A key factor regarding fire safety of timber buildings is the performance of connections between the structural elements, since this determines the load-carrying capacity of the structure. Traditional timber connections do generally perform poorly in a fire compared to surrounding parts since the joints often consist of exposed metal parts and cavities which locally decreases the fire resistance. This weakness does often lead to the appliance of gypsum which removes the aesthetic appearance of timber. Through an innovative timber connection design, the hope is that the failings at elevated temperature are changed from the connection itself to surrounding parts thus increasing the fire resistance to the limits of the connected components. Two types of glue-laminated timber connections have been built and tested at RISE facilities in Borås with the purpose to determine if these could withstand fire exposure for 90 minutes under load. The connections are assembled by expanding hollow steel tubes that clinches the members together and at the same time makes the steel tube yield against the inside of the pre-drilled hole. Pre-stresses are created in the connection during this process that avoids an initial slip if the connection is loaded, which is one of the reasons that this type of connections is suitable in earthquake-prone areas. The joint design results in a significantly increased rotational stiffness, moment capacity and embedded energy of the joint in comparison with conventional timber connections. One of the connections is designed to withstand moment forces. The specimen is built as a beam to beam connection that is subjected to a four-point bending test at both ambient and elevated temperature. The connection withstood 39.5 kNm in ambient temperature and failed after 87 minutes and 6 seconds of fire exposure under load. However, failure in elevated temperature did not occur within the connection, and visual inspection after the test indicated that the steel tubes still were in excellent condition. The connection is therefore expected to have been able to withstand 90 minutes of fire exposure. The other connection is designed to withstand shear-forces and is built as a column to beam connection that is tested at both room temperature and elevated temperature. The connection endured a maximum shear-force of 181.4 kN in ambient temperature, approximately 30 kN higher than previously performed test with identical setup, and failed after 113 minutes of fire exposure under load. The failure in elevated temperature did however not occur inside the connection. The testing is limited to unprotected connections consisting of glue-laminated timber which are tested in accordance with ISO 834. / En nyckelfaktor för brandsäkerheten i träbyggnader är prestandan hos förbanden mellan konstruktionselementen eftersom dessa bestämmer konstruktionens lastbärande kapacitet. Traditionella träförband har i allmänhet dåligt brandmotstånd i förhållande till omgivande delar, detta eftersom förbanden ofta består av exponerade metalldelar och kaviteter som lokalt försvagar brandmotståndet. Dessa svagheter motverkas ofta genom att montera gips vilket negativt påverkar träets estetiska utseende. Genom en innovativ konstruktion av träförband är hoppet att den svaga punkten vid förhöjd temperatur flyttas från själva anslutningen till omgivande delar, vilket ökar konstruktionens brandmotstånd genom att brandmotståndet då begränsas av prestandan hos de anslutna komponenterna. Två typer av limträförband har byggts och testats vid RISE-anläggningen i Borås med syfte att bestämma om dessa under belastning skulle kunna stå emot brandexponering under 90 minuter. Förbanden monteras genom att expandera ihåliga stålrör som klämmer samman elementen och samtidigt deformeras mot insidan av det förborrade hålet. Förspänningar skapas i förbandet under denna process som förhindrar en primär förskjutning om förbandet är lastat, vilket är en av anledningarna till att denna typ av anslutningar är lämpliga i jordbävningsbenägna områden. Denna konstruktion resulterar i en betydligt ökad rotationsstyvhet, momentkapacitet och inbäddad energi i jämförelse med konventionella träförband. En av anslutningarna är konstruerad för att motstå momentkrafter. Provkroppen är byggd som en balk-balkanslutning som utsätts för ett fyrapunkts böjningstest vid både rumstemperatur och förhöjd temperatur. Anslutningen klarade 39.5 kNm vid rumstemperatur och fallerade efter 87 minuter och 6 sekunder av belastning i förhöjda temperaturer. Brottet i förhöjd temperatur inträffade emellertid inte i anslutningen och den visuella inspektionen som utfördes efter testet indikerade att stålrören fortfarande var i utmärkt skick. Anslutningen bedöms därför ha kunnat motstå 90 minuters brandexponering. Det andra förbandet är konstruerat för att motstå tvärkrafter och är byggt som en pelare-balkanslutning som testas vid både rumstemperatur och förhöjd temperatur. Anslutningen klarade en maximal skjuvkraft på 181.4 kN vid rumstemperatur, cirka 30 kN högre än tidigare utfört test med identisk uppställning, och fallerade efter 113 minuters belastning i förhöjd temperatur. Brottet i förhöjd temperatur inträffade emellertid inte i själva anslutningen. Testerna är begränsade till oskyddade förband bestående av limträ som under brandpåverkan testas enligt ISO 834.

