Ce travail de thèse a pour objet d’analyser le processus de dissipation d’énergie dans les amortisseurs par milieux granulaires. Des études de nature expérimentale, analytique et numérique ont été menées afin de pouvoir détecter les paramètres clefs agissant sur la dissipation; un modèle expérimental minimal a été présenté en premier lieu afin de mettre en évidence l’efficacité des milieux granulaire en tant qu’amortisseurs de vibrations. Un second modèle expérimental plus élaboré a été développé, avec de multiples protocoles expérimentaux, pour mener une étude paramétrique et détecter leurs impacts sur l’évolution du facteur de perte du système. On montre que le coefficient de perte ne dépend pas du matériau des particules ou leur nombre, mais dépend fortement de la masse totale des grains embarqués et sur l’amplitude du signal vibrant. Nos mesures montrent aussi la contribution de l'écoulement visqueux de l'air entourant les grains au facteur de perte globale des amortisseurs.La partie analytique à son tour a permis de retrouver le comportement obtenu expérimentalement par le billet du développement des équations du mouvement du système, celle des énergie cinétique et énergie dissipée afin de proposer enfin une équation maitresse qui décrit l’évolution du facteur de perte réduit au sein de notre système. Pour atteindre une plus grande précision, une modélisation du système granulaire par la méthode des éléments discrets (DEM) a permis de retrouver les mêmes conclusions et ainsi valider les constatations expérimentales et le modèle analytique proposé. / This thesis aims to analyze the process of energy dissipation in particle dampersExperimental, analytical and numerical studies have been conducted in order to identify key parameters influencing the dissipation; minimal experimental model was introduced first to highlight the efficiency of granular media as shock absorbers of vibrations. A second more sophisticated experimental model was developed, with multiple experimental protocols, to conduct a parametric study and detect their impact on the evolution of the system loss factor. It is shown that the loss coefficient is independent of the particle material or their number, but depends strongly on the total mass of embedded grains and on the amplitude of the vibrating signal. Our measurements also show the contribution of viscous flow of the air surrounding the grains to the overall loss factor.The analytical part in turn led to the discovery The behaviour obtained experimentally by the development of the equations of motion of the system, that of kinetic energy dissipated and energy to finally offer a mistress equation which describes the evolution of the loss factor reduced within our system. To achieve greater accuracy, a model of the granular system by the discrete element method (DEM) allowed to find the same conclusions and thus validate the experimental findings and the proposed analytical model.

Magnetic components are necessary for switch-mode power electronics converters, but they are often the bulkiest and heaviest in the system. Novel magnetic designs with intricate structures lead to the size reduction of power electronics converters but pose challenges to the fabrication process and material availability. Because of their low-temperature and pressure-less process-ability, magnetic pastes would be the material of choice to make magnetic cores with complex geometries. However, most magnetic pastes reported in the literature suffer from low relative permeability (µr < 26) due to the low magnetic fraction limited by viscosity. The conventional approach of developing magnetic pastes involves experimental iterations with trial-and-error efforts to determine the optimal compositions. To shorten the development cycle and take advantage of the computational power in the current age, this work focuses on exploring, validating, and demonstrating a computer-aided methodology to correlate material's processing, microstructure, and property to guide the development of magnetic pastes. The discrete element method (DEM) simulation was explored to create materials' microstructure and the finite element method (FEM) simulation was utilized to study the magnetic permeability based on the microstructure created by DEM or taken from an actual material sample. The combination of DEM and FEM provided the linkage among processing-microstructure-property relations. Then, the methodology was verified and demonstrated by improving a starting formulation. The formulation was modeled with DEM based on multiple variables, e.g., particle shape, size, size distribution, mixing ratio, gap, gap distribution, magnetic volume fraction, etc. The optimal mixing ratio of different powders to achieve the maximum magnetic fraction was determined by DEM. Experimental results confirmed the predicted optimal mixing ratio. To further take advantage of the computational tools, the magnetic permeability of the magnetic pastes was computed by FEM based on the DEM-generated microstructures. The effects of powder mixing ratio and magnetic volume fraction on the magnetic permeability were studied, respectively. Compared with the experimental values, the microstructure-based FEM simulations could predict the magnetic permeability of the formulations with varied powder mixing ratios or magnetic volume fractions with an average error of only 10 %. Another critical aspect of employing magnetic pastes for