Phenomenological material models such as Johnson-Cook plasticity are often used in finite element simulations of large deformation processes at different strain rates and temperatures. Since the material constants that appear in such models depend on the material, experimental data, fitting method, as well as the mathematical representation of strain rate and temperature effects, the predicted material behavior is subject to uncertainty. In this dissertation, evidence theory is used for modeling uncertainty in the material constants, which is represented by separate belief structures that are combined into a joint belief structure and propagated using impact loading simulation of structures. Yager’s rule is used for combining evidence obtained from more than one source. Uncertainty is quantified using belief, plausibility, and plausibility-decision functions. An evidence-based design optimization (EBDO) approach is presented where the nondeterministic response functions are expressed using evidential reasoning. The EBDO approach accommodates field material uncertainty in addition to the embedded uncertainty in the material constants. This approach is applied to EBDO of an externally stiffened circular tube under axial impact load with and without consideration of material field uncertainty caused by spatial variation of material uncertainties due to manufacturing effects. Surrogate models are developed for approximation of structural response functions and uncertainty propagation. The EBDO example problem is solved using genetic algorithms. The uncertainty modeling and EBDO results are presented and discussed.

Yes / Risk assessment methods have been widely used in various industries, and they play a significant role in improving the safety performance of systems. However, the outcomes of risk assessment approaches are subject to uncertainty and ambiguity due to the complexity and variability of system behaviour, scarcity of quantitative data about different system parameters, and human involvement in the analysis, operation, and decision-making processes. The implications for improving system safety are slowly being recognised; however, research on uncertainty handling during both qualitative and quantitative risk assessment procedures is a growing field. This paper presents a review of the state of the art in this field, focusing on uncertainty handling in fault tree analysis (FTA) based risk assessment. Theoretical contributions, aleatory uncertainty, epistemic uncertainty, and integration of both epistemic and aleatory uncertainty handling in the scientific and technical literature are carefully reviewed. The emphasis is on highlighting how assessors can handle uncertainty based on the available evidence as an input to FTA.

Yes / Risk assessment methods have been widely used in various industries, and they play a significant role in improving the safety performance of systems. However, the outcomes of risk assessment approaches are subject to uncertainty and ambiguity due to the complexity and variability of system behaviour, scarcity of quantitative data about different system parameters, and human involvement in the analysis, operation, and decision-making processes. The implications for improving system safety are slowly being recognised; however, research on uncertainty handling during both qualitative and quantitative risk assessment procedures is a growing field. This paper presents a review of the state of the art in this field, focusing on uncertainty handling in fault tree analysis (FTA) based risk assessment. Theoretical contributions, aleatory uncertainty, epistemic uncertainty, and integration of both epistemic and aleatory uncertainty handling in the scientific and technical literature are carefully reviewed. The emphasis is on highlighting how assessors can handle uncertainty based on the available evidence as an input to FTA.

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (SUAVs) are plagued by alarmingly high failure rates. Because these systems are small and built at lower cost than full-scale aircraft, high quality components and redundant systems are often eschewed to keep production costs low. This thesis proposes a process to ``design in'' reliability in a cost-effective way. Fault Tree Analysis is used to evaluate a system's (un)reliability and Dempster-Shafer Theory (Evidence Theory) is used to deal with imprecise failure data. Three unique sensitivity analyses highlight the most cost-effective improvement for the system by either spending money to research a component and reduce uncertainty, swap a component for a higher quality alternative, or add redundancy to an existing component. A MATLAB$^{\circledR}$ toolbox has been developed to assist in practical design applications. Finally, a case study illustrates the proposed methods by improving the reliability of a new SUAV design: Virginia Tech's SPAARO UAV. / Master of Science

Yes / Quantitative risk assessment (QRA) approaches systematically evaluate the likelihood, impacts, and risk of adverse events. QRA using fault tree analysis (FTA) is based on the assumptions that failure events have crisp probabilities and they are statistically independent. The crisp probabilities of the events are often absent, which leads to data uncertainty. However, the independence assumption leads to model uncertainty. Experts’ knowledge can be utilized to obtain unknown failure data; however, this process itself is subject to different issues such as imprecision, incompleteness, and lack of consensus. For this reason, to minimize the overall uncertainty in QRA, in addition to addressing the uncertainties in the knowledge, it is equally important to combine the opinions of multiple experts and update prior beliefs based on new evidence. In this article, a novel methodology is proposed for QRA by combining fuzzy set theory and evidence theory with Bayesian networks to describe the uncertainties, aggregate experts’ opinions, and update prior probabilities when new evidences become available. Additionally, sensitivity analysis is performed to identify the most critical events in the FTA. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been demonstrated via application to a practical system. / The research of Sohag Kabir was partly funded by the DEIS project (Grant Agreement 732242).

