Concrete in its unaltered form allows the mass transfer of fluids into and out of its microstructure. These fluids can contain detrimental solutes which change the chemistry of the cement paste and/or the corrosion properties of the reinforcement bars, most noticeably hydrogen carbonates (HCO3-), oxygen (O2) and chloride ions (Cl-). Water and its solutions containing salts, mostly sodium chloride (NaCl), can also cause physical damage due to phase changes (freezing and thawing).  External application of hydrophobic agents onto the cement paste surface is a well-known method to alter the mass transfer at this interface. Bulk application of hydrophobic agents in ready mixed concrete is also a possible route but alters the entire cement paste. This thesis presents relevant aspects concerning the use of bulk hydrophobic agents in concrete within a spectrum water to cement ratio   (w/c) = 0.40-0.50. The main focus was on triacylglycerides (TAG) and alkyl alkoxysilanes (“silanes”) with application rates 1-3% based on cement weight.  Alterations to the compressive strengths have been observed and documented over a three-year period. The relative drop in mechanical strength is inversely proportional to w/c. The higher the addition rate, the lower the compressive strength. Chemical differences within the hydrophobic groupings (TAG or “silanes”) resulted in different outcomes. This was most noticeable in the water absorption, compressive strengths and chloride diffusion.  Freeze thaw testing did show noticeable differences, the use of “silanes” was detrimental in these tests even in deionsed water. The exact mechanism is unknown, but thin section analysis shows a lack of air entrainer (even when added on the fresh concrete mix) and extensive cracking in the entire cement paste. The scaling in concrete with TAGs was smaller but needs further improving.  The main properties intended with these agents were the ability to alter the mass transfer of water or solutions into the cement paste. Capillary suction and diffusion were examined. Increasing the w/c reduces the effectiveness of the hydrophobic agents to resist water uptake. This was seen in capillary suction and uni-directional chloride diffusion testing. Processed TAGs were more effective in reducing chloride diffusion than the unprocessed chemical whereas, in some cases, the “silanes” actually increased the amount of chloride ions transferred into the cement paste. Only a slight positive effect can be seen at the lower inclusion rate (1%). Increasing the w/c reduces the resistance to chloride ion diffusion with the same dosage rate.  A field test station close to vehicular traffic was also established in 2018 and 2019, but the specimens have not been tested at this point in time. It is hoped that these and other future studies will lead to a complete PhD project. / Betong i sin oförändrade form tillåter masstransport av vätskor i och ur dess mikrostruktur. Dessa vätskor kan innehålla skadliga lösta ämnen som förändrar cementpastans kemi och/eller korrosionsegenskaperna hos armeringsjärnen, framför allt vätekarbonater (HCO3-), syre (O2) och kloridjoner (Cl-). Vatten och dess lösningar som innehåller salter, mestadels natriumklorider (NaCl), kan till och med orsaka fysisk skada på grund av fasförändringar (frysning och upptining). Extern applicering av hydrofoba medel på cementpastans yta är en välkänd metod för att ändra masstransport genom denna gränsyta. Bulkapplicering av hydrofoba medel i färdigblandad betong är också en möjlig väg, och resulterar i förändringar i hela cementpastan. Denna licentiatavhandling presenterar relevanta aspekter rörande användningen av bulk-hydrofoba medel i betong inom intervall av vattencementtal = 0,40-0,50 (vct). Huvudfokus låg på triacylglyceroler (TAG) och alkyl-alkoxisilaner (”silaner”) med inblandning 1-3 % baserat på cementvikt. Förändringar av tryckhållfasthet har observerats och dokumenterats under en treårsperiod. Den relativa reduktionen i mekanisk hållfasthet är omvänt proportionell mot vct. Ju högre tillsatsmängd i cementpastan desto lägre tryckhållfasthet. Kemiska skillnader inom de hydrofoba grupperna (TAG eller "silaner") resulterade i olika resultat. Detta var mest märkbart i vattenabsorption, tryckhållfasthet och kloriddiffusion. Frysprovning visade märkbara skillnader, användningen av "silaner" var skadlig i dessa tester även i avjoniserat vatten. Den exakta mekanismen är okänd, men tunnslipsanalys visar på brist på luftporbildare (även om den tillsätts i stora mängder i den färska betongblandningen) och omfattande sprickbildning i hela cementpastan. Avskalningen i betong med TAG var mindre men behöver ytterligare förbättras. De huvudsakliga egenskaperna avsedda med dessa medel var förmågan att förändra masstransport av vatten eller lösningar till cementpastan. Kapillärsugning och diffusion undersöktes. Att öka vct minskar effektiviteten hos de hydrofoba medlen för att motstå vattenupptagning. Detta sågs vid kapillärsugning och enkelriktad kloriddiffusionsprovning. Raffinerade TAG:er var effektivare att minska kloriddiffusion än den oraffinerade, medan "silanerna" i visa fall faktiskt ökade mängden kloridjoner som överfördes inne i cementpastan. Något positiva effekt kan ses vid den lägre inkluderingstillsatsen (1 %). Att öka vct minskar motståndet mot kloridjondiffusion. En fältteststation intill fordonstrafik etablerades också 2018 och 2019 men provkropparna har inte testats vid denna tidpunkt. Förhoppningen är att dessa och andra framtida studier ska leda till ett komplett doktorandprojekt. / <p>QC 230330</p>

No description available.

