The helicopter possesses the unrivaled capacity for vertical takeoff and landing which has made the helicopter suitable for numerous tasks such as carrying passengers and equipment, providing air medical services, firefighting, and other military and civil tasks. The nature of the aerodynamic environment surrounding the helicopter gives rise to a significant amount of vibration to its whole body. Among different sources of vibrations, the main rotor blade is the major contributor. The dynamic characteristics of the hingeless rotor consisting of elastic blades are of particular interest because of the strongly coupled equations of motion. The elastic rotor blades are subjected to coupled flapping, lead-lag, and torsional (triply coupled) deflections. Once these deflections exceed the maximum allowable level, the structural integrity of the rotor blade is affected leading to the ultimate failure. The maximum deflection that a blade can undergo for a specific operating condition needs to be estimated. Therefore, in this study, the triply coupled free and forced response of the Bo 105 hingeless, composite helicopter rotor blade is investigated at hovering and forward flights. At first, a model of the composite cross-section of the rotor blade is proposed for which a semi-analytical procedure is developed to estimate the sectional properties. These properties are used in the mathematical model of the free vibration of the rotor blade having the proposed cross-section to solve for the natural frequencies and the mode shapes. The aerodynamic loadings from the strip theory are used to estimate the time-varying forced response of the rotor blade for hovering and forward flights. The large flapping and inflow angles are introduced in the mathematical model of the forward flight and the corresponding nonlinear mathematical model requires a numerical solution technique. Therefore, a generalization of the method of lines is performed to develop a robust numerical solution in terms of time-varying deflections and velocities. The effect of the unsteady aerodynamics at the forward flight is included in the mathematical model to estimate the corresponding dynamic response. Both the analytical and the numerical models are validated by finite element results and the convergence study for the free vibration is performed.

The balancing of a wind turbine rotor is a crucial step affecting the machine’s performance, reliability, and safety, as it directly impacts the dynamic loads on the entire structure. A rotor can be balanced either statically or dynamically. A method of rotor balancing was developed that achieves both the simplicity of static balancing and the accuracy of dynamic balancing. This method is best suited, but not limited, to hollow composite blades of any size. The method starts by quantifying the mass and center of gravity of each blade. A dynamic calculation is performed to determine the theoretical shaking force on the rotor shaft at the design operating speed. This force is converted to a net counterbalance mass required for each blade. Despite the most careful methodology, there may still be large errors associated with these measurements and calculations. Therefore, this new method includes a physical verification of each blade’s individual balance against all other blades on the rotor, with the ability to quantify the discrepancy between blades, and make all balance adjustments in situ. The balance weights are aluminum plugs of varying lengths inserted into the root of each blade with a threaded steel rod running through the middle. The balance adjustment is thus not visible from outside. The weight of the plug and rod represent the coarse counterbalance of each blade, based on the dynamic calculations. The threaded steel rod acts as a fine adjustment on the blades’ mass moment when traveled along the plug. A dedicated blade-balance apparatus, designed and constructed in-house, is used to verify and fine-tune each individual blade and compare it to all other blades on the rotor. The resulting blade assembly is verified on a full rotor static balancing apparatus. The full rotor apparatus measures the steady state tilt of the rotor when balanced on a point. Next, the rotors' tilt is related to its overall level of imbalance with quantifiable error. Most error comes from the fact that the hub, comparable in mass to the blades, creates a false righting moment of the assembly not present in operation. The fully assembled rotor is tested, pre and post balance, in operation on the turbine at a series of predetermined speeds. This is accomplished with a 3-axis accelerometer mounted on the main turbine shaft bearing and a control system which regulates and records turbine speed at 100 Hz

This study explores the variable speed operation and shift response of a prototype of a two speed single path CVT rotorcraft driveline system. Here a Comprehensive Variable Speed Rotorcraft Propulsion system Modeling (CVSRPM) tool is developed and utilized to simulate the drive system dynamics in steady forward speed condition. This investigation attempts to build upon previous variable speed rotorcraft propulsion studies by: 1) Including fully nonlinear first principles based transient gas-turbine engine model 2) Including shaft flexibility 3) Incorporating a basic flight dynamics model to account for interactions with the flight control system. Through exploring the interactions between the various subsystems, this analysis provides important insight into the continuing development of variable speed rotorcraft propulsion systems.

