The application of fracture mechanics to engineering design has provided significant advances in understanding of the causes and mechanisms of failure and crack growth. Despite this, there are still some aspects that remain incompletely understood, such as the crack closure/crack shielding effect. The presence of crack closure/shielding acts to reduce . The mechanisms of crack closure/shielding are complicated, and have not been fully understood. This work focuses on the plasticity-induced crack tip shielding mechanism and presents a novel approach to characterise the elastic stress fields under the influence of the plastic enclave surrounding the crack tip. The model is successfully applied to determine the four stress parameters experimentally using full-field photoelastic stress analysis on polycarbonate CT specimens, following studies of the effect of the crack tip position and the valid data collection zone giving the best fit between the model predictions and the experimental data. The predicted values from the model demonstrate good data repeatability, and exhibit sensible trends as a function of crack length and load ratio that are interpretable in terms of physically meaningful changes to the plastic enclave. In addition, the model is proven to describe the stress field around a crack more accurately than classic Williams‟ stress solution. The model is also extended to AL 2024-T3 specimens using a full-field displacement measurement technique, digital image correlation. Using the Sobel edge detection method to identify the crack tip from the displacement fields with a rectangular shaped data collection zone employed in the current study, reasonable trends were again demonstrated in the experimental results as a function of crack length.

My works evolve from a concrete vision but tend to lack recognizable imagery. Color and texture are central to my process. By isolating the element of color, I strive for purely formal qualities in my color field paintings. Working on textured suraces, such as burlap, allows me to capture textural elements, which further adds to the aesthetic components of my art. The lack of realistic imagery provides an opportunity for the viewer to personally interpret the visual elements. It is my objective that during the aesthetic experience, the viewer becomes captivated by the unique ways that colors play within tiny sections of the composition.

The main subject of this thesis is to design a method that is able to compare the outputs of a manually set up particle system with a video template of a simulated particle phenomenon. For the sake of simplicity, this work is focused exclusively to smoke effects and its comparisons. Specifically, descriptors depicting the color scheme of the examined input videos are proposed as well as the shape descriptors and time variability descriptors, which are based on the image segmentation method called Alpha Matting. This method is able to distinguish foreground objects from the background, while the foreground objects are described together with their transparency. Video template recordings captured specially for the purpose of this work are included. At the end, the resulting method is supported by an example of the gradually improving smoke effect simulation. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Les techniques de mesure de champs, et en particulier celles basées sur la Corrélation d’Images Numériques (CIN), sont matures et reconnues pour la détermination de déplacements d’objets quelconques, en deux ou trois dimensions. Ces travaux ont pour objet le développement d’essais et de techniques d’identification associées, en s’appuyant sur les méthodes de mesure par CIN, pour permettre l’évaluation des caractéristiques mécaniques d’un liner en titane T35, développé pour des applications spatiales. Des essais de traction uniaxiale sont tout d'abord utilisés pour déterminer le comportement élastoplastique du T35. Plusieurs méthodes d'identification sont comparées. En particulier, il est proposé d'étendre la corrélation d'image dite "intégrée" aux cas élastoplatiques. Cette méthode permet d'évaluer à la fois les déplacements du solide observé et les paramètres mécaniques des matériaux le constituant. Elle est comparée à une méthode de recalage de référence. L'étude se porte ensuite sur l'analyse de l'amorçage des fissures dans le liner. Les chargements cycliques du réservoir imposent à la tôle une déformation biaxiale cyclique en traction-compression de quelques pourcents, qui a été reproduite expérimentalement dans une machine multiaxiale. Cette partie a notamment nécessité le développement d’un essai triaxial à rapport de charge négatif sur tôle mince. Une estimation de la limite d'amorçage a été obtenue pour les niveaux de déformation visés. Enfin, la fissuration du liner a été étudiée par des techniques d'analyse dédiées. Certaines de ces techniques sont comparées quantitativement, afin d'étudier leurs capacités et limitations respectives. Des lois de propagation de type Paris ont été identifiées directement à partir d'images du voisinage de la fissure. / Field measurement techniques, and more particularly those based on Digital Image Correlation (DIC), are mature techniques for the determination of displacements of two or three-dimensional objects. The goal of this work is to develop test and associated identification DIC-based techniques to identify the mechanical behavior of a commercially-pure titanium liner, conceived for spatial applications. Uniaxial tensile teste are first used to identify the elasto-plastic behavior of this material. Several identification methods are compared. It is especially proposed to extend said "integrated" Digital Image Correlation to elasto-plastic cases. This methods allows to identify directly the displacement of the observed solid and the mechanical parameters of the constituting material. It is compared to a reference updating method. The crack initiation is then studied in this material. Some zones of the liner will be submitted to a plastic cyclic deformation, that has to be reproduced experimentally. A dedicated test has been conceived, allowing to apply a negative load ratio to the thin sheet. An estimation of the initiation limit has been obtained for this material. Finally, the crack propagation in the liner has been studied, using dedicated techniques. Some of these have been quantitatively compared, to study their respective capabilities. Paris' propagation laws have been identified directly from a set of raw images of the crack tip vicinity.

