Traditionally, destructive methods such as coring are used for the condition assessment of an existing concrete structure. Although these methods may yield valid data about the corresponding concrete section, they are quite expensive and time consuming. More important than these, destructive methods damage the structure being investigated and these points usually become focal points for further deterioration. For all these reasons, only a few samples can be collected from a structure and this results in a poor representation of the complete structure. The impact-echo technique is one of the most suitable non-destructive test methods that may be used on concrete for thickness determination or for investigation of possible delaminations in the internal parts of a concrete structure without damaging the surface. It has been observed that reliable results can be obtained quickly. Unlike pulse-echo tests which are commonly used on steel, testing a heterogeneous material like concrete requires the use of low frequency sound waves as in impact-echo, in order to mitigate the effects of paste-aggregate interfaces or small air voids. This method may be used to locate internal cracks or large air voids existing in concrete. It is known that impact-echo has been used successfully on structures with varying geometries and various purposes such as evaluation of concrete pavements, retaining walls and other reinforced concrete sections. Besides the investigation of the internal state, it may also be used when the other side of the section cannot be reached, as in the case of concrete pavements, in order to find the thickness of the section. This is especially important for quality control and for cost calculations. Research conducted in this thesis study was concentrated on the thickness determination of existing concrete pavement sections, produced in the laboratory with dimensions of 1500 x 2000 mm four and varying thicknesses, and the accuracy associated with these results. In order to correctly determine the sensitivity, several other parameters were investigated and optimum ranges were determined for these to be used while on a field test. Among these factors were the steel impactor size, accuracy related to the data acquisition, distance between the impact point and the transducer and the location of the test point. Finally, the accuracy of the impact-echo method for concrete pavement applications was studied. By observing the large number of data points collected, it was found out that an average error of 1.5% exists for a single impact-echo reading regardless of section thickness, but this value reduces to 0.6% when the average of all test results is used while determining pavement thickness. Results of this study show that the impact-echo technique is reliable and may be used with success for the thickness determination of concrete pavements and for locating internal voids.

The purpose of this study is to estimate the residual stress state in steel weldments by using Magnetic Barkhausen Noise (MBN) technique. For obtaining accurate, fast and continuous residual stress measurements a set up for single pass welded plates was designed and used. In order to convert the MBN values to residual stress values a calibration set up was also designed and a procedure for obtaining calibration curves was developed. After welding of low-C steel plates, residual stresses on heat affected zone (HAZ) and parent metal were measured by MBN technique. The results were verified by the hole drilling method. Microstructural investigation and hardness measurements were also conducted.

The use of non-destructive testing (NDT) methods was needed for the conservation studies of historic timber structures. The aim of this study was to develop combined use of ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) measurements and infrared (IR) thermography, together with visual analyses for soundness assessment of timber. An important timber structure in Ankara, Aslanhane Mosque and traditional timber dwellings, in AyaS and istiklal District were selected for in-situ analyses. Representative laboratory samples such as mud brick, fired brick, mud mortar, mud plaster, lime plaster, historic timbers of different species and some new timbers were used for analyses in the laboratory to develop reference data for in-situ analyses. This study has shown that direct and indirect UPV measurements taken parallel to fiber direction were good at estimating the soundness of timber elements. UPV measurements taken from timber samples were affected by atmospheric humidity, at which the timber was in equilibrium with or by its water content, cuts of timber and type of species. Quantitative Infrared thermography (QIRT) was good at soundness assessment and defect inspection of timber. The study showed that, the even or heterogeneous distribution of surface temperatures, different thermal inertia characteristics, reflected by the rates of heating and cooling of materials and their ratios to sound timber were good parameters to assess the state of deterioration of timber elements, dampness problems and the compatibility of neighbouring materials with timber. The joint use of QIRT and UPV methods combined with laboratory data has enhanced the accuracy and effectiveness of the survey.

Shot peening is a cold-working process by which residual compressive stresses are being induced in the surface region to increase the fatigue strength and the resistance to stress-corrosion cracking. This study covers non-destructive measurement of surface residual stresses in the shot-peened steel components by a micro-magnetic technique, named as Magnetic Barkhausen Noise (MBN) method. For this purpose, various low alloy steel specimens were prepared by a controlled shot peening process with different intensity, impact angle and coverage values. The measurements showed that a clear relationship exists between residual stresses and the MBN signals. Residual stress values determined by MBN technique were also verified by X-ray diffraction measurements.