magnetic components in power electronics is capable of tailoring their magnetic permeability to meet different design needs. The methodology was further verified and demonstrated by guiding the selection of composition parameters for tailorable magnetic permeability of a starting formulation with flaky particles. An FEM model was constructed from a microstructural image and varied parameters were explored (particle permeability, matrix permeability, particle volume fraction, etc.) to tailor the magnetic permeability. To verify the simulated results, a set of magnetic pastes with various volume fractions of flakes was prepared experimentally and characterized for their permeability. Comparing the simulated and measured permeability, the error was found to be less than 10 %. Last, the guideline was demonstrated to predict a material composition to achieve a target relative permeability of 30. From the predicted composition, the magnetic paste was prepared and characterized. The error between experimental permeability and the target was only 5 %. With the guideline, one can formulate magnetic pastes with tailorable permeability with minimal experimental effort and select the composition parameters to achieve a target permeability. After developing a series of magnetic pastes with tailorable permeability and a maximum value of 35, the feasibility of making magnetic components with magnetic pastes was demonstrated. The commonly used magnetic cores – C-core, E-core, toroid core, bar core, and plate core were fabricated by a low-temperature (< 200 °C) and pressure-less molding process. Several innovative magnetic components with intricate core structures were also fabricated to demonstrate the shape-forming flexibility. The magnetic paste can also be used as the feedstock for paste-extrusion-based additive manufacturing, which further enhances the shape-forming capability. For demonstration, a multi-permeability core was fabricated by 3D printing the magnetic pastes with tailored permeability. The feasibility of making high-performance magnetic components by additive manufacturing or low-temperature pressure-less molding of magnetic pastes opens the door to power electronics researchers to explore more innovative magnetic designs to further improve the efficiency and power density of the power electronics converters. / Doctor of Philosophy / Magnetic components are necessary for switch-mode power electronics converters, but they are often the bulkiest and heaviest in the system. To reduce the size of the power converters, it is crucial to reduce the size of magnetic components by employing innovative magnetic designs. However, the complicated geometries of the novel magnetic designs pose challenges to the availability of material feedstock and the fabrication process. Magnetic pastes would be the material of choice to make magnetic components with intricate structures because of their flexibility in shape-forming with low-temperature and pressure-less processes. However, most magnetic pastes reported in the literature suffer from low magnetic permeability due to the low magnetic fraction limited by viscosity. The conventional approach of developing magnetic pastes involves experimental trial-and-error efforts to determine the optimal compositions. To shorten the development cycle and take advantage of computational power in the current age, this project focuses on exploring, validating, and demonstrating a computer-aided way to correlate material's processing, microstructure, and property relations to guide material development. The numerical simulations were explored to generate the microstructures and study the properties. With the guidance provided by computer simulations, a series of magnetic pastes with tailorable permeability was developed. Several novel magnetic components were fabricated with the as-developed magnetic pastes via molding or additive manufacturing to demonstrate the shape-forming flexibility.

Yes / Numerical simulation of wet granulation in a continuous granulator is carried out using Discrete Element Method (DEM) to discover the possibility of formation of seeded granules in a continuous process with the aim of reducing number of experimental trials and means of process control. Simple and scooped drum granulators are utilized to attain homogenous seeded granules in which the effects of drum rotational speed, particles surface energy, and particles size ratio are investigated. To reduce the simulation time a scale-up scheme is designed in which a dimensionless number (Cohesion number) is defined based on the work of cohesion and gravitational potential energy of the particles. Also a mathematical/numerical method along with a MATLAB code is developed by which the percentage of surface coverage of each granule is predicted precisely. The results show that use of continuous granulator is promising provided that a high level of shear is considered in the granulator design, e.g. it is observed that using baffles inside the drum granulators is essential for producing seeded granules. It is observed, moreover, that the optimum surface energy for scooped granulator with rotational speed of 50 rpm is 3 J/m2 which is close to the number predicted by Cohesion number. It is also shown that increasing the seed/fine size ratio enhances the seeded granulation both quantitatively (60% increase in seeds surface coverage) and qualitatively (more homogeneous granules).