Depuis ces dernières décennies, les matériaux composites sont de plus en plus utilisés dans l'aéronautique. Notamment, les composites tissés 3D présentent des caractéristiques matériau hors-plan intéressantes par rapport aux stratifiés. Cette technologie est développée pour les aubes FAN des moteurs d'avion. La difficulté réside dans l'identification et la validation du modèle orthotrope élastique macroscopique du pied d'aube. En effet, l'hypothèse de séparation des échelles pour l'obtention des paramètres matériau macroscopique par homogénéisation n'est pas clairement vérifiée au sein du pied d'aube comportant plusieurs zones matériau. Le composite tissé 3D formant le pied d'aube est un matériau multi-échelle complexe. Les travaux de thèse ont donc été menés afin de proposer une identification des paramètres du modèle basée sur la mesure de champs de déplacements par Corrélation d'Images Numériques (CIN) et sur la méthode d'identification de recalage de modèles éléments finis (FEMU). Cette identification a pris en compte l'influence du bruit du capteur CCD présent sur les images servant à la CIN sur l'identification des paramètres matériau. Du fait du grand nombre de paramètres matériau à identifier et des éventuels couplages entre ceux-ci, il apparaît que quelques uns ne peuvent pas être identifier à travers l'essai de traction étudié. Par conséquent, une régularisation de la FEMU a été proposée basée sur la connaissance a priori des valeurs nominales et de leur incertitude. Celle-ci consiste en une pondération intelligente vis-à-vis des données issues de l'essai afin de faire tendre les paramètres non identifiables vers leur valeur nominale. Finalement, la qualité de l'identification a été quantifiée grâce aux incertitudes sur les paramètres matériau identifiés et grâce aux cartes de résidus d'identification basées sur les images. Ces cartes traduisent la capacité du champ de déplacement calculé par le modèle éléments finis identifié à corriger l'image déformée pour la recaler sur l'image de référence, images sur lesquelles la mesure par CIN est effectuée. Ces cartes de résidus et les incertitudes obtenues permettent ainsi de valider le modèle éléments finis proposé et le cas échéant de mettre en lumière ses insuffisances. Remettre en cause les valeurs nominales ou la modélisation (par exemple le zonage matériau) pour aboutir à une description compatible avec l’expérience reste du ressort de l’ingénieur. Le travail présenté ici lui permet d’éclairer au mieux ses choix. / In recent decades, composite materials are increasingly used in aerospace. Particularly, 3D woven composite present interesting out-of-plan characteristics compared to laminates. This technology is developed for FAN blades of aircraft engines. The difficulty lies in the identification and validation of the macroscopic elastic orthotropic model of the FAN blade root. Indeed, the assumption of scales separation to obtain the macroscopic parameters by homogenization is not clearly verified in the blade root containing multiple zones. The 3D woven composite forming the blade root is a complex and multi-scale material. The thesis work has been carried out to propose an identification of model parameters based on measurement of displacement fields with Digital Image Correlation (DIC) and the identification method of finite element model updating (FEMU) . This identification has taken into account the influence of noise, coming from the CCD sensor and present on the images utilized for the DIC, on the identification of material parameters. Because of the large number of material parameters to identify and the possible couplings between them, it appears that some of them can not be identified through the tensile test studied. Therefore, a regularization was proposed based on a priori knowledge of the nominal values &#8203-&#8203-and their uncertainty. This consists in a smart balance regarding the data obtained through the test in order to force the unidentifiable parameters to their nominal value. Finally, the quality of the identification was quantified using the uncertainties on the identified material parameters and residual maps after identification based on images. These maps reflect the ability of the calculated displacement to match the corrected deformed image on the reference image, images with which the DIC is performed. These residual maps and uncertainties on material parameters allow to validate the finite element model and propose an appropriate tool to highlight its shortcomings. Challenging nominal or modeling (eg material zones) to achieve a description consistent with the experience remains the responsibility of the engineer. The work presented here allows him to enlighten its choices.