Arbetet bygger på förbättring av befintlig arkitektur för en tjänst som beräknar koldioxidutsläpp för molntjänster. Nuvarande arkitektur bygger på att samla ihop och klumpa stora mängder data i form av användarrapporter. Därefter körs frågor mot det data för att få ut relevant information. Detta kan ta väldigt lång tid. För att försöka påskynda denna process görs en undersökning om man kan minska tiden som går åt att köra frågor mot data om datamängden blir mindre. Detta uppnås genom att filtrera bort oönskad data ur mängden innan man kör frågor mot det. Vidare undersöks om den nya arkitekturen kan möjliggöra för enklare implementation av nya funktioner till tjänsten. Metoden för undersökningen var att bygga en alternativ arkitektur med hjälp av AWS och dess tjänster. Resultaten visar på att även om mängden data som skannas är nästan oförändrat så minskas körtiden avsevärt när den totala storleken på datamängden minskar. Vidare bidrar den nya arkitekturen till enklare implementation av nya tjänster än tidigare. / The current architecture the stakeholders are using consists of collecting large amounts of data. After the data is collected it is queried for relevant information. This query process can take a long time. This report looks at if it is possible to reduce this time by reducing the data size. This is done by filtering the data before doing queries towards it. Furthermore this report will investigate if the new architecture can make it easier to implement new functionality. To investigate these questions a new architecture will be built using AWS. The results show that even though scanning nearly the same amount of data, with the total data size reduced one can drastically reduce the query times. Furthermore this new architecture makes it easier to implement new functionality.

[pt] As lâminas de bambu foram criadas para padronização da matéria prima de modo a aumentar sua resistência, controlar sua forma e desenvolver elementos estruturais sustentáveis e inovadores. O bambu é um material gradualmente funcional (FGM) devido a sua progressiva distribuição de fibras por toda a espessura de sua parede. Esta pesquisa apresenta os resultados de uma série de investigaçóes experimentais em que o colmo de bambu (Dendrocalamus giganteus) foi dividido em 6 segmentos de análise. Três divisões ao longo do seu comprimento, em sua porção baixa, média e alta, e, em seguida, duas divisões de sua espessura, interior e exterior. Na primeira série, os espécimes de cada segmento foram testados separadamente para estabelecer o seu módulo de elasticidade à tração Et. Seis tipos de vigas de bambu uniaxial-laminados, de 2,5 cm de largura, altura 5 centímetros e 50 cm de comprimento, foram montadas com camadas de cada segmento específico do colmo do bambu, utilizando resina adesiva de mamona. Quatro ensaios de flexão pontual foram realizados em amostras de viga para estabelecer o módulo de elasticidade em flexão, Eb. Os valores experimentais de ambos os grupos de amostra foram comparados com os valores teóricos, aplicando a teoria da mecânica dos sólidos. Os resultados forneceram informações para melhorar o arranjo dos segmentos das vigas de lâminas de bambu sujeitas a cargas de flexão. Baseado nos resultados, também é possível introduzir valores equivalentes para análises das propriedades mecânicas das vigas usando a teoria da mecânica de sólidos. / [en] Laminated bamboo was created to standardize the raw material in order to increase its strength, control its shape and develop sustainable and innovative structural elements. Bamboo is a Functionally Graded Material (FGM) due to the progressive distribution of the fibers across its wall thickness. This research presents the results of an experimental investigation series in which bamboo culm, of Dendrocalamus giganteus, was divided into 6 segments of analysis. Three divisions along its length, bottom, middle and top, and then two divisions across its wall thickness, inner and outer. In the first series, the specimens of each segment were tested separately to establish their tensile modulus of elasticity Et. Six types of bamboo uniaxial-laminated beam specimens of 2.5 cm width, 5cm height and 50 cm length were assembled with layers from each particular segment of bamboo culm, using resin of mamona adhesive. Four point bending tests were conducted on beam specimens to establish the bending modulus of elasticity Eb. Experimental values of both specimen groups were compared to those of theoretical values, applying solid mechanics theory. The results provide information to improve the segment arrangement of bamboo-laminated beams upon subjection to bending loads. Based on the results, it is also possible to introduce equivalent values for the analysis of the mechanical properties of the beams, using solid mechanics theory.

