The primary purpose of this research is to investigate the effectiveness of a scaled roller rig for accurately assessing the contact mechanics and dynamics between a profiled steel wheel and rail, as is commonly used in rail vehicles. The established creep models of Kalker and Johnson and Vermeulen are used to establish correction factors, scaling factors, and transformation factors that allow us to relate the results from a scaled rig to those of a tangent track. �Correction factors, which are defined as the ratios of a given quantity (such as creep coefficient) between a roller rig and a track, are derived and used to relate the results between a full-size rig and a full-size track. Scaling factors are derived to relate the same quantities between roller rigs of different scales. Finally, transformation factors are derived by combining scaling factors with correction factors in order to relate the results from a scaled roller rig to a full-size tangent track. Close-end formulae for creep force correction, scaling, and transformation factors are provided in the thesis, along with their full derivation and an explanation of their limitations; these formulae can be used to calculate the correction factors for any wheel-rail geometry and scaling. For Kalker's theory, it is shown that the correction factor for creep coefficients is strictly a function of wheel and rail geometry, primarily the wheel and roller diameter ratio. For Johnson and Vermeulen's theory, the effects of creepage, scale, and load on the creep force correction factor are demonstrated. �It is shown that INRETS' scaling strategy causes the normalized creep curve to be identical for both a full-size and a scaled roller rig. �It is also shown that the creep force correction factors for Johnson and Vermeulen's model increase linearly with creepage, starting with the values predicted by Kalker's theory. �Therefore, Kalker's theory provides a conservative estimate for creep force correction factors. �A case study is presented to demonstrate the creep curves, as well as the correction and transformation factors, for a typical wheel-rail configuration. �Additionally, two studies by other authors that calculate the correction factor for Kalker's creep coefficients for specific wheel-rail geometries are reviewed and show full agreement with the results that are predicted by the formulae derived in this study. �Based on a review of existing and past roller rigs, as well as the findings of this thesis, a number of recommendations are given for the design of a roller rig for the purpose of assessing the wheel-rail contact mechanics. �A scaling strategy (INRETS') is suggested, and equations for power consumption of a roller rig are derived. Recommendations for sensors and actuators necessary for such a rig are also given. Special attention is given to the resolution and accuracy of velocity sensors, which are required to properly measure and plot the creep curves. / Master of Science

To study the effect of the substrate support on the nanoscale contact, three different regimes, i.e., graphene on rigid (ultra-crystalline diamond) and on elastic (Polydimethylsiloxane) supports and free-standing graphene, were considered. The contribution of the graphene support to the mechanical and electrical characteristics of the graphene/metal contact was studied using the conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique.The results revealed that the electrical conductivity of the graphene/metal contact highly depends on the nature of the graphene support. The conductivity increased when transitioning from suspended to elastic and then to rigid substrates, which is attributed to the changes in the contact area being higher for the suspended graphene and lower for the rigid substrate. The experimental observations showed good agreement with theoretical results obtained from modeling of the studied material systems. Further, the results indicated that in addition to the substrate support, the nature of the contact, static or dynamic, results in large variations of the electrical conductivity of the graphene/metal contacts. In case of the static mode, the contact made with supported graphene was very stable for a wide range of applied normal loads. Transitioning to the dynamic mode led to instability of the graphene/metal contact as demonstrated by lowering in the electrical conductivity values. This transition was even more pronounced for free-standing graphene which is attributed to graphene sagging during rapid scanning of the tip over the graphene surface. This study creates a new knowledge on understanding of the nanoscale contacts forming with 2D materials thus enabling further advances in the applications of 2D materials in highly stable and reliable electronic devices.

