Timber is a building material that is becoming more common and of interest for use in high-rise buildings. One of the reasons is that timber requires less energy input for the manufacturing process of the material compared to non-wood based materials. When designing high- rise timber buildings it is of great significance to understand the dynamic behavior of the structure. One method to obtain the dynamic properties is to use Operational Modal Analysis, which is based on the structural response from operational use. Finite element (FE) analysis is a tool which can be used for dynamic analysis for large structures. In this study an Operation Modal Analysis (OMA) was conducted on a four-story timber building in Växjö. A finite element model was created of the same building using commercial FE packages. Based on the mode shapes and natural frequencies obtained from the OMA, the FE model was fine-tuned. The purpose of this thesis is to gain knowledge of which parameters that might have a significant role in finite element modelling for a structural dynamic analysis. The aim is to develop a finite element model that accurately simulates the dynamic behavior of the tested building. It was shown from the result that is possible with an enough detailed FE model to capture the dynamic behaviour of a structure. The parameters that had the largest effect on the result can be pointed to the mass and the stiffness of the structure. / Trä är ett byggnadsmaterial som börjar bli allt mer vanligt och är av intresse att använda som stommaterial för höga byggnader. En anledning till detta är att det krävs mindre energi i tillverkningsfasen för trä jämfört med stål och betong. Vid dimensionering av höga träbyggnader är det essentiellt att förstå byggnadens dynamiska egenskaper. För att ta fram en byggnads dynamiska egenskaper kan en metod som benämns Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) tillämpas vilken baseras på byggnadens rörelser vid daglig användning. Finita element (FE) metoden är ett verktyg som kan användas vid dynamisk analys för större byggnader. I detta arbete genomfördes en OMA för ett fyravåningshus med trästomme beläget i Växjö. Genom användning av kommersiella FE-mjukvaror togs en finita element modell av samma byggnad fram. Baserat på de egenfrekvenser och egenmoder erhållna från OMA, uppdaterades FE-modellen därefter. Syftet med detta arbete är att erhålla kunskap kring vilka parametrar som har betydelse vid FE-modellering med hänsyn till dynamisk analys. Syftet är även att validera den prototyp av datainsamlingsenhet som använts vid fältmätningen. Målet med arbetet är att ta fram en FE-modell som på ett korrekt sätt beskriver den testade byggnadens dynamiska beteende. Resultatet av arbetet påvisar att med en tillräckligt detaljerad FE-modell är det möjligt att erhålla en byggnads dynamiska egenskaper. De parametrar som har störst inverkan på resultatet är byggnadens styvhet och inkluderad massa.

For intermediate floors in residential and office buildings, as well as in parking garages and malls, there is a wide use of hollow core concrete slabs in Sweden today. Hollow core slabs are precast and prestressed concrete elements with cylindrical-shaped voids extending along the length of the slab. These structural elements have the advantage compared to cast-in-situ concrete slabs that they have a high strength, due to the prestressing, and that the voids allow for a lower self-weight. Additionally, the voids allow for a reduction in the use of concrete material. These characteristics offer possibilities to build long-span floors with slender designs. However, a consequence of the slenderness of the slabs is that such floors have an increased sensitivity to vibrations induced by various dynamic loads. In residential and office buildings vibrations are primarily caused by human activity, and therefore concerns related to the serviceability of such floors are raised. These vibrations are often not related to problems with structural integrity, but rather to different aspects of comfort of the residents or workers. The aim of this thesis is to provide additional information regarding the dynamic behavior of hollow core floors. An experimental modal analysis has been performed on an existing floor in an office building. The dynamic properties in the form of natural frequencies, mode shapes, damping ratios and frequency response functions were derived and analyzed from these measurements. Subsequently, several finite element models were developed, aiming to reproduce the experimental dynamic behavior of the studied floor. The measurements initially showed some unexpected dynamic responses of the floor. For this reason, more advanced methods of signal analyses were applied to the data. The analyses showed that the slab has some closely spaced modes and that the modes of the floor are complex to a certain degree. The finite element models were studied with different configurations. In particular, the effect the model size, boundary conditions, material properties and potential structural discontinuities have on the dynamic response of the slab was studied. Sufficiently good agreement has been achieved between the experimental and numerical results in terms of natural frequencies and mode shapes. The acceleration amplitude responses of the numerical models were generally higher than the ones obtained from the measurements, which leads to difficulties in matching of the