Light-frame shearwall assemblies have been successfully used to resist gravity and lateral loads, such as earthquake and wind, for many decades. However, there is a need for maintaining the structural integrity of such buildings even when large openings in walls are introduced. Wood portal frame systems have been identified as a potential alternative to meet some aspects of this construction demand. The overarching goal of the research is to develop wood portal frame bracing systems, which can be used as an alternative or in combination with light-frame wood shearwalls. This is done through investigating the behavior of wood portal frames using the MIDPLY shearwall framing technique. A total of 21 MIDPLY corner joint tests were conducted with varying bracing details. Also, a finite element model was developed and compared with test results from the current study as well as studies by others. It was concluded from the corner joint tests that the maximum moment resistance increased with the addition of metal straps or exterior sheathings. The test results also showed a significant increase in the moment capacity and rotational stiffness by replacing the Spruce-Pine Fir (SPF), header with the Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) header. The addition of the FRP to the standard wall configuration also resulted in a significant increase in the moment capacity. However, no significant effect was observed on the stiffness properties of the corner joint. The FE model was capable of predicting the behavior of the corner joints and the full-scale portal frames with realistic end-conditions. The model closely predicted the ultimate lateral capacity for all the configurations but more uncertainty was found in predicting the initial stiffness.The FE model used to estimate the behavior of the full-scale portal frames constructed using the MIDPLY framing techniques showed a significant increase in the lateral load carrying capacity when compared with the traditional portal frame. It was also predicted using the full-scale FE model that the lateral load carrying capacity of the MIDPLY portal frame would increase with the addition of the metal straps on exterior faces. A parametric study showed that using a Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) header increased the lateral load carrying capacity and the initial stiffness of the frames relative to the SPF header. The study also showed that there was an increase in the capacity if high strength metal straps were used. Doubling of the nail spacing at header and braced wall segment had a considerable effect on the lateral capacity of portal frame. Also, the initial stiffness was reduced for all the configurations with the doubling of the nail spacing at the header and braced wall segment in comparison with the reference frame.

Recent developments in mixed integer programming have highlighted the need for multi-row cuts. To this day, the performance of such cuts has typically fallen short of the single-row Gomory mixed integer cut. This disparity between the theoretical need and the practical shortcomings of multi-row cuts motivates the study of both the mixed integer cut and multi-row cuts. In this thesis, we build on the theoretical foundations of the mixed integer cut and develop techniques to derive multi-row cuts. The first chapter introduces the mixed integer programming problem. In this chapter, we review the terminology and cover some basic results that find application throughout this thesis. Furthermore, we describe the practical solution of mixed integer programs, and in particular, we discuss the role of cutting planes and our contributions to this theory. In Chapter 2, we investigate the Gomory mixed integer cut from the perspective of group polyhedra. In this setting, the mixed integer cut appears as a facet of the master cyclic group polyhedron. Our chief contribution is a characterization of the adjacent facets and the extreme points of the mixed integer cut. This provides insight into the families of cuts that may work well in conjunction with the mixed integer cut. We further provide extensions of these results under mappings between group polyhedra. For the remainder of this thesis we explore a framework for deriving multi-row cuts. For this purpose, we favor the method of superadditive lifting. This technique is largely driven by our ability to construct superadditive under-approximations of a special value function known as the lifting function. We devote our effort to precisely this task. Chapter 3 reviews the theory behind superadditive lifting and returns to the classical problem of lifted flow cover inequalities. For this specific example, the lifting function we wish to approximate is quite complicated. We overcome this difficulty by adopting an indirect method for proving the validity of a superadditive approximation. Finally, we adapt the idea to high-dimensional lifting problems, where evaluating the exact lifting function often poses an immense challenge. Thus we open entirely unexplored problems to the powerful technique of lifting. Next, in Chapter 4, we consider the computational aspects of constructing strong superadditive approximations. Our primary contribution is a finite algorithm that constructs non-dominated superadditive approximations. This can be used to build superadditive approximations on-the-fly to strengthen cuts derived during computation. Alternately, it can be used offline to guide the search for strong superadditive approximations through numerical examples. We follow up in Chapter 5 by applying the ideas of Chapters 3 and 4 to high-dimensional lifting problems. By working out explicit examples, we are able to identify non-dominated superadditive approximations for high-dimensional lifting functions. These approximations strengthen existing families of cuts obtained from single-row relaxations. Lastly, we show via the stable set problem how the derivation of the lifting function and its superadditive approximation can be entirely embedded in the computation of cuts. Finally, we conclude by identifying future avenues of research that arise as natural extensions of the work in this thesis.