This work aims at content-based image search. Different approaches to this type of search are investigated. The main focus of the thesis is special category of content-based image search called sketch-based image search. The most important descriptor types used for image feature extraction in image search are analyzed. Main contribution of the thesis to this research area is a new feature extraction method based on sketch-based image search. This method is implemented together with search interface. The method was evaluated by three test persons. The testing results show promising properties of new method and suggest further possible improve-ments. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

Thesis (M. Tech.) - Dept. of Visual Arts and Design, Faculty of Human Sciences - Vaal University of Technology. / The digital manipulation of images that are presented as photographs in the media raises issues of interpretation and the possible deception of viewers. The central research question of this study was whether training in the visual arts improves awareness of digital image manipulation of photographs. Secondary aims of the research were to investigate correlations between visual production literacy training and awareness of digital image manipulation of photographs as opposed to general visual literacy training. Secondary aims also include the !investigation of attitudes to the manipulation of photographs in relation to different viewing contexts and various levels of manipulation. The literature review provides background information and theoretical frameworks on the nature of the photographic message and how it is read primarily from a semiotic perspective. A further investigation was done into literature regarding the use of attitudes towards and ethical issues surrounding digital manipulation of photographs. In addition, a review of literature on visual literacy supports the argument that awareness of digital manipulation of photographs should and can be improved. For the empirical component of the study, a total of 145 students at the Vaal University of Technology with low, medium and high visual literacy training participated on a voluntary basis. Both qualitative and quantitative data was gathered through a digitally administered questionnaire on six visual images, each manipulated to a different degree. The results show that production literacy, especially specific training in digital image manipulation software, emerged as the main variable to be significantly (beta coefficient = 0.051; Pearson's r value = 0.436) associated with awareness of manipulation techniques as opposed to general visual literacy (standardised regression coefficieFlt = 0.436; Pearson's r = 0.051 ). Findings regarding attitudes to manipulation and the impact of viewing context show no difference between groups. Emanating from these results possibilities for further research were formulated.

Orientador: Aparecido Augusto de Carvalho / Resumo: O desenvolvimento de sistemas capazes de monitorar e controlar informações estão sendo cada vez mais utilizados, permitindo maior refinamento e confiança nos resultados. Na área instrumental de laboratório, existem situações que exigem maior controle sobre o ensaio. Com o atual avanço na área de microprocessadores, microcontroladores, sensores inteligentes, entre outros, têm impulsionado a utilização dos mesmos na melhoria e confiabilidade de processos mecânicos, químicos, físicos, biológicos, de inteligência artificial, de melhoria de qualidade de vida de pessoas com deficiência. Os processos podem ser melhorados utilizando equipamentos que possuem sistemas embarcados capazes de processar informações e fazer o controle a partir de sistemas operacionais que antes só eram possíveis nos computadores. Na área das grandes estruturas de concreto não é diferente, deve-se monitorar algumas variáveis que resultam em uma manifestação patológica conhecida como reação álcali-agregado, que é um fenômeno de expansão que afeta a durabilidade e a resistência mecânica do concreto, este fenômeno está ligado à algumas variáveis, a umidade relativa interna é umas delas. Existem várias pesquisas no sentido de inibir as reações álcali-agregados, e é sabido que um importante passo antes do acontecimento da reação álcali-agregado em obras hidráulicas, como as usinas hidroelétricas é o monitoramento da umidade e da temperatura no interior do concreto e, acompanhamento das fissuras inerentes do proce... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The development of systems able to monitor and control information is increasingly being used, allowing greater refinement and confidence in results. In the instrumental area of the laboratory, there are situations that require greater control over the test. With the current progress in the area of microprocessors, microcontrollers, intelligent sensors, among others, have encouraged the use of these in the improvement and reliability of mechanical, chemical, physical, biological, artificial intelligence, improving the quality of life of people with deficiency. Processes can be improved by using equipment that has embedded systems that can process information and control from operating systems that were previously only possible on computers. In the area of large concrete structures is not different, it is necessary to monitor some variables that result in a pathological manifestation known as alkali-aggregate reaction, which is an expansion phenomenon that affects the durability and the mechanical resistance of the concrete, this phenomenon is connected to some variables, the relative humidity is one of them. There are several researches to inhibit alkali-aggregate reactions and is known that an important step before the occurrence of the alkali-aggregate reaction in hydraulic works such as hydroelectric plants is the monitoring of humidity and temperature inside the concrete and, the inherent fissures of the expansion process. The present work implemented a low cost, temperat... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Memoria para optar al título de Ingeniero Civil Mecánico / Capturar las vibraciones de un objeto usando cámaras estereoscópicas de alta velocidad posibilita la determinación en campo completo de su geometría y desplazamiento en tres dimensiones, ya que permiten medir un elevado número de grados de libertad simultáneamente. Disponer de datos de medición de campo completo de una estructura es de interés para la aplicación de metodologías de identificación de daño centradas en la respuesta vibracional. El objetivo de este trabajo de título es desarrollar e implementar indicadores de daño basados en la deformación, curvatura y en derivadas de orden superior de los modos de vibración, que sean capaces de identificar daño por delaminación en un panel compuesto tipo panal de abeja usando un sistema de correlación de imágenes digital de alta velocidad (DIC). Las muestras consistieron en paneles de geometría plana tipo sándwich con núcleos del tipo panal de abeja, y se diferenciaron según su composición y según distintos escenarios de daño por delaminación. Las muestras fueron excitadas a rangos cercanos de sus respectivas frecuencias naturales, esta vibración se captó por el sistema DIC y se identificaron un determinado número de modos de vibración para cada muestra. Se procesó la información recabada por las cámaras, se les aplicó un algoritmo de suavizado y se construyeron indicadores de daño basados en la deformación, curvatura, y en la tercera y cuarta derivada parcial del desplazamiento normal a la superficie modal. Finalmente, a los indicadores resultantes se les aplicó un tratamiento estadístico de selección de datos (asociados a daño) y se les comparó mediante un algoritmo evaluador de predicción. Se utilizaron dos técnicas distintas para la estimación de los parámetros vibracionales de deformación, curvatura y derivadas de orden superior: diferencias finitas y point least-squares (PLS). Luego, en conjunto con la metodología \textit{Gapped Smoothing} (GSM) se construyeron los indicadores de daño. Se concluyó que aquellos indicadores basados en parámetros estimados mediante diferencias finitas presentaron ser sensibles al ruido experimental y por tanto poco confiables. En cambio, los indicadores basados en parámetros estimados mediante point least-squares presentaron ser sensibles al daño y robustos ante la presencia de ruido experimental. En particular, los indicadores de daño basados en la deformación, curvatura y tercera derivada del desplazamiento normal a la superficie de los modos estimadas mediante point least-squares presentan las mejores predicciones de detección según el algoritmo evaluador. Además, la detección de delaminaciones pequeñas fue realizada de mejor manera por el indicador basado en la curvatura estimada mediante point least-squares. / FONDECYT

