La surveillance des rejets gazeux des installations nucléaires dans l'environnement et de contrôle des dispositifs d'épuration reposent sur des mesures régulières de concentrations des contaminants en sortie de cheminées et dans les réseaux de ventilation. La répartition de la concentration peut être hétérogène au niveau du point de mesure si la distance d'établissement du mélange est insuffisante. La question se pose sur l'évaluation du positionnement des points de piquage et sur l'erreur commise par rapport à la concentration homogène en cas de non-respect de cette distance. Cette étude définit cette longueur dite de « bon mélange » à partir d'expériences menées en laboratoire. Le banc dimensionné pour ces essais a permis de reproduire des écoulements dans des conduits longs circulaire et rectangulaire, comprenant chacun un coude. Une technique de mesure optique a été développée, calibrée puis utilisée pour mesurer la distribution de la concentration d'un traceur injecté dans l'écoulement. Les résultats expérimentaux en conduit cylindrique ont validé un modèle analytique basé sur l'équation de convection-diffusion d'un traceur, et ont permis de proposer des modèles de longueur de bon mélange et de représentativité de points de prélèvement. Dans le conduit à section rectangulaire, les mesures acquises constituent une première base de données sur l'évolution de l'homogénéisation d'un traceur, dans la perspective de simulations numériques explorant des conditions plus réalistes des mesures in situ. / Monitoring of gaseous releases from nuclear installations in the environment and air cleaning efficiency measurement are based on regular measurements of concentrations of contaminants in outlet chimneys and ventilation systems. The concentration distribution may be heterogeneous at the measuring point if the distance setting of the mixing is not sufficient. The question is about the set up of the measuring point in duct and the error compared to the homogeneous concentration in case of non-compliance with this distance. This study defines the so-called "well mixing length" from laboratory experiments. The bench designed for these tests allowed to reproduce flows in long circular and rectangular ducts, each including a bend. An optical measurement technique has been developed, calibrated and used to measure the concentration distribution of a tracer injected in the flow. The experimental results in cylindrical duct have validated an analytical model based on the convection-diffusion equation of a tracer, and allowed to propose models of good mixing length and representativeness of sampling points. In rectangular duct, the acquired measures constitute a first database on the evolution of the homogenization of a tracer, in the perspective of numerical simulations exploring more realistic conditions for measurements in situ.

Esse trabalho de pesquisa apresenta um estudo detalhado sobre guias de ondas integrados ao substrato (SIW) operando em frequências de micro-ondas com base na teoria de guias de ondas retangulares (RWG). O estudo sobre guias SIW associa equações apresentadas na literatura e utiliza simulações eletromagnéticas para desenvolver um procedimento de projeto bem definido. É considerada a integração entre guias SIW e linhas de transmissão de microfita, projetando-se transições entre essas duas estruturas com o propósito de prover casamento de impedância e de viabilizar a caracterização em frequências de micro-ondas. São apresentadas considerações sobre processos de fabricação de circuitos SIW em substratos constituídos por laminados de alta frequência. Uma vez estabelecidos os procedimentos de fabricação e os critérios de projeto, a tecnologia SIW é aplicada ao projeto de três guias de ondas SIW nas bandas S e X, que foram fabricados empregando laminados de alta-frequência. Foram projetados dois filtros SIW passa-faixa empregando cavidades ressonantes e postes metálicos indutivos. Os dois filtros operam na frequência central de 10,61 GHz, sendo que um deles tem banda de passagem de 7,5%e é de 3ª ordem e o outro filtro tem banda de passagem de 15%, sendo de 5ª ordem. Foram realizadas comparações entre o desempenho simulado e experimental das estruturas SIW projetadas. Os resultados de simulações eletromagnéticas e experimentais demonstraram boa concordância. Os projetos em tecnologia SIW apresentados neste trabalho de pesquisa possuem perdas de retorno melhores que 10 dB na banda de operação e perdas por inserção de 1,0 dB a 1,5 dB. É apresentada a análise da sensibilidade do desempenho dos guias de ondas e filtros SIW projetados a desvios dimensionais típicos do processo de fabricação por microfresagem mecânica. Com os resultados experimentais e de simulação foi possível validar os procedimentos de projeto e de fabricação de circuitos SIW operando em frequências de micro-ondas. / This research work presents a detailed study about substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) operating in microwave frequencies based on rectangular waveguides (RWG) theory. The study about SIW associates equations presented at the literature and uses electromagnetic simulations to develop a well-defined design procedure. Is considered the integration between substrate integrated waveguides and microstrip line, designing transitions between these two structures with the aim to provide impedance matching and make possible the characterization in microwave frequencies. Considerations are made about the manufacturing process of the SIW circuits on planar dielectric substrate. Once established a manufacturing process and a design procedure, the SIW technology is applied in three waveguides to operate in S and X bands. Was designed two band-pass filters with central frequency of 10,61 GHz, where one of them has band-pass of 7,5% and it is third order filter and the another one has band-pass of 15,0% and it is five order filter. Was made comparison between simulated results and experimental results for the all designed structures. The simulated results and the experimental results shown good agreement. The projects in SIW technology shown in this research work has return loss better than 10dB in the operation band and insertion loss between 1,0 dB and 1,5dB. Is shown a sensibility analysis of the waveguides and filters performance in SIW technology to evaluate the layout differences caused by manufacturing process. With the experimental results and simulation results was possible validate the design procedures and the manufacturing process of the SIW circuits operating in microwave frequencies.

