Le diagnostic du parc routier est une étape indispensable préalable à l'entretien et la réparation des structures de chaussées. L'importance d'une plus grande finesse de l'analyse des résultats issus des méthodes de contrôle non destructif peut permettre de réaliser, à terme, des économies sur les coûts et énergie mis en jeu lors de la maintenance et la construction. Ces travaux de doctorat présentent un modèle thermo-visco-elastique permettant d'intégrer le comportement des matériaux bitumineux composant une chaussée par l'utilisation du module et de l'amortissement complexe issu des courbes maitresses. La résolution du problème dynamique est réalisée à l'aide d'une approche fréquentielle. Cette approche est appliquée en particulier à un essai FWD sur lequel des variations climatiques sont étudiées. Des essais in situ, réalisés sur deux sites instrumentés, permettent de valider le modèle. Les bons résultats obtenus suggèrent l'utilisation de ce modèle à travers une analyse multicritère sur les bassins de déflexion et les historiques pour le développement futur d'un modèle de retro calcul dynamique. / The diagnosis of the road fleet becomes a necessary step prior to themaintenance and the repair of pavement structures. The importance of a finer analysis of the results of the non-destructive testing methods can eventually achieve to cost and energy savings for the maintenance and construction. This phD thesis introduces a thermo-visco-elastic model for intersting the behavior ofbituminous pavement materials, using the complex modulus and damping from master curves. The resolution of the dynamic problem is performed thanks to a frequency approach. This approach is particularly applicable to a FWD test on which climatic variations are studied. In situ tests, carried out on two instrumented sites, are used to validate the model. The obtained of good results suggests the use of this model through a multi-criteria analysison deflection basins and of the records for the future development of a backcalculation dynamic model.

Research in damage detection and structural health monitoring in engineering systems during their service life has received increasing attention because of its importance and benefits in maintenance and rehabilitation of structure. Though the concept of vibration-based damage detection has been in existence for decades, and several procedures have been proposed to date, its practical applications remain limited, considering the increased utilization of sensors to measure structural response at multiple points. In this thesis, use of acceleration response of the structure as a method of global damage detection is explored using instantaneous frequency and stiffness degradation methods. Instantaneous frequency was estimated using continuous wavelet transform of measured acceleration response of the structure subjected to ground motion. Complex Morlet Wavelet was used in the time-frequency analysis due to its ability to provide sufficient resolution in both time and frequency domains. This ability is important in analyzing nonstationary signals like earthquake response of structure containing sharp changes in the signal. The second method, called the stiffness degradation analysis, is based on estimating the time-varying stiffness. This estimation is done by fitting a moving least-square line to the force-displacement loop for the duration of the ground motion.A four-story shear building is used as the model structure for numerical analysis. Two damage scenarios are considered: single damage instant and multiple damage instants. Both scenarios assume that the damage occurs at a single location. In the numerical simulations, damage was modeled as a reduction in the stiffness of the first floor, and accelerations were computed at floor levels using state-space model. The two methods were compared in terms of their damage detection ability and it was shown that both methods can be used in detecting damage and the time at which the damage occurs. These methods can later be extended by simultaneously considering the correlations of responses at all floor levels. This extension may enable locating the damage and quantifying the severity of the damage.

The characteristics of slotted circular waveguides with different dimensions, including cutoff frequencies of TE and TM modes, impedance and modal field distributions will be analyzed using the generalized spectral domain approach. The Method of Moment will be applied, basis functions that include the edge conditions will be used and a computer program will be developed. Obtained results will be presented for different number, depth and thickness of coupling slots, and compared with available data to demonstrate the accuracy and the efficiency of the approach. Plots of the electric and magnetic field lines corresponding to the dominant as well as a number of higher order modes will be presented for quadruple ridge case.

