At many American colleges and universities, efforts to enhance the retention of a diverse group of students have become a priority. This study represents part of this effort at the University of Central Florida, a large public suburban state university in the South. Specifically, this investigation evaluated Pegasus '95 and the Academic Mentoring Program offered in the Summer and Fall Semesters of 1995 to specially-admitted students who fell short of regular admissions requirements. During the summer, Pegasus '95 provided testing, orientation, guided course work, study skills workshops, and mentoring, both individually and in the context of cohesive socialization groups of approximately 15 students each. In the Fall 1995 Semester, students were highly encouraged to participate in one-on-one mentoring in the Academic Mentoring Program (AMP) available through the Student Academic Resource Center (SARC), a university-based office which provides a variety of academic assistance services. A multiple regression analysis was conducted using the following independent predictor variables: gender, SAT/ACT scores, Pegasus participation, use of the AMP in the Fall 1995 semester, four summary scores from the College Student Inventory (CSI), and eight scaled scores from the Noncognitive Questionnaire (NCQ). Dependent variables were individual student GPA in the Summer and Fall 1995 semesters, cumulative GPA after two semesters, and enrolled credit hours into the Spring 1996 academic term. Overall, it was expected that a combination of predictor variables, including both traditional cognitive factors (SAT/ACT scores and high school GPA) and noncognitive factors (NCQ scores and CSI scores, Pegasus participation, and mentoring by the SARC) would significantly predict GP A and retention. The study found that a regression equation including gender, high school GPA, overall SAT scores and the eight NCQ scale scores significantly predicted Fall 1995 and cumulative GPA after two semesters but not Summer 1995 GPA or credit hours enrolled in Spring 1996. Attendance at Pegasus meetings was also shown to be significantly and positively associated with Fall 1995 GPA and cumulative GPA after two semesters but not of Summer 1995 GPA or credit hours enrolled in Spring 1996. Gender, high school GP A, the ACT score and the CSI Dropout Proneness scale significantly predicted credit hours enrolled in Spring 1996, as did use of the AMP program provided by the SARC. Of particular interest was the finding that including noncognitive factors in significant equations led to a greater explanation of the variance than could be obtained with any of the traditional cognitive measurements alone, suggesting that with academically disadvantaged students noncognitive measures must be considered in predicting who can succeed and persist in college.

M. Tech. : Mathematical Technology. / Attempts will be made to extend the elementary quarter-mass models (for instance Gillepse, 1992, [5]; Kiecke & Nielsen, 2000, [6] and Singiresu, 2004, [7]) of a motor vehicle suspension system to include the radial vibrations of a rubber tyre in the model. Tangential vibrations of the tyre surface were investigated by Bekker (2009, [8]) and the possible incorporation of such vibrations into a suspension model invites the possibility of future study.

Multisymplectic integration is a relatively new addition to the field of geometric integration, which is a modern approach to the numerical integration of systems of differential equations. Multisymplectic integration is carried out by numerical integrators known as multisymplectic integrators, which preserve a discrete analogue of a multisymplectic conservation law. In recent years, it has been shown that various discretisations of a multi-Hamiltonian PDE satisfy a discrete analogue of a multisymplectic conservation law. In particular, discretisation in time and space by the popular symplectic Runge–Kutta methods has been shown to be multisymplectic. However, a multisymplectic integrator not only needs to satisfy a discrete multisymplectic conservation law, but it must also form a well-defined numerical method. One of the main questions considered in this thesis is that of when a multi-Hamiltonian PDE discretised by Runge–Kutta or partitioned Runge–Kutta methods gives rise to a well-defined multisymplectic integrator. In particular, multisymplectic integrators that are explicit are sought, since an integrator that is explicit will, in general, be well