<p>Highland Group AB was helping a customer of theirs to create an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV), a project Highland has never been involved with before. For the wishbone arms of the wheel suspension, traditional manufacturing methods and tubes with cylindrical or square shaped cross section was preferred. We performed a simulation where the ATV was driving on a bumpy road too see the forces involved. With the results we proceeded to calculate the strength of the concepts to find out which is best suited for the tough environment in which the ATV is used. The concept that turned out to be the best was a wishbone made of circular cross section, which had good structural strength and did fulfill the demands that we required for the construction. The company where interested in the project and could see themselves proceeding with the work in the future. We helped the company to find interest for computer aided simulation in collaboration with structural strength analysis, which they would like to engage in. The project has given us a larger knowledge in the choices of construction and structural strength analysis as well as experience working with computer aided construction tools.</p>

<p>Den amerikanske flygvapenöversten John A Warden III har lagt fram en teori om att man kan se på fienden som ett system av system för att hitta hans svagheter. Teorin bygger på att skapa en bild av fienden genom en fördefinierad indelning i subsystem bestående av fem ringar. Denna bild skall därefter kunna brytas ner i ytterligare subsystem bestående av samma fem ringar som till slut avslöjar fiendens tyngdpunkter. Uppsatsen prövar om Wardens teori går att applicera på Al-Qaida.</p> / <p>The U.S. Air Force Colonel John A. Warden III, has presented a theory that one can see the enemy as a system of systems to find his weaknesses. The theory is based on creating an image of the enemy through a predefined subdivision into subsystems consisting of five rings. This image must then be broken down into further sub-system consisting of the same five rings that eventually reveals the enemy's centers of gravity. This essay examines whether the Warden theory can apply to Al Qaeda</p>

This work has been focused on characterisation of FSW joints, and modelling of the process, both analytically and numerically. The Swedish model for final deposit of nuclear fuel waste is based on copper canisters as a corrosion barrier with an inner pressure holding insert of cast iron. Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is the method to seal the copper canister, a technique invented by The Welding Institute (TWI). The first simulations were based on Rosenthal’s analytical medium plate model. The model is simple to use, but has limitations. Finite element models (FEM) were developed, initially with a two-dimensional geometry. Due to the requirements of describing both the heat flow and the tool movement, three-dimensional models were developed. These models take into account heat transfer, material flow, and continuum mechanics. The geometries of the models are based on the simulation experiments carried out at TWI and at Swedish Nuclear Fuel Waste and Management Co (SKB). Temperature distribution, material flow and their effects on the thermal expansion were predicted for a full-scale canister and lid. The steady state solutions have been compared with temperature measurements, showing good agreement. In order to understand the material flow during welding a marker technique is used, which involves inserting dissimilar material into the weld zone before joining. Different materials are tested showing that brass rods are the most suitable material in these welds. After welding, the weld line is sliced, etched and examined by optical microscope. To understand the material flow further, and in the future predict the flow, a FEM is developed. This model and the etched samples are compared showing similar features. Furthermore, by using this model the area that is recrystallised can be predicted. The predicted area and the grain size and hardness profile agree well. Microstructure and hardness profiles have been investigated by optical microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electron Back Scatter Diffraction (EBSD) and Rockwell hardness measurements. EBSD visualisation has been used to determine the grain size distribution and the appearance of twins and misorientation within grains. The orientation maps show a fine uniform equiaxed grain structure. The root of the weld exhibits the smallest grains and many annealing twins. The appearance of the nugget and the grain size depends on the position of the weld. A large difference can be seen both in hardness and grain size between the start of the weld and when the steady state is reached. / QC20100719