frequency response functions. / Håldäck i betong används idag i stor utsträckning som bjälklag i bostads- och kontorsbyggnader, liksom i parkeringsgarage och köpcentra. Håldäcksbjälklag består av prefabricerade och förspända betongelement, med cylindriska hål som sträcker sig i plattans längsriktning. Dessa konstruktionselement har fördelen, jämfört med platsgjutna betongplattor, att de har en hög hållfasthet på grund av förspänningen och att hålen möjliggör en lägre egenvikt. Dessutom gör hålen att en mindre mängd betongmaterial behövs. Dessa egenskaper ger möjligheter att bygga golv med långa spännvidder och slank design. En konsekvens av slankheten är emellertid att sådana golv har en ökad känslighet för vibrationer som orsakas av olika dynamiska belastningar. I bostads- och kontorsbyggnader orsakas vibrationer främst av mänsklig aktivitet, och därför finns det en del oro relaterad till sådana golvs brukbarhet. Dessa vibrationer är oftast inte relaterade till frågor om strukturell integritet, utan snarare till olika aspekter av boendes eller arbetares känsla av komfort. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att bidra till kunskapen om håldäcksbjälklags dynamiska beteende. En experimentell modalanalys har utförts på ett befintligt golv i en kontorsbyggnad. De dynamiska egenskaperna i form av egenfrekvenser, modformer, dämpning och frekvenssvarsfunktioner erhölls och analyserades med hjälp av dessa mätningar. Därefter utvecklades flera finita element modeller för att reproducera det experimentellt uppmätta dynamiska beteendet hos det studerade golvet. Mätningarna visade initialt något oväntade dynamiska responser från golvet. Av denna anledning applicerades mer avancerade signalanalysmetoder på datan. Analyserna visade att plattan har några moder inom ett litet frekvensintervall och att moderna till en viss grad är komplexa. De finita element modellerna studerades med olika konfigurationer. I synnerhet studerades effekten av modellstorleken, randvillkoren, materialegenskaperna och potentiella strukturella diskontinuiteter på golvets dynamiska respons. Tillräckligt bra överensstämmelse har uppnåtts mellan de experimentella och numeriska resultaten i form av egenfrekvenser och modformer. Accelerationsamplituderna för de numeriska modellerna var i allmänhet högre än de som erhölls under mätningarna, vilket leder till svårigheter att matcha frekvenssvarsfunktionerna.

The Bridge House is a steel building structure located in Poly Canyon, a rural area inside the campus of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. The Bridge House is a one story steel structure supported on 4 concrete piers with a lateral force resisting system (LFRS) composed of ordinary moment frames in the N-S direction and braced frames in the E-W direction and vertically supported by a pair of trusses. The dynamic response of the Bridge House was investigated by means of system identification through ambient and forced vibration testing. Interesting findings such as diaphragm flexibility, foundation flexibility and frequency shifts due to thermal effects were all found throughout the mode shape mapping process. Nine apparent mode shapes were experimentally identified, N-S and E-W translational, rotational and 6 vertical modes. A computational model was also created and refined through correlation with the modal parameters obtained through FVTs. When compared to the experimental results, the computational model estimated the experimentally determined building period within 8% and 10% for both N-S and E-W translational modes and within 10% for 4 of the vertical modes.

Dagens planering och projektering av konstruktioner präglas av ett resursutnyttjande, miljömässigt och ekonomiskt tänk, där resultatet kan medföra brister med avseende på dynamiken. Därmed är det ytterst viktigt att skapa goda förutsättningar för noggranna beräkningsmodeller som i ett projekteringsskede kan representera konstruktionernas dynamiska beteende. I denna rapport utfördes en jämförelseanalys mellan en FE-modell och en fältmätning, där Folke Bernadottes bro har använts som underlag. Syftet är att presentera skillnader och likheter i naturliga frekvenser och modformer baserat på jämförelseanalysen, samt belysa några av de viktigaste faktorerna bakom dessa. Resultatet visade för en kalibrerad FE-modell 11 % genomsnittlig skillnad för de naturliga frekvenserna och 99 % överensstämmelse med avseende på modformerna, där den mest väsentliga parametern i modellen var upplagsvillkoren. / Today's planning and design of constructions is characterized by a resource utilization, environmental and economic thinking, where the result can lead to shortcomings with regard to dynamic behaviour. Thus, it is extremely important to create good conditions for accurate calculation models that in a design phase can represent the dynamic behaviour of the structures. In this report, a comparison analysis was performed between an FE-model and a field measurement, where Folke Bernadotte's bridge has been used as basis. The purpose is to present differences and similarities in natural frequencies and mode shapes based on the comparative analysis, and to highlight some of the most important factors behind these. The result showed for a calibrated FE-model an average difference of 11 % for the natural frequencies and 99 % agreement with respect to the mode shapes, where the most important parameter in the model was the support conditions.