This document describes the design and deployment of a first generation water vapor density sensing unit, the HumiSense. This device is based on an open, air-filled capacitor which is part of a resonant circuit. The frequency of the resonant circuit mixed with a fixed frequency oscillator is the basis of the method to generate a signal that is associated to the change in water vapor density within the open capacitor with time. The physical testing results were inconclusive given that there were many unresolved artifacts in the data. Several suggestions for improving the device for future device generations were provided. / Graduation date: 2013

Today there is a great need for communication between people and even between things, using systems onboard e.g. aircraft, cars, ships and satellites. As a consequence, these communications needs require antennas mounted on or integrated in the surfaces of different vehicles or platforms, i.e. conformal antennas. In order to ensure proper operation of the communication systems it is important to be able to determine the characteristics of these antennas. This thesis is about the analysis and design of conformal antennas using high frequency asymptotic methods. Commonly used eigenfunction solutions or numerical methods such as FDTD, FEM or MoM are difficult to use for arbitrarily shaped electrically large surfaces. However, the high frequency approximation approach together with an accurate ray tracing procedure offers a convenient solution for these surfaces. The geodesics (ray paths) on the surfaces are key parameters in the analysis and they are discussed in detail. In the first part of the thesis singly and doubly curved perfectly electrical conducting (PEC) surfaces are studied, with respect to the mutual coupling among aperture type elements. A synthesis problem is also considered where the effect of the mutual coupling is taken into account. As expected, the mutual coupling must be included in the synthesis procedure to be able to realize the prescribed pattern, especially in the shaped main lobe. Furthermore, the polarization of the antenna elements is very important when considering antennas on generally shaped surfaces. For such antennas the polarization must most likely be controlled in some way for a proper function. For verification of the results two experimental antennas were built at Ericsson Microwave Systems AB, Mölndal, Sweden. The first antenna is a circular cylinder with an array of rectangular waveguide fed apertures and the second antenna is a doubly curved surface (paraboloid) with circular waveguide fed apertures. It is found that it is possible to obtain very accurate results with the asymptotic method when it is combined with the Method of Moments, i.e. a hybrid method is used. The agreement compared to measurements is good at levels as low as –80 dB in many cases. The second part of the thesis is about the development of a high frequency approximation for surface field calculations on a dielectric covered PEC circular cylinder. When using conformal antennas in practice they have to be covered with a radome for protection and with the method developed here this cover can be included in the analysis. The method is a combination of two different solutions, one valid in the non-paraxial region of the cylinder and the other is valid in the paraxial region. The method is verified against measurements and reference results obtained from a spectral domain moment method code. / QC 20100616

The doctoral thesis discusses the measurement of parameters of piezoelectric (PZT) materials and the influence of temperature on their stability. In the introductory sections, the author briefly explains the piezoelectric effect and its use; simultaneously, methods for the preparation of piezoelectric materials and the measurement of their properties are presented to illustrate the analyzed problem. The experimental part of the thesis describes the procedure of measuring and calculating the complete matrix of material coefficients from samples of PZT ceramics. The applied set of piezoelectric samples complying with relevant European and world standards was made in the form of thin plates, thin discs and cylinders, via gradual modification of the large disc. The NCE51 and/or the older PCM51 ceramics obtained from the company Noliac Ceramics were used in determining the complete matrix and describing the measurement method. Both these types are soft piezoceramics composed from a solid solution of lead zirconate and lead titanate with the general chemical formula of Pb(Zr1-x,Tix)O3. The real crystallographic structure and chemical composition of the samples were confirmed by X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The frequency method was used for the measurement and calculation of all material coefficients. An Agilent 4294A impedance analyzer and a set of measuring tweezers marketed as “Tweezers Contact Test Fixture 16334A” were used in the process. Fast determination of the entire matrix of coefficients without any special requirement for the preparation of the samples to be measured was tested and verified. The charge coefficients of the piezoelectric material were confirmed by direct methods including the laser interferometer technique, the vibrometric method, and the procedure utilizing changes of the force applied to the sample. The advantages and disadvantages of the methods were compared and defined based on measurements and their results. The main part of thesis was focused on the behavior of piezoelectric material at high temperatures near the Curie point. Depolarization performed by means of a high temperature approaching the Curie point constitutes a significant yet hardly measurable material property of PZT ceramics. Commonly available vibrometric methods (d33-meters) do not appear to be suitable for the measurement of temperature dependencies, and for that reason the frequency technique was used. The piezoelectric charge coefficient, whose value can be effectively measured via the above-discussed frequency method, was selected as the indicator showing the depolarization state in the applied piezoelectric ceramics. The accuracy of the procedure was verified via comparison of the vibrometric method in cylinders of the NCE51 ceramics with different sizes, which are designed for the longitudinal length mode. The result is an optimized measurement methodology which facilitates accurate determination of the Curie temperature, namely phase transition to the cubic crystallographic structure. The experiment also proved the applicability of progressive, controlled depolarization of PZT ceramics via high temperature, and it also enabled us to define the temperature limits at which there occur irreversible changes of the piezoelectric properties of piezoceramics. In the measured NCE51 and PCM51 materials, the limit for the irreversible changes was equal to 95% of the Curie temperature.

