This thesis investigates the effect of scale on themorphology, mechanics and transmissivity of single rockfractures using both laboratory and in-situ experiments, aswell as numerical simulations. Using a laboratory 3D laserscanner, the surface topography of a large silicon-rubberfracture replica of size 1m x 1m, as well as the topography ofboth surfaces of several high-strength concrete fracturereplicas varying in size from 50mmx50mm to 200mm x 200mm, werescanned. A geodetic Total Station and an in-situ 3D laser radarwere also utilized to scan the surface topography of a largenatural road-cut rock face of size 20m x 15m in the field. Thisdigital characterization of the fracture samples was then usedto investigate the scale dependency of the three dimensionalmorphology of the fractures using a fractal approach. Thefractal parameters of the surface roughness of all fracturesamples, including the geometrical aperture of the concretefracture samples, were obtained using the Roughness-Lengthmethod. The results obtained from the fractal characterization ofthe surface roughness of the fracture samples show that bothfractal dimension, D, and amplitude parameter, A, for aself-affine surface are scale-dependent, heterogeneous andanisotropic, and their values generally decrease withincreasing size of the sample. However, this scale-dependencyis limited to a certain size—defined as the stationaritythreshold, where the surface roughness parameters of thefracture samples remain essentially constant beyond thisstationarity threshold. The surface roughness and thegeometrical aperture of the tested concrete fracture replicasin this study did not reach stationarity due to the structuralnon-stationarity of their surface at small scales. Although theaperture histogram of the fractures was almost independent ofthe sample size, below their stationarity threshold both theHurst exponent, Hb, and aperture proportionality constant, Gb,decrease on increasing the sample sizes. To investigate the scale effect on the mechanical propertiesof single rock fractures, several normal loading and directshear tests were performed on the concrete fracture replicassubjected to different normal stresses under Constant NormalLoad (CNL) conditions. The results showed that both normal andshear stiffnesses, as well as the shear strength parameters ofthe fracture samples, decrease on increasing the sample size.It was observed that the structural non-stationarity of surfaceroughness largely controls the contact areas and damage zoneson the fracture surfaces as related to the direction of theshearing. The aperture maps of the concrete fracture replicas ofvarying size and at different shear displacements, obtainedfrom numerical simulation of the aperture evolution duringshearing using their digitized surfaces, were used toinvestigate the effect of scale on the transmissivity of thesingle rock fractures. A FEM code was utilized to numericallysimulate the fluid flow though the single rock fractures ofvarying size. The results showed that flow rate not onlyincreases on increasing the sample size, but also significantlyincreases in the direction perpendicular to the shearing, dueto the anisotropic roughness of the fractures. <b>Key words:</b>Anisotropy, Aperture, Asperity degradation,Contact area, Finite Element Method (FEM), Flow analysis,Fractals, Fracture morphology, Heterogeneity,Stress-deformation, Surface roughness, Roughness-Length method,Scale dependency, Stationarity, Transmissivity, 3D laserscanner.

With flow forming – an incremental forming process – the final geometry of a component is achieved by a multitude of minor sequential forming steps. Due to this incremental characteristic associated with the variable application of the tools and kinematic shape forming, it is mainly suitable for small and medium quantities. For the extensive use of the process it is necessary to have appropriate simulation tools. While the Finite-Element-Analysis (FEA) is an acknowledged simulation tool for the modeling and optimization of forming technology, the use of FEA for the incremental forming processes is associated with very long computation times. For this reason a simulation method called FloSim, based on the upper bound method, was developed for cylindrical flow forming processes at the Chair of Virtual Production Engineering, which allows the simulation of the process within a few minutes. This method was improved by the work presented with the possibility of geometry computation during the process.