<p>  </p> <p>In gas turbines, the hot gas exiting the combustor can be as high as 2000 ^oC, and some of this hot gas enter into the space between the stator and rotor disks (wheelspace). Since the hot gas entering with its high temperatures could damage the disks, hot-gas ingestion must be minimized. This is done by using rim seals and by introducing a flow of cooler air from the compressor (sealing flow) into the wheelspace. </p> <p>Ingress and egress into rim seals are driven by the stator vanes, the rotor and its rotation, and the rotor blades. This study focuses on the first-stage turbine, where ingress could cause the most damage and has two parts. The first part focuses on understanding ingress and egress driven by the rotor and its rotation, known as rotationally-induced ingress, by studying ingress about an axial seal in a stator-rotor configuration without vanes and without blades. The second part focuses on understanding ingress and egress driven by stator vanes, known as externally-induced ingress, by studying a stator-rotor configuration with vanes but no blades, where the ratio of the external Reynolds number to the rotational Reynolds number is 0.538. For both parts, solutions were generated by wall-resolved large-eddy simulation (LES) based on the WALE subgrid model and by Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based on the SST model. For both stator-rotor configurations, the grid-independent solutions obtained were compared with available experimental data.   </p> <p>Results obtained for the configuration without vanes and blades show Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) to form even without swirl from the hot-gas flow and to create a wavy shear layer on the rotor. Also, Vortex shedding (VS) occurs on the backward-facing side of the seal and impinges on the rotor side of the seal. The KHI and VS produce alternating regions of high and low pressures about the rotor-side of the axial seal, which cause ingress to start on the rotor side of the seal. Results obtained for the configuration with vanes but no blades show both LES and RANS to correctly predict the coefficient of pressure, C_p, upstream of the axial seal. However, only LES was able to correctly predict the sealing effectiveness. This shows C_p by itself maybe is inadequate in quantifying externally-induced ingress. One reason why RANS was unable to predict sealing effectiveness is significantly under predicting the pressure drop on the rotor surface, which affected the pressure variation along the hot-gas path and hence the pressure difference across the axial seal, which ultimately drives ingress. </p>

Durability of reinforced concrete (RC) structures placed in non-aggressive environments is often sat- isfactory. However, under certain environmental conditions there are internal or external actions that significantly reduce their lifetime. Nowadays, lifetime assessment of deteriorating structures is focused on the isolated effect of the main deterioration processes (corrosion, fatigue, creep, etc.). However, it is paramount to study the combined effect of various deterioration processes because such interaction could reduce structural integrity. This study proposes a new model for lifetime assessment of RC structures subjected to corrosion- fatigue deterioration processes. The proposed model distinguishes between the following phenomena: chloride penetration, corrosion of reinforcement, concrete cracking and corrosion-fatigue of reinforcing bars. Chloride penetration determines corrosion initiation. Corrosion reduces the cross-section of reinforcing steel. The accumulation of corrosion products in the steel/concrete interface produces concrete cracking. Fatigue causes the nucleation and the propagation of cracks in steel bars. The interaction between corrosion and fatigue can only be taken into account when modeling the combined problem. Thus, pitting corrosion generates stress concentrations that nucleate cracks in the reinforcing bars. Cyclic loading and environmental factors affect the kinematics of crack propagation. There exists significant uncertainty related to the combined corrosion-fatigue problem. This study also addresses this problem by considering the uncertainty inherent in (1) material properties, (2) model and its parameter and (3) environmental actions. Time-invariant random variables represent the uncertainty of material properties and model. Stochastic processes consider the uncertainty of environmental actions. The proposed stochastic models for weather (temperature and humidity) take into account seasonal variations and global warming. The stochastic models for environmental chloride concentration differentiate between exposure to de-icing salts or the sea. Finally, a fuzzy approach accounts for the uncertainty related to corrosion rate. The proposed model is applied to the reliability analysis of RC members located in various chloride- contaminated environments. Overall results reveal that the combined effect of corrosion-fatigue de- pends on environmental conditions and strongly influences the performance of RC structures leading to large reductions in expected lifetime.

