A recently proposed route to magnetized target fusion (MTF) has been developed [4] which utilizes an array of high velocity pulsed plasma accelerators, fired in unison at a target plasma. The plasma accelerators are required to be capable of reproducible results of 0.2mg of hydrogen plasma at velocities in excess of 200km/s and be possible of operating at 10Hz. No previously developed pulse plasma accelerator is capable of these results. The purpose of this thesis was to develop a plasma accelerator for application to the proposed fusion scheme. The previously unexplored possibility of using a piezoelectric valve in these devices was investigated. The piezoelectric valve that was developed is capable of generating reproducible, short, well defined hydrogen pulses with longitudinal temperatures below 2K. Presently the valve can deliver a maximum output of 0.022mg of hydrogen gas. A unique coaxial plasma accelerator, the Lica was developed that has three main features that set it apart: 1) it uses a piezoelectric valve to deliver short well defined hydrogen pulses into the accelerator, 2) the gas is linearly injected into the device and 3) it uses a novel preionization method. Currently the Lica is unable to offer the performance required for the proposed fusion scheme, the bulk of the plasma generated in this device appears to be travelling the region of 40-50km/s at a temperature of 3000K to 5000K. There are a few anomalies in the operation of this device: 1) it appears to accelerate a series of plasma sheaths in the regions of 40km/s, 50km/s and 60-80km/s, 2) the final plasma velocity appears to be independent of the acceleration distance and in some instances high velocity plasma in the region of 200km/s was observed. A numerical finite element model (FEM) electromagnetic model called MATAC was developed to try and simulate the operation of the Lica, because it was shown that simple analytical models are inadequate. The preliminary modelling efforts predicted the final velocity of the bulk of the plasma to be 82.6km/s. A spin off from the development of the numerical model was the extension of the upwinding scheme of [157] to quadratic and cubic FEM elements.

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre o comportamento de sistemas de pesagem em movimento baseados em plataformas comumente utilizadas no Brasil. Parâmetros relevantes nesse comportamento são modelados: rugosidade aleatória da pista, dinâmica vertical do veículo e sua velocidade, desnível entre a pista e plataforma e dinâmica da plataforma. Duas classes de veículos são simuladas trafegando a diferentes velocidades e sendo pesados utilizando uma proposta de modelo de plataforma rígida e uma proposta de plataforma flexível. As forças de reação do solo e históricos de aceleração em vários GDL são registrados a fim de obter a carga estática por eixo e os erros nas estimativas do peso para o modelo de plataforma rígida. Já para o modelo de plataforma flexível, as forças de reação servem de entrada no modelo de elemento finitos de viga Euler-Bernoulli com consideração da área de contato do pneu através de um trem de cargas. Conclusões relacionadas à redução da precisão do sistema com o aumento da velocidade do veículo são confirmadas, embora importantes conclusões não tão óbvias sobre a importância da dinâmica do veículo, do nível de rugosidade da pista, da altura do degrau pista-plataforma e da dinâmica da plataforma de pesagem são ressaltadas. / This work proposes a numerical study on the behavior of weigh-in-motion systems based on load platforms useful in Brazil. Some important parameters that may control this behavior that are modeled are random road roughness, vehicle vertical dynamics, vehicle speed, load platform step’s height to the road and platform dynamics. Two vehicles types are modelled travelling at different speeds and being weighted using a rigid platform proposal and another proposal with a flexible platform. Ground reaction force and acceleration time history on several degree-of-freedom are recorded in order to obtain the static load per axis and the corresponding estimated errors for the rigid platform model. For the flexible platform model, the reaction forces serve as inputs into the Euler-Bernoulli finite element model with consideration of the contact area of the tire by train of loads. Some usual conclusions related to the reduction in the accuracy of the measuring system with increased vehicle speed are confirmed in the numerical study, although important conclusions not so obvious concerning the importance of road roughness, vehicle vertical dynamics, and vehicle speed, load platform step’s height to the road and platform dynamics are highlighted.