This diploma thesis is focused on methodology for sorting of solid fired bricks for reconstruction of historical buildings. The theorethical part of this thesis includes description of production technology of solid fired bricks and diagnostic methods. In practical part there are these methods aplied on the solid fired bricks, which are intended for reconstruction of the bridge in Sedlec. There are monitored changes in structure of solid fired bricks caused by repeated freezing and defrosting. This changes are monitored by resonant frequency method and ultasonic pulse method.

High-strength concrete (HSC) belongs in the recent years to frequently used types of concrete. It allows realization of static challenging structures and also shows due to its dense structure greater durability especially against aggressive media. Currently HSC construction realization abroad is not exceptional. It’s using in the Czech Republic is still limited. When realized, then in a small scale in civil engineering works. The realization of high-strength concrete structures is closely related with the concrete construction quality verification. Good efficiency of the quality control methods can provide non-destructive testing methods (NDT), especially when investigating strength of concrete built in structure. A lack on relevant data for non-destructive testing of HSC in technical and normative rules is to be considered as a significant deficiency. Evident for HSC generally is the lack in literature on deeper analysis of the factors affecting their non-destructive testing, as well a meaningful methodology or practically usable calibration relationships. HSC differs from ordinary concrete not only by used components, but also by more compact structure with different strength – elastic characteristics. Considering these differences, HSC strength prediction can not be performed by using calibration relationships developed for ordinary concrete. Moreover, the question is to what extent the current knowledge of the NDT results influencing factors can be considered as valid. The paper presents findings on the effects of the key factors affecting the measurement results of Schmidt hardness method and ultrasonic pulse method, including recommendations for the practical application of these methods. The problematic of static vs. dynamic modulus of elasticity was also solved. Calibration equations for predicting the compressive strength of HSC from the non-destructive testing parameter were elaborated, showing high cohesion among variables and practically usability.

[EN] The test for determining the resonance frequencies has traditionally been used to investigate the mechanical integrity of concrete cores, to assess the conformity of concrete constituents in different accelerated durability tests, and to ascertain constitutive properties such as the elastic modulus and the damping factor. This nondestructive technique has been quite appealed for evaluation of mechanical properties in all kinds of durability tests. The damage evolution is commonly assessed from the reduction of dynamic modulus which is produced as a result of any cracking process. However, the mechanical behavior of concrete is intrinsically nonlinear and hysteretic. As a result of a hysteretic stress-strain behavior, the elastic modulus is a function of the strain. In dynamic tests, the nonlinearity of the material is manifested by a decrease of the resonance frequencies, which is inversely proportional to the excitation amplitude. This phenomenon is commonly referred as fast dynamic effect. Once the dynamic excitation ceases, the material undergoes a relaxation process whereby the elastic modulus is restored to that at rest. This phenomenon is termed as slow dynamics. These phenomena (fast and slow dynamics) find their origin in the internal friction of the material. Therefore, in cement-based materials, the presence of microcracks and interfaces between its constituents plays an important role in the material nonlinearity. In the context of the assessment of concrete durability, the damage evolution is based on the increase of hysteresis, as a result of any cracking process. In this thesis three different nondestructive techniques are investigated, which use impacts for exciting the resonant frequencies. The first technique consists in determining the resonance frequencies over a range of impact forces. The technique is termed Nonlinear Impact Resonant Acoustic Spectroscopy (NIRAS). It consists in ascertaining the downward resonant frequency shift that the material undergoes upon increasing excitation amplitude. The second technique consists in investigating the nonlinear behavior by analyzing the signal corresponding to a single