<p>This thesis investigates the effect of scale on themorphology, mechanics and transmissivity of single rockfractures using both laboratory and in-situ experiments, aswell as numerical simulations. Using a laboratory 3D laserscanner, the surface topography of a large silicon-rubberfracture replica of size 1m x 1m, as well as the topography ofboth surfaces of several high-strength concrete fracturereplicas varying in size from 50mmx50mm to 200mm x 200mm, werescanned. A geodetic Total Station and an in-situ 3D laser radarwere also utilized to scan the surface topography of a largenatural road-cut rock face of size 20m x 15m in the field. Thisdigital characterization of the fracture samples was then usedto investigate the scale dependency of the three dimensionalmorphology of the fractures using a fractal approach. Thefractal parameters of the surface roughness of all fracturesamples, including the geometrical aperture of the concretefracture samples, were obtained using the Roughness-Lengthmethod.</p><p>The results obtained from the fractal characterization ofthe surface roughness of the fracture samples show that bothfractal dimension, D, and amplitude parameter, A, for aself-affine surface are scale-dependent, heterogeneous andanisotropic, and their values generally decrease withincreasing size of the sample. However, this scale-dependencyis limited to a certain size—defined as the stationaritythreshold, where the surface roughness parameters of thefracture samples remain essentially constant beyond thisstationarity threshold. The surface roughness and thegeometrical aperture of the tested concrete fracture replicasin this study did not reach stationarity due to the structuralnon-stationarity of their surface at small scales. Although theaperture histogram of the fractures was almost independent ofthe sample size, below their stationarity threshold both theHurst exponent, Hb, and aperture proportionality constant, Gb,decrease on increasing the sample sizes.</p><p>To investigate the scale effect on the mechanical propertiesof single rock fractures, several normal loading and directshear tests were performed on the concrete fracture replicassubjected to different normal stresses under Constant NormalLoad (CNL) conditions. The results showed that both normal andshear stiffnesses, as well as the shear strength parameters ofthe fracture samples, decrease on increasing the sample size.It was observed that the structural non-stationarity of surfaceroughness largely controls the contact areas and damage zoneson the fracture surfaces as related to the direction of theshearing.</p><p>The aperture maps of the concrete fracture replicas ofvarying size and at different shear displacements, obtainedfrom numerical simulation of the aperture evolution duringshearing using their digitized surfaces, were used toinvestigate the effect of scale on the transmissivity of thesingle rock fractures. A FEM code was utilized to numericallysimulate the fluid flow though the single rock fractures ofvarying size. The results showed that flow rate not onlyincreases on increasing the sample size, but also significantlyincreases in the direction perpendicular to the shearing, dueto the anisotropic roughness of the fractures.</p><p><b>Key words:</b>Anisotropy, Aperture, Asperity degradation,Contact area, Finite Element Method (FEM), Flow analysis,Fractals, Fracture morphology, Heterogeneity,Stress-deformation, Surface roughness, Roughness-Length method,Scale dependency, Stationarity, Transmissivity, 3D laserscanner.</p>

<p>In this thesis, fractured rock masses are treated asequivalent continua for large-scale analyses of rockengineering projects. Systematic developments are made for thedetermination of equivalent mechanical and hydraulic propertiesof fractured rock masses using a hybrid discrete fracturenetwork - distinct element method (DFN-DEM) approach. Thedetermined equivalent properties are then used for a far-fieldfinite element analysis of the thermo-mechanical impacts on thestress, deformation and permeability of fractured rockssurrounding a hypothetical geological repository of nuclearwaste. The geological data were extracted from the results ofan extensive site investigation programme at Sellafield, UK,conducted by Nirex UK Ltd.</p><p>The scale dependencies of the hydraulic and mechanicalproperties were investigated by using multiple realizations ofthe fracture system geometry with increasing model sizes untilproperly defined hydraulic and mechanical representativeelementary volumes (REVs) were reached. The validity of thesecond order permeability tensor and the fourth-ordermechanical compliance tensor were tested for continuum analysesat larger scales. The REV was determined to be around 5 m formechanical and hydraulic data in this study.