Este trabalho apresenta um estudo sobre o comportamento de sistemas de pesagem em movimento baseados em plataformas comumente utilizadas no Brasil. Parâmetros relevantes nesse comportamento são modelados: rugosidade aleatória da pista, dinâmica vertical do veículo e sua velocidade, desnível entre a pista e plataforma e dinâmica da plataforma. Duas classes de veículos são simuladas trafegando a diferentes velocidades e sendo pesados utilizando uma proposta de modelo de plataforma rígida e uma proposta de plataforma flexível. As forças de reação do solo e históricos de aceleração em vários GDL são registrados a fim de obter a carga estática por eixo e os erros nas estimativas do peso para o modelo de plataforma rígida. Já para o modelo de plataforma flexível, as forças de reação servem de entrada no modelo de elemento finitos de viga Euler-Bernoulli com consideração da área de contato do pneu através de um trem de cargas. Conclusões relacionadas à redução da precisão do sistema com o aumento da velocidade do veículo são confirmadas, embora importantes conclusões não tão óbvias sobre a importância da dinâmica do veículo, do nível de rugosidade da pista, da altura do degrau pista-plataforma e da dinâmica da plataforma de pesagem são ressaltadas. / This work proposes a numerical study on the behavior of weigh-in-motion systems based on load platforms useful in Brazil. Some important parameters that may control this behavior that are modeled are random road roughness, vehicle vertical dynamics, vehicle speed, load platform step’s height to the road and platform dynamics. Two vehicles types are modelled travelling at different speeds and being weighted using a rigid platform proposal and another proposal with a flexible platform. Ground reaction force and acceleration time history on several degree-of-freedom are recorded in order to obtain the static load per axis and the corresponding estimated errors for the rigid platform model. For the flexible platform model, the reaction forces serve as inputs into the Euler-Bernoulli finite element model with consideration of the contact area of the tire by train of loads. Some usual conclusions related to the reduction in the accuracy of the measuring system with increased vehicle speed are confirmed in the numerical study, although important conclusions not so obvious concerning the importance of road roughness, vehicle vertical dynamics, and vehicle speed, load platform step’s height to the road and platform dynamics are highlighted.

This thesis presents the results of a research project to develop methods to carry out fire safety design of welded steel tubular trusses at elevated temperatures due to fire exposure. It deals with three subjects: resistance of welded tubular joints at elevated temperatures, effects of large truss deflection in fire on member design and effects of localised heating. The objectives of the project are achieved through numerical finite element modelling at elevated temperatures using the commercial Finite Element software ABAQUS v6.10-1 (2011). Validation of the simulation model for joints is based on comparison against the test results of Nguyen et al. (2010) and Kurobane et al. (1986). Validation of the simulation model for trusses is through checking against the test results of Edwards (2004) and Liu et al. (2010).For welded tubular joints, extensive numerical simulations have been conducted on T-, Y-, X-, N- and non-overlapped K-joints subjected to brace axial compression or tension, considering a wide range of geometrical parameters. Uniform temperature distribution was assumed for both the chord and brace members. Results of the numerical simulations indicate for gap K- and N-joints (two brace members, one in tension and the other in compression) and for T-, Y- and X-joints with the brace member under axial tensile load (one brace member only, in tension), it is suitable to use the same ambient temperature calculation equation as in the CIDECT (2010) or EN 1993-1-8 (CEN, 2005a) design guides and simply replace the ambient temperature strength of steel with the elevated temperature value. However, for T-, Y- and X-joints under brace compression load (one brace member only, in compression), the effect of large chord deformation should be considered. Large chord deformation changes the chord geometry and invalidates the assumed yield line mechanism at ambient temperature. For approximation, the results of this research indicate that it is acceptable to modify the ambient temperature joint strength by a reduction factor for the elastic modulus of steel at elevated temperatures. In the current fire safety design method for steel truss, a member based approach is used. In this approach, the truss member forces are calculated at ambient temperature based on linear elastic analysis. These forces are then used to calculate the truss member limiting temperatures. An extensive parametric study has been carried out to investigate whether this method is appropriate. The parametric study encompasses different design parameters over a wide range of values, including truss type, joint type, truss span-to-depth ratio, critical member slenderness, applied load ratio, number of brace members, initial imperfection and thermal elongation. The results of this research show that due to a truss undergoing large displacements at elevated temperatures, some truss members (compression brace members near the truss centre) experience large increases in member forces. Therefore, using the ambient temperature member force, as in the current truss fire safety design method, may overestimate the truss member critical temperature by 100 °C. A method has been proposed to analytically calculate the increase in brace compressive force due to large truss deformation. In this method, the maximum truss displacement is assumed to be span/30. A comparison of the results calculated using the proposed method against the truss parametric study results has shown good agreement with the two sets of results, with the calculation results generally being slightly on the safe side. When different members of a truss are heated to different temperatures due to localised fire exposure, the brace members in compression experience increased compression due to restrained thermal expansion. To calculate the critical temperature of a brace member in a localised heated truss, it is necessary to consider this effect of restrained thermal expansion. It is also necessary to consider the beneficial effects of the adjacent members being heated, which tends to reduce the increase in compressive force in the critical member under consideration. Again, an extensive set of parametric studies have been conducted, for different load ratio, slenderness and axial restraint ratio. The results of this parametric study suggest that to calculate the critical temperature of a brace member, it is not necessary to consider the effects of the third or further adjacent members being heated. For the remainder of the heated members, this thesis has proposed a linear elastic, static analysis method at ambient temperature to calculate the additional compressive force (some negative, indicating tension) in the critical member caused by the heated members (including the critical member itself and the adjacent members). The additional compressive force is then used to calculate the limiting temperature of the critical member. For this purpose, the approximate analytical equation of Wang et al. (2010) has been demonstrated to be suitable.