A modelagem da demanda de água residencial fornece importantes subsídios ao dimensionamento e gerenciamento de redes de abastecimento de água. O comportamento desta demanda pode ser descrito através de processos estocásticos, caracterizados pela ocorrência de pulsos retangulares de demanda de água ao longo do tempo. Nesse contexto, este trabalho de pesquisa teve como objetivos monitorar e modelar a demanda de água residencial através dos modelos estocásticos dos pulsos retangulares de Neyman Scott (NSRP) e dos Pulsos Totais (OP). Enquanto que no modelo NSRP há a tentativa de simular a demanda de água através da representação dos seus constituintes elementares, no modelo OP busca-se a representação direta da demanda de água agregada dos usuários finais, como observada nos hidrômetros. A calibração e a validação dos modelos foram feitas a partir do monitoramento do consumo de água de quatro residências localizadas na cidade de São Carlos, caracterizadas por perfis de abastecimento distintos. Para tanto, foram desenvolvidos dispositivos dataloggers, que associados aos sensores/emissores de pulsos dos hidrômetros, permitiram o monitoramento do consumo de água ao longo do tempo dos usuários residenciais individuais. Durante a elaboração da pesquisa, foram observados efeitos negativos nas modelagens relacionados à influência dos reservatórios domiciliares (caixas d\'água) no perfil temporal do consumo de água das residências. Buscando mitigar esses efeitos, foram propostas modificações nas etapas de calibração e de geração das séries sintéticas de demanda de água. De uma forma geral, observou-se que as modificações propostas contribuíram para que as séries sintéticas geradas a partir dos modelos NSRP e OP reproduzissem de forma mais acurada as estatísticas das séries observadas, principalmente com relação às intensidades e durações das demandas simuladas. Apesar de as versões modificadas dos modelos NSRP e OP apresentarem desempenho similar na reprodução das médias, variâncias e covariâncias das séries observadas, o modelo OP reproduziu de forma mais consistente os volumes consumidos diários observados. / The modelling of residential water demand provides important subsidies for the design and management of water supply networks. The behavior of this demand can be described through stochastic processes, characterized by the occurrence of rectangular pulses of water demand over time. In this context, the objectives of this research were to monitor and model residential water demand using the Neyman Scott Rectangular Pulse model (NSRP) and Overall Pulse model (OP). While in the NSRP model there is the attempt to simulate the water demand through the representation of its elementary constituents, the OP model aims to direct represent the aggregate water demand of the end users, as observed in water meters. The calibration and validation of the models were done by monitoring the water consumption of four residences located in the city of São Carlos, characterized by different supply profiles. To this end, dataloggers were developed, which, coupled with sensors/pulse emitters and water meters, allowed the monitoring of water consumption over time of individual residential users. During the research, negative effects were observed in the models, related to the influence of the domestic reservoirs on the temporal patter of water consumption of the residences. To mitigate these effects, modifications were proposed in the calibration and generation stages of the synthetic water demand generation series. In general, it was observed that these proposed modifications contributed to a more accurately reproduction of the observed series statistics by the OP and NSRP synthetic series, especially regarding the intensities and durations of the simulated demands. Although the modified versions of the NSRP and OP models presented similar performance in the reproduction of the means, variances and covariance of the observed series, the OP model reproduced in a more consistent way the observed daily consumed volumes.