The paper presents details of a numerical analysis and simplified construction of strengthened glue laminated beams. Glue laminated beams are strengthened through the use of steel reinforcements embedded between the lamellas of the beams. The study compares the numerical results from reinforced and prestressed beams, simply reinforced beams and non-modified beams. Parametric studies were undertaken to evaluate the effects on reinforcement thickness, beam span, prestressing force and prestressing loss. Modified and prestressed beams with wide spans and large dimensions had a significantly higher design load compared to non-modified beams with similar geometry and span. In the most beneficial cases, a load increase of 438% was observed for point load at midspan and 346% for uniformly distributed load.

<p><em>How do additional data of the same and/or different type contribute to reducing model parameter and predictive uncertainties?</em> This was the question addressed with two models – the HBV hydrological water balance model and the ICBM soil carbon balance model – that were used to investigate the usefulness of the Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) method for calibrations and uncertainty analyses.  The GLUE method is based on threshold screening of Monte Carlo simulations using so-called informal likelihood measures and subjective acceptance criterion. This method is highly appropriate for model calibrations when errors are dominated by epistemic rather than stochastic uncertainties.  The informative value of data for model calibrations was investigated with numerous calibrations aimed at conditioning posterior parameter distributions and boundaries on model predictions.  The key results demonstrated examples of: 1) redundant information in daily time series of hydrological data; 2) diminishing returns in the value of continued time series data collections of the same type; 3) the potential value of additional data of a different type; 4) a means to effectively incorporate fuzzy information in model calibrations; and 5) the robustness of estimated parameter uncertainty for portability of a soil carbon model between and tropical climate zones.  The key to obtaining these insights lied in the methods of uncertainty analysis used to produce them.  A paradigm for selecting between formal and informal likelihood measures in uncertainty analysis is presented and discussed for future use within a context of climate related environmental modeling.</p>

Performance-based measures are used to validate and quantify how likely the system’s results resemble that of the actual data. Its application in inundation studies is performed by comparing the extents of the predicted flood to the real event by measuring their overlap size and getting the percentage of this size to the union of both data. In this study, performances of 1- and 2-dimensional flow models were assessed when used with different topographic data sources, rasterisation cell sizes, mesh resolution and Manning’s values with the help of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The Generalised Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) was also implemented to evaluate the behaviour and the uncertainties of the Hydrologic Engineering Center-River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) steady-flow model in delineating the inundation extents when various sets of friction coefficients for floodplain and channel were utilised as inputs. Although it was not possible to perform the GLUE procedure with Telemac-2D due to the simulation time, Manning’s n performances’ effects were evaluated using ten randomly selected sets of friction for the channel and floodplain. The LiDAR data, which had the highest resolution, performed well in all simulations, followed by Lantmäteriet data at 50 m resolution. The lowest resolution Digital Terrain Elevation Data (DTED) showed poor resemblance to the actual event and big misrepresentations of flooded areas. Rasterisation cell sizes in HEC-RAS showed minimal effect to the inundation limits when used between 1 m and 5 m, but performance started to deteriorate at 10 m (Lantmäteriet) and 20 m (LiDAR). The 10 m mesh resolution used for LiDAR behaved poorer than the 20 m mesh, which performed well in the different 2D simulations. For HEC-RAS, =0.033 to 0.05 performed well when paired with =0.02 to 0.10. It was apparent, therefore, that the channel’s Manning’s n affected the performances of the floodplain’s . Furthermore, the study also showed that using heterogeneous roughness values corresponding to the different land use classes is not as effective as using single channel and floodplain’s Manning. The dependence of the floodplain’s roughness to the channel’s friction values had also been manifested by Telemac, even though it required lower values than the 1D simulator. = 0.007 to 0.019   and =0.01 to 0.04 gave good performance to the 2D system. In terms of the overall model performance, HEC-RAS 1D exhibited good results for Testeboån. Even when the average distances to the actual data were estimated, the breadths were shorter compared to the most optimal output of the two-dimensional simulator, which showed more overestimated areas, despite the fact that the overlap size with the 1977 actual event was better than HEC-RAS. It could be because the measures-of-fit took into consideration the areal sizes that were over- and under-predicted aside from the overlap sizes between the observed and modelled results. This could be the same reason with the mean distances produced, wherein higher values were computed for Telemac-2D due to its bigger gap from the actual flood as brought by the enlargement in the flood extents. But it was also made known in the study that such ambiguities in the model performance were further contributed by the characteristics of the floodplain’s topography of being flat. Testeboån’s inclination to the banks was averaged at 0.027 m/m, with the central portion at 0.002 m/m. The middle portion of the floodplain was illustrated to contain more uncertain regions, where water extents changed easily as the parameters were altered. Distances greater than 200 m were also mostly located within these inclination values or within 0.005 to 0.006 m/m. The response of distance to the floodplain’s gradient improved when the slope value became higher, and this had been particularly noticed between 0 to 50 m.