The thesis is focussed on improving the material yield in closed-die forging and rolling. The former is restricted to the manufacturing of heavy crown wheels and front axle beams and the latter to the hot rolling of steel slabs. To enhance the yield the commercial FE-codes Form2D and Dyna3D are used. Results from forging simulations are strengthened by full scale experiments. The research is carried out in near contact with the Swedish steel and engineering industry. In closed die forging, two bulk forming problems are treated: How to improve the tool design and how to change the pre-form geometry for decreasing the amount of material exiting the flash gap? In slab rolling, two problems related to material defects are considered: How to eliminate existing surface cracks and how to prevent the formation of voids around macro-inclusions embedded in the steel matrix? Internal voids might be the reason for scrapping the whole workpiece. Considering the forging of crown wheels, a new concept is proposed. For making the central hole of the product, the traditional method was forging a thin circular plate which was then sheared off and scrapped. Using the new technique this operation is replaced by forging a conical tap in the centre, which is then discarded. Doing so, the inner scrap material decreased with about 15%. The idea has been used in production for seven years. – Regarding the forging of front axle beams, a quasi-3D method is used comprising full scale measurements of the axial material flow. Here the theoretical material yield increased 2-7%. Regarding rolling, the initial surface cracks in the simulations are V-shaped with a crack angle of 6o and of depth 5-20 mm. The inclusions are cylindrical and either three times harder or three times softer than the matrix. The behaviour of the cracks and the inclusions are studied as influenced by process parameters. Current industrial input data are used as a reference. – It is concluded that longitudinal cracks cannot be totally eliminated. During rolling their V-shape gradually changes to Y-shape and a remaining oxide flake separates the crack bottom surfaces. For minimizing the detrimental influence of the entrapped oxide, an early closure of the crack bottom is important. Throughout the remaining rolling schedule the entrapped oxide is then torn to pieces with large areas of virgin metal in between ensuring a strong bond. The following recommendations are given for the longitudinal cracks: Light drafts/pass at the beginning of the rolling schedule followed by heavy ones. – Contradictory to longitudinal cracks it is concluded that transversal cracks are possible to eliminate. When eliminated, the initial bottom of the crack coincides with the slab surface. No folds are formed. For the transversal cracks light drafts/pass are proposed together with reversal rolling, the latter for avoiding crack folding. – Voids are easiest formed around hard macro-inclusions in the centre of the slab. Large rolls and heavy drafts are recommended to avoid this. / QC 20100720

Den amerikanske flygvapenöversten John A Warden III har lagt fram en teori om att man kan se på fienden som ett system av system för att hitta hans svagheter. Teorin bygger på att skapa en bild av fienden genom en fördefinierad indelning i subsystem bestående av fem ringar. Denna bild skall därefter kunna brytas ner i ytterligare subsystem bestående av samma fem ringar som till slut avslöjar fiendens tyngdpunkter. Uppsatsen prövar om Wardens teori går att applicera på Al-Qaida. / The U.S. Air Force Colonel John A. Warden III, has presented a theory that one can see the enemy as a system of systems to find his weaknesses. The theory is based on creating an image of the enemy through a predefined subdivision into subsystems consisting of five rings. This image must then be broken down into further sub-system consisting of the same five rings that eventually reveals the enemy's centers of gravity. This essay examines whether the Warden theory can apply to Al Qaeda

Der hier vorliegende Vortrag beschreibt erste Untersuchungsergebnisse mit dem CAE-Programm "Creo Simulate" im Vergleich zum Programm "Ansys Workbench" zur Berechnung der Spannungsformzahlen sowie der örtlichen Kerbspannungen an gekerbten Konstruktionselementen. Der Vortrag beginnt mit einer Einleitung zur Geschichte der Kerbwirkungsforschung. Es werden Schadensfälle dargestellt und anschließend die Grundlagen zur Berechnung der Form- und Kerbwirkungszahlen kurz beschrieben. Es wird fortgesetzt mit der Durchführung von Konvergenz-Untersuchungen an Vollwellen mit SR-Nuten nach DIN 471 sowie an Vollwellen mit Absatz nach DIN 743 bei Zug- und Torsionsbelastung. Die Konvergenz-Berechnungsergebnisse wurden zusammengestellt und kurz kommentiert. Weiterhin wurden FE-Berechnungen zur Bestimmung der Spannungsformzahlen an Hohlwellen mit Absatz sowie an Vollwellen mit einer Kerbüberlagerung "Absatz und Querbohrung" bei Zug-, Biege, und Torsionsbelastung durchgeführt. Es wurden entsprechende Formzahldiagramme und Formzahlwerte sowie Spannungsverteilungsbilder je nach Belastungsart und Vergleichsspannungshypothese (GEH bzw. NSH) angegeben. Eine Möglichkeit zur Herabsetzung der Kerbwirkung an der kritischen Kerbstelle besteht in der absichtlichen Anwendung von Zusatzkerben, welche der Hauptkerbe benachbart sind. Derartige Entlastungskerben können zwar eine bedeutende Spannungsverminderung an der gefährdeten Stelle ergeben, an den Entlastungskerben entstehen jedoch neue Spannungsspitzen, die sich u. U. ungünstig auswirken. Zur Milderung von Kerbwirkungen durch konstruktive Entlastungskerben wurden