</p><p>Analysis of the stress-dependent mechanical and hydraulicproperties shows that the effect of rock stresses is crucial.The elastic moduli increase significantly with the increase ofstress and an empirical equation of stress-dependent elasticmodulus is suggested based on results of numerical experiments.Calculations of the Poisson's ratios suggest greater valuesthan are normally assumed in practice. Depending on the stateof stress, permeability decreases or increases with increasingcompressive stress. Stress-induced flow channeling effect iscaptured by numerical modeling for the first time and detailedmechanisms of shear dilation of fractures are provided. Basedon the numerical experiments, a set of empirical equations wassuggested for the stress-dependent permeability, consideringboth normal deformation and shear dilation of fractures.</p><p>Thermo-mechanical impact on the performance of ahypothetical repository at a far-field scale (5 km by 1 km) wasinvestigated with the stress-dependent equivalent propertiesdetermined at the REV scale. This analysis shows thatmechanical responses vary significantly depending on how themechanical properties were determined. The change ofpermeability due to the thermal loading is, however, notsignificant in this particular case.</p><p>The thesis provides a framework for systematic analysis oflarge-scale engineering applications in fractured rock masses,such as geological repositories of nuclear wastes.</p><p><b>Keyword:</b>Fractured rock masses, Equivalent Continuum,Discrete Fracture Network (DFN), Distinct Element Method (DEM),Finite Element Method (FEM), Nuclear Waste Disposal, CoupledThermo-Hydro-Mechanical Processes</p>

Šiandien dviratis užima gana svarbią vietą tarp kitų transporto rūšių. Jis suteikia didesnę judėjimo laisvę, todėl naudojamas laisvalaikio praleidimui, susisiekimui, turizmui, sportavimui. Tai ne tik patogi, bet ir ekonomiška važiavimo priemonė. Kadangi dviračio vairas yra vienas svarbiausių jo elementų, lemiančių dviračio valdymą, todėl svarbu kad vairo statinis stiprumas ir standumas atitiktų keliamus reikalavimus. Šių reikalavimų laikymasis turi įtakos dviračio kokybei ir saugumui. Atitikimas standartų normoms nustatomas atliekant bandymus. Bandymų rezultatai laikomi teigiamais, jeigu po atliktų tyrimų nenustatomi lūžiai, įtrūkimai, įbrėžimai ar leistinus dydžius viršijantys konstrukcijos formos pakitimai. Siekiant išanalizuoti ir eksperimentiškai patikrinti dviračio vairo statinį stiprumą ir standumą naudojant plėvelinius tenzojutiklius ir informacinę matavimo sistemą, valdomą „Catman“ programine įranga, buvo atliktas eksperimentinis dviračio vairo statinio stiprumo ir standumo tyrimas. Tiek eksperimentinio tyrimo rezultatai, tiek baigtinių elementų metodo skaičiavimai, parodė, kad dviračio vairas atitiko standartuose keliamus dviračio vairo standumo ir stiprumo reikalavimus ir neviršijo juose numatytų reikšmių. / Nowadays bike has quite an important place among other modes of transport. It provides greater freedom of movement, and it is used for leisure, travelling, tourism and sports. It is not only convenient but also cost-effective vehicle of travelling. As the bicycle wheel is one of its most important elements that determine the wheel control, so it is important that the static strength and rigidity would comply with the requirements of qualify. Quality requirements compliance has an impact on the quality and safety of the bicycle. Compliance to the requirements is determined during the experiment. The experiment is considered positive if there are no breaks, cracks, scratches and the structural changes in shape meet the permitted levels. In order to analyse and experimentally verify the handlebar static strength and rigidity using tenzosensor measurement and information system operated by „Catman” software has been made an experimental bicycle wheel strength and rigidity analysis. Experimental results and finite element method calculations showed that the bicycle wheel meets the strength and rigidity standards requirements and don’t exceed them.