The objective of this thesis is to provide a reliable and effective iron loss estimation scheme for the electromagnetic steel products in the design and on-line operation stages. To investigate the possible performance of electromagnetic steel products, proper iron loss information of the products that are constructed by different steels is one of the key concerns. Along with the various power electronic device applications and iron core structures, the magnetic fluxes flowing through the machine cores will be non-uniform and include harmonic terms. Unless excessive computation efforts in expensive software tools are performed, large discrepancies will be exhibited the estimated and actual values of machine iron losses. To overcome these drawbacks, a rational machine iron loss estimation scheme is proposed. By adopting the iterative magnetic equivalent circuits and the nonlinear magnetic characteristics of the electromagnetic steels, the preliminary operational flux information in the machine is first obtained, and then a numerical Epstein Frame test circuit with magnetizing inductance modeled by Preisach model is applied. With appropriate circuit input voltages devised from preliminary information, the detailed hysteresis inner-loop characteristics resulting from product structures and magnetization harmonics can be properly modeled. Based on the circuit results, the iron losses of electric machines with any operation can be rationally evaluated, and a valuable reference in machine designing can be provided.

A nonlinear automated parameter fitted analytical model that numerically predicts the load-displacement response of wood frame shear walls subjected to static monotonic loading with and without vertical load is presented. This analytical model referred to as Analytical Model of wood frame SHEar walls subjected to Vertical load (AMSHEV) is based on the kinematic behavior of wood frame shear walls and captures significant characteristics observed from experimental testing through appropriate modeling of three failure mechanisms that can occur within a shear wall under static monotonic load: 1) failure of sheathing-to-framing connectors, 2) failure of vertical studs, and 3) uplift of end studs from bottom sill. Previous models have not accounted for these failure mechanisms as well as the inclusion of vertical load, which has shown to reveal beneficial effects such as increasing the ultimate load capacity and limiting uplift of the wall as noted in experimental tests. Results from the proposed numerical model capture these effects within 7% error of experimental test data even when different magnitudes of vertical load are applied to predict the ultimate load capacity of wood frame shear walls.

Nonprofit organization (NPO) management has recently been a popular study field, to which the concept of strategic management has been also broadly applied. Notwithstanding it is nearly impossible for NPOs to calculate their outcomes accurately by evaluating the operational performance in monetary terms. The business world utilizes SWOT, the strategic analysis tool, to emphasize the external and internal environments and competitive advantages. That is however different form the nonprofit world which focuses on achieving public value. In order to effectively evaluate NPOs¡¦ operating performance, this study adopted the points of view of Mark H. Moore¡¦s (2003) V.C.S. Strategic Triangle and Ming-Shen Wang¡¦s (2005) Integrated Frame of Public Affair Management to manifest that public value could be the strategic management object for NPOs. By discussing the introduction of V.C.S Strategic Triangle to the NPOs in Taiwan, this research intended to discover the possible measures to improve operational performance. This study takes the Kaohsiung Jen-Ai¡As Home (KHJA) as a case example. The board members, consultants, committee members, and executives of the KHJA, officials of pubic sector, and clients were vis-a-vis interviewed based on a structured questionnaire. The goal of conducting the interviews was to discover whether the interviewees expected to improve the future performance when they put in labor power, finance, and facilities due to the organizational culture, value, and capacity. In other words, whether they responded to the social value and the support from both internal and external environments; shaped future organizational culture and capacity based on today¡¦s working experience; and remained the vision for public value in organizational short-term, midterm, and long-term plans and strategic management. . Research results: 1. social capacity could create people¡¦s well-being¡Xinstitutional design protects the people in need and ceases the plight; deprived situation would not be permanent. Bringing fortunate people and unfortunates, suppliers and dependents, as well as the young and the old people together would establish a stable social foundation for cohesive social welfare. 2. Re-positioning social welfare organizations as multi-service NPOs which are not only for traditional service of help but also the expression of the value of living quality and creation of public value. 3. Social welfare organizations could increase the supply efficiency, service flexibility and living quality with the model of mixed welfare economy, and avoid the financial crisis of welfare states. 4. The roles and functions of social welfare organizations have to be planned in a view of strategy including three key components¡X¡§value¡¨, ¡§capacity¡¦, and ¡§support¡¨ to guide the NPOs¡¦ future position and direction. Keywords: nonprofit organization, V.C.S. Strategic Triangle, Integrated Frame of public affair Management, public value

A vector form intrinsic finite element method ( plane frame element ) is developed and applied to study the dynamic responses of offshore template platform under wave force. The horziontal, vertical and rotational motions at each node in the finite element model also were analyzed by the developed solution procedure of offshore structures. Besides, this paper also discussed the application of viscoelastic dampers on the offshore structures. A design for the dampers incorporated in the template structure were presented, and dynamic analyses were carried out to observe the effect of the vibration mitigation on the structures .