Since the origin of the automotive at the end of the 19th century, the traffic flow is subject to a constant increase and, unfortunately, involves a constant augmentation of road accidents. Research studies such as the one performed by the World Health Organization, show alarming results about the number of injuries and fatalities due to these accidents. To reduce these figures, a solution lies in the development of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which purpose is to help the Driver in his driving task. This research topic has been shown to be very dynamic and productive during the last decades. Indeed, several systems such as Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Parking Manoeuvre Assistant (PMA), Dynamic Bending Light (DBL), etc. are yet market available and their benefits are now recognized by most of the drivers. This first generation of ADAS are usually designed to perform a specific task in the Controller/Vehicle/Environment framework and thus requires only microscopic information, so requires sensors which are only giving local information about an element of the Vehicle or of its Environment. On the opposite, the next ADAS generation will have to consider more aspects, i.e. information and constraints about of the Vehicle and its Environment. Indeed, as they are designed to perform more complex tasks, they need a global view about the road context and the Vehicle configuration. For example, longitudinal control requires information about the road configuration (straight line, bend, etc.) and about the eventual presence of other road users (vehicles, trucks, etc.) to determine the best reference speed. [...]

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T20:29:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_INTEIRA.pdf: 3442234 bytes, checksum: baa046d94c43958d465e6cb40fcae665 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-06-20 / Pontificia Universidade de São Paulo / The proposition of the work is to analize the evidence of trigering event in the administrative tax procedure, building a theory of the proof applicable to this procedure. / A proposta do presente trabalho é analisar a prova do fato jurídico tributário, construindo uma teoria da prova aplicável ao processo administrativo fiscal.

O monitoramento remoto da saúde humana envolve basicamente o emprego da tecnologia de rede de sensores como meio de captura dos dados do paciente em observação e todo ambiente em que este se encontra. Esta tecnologia favorece o monitoramento remoto de pacientes com doenças cardíacas, com problemas respiratórios, com complicações pós-operatórias e ainda pessoas em tratamento residencial, dentre outros. Um importante elemento dos sistemas de monitoramento remoto da saúde é a sua capacidade de interagir com o meio no qual está inserido possibilitando-lhe, por exemplo, agir como provedor de informação e serviços relevantes para o usuário. Essa interação com o ambiente imputa a esse sistema características relacionadas com uma aplicação sensível ao contexto, pois esses sistemas reagem e se adaptam às mudanças nos ambientes, provendo-lhes assistência inteligente e proativa. Outro aspecto observado em sistemas de monitoramento remoto da saúde humana está relacionado às incertezas associadas à tecnologia empregada como meio para obtenção e tratamento dos dados e, aos dados que serão apresentados aos usuários especialistas - médicos. Entende-se que incertezas são elementos inevitáveis em qualquer aplicação ubíqua e sensível ao contexto, podendo ser geradas por dados incompletos ou imperfeitos. No âmbito do monitoramento da saúde humana, fatores como a influência mútua entre dados fisiológicos, comportamentais e ambientais também podem ser apontados como potenciais geradores de informação contextual incerta, além daqueles inerentes às aplicações ubíquas e sensíveis ao contexto. Nesta pesquisa, considera-se que cada sensor captura um tipo de dado e o envia para uma estação localizada na residência do paciente. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar um processo para a análise das incertezas contextuais presentes no monitoramento da saúde humana através de sensores. O processo empregado baseou-se na Teoria da Evidência de Dempster- Shafer e no Modelo de Fatores de Certeza. No processo denominado PRANINC, cada dado capturado pelos diferentes sensores é considerado uma evidência e o conjunto dessas evidências é considerado na formação das hipóteses. Três classes de incertezas contextuais foram especificadas: as incertezas provenientes da tecnologia empregada na transmissão dos dados capturados por sensores; as incertezas relacionadas aos próprios sensores, que estão sujeitos a erros e defeitos; e, as incertezas associadas à influência mútua entre as variáveis observadas. O método foi empregado a partir da realização de experimentos sobre arquivos com dados fisiológicos de pacientes reais, aos quais foram adicionados elementos comportamentais e ambientais. Como resultado, foi possível confirmar que o contexto influencia nos dados repassados pelo sistema de monitoramento, e que as incertezas contextuais podem influenciar na qualidade das informações fornecidas, devendo estas serem consideradas pelo especialista. / The remote monitoring of human health basically involves the use of sensor network technology as a means of capturing patient data and observation, in every environment. The sensor technology facilitates remote monitoring of patients with heart disease, respiratory problems, postoperative complications and even people in residential treatment. An important element of the health monitoring system is its ability to interact with the environment which allows, for example, act as a provider of relevant information and services to the user. The interaction with the environment provides to the system the characteristics related to a context-aware application, once this kind of system can react and adapt itself in face of environment´s changes, through a proactive and intelligent assistance. Another significant aspect of health monitoring systems is related to the uncertainties associated with the technology used as a means for obtaining and processing the data sensed by sensors, and the data which will be presented to the experts users - physicians. Uncertainties are inevitable elements in any ubiquitous and context-aware application and it can be generated by incomplete or imperfect data. In the human health monitoring by sensors factors, such as the mutual influence between physiological, behavioral and environmental data are mentioned as potential generators of uncertain contextual information. This research take into consideration that each sensor captures a data type and sends it to a station located in the patient\'s home. The objective of this paper is to present a process to analyze the contextual uncertainties present in the monitoring of human health via sensors. The method used was based on the Dempster-Shafer Evidence Theory and The Uncertainty Factor Model. The process named PRANINC, considers each data captured, by different sensors, as evidence and, all of the evidences are considered in the formation of hypotheses. Three contextual classes of uncertainties were specified: the uncertainties arising from the technology employed in transmitting the data captured by sensors, the uncertainties related to the actual sensors, which are subject to errors and defects, and the uncertainties associated with the mutual influence between the observed variables. The method was employed through conducting experiments on files with physiological data of real patients, to which, were added behavioral and environmental factors. As a result was possible to confirm that the context influences the data transferred by the monitoring system and that contextual uncertainties may influence the quality of the information which shall be considered by the specialist.