The ocular surface is extremely effective at protecting the eye through such physiological barriers as the cornea and tear film. The exposed nature of the cornea can still lead to a significant number of injuries and harm from the external environment. Management and treatment of ocular injuries involves a combination of a bandage contact lens (BCL) along with therapeutic eye drops that require frequent and strict dosing regimens that can be difficult to maintain and are inefficient due to the high clearance rate of the eye. Therapeutic contact lenses (TCL) with vitamin E (VE) incorporated have been shown to steadily release a desired therapeutic agent and potentially simplify a patient’s treatment process. Vat polymerization (VP), a form of 3D printing, was utilized in this work to explore a platform design for developing customizable VE-containing TCLs, using dexamethasone phosphate (DXP) as a model drug. VP was also used to explore the creation of a multi-material TCL, using a VE embedded ring that could be directly printed within the lens in a streamlined and automated manner. Three lens formulations consisting primarily of hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) with modified formulations containing methacrylated VE (VEMA) and Methacryloxypropyltris (Trimethylsiloxy) silane (TRIS) as a model silicone material were prepared. These lenses were synthesized and characterized to examine 3D printing for lens creation in comparison to commercial standards. The base and VEMA formulations were used to examine the feasibility of a multi-material (MM) lens with an embedded ring directly incorporated during the printing process. All three formulations showed shear thinning properties suitable for VP bioprinting applications. The base formulation produced a very homogenous print while VEMA prints showed defects and clear phase separation. The VEMA+TRIS formulation showed significant improvement as the prints were more homogenous with fewer defects. The MM lenses showed a mixture of properties between the base and VEMA formulations, with the center appearing more homogenous and the edge that included the embedded ring showing defects similar to VEMA prints. Surface wettability and water content decreased from the base formulation with an increasing presence of hydrophobic moieties in the modified formulations. The increased hydrophobicity can be correlated with an increase in stiffness seen from the base formulation. While all materials had high moduli due to the high crosslinking density and presence of PEGDA, the VEMA prints had a higher modulus than the base material but were quite brittle due to the increased hydrophobicity and poor print quality. The VEMA+TRIS prints showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in stiffness without the brittleness of the VEMA prints due to the better print quality. The MM prints had the lowest moduli, most similar to the base material, indicating that this lens design could mitigate the brittleness seen with the VEMA prints. A comparison of 3DP and casting showed the cast material having a significantly (p < 0.05) higher modulus than the 3DP material presumably due to the bulk vs. layer-by-layer polymerization processes that the respective manufacturing methods utilize. The base material produced significantly more transparent prints, with transmissions (wavelength) that ranged between 80-88%, compared to the VEMA and VEMA+TRIS prints which ranged from 18-47%. The MM lenses showed promise for minimizing the effect of the poor transparency of the VEMA ring with transparency of 62-85%. Besides the formulations, the lens thickness, print quality and print plate surface were found to be major contributors to the printed lenses not meeting commercial standards. The VEMA+TRIS loaded lenses showed the greatest changes in the release kinetics with a larger burst release, attributed to the weaker affinity DXP has to the hydrophobic components, while the base and VEMA lens’ profiles were very similar. The weaker drug-polymer interaction and more mobile silicone-oxygen bonds of TRIS are likely the reason for the VEMA+TRIS formulation releasing significantly more DXP than the base or VEMA lenses, with 69.21 ± 3.62%, 44.09 ± 4.63% and 37.09 ± 4.81% released respectively. It is believed that the high degree of crosslinking within the lens polymer matrix causes high levels of physical entrapment, resulting in an incomplete release of DXP from the lenses. Another possibility is that some DXP reacted with the acrylate components of the lens formulations as the photopolymerization process creates free radicals which could lead to the formation of covalent bonds of DXP with one of the monomers in the formulation. The use of 3DP to develop customizable TCLs on-demand has a lot of potential as the biomedical and healthcare industries shift to more of a personalized rather than a one-size-fits all approach. The MM lens design allows for the incorporation of materials with poor lens properties without significantly impacting the lens’ functions such as its tensile stiffness and transparency. The freedom of design that 3DP provides will allow for tailor-made lenses that can meet a patient’s specific needs, including lens fitting, which would maximize the patient’s comfort. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

