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Dynamical heterogeneity (DH) has been observed in many systems approaching the glass or jamming transition. Whether DH has a structural origin is under heated debate. To provide a deeper understanding, in this thesis I investigate the microscopic dynamics in weakly attractive colloidal systems by confocal fluorescence microscopy. The van Hove density-density correlation function is applied to our systems. Separable fast and slow populations emerge in the self part (svH), while the distinct part shows a strong signature of DH close to the gel transition. At intermediate time, svH shows a purely exponential tail, mainly arising from the fast population. I show that this broad tail is a direct consequence of the occurrence of rare large jumps that are statistically distributed. The slow population tends to form a space-spanning backbone, and its mean squared displacement close to the gel transition exhibits a plateau, whose height is consistent with the range of attraction, suggesting a bonding mechanism for the dynamical arrest. I further examine various quantities characterizing local structure and local dynamics and a strong correlation is identified between them. Subsequently, I develop order parameters for quantifying amorphous structure and apply them to our systems. I find that attractive colloidal systems exhibit higher order under higher attraction tension, while hard spheres become more ordered under higher compression. Finally, I investigate the effect of the range of attraction on the structure and dynamics of attractive colloidal systems. I observe that the system with shorter range of attraction forms a denser and more heterogeneous structure. Meanwhile, I observe an even stronger dynamical heterogeneity. These observations provide further evidence of a connection between structural heterogeneity and dynamical heterogeneity in these systems, providing guidance for a theoretical description of the dynamical arrest as well as the relaxation mechanisms upon gelation and its relation to solidification in glasses. / In order to do all of this, I first implemented full 3D subpixel resolution localization of particles and improved particle tracking algorithms tailored for the sorts of heterogenous dynamics these systems exhibit, that otherwise confounds existing methods such that the very relaxation mechanisms would be missed. This allows us to obtain unprecedented precision in positions of all of the particles and complete tracking, both of which are essential for correctly determining system properties that depend on measured particle dynamics.

This study addresses the flexural performance of sandwich panels composed of a polyurethane foam core and glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) skins. Panels with and without GFRP ribs connecting the skins have been studied. While the motivation of the study was to develop new insulated cladding panels for buildings, most of the work and findings are also applicable to other potential applications such as flooring, roofing and light-weight decking. The study comprises experimental, numerical, and analytical investigations. The experimental program included three phases. Phase I is a comprehensive material testing program of the polyurethane core and GFRP skins and ribs. In Phase II, six medium size (2500x660x78 mm) panels with different rib configurations were tested in one-way bending. It was shown that flexural strength and stiffness have increased by 50 to 150%, depending on the rib configuration, compared to a panel without ribs. In Phase III, two large-scale (9150x2440x78 mm) panels, representing a cladding system envisioned to be used in the field, were tested under a realistic air pressure and discrete loads, respectively. The deflection under service wind load did not exceed span/360, while the ultimate pressure was about 2.6 times the maximum factored wind pressure in Canada. A numerical study using finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out. The FEA model accounted for the significant material nonlinearities, especially for the polyurethane soft core, and the geometric nonlinearity, which is mainly a reduction in thickness due to core softness. Another independent analytical model was developed based on equilibrium and strain compatibility, accounting for the core excessive shear deformation. The model also captures the localized deformations of the loaded skin, using the principals of beam-on-elastic foundation. Both models were successfully validated using experimental results. Possible failure modes, namely core shear failure, and compression skin crushing or wrinkling were successfully predicted. A parametric study was carried out to explore further the core density, skin thickness, and rib spacing effects. As the core density increased, flexural strength and stiffness increased and shear deformations reduced. Also, increasing skin thickness became more effective as the core density increased. The optimal density was 95-130 kg/m3. Reducing the spacing of ribs enhanced the strength up to a certain level; It then stabilized at a spacing of 2.9 times the panel thickness. / Thesis (Ph.D, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2010-09-21 16:29:00.315

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