The threaded fasteners are one of the most versatile methods for assembly of structural components. For example, in bridges large bolts are used to fix base columns and small bolts are used to support access ladders. Naturally not all bolts are critical for the operation of the structure. Fasteners loaded with small forces and present in large quantities do not receive the same treatment as the critical bolts. Typical maintenance operations such tension measurements, internal stress checking or monitoring of crack development are not practical due to cost and time constrains. Although failure of a single non-critical fastener is not a significant threat to the structure's stability, massive malfunction may cause structural problem such as insufficient stiffness or excessive vibrations. The health of bolted joints is defined by a single parameter: the clamping force (CF). The CF is the force that holds the elements of the joint together. If the CF is too low, separation and bolt fatigue may occur. On the other hand, excessive CF may produce damages in the structural members such as excessive distortion or breakage. The CF is generated by the superposition of the individual tension of the bolts. The bolt tension, also referred as bolt preload, is the actual force that is stretching the bolt body. Maintaining the appropriate tension in bolts ensures a proper CF and hence a good health of the joint. In this thesis, a novel methodology for estimating the tension in bolts using surface acoustic waves (SAWs) is investigated. The tension is estimated by using the reflection of SAWs created by the bolt head interference. Increments in the bolt tension raise the points of interaction between the waves and the bolt head (real area of contact), and hence the position of the reflective boundaries. The variations are estimated using the "conventional linear synthetic array" imaging technique. A singular transducer is actuated from predefined positions to produce an array of signals that are subsequently arranged and added to construct an acoustic image. Three sets of experiment are presented in this research for validating the proposed concept: tension estimation of a ¼ inch stainless steel bolt, a ½ inch stainless steel bolt and ¼ inch grade 8 bolt. Acoustic images of the surface of the clamped plate illustrate a clear trend in the position of the reflective boundary when torque is changed. In all cases, the torque increments increase the real area of contact and therefore the position of the reflective boundary. As expected, the real area of contact grew from the bolt head center to the perimeter, which causes an effect of apparent movement of the boundary. This research proves the potential of the ultrasonic imaging methodology to measure applied tension. The result showed that the system can be used to successfully inspect tension in bolts of ½ and ¼ inches. The methodology investigated in this thesis is the first steps towards the development of bolt tension sensor based on surface acoustic waves.