defined. The first class of discretisation methods that I consider are the popular symplectic Runge–Kutta methods. These have previously been shown to satisfy a discrete analogue of the multisymplectic conservation law. However, these previous studies typically fail to consider whether or not the system of equations resulting from such a discretisation is well defined. By considering the semi-discretisation and the full discretisation of a multi-Hamiltonian PDE by such methods, I show the following: • For Runge–Kutta (and for partitioned Runge–Kutta methods), the active variables in the spatial discretisation are the stage variables of the method, not the node variables (as is typical in the time integration of ODEs). • The equations resulting from a semi-discretisation with periodic boundary conditions are only well defined when both the number of stages in the Runge–Kutta method and the number of cells in the spatial discretisation are odd. For other types of boundary conditions, these equations are not well defined in general. • For a full discretisation, the numerical method appears to be well defined at first, but for some boundary conditions, the numerical method fails to accurately represent the PDE, while for other boundary conditions, the numerical method is highly implicit, ill-conditioned and impractical for all but the simplest of applications. An exception to this is the Preissman box scheme, whose simplicity avoids the difficulties of higher order methods. • For a multisymplectic integrator, boundary conditions are treated differently in time and in space. This breaks the symmetry between time and space that is inherent in multisymplectic geometry. The second class of discretisation methods that I consider are partitioned Runge– Kutta methods. Discretisation of a multi-Hamiltonian PDE by such methods has lead to the following two major results: 1. There is a simple set of conditions on the coefficients of a general partitioned Runge– Kutta method (which includes Runge–Kutta methods) such that a general multi- Hamiltonian PDE, discretised (either fully or partially) by such methods, satisfies a natural discrete analogue of the multisymplectic conservation law associated with that multi-Hamiltonian PDE. 2. I have defined a class of multi-Hamiltonian PDEs that, when discretised in space by a member of the Lobatto IIIA–IIIB class of partitioned Runge–Kutta methods, give rise to a system of explicit ODEs in time by means of a construction algorithm. These ODEs are well defined (since they are explicit), local, high order, multisymplectic and handle boundary conditions in a simple manner without the need for any extra requirements. Furthermore, by analysing the dispersion relation for these explicit ODEs, it is found that such spatial discretisations are stable. From these explicit ODEs in time, well-defined multisymplectic integrators can be constructed by applying an explicit discretisation in time that satisfies a fully discrete analogue of the semi-discrete multisymplectic conservation law satisfied by the ODEs. Three examples of explicit multisymplectic integrators are given for the nonlinear Schr¨odinger equation, whereby the explicit ODEs in time are discretised by the 2-stage Lobatto IIIA– IIIB, linear–nonlinear splitting and real–imaginary–nonlinear splitting methods. These are all shown to satisfy discrete analogues of the multisymplectic conservation law, however, only the discrete multisymplectic conservation laws satisfied by the first and third multisymplectic integrators are local. Since it is the stage variables that are active in a Runge–Kutta or partitioned Runge– Kutta discretisation in space of a multi-Hamiltonian PDE, the order of such a spatial discretisation is limited by the order of the stage variables. Moreover, the spatial discretisation contains an approximation of the spatial derivatives, and thus, the order of the spatial discretisation may be further limited by the order of this approximation. For the explicit ODEs resulting from an r-stage Lobatto IIIA–IIIB discretisation in space of an appropriate multi-Hamiltonian PDE, the order of this spatial discretisation is r - 1 for r = 10; this is conjectured to hold for higher values of r. For r = 3, I show that a modification to the initial conditions improves the order of this spatial discretisation. It is expected that a similar modification to the initial conditions will improve the order of such spatial discretisations for higher values of r.