Les objectifs principaux de ce travail sont i/l'élaboration d'un modèle de densité du bois chez le Chêne sessile (Quercus petraea Liebl.), en vue de son intégration dans des modèles de croissance en diamètre et en hauteur, ii/ l'évaluation du caractère général du modèle pour une utilisation dans des conditions climatiques, sylvicoles et stationnelles contrastées, iii/ la mise au point d'une méthode d'estimation de la variabilité individuelle de la densité (i.e. effet « arbre ») dans un peuplement de chênes sessiles à partir de prélèvements non destructifs et iv/ la mise en évidence des changements anatomiques qui expliquent les variations intra-arbre et inter-arbre de la densité du bois. Après avoir examiné dans un premier chapitre les relations qui sont mentionnées dans la bibliographie entre la densité du bois et différents aspects de la qualité interne du bois de Chêne, le chapitre 2 est consacré à l'élaboration d'un modèle de densité du bois pour le Chêne sessile. Le modèle est mis au point à partir de données (microdensité et infradensité du bois) provenant de 82 chênes sessiles échantillonnés dans cinq régions françaises (Alsace, Lorraine, Orne et Sarthe, Allier, Loir-et-Cher). Deux structures de peuplement (taillis sous futaie et futaie) ainsi que trois classes de fertilité étaient représentées dans chaque région. Le modèle établi, qui appartient à la famille des modèles mixtes, tient compte des deux principales sources de variation de la densité observées chez le Chêne : i/ les variations dans l'arbre (radiales et longitudinales) et ii/ les variations entre arbres. Le modèle élaboré est constitué i/ d'une partie déterministe, commune à l'ensemble des arbres, et ii/ d'une partie aléatoire, qui structure et quantifie les écarts propres aux arbres par rapport à la partie déterministe. Dans le manuscrit, ces écarts propres aux arbres sont appelés effets « arbre » et font l'objet d'études détaillées dans les chapitres 3 et 4. Le chapitre 3 s'intéresse à l'influence des facteurs stationnel, géographique et sylvicole sur le modèle de densité du bois précédemment établi. Nous intégrons ces différents facteurs dans le modèle de densité du bois et nous testons dans quelle mesure ces facteurs contribuent à l'effet « arbre ». Nous apportons notamment des informations sur la structuration de la variabilité individuelle pour la densité du bois (évaluée à l'échelle de plusieurs départements du centre et de la moitié nord de la France, dans des conditions stationnelles et sylvicoles contrastées). Nous recherchons également la présence éventuelle d'une tendance à long terme qui pourrait se manifester sur la relation entre la densité du bois et la croissance en diamètre du Chêne sessile. Au chapitre 4, nous présentons une méthode faisant appel à une utilisation originale des modèles mixtes et dont l'objectif est d'estimer sur le terrain les modèles individuels (i.e. spécifiques à chaque arbre) de densité du bois à partir de mesures de densité non destructives qui seraient réalisées sur un ou plusieurs groupes de cernes. Le chapitre 5 est dédié à la mise au point d'une méthode d'estimation de caractères anatomiques du bois de Chêne, en termes de densité et de proportion des tissus constitutifs des cernes, à partir de radiographies de barrettes radiales de faible épaisseur. La méthode proposée est basée sur des calculs de probabilités conditionnelles. Une validation de la méthode est présentée. Au chapitre 6, nous mettons en évidence les changements anatomiques qui accompagnent les variations de densité du bois. Pour cela, nous distinguons les variations intra-arbre et inter-arbre de la densité du bois structurées par le modèle mixte de densité élaboré au chapitre 2 et nous interprétons chaque partie du modèle au moyen de caractéristiques anatomiques (proportions et densités des tissus, caractéristiques des vaisseaux du bois initial) dont la plupart sont mesurées à l'aide de la méthode mise au point au chapitre 5.