Because of an eventual ban of creosote-impregnated products, alternative materials for poles used in the electrical grid are needed. Concrete is one alternative and spun concrete poles have been manufactured for the Swedish grid before. These poles are still in use since the high strength and good functioning. However, they weigh too much in terms of the way that poles are assembled on the grid today. Therefore, a study comparing the capacity of different geometries, resulting in lower weight, is of interest.  In this Master’s Thesis, crack initiation and compressive failure in concrete poles are examined by creating FE-models in the software BRIGADE/Plus, using concrete damage plasticity. Thus, guidance is provided about how thin the concrete walls can be made without risking failure – which also means how low the weight of such a pole can be. The failure most likely to occur is a compressive failure in the concrete with a ductile behavior. The result shows that a geometry change, which implies a thinner concrete wall, is possible. This means a weight reduction between 30-75 % or even more, depending on which network the poles are designed for.

This master’s thesis deals with the structural analysis of the gearbox housing and drive frame of bucket-wheel stacker/reclaimer. Theme is designed by Vítkovice Gearworks a.s. Objective of the work is to determine the size of the forces in the gears, bearings and perform strain stress analysis. The main part of the work is focused on creating finite element model in software NX I-Deas. The solution and evaluation is performed in software MSC Marc.

Le sous-marinage, apparaissant lorsque la ceinture pelvienne glisse au-dessus des épines iliaques antérosupérieures (E.I.A.S.) du bassin, est la cause principale des lésions abdominales sévères. Ce phénomène, conditionné par l’angle relatif entre la ceinture pelvienne et le bassin, est fortement lié à la cinématique du bassin au cours du choc. Cette dernière dépend des efforts et moments qui y sont appliqués, provenant principalement de la colonne lombaire, des hanches, du contact avec l’assise du siège ainsi que de la ceinture pelvienne. L’objectif est de caractériser le comportement de la population au regard du sousmarinage. Cela passe par l’identification des paramètres individuels influents sur le phénomène et par l’étude de leur distribution sur la population. Pour cela, neuf essais sur sujets humains post-mortem (S.H.P.M.) ont été effectués dans un environnement simplifié. Trois configurations de choc, chacune testée sur trois sujets, ont été définies. Les résultats ont ensuite servi de base pour la validation d’un modèle éléments finis d’être humain. Le modèle a été amélioré de façon globale vis-à-vis des corridors définis par les réponses S.H.P.M. et personnalisé au niveau de la géométrie, de la répartition des masses et du comportement de la colonne lombaire pour correspondre à chacun des neuf sujets. La personnalisation de ces paramètres a permis de reproduire les comportements observés en essais. Enfin, le modèle a été utilisé dans une étude numérique pour approfondir la compréhension de la cinématique du bassin, d’une part, et identifier les paramètres individuels influençant le sous-marinage, d’autre part. La répartition des masses, la raideur de la colonne lombaire et l’orientation initiale du bassin influencent l’apparition du sous-marinage. L’ouverture des ailes iliaques, la position des E.I.A.S par rapport au point H, la profondeur de l’échancrure iliaque et l’épaisseur des tissus entre le bassin et la ceinture jouent aussi un rôle. / Submarining occurs in frontal crashes when the lap belt slides over the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS) and is the principal cause of AIS 3+ abdominal injuries. Submarining is the consequence of the pelvis kinematics relative to the lap belt, driven by the equilibrium of forces and moments applied to the pelvis. The four main components playing a role in the pelvis kinematics are the lumbar spine, the hips, the seat pan and the lap belt. The purpose is to characterize the population behavior regarding submarining. This requires to identify individual parameters having an effect on submarining and to examine their distribution among the population. A nine post-mortem human subject (PMHS) sled test campaign was carried out on a simplified environment. Three test configurations were defined. Each configuration was realized on three PMHS. The test results were used as reference data for a human finite element model validation. The model was improved to better fit the PMHS corridor responses and then personalized regarding the geometry, the mass distribution and the lumbar spine behavior to obtain nine models matching each PMHS. The personalized models responses were consistent with the PMHS ones. Finally, the human model was used in a numerical study. The numerical study was aimed at deepen the understanding of the pelvis kinematics on the one hand, and investigate the influence of several individual parameters on submarining on the other hand. The mass distribution, the lumbar spine stiffness and the initial pelvis orientation have revealed an influence on the submarining observation. The iliac wing angle, the position of the ASIS relative to the H-point, the iliac notch depth and the thickness of the soft tissues between the pelvis and the lap belt were also identified to have an effect on submarining.