A maioria das máquinas e componentes mecânicos estão sujeitos a solicitações dinâmicas as quais podem ocasionar falhas por fadiga. Um dos métodos para a previsão de falhas por fadiga é a Mecânica da Fratura Linear Elástica (MFLE). Na MFLE existem diversos modelos que descrevem a propagação de uma trinca, com suas diferentes abordagens e concepções. De forma geral, distinguem-se os modelos de propagação de trinca para carregamentos com amplitude de tensão constante e variável. Dentre os modelos de amplitude de tensão constante destaca-se a Lei de Paris, que consiste de um Problema de Valor Inicial (PVI), sendo que sua solução, em poucos casos, é determinada de forma exata. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho é propor uma nova metodologia para solucionar alguns modelos de propagação de trinca de amplitude de tensão constante, como os modelos de Paris-Erdogan, Forman, Walker, McEvily e Priddle sem a necessidade da utilização de métodos numéricos para a solução. Essa metodologia foi desenvolvida estabelecendo cotas, superior e inferior, que delimitam o comportamento das soluções dos modelos de propagação de trinca. Para isso, através da literatura, foram delimitados os modelos a serem avaliados com base em dois aspectos principais: modelos que incorporem em suas equações as regiões I a III da propagação de trinca, e modelos que levem em consideração parâmetros como a razão de tensão, a tenacidade à fratura e o fator intensidade de tensão inicial para propagação de trinca. Para verificação da precisão e eficácia da nova metodologia, foi calculado o desvio relativo entre as cotas e a solução numérica aproximada, utilizando o método de Runge-Kutta de 4a ordem (RK4), e observou-se que as cotas são válidas como forma de aproximação do comportamento da evolução da trinca para todos os modelos estudados. Também foi avaliado o desempenho da utilização das cotas em relação à solução pelo método RK4 através do tempo de computação, e foi observado que com a utilização das cotas, consegue-se um monitoramento dinâmico dos resultados. / Most machines and mechanical components are subject to dynamic loads that can lead to fatigue failures. One of the methods for the prediction of fatigue failures is the Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM). In the LEFM there are several models that describe the propagation of a crack, with their different approaches and conceptions. In general, a distinction is made between the crack propagation models under constant and variable amplitude load. One of the constant amplitude load models is the Paris law, consisting of an Initial Value Problem (IVP), whose solution, in a few cases, can be obtained in closed form. Thus, the objective of this work is to propose a new methodology to solve some models of crack propagation under constant amplitude load, as the models of Paris-Erdogan, Forman, Walker, McEvily and Priddle, without requiring the use of numerical methods for the solution. This methodology was developed by establishing upper and lower bounds that delimit the behavior of the solutions of the models of crack propagation. For that, through literature, were delimited the models to be assessed on the basis of two main aspects: models that incorporate in their equations the regions I to III of the crack propagation, and models that take into account parameters such as the stress ratio, fracture toughness and threshold stress intensity factor for crack propagation. For verification of the accuracy and effectiveness of the new methodology, the relative deviation between bounds and approximate numerical solution was calculated, using the Runge-Kutta 4th order (RK4), and it was observed that the bounds are valid as a way of obtaining approximate solutions to all models. The performance of the use of bounds regarding the RK4 method solution was also evaluated through the computation time.

A maioria das máquinas e componentes mecânicos estão sujeitos a solicitações dinâmicas as quais podem ocasionar falhas por fadiga. Um dos métodos para a previsão de falhas por fadiga é a Mecânica da Fratura Linear Elástica (MFLE). Na MFLE existem diversos modelos que descrevem a propagação de uma trinca, com suas diferentes abordagens e concepções. De forma geral, distinguem-se os modelos de propagação de trinca para carregamentos com amplitude de tensão constante e variável. Dentre os modelos de amplitude de tensão constante destaca-se a Lei de Paris, que consiste de um Problema de Valor Inicial (PVI), sendo que sua solução, em poucos casos, é determinada de forma exata. