Hat sections, single and double, made of steel are frequently encountered in automotive body structural components such as front rails, B-Pillar, and rockers of unitized-body cars. These thin-walled components can play a significant role in terms of crashworthiness and impact energy absorption, through a nonlinear phenomenon called as progressive dynamic buckling. As modern vehicle safety design relies heavily on computer-aided engineering, there is a great need for analysis-based predictions to yield close correlation with test results. Although hat sections subjected to axial loading have been studied widely in the past, there is scanty information in published literature on modeling procedures that can lead to robust prediction of test responses. In the current study, both single-hat and double-hat components made of mild steel are studied extensively experimentally and numerically to quantify statistical variations in test responses such as peak load, mean load and energy absorption, and formulate modeling conditions for capturing elasto-plastic material behavior, strain rate sensitivity, spot-welds, etc. that can lead to robust predictions of force-time and force-displacement histories as well as failure modes. In addition, keeping initial stages of vehicle design in mind, the effectiveness of soft computing techniques based on polynomial regression analysis, radial basis functions and artificial neural networks for quick assessment of the behaviors of steel hat sections has been demonstrated. The study is extended to double-hat sections subjected to eccentric impact loading which has not been previously reported. A lightweight enhancement of load carrying capacity of steel hat section components has been investigated with PU (polyurethane) foam-filled single and double hat sections, and subjecting the same to quasi-static and axial impact loading. Good predictions of load-displacement responses are again obtained and shortening of fold lengths vis-à-vis hollow sections is observed. Finally, the performance of hat sections made of glass fiber-reinforced composites is studied as a potential lightweight substitute to steel hat section components. The challenging task of numerical prediction of the behaviors of the composite hat sections has been undertaken using a consistent modeling and analysis procedure described earlier and by choosing an appropriate constitutive behavior available in the popular explicit contact-impact analysis solver, LS-DYNA.

Afin d'exploiter au mieux son parc nucléaire, la R&D d'EDF est en train de développer une nouvelle chaîne de calcul pour simuler le cœur des réacteurs nucléaires avec des outils à l'état de l'art. Ces calculs nécessitent une grande quantité de données physiques, en particulier les sections efficaces. Dans la simulation d'un cœur complet, le nombre de valeurs des sections efficaces est de l'ordre de plusieurs milliards. Ces sections efficaces peuvent être représentées comme des fonctions multivariées dépendant de plusieurs paramètres physiques. La détermination des sections efficaces étant un calcul complexe et long, nous pouvons donc les précalculer en certaines valeurs des paramètres (caluls hors ligne) puis les évaluer en tous points par une interpolation (calculs en ligne). Ce processus demande un modèle de reconstruction des sections efficaces entre les deux étapes. Pour réaliser une simulation plus fidèle du cœur dans la nouvelle chaîne d'EDF, les sections efficaces nécessitent d'être mieux représentées en prenant en compte de nouveaux paramètres. Par ailleurs, la nouvelle chaîne se doit d'être en mesure de calculer le réacteur dans des situations plus larges qu'actuellement. Le modèle d'interpolation multilinéaire pour reconstruire les sections efficaces est celui actuellement utilisé pour répondre à ces objectifs. Néanmoins, avec ce modèle, le nombre de points de discrétisation augmente exponentiellement en fonction du nombre de paramètres ou de manière considérable quand on ajoute des points sur un des axes. Par conséquence, le nombre et le temps des calculs hors ligne ainsi que la taille du stockage des données deviennent problématique. L'objectif de cette thèse est donc de trouver un nouveau modèle pour répondre aux demandes suivantes : (i)-(hors ligne) réduire le nombre de précalculs, (ii)-(hors ligne) réduire le stockage de données pour la reconstruction et (iii)-(en ligne) tout en conservant (ou améliorant) la précision obtenue par l'interpolation multilinéaire. D'un point de vue mathématique, ce problème consiste à approcher des fonctions multivariées à partir de leurs valeurs précalculées. Nous nous sommes basés sur le format de Tucker - une approximation de tenseurs de faible rang afin de proposer un nouveau modèle appelé la décomposition de Tucker . Avec ce modèle, une fonction multivariée est approchée par une