La curiethérapie à haut débit de dose (HDR pour High Dose Rate) est une modalité de traitement du cancer qui délivre au volume cible la dose prescrite avec un débit de dose élevé. Malgré les distributions de doses hautement conformes obtenues avec cette modalité de traitement, le traitement lui-même n’est pas exempt d’erreurs. En raison des forts gradients de dose, typique de la curiethérapie, de petites erreurs dans le positionnement de la source peuvent entraîner des conséquences néfastes pour les patients. L’utilisation systématique de systèmes de vérification en temps réel est le seul moyen de savoir quelles doses ont été réellement données à la tumeur et aux organes à risque. Cette thèse présente les démarches effectuées pour créer et valider un système de dosimétrie à scintillateurs plastiques multipoints (mPSD pour Multipoint Plastic Scintillation Detector) capable d’effectuer avec précision des mesures in vivo en curiethérapie HDR. Un prototype a été optimisé, caractérisé et testé dans des conditions typiques de la curiethérapie HDR. Une analyse exhaustive a été réalisée pour obtenir un modèle optimisé du détecteur, capable de maximiser la collection de lumière de scintillation produite par l’interaction des photons ionisants. Il a été constaté que le scintillateur de longueur d’onde plus courte devrait toujours être placé plus près du photodétecteur, alors que le scintillateur émettant dans la longueur d’onde la plus élevée doit être en position distale. Si la configuration, comme mentionnée précédemment, n’est pas utilisée, des effets d’excitation et d’auto-absorption entre les scintillateurs peuvent se produire, et en conséquence, la transmission de la lumière à travers la fibre collectrice n’est pas optimale. Le détecteur a été rendu étanche à la lumière. Son noyau de 1 mm de diamètre permet son utilisation dans la majorité des applicateurs utilisés pour le parcours de la source en curiethérapie HDR avec l’192Ir. Pour la meilleure configuration du détecteur multipoints (3 mm de BCF10, 6 mm de BCF12, 7 mm BCF60), une optimisation numérique a été effectuée pour sélectionner les composants optiques (miroir dichroïque, filtre et tube photomultiplicateur (PMT pour Photomultiplier Tube)) qui correspondent le mieux au profil d’émission recherché. Ceci permet la déconvolution du signal en utilisant une approche multispectrale, en extrayant la dose de chaque élément tout en tenant compte de l’effet de tige Cerenkov. Le système de luminescence optimisé a été installé dans une boîte protectrice pour assurer la stabilité des composantes optiques lors de la manipulation. Les performances dosimétriques du système IViST (In Vivo Source Tracking) ont été évaluées en curiethérapie HDR, sur une plage clinique réaliste allant jusqu’à 10 cm de distance entre la source et les capteurs du mPSD. IViST peut simultanément mesurer la dose, trianguler la position et mesurer le temps d’arrêt de la source. En effectuant 100 000 mesures/s, IViST échantillonne suffisamment de données pour effectuer rapidement des tâches QA / QC clés, telles que l’identification d’un mauvais temps d’arrêt individuel ou des tubes de transfert interchangés. En utilisant 3 capteurs colinéaires et des informations planifiées pour une géométrie d’implant provenant des fichiers DICOM RT, la plateforme peut également trianguler la position de la source en temps réel avec une précision de positionnement de 1 mm jusqu’à 6 cm de la source. Le détecteur ne présentait aucune dépendance angulaire. Un essai clinique est actuellement en cours avec ce système. / High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a cancer treatment modality that delivers to the target volume high doses in short amount of time in a few fractions. Despite the highly conformal dose distributions achieved with this treatment modality, the treatment itself is not free from errors. Because of the high dose gradient characteristics of the brachytherapy techniques, small errors in the source positioning can result in harmful consequences for patients. The routine use of a real-time verification system is the only way to know what dose was actually delivered to the tumor and organs at risk. This thesis presents the investigation done to obtain a Multi-point Plastic Scintillation Detector (mPSD) system capable of accurately