A modelagem da demanda de água residencial fornece importantes subsídios ao dimensionamento e gerenciamento de redes de abastecimento de água. O comportamento desta demanda pode ser descrito através de processos estocásticos, caracterizados pela ocorrência de pulsos retangulares de demanda de água ao longo do tempo. Nesse contexto, este trabalho de pesquisa teve como objetivos monitorar e modelar a demanda de água residencial através dos modelos estocásticos dos pulsos retangulares de Neyman Scott (NSRP) e dos Pulsos Totais (OP). Enquanto que no modelo NSRP há a tentativa de simular a demanda de água através da representação dos seus constituintes elementares, no modelo OP busca-se a representação direta da demanda de água agregada dos usuários finais, como observada nos hidrômetros. A calibração e a validação dos modelos foram feitas a partir do monitoramento do consumo de água de quatro residências localizadas na cidade de São Carlos, caracterizadas por perfis de abastecimento distintos. Para tanto, foram desenvolvidos dispositivos dataloggers, que associados aos sensores/emissores de pulsos dos hidrômetros, permitiram o monitoramento do consumo de água ao longo do tempo dos usuários residenciais individuais. Durante a elaboração da pesquisa, foram observados efeitos negativos nas modelagens relacionados à influência dos reservatórios domiciliares (caixas d\'água) no perfil temporal do consumo de água das residências. Buscando mitigar esses efeitos, foram propostas modificações nas etapas de calibração e de geração das séries sintéticas de demanda de água. De uma forma geral, observou-se que as modificações propostas contribuíram para que as séries sintéticas geradas a partir dos modelos NSRP e OP reproduzissem de forma mais acurada as estatísticas das séries observadas, principalmente com relação às intensidades e durações das demandas simuladas. Apesar de as versões modificadas dos modelos NSRP e OP apresentarem desempenho similar na reprodução das médias, variâncias e covariâncias das séries observadas, o modelo OP reproduziu de forma mais consistente os volumes consumidos diários observados. / The modelling of residential water demand provides important subsidies for the design and management of water supply networks. The behavior of this demand can be described through stochastic processes, characterized by the occurrence of rectangular pulses of water demand over time. In this context, the objectives of this research were to monitor and model residential water demand using the Neyman Scott Rectangular Pulse model (NSRP) and Overall Pulse model (OP). While in the NSRP model there is the attempt to simulate the water demand through the representation of its elementary constituents, the OP model aims to direct represent the aggregate water demand of the end users, as observed in water meters. The calibration and validation of the models were done by monitoring the water consumption of four residences located in the city of São Carlos, characterized by different supply profiles. To this end, dataloggers were developed, which, coupled with sensors/pulse emitters and water meters, allowed the monitoring of water consumption over time of individual residential users. During the research, negative effects were observed in the models, related to the influence of the domestic reservoirs on the temporal patter of water consumption of the residences. To mitigate these effects, modifications were proposed in the calibration and generation stages of the synthetic water demand generation series. In general, it was observed that these proposed modifications contributed to a more accurately reproduction of the observed series statistics by the OP and NSRP synthetic series, especially regarding the intensities and durations of the simulated demands. Although the modified versions of the NSRP and OP models presented similar performance in the reproduction of the means, variances and covariance of the observed series, the OP model reproduced in a more consistent way the observed daily consumed volumes.

No description available.