Fish sound production has been associated with courtship and spawning behavior. Acoustic recordings of fish sounds can be used to identify distribution and behavior. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) can record large amounts of acoustic data in a specific area for days to years. These data can be collected in remote locations under potentially unsafe seas throughout a 24-hour period providing datasets unattainable using observer-based methods. However, the instruments must withstand the caustic ocean environment and be retrieved to obtain the recorded data. This can prove difficult due to the risk of PAMs being lost, stolen or damaged, especially in highly active areas. In addition, point-source sound recordings are only one aspect of fish biogeography. Passive acoustic platforms that produce low self-generated noise, have high retrieval rates, and are equipped with a suite of environmental sensors are needed to relate patterns in fish sound production to concurrently collected oceanographic conditions on large, synoptic scales. The association of sound with reproduction further invokes the need for such non-invasive, near-real time datasets that can be used to enhance current management methods limited by survey bias, inaccurate fisher reports, and extensive delays between fisheries data collection and population assessment. Red grouper (Epinephelus morio) exhibit the distinctive behavior of digging holes and producing a unique sound during courtship. These behaviors can be used to identify red grouper distribution and potential spawning habitat over large spatial scales. The goal of this research was to provide a greater understanding of the temporal and spatial distribution of red grouper sound production and holes on the central West Florida Shelf (WFS) using active sonar and passive acoustic recorders. The technology demonstrated here establishes the necessary methods to map shelf-scale fish sound production. The results of this work could aid resource managers in determining critical spawning times and areas. Over 403,000 acoustic recordings were made across an approximately 39,000 km2 area on the WFS during periods throughout 2008 to 2011 using stationary passive acoustic recorders and hydrophone-integrated gliders. A custom MySQL database with a portal to MATLAB was developed to catalogue and process the large acoustic dataset stored on a server. Analyses of these data determined the daily, seasonal and spatial patterns of red grouper as well as toadfish and several unconfirmed fish species termed: 100 Hz Pulsing, 6 kHz Sound, 300 Hz FM Harmonic, and 365 Hz Harmonic. Red grouper sound production was correlated to sunrise and sunset, and was primarily recorded in water 15 to 93 m deep, with increased calling within known hard bottom areas and in Steamboat Lumps Marine Reserve. Analyses of high-resolution multibeam bathymetry collected in a portion of the reserve in 2006 and 2009 allowed detailed documentation and characterization of holes excavated by red grouper. Comparisons of the spatially overlapping datasets suggested holes are constructed and maintained over time, and provided evidence towards an increase in spawning habitat usage. High rates of sound production recorded from stationary recorders and a glider deployment were correlated to high hole density in Steamboat Lumps. This research demonstrates the utility of coupling passive acoustic data with high-resolution bathymetric data to verify the occupation of suspected male territory (holes) and to provide a more complete understanding of effective spawning habitat. Annual peaks in calling (July and August, and November and December) did not correspond to spawning peaks (March - May); however, passive acoustic monitoring was established as an effective tool to identify areas of potential spawning activity by recording the presence of red grouper. Sounds produced by other species of fish were recorded in the passive acoustic dataset. The distribution of toadfish calls suggests two species (Opsanus beta and O. pardus) were recorded; the latter had not been previously described. The call characteristics and spatial distribution of the four unknown fish-related sounds can be used to help confirm the sources. Long-term PAM studies that provide systematic monitoring can be a valuable assessment tool for all soniferous species. Glider technology, due to a high rate of successful retrieval and low self-generated noise, was proven to be a reliable and relatively inexpensive method to collect fisheries acoustic data in the field. The implementation of regular deployments of hydrophone-integrated gliders and fixed location passive acoustic monitoring stations is suggested to enhance fisheries management.

UAV development and usage has increased dramatically in the last 15 years. In this time frame the potential has been realized for deployable UAVs to the extent that a new class of UAV was defined for these systems. Inflatable wing UAVs provide a unique solution for deployable UAVs because they are highly packable (some collapsing to 5-10% of their deployed volume) and have the potential for the incorporation of wing shaping. In this thesis, aerodynamic coefficients and aileron effectiveness were derived from the equations of motion of aircraft as necessary parameters for autonomous flight. A wind tunnel experiment was performed to determine the aerodynamic performance of a bumpy inflatable wing airfoil for comparison with the baseline smooth airfoil from which it was derived. Results showed that the bumpy airfoil has improved aerodynamics over the smooth airfoil at low-Re. The results were also used to create aerodynamic performance curves to supplement results of aerodynamic modeling with a smooth airfoil. A modeling process was then developed to calculate the aileron effectiveness of a wing shaping demonstrator aircraft. Successful autonomous flight tests were then performed with the demonstrator aircraft including in-flight aileron doublets to validate the predicted aileron effectiveness, which matched within 8%.

Instrumented umanned aerial vehicles represent a new way of measuring turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer. However, autonomous measurements require control methods with disturbance-rejection and altitude command-following capabilities. Filtered dynamic inversion is a control method with desirable disturbance-rejection and command-following properties, and this controller requires limited model information. We implement filtered dynamic inversion as the pitch controller in an altitude-hold autopilot. We design and numerically simulate the continuous-time and discrete-time filtered-dynamic-inversion controllers with anti-windup on a nonlinear aircraft model. Finally, we present results from a flight experiment comparing the filtered-dynamic-inversion controller to a classical proportional-integral controller. The experimental results show that the filtered-dynamic-inversion controller performs better than a proportional-integral controller at certain values of the parameter.