performing in vivo dosimetry measurements in HDR brachytherapy. A first system’s prototype was optimized, characterized, and tested under typical HDR brachytherapy conditions. An exhaustive analysis was carried out to obtain an optimized mPSD design that maximizes the scintillation light collection produced by the interaction of ionizing photons. We found that the shorter wavelength scintillator should always be placed closer to the photodetector and the longer wavelength scintillator in the distal position for the best overall light-yield collection. If the latter configuration is not used, inter-scintillator excitation and self-absorption effects can occur, and as a consequence, the light transmission through the collecting fiber is not optimal. The detector was made light-tight to avoid environmental light, and its 1 mm diameter core allows their usage in most applicator channel used in 192Ir HDR brachytherapy. For the best mPSD design (3 mm of BCF10, 6 mm of BCF12, 7 mm BCF60), a numerical optimization was done to select the optical components (dichroic mirror, filter and Photomultiplier Tube (PMT)) that best match the light emission profile. It allows for signal deconvolution using a multispectral approach, extracting the dose to each element while taking into account the Cerenkov stem effect. The optimized luminescence system was enclosed into a custom-made box to preserve the optical chain stability and easy manipulation. The In Vivo Source Tracking (IViST) system’s dosimetric performance has been evaluated in HDR brachytherapy, covering a range of 10 cm of source movement around the mPSD’s sensors. IViST can simultaneously measure dose, triangulate source position, and measure dwell time. By making 100 000 measurements/s, IViST samples enough data to quickly perform key QA/QC tasks such as identifying wrong individual dwell time or interchanged transfer tubes. By using 3 co-linear sensors and planned information for an implant geometry (from DICOM RT), the platform can also triangulate source position in real-time with 1 mm positional accuracy up to 6 cm from the source. The detector further exhibited no angular dependence. A clinical trial is presently on-going using the IViST system.

L'homologie de contact est un invariant homologique pour variétés de contact dont la définition est basée sur l'utilisation de courbes holomorphes. Ce travail de thèse concerne l'étude de cet invariant dans le cas des produits de contact. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

For efficient transportation in either trains, busses or passenger cars, rolling elements such as wheels, tyres, bearings and transmission elements are fundamental. The energy efficiency and the generation of noise and vibrations in rolling contacts depend on the surface roughness of contacting bodies. In order to optimize the surfaces of rolling elements, prediction of its impact on the dynamic response from rolling excitation is required. A computationally efficient method to include surface roughness in the modelling of rolling contacts is presented. More specifically, nonlinear effects on the contact force due to the threedimensional shape and roughness of the contacting surfaces are introduced in a moving point force formulation. As a consequence of the point force approximation follows the assumption that any dynamic wave motion within the contact area is negligible.The rolling contact force is nonlinear due to a varying relative displacement between contacting bodies and is therefore referred to as state-dependent. A study case for the state-dependent method consisting of a steel ball rolling on a steel beam showed good agreement between numerical predictions and measured beam vibrations. Furthermore, an application to the wheel-rail interaction show that roughness-induced contact nonlinearities have a significant impact on the dynamic response caused by rolling excitation. / <p>QC 20141103</p> / ECO2 Vehicle Design

Depuis l'utilisation des boulons au XVème siècle pour assembler deux pièces, les assemblages boulonnés posent des questions quant à la compréhension de leur fonctionnement et de leurs défaillances, telles que la variation de la tension de serrage entrainant, le desserrage, le dévissage, la perte d'étanchéité, l'initialisation de fissures, ... Pour comprendre leur fonctionnement, une méthodologie d'analyse tribologique a été mise en place, permettant de démonter un assemblage boulonné sans le desserrer, afin de ne pas modifier les conditions de contact lors du desserrage. Ainsi, toutes les interfaces d'assemblages (‘‘filets’’ écrou/vis et ‘‘autres que filets’’) formant des triplets tribologiques, ont été étudiées durant les trois phases de leur cycle de vie (fabrication, serrage, service) par le biais de cas-tests de matériaux différents. Un dialogue interactif entre