In today's industry 3D cameras are often used to inspect products. The camera produces both a 3D model and an intensity image by capturing a series of profiles of the object using laser triangulation. In many of these setups a physical encoder is attached to, for example, the conveyor belt that the product is travelling on. The encoder is used to get an accurate reading of the speed that the product has when it passes through the laser. Without this, the output image from the camera can be distorted due to a variation in velocity. In this master thesis a method for integrating the functionality of this physical encoder into the software of the camera is proposed. The object is scanned together with a pattern, with the help of this pattern the object can be restored to its original proportions. / I dagens industri används ofta 3D-kameror för att inspektera produkter. Kameran producerar en 3D-modell samt en intensitetsbild genom att sätta ihop en serie av profilbilder av objektet som erhålls genom lasertriangulering. I många av dessa uppställningar används en fysisk encoder som återspeglar hastigheten på till exempel transportbandet som produkten ligger på. Utan den här encodern kan bilden som kameran fångar bli förvrängd på grund av hastighetsvariationer. I det här examensarbetet presenteras en metod för att integrera funktionaliteten av encodern in i kamerans mjukvara. För att göra detta krävs att ett mönster placeras längs med objektet som ska bli skannat. Mönstret återfinns i bilden fångad av kameran och med hjälp av detta mönster kan hastigheten bestämmas och objektets korrekta proportioner återställas.

<p>The Vickers residual stress field (VRSF) in soda-lime glass results from the elastic-plastic contact event that takes place when a Vickers diamond pyramid is loaded onto the surface of the material in an indentation cycle. The importance of elastic-plastic indentation lies in the contact damage that it gives rise to in the surface of the glass. Since such surface flaws can be characterised, with respect to shape and size, they offer the opportunity to study naturally occurring flaws in glass and brittle materials in general. The residual stress field is not passive; rather it exerts a crack opening force on the associated crack system during subsequent strength testing of a Vickers-indented sample through a residual stress field coefficient, c. Besides the strength-controlling properties, the elastic-plastic contact residual stress field is also important as a region where the influence of mechanical excitation on material properties such as hardness, H, and elastic modulus, E, can be studied.</p><p>This thesis concerns studies that were made to characterise the Vickers residual stress field by first measuring the magnitude and distribution of stresses around it, using nanoindentation with a cube corner tip. With a Berkovich tip in nanoindentation, experiments were conducted in the VRSF to study the dependence of hardness, H and elastic modulus, E, on stresses in soda-lime glass: a strong E dependence on stress was observed, while H was not affected unless the stresses were high. In the process, a method was developed to determine the true contact area during elastic-plastic nanoindentation when the Oliver-Pharr method is used for the data analysis.</p><p>The observed elastic modulus dependence on stress was then utilised in a study where it was shown that the VRSF responds differently to relaxation annealing on either side of the glass transition temperature. This result was then used to explain strength recovery trends in annealed Vickers-indented glass specimens.</p>