exemplarische FEM-Untersuchungen an Vollwellen mit Absatz und an Kerbzahnwellen nach DIN 5481 bei Zug-, Biege- und Torsionsbelastung ausgeführt. Die Einflüsse der rechteckigen Form der Entlastungsnut auf die Formzahlen je Belastungsart wurden präsentiert und kurz diskutiert. Ebenfalls wurden auch die Kerbwirkungen an Evolventen-Zahnwellenverbindungen nach DIN 5480 mit freiem Auslauf und mit gebundenem Auslauf sowie mit Sicherungsringnuten nach DIN 471 untersucht, mit dem Ziel, den Ort der Spannungsmaxima und deren Verteilung, die Höhe der Kerbspannungen und den Einfluss der Sicherungsringnut auf die Spannungsüberhöhungen in den kritischen Bereichen zu erfassen. Es wurden zusätzlich weitere FE-Untersuchungen zu den Spannungsüberhöhungen an komplexen Gussbauteilen am Beispiel eines Planetenträgers für Planetengetriebe im Einatzbereich der Windkraftanlagen realisiert. Die Festlegung der Randbedingungen wurde kurz präsentiert und die sich daraus ergebenden Ergebnisse dargestellt. In diesem Vortrag wurde auch die Entwicklung eines neuen didaktischen Konzepts für die Konstruktionsausbildung zur Verbesserung der Präsentationskompetenz und Teamfähigkeit der Studierenden kurz beschrieben und über erste Erfahrungen aus der Umsetzung in die Lehrveranstaltung "CAD/CAE" berichtet. Die Studierenden erarbeiten in nach der Rundlitzenseilmethode strukturierten Gruppen unter Berücksichtigung der heterogenen Umgebung numerische Lösungen zu Variantenrechnungen von Aufgaben. Die Studierenden präsentieren ihre Ergebnisse in Form von 100-Sekunden-Vorträgen. Bei der Entwicklung dieser Methode lässt man sich durch den Karatesport inspirieren. Es wurden verschiedene Kriterien zur Bewertung der Micro-Präsentationen festgelegt und angewandt. Erste Erfahrungen mit der Umsetzung dieser Methodenkombination sind erfolgversprechend. Eine detaillierte statistisch-psychologische Evaluation dieses didaktischen Konzepts ist Ziel weiterführender Untersuchungen.

The steel through-truss Traffic Bridge, located in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan is over one hundred years old. The bridge has been subject to ongoing maintenance throughout its service life. However, inspection reports from 2005 and 2006 highlighted the severe deterioration experienced primarily by the steel members immediately above and below the deck surface. These reports prompted the City of Saskatoon (COS) to implement a rehabilitation project that involved the installation of a post-tensioning system to relieve the badly corroded bottom chord members of the axial loads due to the self-weight of the structure, in 2006. Due to the severe deterioration and the structural modifications that the Traffic Bridge has endured, a limited scope structural health monitoring (SHM) system, based on strain measurements, was implemented to reduce some of the uncertainty regarding the active load paths occurring at the deck level.<p> The objectives of the SHM study were to obtain more information regarding the actual load paths and ascertain possible types of structural redundancy, to determine how to best model this type of structure, and to find ways to track ongoing deterioration using instrumentation. The SHM study involved controlled truck loading scenarios to permit measurement of the load paths and provide data to compare the measured results to a finite element (FE) model of the instrumented span. In addition, random loading scenarios were used to capture the vertical dynamic response of the structure in order to further refine the FE model.<p> This study focused on the response of one-half of one interior span. A total of 72 strain gauges were installed. The downstream truss was highly instrumented at ten locations, three members of the upstream truss were instrumented to measure the distribution, and the floor joists in the downstream lane were instrumented to establish possible redundancy paths.<p> Using an FE model in combination with the measured strain data, it was found that redundant load paths only existed at the level of the deck. The bottom chord members experienced non-zero strains once the control vehicle was past the span, possibly indicating some level of redundancy. The members believed to relieve a portion of the bottom chord tensile forces included the car joists, edge joists, and the timber deck. The amount of force transferred from the bottom chord to the deck members was found by FE analysis to be highly related to the lateral stiffness of the floor beams.<p> The FE model was adjusted to match the measured results by modifying various modelling parameters. The most important features of the model were that all deck elements were modelled to be located at the elevation of the bottom chord, that the lateral stiffness of the floor beams was reduced by 50% to best represent the transfer of forces to deck elements, and that the stiffness of bottom chord members was reduced to 80% of their pristine values. In combination with calibrated modification factors applied to the measured values, this FE model is believed to be a useful tool to represent the behaviour of the structure to assist in detecting further damage by modelling the strain differential between members, and components of members.