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第24167号 / 理博第4858号 / 新制||理||1695(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)教授 早川 尚男, 教授 佐々 真一, 教授 山本 潤 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / A procedure for calibrating a discrete element (DE) computational soil model for various moisture contents using a conventional Asperity-Spring friction modeling technique is presented in this thesis. The procedure is based on the outcomes of two physical soil experiments: (1) Compression and (2) unconfined shear strength at various levels of normal stress and normal pre-stress. The Compression test is used to calibrate the DE soil plastic strain and elastic strain as a function of Compressive stress. To calibrate the DE inter-particle friction coefficient and adhesion stress as a function of soil plastic strain, the unconfined shear test is used. This thesis describes the experimental test devices and test procedures used to perform the physical terramechanical experiments. The calibration procedure for the DE soil model is demonstrated in this thesis using two types of soil: sand-silt (2NS Sand) and silt-clay(Fine Grain Soil) over 5 different moisture contents: 0%, 4%, 8%, 12%, and 16%. The DE based models response are then validated by comparing them to experimental pressure-sinkage results for circular disks and cones for those two types of soil over 5 different moisture contents. The Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) during the compression calibration was 26.9% whereas during the unconfined shear calibration, the MAPE was calculated to be 11.38%. Hence, the overall MAPE was calculated to be 19.34% for the entire calibration phase.

"Safety is a value, not just a Priority" Geomechanically stable underground excavations require continuous assessment of rock mass behavior for maximizing safety. Optimizing pillar design is essential for preventing hazardous incidents and improving production in room-and-pillar mines. Maintaining regional and global stability is complicated for underground carbonate or stone deposits, where extensive fracture networks and groundwater flow become leading factors for generating unsteady ground conditions including karsts. A sudden encounter with karst cavities during mine advance may lead to safety issues, including ground collapse and outflow of unconsolidated sediments and groundwater. The presence of these eroded zones in pillars may cause their failure and poses a risk to the lives of miners apart from disrupting the pre-planned mining operations. A pervasive presence of joints and fractures plays a primary role in promoting structurally controlled failures in stone mines, which accelerates upon interaction with the karst cavities. The prevalent empirical and analytical approaches for pillar design ignore the geotechnical complexities such as the spatial density of discontinuities, karst voids, and deviation from the design during short-range mine planning. With the increasing market demand for limestone products, mining organizations, as well as enforcement agencies, are investing in research for increasing the efficiency of extracting valuable resources. While economical productivity is essential, preventing risks and ensuring the safety of miners remains the cardinal objective of mining operations. According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), since 2000, about 31% of occupational fatalities at all underground mines in the United States are caused due to ground collapse, which rises to 39% for underground stone mines. The objective of this study is to provide a reliable and methodological approach for pillar design in underground room-and-pillar hard rock mines for safe and efficient ore recovery. The numerical modeling techniques, implemented for a case study stone mine, could provide a pragmatic framework to assess the effect of karsts on rock mass behavior, and design future pillars detected with voids. The research uses data acquired from using remote sensing techniques, such as LiDAR and Ground-penetrating Radar surveys, to map the excavation characteristics. Discontinuum modeling was valuable for analyzing the pillar strength in the presence of discontinuities and cavities, as well as estimating a safe design standard. Discrete Fracture Networks, created using statistical information from discontinuity mapping, were employed to simulate the joints pervading the rock mass. This proposed research includes the calibration of rock mass properties to translate the effect