This thesis presents a product development process, where an existing solution on a cab door have been analysed and developed, with the aim to result in a cost-effective concept solution for handling tolerances on the door frame. The methodological approach in this thesis is based on Volvo Construction Equipment’s development model; The Global Development Process, which started with a pre-study phase where the problem formulation was established. The problem formulation in short is to find a solution for how to handle narrow tolerances in steel profiles for the door weldment on cab doors. Various solution ideas were discussed and concepts were generated with focus to design a new cab door corner that would solve the problems addressed by the project. The applied method resulted in a final concept consisting of the same steel profiles but with new dimensions, and two new concepts in each corner; one corner module that is placed inside the steel profiles and joined by welding, and a plastic shell that covers the welded corner. The concept was validated using a prototype of the proposed solution, where tests show that the requirements were achieved, besides a few deficiencies. A cost comparison between the existing and the proposed solution was made within limitations for this thesis. The result of the cost comparison shows an indication of that the proposed solution can be more cost-effective than the existing solution. Some of the recommendations after have completing the project are to make a complete cost comparison to ensure that the indication is correct and to analyse the new components to optimize and define the dimensions of them.

The basis of mixing ventilation is the airflow supply to the room by means of jets initiatedfrom the ventilation diffusers. To avoid the draught problem, the design of mixing ventilationmakes uses the throw term, which is defined as the distance to the supply air terminal inwhich the jet centreline mean velocity is decreased to a given value. Traditionally, the throw ismeasured by the supply air device manufacturer. The throw is applied by designers to estimatethe velocity levels in the occupied zone. A standard for determining the throw is the CENstandard CEN/TC156/WG4 N86 "Draft Standard. Air terminal Devices. AerodynamicsTesting And Rating For Mixed Flow Application".The measurement of the throw is very time consuming even with the free jets and theinfluence of the room (the effect of confinement) is not considered. The objective of thepresent study is to give a basis for modifying the existing design and testing method used topredict the velocities in the occupied zone during the design process. A new method whichmay probably be more easier than the existing methods and at the same time give a betterprecision by including the confinement effect.In this thesis two methodological systems of experiment and numerical simulations have beenused. The numerical predictions are used in comparison with the measurements. Thereasonable agreement of the above mentioned methods is implemented to numerical study ofthe other room configurations which are not experimentally studied. This examining methodallows the possibility of studying a lot of configurations and in this manner generalising of theresults. Although the experimental part was made for both model-scale and full-scale testrooms, a large amount of data was obtained for a new test room whose dimension aresystematically varied. All of studies have been made for the isothermal case and themeasurements of velocities and pressures conducted along the room perimeters. The effect ofshort and deep rooms on the properties of the jet ( velocities, pressure, integral scale, jetmomentum, the rate of spreading of jet and turbulence intensities) have been carried out.Some old and recent investigations have been examined. Specially the concept of correlationsfrom open to closed rooms is criticised. It is also shown that the flow field in a confined roomis affected by many other factors than the Reynolds number. The surface pressure on theperimeters was used to calculate the reaction forces at the corners which causes recirculatingbubbles at corners. A study of the turbulent axisymmetric jet which is the basic element inturbulent shear flows and some restrictions of the traditional measurement techniques at theregion of interest in ventilation applications are discussed. The jet momentum is measured byweighing on a balance. Also a study of jets which collide with a wall , that is impinging jet,the effect of walls and confinement on the jet momentum have experimentally andnumerically been carried out. A new momentum balance model was developed for both thefree jet and confined one. An empirical relation has been found for estimation of the room’srotation centre which is used for validation of CFD results.Finally, it is found that the jets in a ventilated room which are a combination of free jet, walljet and impinging jet differ from the traditional wall jets. The rate of spreading of the jet andthe maximum velocity decay in a ventilated room are also different depending on the roomsize and its confinement.