O monitoramento remoto da saúde humana envolve basicamente o emprego da tecnologia de rede de sensores como meio de captura dos dados do paciente em observação e todo ambiente em que este se encontra. Esta tecnologia favorece o monitoramento remoto de pacientes com doenças cardíacas, com problemas respiratórios, com complicações pós-operatórias e ainda pessoas em tratamento residencial, dentre outros. Um importante elemento dos sistemas de monitoramento remoto da saúde é a sua capacidade de interagir com o meio no qual está inserido possibilitando-lhe, por exemplo, agir como provedor de informação e serviços relevantes para o usuário. Essa interação com o ambiente imputa a esse sistema características relacionadas com uma aplicação sensível ao contexto, pois esses sistemas reagem e se adaptam às mudanças nos ambientes, provendo-lhes assistência inteligente e proativa. Outro aspecto observado em sistemas de monitoramento remoto da saúde humana está relacionado às incertezas associadas à tecnologia empregada como meio para obtenção e tratamento dos dados e, aos dados que serão apresentados aos usuários especialistas - médicos. Entende-se que incertezas são elementos inevitáveis em qualquer aplicação ubíqua e sensível ao contexto, podendo ser geradas por dados incompletos ou imperfeitos. No âmbito do monitoramento da saúde humana, fatores como a influência mútua entre dados fisiológicos, comportamentais e ambientais também podem ser apontados como potenciais geradores de informação contextual incerta, além daqueles inerentes às aplicações ubíquas e sensíveis ao contexto. Nesta pesquisa, considera-se que cada sensor captura um tipo de dado e o envia para uma estação localizada na residência do paciente. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar um processo para a análise das incertezas contextuais presentes no monitoramento da saúde humana através de sensores. O processo empregado baseou-se na Teoria da Evidência de Dempster- Shafer e no Modelo de Fatores de Certeza. No processo denominado PRANINC, cada dado capturado pelos diferentes sensores é considerado uma evidência e o conjunto dessas evidências é considerado na formação das hipóteses. Três classes de incertezas contextuais foram especificadas: as incertezas provenientes da tecnologia empregada na transmissão dos dados capturados por sensores; as incertezas relacionadas aos próprios sensores, que estão sujeitos a erros e defeitos; e, as incertezas associadas à influência mútua entre as variáveis observadas. O método foi empregado a partir da realização de experimentos sobre arquivos com dados fisiológicos de pacientes reais, aos quais foram adicionados elementos comportamentais e ambientais. Como resultado, foi possível confirmar que o contexto influencia nos dados repassados pelo sistema de monitoramento, e que as incertezas contextuais podem influenciar na qualidade das informações fornecidas, devendo estas serem consideradas pelo especialista. / The remote monitoring of human health basically involves the use of sensor network technology as a means of capturing patient data and observation, in every environment. The sensor technology facilitates remote monitoring of patients with heart disease, respiratory problems, postoperative complications and even people in residential treatment. An important element of the health monitoring system is its ability to interact with the environment which allows, for example, act as a provider of relevant information and services to the user. The interaction with the environment provides to the system the characteristics related to a context-aware application, once this kind of system can react and adapt itself in face of environment´s changes, through a proactive and intelligent assistance. Another significant aspect of health monitoring systems is related to the uncertainties associated with the technology used as a means for obtaining and processing the data sensed by sensors, and the data which will be presented to the experts users - physicians. Uncertainties are inevitable elements in any ubiquitous and context-aware application and it can be generated by incomplete or imperfect data. In the human health monitoring by sensors factors, such as the mutual influence between physiological, behavioral and environmental data are mentioned as potential generators of uncertain contextual information. This research take into consideration that each sensor captures a data type and sends it to a station located in the patient\'s home. The objective of this paper is to present a process to analyze the contextual uncertainties present in the monitoring of human health via sensors. The method used was based on the Dempster-Shafer Evidence Theory and The Uncertainty Factor Model. The process named PRANINC, considers each data captured, by different sensors, as evidence and, all of the evidences are considered in the formation of hypotheses. Three contextual classes of uncertainties were specified: the uncertainties arising from the technology employed in transmitting the data captured by sensors, the uncertainties related to the actual sensors, which are subject to errors and defects, and the uncertainties associated with the mutual influence between the observed variables. The method was employed through conducting experiments on files with physiological data of real patients, to which, were added behavioral and environmental factors. As a result was possible to confirm that the context influences the data transferred by the monitoring system and that contextual uncertainties may influence the quality of the information which shall be considered by the specialist.