More and more pressure is exerted on railway infrastructure due to an increasing transportation demand and population density. Instead of expanding the net, a possible solution could lie in the enlargement of the capacity by operating longer trains rather than more short ones. However, close attention has to be paid to the behaviour and the lifetime of the infrastructure under these changed loads. In special bridges are delicate aspects in this matter. In the current thesis the simply supported Banafjäl bridge located on the Bothnia Line in the North of Sweden is studied more in detail with regards to this aspect. It is a high-speed composite railway bridge with a span of 42 m. A detailed 3D finite element (FE) model is made available. However in order to make reliable predictions about the behaviour under increasing train length loads, it had to be further improved. Different methods of calibrating measured response data to an existing FE model, finite element model updating (FEMU), are available and a detailed overview is given at the beginning of this thesis. Next a sensitivity analysis was performed to select the material parameters which are most influential for the result and will be updated. In the following, FEMU is carried out by means of two iterative updating methods, genetic and gradient-based optimization, after which also a combination of these two is implemented. Two objective functions are chosen and it is shown that all methods converge to a global optimal solution. After adjusting the initial model with the updated parameter values, a fatigue analysis on this updated model is carried out for high-speed trains of multiple lengthsby means of the Palmgren-Miner rule. The fatigue is found to increase with increasing train length and in particular when the speed approaches resonance speed. By extension an operating chart is created to indicate the maximum amount of train passages per day in function of speed and train length for a type 4 fatigue train. Furthermore, damping has been shown to have a positive effect on the fatigue, the larger this effect for shorter trains. The static behaviour has been proven not to be a problem and so will solely the weight of trains induce little to no fatigue problems in this particular bridge.

Automotive parts may be the cause of very annoying friction-induced noise and the source of many customer complaints. Indeed, when a wiper operates on a windshield, vibratory phenomena may appear due to flutter instabilities and may generate squeal noise. As squeal noise generated by wiper system is a random and complex phenomenon, there are only few studies dealing with the wiper noise. The complexity of this phenomenon is due to the cinematic of the movement and to the various environmental parameters which have an influence on the appearance of the noise. This master thesis is a research and development project and presents a numerical simulation methodology used in the aim to reduce and eradicate squeal noise of wiper systems.  In the first part, the finite element model representing a wiper system and the numerical simulation methodology will be presented in detail. In the second part, stability analysis will be carried out in nominal studies and in designs of experiments. Parametric studies will also be achieved to understand the behavior and the influence of each considered input parameters. Two wiper blades, with the same geometry but with different material, will be considered for the different studies. These two wiper blades will be examined to figure out when squeal noises appear.

Light-frame shearwall assemblies have been successfully used to resist gravity and lateral loads, such as earthquake and wind, for many decades. However, there is a need for maintaining the structural integrity of such buildings even when large openings in walls are introduced. Wood portal frame systems have been identified as a potential alternative to meet some aspects of this construction demand. The overarching goal of the research is to develop wood portal frame bracing systems, which can be used as an alternative or in combination with light-frame wood shearwalls. This is done through investigating the behavior of wood portal frames using the MIDPLY shearwall framing technique. A total of 21 MIDPLY corner joint tests were conducted with varying bracing details. Also, a finite element model was developed and compared with test results from the current study as well as studies by others. It was concluded from the corner joint tests that the maximum moment resistance increased with the addition of metal straps or exterior sheathings. The test results also showed a significant increase in the moment capacity and rotational stiffness by replacing the Spruce-Pine Fir (SPF), header with the Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) header. The addition of the FRP to the standard wall configuration also resulted in a significant increase in the moment capacity. However, no significant effect was observed on the stiffness properties of the corner joint. The FE model was capable of predicting the behavior of the corner joints and the full-scale portal frames with realistic end-conditions. The model closely predicted the ultimate lateral capacity for all the configurations but more uncertainty was found in predicting the initial stiffness.The FE model used to estimate the behavior of the full-scale portal frames constructed using the MIDPLY framing techniques showed a significant increase in the lateral load carrying capacity when compared with the traditional portal frame. It was also predicted using the full-scale FE model that the lateral load carrying capacity of the MIDPLY portal frame would increase with the addition of the metal straps on exterior faces. A parametric study showed that using a Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) header increased the lateral load carrying capacity and the initial stiffness of the frames relative to the SPF header. The study also showed that there was an increase in the capacity if high strength metal straps were used. Doubling of the nail spacing at header and braced wall segment had a considerable effect on the lateral capacity of portal frame. Also, the initial stiffness was reduced for all the configurations with the doubling of the nail spacing at the header and braced wall segment in comparison with the reference frame.