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho é propor uma nova metodologia para solucionar alguns modelos de propagação de trinca de amplitude de tensão constante, como os modelos de Paris-Erdogan, Forman, Walker, McEvily e Priddle sem a necessidade da utilização de métodos numéricos para a solução. Essa metodologia foi desenvolvida estabelecendo cotas, superior e inferior, que delimitam o comportamento das soluções dos modelos de propagação de trinca. Para isso, através da literatura, foram delimitados os modelos a serem avaliados com base em dois aspectos principais: modelos que incorporem em suas equações as regiões I a III da propagação de trinca, e modelos que levem em consideração parâmetros como a razão de tensão, a tenacidade à fratura e o fator intensidade de tensão inicial para propagação de trinca. Para verificação da precisão e eficácia da nova metodologia, foi calculado o desvio relativo entre as cotas e a solução numérica aproximada, utilizando o método de Runge-Kutta de 4a ordem (RK4), e observou-se que as cotas são válidas como forma de aproximação do comportamento da evolução da trinca para todos os modelos estudados. Também foi avaliado o desempenho da utilização das cotas em relação à solução pelo método RK4 através do tempo de computação, e foi observado que com a utilização das cotas, consegue-se um monitoramento dinâmico dos resultados. / Most machines and mechanical components are subject to dynamic loads that can lead to fatigue failures. One of the methods for the prediction of fatigue failures is the Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics (LEFM). In the LEFM there are several models that describe the propagation of a crack, with their different approaches and conceptions. In general, a distinction is made between the crack propagation models under constant and variable amplitude load. One of the constant amplitude load models is the Paris law, consisting of an Initial Value Problem (IVP), whose solution, in a few cases, can be obtained in closed form. Thus, the objective of this work is to propose a new methodology to solve some models of crack propagation under constant amplitude load, as the models of Paris-Erdogan, Forman, Walker, McEvily and Priddle, without requiring the use of numerical methods for the solution. This methodology was developed by establishing upper and lower bounds that delimit the behavior of the solutions of the models of crack propagation. For that, through literature, were delimited the models to be assessed on the basis of two main aspects: models that incorporate in their equations the regions I to III of the crack propagation, and models that take into account parameters such as the stress ratio, fracture toughness and threshold stress intensity factor for crack propagation. For verification of the accuracy and effectiveness of the new methodology, the relative deviation between bounds and approximate numerical solution was calculated, using the Runge-Kutta 4th order (RK4), and it was observed that the bounds are valid as a way of obtaining approximate solutions to all models. The performance of the use of bounds regarding the RK4 method solution was also evaluated through the computation time.

Orientadores: Maicon Ribeiro Correa, Eduardo Cardoso de Abreu / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matemática Estatística e Computação Científica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T11:41:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_FelipeAugustoGuedesda_M.pdf: 1119470 bytes, checksum: eeabeb98750e53492e778b99174c0887 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: O foco do presente trabalho consiste no estudo computacional de métodos de Galerkin Descontínuo para aproximação numérica de problemas diferenciais de natureza hiperbólica, com enfoque em esquemas explícitos e no uso de aproximações do tipo Runge-Kutta no tempo para aproximação de problemas lineares e não-lineares. Especificamente, serão exploradas as boas propriedades de estabilidade local, no tempo, dos métodos da classe Runge-Kutta em conjunto com funções de fluxo numérico estáveis e com o uso de limitadores de inclinação, com o objetivo de desenvolver métodos Galerkin Descontínuo de alta ordem capazes de obter uma boa resolução de gradientes abruptos e de soluções descontínuas, sem oscilações espúrias, em problemas hiperbólicos. Uma breve discussão sobre esquemas de volumes finitos centrais de alta ordem é apresentada, onde são introduzidos importantes conceitos a serem utilizados na construção dos métodos de Galerkin Descontínuo. Um conjunto representativo de simulações numéricas de modelos hiperbólicos lineares e não-lineares é apresentado e discutido para avaliar a qualidade das aproximações obtidas em uma comparação direta com outras aproximações precisas de volumes finitos ou com soluções exatas, sempre que possível / Abstract: The focus of this work is the computational study of some Discontinuous Galerkin methods for the numerical approximation of first order hyperbolic differential problems, focusing on explicit schemes with discretization based on Runge-Kutta type methods in time, in problems with linear and nonlinear fluxes. Specifically, the good local stability properties of Runge-Kutta methods are combined with stable numerical flux functions and slope limiters in order to propose new higher-order Discontinuous Galerkin methods that achieve high resolution of abrupt gradients and of discontinuous solutions, without spurious oscillations in numerical solutions. Furthermore, a brief discussion about higher-order finite volume central schemes is presented in order to introduce some important concepts to be used in the construction of the DG methods. A representative set of numerical simulations for linear and nonlinear hyperbolic models is presented and discussed, in order to check the accuracy of the obtained Discontinuous Galerkin solutions by comparing their results with those of existing well-established finite volume numerical methods and exact solutions / Mestrado / Matematica Aplicada / Mestre em Matemática Aplicada