Structures in high seismic risk areas may be susceptible to severe damage in a major earthquake. Structures designed to meet older code requirements may be at even greater risk. When these structures are evaluated with respect to current code criteria, it is observed that they lack of lateral strength and/or ductility. Since safety and economic considerations are major problems, these structures become viable candidates for retrofit and seismic strengthening. For the variety of structures and possible deficiencies that arise, several retrofitting techniques can be considered. Diagonal bracing system is one of the retrofitting techniques and it provides an excellent approach for strengthening and stiffening existing building for lateral forces. Also, another potential advantage of this system is the comparatively small increase in mass associated with the retrofitting scheme since this is a great problem for several retrofitting techniques. In this study, the use of steel bracing for the strengthening of low, intermediate, and relatively high rise reinforced concrete frames are investigated analytically. The ultimate lateral load capacities of the strengthened frames are determined by a load controlled push-over analysis. The post-tensioning effect of preloading is also investigated.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of material and geometric nonlinearities occurring in beams, columns and walls of RC frame-wall structural systems when undergoing severe ground excitations. For this purpose, a low-rise RC building is considered with and without walls, and the joining beams and columns are designed with the strong-column weak-beam concept. The dimensions, material properties and the reinforcement amounts are calculated in accordance with the values suggested in design codes. Each structure is analyzed for various levels of applied vertical force and change in wall stiffness / where the effect of geometric nonlinearity is considered for each case. Force formulation frame elements with spreading inelasticity over the span are used for the modelling of each beam, column and wall. The coupling of the section forces is obtained by the fibre discretization of the section into several material points. Each section is divided into confined and unconfined regions and appropriate material properties are used for concrete and steel for cyclic loading. Both static pushover and dynamic analyses are performed in order to replicate the worst case scenario for a possible earthquake. From this study, it is concluded that the beams and columns of a frame-wall structural system should be designed carefully for load redistributions resulting from the yielding of the wall in the case of a strong earthquake, thus the design codes should address this situation for both in the retrofit of existing frame buildings with walls and in the construction of new frame-wall type buildings.

A numerical study has been undertaken to evaluate the response of dual systems which consist of steel plate shear walls and moment resisting frames. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the influence of elastic base shear distribution between the wall and the frame on the global system response. A total of 10 walls and 30 wall-frame systems, ranging from 3 to 15 stories, were selected for numerical assessment. These systems represent cases in which the elastic base shear resisted by the frame has a share of 10%, 25%, or 50% of the total base shear resisted by the dual system. The numerical study consisted of 1600 time history analyses employing three-dimensional finite elements. All 40 structures were separately analyzed for elastic and inelastic response by subjecting to the selected suite of earthquake records. Interstory drifts, top story drift, base shears resisted by the wall and the frame were collected during each analysis. Based on the analysis results, important response quantities such as the response modification, the overstrength, the displacement amplification and ductility reduction factors are evaluated herein. Results are presented in terms of several measures such as the interstory drift ratio and the top story drift ratio. A discussion related to the influence of load share on the response factors is given.

A three-phase numerical study was undertaken to address some design issues related with special truss moment frames (STMFs). In the first phase, the design approaches for distribution of shear strength among stories were examined. Multistory STMFs sized based on elastic and inelastic behavior were evaluated from a performance point of view. A set of time history analysis was conducted to investigate performance parameters such as the interstory drift ratio and the plastic rotation at chord member ends. The results of the analysis reveal that the maximum interstory drifts are not significantly influenced by the adopted design philosophy while considerable differences are observed for plastic rotations. In the second phase, the expected shear strength at vierendeel openings was studied through three dimensional finite element modeling. The results from finite element analysis reveal that the expected shear strength formulation presented in the AISC Seismic Provisions for Structural Steel Buildings is overly conservative. Based on the analysis results, an expected shear strength formula was developed and is presented herein. In the third phase, the effects of the load share and slenderness of X-diagonals in the special segment on the performance of the system were evaluated. Lateral drift, curvature at chord member ends, axial strain at X-diagonals and base shear were the investigated parameters obtained from a set of time history analysis. The results illustrate that as the load share of X-diagonals increases, the deformations decreases. Moreover, the slenderness of X-diagonals is not significantly effective on the system performance.

Non-ductile reinforced concrete frame buildings constitute an important part of the vulnerable buildings in seismic regions of the world. Collapse of non-ductile multi story concrete buildings during strong earthquakes in the past resulted in severe casualties and economic losses. Their rehabilitation through retrofitting is a critical issue in reducing seismic risks worldwide. A displacement-based retrofitting approach is presented in this study for seismic retrofitting of medium height non-ductile concrete frames. A minimum amount of shear walls are added for maintaining the deformation levels below the critical level dictated by the existing columns in the critical story, which is usually at the ground story. Detailing of shear walls are based on conforming to the reduced deformation demands of the retrofitted frame/wall system. Member-end rotations are employed as the response parameters for performance evaluation. Initial results obtained from the proposed displacement based approach have revealed that jacketing of columns and confining the end regions of added shear walls are usually unnecessary compared to the conventional force-based approach, where excessive force and deformation capacities are provided regardless of the actual deformation demands.

­^¤å´£­n¡G The objective of this thesis is to simultaneously achieve two- dimensional control of transverse flux linear switched-reluctance machine (LSRM). Based on a theoretical matrix decomposition scheme, the overall structure of the control and drive systems can be constructed, and the associated man/machine interface can be designed. A fuzzy inference scheme has been selected to control the machine motion, while an orthogonal scheme has been developed to control the machine lift force. By realizing the control algorithm through digital signal processor (DSP), results show that the LSRM will be quite applicable for the desired operations of magnetic levitated vehicle.