In this thesis, three model-based methods are presented for finding the location of a point source with possibly time-varying strength for a class of distributed parameter systems. The first method involves off-line numerical computation of the time-response data at the sensor(s) from all possible source locations and functions of source strength, and comparison of these data with actual measurements. The second method involves approximation of the infinite-dimensional distributed parameter system by a finite-dimensional lumped parameter system: the partial differential and/or integral equations describing the distributed parameter system are replaced by a set of ordinary differential equations, which are obtained through finite difference or finite element methods. The resulting model is used to construct an auto-regressive (AR) filter that takes the sensor data as inputs and produces a scalar output whose value determines the source location. The third method involves off -line steady-state solution of an adjoint problem based on the dual system model. The solutions are used to construct localization functions whose contours, corresponding to a set of sensor data, provide an estimate of the source location. For each method, the sensor data evaluation algorithm is presented, and analysis is given of appropriate sensor placement and the minimal required number of sensors. The robustness of each method to sensor noise and modeling inaccuracies is studied, and techniques to improve robustness are discussed. These techniques include strategic sensor placement to reduce sensitivity to noise and modeling inaccuracies, and prioritization of sensor data in the data evaluation algorithms. In all three methods, a minimal amount of on-line computation is required. The methods are applied to the two-dimensional heat conduction problem with Robin's boundary conditions, and their performances are tested via computer simulations. The thesis concludes with a discussion of the relative strengths and shortcomings of each method and suggestions for future research. / Graduation date: 1999

No description available.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / November 04-07, 1991 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / There exists today, numerous off-the-shelf hardware solutions for the generation of simulated telemetry data streams. The ability to rapidly develop engineering models to drive the data contents of the telemetry is restricted by the lack of contemporary CASE tools. This paper presents an object-oriented Graphical User Interface (GUI) approach to generation of mathematical models in order to reduce the time required for model generation to a fraction of today’s development time, eliminate the need to write substantial amounts of software, and allow reuse of model objects in a manner consistent with the GUI cut, paste, and copy metaphors.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1982. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Mark Thomas Nicastro. / Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1982.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 251-256). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-104).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 251-256). Also available on the Internet.

published_or_final_version / Mechanical Engineering / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 90-95). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993.