Most strength grading machines on the European market use an averagemodulus of elasticity (MOE), estimated on a relatively large distance along awood member, as the indicating property (IP) to bending strength. Theaccuracy of such grading machines in terms of coefficient of determination israther low at R2 ≈ 0.5. This research is motivated by a desire to increase theaccuracy of the strength grading in the industry today. The aim of the presentstudy is to contribute knowledge of local variation in bending stiffness/MOEwith high resolution and thus locate weak sections due to stiffness reducingfeatures (the most important is knots) for structural timber.The present study introduces three methods that involve structural dynamics,classical beam theory and optical measurement to assess local wood stiffness.Specifically: The dynamic method, in which a wood member is treated as an ordinaryphysical structure and the local stiffness is studied by exploring itsdynamic properties. In Method II, a bending MOE profile is established based on local fibre angle information. The local fibre orientation is detected through highresolution laser scanning based on the tracheid effect.  For Method III, a bending MOE profile is established using surfacestrain information under four-point bending. A high resolution strainfield is obtained using the digital image correlation (DIC) technique. From the present study, the two latter methods are more favourable inevaluating the local stiffness within a piece of structural timber. Moreover, thestudy reveals that the established bending MOE profiles using the two lattermethods, i.e. based on information of the local fibre angle and surface strain,agree reasonably well. However, for some patterns of knot clusters, the localbending MOE, calculated on the basis of fibre angles, is significantly higherthan the local bending MOE estimated on the basis of surface strain. / De flesta av de utrustningar för hållfasthetssortering som utnyttjas på deneuropeiska marknaden använder ett medelvärde på elasticitetsmodulen(MOE), beräknat på en relativt stor längd av en sågad planka, som indikativparameter (IP). Sådan hållfasthetssortering ger en noggrannhet i termer avförklaringsgrad på R2 ≈ 0.5, vilket är ganska lågt. Arbetet i denna studiemotiveras av en önskan att öka noggrannheten i hållfasthetssorteringen. Syftetmed denna studie är att bidra med kunskap om lokala variationer iböjstyvhet/MOE med hög upplösning och att lokalisera veka snitt (där kvistarär den viktigaste försvagande faktorn) för konstruktionsvirke.Den aktuella studien introducerar tre metoder som omfattar strukturdynamik,klassisk balkteori och optisk mätning vid bedömningen av lokal styvhet imaterialet. Specifikt:  Metod I, där den lokala böjstyvheten studerades genom de dynamiskaegenskaperna såsom egenfrekvens och modform.  Metod II, där en MOE profil beräknas på basis av information om lokalafibervinklar på ett virkesstyckes ytor. Den lokala fiberorienteringen mätsmed högupplöst laserskanning baserad på den så kallade trakeideffekten.  Metod III, där en MOE-profil fastställdes med hjälp avtöjningsinformation för en hel flatsida av en planka belastad med konstantböjmoment. Det högupplösta töjningsfältet erhölls med hjälp av teknikför Digital Image Correlation (DIC). Studien visar att de två sistnämnda metoderna är mycket lämpade för attutvärdera den lokala styvheten i ett virkesstycke. Dessutom visar studien att deMOE-profiler som togs fram med hjälp av de två sistnämnda metoderna,vilka baseras på information om lokala fibervinklar och töjningsfältet på ytan,stämde överens för större delen av virkesstycket. För visa kvistgrupper kan dock den lokala böjstyvheten högre med metoden baserad på fibervinklar.

Modal analysis of printed circuit board results, gained from computional and experimental modeling, have been compared. Anylyses have been performed on dummy boards (models without electronic components), created as one-layered at first, then as three-layered PCB. Board is usually clamped by its longer edges with wedgelock. In order to enable the realization of boundary conditions in computional and experimental modeling, real clamping has been simplified to simply supported. Computional models have used FEM elements, which are comomnly used in this type of problem. Determined results have been evaluated by comparing the experimental modeling results. Models‘ sensitivity on modification of element length and number of elements through thickness have been performed.