Artificial magnetic materials (AMMs) are a type of metamaterials which are engineered to exhibit desirable magnetic properties not found in nature. AMMs are realized by embedding electrically small metallic resonators aligned in parallel planes in a host dielectric medium. In the presence of a magnetic field, an electric current is induced on the inclusions leading to the emergence of an enhanced magnetic response inside the medium at the resonance frequency of the inclusions. AMMs with negative permeability are used to develop single negative, or double negative metamaterials. AMMs with enhanced positive permeability are used to provide magneto-dielectric materials at microwave or optical frequencies where the natural magnetic materials fail to work efficiently. Artificial magnetic materials have proliferating applications in microwave and optical frequency region. Such applications include inversely refracting the light beam, invisibility cloaking, ultra miniaturizing and frequency bandwidth enhancing low profile antennas, planar superlensing, super-sensitive sensing, decoupling proximal high profile antennas, and enhancing solar cells efficiency, among others. AMMs have unique enabling features that allow for these important applications. Fundamental limitations on the performance of artificial magnetic materials have been derived. The first limitation which depends on the generic model of permeability functions expresses that the frequency dispersion in an AMM is limited by the desired operational bandwidth. The other constraints are derived based on the geometrical limitations of inclusions. These limitations are calculated based on a circuit model. Therefore, a formulation for permeability and magnetic susceptibility of the media based on a circuit model is developed. The formulation is in terms of a geometrical parameter that represents the geometrical characteristics of the inclusions such as area, perimeter and curvature, and a physical parameter that represents the physical, structural and fabrication characteristics of the medium. The effect of the newly introduced parameters on the effective permeability of the medium and the magnetic loss tangent are studied. In addition, the constraints and relations are used to methodically design artificial magnetic material meeting specific operational requirements. A novel design methodology based on an introduced analytical formulation for artificial magnetic material with desired properties is implemented. The synthesis methodology is performed in an iterative four-step algorithm. In the first step, the feasibility of the design is tested to meet the fundamental constraints. In consecutive steps, the geometrical and physical factors which are attributed to the area and perimeter of the inclusion are synthesized and calculated. An updated range of the inclusion's area and perimeter is obtained through consecutive iterations. Finally, the outcome of the iterative procedure is checked for geometrical realizability. The strategy behind the design methodology is generic and can be applied to any adopted circuit based model for AMMs. Several generic geometries are introduced to realize any combination of geometrically realizable area and perimeter (s,l) pairs. A realizable geometry is referred to a contour that satisfies Dido's inequality. The generic geometries introduced here can be used to fabricate feasible AMMs. The novel generic geometries not only can be used to enhance magnetic properties, but also they can be configured to provide specific permeability with desired dispersion function over a certain frequency bandwidth with a maximum magnetic loss tangent. The proposed generic geometries are parametric contours with uncorrelated perimeter and area function. Geometries are configured by tuning parameters in order to possess specified perimeter and surface area. The produced contour is considered as the inclusion's shape. The inclusions are accordingly termed Rose curve resonators (RCRs), Corrugated rectangular resonators (CRRs) and Sine oval resonators (SORs). Moreover, the detailed characteristics of the RCR are studied. The RCRs are used as complementary resonators in design of the ground plane in a microstrip stop-band filter, and as the substrate in design of a miniaturized patch antenna. The performance of new designs is compared with the counterpart devices, and the advantages are discussed.

Three dimensional nozzles and jet flows have attracted the attention of many researchers due to their potential application to many practical devices. Rectangular nozzles are considered for short/vertical take off and landing aircrafts for achieving powered lift. Axisymmetric nozzles with lobes, tabs or slots and elliptical nozzles are considered for noise reduction in aircrafts and mixing augmentation in airbreathing rockets. Interaction of supersonic jets with solid surface, as in the case of retro and ullage rockets in launch vehicles and interaction of multiple jets as in the case of launch vehicles with multiple booster rockets/multiple nozzle engines are of practical importance. Design of rockets and aircrafts employing these nozzles needs the understanding of the structure and behaviour of the complex three dimensional supersonic jets issuing from these nozzles. The problem is so complex that different investigators have addressed only some specific aspects of the problem and there is much more to be done to fully understand these flows. For example, in the case of rectangular nozzle with semi circular ends (known as elliptical nozzle), the investigations have been limited to a single nozzle of aspect ratio 3,0 and pressure ratio (ratio of the total pressure to ambient pressure) 3.0. Further, the measurements were made in the far field subsonic region beyond a distance of 20 times the equivalent nozzle radius (RJ. For the present study, the elliptical sonic nozzle of the type mentioned above was chosen, as it offered simplicity for manufacturing and carrying out computations, but has all the complex features associated with the three dimensional jets. A systematic study to understand the mean flow structure and the effect of important governing parameters like ratio and pressure ratio on the flow development process of the jet issuing from Navier-Stokes equations. The experimental study revealed many interesting flow features. It was found that the Underexpanded jet issuing from elliptical sonic nozzle spreads rapidly in the minor axis plane while it maintains almost constant width or contracts in the major axis plane. However, the gross spreading of this jet is much higher compared to the axisymmetric jet. The higher spreading rates experienced in the minor axis plane compared to the major axis plane of this 'et, results