The knee joint plays an essential role in the human musculoskeletal system. It has evolved to withstand extreme loading conditions, while providing almost frictionless joint movement. However, its performance may be disrupted by disease, anatomical deformities, soft tissue imbalance or injury. Knee disorders are often puzzling, and accurate diagnosis may be challenging. Current evaluation approach is usually limited to a detailed interview with the patient, careful physical examination and radiographic imaging. The X-ray screening may reveal bone degeneration, but does not carry sufficient information of the soft tissue conditions. More advanced imaging tools such as MRI or CT are available, but expensive, time consuming and can be used only under static conditions. Moreover, due to limited resolution the radiographic techniques cannot reveal early stage arthritis. The arthroscopy is often the only reliable option, however due to its semi-invasive nature, it cannot be considered as a practical diagnostic tool. Therefore, the motivation for this work was to combine three scientific methods to provide a comprehensive, non-invasive evaluation tool bringing insight into the in vivo, dynamic conditions of the knee joint and articular cartilage degeneration. Electromyography and inverse dynamics were employed to independently determine the forces present in several muscles spanning the knee joint. Though both methods have certain limitations, the current work demonstrates how the use of these two methods concurrently enhances the biomechanical analysis of the knee joint conditions, especially the performance of the extensor mechanism. The kinetic analysis was performed for 12 TKA, 4 healthy individuals in advanced age and 4 young subjects. Several differences in the knee biomechanics were found between the three groups, identifying age-related and post-operative decrease in the extensor mechanism efficiency, explaining the increased effort of performing everyday activities experienced by the elderly and TKA subjects. The concept of using accelerometers to assess the cartilage degeneration has been proven based on a group of 23 subjects with non-symptomatic knees and 52 patients suffering from knee arthritis. Very high success (96.2%) of pattern classification obtained in this work clearly demonstrates that vibroarthrography is a promising, non-invasive and low-cost technique offering screening capabilities.

Lined silencers of various configurations are used to attenuate the noise from building HVAC equipment, gas turbines, and other machinery. First-mode analytical solutions are presented for sound attenuation along rectangular lined ducts, parallel-baffle silencers, and circular lined ducts. The sound absorptive lining is treated using a bulk property model. The analytical solutions entail solving a nonlinear characteristic equation in the transverse direction after the rigid-wall boundary condition is applied. The solution is compared to the boundary element solution and a local impedance analytical solution for several test cases.

This dissertation studies the manipulation of particles using acoustic stimulation for applications in microfluidics and templating of devices. The term particle is used here to denote any solid, liquid or gaseous material that has properties, which are distinct from the fluid in which it is suspended. Manipulation means to take over the movements of the particles and to position them in specified locations. Using devices, microfabricated out of silicon, the behavior of particles under the acoustic stimulation was studied with the main purpose of aligning the particles at either low-pressure zones, known as the nodes or high-pressure zones, known as anti-nodes. By aligning particles at the nodes in a flow system, these particles can be focused at the center or walls of a microchannel in order to ultimately separate them. These separations are of high scientific importance, especially in the biomedical domain, since acoustopheresis provides a unique approach to separate based on density and compressibility, unparalleled by other techniques. The study of controlling and aligning the particles in various geometries and configurations was successfully achieved by controlling the acoustic waves. Apart from their use in flow systems, a stationary suspended-particle device was developed to provide controllable light transmittance based on acoustic stimuli. Using a glass compartment and a carbon-particle suspension in an organic solvent, the device responded to acoustic stimulation by aligning the particles. The alignment of light-absorbing carbon particles afforded an increase in visible light transmittance as high as 84.5%, and it was controlled by adjusting the frequency and amplitude of the acoustic wave. The device also demonstrated alignment memory rendering it energy-efficient. A similar device for suspended-particles in a monomer enabled the development of electrically conductive films. These films were based on networks of conductive particles. Elastomers doped with conductive metal particles were rendered surface conductive at particle loadings as low as 1% by weight using acoustic focusing. The resulting films were flexible and had transparencies exceeding 80% in the visible spectrum (400-800 nm) These films had electrical bulk conductivities exceeding 50 S/cm.