Der VHTR als Weiterentwicklung des HTR gilt als eines von sechs aussichtsreichen Reaktorkonzepten für Kernkraftwerkte der Generation IV. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeit wird ein CFD-Modell des HTR-Moduls entwickelt und durch die Simulation eines postulierten Lufteinbruchszenarios die Anwendbarkeit unter Beweis gestellt. Zunächst wird eine Bestandsaufnahme bestehender HTR-Rechenprogramme vorgestellt und die Methodik CFD in ihren Grundzügen erläutert. Anhand der Grundgleichungen werden die zur Berechnung des Störfalls zu modellierenden, HTR-spezifischen Parameter diskutiert, die verwendeten empirischen Korrelationen vorgestellt und die umfangreiche Validierung des entwickelten Modellansatzes zusammengefasst. Anschließend wird die Anwendbarkeit des HTR-Modells auf ein konkretes Lufteinbruchszenario eines HTR-Moduls gezeigt. Dabei werden die einzelnen Phasen des Szenarios anhand der Simulationsergebnisse intensiv diskutiert. Abschließend erfolgt eine Diskussion der Modellunsicherheiten und der numerischen Fehler.

Les ciments sulfoalumineux (CSA) peuvent être une solution à l’amélioration de l’impact environnemental des bétons, grâce aux faibles consommations énergétiques et émissions de CO2 lors de leur fabrication. Leurs propriétés expansives, de rapidité de prise et de montée en résistance participent également à l’intérêt grandissant dans les domaines de la construction et de la préfabrication en béton pour ce type de liant. Toutefois, la durabilité des bétons sulfoalumineux reste encore méconnue ou discutée, notamment en milieux acides et face à la corrosion des armatures, en ambiance marine et par carbonatation. Les travaux présentés dans cette thèse se proposent ainsi d’étudier et de comparer la durabilité face à ces attaques, de bétons sulfoalumineux à celle de bétons de référence à base de CEM I et de CEM III/B. Ils s’appuient sur des caractérisations performantielles (indicateurs de durabilité, essais performantiels en conditions accélérées ou naturelles) et microstructurales (phases solides, porosité). Au préalable, l’application des caractérisations sus-citées aux bétons sulfoalumineux est vérifiée et discutée. La bonne résistance des bétons sulfoalumineux aux milieux acides est observée lors d’essais de lixiviation dynamique, à température et pH régulés. L’étude de la pénétration des chlorures (migration en régime permanent et transitoire, isothermes de fixation, exposition en zone de marnage) et de la carbonatation (naturelle et accélérée) de bétons à base de 8 ciments sulfoalumineux de laboratoire différents a permis d’établir des moyens d’améliorer leur durabilité potentielle. Ces moyens ont été appliqués à la fabrication d’un ciment industriel performant, dont la bonne durabilité reste toutefois à confirmer définitivement en conditions réelles. / Calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cements can be a solution to improve the environmental impact of concrete, thanks to the lower energy consumption and CO2 emission during their production. Their expansive, fast setting and rapid hardening properties contribute to the growing interest of engineers for concrete construction and prefabrication. However, the durability of sulfoaluminate concretes is not clearly assessed yet, especially in acidic and marine environments, as well as carbonation and chloride induced rebars corrosion. Thus, the aim of this thesis is to study and compare the durability, related to these attacks, of concretes made with CSA cements to ordinary Portland and GGBS cements based reference concretes. This study is founded on microstructural (solid phases, porosity) and performancial (durability indicators, natural and accelerated tests) characterization. Beforehand, the application of these characterizations to CSA concretes is verified and discussed. These show a good resistance to acidic environments when submitted to dynamic leaching tests at pH 3 and 5. The study of chloride ingress (steady and non-steady state migration, binding isotherms and tidal zone exposition) and carbonation (natural and accelerated) in concretes of 8 different laboratory CSA cements enabled us to find achievable means to improve their potential durability. These means were applied to the production of a performant industrial CSA cement, whose good durability has still to be assessed on field conditions.