The research reported in this thesis is part of a project to develop a remote wireless sensing network for monitoring the health of highway bridges. Remote health monitoring that does not require direct human observation has many advantages in terms of cost and increased productivity. However, bridges that cannot be easily connected to the power grid require alternative means of acquiring power. This thesis describes the design of a wind energy harvester to power a particular component in the sensor network, the wireless router. The work discussed in this thesis provides a review of relevant literature and development of a detailed analytical modeling of wind turbine behavior. The analytical model provides key information on sizing generators and choosing appropriate wind turbine dimensions to provide the required amount of power. The analytical model also distinguishes the performance of vertical and horizontal axis wind turbines. The model is verified through design and testing of a first generation prototype and benchmarking of a commercially available turbine. Based on these results, the design of the next generation wind harvesting system is described. A new methodology to design non-destructive attachment systems is also discussed. / text

Purpose: The purpose with this study is to find out and understand whether athlete's performance can be affected by destructive leadership in sports organizations, then weigh this together with theory. This is a try to contribute to the discourse on destructive leadership.   Method: This study is performed using a qualitative approach in the form of semi-structured interviews in which the interviewees are selected through a convenience sampling.   Theoretical framework: This investigation’s theoretical framework consists of theories dealing with leadership, leadership in sports organizations, power, destructive leadership, how destructive leadership can be positive and how it can be negative.    Empiricism: This investigation’s empiricism consists of 17 interviews with athletes who have experienced a destructive leader in sports organizations.  Conclusion: All athletes could express a negative influence on performance from destructive leadership, but the majority who expressed a positive influence expressed that it was a kind of fear, pressure or anger among the athletes that made the athletes perform better as the motivation and the desire to disprove the leader increased. How the destructive leader influence the athlete may depend on the athlete's personality and attitude. It is possible to discern in this study that athletes look, feel and respond differently to a destructive leadership, which can determine the positive and/or negative effects.

Severe corrosion damage and even complete failure was recently discovered in external post-tensioned (PT) tendons of three Florida's pre-cast, segmental bridges over seawater. A key deterioration factor was the formation of large bleed water grout voids at or near the anchorages. Steel corrosion may occur at the grout-void interface or in the air space of the void itself. Since the tendons are critical to the structural integrity of the bridges, reliable and non-intrusive damage detection methods are desirable to manage or prevent future occurrences. In recent years several indirect non-destructive methods have been developed or improved to evaluate the conditions of the tendons. One of those methods is vibration-based tension measurements, consisting of detecting tendon tension loss by analyzing the tendon's natural frequencies. Until recently, vibration-based tension measurements were costly and laborious since they required several operators to conduct the tests and complicated analysis through different programs. The first objective of this research is to provide a practical, simplified, user-friendly testing and analysis method for screening tendons by vibration measurements. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, Linear Polarization, and Electrical Resistance are alternative methods that could nondestructively detect or monitor corrosion before strand failures occur. The reliability and sensitivity of these conventional monitoring methods in solid or liquid media are well proven. However, few investigations exist on applying these methods to air-space corrosion as it may occur in tendon anchors. The second objective of this research is to establish the feasibility of using the above conventional monitoring methods for detecting air-space corrosion. In this investigation, two different types of Electrical Resistance probes were designed and evaluated. Also, electrochemical probes were constructed simulating strands conditions in the grout-void interface. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy and Linear Polarization measurements were conducted in the electrochemical probes to calculate their instantaneous corrosion rates. Electrical Resistance and Electrochemical probes results indicate that both methods provide sufficient sensibility to determine the ongoing damage.

The photovoltaic industry provides a pathway to allow renewable energy to meet world wide consumer energy needs. Past and present research and development on silicon based solar cells have helped make them the dominant player in the photovoltaic industry accounting for over 75% in 2005 as accounted by the US Department of Energy. One of the current technological problems is to identify and eliminate sources of mechanical defects such as thermo-elastic stress and cracks leading to the loss of wafer integrity and ultimately breakage of as-grown and processed Si wafers and cells.The RUV method, developed at the University of South Florida, enables fast and accurate crack detection with simple criteria for wafer rejection from solar cell production lines. The RUV system relies on variation of modal vibration characteristics due to physical variations in the wafers caused by cracks. Ultrasonic vibrations are introduced into the wafer using a vacuum coupled transducer and received by an acoustic probe mounted along the periphery of the wafer. Cracks are detected by monitoring shifts in the resonance peak's frequency, bandwidth, and amplitude. In Cz-Si wafers it has been shown that increased crack length leads to a decrease in peak frequency and an increase in peak bandwidth and decreasing peak amplitude. Minimum crack length sensitivity is related to the uniformity of the RUV parameters from wafer to wafer within a batch as well as system characteristics. Typically the RUV system is capable of detecting sub-millimeter length cracks. The use of auto loading and unloading allows the RUV system to achieve mass production level speeds of approximately two seconds per wafer. The RUV system has been successful in detecting cracks in single crystalline and multi-crystalline silicon wafers. Further development of the RUV system would solidify its place in manufacturing plants for non-destructive crack detection in PV cells.The contributing work of the author toward the further development of the RUV crack detection method will be examined in this thesis.