[pt] Dentre as diversas metodologias de detecção de danos, destacam-se os métodos de identificação de danos baseados na resposta da vibração (Vibration-based damage identification - VBDI), uma vez que a deterioração presente em elementos estruturais influencia diretamente na resposta dinâmica global e local da estrutura ocasionando alterações nos parâmetros dinâmicos. As diferentes abordagens encontradas na revisão de literatura para detecção dinâmica de danos focam principalmente em estruturas unidimensionais ou retas, que, por sua vez, podem não representar o comportamento dinâmico real de estruturas arrojadas como pontes e passarelas com geometria diferenciada. Alguns índices modais, nomeadamente curvatura modal, flexibilidade modal e energia de deformação modal, foram avaliados para uma passarela de aço com geometria curva. Para isso utilizou-se um modelo de elementos finitos da mesma, de onde foram extraídos os modos de vibração tridimensionais. Além disso, um índice recentemente proposto, denominado vetor resultante, que incorpora coordenadas modais tridimensionais, também é avaliado e comparado aos índices mencionados anteriormente. Os resultados mostram que a precisão dos índices na localização de danos está correlacionada com a região da estrutura onde o dano se encontra. Conclui-se então que para detecção de dano em uma estrutura real, é necessário que se utilize mais de um índice de dano. O impacto da magnitude do dano na acurácia dos índices é também estudado. A influência do dano nas vigas adjacentes e como isso se reflete nos índices também é investigada, a fim de evitar ambiguidade na localização de danos, e para direcionar corretamente programas de inspeção e monitoramento da integridade estrutural. / [en] Among the various damage detection methodologies, the Vibration-based damage identification (VBDI) methods stand out, since the deterioration present in structural elements directly influences the global and local dynamic response of the structure, causing changes in the dynamic parameters. The different approaches found in the literature review for dynamic damage detection focus mainly on one-dimensional or straight structures, which in turn may not represent the actual dynamic behavior of bold structures such as bridges and footbridges with different geometry. Some modal indices, namely modal curvature, modal flexibility, and modal strain energy were evaluated for a steel footbridge with curved geometry. For this purpose, a finite element model of it was used, from which the three-dimensional mode shapes were extracted. In addition, a recently proposed index, called resultant vector, which incorporates three-dimensional modal coordinates, is also evaluated and compared to the aforementioned ones. The results show that the accuracy of the indices for damage localization is correlated with the region of the structure where the damage is located. It is then concluded that for damage detection in a real structure, it is necessary to use more than one damage index. The impact of the damage magnitude on the accuracy of the indices is also studied. The influence of damage in adjacent beams and how this is reflected in the indices is also investigated in order to avoid ambiguity in damage location, and to correctly direct inspections and structural integrity monitoring programs.

This thesis focuses on identifying acoustic noise generating components in piezoelectric blowers through transverse velocity measurements and the development of a numerical fluid model. Piezoelectric ceramics have proven useful for many industries and areas of research involving: high precision actuators, noise control, ultrasonic devices, and many other areas. As of late, a unique adaptation of piezoelectric ceramics is surfacing in the area of pumping and cooling. Air pumps that use these ceramics replace the traditional electric motor, resulting in lower power consumption, less moving parts, constant pressure gradients, lower overall weight, and a low profile. The current drawback of this application is the acoustic radiation produced by the blowers. Since these blowers are new to market, little research or development has been done to characterize the noise emissions. This thesis studies the acoustic emissions from the front face of a Murata piezoelectric blower. Jet noise and structural vibrations are two acoustic sources of interest that are studied in this research. A Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) of the fluid flow through a Murata blower is developed to better identify noise generating mechanisms. The model solutions predict trends in sound pressure levels (SPL) of the jet noise and volumetric flow rates. Both the SPL and flow rate are shown to be functions of critical geometrical dimensions within the flow path of a Murata blower. Important dimensional components are identified as well as non-influential ones. Design guidelines are given to reduce noise emission from the front side of a blower and increase the volumetric flow rate. The results of this research have a direct impact on the piezoelectric blower industry and future blower designs.