With the development of the design and manufacture technology, composite materials are widely used in the aeronautical industry. But, one of the main concerns which affects the application of composites is foreign object impact. The damages induced by the Low Velocity Impact (LVI), which can significantly reduce the strength of the structures, can’t be easily inspected routinely. The so-called Barely Visible Impact Damages (BVID) due to LVI typically includes interlaminar delamination, matrix cracks and fibre fracture at the back face. Previous researches have shown that the results of LVI test are similar to that of the Quasi-Static Load (QSL) test. The initiation and propagation of delamination can be detected more easily in the QSL test and the displacement and reaction force of the impactor can be controlled and measured much more accurately. Moreover, it is easier to model QSL tests than dynamic impacts. To investigate the impact damage induced by LVI, a Finite Element (FE) model employing cohesive elements was used. At the same time, the ply clustering effect, when several plies of the same orientation were stack together, was modelled in the FE model in terms of damage resistance and damage size. A bilinear traction-separation law was introduced in the cohesive elements employed to simulate the initiation and propagation of the impact damage and delamination. Firstly, a 2D FE model of the Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) and End Notched Flexure (ENF) specimens were built using the commercial FEM software ABAQUS. The results have shown that the cohesive elements can be used to simulate mode I and mode II delamination sufficiently and correctly. Secondly, an FE model of a composite plate under QSL but without simulating damage was built using the continuum shell elements. Agreement between the FEA results with published test results is good enough to validate the capability of continuum shell elements and cohesive elements in modelling the composite laminate under the transverse load condition (QSL). Thirdly, an FE model containing discrete interface delamination and matrix cracks at the back face of the composite plate was built by pre-setting the cohesive failure elements at potential damage locations according to the experimental observation. A cross-ply laminate was modelled first where fewer interfaces could be delaminated. Good agreement was found in terms of the delamination area and impactor’s displacement-force curve. Finally, the effect of ply clustering on impact damage resistance was studied using Quasi-Isotropic (QI) layup laminates. Because of the limited time available for calculation, the simulation was only partly completed for the quasi-isotropic laminates (L2 configuration) which have more delaminated interfaces. The results showed that cohesive elements obeying the bilinear traction-separation law were capable of predicting the reaction force in quasi-isotropic laminates. However, discrepancies with the test results in terms of delamination area were observed for quasi-isotropic laminates. These discrepancies are mainly attributed to the simplification of matrix cracks simulation and compressive load at the interface in the thickness direction which is not taken into account.