in the jet width in the minor axis plane to become higher than that in the major axis plane. The longitudinal location, where this occurs is called the axis switching location. This kind of axis switching phenomenon is known to exist for subsonic elliptical jets. However, for the present supersonic jets, the axis switching locations are much closer to the nozzle exit compared to the subsonic cases reported. It was further found that this location strongly depends on the pressure and aspect ratios. A critical pressure ratio was found to exist for each nozzle at which the axis switching location is the farthest. Above the critical pressure ratio, the axis switching location was observed to move upstream with the increase in the pressure ratio and is controlled by the complex interactions of shock and expansion waves near the nozzle exit. Below the critical pressure ratio, the axis switching location moves upstream with the decrease in pressure ratio and is controlled by some kind of instability in the minor axis plane. The shock structure present in the underexpanded jet from an elliptical nozzle was also observed to depend on both pressure and aspect ratios. For some aspect ratios and pressure ratios, the shock pattern observed in both the major and minor axis planes are similar to that of an axisymmetric jet, where the incident barrel shock and the Mach reflection (from the edges of the Mach disk) are present. But for all other cases, this shock continues to be seen only in the major axis plane. Whereas, in the minor axis plane, the incident shock is absent in the shock pattern. Detailed measurement in the jet cross sectional planes, for the case of aspect ratio 2.0 nozzle, shows that the cross sectional shape changes along the length and it becomes almost a circle at the axis switching location. Further downstream, the jet spreads rapidly in the minor axis plane whereas no significant change in the width of the jet in the major axis plane is observed. Far downstream, the jet boundary appears like a distorted ellipse with its major and minor dimensions lying respectively in the minor and major axis planes of the nozzle. The elongated shape of the jet cross sections at locations downstream of the axis switching point gives the impression that the entire flow in the major axis plane is turned towards the minor axis plane. This effect appears to be predominant at high pressure ratios. The computed near field shock structure in the planes of symmetry, pitot pressure distributions, cross sectional shape of the jet and the spreading pattern agree very well with the experimental results. In addition to this, the present computational method gives the detailed near field flow structure including the azimuthal extent of the incident shock, cross flow details and distributions of flow variables. It is shown that the present inviscid methodology can also predict the axis switching point accurately if it occurs before the formation of the Mach disk and it demonstrates that the jet growth phenomenon in the near field, atleast, is mainly controlled by the inviscid flow process. The computed results have shown that changes in the jet cross sectional shape in the near field is caused mainly by the interaction of compression and expansion waves with each other and with the constant pressure boundary. The inviscid method seems to be able to capture the complicated secondary cross flow structure (indicating presence of longitudinal vortices) of the elliptical jet. The complex mean flow structure in the near field region of the jet issuing from elliptical nozzles and the effect of nozzle aspect ratio and pressure ratio on the structure are brought out clearly in the present study. The mechanism governing the spreading and the axis switching characteristics are also brought out. Thus the present experimental and computational investigations give a comprehensive understanding of the mean flow structure of the underexpanded jets issuing from elliptical nozzles. Further studies are required to understand the other aspects of the elliptical jets as well as other three-dimensional jets. Some of these studies are identified for future work.

This study aims to investigate the behaviour of low-order beam and plate elements especially for their application to laminated structures. The merits and dements of the existing elements are brought out and new low-order elements with better interpolation polynomials are proposed. Two new beam elements are proposed for laminated composite beams that yield better representation of twist due to material coupling. Out of the two elements developed, one is based on the conventional formulation and the other on the coupled-field formulation, both capturing material induced coupling. The beam developed using coupled field formulation shows a novel way of obtaining a fully coupled interpolation function for field variables using the complete set of equilibrium equations for the composite beams. The element has shown a superior coarse mesh performance. These elements can practically capture plate behaviour in beam elements for a wide range of plate thickness. The locking problems in conventional 4-node quadrilateral elements, such as shear locking and geometric locking are studied. Various techniques available in literature to remedy these problems are also studied. A suite of QUAD4 with conventional techniques such as. Reduced Integration, Field Consistency, Mixed Interpolation of Tensorial strain Components, Assumed Natural Strain, Discrete Shear Gap, Incompatible modes Q6 and QM6 is developed. An effort is made to combine these techniques to develop new element that yields improved performance. The element is shown to exhibit improved performance for certain cases. Several four-node rectangular elements are developed based on the coupled-field techniques. First two new-coupled elements are formulated that employ Sabir's [101] plane bending formulation with drilling degree of freedom, and the plate bending rotations are generated using equilibrium equations. However, since Sabir's plane bending interpolation polynomials yielded inaccurate performance for composites, it led to development of elements with fully coupled field formulations. Finally, two new 4-node rectangular elements are developed using coupled-field formulations with six and seven dof freedom per node respectively. Here the interpolation polynomials are derived using the complete equilibrium equations. The elements are extensively tested for static deflection, dynamics and buckling of isotropic and laminated plates/beams. The elements show superior coarse mesh convergence. Several problems pertaining to vibration and buckling of composite plates/beams are solved using the elements developed in this work.