[pt] As estruturas civis durante toda a sua vida útil estão sujeitas a diversas ações de deterioração, desgastes ou corrosão de seus membros, que podem gerar variações em suas características físicas. Estas ações podem causar danos ao seu funcionamento, podendo chegar até ao colapso, em casos mais extremos. Além disso, o avanço tecnológico que permite a concepção de estruturas cada vez mais esbeltas, e que geram assim possíveis vibrações excessivas, elevam o monitoramento estrutural a um patamar de extrema importância e atenção na ótica dos gestores desses sistemas. Particularmente, no caso de obras de infraestrutura como pontes e passarelas, as grandes dimensões são características significativas que tornam as práticas de monitoramento e inspeção mais difíceis. Dessa forma, com o objetivo auxiliar no monitoramento estrutural e direcionar inspeções visuais, diversos métodos de identificação de danos são estudados com base nas características dinâmicas das estruturas, como as frequências naturais e os modos de vibração. A revisão de literatura, porém, demonstra que há uma dificuldade na aplicação desta identificação em estruturas mais complexas de grande porte. Assim, este trabalho visa estudar esta dificuldade e propor uma solução baseada na construção de um índice, composto pelos modos de vibração. Além disso, através da aplicação de algoritmos de aprendizado de máquina e de reconhecimento de padrões, como as Redes Neurais Artificiais (RNAs), propõese aumentar a eficiência do processo de localização espacial e quantificação dos danos. Em seguida, a metodologia proposta é, então, aplicada em um modelo de passarela metálica inspirado em uma estrutura real presente na região do Terminal Centro Olímpico da cidade do Rio de Janeiro – RJ. A identificação de danos é estudada através da aplicação do índice proposto, incorporando as redes neurais e avaliando do impacto da variação dos parâmetros da RNA na eficiência global da detecção. / [en] Civil structures are subjected to different deterioration and corrosion actions throughout their entire service life, which can generate variations in their physical characteristics. These actions can cause damage to its functioning, and possibly leading to collapse in more severe cases. In addition, technology development which allows the design of increasingly slender structures, can produce excessive vibrations, which elevates the importance ofstructural monitoring to a higher level from the perspective of infrastructure managers. Particularly, in the case of bridges and walkaways, due to their large dimensions make monitoring and inspection even more difficult. Thus, with the aim of providing methods to assist in structural monitoring and facilitate visual inspections, several damage identification methods are investigated, which are based on structures dynamic characteristics, such as natural frequencies and mode shapes. The conducted literature review revealed that there is a difficulty in applying these identification methods in large-scale and complex structures. Thus, this research aims to study these barriers and propose a solution based on the development of a new damage index based on the structure s mode shapes. Furthermore, through the application of machine learning algorithms and pattern recognition, such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), it is proposed to increase the efficiency of the damage identification and quantification process. Then, the proposed methodology is tested numerically on a steel footbridge model inspired by a real structure located in the region of the Olympic Center Terminal, in the city of Rio de Janeiro – RJ. The damage identification method is studied through the application of the proposed damage index, incorporating the neural network and assessing the impact of ANNs parameters variation in the global efficiency of the damage detection method.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of bottom chord extensions on deflections and vibration characteristics of joist supported floor systems when joist bottom chord extensions are installed. To understand the effect of bottom chord extensions on deflections, natural frequency, damping, mode shape and effective mass, extensive analytical and experimental studies were conducted on single span and three span joist supported laboratory footbridges with different bottom chord extension configurations. Finite element computer models were created to simulate and compare the results of stiffness and vibration tests. Testing was done with a) the bottom chord extensions in-place before the concrete was placed, b) with all or part of the bottom chord extensions removed, and c) after the bottom chord extensions had been reinstalled with jacking for the single span footbridge and without jacking for the three-span footbridge. Results from the stiffness tests indicate that re-installing the bottom chord extensions to the joists of the single span footbridge with cured concrete with the center of the span raised helps to reduce the uniform load deflections to some extent, but not as much as placing the bottom chord extensions before the concrete placement. Likewise, for the three span footbridge, placing the bottom chord extensions before the concrete placement is observed to be a better solution. Results from the dynamic tests indicate that the effect of bottom chord extensions on the single span footbridge is consistent for natural frequency, 20 psf live load deflections, sinusoidal excitations with high amplitudes, quarter point heel drop excitations, walking excitations, and effective mass values. The effect of bottom chord extensions on the three span footbridge is consistent for the natural frequency and 20 psf deflections. However, the FRF (Frequency Response Function) peaks of chirp, heel drop, sinusoidal excitations, accelerations from walking data, and the MEScope and Finite Element model effective mass results do not follow a common trend. It can be concluded that even though the footbridge was stiffened by the bottom chord extensions, that does not necessarily mean that the acceleration levels, and hence the frequency response function peaks, decrease. However, bottom chord extensions do increase the natural frequencies for all the three governing bending modes. / Ph. D.