The scalability and cost of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) optical switches are now the important factors driving the development of MEMS optical switches technology. The employment of MEMS in the design and fabrication of optical switches through the use of micromachining fabricated micromirrors expands the capability and integrity of optical backbone networks. The focus of this dissertation is on the design, fabrication, and implementation of a new type of MEMS optical switch that combines the advantages of both 2-D and 3-D MEMS switch architectures. This research presents a new digital MEMS switch architecture for 1×N and N×N optical switches. The architecture is based on a new microassembled smart 3-D rotating inclined micromirror (3DRIM). The 3DRIM is the key device in the new switch architectures. The 3DRIM was constructed through a microassembly process using a passive microgripper, key, and inter-lock (PMKIL) assembly system. An electrostatic micromotor was chosen as the actuator for the 3DRIM since it offers continuous rotation as well as small, precise step motions with excellent repeatability that can achieve repeatable alignment with minimum optical insertion loss between the input and output ports of the switch. In the first 3DRIM prototype, a 200×280 microns micromirror was assembled on the top of the electrostatic micromotor and was supported through two vertical support posts. The assembly technique was then modified so that the second prototype can support micromirrors with dimensions up to 400×400 microns. Both prototypes of the 3DRIM are rigid and stable during operation. Also, rotor pole shaping (RPS) design technique was introduced to optimally reshape the physical dimensions of the rotor pole in order to maximize the generated motive torque of the micromotor and minimize the required driving voltage signal. The targeted performance of the 3DRIM was achieved after several PolyMUMPs fabrication runs. The new switch architecture is neither 2-D nor 3-D. Since it is composed of two layers, it can be considered 2.5-D. The new switch overcomes many of the limitations of current traditional 2-D MEMS switches, such as limited scalability and large variations in the insertion loss across output ports. The 1×N MEMS switch fabric has the advantage of being digitally operated. It uses only one 3DRIM to switch the light signal from the input port to any output port. The symmetry employed in the switch design gives it the ability to incorporate a large number of output ports with uniform insertion losses over all output channels, which is not possible with any available 2-D or 3-D MEMS switch architectures. The second switch that employs the 3DRIM is an N×N optical cross-connect (OXC) switch. The design of an N×N OXC uses only 2N of the 3DRIM, which is significantly smaller than the N×N switching micromirrors used in 2-D MEMS architecture. The new N×N architecture is useful for a medium-sized OXC and is simpler than 3-D architecture. A natural extension of the 3DRIM will be to extend its application into more complex optical signal processing, i.e., wavelength-selective switch. A grating structures have been selected to explore the selectivity of the switch. For this reason, we proposed that the surface of the micromirror being replaced by a suitable gratings instead of the flat reflective surface. Thus, this research has developed a rigorous formulation of the electromagnetic scattered near-field from a general-shaped finite gratings in a perfect conducting plane. The formulation utilizes a Fourier-transform representation of the scattered field for the rapid convergence in the upper half-space and the staircase approximation to represent the field in the general-shaped groove. This method provides a solution for the scattered near-field from the groove and hence is considered an essential design tool for near-field manipulation in optical devices. Furthermore, it is applicable for multiple grooves with different profiles and different spacings. Each groove can be filled with an arbitrary material and can take any cross-sectional profile, yet the solution is rigorous because of the rigorous formulations of the fields in the upper-half space and the groove reigns. The efficient formulation of the coefficient matrix results in a banded-matrix form for an efficient and time-saving solution.

Träbyggnandet i Sverige gick in i en ny era när myndigheterna beslutade att upphäva förbudet mot att bygga byggnader som är högre än två våningar. Denna förändring i lagstiftningen har bidragit till att utveckla träbyggandet under det senaste decenniet. Cross Laminerat Timber (CLT) har blivit erkänt som en ny teknik som använt på ett korrekt sätt ger starka och pålitliga konstruktioner. Materialet visar sig mer och mer intressant huvudsakligen beroende på den styvhet och styrka det visar i olika tester. Ett av de projekt som använt CLT som bärande element är Limnologen i staden Växjö 500 kilometer söder om Stockholm. I detta projekt har både väggar och bjälklag med bärande delar av CLT använts. En av utmaningarna i samband med högre träbyggande är att beräkna och ta hänsyn till de vertikala förskjutningarna i stommen. Orsakerna till förskjutningen är momentana samt tidsberoende. I denna uppsats utvärderas dessa vertikala förskjutningar med två olika metoder. Den första av dessa är experimentell. Förskjutningarna mättes av en grupp forskare från Växjö universitet och utvärderas i denna rapport. Den andra är en Finit Element Modell där förskjutningarna simuleras beroende på parametrar som anses