In the field of singularly perturbed reaction- or convection-diffusion boundary value problems the research area of a priori error analysis for the finite element method, has already been thoroughly investigated. In particular, for mesh adapted methods and/or various stabilization techniques, works have been done that prove optimal rates of convergence or supercloseness uniformly in the perturbation parameter epsilon. Commonly, however, it is assumed that the exact solution behaves nicely in that it obeys certain regularity assumptions although in general, e.g. due to corner singularities, these regularity requirements are not satisfied. So far, insufficient regularity has been met by assuming compatibility conditions on the data. The present thesis originated from the question: What can be shown if these rather unrealistic additional assumptions are dropped? We are interested in epsilon-uniform a priori estimates for convergence and superconvergence that include some regularity parameter that is adjustable to the smoothness of the exact solution. A major difficulty that occurs when seeking the numerical error decay is that the exact solution is not known. Since we strive for reliable rates of convergence we want to avoid the standard approach of the "double-mesh principle". Our choice is to use reference solutions as a substitute for the exact solution. Numerical experiments are intended to confirm the theoretical results and to bring further insights into the interplay between layers and singularities. To computationally realize the thereby arising demanding practical aspects of the finite element method, a new software is developed that turns out to be particularly suited for the needs of the numerical analyst. Its design, features and implementation is described in detail in the second part of the thesis.

In this thesis, the author studies recursIve subdivision algorithms for curves and surfaces. Several subdivision algorithms are constructed and investigated. Some graphic examples are also presented. Inspired by the Chaikin's algorithm and the Catmull-Clark's algorithm, some non-uniform schemes, the non-uniform corner cutting scheme and the recursive subdivision algorithm for non-uniform B-spline curves, are constructed and analysed. The adapted parametrization is introduced to analyse these non-uniform algorithms. In order to solve the surface interpolation problem, the Dyn-Gregory-Levin's 4-point interpolatory scheme is generalized to surfaces and the 10-point interpolatory subdivision scheme for surfaces is formulated. The so-called Butterfly Scheme, which was firstly introduced by Dyn, Gregory Levin in 1988, is just a special case of the scheme. By studying the Cross-Differences of Directional Divided Differences, a matrix approach for analysing uniform subdivision algorithms for surfaces is established and the convergence of the 10-point scheme over both uniform and non-uniform triangular networks is studied. Another algorithm, the subdivision algorithm for uniform bi-quartic B-spline surfaces over arbitrary topology is introduced and investigated. This algorithm is a generalization of Doo-Sabin's and Catmull-Clark's algorithms. It produces uniform Bi-quartic B-spline patches over uniform data. By studying the local subdivision matrix, which is a circulant, the tangent plane and curvature properties of the limit surfaces at the so-called Extraordinary Points are studied in detail.

Nowadays, there is growing interest in face detection applications for unconstrained environments. The increasing need for public security and national security motivated our research on the automatic face detection system. For public security surveillance applications, the face detection system must be able to cope with unconstrained environments, which includes cluttered background and complicated illuminations. Supervised approaches give very good results on constrained environments, but when it comes to unconstrained environments, even obtaining all the training samples needed is sometimes impractical. The limitation of supervised approaches impels us to turn to unsupervised approaches. In this thesis, we present an efficient and unsupervised face detection system, which is feature and configuration based. It combines geometric feature detection and local appearance feature extraction to increase stability and performance of the detection process. It also contains a novel adaptive lighting compensation approach to normalize the complicated illumination in real life environments. We aim to develop a system that has as few assumptions as possible from the very beginning, is robust and exploits accuracy/complexity trade-offs as much as possible. Although our attempt is ambitious for such an ill posed problem-we manage to tackle it in the end with very few assumptions.

Image processing plays a key role in vision systems. Its function is to extract and enhance pertinent information from raw data. In robotics, processing of real-time data is constrained by limited resources. Thus, it is important to understand and analyse image processing algorithms for accuracy, speed, and quality. The theme of this thesis is an implementation and comparative study of algorithms related to various image processing techniques like edge detection, corner detection and thinning. A re-interpretation of a standard technique, non-maxima suppression for corner detectors was attempted. In addition, a thinning filter, Hall-Guo, was modified to achieve better results. Generally, real time data is corrupted with noise. This thesis also incorporates few smoothing filters that help in noise reduction. Apart from comparing and analysing algorithms for these techniques, an attempt was made to implement correlation-based optic flow