of discontinuities to continuum models. Continuum modeling proved effective in analyzing regional stability along with characterizing the redistributed stress regime by imitating the excavation sequence. The results from pillar-scale and local-scale analyses are converged to optimize pillar design on a global scale and estimate the feasibility of secondary recovery in stone mines with a dominating discontinuity network and karst terrane. Stochastic analysis using finite volume modeling helped evaluate the performance of modified pillars to assist production while maintaining safety standards. The proposed research is valuable for improving future design parameters, excavation practices, and maintaining a balance between an approach towards increased safety while enhancing production. / Doctor of Philosophy / "The most valuable resource to come back out of a mine is a miner" – Anonymous. The United States accounted for 27% of the global limestone market share which was valued at US$58.5 billion in 2020 [148]. It is projected to reach a target of US$65.3 billion in 2027, growing even in midst of the COVID-19. As surface reserves deplete, much of the mineral demand gap is supplemented by mining underground deposits. Underground mines extract minerals from deep within the earth compared to surface mines. As a result, the miners experience a greater number of accidents in a constricted environment because of roof/tunnel collapse, fewer escape routes, ventilation, explosions, or inundation. According to the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), about 15% of all underground mine injuries in the US were caused by rockfalls since 1983. The majority of underground stone deposits are mined using the room-and-pillar mining method, which resembles a chessboard design where the light squares are mined, and the dark squares are left as rock pillars to support the tunnels. Limestone, a carbonate rock, contains a lot of fractures and joints (discontinuities). Erosion of rocks due to continuous water flow through the fractures leads to the formation of cavities known as karsts. Interaction of karsts with the prevalent fracture network increases rockfall risk during mining. The collapse of voids along with an inrush of filled rock-clay-water sludge can harm miners' lives, damage machinery, and stop further operations. Literature is scarce on topics that quantify the risk and disruption posed by these cavities in underground mines. Most rock classification systems cannot classify their effect because of the unpredictability and extensive analysis required. The objective of this research is to provide a reliable and methodological approach for designing pillars in underground hard rock mines for ensuring a safe working environment and efficient mineral recovery. This research starts with analyzing the strength of pillars, in which karst cavities were discovered while mining. The safety concerns often lead the miners to not excavate around the cavities and leave valuable resources unmined. Data from ground-penetrating radar and laser scanning surveys were used to characterize the voids and map the discontinuities. Discrete-element numerical modeling was used to simulate the pillars as an assembly of blocks jointed by the discontinuities. The simulation results help us understand the instability issues in the karst-ridden pillars and ways to improve upon the existing design. The findings were used to modulate the parameters for regional-scale models using finite volume modeling for less computationally intensive analyses and simulating rock as a continuum. The continuum models were highly effective in analyzing the instability issues due to the prevalent karstic network. This helps understand any alternative scenario that could have been implemented to optimize ore recovery while preventing risks. The results from the single pillar and regional analyses are combined to optimize pillar design on a global mine scale. This dissertation focuses on improving hazard mitigation in mines with unpredicted anomalies like karsts. Although this research is based on a specific mine site, it empowers the operators to explore the presented techniques to increase safety in all underground mines. The suggested methodology will help devise better strategies for handling instability issues without jeopardizing the mine operations. The primary motivation is to keep the underground miners safe from hazardous situations while fulfilling the secondary objective of maximizing mineral production.