viktiga. Resultatet av simuleringen jämförs med de experimentellt erhållna värdena. Simulering är ett viktigt sätt att förutsäga förskjutningar i CLT byggnader i framtiden. Alla modeller har gjorts med hjälp av finita element programmet Abaqus. FEM- modellen av Limnologen består av ett väggelement per våning i sex våningar. Detta element är det element där också förskjutningarna mätts på plats. På så sätt kan modell och verklighet jämföras. Förutom väggelement modelleras också bjälklagselement och kopplingen mellan vägg och bjälklag. De experimentella resultaten har analyserats i programvaran Matlab. Resultatet blev ett antal grafer som redovisar förloppet. Det viktigaste resultatet är det som visar både den totala relativa förskjutningen samtidigt som den visar fuktkvoten i CLT- skivan. Fuktkvoten beräknades från temperatur och relativ luftfuktighet som båda mättes på plats. Slutsatsen är att man med en simulering kan åstadkomma en acceptabel tillförlitlighet med avseende på vertikala förskjutningar. Krympningen har spelat en viktig roll för förskjutningarna. Den maximala förskjutningen som erhållits från mätningar var 21 mm medan det maximala förskjutningen fått från simuleringen baserad på tre olika antaganden var 35 mm, 33 mm och 17 mm. Skillnaden i resultaten kan delvis förklaras av de antaganden som använts för beräkning av fuktkvot och antagandet om fiberriktningen i timret. I simuleringen antogs fuktkvoten vara konstant över alla tre lager i CLT- skivan i de två första fallen. Orienteringen av fibrerna antogs radiell och tangentiell. Det tredje antagandet bygger på att fukten enbart påverkar det yttersta lagret i skivan. Detta antagande är rimligt på grund av tidsåtgången att uppnå fuktjämvikt och på grund av det limlager som skiljer lagren åt och hindrar fukt att vandra från ett lager till ett annat. / The history of timber buildings in Sweden entered a new era when the authorities decided to lift the ban on constructing more than two-storey timber buildings in Sweden. This change in legislations has contributed to the emergence of timber construction during the last decade. The Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) has become recognized as a new technology that used correctly in construction gives strong and reliable structures. The building material is gaining more credit day by day mainly due to the stiffness and strength it proved throughout the tests in projects where it was used. One of the projects that used CLT as load bearing elements was Limnologen in the city of Växjö 500 kilometres south of Stockholm. In this project, a system of CLT floors as well as CLT walls has been used. One of the challenges related to medium-rise timber buildings in general is to calculate and take account of the vertical displacement of the whole building. The sources for the displacements are instantaneous elastic as well as time dependent. In this thesis we are introducing two evaluation methods for the vertical displacements in Limnologen. The first is the experimentally measured vertical displacement that was performed by a group of researchers from Växjö University, and the second is a Finite Element Model simulating the vertical displacement according to the factors and parameters thought to be important to be included in the modelling. The output of the simulation was to be compared with the experimentally obtained values. Simulation is an important way to predict the vertical displacement in future CLT buildings. All modelling were done using the finite element software Abaqus. The Abaqus model of the Limnologen building consists of six wall elements from six storeys. The modelled wall elements are the wall elements that the vertical displacement devices were installed on. The reason for this is to get a better picture of how the results from the model would yield in comparison to the site measurements. The floor itself and the sylodyn used in the interface between wall and floor were also modelled. The data collected from the site were processed in the software Matlab. Several graphs were attained out of the data processing. The most important graph is the one that include both the total relative displacement and the equivalent moisture content in the CLT. The equivalent moisture content was calculated from the measured temperature and relative humidity. In this thesis it is concluded that a simulation can accomplish an acceptable reliability with respect to the vertical displacements. The shrinkage factor has played a vital role in simulation of the displacements. The maximum displacement obtained from the measurements was 21 mm while the maximum displacement gained from the simulation based on three different assumptions was 35 mm, 33 mm, and 17 mm respectively with the similar displacement pattern. The difference in the results can partly be explained by the assumptions used for the equivalent moisture content and local coordinate system of the CLT layers. In the simulation the moisture content was assumed to be equal over each layer of the CLT-panel. The first two assumptions were formulated due to the amphibolous grain of the middle layer of the CLT-panel which was considered having effect on the vertical displacement. The third assumption was formulated due to the glue layer between the wood layers of the CLT-panel which was considered having effect on preventing moisture diffuse from one layer to another layer. In reality it is questionable if the moisture content is varied in the different layers of the CLT-panel. The diffusion of the moisture content hasn't been taken into account.