Αντικείμενο της παρούσας Διατριβής Διπλώματος Ειδίκευσης αποτελεί η πειραματική διερεύνηση της αποτελεσματικότητας της περίσφιγξης υποστυλωμάτων οπλισμένου σκυροδέματος με μεγάλο λόγο πλευρών με μανδύες ινοπλισμένων πολυμερών και με μανδύες ινοπλεγμάτων σε ανόργανη μήτρα. Για το σκοπό αυτό διενεργήθηκε εκτενές πειραματικό πρόγραμμα στο Εργαστήριο Μηχανικής και Τεχνολογίας Υλικών του Τμήματος Πολιτικών Μηχανικών του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. Το πειραματικό πρόγραμμα περιελάμβανε 18 υποστυλώματα υπό κλίμακα 3/5 ύψους 770 mm τα οποία χωρίστηκαν σε δύο ομάδες, ανάλογα με το λόγο των πλευρών τους (1η ομάδα: με λόγο πλευρών 1:3, 150×450mm, 2η ομάδα: με λόγο πλευρών 1:4, 150×600mm). Δύο από τα υποστυλώματα παρέμειναν χωρίς ενίσχυση και αποτέλεσαν τα δοκίμια αναφοράς για τα ενισχυμένα δοκίμια, τα οποία περισφίχθηκαν με μανδύες ΙΟΠ και ΙΑΜ. Τα συστήματα ενίσχυσης που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν περιελάμβαναν μανδύες ΙΟΠ ινών άνθρακα με μια, δύο ή τρεις στρώσεις, χωρίς ή με αγκύρια ινών άνθρακα μορφής θυσάνου καθώς και μανδύα με δύο στρώσεις περιμετρικά του δοκιμίου και μανδύα μορφής U και αγκύρια ινών. Επιπλέον, εξετάστηκαν και μανδύες με τέσσερεις στρώσεις ινοπλέγματος με ίνες άνθρακα σε ανόργανη μήτρα με και χωρίς αγκύρια ινών άνθρακα μορφής θυσάνου εμποτισμένων σε εποξειδική ρητίνη. Η παρούσα διατριβή αποτελείται από οχτώ κεφάλαια, κάθε ένα από τα οποία διαχωρίζεται σε κατάλληλες ενότητες, υποενότητες και παραγράφους. Στο πρώτο και δεύτερο Κεφάλαιο γίνεται μια εισαγωγή στα σύνθετα υλικά με περιγραφή των επιμέρους συστατικών τους, των χαρακτηριστικών ιδιοτήτων τους καθώς και των παραγόντων που επηρεάζουν τη συμπεριφορά τους. Στο τρίτο Κεφάλαιο πραγματοποιείται βιβλιογραφική ανασκόπηση για την περίσφιγξη υποστυλωμάτων, όπου αρχικά περιγράφονται συμβατικές τεχνικές ενίσχυσης που περιλαμβάνουν νέους μανδύες οπλισμένου σκυροδέματος, μεταλλικά ελάσματα, μεταλλικούς μανδύες κλπ και στη συνέχεια περιγράφονται τεχνικές ενίσχυσης με σύνθετα υλικά. Περιγράφεται ο καταστατικός νόμος που διέπει τη συμπεριφορά του περισφιγμένου με μανδύες σύνθετων υλικών σκυροδέματος και παρουσιάζονται συνοπτικά πειραματικές μελέτες από τη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία που αφορούν τη διερεύνηση της αποτελεσματικότητας της μεθόδου ενίσχυσης µε ΙΟΠ σε υποστυλώματα με μικρό και μεγάλο λόγο πλευρών. Τέλος, το κεφάλαιο ολοκληρώνεται με συνοπτική αναφορά πειραματικών μελετών σε δοκίμια περισφιγμένα με μανδύες σε ανόργανη μήτρα. Στο τέταρτο Κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζεται η πειραματική διαδικασία που ακολουθήθηκε για την κατασκευή των δοκιμίων καθώς και οι παράμετροι που διερευνήθηκαν. Συγκεκριμένα, περιγράφονται όλα τα υλικά που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν, τα διάφορα συστήματα ενίσχυσης που εφαρμόστηκαν καθώς και οι διαδικασίες που ακολουθήθηκαν από την προετοιμασία των δοκιμίων μέχρι την ενίσχυσής τους. Στο τέλος του κεφαλαίου γίνεται μια σύντομη περιγραφή της πειραματικής διάταξης και του επιμέρους μηχανικού εξοπλισμού που χρησιμοποιήθηκε για την υλοποίηση των δοκιμών μονοαξονικής θλίψης. Στο πέμπτο Κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται διεξοδικά τα αποτελέσματα όλων των δοκιμίων που συμμετείχαν στο πειραματικό πρόγραμμα. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, περιγράφονται οι τρόποι αστοχίας των δοκιμίων συνοδεία φωτογραφικού υλικού και παρατίθενται οι καμπύλες τάσης – παραμόρφωσης τόσο για κάθε ένα ξεχωριστά όσο και συγκεντρωτικά για κάθε ομάδα. Στο έκτο Κεφάλαιο γίνεται σύγκριση των αποτελεσμάτων όλων των πειραμάτων που διεξήχθησαν στο Εργαστήριο Μηχανικής και Τεχνολογίας Υλικών σε υποστυλώματα με λόγους πλευρών 1:3 και 1:4 περισφιγμένα με μανδύες ΙΟΠ και ΙΑΜ προκειμένου να εξαχθούν γενικότερα συμπεράσματα πάνω στην επίδραση του υλικού της μήτρας, του αριθμού των στρώσεων και της ύπαρξης αγκυρίων στην αποτελεσματικότητα της περίσφιγξης. Στο έβδομο Κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζονται τα αποτελέσματα από ένα αναλυτικό προσομοίωμα που χρησιμοποιήθηκε για την πρόβλεψη του μέγιστου θλιπτικού φορτίου και της οριακής παραμόρφωσης αστοχίας των περισφιγμένων με μανδύες ΙΟΠ και ΙΑΜ. Επιπλέον, γίνεται σύγκριση των αποτελεσμάτων του αναλυτικού προσομοιώματος με τα πειραματικά δεδομένα