The effect of water ingress in two pebble bed high temperature gas-cooled reactors i.e. the PBMR-200 MWthermal and the PBMR-400 MWthermal were simulated and compared using the VSOP 99/05 suite of codes. To investigate the effect of this event on reactivity, power profiles and thermal neutron flux profiles, the addition of partial steam vapour pressures in stages up to 400 bar into the primary circuit for the PBMR-400 and up to 300 bar for the PBMR- 200 was simulated for both reactors. During the simulation, three scenarios were simulated, i.e. water ingress into the core only, water ingress into the reflectors only and water ingress into both the core and reflectors. The induced reactivity change effects were compared for these reactors. An in-depth analysis was also carried out to study the mechanisms that drive the reactivity changes for each reactor caused by water ingress into the fuel core only, the riser tubes in the reflectors only and ingress into both the fuel core and the riser tubes in the reflectors. The knowledge gained of these mechanisms and effects was used in order to propose design changes aimed at mitigating the reactivity increases, caused by realistic water ingress scenarios. Past results from simulations of water ingress into Pebble Bed Reactors were used to validate and verify the present simulation approach and results. The reactivity increase results for both reactors were in agreement with the German HTR-Modul calculations. / Thesis (MSc (Engineering Sciences in Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The effect of water ingress in two pebble bed high temperature gas-cooled reactors i.e. the PBMR-200 MWthermal and the PBMR-400 MWthermal were simulated and compared using the VSOP 99/05 suite of codes. To investigate the effect of this event on reactivity, power profiles and thermal neutron flux profiles, the addition of partial steam vapour pressures in stages up to 400 bar into the primary circuit for the PBMR-400 and up to 300 bar for the PBMR- 200 was simulated for both reactors. During the simulation, three scenarios were simulated, i.e. water ingress into the core only, water ingress into the reflectors only and water ingress into both the core and reflectors. The induced reactivity change effects were compared for these reactors. An in-depth analysis was also carried out to study the mechanisms that drive the reactivity changes for each reactor caused by water ingress into the fuel core only, the riser tubes in the reflectors only and ingress into both the fuel core and the riser tubes in the reflectors. The knowledge gained of these mechanisms and effects was used in order to propose design changes aimed at mitigating the reactivity increases, caused by realistic water ingress scenarios. Past results from simulations of water ingress into Pebble Bed Reactors were used to validate and verify the present simulation approach and results. The reactivity increase results for both reactors were in agreement with the German HTR-Modul calculations. / Thesis (MSc (Engineering Sciences in Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

The aim of this work was to study vegetation groupings and their dynamics in remnant of Subtropical Seasonal Forest, of nearly 560 ha, located at the Instruction Field of Santa Maria, in Santa Maria municipality, RS. In the study area, 14 blocks of 20x100m were marked, distributed into four bands, distant 500m from each other. Each block was divided into portions of 10mx10m, resulting in 280 portions, in which was evaluated the adult vegetation, represented by individuals with CBH≥30cm. Inside these blocks, 70 portions were raffled for evaluation of understory vegetation (3,14cm≤CBH<30cm), seedling bank (h≥30cm and CBH<3,14cm) and seed rain. In the 70 raffled portions, it was also evaluated the alternation degree, land slope and the light intensity. The occurred changes in the forest shrubby-arboreal component were studied based on the structure, ingress, mortality and increment (for the seedling bank) during the period from 2008 to 2010. In a similar way, the seed rain was monitored from October 2008 to October 2010, when the absolute density and the seasonality of seed production were evaluated. In this study, the results were presented in four chapters: the aim of the first one was to determine the grouping analysis and the occurred changes in the floristic composition and vegetation structure represented by CBH≥30 cm, being verified that the area presents two characterized formations, mainly, by the forest conservation degree, named: - Secondary Forest in Intermediate Stage (SFIS) of succession, represented by bigger exploration in the past due to the easy access to the area; and Secondary Forest in Advanced Stage (SFAS) of succession, occurring in a forest area characterized by a more accentuated slope, what made timber exploitation difficult, being therefore, in a more advanced stage of succession. The second chapter dealt with the occurred changes in the understory vegetation (3,14cm≤CBH<30cm) for the two floristic groups observed in the grouping analysis. In the third chapter, it was presented the natural regeneration dynamics, represented by the seedling bank (h≥30cm e CBH<3,14cm) and the seed rain. Finally, in the fourth chapter, it was carried out a general analysis of the most abundant species dynamics in each class of vegetation, in the two observed groups in the forest. The results indicated some differences in the floristic