types of task load used in the experiment was a cognitive distraction (mock cell-phone task) & visual distraction (I-pad task). Forty-eight young participants aged 18-25 years navigated 8 scenarios each in a mixed subject design with task load (cognitive or visual distraction) as a between-subject variable and the presence/absence of distraction representing the within-subject variable. All participants drove 4 scenarios with a distraction and 4 scenarios without any distraction. Physiological variables in the form of Heart rate and heart rate variability was collected for each participant during the practice drives and after each of the 8 experimental drives. After the completion of each experimental drive, participants were asked to fill up a NASA TLX questionnaire which quantifies the overall task load experienced by giving it a score between 1 and 100, where higher scores translate to higher perceived task load. Eye-movements were also recorded for the proportion of latent and inherent hazards anticipated and mitigated for all participants. Standard vehicle data (velocity, acceleration & lane offset) were also collected from the simulator for each participants’ each drive. Analysis of data showed that there was a significant difference in velocity, lane offset and task load index scores across the 2 groups (between-subject factors). The vehicle data, heart rate data and TLX data was analyzed using Mixed subject ANOVA. There was also a logistic regression model devised which showed significant effects of velocity, lane offset, TLX scores and age on a participants’ hazard anticipation abilities. The findings have a major practical implication in reducing drivers’ risk of fatal, serious or near crashes.

My diploma theisis is focused on design and assessment of structural systém of industrial building in tended for livestock farming. The design is processed in two options. Both oft hem has the same dimensions but cross sections of the supporting elements are changed. Floor plan of the first part is a rectangular shape, dimension is 29,28 m x 24,8 m. Floor plan of the second part is a rectangular shape, dimension is 161,18 m x 46,8 m. Slope of saddle roof is 18°.