και εξετάζεται κατά πόσο αυτό το προσομοίωμα μπορεί να χρησιμοποιείται για υποστυλώματα με μεγάλο λόγο πλευρών, μετά από αλλαγή κάποιων παραμέτρων του. Στο όγδοο και τελευταίο Κεφάλαιο, παρουσιάζονται συνοπτικά τα τελικά συμπεράσματα που προέκυψαν αρχικά από την πειραματική διαδικασία και στη συνέχεια από τη χρήση του αναλυτικού προσομοιώματος. Τέλος, γίνονται και μερικές προτάσεις για περαιτέρω έρευνα πάνω σε υποστυλώματα με μεγάλο λόγο πλευρών. / The present study investigates experimentally the effectiveness of the confinement of reinforced concrete (RC) columns with high aspect ratio (wall-like RC columns) retrofitted either with fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) or with textile-reinforced mortars (TRM) jackets. For this purpose an extensive experimental program was conducted at the Structural Materials Laboratory of the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Patras. A total of 18 identical rectangular reinforced concrete columns were constructed in a scale of 3/5 and 770 mm height so that the slenderness effects could be eliminated and tested in uniaxial compression. The columns were separated in two groups according to their aspect ratio; the first group consisted of seven RC column specimens with cross section dimensions 150mm by 450mm and an aspect ratio equal to 3, and the second group consisted of eleven RC column specimens with cross section dimensions 150mm by 600mm and an aspect ratio equal to 4. To facilitate FRP and TRM wrapping, the four corners were chamfered with a radius equal to 20mm. A number of parameters were investigated such as the kind of the matrix material (organic and inorganic), the number of layers of the jackets (1, 2, 3 and 4), the role of different cross section aspect ratios (3 and 4), the effectiveness of spike anchors (resin-impregnated fiber rovings) and local strengthening with U shape jacketing placed at the smaller sides of the columns. The first chapter provides general information on FRP materials describing their individual components, their characteristic properties, the factors affecting their behavior as well as the basic techniques for their application. The second chapter describes the composite materials in inorganic matrix (TRM) and presents a comparison between the two composite material strengthening systems. In the third chapter a brief literature review is provided about the confinement of columns with conventional techniques (e.g. steel plating, steel jacketing, RC jacketing) as well as with composite materials. The constitutional law of confined concrete with jackets of composite materials is described. Furthermore some experimental studies from the international literature are presented concerning the effectiveness of the confinement with FRP jackets of columns with small and high aspect ratio. Finally, the chapter concludes with a brief reference to experimental studies on specimens confined with jackets in inorganic matrix (TRM jackets). The fourth chapter presents the procedure for constructing and retrofitting the specimens including the materials used (carbon fiber fabric and textile, carbon fiber spike anchors, epoxy resin, inorganic matrix) as well as the equipment used for uniaxial compression tests. In the fifth chapter the results for each specimen are given presenting their failure mode and the corresponding load - displacement curve. In the following chapter the results for each group are compared in order to establish general conclusions on the effect of the kind of the matrix material, the number of layers and the existence of FRP anchors in confinement of wall-like RC columns. The seventh chapter presents the results of an analytical model used to predict the maximum compressive load and the ultimate deformation of specimens confined with FRP or TRM jackets. A comparison between the experimental and the analytical results is made and it is examined whether this model can be used for columns with high aspect ratio after modifying some of the parameters. The eighth chapter summarises the most important conclusions of all investigations carried out by the present project for both the experimental procedure and the analytical model. Finally, some suggestions for further research on columns with high aspect ratio are listed.