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estudar escoamentos de tornados e sua ação sobre corpos imersos empregando ferramentas numéricas da Engenharia do Vento Computacional (EVC). Os tornados constituem-se atualmente em uma das causas de desastres naturais no Brasil, especialmente nas regiões sul e sudeste do país, como também em alguns países vizinhos. Os efeitos gerados são geralmente localizados e de curta duração, podendo ser devastadores dependendo da escala do tornado. Tais características dificultam a realização de estudos detalhados a partir de eventos reais, o que levou ao desenvolvimento de modelos experimentais e numéricos. A abordagem numérica é utilizada neste trabalho para a simulação de tornados, a qual se baseia nas equações de Navier-Stokes e na equação de conservação de massa, considerando a hipótese de pseudo-compressibilidade e condições isotérmicas. Para escoamentos com turbulência utiliza-se a Simulação Direta de Grandes Escalas com o modelo clássico de Smagorinsky para as escalas inferiores à resolução da malha (Large Eddy Simulation ou LES em inglês). A discretização das equações fundamentais do escoamento se realiza com um esquema explícito de dois passos de Taylor-Galerkin, onde o Método dos Elementos Finitos é empregado na discretização espacial utilizando-se o elemento hexaédrico trilinear isoparamétrico com um ponto de integração e controle de modos espúrios Na presença de corpos imersos que se movem para simular os deslocamentos dos tornados, o escoamento é descrito cinematicamente através de uma formulação Arbitrária Lagrangeana-Euleriana (ALE) que inclui um esquema de movimento de malha. Tornados são reproduzidos através da simulação numérica de dispositivos experimentais e do Modelo de Vórtice Combinado de Rankine (RCVM). Exemplos clássicos da Dinâmica dos Fluidos Computacional são apresentados inicialmente para a verificação das ferramentas numéricas implementadas. Finalmente, problemas envolvendo tornados móveis e estacionários são analisados, incluindo sua ação sobre corpos imersos. Nos modelos baseados em experimentos, a variação da relação de redemoinho determinou os diferentes padrões de escoamento observados no laboratório. Nos exemplos de modelo de vórtice, quando o tornado impactou o corpo imerso gerou picos de forças em todas as direções e, após a passar pelo mesmo, produziu uma alteração significativa na estrutura do vórtice. / Analyses of tornado flows and its action on immersed bodies using numerical tools of Computational Wind Engineering (CWE) are the main aims of the present work. Tornadoes are currently one of the causes of natural disasters in Brazil, occurring more frequently in the southern and southeastern regions of the country, as well as in some neighboring countries. Effects are usually localized, presenting a short time interval, which can be devastating depending on the scale of the tornado. These characteristics difficult to carry out detailed studies based on real events, leading to the development of experimental and numerical models. The numerical approach is used in this work for the simulation of tornadoes, which is based on the Navier-Stokes equations and the mass conservation equation, considering the hypothesis of pseudo-compressibility and isothermal conditions. For turbulent flows, Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is used with the classical Smagorinsky model for sub-grid scales Discretization is performed the explicit two-step Taylor-Galerkin scheme, where the Finite Element Method is used in spatial discretization using isoparametric trilinear hexahedral elements with one-point quadrature and hourglass control. In the presence of immersed bodies that are moving in order to simulate translating tornadoes, the flow is kinematically described through a Lagrangian-Eulerian Arbitrary (ALE) formulation, which includes a mesh motion scheme. Tornadoes are reproduced using numerical simulation of experimental devices and the Rankine Combined Vortex Model (RCVM). Classical examples of Computational Fluid Dynamics are presented initially for the verification of the numerical tools implemented here. Finally, problems involving moving and stationary tornadoes are analyzed, including their actions on immersed bodies. For models based on experiments, the variation of the swirl ratio determined the different flow patterns observed in the laboratory. In the vortex model examples, when the tornado impacted on the immersed body, peaks of forces were generated in all directions and, after passing over it, a significant change in the structure of the vortex was produced.