Είναι γενικώς αποδεκτό ότι η φροντίδα και η υποστήριξη των παλαιών κατασκευών σκυροδέματος ή λιθοσωμάτων είναι το θέμα-κλειδί του τρέχοντα αιώνα. Οι παλαιές αυτές κατασκευές είτε είναι απαρχαιωμένες είτε είναι λειτουργικά ανεπαρκείς, ενώ σε κάποιες άλλες περιπτώσεις έχουν υποστεί βλάβες, οπότε υπάρχει ανάγκη αντικατάστασης ή αποκατάστασης τους. Καθώς η αντικατάσταση, όμως, είναι πρακτικά αδύνατη, τίθεται θέμα αποκατάστασης της ήδη υπάρχουσας κατασκευής και σε πολλές περιπτώσεις και ενίσχυσης της. Εκτός των συμβατικών μεθόδων αποκατάστασης και ενίσχυσης, τα τελευταία χρονιά έχουν αναπτυχθεί νέες μέθοδοι ενίσχυσης, μια εκ των οποίων είναι αυτή που κάνει χρήση σύνθετων ίνο-οπλισμένων πολυμερών (FRP-Fiber Reinforced Plastics). Τα σύνθετα FRP πλεονεκτούν σε σχέση με τα συμβατικά υλικά σε αρκετά σημεία, όπως η μικρότερη διάβρωση από τις περιβαλλοντικές συνθήκες, πράγμα που αυξάνει το χρόνο ζωής τους και μειώνει την ανάγκη για τη συντήρηση τους. Ο κυριότερος, όμως, λόγος μελέτης τους αλλά και η ανάγκη για την εξέλιξη τους είναι η υψηλή αντοχή τους σε σχέση με το βάρος τους, γεγονός που τα κάνει πολύ πιο εύχρηστα. Ο πιο πρόσφορος τρόπος ελέγχου και αποτίμησης σε περιπτώσεις ενίσχυσης με σύνθετα FRP είναι με μη καταστροφικές μεθόδους αποτίμησης. Σε αυτή την περίπτωση τα σύνθετα FRP επιθεωρούνται τόσο κατά την εφαρμογή τους όσο και κατά τη διάρκεια ζωής τους για τυχόν ατέλειες στην επικόλληση αλλά και για βλάβες που μπορεί να επέλθουν, ώστε να αναγνωριστούν και να γίνουν οι κατάλληλες διορθωτικές ενέργειες ή να αντικατασταθεί η υπάρχουσα ενίσχυση. Σκοπός της εργασίας αυτής είναι η ανάδειξη των μη καταστροφικών μεθόδων αποτίμησης ως ένα πολύ χρήσιμο και αποδοτικό εργαλείο στα χεριά του πολιτικού μηχανικού. Προς αυτή την κατεύθυνση ακολουθούν τα εξής: Στο 1ο Κεφάλαιο αναφέρονται οι βασικές μη καταστρεπτικές μέθοδοι ελέγχου, οι βασικές αρχές λειτουργίας και ο αντίστοιχος εξοπλισμός τους. Έπειτα, στο 2ο και στο 3ο Κεφάλαιο δίνεται αναλυτικά η θεωρία της υπέρυθρης θερμογραφίας, ο αντίστοιχος εξοπλισμός και κάποιες πειραματικές δοκιμές εργαστηρίου. Στο 4ο κεφάλαιο περιέχονται εφαρμογές υπέρυθρης θερμογραφίας (IR-infrared thermography) πεδίου σε έργα πολιτικού μηχανικού και εφαρμογές σε θέματα θερμομόνωσης. Τέλος, στο 5ο και τελευταίο Κεφάλαιο της εργασίας αυτής αναφέρονται τα συμπεράσματα που εξάγονται. / -