impact. This is, to determine the instantaneous frequency, amplitude and attenuation variations corresponding to a single impact event. This technique is termed as Nonlinear Resonant Acoustic Single Impact Spectroscopy (NSIRAS). Two techniques are proposed to extract the nonlinear behavior by analyzing the instantaneous frequency variations and attenuation over the signal ring down. The first technique consists in discretizing the frequency variation with time through a Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT) based analysis. The second technique consists of a least-squares fit of the vibration signals to a model that considers the frequency and attenuation variations over time. The third technique used in this thesis can be used for on-site evaluation of structures. The technique is based on the Dynamic Acousto- Elastic Test (DAET). The variations of elastic modulus as derived through NIRAS and NSIRAS techniques provide an average behavior and do not allow derivation of the elastic modulus variations over one vibration cycle. Currently, DAET technique is the only one capable to investigate the entire range of nonlinear phenomena in the material. Moreover, unlike other DAET approaches, this study uses a continuous wave source as probe. The use of a continuous wave allows investigation of the relative variations of the elastic modulus, as produced by an impact. Moreover, the experimental configuration allows one-sided inspection. / [ES] El ensayo de determinación de las frecuencias de resonancia ha sido tradicionalmente empleado para determinar la integridad mecánica de testigos de hormigón, en la evaluación de la conformidad de mezclas de hormigón en diversos ensayos de durabilidad, y en la terminación de propiedades constitutivas como son el módulo elástico y el factor de amortiguamiento. Esta técnica no destructiva ha sido ampliamente apelada para la evaluación de las propiedades mecánicas en todo tipo de ensayos de durabilidad. La evolución del daño es comúnmente evaluada a partir de la reducción del módulo dinámico, producido como resultado de cualquier proceso de fisuración. Sin embargo, el comportamiento mecánico del hormigón es intrínsecamente no lineal y presenta histéresis. Como resultado de un comportamiento tensión-deformación con histéresis, el módulo elástico depende de la deformación. En ensayos dinámicos, la no linealidad del material se manifiesta por una disminución de las frecuencias de resonancia, la cual es inversamente proporcional a la amplitud de excitación. Este fenómeno es normalmente denominado como dinámica rápida. Una vez la excitación cesa, el material experimenta un proceso de relajación por el cual, el módulo elástico es restaurado a aquel en situación de reposo. Este fenómeno es denominado como dinámica lenta. Estos fenómenos ¿dinámicas rápida y lenta¿ encuentran su origen en la fricción interna del material. Por tanto, en materiales basados en cemento, la presencia de microfisuras y las interfaces entre sus constituyentes juegan un rol importante en la no linealidad mecánica del material. En el contexto de evaluación de la durabilidad del hormigón, la evolución del daño está basada en el incremento de histéresis, como resultado de cualquier proceso de fisuración. En esta tesis se investigan tres técnicas diferentes las cuales utilizan el impacto como medio de excitación de las frecuencias de resonancia. La primera técnica consiste en determinar las frecuencias de resonancia a diferentes energías de impacto. La técnica es denominada en inglés: Nonlinear Impact Resonant Acoustic Spectroscopy (NIRAS). Ésta consiste en relacionar el detrimento que el material experimenta en sus frecuencias de resonancia, con el aumento de la amplitud de la excitación. La segunda técnica consiste en investigar el comportamiento no lineal mediante el análisis de la señal correspondiente a un solo impacto. Ésta consiste en determinar las propiedades instantáneas de frecuencia, atenuación y amplitud. Esta técnica se denomina, en inglés, Nonlinear Single Impact Resonant Acoustic Spectroscopy (NSIRAS). Se proponen dos técnicas de extracción del comportamiento no lineal mediante el análisis de las variaciones instantáneas de frecuencia y atenuación. La primera técnica consiste en la discretización de la variación de la frecuencia con el tiempo, mediante un análisis basado en Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT). La segunda técnica consiste en un ajuste por mínimos cuadrados de las señales de vibración a un modelo que considera las variaciones de frecuencia y atenuación con el tiempo. La tercera técnica empleada en esta tesis puede ser empleada para la evaluación de estructuras in situ. La técnica se trata de un ensayo