les expérimentations (corrélations d'images, expertises) et la simulation numérique (Eléments Finis, Eléments Discrets) a permis de dégager des interprétations, notamment concernant les trois phases. Lors de la fabrication, le roulage des vis engendre des transformations tribologiques superficielles au niveau des sous-surfaces des filets formés. Le cœur des vis (noyau) restant non-déformé, ce procédé crée ainsi une différence de microstructure au sein de ces vis, ce qui est une source d'altération de leurs propriétés en fatigue. Lors du serrage, il se forme à l'interface ‘‘filets’’ une mixture de troisièmes corps ‘‘sec-solide’’, accommodant la vitesse entre la vis et l'écrou. Cette mixture résulte d'une réactivité entre une graisse utilisée pour le serrage et des particules, détachées d'un revêtement appliqué sur les filets d'écrous et/ou de vis. En fin de serrage, une partie de la mixture reste piégée entre les filets, jouant le rôle de maintien de la tension de serrage. Dans ces conditions, il apparaît que le frottement varie en fonction de la rhéologie de la mixture, conditionnant la variation de la tension de serrage. En service, des instabilités de contact (glissement, décollement, ...) ont été identifiées au niveau des interfaces. Ces instabilités engendrent dans les interfaces ‘‘autres que filets’’ la formation d'un troisième corps oxydé. Ce dernier constitue un surplus de matière qui peut entrainer l'augmentation des contraintes mécaniques dans les assemblages. A l'interface ‘‘filets’’ écrou/vis, il a été constaté que si la mixture de troisièmes corps piégée en serrage n'est pas cohésive, elle est extrudée des contacts, initialisant la perte de la tension de serrage. A partir de ces interprétations, des interactions entre plusieurs circuits tribologiques conduisent à converger vers un scénario de fonctionnement des assemblages boulonnés, permettant de solutionner leurs défaillances par la re-conception (mise en place de gorge de décharge, ...). / Since the use of bolts in the fifteenth century to assemble two parts, the bolted assemblies have the interrogations according to the understanding of their operating and failures occurring, such as the variation of the clamping force leading to, self-loosening, loss of sealing performance, cracks initialization, ... In order to understand their operating, a methodology focused on tribological approach was established, enabling to disassemble a bolted assembly without loosen its, allowing to not change the contact conditions during loosening. So, all the bolted assemblies interfaces (nut/screw ‘‘threads’’ and ‘‘others than threads’’) constituting tribological triplets, have been studied according to the three stages of their full life-cycle (manufacturing, tightening and service) using configurations of different materials. An interactive dialogue between the experiments (fields measuring by digital images correlation, tribological analysis) and the numerical simulation (Finite Element Method, Discrete Element Method) has led to interpretations about the three stages. During the manufacturing, the rolling of screws generates tribological superficial transformations in subsurfaces of machined threads. Contrariwise, inside the volume of these machined screws, there is no tribological transformation. So, this manufacturing process creates a difference of microstructure in these screws, that could be a source of their fatigue properties destruction. During the tightening, it produces at ‘‘threads’’ interface a ‘‘dry-solid’’ mixture of third bodies, accommodating the speed jump between the screw and the nut. This mixture is the result of a reactivity between a grease used for bolted tightening and the particles, detached by plastic flow from a coating initially applied on the threads of nuts and/or bolts. At the end of the process, a part of the mixture remains trapped in the threads, playing the role of maintaining the clamping force. In these conditions, it appears that the friction varies depending of the rheology of the mixture, conditioning the variation of the clamping force. In service, contact instabilities (slip, peeling off, ...) have been identified in the interfaces. These instabilities lead to the formation of an oxidized third body in ‘‘others than threads’’ interfaces. This oxidized third body represents a surplus of material and can increase mechanical stresses in the assemblies. In the nut/screw ‘‘threads’’ interface, it was found that if the mixture of third bodies trapped during the tightening stage is not cohesive, it is extruded, initializing the loss of clamping force. Based on the findings, the interactions between multiple tribological circuits lead to converge to a scenario of bolted assemblies operating, allowing to solve their failures by re-designing (create discharge grooves, ...).