composition and vegetation dynamics, in each group. In one hand, the SFIS presented the highest value of importance to the heliophilous species and the highest dynamics, mainly, in the individual s mortality. On the other hand, the SFAS presented heliophilous and sciaphilous species as the most important as well as the highest equilibrium in relation to ingress and mortality rates. The seed rain seemed an efficient mechanism of natural regeneration and most of the observed species in the forest s arboreal vegetation presented production seasonality. In general, the remnant of forest represents an important preservation area for the characteristic species from Subtropical Seasonal Forest and its maintenance becomes important to keep the quality of soil in the area besides of playing important environmental services to the region. / O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar agrupamentos da vegetação e sua dinâmica, em remanescente de Floresta Estacional Subtropical, com aproximadamente 560 ha, localizado no Campo de Instrução de Santa Maria, no município de Santa Maria, RS. Na área de estudo, foram marcados 14 blocos de 20x100m, distribuídos em quatro faixas, distantes 500m entre si. Cada bloco foi dividido em parcelas de 10mx10m, resultando 280 parcelas, nas quais avaliou-se a vegetação adulta, representada pelos indivíduos com CAP≥30cm. Dentro desses blocos, ainda foram sorteadas 70 parcelas para avaliação da vegetação de sub-bosque (3,14cm≤CAP<30cm), banco de plântulas (h≥30cm e CAP<3,14cm) e chuva de sementes. Nas 70 parcelas sorteadas, avaliou-se também o grau de alteração, declividade do terreno e a intensidade luminosa. As mudanças ocorridas no componente arbóreo-arbustivo da floresta foram estudadas a partir da estrutura, ingresso, mortalidade e incremento (para o banco de plântulas), durante o período de 2008 a 2010. De forma semelhante, a chuva de sementes foi monitorada de outubro de 2008 a outubro de 2010, onde se avaliou a densidade absoluta e a sazonalidade da produção de sementes. Neste trabalho, os resultados foram apresentados em quatro capítulos: o primeiro teve por objetivo determinar a análise de agrupamentos e as mudanças ocorridas na composição florísticas e estrutura da vegetação representada por CAP≥30 cm, tendo sido verificado que a área apresenta duas formações caracterizadas, principalmente, pelo grau de conservação da floresta, denominados de:- Floresta Secundária em Estágio Médio (FSEM) de sucessão, representada pela maior exploração no passado, devido à facilidade de entrada na área; e - Floresta Secundária em Estágio Avançado (FSEA) de sucessão, ocorrente em área na floresta caracterizada por declividade mais acentuada, o que dificultou a exploração de madeira, assim estando em estágio mais avançado de sucessão. O segundo capítulo tratou das mudanças ocorridas na vegetação do subbosque (3,14cm≤CAP<30cm) para os dois grupos florísticos observados na análise de agrupamentos. No terceiro capítulo, tratou-se da dinâmica da regeneração natural, representada pelo banco de plântulas (h≥30cm e CAP<3,14cm) e chuva de sementes. E, por último, no quarto capítulo, foi realizada uma análise geral da dinâmica das espécies mais abundantes em cada classe de vegetação, nos dois grupos observados na floresta. Os resultados revelaram diferenças na composição florística e dinâmica da vegetação, em cada grupo. A FSEM apresentou maior valor de importância para espécies heliófilas e maior dinâmica, principalmente, na mortalidade de indivíduos. Já a FSEA apresentou espécies heliófilas e esciófilas como as mais importantes, bem como maior equilíbrio em relação às taxas de ingresso e mortalidade. A chuva de sementes mostrou-se eficiente mecanismo de regeneração natural, e a maioria das espécies observadas na vegetação arbórea da floresta apresentaram sazonalidade de produção. De forma geral, o remanescente de floresta representa uma importante área de preservação das espécies características da Floresta Estacional Subtropical e a sua manutenção se torna importante para manter a qualidade do solo na área, além de desempenhar importantes serviços ambientais à região.

Power grids have rapidly evolved into Smart grids and are heavily dependent on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems for monitoring and control. However, this evolution increases the susceptibility of the remote (VMs, VPNs) and physical interfaces (sensors, PMUs LAN, WAN, sub-stations power lines, and smart meters) to sophisticated cyberattacks. The continuous supply of power is critical to power generation plants, power grids, industrial grids, and nuclear grids; the halt to global power could have a devastating effect on the economy's critical infrastructures and human life. Machine Learning and Deep Learning-based cyberattack detection modeling have yielded promising results when combined as a Hybrid with an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) or Host Intrusion Detection Systems (HIDs). This thesis proposes two cyberattack detection techniques; one that leverages Machine Learning algorithms and the other that leverages Artificial Neural networks algorithms to classify and detect the cyberattack data held in a foundational dataset crucial to network intrusion detection modeling. This thesis aimed to analyze and evaluate the performance of a Hybrid Machine Learning (ML) and a Hybrid Deep Learning (DL) during ingress packet filtering, class classification, and anomaly detection on a Smart grid network.