This research focused on three main objectives: (1) quantify coarse aggregate morphological characteristics using an improved FTI (Fourier Transform Interferometry) image analysis system, (2) evaluate the effects of morphological characteristics of coarse aggregates of various mineral compositions on the mechanical performances of stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixtures constituted; (3) investigate the relationship between the uncompacted void content of coarse aggregates and morphological characteristics. To achieve the first research objective, a Fourier Transform Interferometry (FTI) system was adopted to capture three-dimensional high-resolution images of aggregates. Based on these digital images, the FTI system uses the two-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (FFT2) method to rapidly measure aggregate morphological characteristics, including sphericity, flatness ratio, elongation ratio, angularity, and surface texture. The computed shape characteristics of all aggregates were in good agreement with manual measurement results, demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of this image analysis system. For the second objective, a series of simple performance laboratory tests were performed on eight types of SMA mixtures with different morphological characteristics. Test included wheel-track loading, dynamic modulus, flow number, and beam fatigue. The wheel tracking test included asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) and Model mobile load simulator (MMLS). In the APA test, samples included eight types of SMA mixtures that consisted of aggregates of 22 fractions. In the MMLS test, six types of SMA mixture samples that consist of coarse aggregate of 15 fractions were tested. Regression analyses were then conducted between weighted mean morphological characteristics and performance parameters. The fatigue performance parameters include |E*|sin φ, where |E*| is complex modulus obtained from dynamic modulus test, the number of loading cycles to failure, and the seismic modulus difference. The rutting performance parameters include |E*|/sin φ, flow number, flow number slope, rut depth and creep slope. For the third objective, different coarse aggregate fractions from different quarries in Virginia were analyzed using the improved FTI system. Regression analyses were performed to investigate the correlation between morphological characteristics and uncompacted void content of coarse aggregates at the size ranges of 4.75-9.5mm and 9.5-12.5 mm, respectively. Aggregate morphological characteristics were found to play an important role in the mechanical performance of stone matrix asphalt mixture and the uncompacted air void content of the coarse aggregates. Both the experimental results and simulation results demonstrated that using more of equi-dimensional, less flaky and elongated coarse aggregates with angular and rougher-textured aggregates is favorable to the mechanical performances of SMA mixtures. Recommended values for each morphological characteristic are provided. / Ph. D.

The behavior of the ballast particles during their interaction with tamping tines in tamping operation is studied by developing a simulation model using the Discrete Element Model (DEM), with the aim of optimizing the railroad tamping operation. A comprehensive literature review is presented showcasing the applicability of DEM techniques in modeling ballast behavior and its feasibility in studying the fundamental mechanisms that influence the outcome of railroad tamping process is analyzed. The analysis shows that DEM is an excellent tool to study tamping operation as its important and unprecedented insights into the process, help not only to optimize the current tamping practices but also in the development of novel methods for achieving sustainable improvements in the track stability after tamping. The simulation model is developed using a commercially available DEM software called PFC3D (Particle Flow Code 3D). A detailed explanation is provided about how to set up the DEM model of railway ballast considering important parameters like selection and calibration of particle shapes, ballast mechanical properties, contact model, and parameters governing the contact force models. Tamping operation is incorporated into the simulation model using a half-track layout with a highly modular code that enables a high degree of adjustability to allow control of all process parameters for achieving optimized output. A parametric study is performed to find the best values of tine motion parameters to optimize the linear tamping efficiency and a performance comparison has been made between linear and elliptical tamping. It is found that squeeze and release velocity of the tines should be lesser for better compaction of the particles and linear tamping is better compared to elliptical tamping. / Master of Science / Railway track stability is the resistance of the tracks to deformation and is affected by the rail traffic, ballast fouling (contamination of ballast) and the changing environmental conditions. The track stability depends on the normal and frictional support provided by the ballast to the sleepers. Non-uniform ballast consolidation below the railway sleeper results in erratic wheel-rail contact forces, low traffic speeds, poor ride quality, and derailments. Thus, tamping is a railway track maintenance method done periodically on the railway tracks to ensure track stability. Tamping process involves compacting the railroad ballast underneath the sleeper. The sleeper is lifted by a desired height and then vibrating tamping tools called tines are inserted into the ballast below the sleeper to fill the void created by lifting of the sleeper and the sleeper is dropped back on to the ballast. So, it is important to understand the ballast mechanics, dynamics and ballast’s behavioral response to the tamping operation. Since, large scale experiments such as this are difficult, this operation has been simulated in a commercially available software called PFC3D using a Discrete Element Model (DEM) to represent the railway ballast. It is shown through a simulation that though spherical particles provide better computational efficiency, they cannot capture the exact ballast behavior like clumps (a collection of spherical pebbles). So using clumps to represent ballast, efforts are made to optimize the linear tamping efficiency. This is done by changing the values of parameters like tine amplitude, tine frequency, insertion velocity and squeeze velocity and finding their optimum values. Linear tamping results are compared with elliptical tamping. Thus, an optimum tamping cycle would help save money spent on the track maintenance activities.