Contact resistance is the most important and universal characteristic of all types of electrical and thermal contacts. Accurate measurement of contact resistance is important, because it serves as a measure for judging the performance and operational life span of contacts. Rise in contact temperature is one of the major factors that pose a big threat to the stability of electrical contacts. Dissipation of heat by solid conduction through a contact interface is governed by its thermal contact conductance (TCC). This emphasizes the need to study the TCC of an electrical contact along with its electrical contact resistance (ECR). Simultaneous measurement of ECR and TCC is important for understanding the interconnection between these two quantities and the possible influence of one over another. Real time experimental data and analytical correlations can be extremely helpful in developing electrical contacts with improved thermal management capabilities. As a part of the experimental investigation, a test facility has been developed for making simultaneous measurement of ECR and TCC across flat contacts. The facility has the capability of measuring ECR and TCC over a wide range of operating parameters, such as contact pressure, contact temperature, interstitial gaseous media, ambient pressure, etc. It is also capable of determining the electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity of materials as a function of temperature, which is very helpful in analyzing the generated contact resistance data. Using this facility, simultaneous ECR and TCC measurements are made across bare and gold plated contacts of OFHC Cu (oxygen free high conductivity copper) and brass. Simultaneous ECR and TCC measurements are made on nominally flat contacts in the contact pressure range of 0 – 1 MPa and the interface temperature range of 20 – 120 °C. Effect of contact pressure and interface temperature on ECR and TCC is studied on bare and gold coated contacts in vacuum, N2, Ar, and SF6 environments. TCC strongly depends on the thermophysical properties of the interstitial media and shows a significant enhancement in gaseous media, because of the increased interfacial gap conductance compared to vacuum. The gas pressure is varied in the range of 1 – 2.6 bar to study its effect on the gap conductance at different contact pressures and interface temperatures. Minor increase in the ECR observed in gaseous media is found to be independent of the properties of the media. Experimental results indicated that ECR depends on the gas pressure as well as on the applied contact load. Effect of gold coating and its thickness on the ECR and TCC across OFHC Cu and brass contacts is studied. Measurements on electroplated gold specimens having different gold layer thicknesses (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 µm) indicated that ECR decreases and TCC increases with increasing gold coating thickness. Effect of gold coating on the substrate properties, contact surface tomography, and microhardness is analyzed and correlated to the observed behavior of ECR and thermal gap conductance. An attempt is made to understand and quantify the changes in the contact surface characteristics due to contact loading and heating, by measuring various surface topography parameters before and after the experimentation. Effect of thermal stresses (generated due to temperature variations) on ECR and TCC is studied and inclusion of an experimentally measured temperature dependent load correction factor is suggested in the theoretical models to take into account the effect of thermal stresses in contact assemblies.

No presente trabalho foi desenvolvida uma teoria de característica elétrica da estrutura metal-isolante-metal considerando uma camada fina de óxido entre o metal e o isolante, sendo o óxido um outro isolante de banda de energia proibida mais larga. Foi considerada uma distribuição energética uniforme de estados de impurezas à interface óxido-isolante. Estudamos a distribuição real do potencial na região de carga espacial usando a equação de Poisson. Através desta distribuição obtemos a relação entre o potencial de contato e a carga positiva na região de depleção e assim a característica capacitância-voltagem da estrutura. Este tipo de característica é útil para se calcular as características corrente em função do potencial e corrente em função do tempo para um dado potencial e deste modo é importante para o entendimento das estruturas MIM e MOIM. / In this work we have developed a theory of electric characteristic of the metal-oxide-insulator-metal structure, considering a thin film of oxide between metal and insulator; the oxide is another insulator of wider forbidden energy gap. A uniform energy distribution of impurity states at the oxide-insulator interface was considered. W e have studied the actual distribution of potential in the region of spatial charge using the Poisson equation. With this distribution we obtain the relation between the contact potential and the charge in the depletion region and then the characteristic potential - capacitance of t his structure. This type of characteristic is useful to calculate the characteristic current - potential, and current-time at a given potential . In this manner it is important to the understanding of MIM and MOIM structures.

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