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-08T15:00:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 3383903 bytes, checksum: 0f620c6e964fe188ec48ca2d255558c8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-10-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In this work a static and dynamic elastic analyses of frame structures using the finite element method (FEM) is described. The superstructure is modeled employing six sets of frame structures (plane truss, space truss, plane frame, grilled, space frame and space frame stiffened by shear cores) and specific finite elements are developed for these purposes. According to the specific case, bending effects (Euler-Bernoulli or Timoshenko models), torsional effects (under Saint Venant or Vlasov assumptions) are properly operated and the explicit forms of stiffness and mass matrices and equivalent nodal vector are presented. Special attention is paid to the static soil-structure interaction problem. In this case the superstructure (standard space frame) is modeled by FEM, whereas the soil is assumed to be an elastic half-space and modeled by the boundary element method (BEM). Finally the algebraic systems from both methods are coupled in order to allow the soil-structure interaction analysis. Another focus of this study is to develop a simulation environment (called SAPROMS NET) incorporating mainly the preprocessing and processing steps and both are implemented in object-oriented language Java. Some numerical examples are presented, as well as details of the simulation environment. / Neste trabalho são descritas análises estática e dinâmica em regime elástico de estruturas reticuladas utilizando o método dos elementos finitos (MEF). A superestrutura é modelada para seis famílias de estruturas reticuladas (treliça plana, treliça espacial, pórtico plano, grelha, pórtico espacial e pórtico espacial enrijecido com núcleo estrutural) e elementos finitos específicos são desenvolvidos para esse fim. Nos casos pertinentes, os efeitos de flexão (segundo as teorias de Euler-Bernoulli e Timoshenko), de torção (segundo as hipóteses de Saint Venant e Vlasov), são devidamente explorados e as formas explícitas das matrizes de rigidez, de massa e vetor nodal equivalente são apresentadas. Um enfoque especial é dado para o problema de interação solo-estrutura em regime estático. Nesse caso a superestrutura, que pode ser associada ao pórtico espacial sem enrijemento por núcleo estrutural, é modelada pelo MEF e o solo (admitido ser um sólido elástico semi-infinito) é representado por equações integrais compostas e sistematizado algebricamente pelo método dos elementos de contorno (MEC). E por fim, os sistemas algébricos do MEF e do MEC são compatibilizados permitindo assim a análise da interação solo-estrutura. Outro enfoque do trabalho é o desenvolvimento de um ambiente de simulação (denominado SAPROMS NET) voltado, principalmente, para as etapas de pré-processamento e processamento. Essas são implementadas na linguagem orientada a objetos Java. Alguns exemplos numéricos são apresentados, assim como o detalhamento do ambiente de simulação.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo estudar escoamentos de tornados e sua ação sobre corpos imersos empregando ferramentas numéricas da Engenharia do Vento Computacional (EVC). Os tornados constituem-se atualmente em uma das causas de desastres naturais no Brasil, especialmente nas regiões sul e sudeste do país, como também em alguns países vizinhos. Os efeitos gerados são geralmente localizados e de curta duração, podendo ser devastadores dependendo da escala do tornado. Tais características dificultam a realização de estudos detalhados a partir de eventos reais, o que levou ao desenvolvimento de modelos experimentais e numéricos. A abordagem numérica é utilizada neste trabalho para a simulação de tornados, a qual se baseia nas equações de Navier-Stokes e na equação de conservação de massa, considerando a hipótese de pseudo-compressibilidade e condições isotérmicas. Para escoamentos com turbulência utiliza-se a Simulação Direta de Grandes Escalas com o modelo clássico de Smagorinsky para as escalas inferiores à resolução da malha (Large Eddy Simulation ou LES em inglês). A discretização das equações fundamentais do escoamento se realiza com um esquema explícito de dois passos de Taylor-Galerkin, onde o Método dos Elementos Finitos é empregado na discretização espacial utilizando-se o elemento hexaédrico trilinear isoparamétrico com um ponto de integração e controle de modos espúrios Na presença de corpos imersos que se movem para simular os deslocamentos dos tornados, o escoamento é descrito cinematicamente através de uma formulação Arbitrária Lagrangeana-Euleriana (ALE) que inclui um esquema de movimento