A Ecocardiografia continua sendo a técnica de captura de imagens mais promissora, não-invasiva, sem radiação ionizante e de baixo custo para avaliação de condições cardíacas. Porém, é afetada consideravelmente por ruídos do tipo speckle, que são difíceis de serem filtrados. Por isso fez-se necessário fazer a escolha certa entre filtragem e segmentador para a obtenção de resultados melhores na segmentação de estruturas. O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi estudar essa combinação entre filtro e segmentador. Para isso, foi desenvolvido um sistema segmentador, a fim de sistematizar essa avaliação. Foram implementados dois filtros para atenuar o efeito do ruído speckle - Linear Scaling Mean Variance (LSMV) e o filtro de Chitwong - testados em imagens simuladas. Foram simuladas 60 imagens com 300 por 300 pixels, 3 modelos, 4 espessuras e 5 níveis de contrastes diferentes, todas com ruído speckle. Além disso, foram feitos testes com a combinação de filtros. Logo após, foi implementado um algoritmo de conectividade Fuzzy para fazer a segmentação e um sistema avaliador, seguindo os critérios descritos por Loizou, que faz a contagem de verdadeiro-positivos (VP) e falso-positivos (FP). Foi verificado que o filtro LSMV é a melhor opção para segmentação por conectividade Fuzzy. Foram obtidas taxas de VP e FP na ordem de 95% e 5%, respectivamente, e acurácia em torno de 95%. Para imagens ruidosas com alto contraste, aplicando a segmentação sem filtragem, a acurácia obtida foi na ordem de 60%. / The echocardiography is the imaging technique that remains most promising, noninvasive, no ionizing radiation and inexpensive to assess heart conditions. On the other hand, is considerably affected by noises, such as speckle, that are very difficult to be filtered. That is why it is necessary to make the right choice of filter and segmentation method to obtain the best results on image segmentation. The goal was evaluate this filter and segmentation method combination. For that, it was developed a segmentation system, to help the assessment. Two filters were implemented to mitigate the effect of speckle noise Linear Scaling Mean Variance (LSMV) and the filter presented by Chitwong - to be tested in simulated images. We simulated 60 images, with size 300 by 300 pixels, 3 models, 4 thicknesses and 5 different levels of contrast, all with speckle noise. In addition, tests were made with a combination of filters. Furthermore, it was implemented a Fuzzy Connectedness algorithm and an evaluation system, following the criteria described by Loizou, which makes the true positives (TP) and false positives (FP) counting. It was found that the LSMV filter is the best option for Fuzzy Connectedness. We obtained rates of TP and FP of 95% and 5% using LSMV, and accuracy of 95%. Using high contrast noisy images, without filtering, we obtained the accuracy in order of 60%.