Artificial magnetic materials (AMMs) are a type of metamaterials which are engineered to exhibit desirable magnetic properties not found in nature. AMMs are realized by embedding electrically small metallic resonators aligned in parallel planes in a host dielectric medium. In the presence of a magnetic field, an electric current is induced on the inclusions leading to the emergence of an enhanced magnetic response inside the medium at the resonance frequency of the inclusions. AMMs with negative permeability are used to develop single negative, or double negative metamaterials. AMMs with enhanced positive permeability are used to provide magneto-dielectric materials at microwave or optical frequencies where the natural magnetic materials fail to work efficiently. Artificial magnetic materials have proliferating applications in microwave and optical frequency region. Such applications include inversely refracting the light beam, invisibility cloaking, ultra miniaturizing and frequency bandwidth enhancing low profile antennas, planar superlensing, super-sensitive sensing, decoupling proximal high profile antennas, and enhancing solar cells efficiency, among others. AMMs have unique enabling features that allow for these important applications. Fundamental limitations on the performance of artificial magnetic materials have been derived. The first limitation which depends on the generic model of permeability functions expresses that the frequency dispersion in an AMM is limited by the desired operational bandwidth. The other constraints are derived based on the geometrical limitations of inclusions. These limitations are calculated based on a circuit model. Therefore, a formulation for permeability and magnetic susceptibility of the media based on a circuit model is developed. The formulation is in terms of a geometrical parameter that represents the geometrical characteristics of the inclusions such as area, perimeter and curvature, and a physical parameter that represents the physical, structural and fabrication characteristics of the medium. The effect of the newly introduced parameters on the effective permeability of the medium and the magnetic loss tangent are studied. In addition, the constraints and relations are used to methodically design artificial magnetic material meeting specific operational requirements. A novel design methodology based on an introduced analytical formulation for artificial magnetic material with desired properties is implemented. The synthesis methodology is performed in an iterative four-step algorithm. In the first step, the feasibility of the design is tested to meet the fundamental constraints. In consecutive steps, the geometrical and physical factors which are attributed to the area and perimeter of the inclusion are synthesized and calculated. An updated range of the inclusion's area and perimeter is obtained through consecutive iterations. Finally, the outcome of the iterative procedure is checked for geometrical realizability. The strategy behind the design methodology is generic and can be applied to any adopted circuit based model for AMMs. Several generic geometries are introduced to realize any combination of geometrically realizable area and perimeter (s,l) pairs. A realizable geometry is referred to a contour that satisfies Dido's inequality. The generic geometries introduced here can be used to fabricate feasible AMMs. The novel generic geometries not only can be used to enhance magnetic properties, but also they can be configured to provide specific permeability with desired dispersion function over a certain frequency bandwidth with a maximum magnetic loss tangent. The proposed generic geometries are parametric contours with uncorrelated perimeter and area function. Geometries are configured by tuning parameters in order to possess specified perimeter and surface area. The produced contour is considered as the inclusion's shape. The inclusions are accordingly termed Rose curve resonators (RCRs), Corrugated rectangular resonators (CRRs) and Sine oval resonators (SORs). Moreover, the detailed characteristics of the RCR are studied. The RCRs are used as complementary resonators in design of the ground plane in a microstrip stop-band filter, and as the substrate in design of a miniaturized patch antenna. The performance of new designs is compared with the counterpart devices, and the advantages are discussed.