Avec le progrès technologique, de nouvelles technologies sont en cours de développement afin de contribuer à une meilleure expérience dans le domaine de l’éducation. En particulier, les laboratoires distants constituent un moyen intéressant et pratique qui peut motiver les étudiants à apprendre. L'étudiant peut à tout moment, et de n'importe quel endroit, accéder au laboratoire distant et faire son TP (travail pratique). Malgré les nombreux avantages, les technologies à distance dans l’éducation créent une distance entre l’étudiant et l’enseignant. Les élèves peuvent avoir des difficultés à faire le TP si aucune intervention appropriée ne peut être prise pour les aider. Dans cette thèse, nous visons à enrichir un laboratoire électronique distant conçu pour les étudiants en ingénierie et appelé «LaboREM» (pour remote laboratory) de deux manières: tout d'abord, nous permettons à l'étudiant d'envoyer des commandes de haut niveau à un mini-drone disponible dans le laboratoire distant. L'objectif est d'examiner les faces-avant des instruments de mesure électroniques, à l'aide de la caméra intégrée au drone. De plus, nous autorisons la communication élève-enseignant à distance à l'aide du drone, au cas où un enseignant serait présent dans le laboratoire distant. Enfin, le drone doit revenir pour atterrir sur la plate-forme de recharge automatique des batteries, quand la mission est terminée. Nous proposons aussi un système automatique pour estimer l'état de l'étudiant (frustré / concentré..) afin de prendre les interventions appropriées pour assurer un bon déroulement du TP distant. Par exemple, si l'élève a des difficultés majeures, nous pouvons lui donner des indications ou réduire le niveau de difficulté de l’exercice. Nous proposons de faire cela en utilisant des signes visuels (estimation de la pose de la tête et analyse de l'expression faciale). De nombreuses évidences sur l'état de l'étudiant peuvent être acquises, mais elles sont incomplètes, parfois inexactes et ne couvrent pas tous les aspects de l'état de l'étudiant. C'est pourquoi nous proposons dans cette thèse de fusionner les preuves en utilisant la théorie de Dempster-Shafer qui permet la fusion de preuves incomplètes. / With the technological advance, new learning technologies are being developed in order to contribute to better learning experience. In particular, remote labs constitute an interesting and a practical way that can motivate nowadays students to learn. The student can at any time, and from anywhere, access the remote lab and do his lab-work. Despite many advantages, remote technologies in education create a distance between the student and the teacher. Without the presence of a teacher, students can have difficulties, if no appropriate interventions can be taken to help them. In this thesis, we aim to enrich an existing remote electronic lab made for engineering students called “LaboREM” (for remote Laboratory) in two ways: first we enable the student to send high level commands to a mini-drone available in the remote lab facility. The objective is to examine the front panels of electronic measurement instruments, by the camera embedded on the drone. Furthermore, we allow remote student-teacher communication using the drone, in case there is a teacher present in the remote lab facility. Finally, the drone has to go back home when the mission is over to land on a platform for automatic recharge of the batteries. Second, we propose an automatic system that estimates the affective state of the student (frustrated/ confused/ flow..) in order to take appropriate interventions to ensure good learning outcomes. For example, if the student is having major difficulties we can try to give him hints or reduce the difficulty level. We propose to do this by using visual cues (head pose estimation and facial expression analysis). Many evidences on the state of the student can be acquired, however these evidences are incomplete, sometimes inaccurate, and do not cover all the aspects of the state of the student alone. This is why we propose to fuse evidences using the theory of Dempster-Shafer that allows the fusion of incomplete evidence.