acusto-elástico en régimen dinámico. En inglés Dynamic Acousto-Elastic Test (DAET). Las variaciones del módulo elástico obtenidas mediante los métodos NIRAS y NSIRAS proporcionan un comportamiento promedio y no permiten derivar las variaciones del módulo elástico en un solo ciclo de vibración. Actualmente, la técnica DAET es la única que permite investigar todo el rango de fenómenos no lineales en el material. Por otra parte, a diferencia de otras técnicas DAET, en este estudio se emplea como contraste una onda continua. El uso de una onda continua permite investigar las variaciones relativas del módulo elástico, para una señal transito / [CA] L'assaig de determinació de les freqüències de ressonància ha sigut tradicionalment empleat per a determinar la integritat mecànica de testimonis de formigó, en l'avaluació de la conformitat de mescles de formigó en diversos assajos de durabilitat, i en la terminació de propietats constitutives com són el mòdul elàstic i el factor d'amortiment. Esta tècnica no destructiva ha sigut àmpliament apel·lada per a l'avaluació de les propietats mecàniques en tot tipus d'assajos de durabilitat. L'evolució del dany és comunament avaluada a partir de la reducció del mòdul dinàmic, produït com resultat de qualsevol procés de fisuración. No obstant això, el comportament mecànic del formigó és intrínsecament no lineal i presenta histèresi. Com resultat d'un comportament tensió-deformació amb histèresi, el mòdul elàstic depén de la deformació. En assajos dinàmics, la no linealitat del material es manifesta per una disminució de les freqüències de ressonància, la qual és inversament proporcional a l'amplitud d'excitació. Este fenomen és normalment denominat com a dinàmica ràpida. Una vegada l'excitació cessa, el material experimenta un procés de relaxació pel qual, el mòdul elàstic és restaurat a aquell en situació de repòs. Este fenomen és denominat com a dinàmica lenta. Estos fenòmens --dinámicas ràpida i lenta troben el seu origen en la fricció interna del material. Per tant, en materials basats en ciment, la presència de microfissures i les interfícies entre els seus constituents juguen un rol important en la no linealitat mecànica del material. En el context d'avaluació de la durabilitat del formigó, l'evolució del dany està basada en l'increment d'histèresi, com resultat de qualsevol procés de fisuración. En esta tesi s'investiguen tres tècniques diferents les quals utilitzen l'impacte com a mitjà d'excitació de les freqüències de ressonància. La primera tècnica consistix a determinar les freqüències de ressonància a diferents energies d'impacte. La tècnica és denominada en anglés: Nonlinear Impact Resonant Acoustic Spectroscopy (NIRAS). Esta consistix a relacionar el detriment que el material experimenta en les seues freqüències de ressonància, amb l'augment de l'amplitud de l'excitació. La segona tècnica consistix a investigar el comportament no lineal per mitjà de l'anàlisi del senyal corresponent a un sol impacte. Esta consistix a determinar les propietats instantànies de freqüència, atenuació i amplitud. Esta tècnica es denomina, en anglés, Nonlinear Single Impact Resonant Acoustic Spectroscopy (NSIRAS). Es proposen dos tècniques d'extracció del comportament no lineal per mitjà de l'anàlisi de les variacions instantànies de freqüència i atenuació. La primera tècnica consistix en la discretización de la variació de la freqüència amb el temps, per mitjà d'una anàlisi basat en Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT). La segona tècnica consistix en un ajust per mínims quadrats dels senyals de vibració a un model que considera les variacions de freqüència i atenuació amb el temps. La tercera tècnica empleada en esta tesi pot ser empleada per a l'avaluació d'estructures in situ. La tècnica es tracta d'un assaig acusto-elástico en règim dinàmic. En anglés Dynamic Acousto-Elastic Test (DAET). Les variacions del mòdul elàstic obtingudes per mitjà dels mètodes NIRAS i NSIRAS proporcionen un comportament mitjà i no permeten derivar les variacions del mòdul elàstic en un sol cicle de vibració. Actualment, la tècnica DAET és l'única que permet investigar tot el rang de fenòmens no lineals en el material. D'altra banda, a diferència d'altres tècniques DAET, en este estudi s'empra com contrast una ona contínua. L'ús d'una ona contínua permet investigar les variacions relatives del mòdul elàstic, per a un senyal transitori. A més, permet la inspecció d'elements per mitjà de l'accés per una sola cara. / Eiras Fernández, JN. (2016). Studies on nonlinear mechanical wave behavior to characterize cement based materials and its durability [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/71439 / Premios Extraordinarios de tesis doctorales