As the IC assembly technology fast developing in the modern electrical industries. Demand of high performance electric product is glowing up day by day. New generation of the hybrid IC assembly package has become the major role recently. In order to prevent the package defects occurring in end customer sites, in this paper we try to improve the IC assembly method by using a totally different process to fix the passive component on a BGA substrate. We found that the passive component can be proceeded the current gold wire bonding process. In case of the Hybrid BGA with the current passive component attaching process, we can find the thermal effect during the surface mount process. Since the solder can be melt every time during each heating process. Therefore, we plan to improve it without solder attachment. The new improvement is to fix the passive component by a non-conductive thermal cure glue. The glue can be done in one time cure, thus the further process would not influence the quality of passive component. However in the evaluation experiment, the component coated by Gold is the best choice, but we intend to just put it in a comparison model because of the cost consideration. Both works on passive component coated by Gold and Solder were proved. The customer support for the further study on the real products is suggested.

No description available.

The impact of cold climate on physical and biological processes, especially the role of air and soil temperature in recovering photosynthesis and transpiration in boreal forests, was investigated in a series of studies. A process-based ecosystem model (CoupModel) considering atmospheric, soil and plant components was evaluated and developed using Generalized Likelihood Uncertainty Estimation (GLUE) and detailed measurements from three different sites. The model accurately described the variability in measurements within days, within years and between years. The forcing environmental conditions were shown to govern both aboveground and belowground processes and regulating carbon, water and heat fluxes. However, the various feedback mechanisms between vegetation and environmental conditions are still unclear, since simulations with one model assumption could not be rejected when compared with another. The strong interactions between soil temperature and moisture processes were indicated by the few behavioural models obtained when constrained by combined temperature and moisture criteria. Model performance on sensible and latent heat fluxes and net ecosystem exchange (NEE) also indicated the coupled processes within the system. Diurnal and seasonal courses of eddy flux data in boreal conifer ecosystems were reproduced successfully within defined ranges of parameter values. Air temperature was the major limiting factor for photosynthesis in early spring, autumn and winter, but soil temperature was a rather important limiting factor in late spring. Soil moisture and nitrogen showed indications of being more important for regulating photosynthesis in the summer period. The need for systematic monitoring of the entire system, covering both soil and plant components, was identified as a subject for future studies. The results from this modelling work could be applied to suggest improvements in management of forest and agriculture ecosystems in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to find adaptations to future climate conditions. / QC 20110921 / the Nitro-Europe project

This master thesis deals with the design of load-bearing capacity of the observation tower in Besky-dy. The material used in main column is steel S355. The main column is a circular hollow construc-tion with diameter of 2,2 m. Inside the column is located a double spiral staircase. The upper part of observation tower simulates shape of treetop by rip column. It is made of glue laminated timber GL24h. The tower has four platforms of hexagon shape. The largest platform is 12,2m wide. The height of struction is 37,5 m. Internal forces have been calculated in software RFEM and based that the structural assessment has been made. The thesis is drawn up pursuant to the standards of ČSN EN.