de malha. Tornados são reproduzidos através da simulação numérica de dispositivos experimentais e do Modelo de Vórtice Combinado de Rankine (RCVM). Exemplos clássicos da Dinâmica dos Fluidos Computacional são apresentados inicialmente para a verificação das ferramentas numéricas implementadas. Finalmente, problemas envolvendo tornados móveis e estacionários são analisados, incluindo sua ação sobre corpos imersos. Nos modelos baseados em experimentos, a variação da relação de redemoinho determinou os diferentes padrões de escoamento observados no laboratório. Nos exemplos de modelo de vórtice, quando o tornado impactou o corpo imerso gerou picos de forças em todas as direções e, após a passar pelo mesmo, produziu uma alteração significativa na estrutura do vórtice. / Analyses of tornado flows and its action on immersed bodies using numerical tools of Computational Wind Engineering (CWE) are the main aims of the present work. Tornadoes are currently one of the causes of natural disasters in Brazil, occurring more frequently in the southern and southeastern regions of the country, as well as in some neighboring countries. Effects are usually localized, presenting a short time interval, which can be devastating depending on the scale of the tornado. These characteristics difficult to carry out detailed studies based on real events, leading to the development of experimental and numerical models. The numerical approach is used in this work for the simulation of tornadoes, which is based on the Navier-Stokes equations and the mass conservation equation, considering the hypothesis of pseudo-compressibility and isothermal conditions. For turbulent flows, Large Eddy Simulation (LES) is used with the classical Smagorinsky model for sub-grid scales Discretization is performed the explicit two-step Taylor-Galerkin scheme, where the Finite Element Method is used in spatial discretization using isoparametric trilinear hexahedral elements with one-point quadrature and hourglass control. In the presence of immersed bodies that are moving in order to simulate translating tornadoes, the flow is kinematically described through a Lagrangian-Eulerian Arbitrary (ALE) formulation, which includes a mesh motion scheme. Tornadoes are reproduced using numerical simulation of experimental devices and the Rankine Combined Vortex Model (RCVM). Classical examples of Computational Fluid Dynamics are presented initially for the verification of the numerical tools implemented here. Finally, problems involving moving and stationary tornadoes are analyzed, including their actions on immersed bodies. For models based on experiments, the variation of the swirl ratio determined the different flow patterns observed in the laboratory. In the vortex model examples, when the tornado impacted on the immersed body, peaks of forces were generated in all directions and, after passing over it, a significant change in the structure of the vortex was produced.

In wind turbines, flow pressure variations on the air-structure interface cause aerodynamic forces. Consequently the structure deforms and starts to move. The interaction between aerodynamic forces and structural deformations mainly concerns aeroelasticity. Since these two are coupled, they have to be considered simultaneously in cases which the deformations are not negligible in comparison to the other geometric dimensions. The purpose of this work is to improve the simulation model of a vertical axis wind turbine by modifying the structural model from undamped Euler-Bernoulli beam theory with lumped mass matrix to the more advanced Timoshenko beam theory with consistent mass matrix plus an additional damping term. The bending of the beam is then unified with longitudinal and torsional deformations based on a fixed shape cross-section assumption and the Saint-Venant torsion theory. The whole work has been carried out by implementing the finite element method using MATLAB code and implanting it in a previously developed package as a complement. Finally the results have been verified by qualitative comparisons with alternative simulations.

This master’s thesis deals with a strength analysis of the main frame and loading arms of a skip loader. For a calculation of load states is used a dynamic simulation and its results are used as a boundary conditions for the strength analysis using finite element method (FEM). The results of the analysis is evaluated and on theirs basis are designed a construction improvements. The part of the thesis is drawings documentation of the construction improvements.