combinaison linéaire de produits tensoriels de fonctions d'une variable. Ces fonctions d'une variable sont construites grâce à une technique dite de décomposition en valeurs singulières d'ordre supérieur (une « matricization » combinée à une extension de la décomposition de Karhunen-Loève). L'algorithme dit glouton est utilisé pour constituer les points liés à la résolution des coefficients dans la combinaison de la décomposition de Tucker. Les résultats obtenus montrent que notre modèle satisfait les critères exigés sur la réduction de données ainsi que sur la précision. Avec ce modèle, nous pouvons aussi éliminer a posteriori et à priori les coefficients dans la décomposition de Tucker. Cela nous permet de réduire encore le stockage de données dans les étapes hors ligne sans réduire significativement la précision. / In order to optimize the operation of its nuclear power plants, the EDF's R&D department iscurrently developing a new calculation chain to simulate the nuclear reactors core with state of the art tools. These calculations require a large amount of physical data, especially the cross-sections. In the full core simulation, the number of cross-section values is of the order of several billions. These cross-sections can be represented as multivariate functions depending on several physical parameters. The determination of cross-sections is a long and complex calculation, we can therefore pre-compute them in some values of parameters (online calculations), then evaluate them at all desired points by an interpolation (online calculations). This process requires a model of cross-section reconstruction between the two steps. In order to perform a more faithful core simulation in the new EDF's chain, the cross-sections need to be better represented by taking into account new parameters. Moreover, the new chain must be able to calculate the reactor in more extensive situations than the current one. The multilinear interpolation is currently used to reconstruct cross-sections and to meet these goals. However, with this model, the number of points in its discretization increases exponentially as a function of the number of parameters, or significantly when adding points to one of the axes. Consequently, the number and time of online calculations as well as the storage size for this data become problematic. The goal of this thesis is therefore to find a new model in order to respond to the following requirements: (i)-(online) reduce the number of pre-calculations, (ii)-(online) reduce stored data size for the reconstruction and (iii)-(online) maintain (or improve) the accuracy obtained by multilinear interpolation. From a mathematical point of view, this problem involves approaching multivariate functions from their pre-calculated values. We based our research on the Tucker format - a low-rank tensor approximation in order to propose a new model called the Tucker decomposition . With this model, a multivariate function is approximated by a linear combination of tensor products of one-variate functions. These one-variate functions are constructed by a technique called higher-order singular values decomposition (a « matricization » combined with an extension of the Karhunen-Loeve decomposition). The so-called greedy algorithm is used to constitute the points related to the resolution of the coefficients in the combination of the Tucker decomposition. The results obtained show that our model satisfies the criteria required for the reduction of the data as well as the accuracy. With this model, we can eliminate a posteriori and a priori the coefficients in the Tucker decomposition in order to further reduce the data storage in online steps but without reducing significantly the accuracy.

Dans cette thèse nous avons étudié des collisions entre des projectiles CnN⁺ (n=0,1,2,3) et des atomes d’Hélium à vitesse intermédiaire (2.25 u.a). A cette vitesse, proche de la vitesse des électrons sur les couches de valence externe des atomes et molécules, de nombreux processus électroniques prennent place avec une forte probabilité : ionisation (simple et multiple), excitation électronique, capture d’électron (simple et double). Nous avons mesuré les sections efficaces absolues de tous ces processus. Un autre aspect intéressant de la collision concerne la fragmentation des molécules excitées, que nous avons également mesurée précisément grâce à un dispositif dédié. Les expériences ont été effectuées auprès de l’accélérateur Tandem d’Orsay avec des faisceaux de quelques MeV d’énergie cinétique. Le dispositif AGAT a permis de réaliser les collisions (en condition de collision unique) et de mesurer tout à la fois les sections efficaces des processus et la fragmentation associée. Parallèlement nous avons simulé ces collisions d’un point de vue théorique en utilisant le modèle à Atomes et Electrons Indépendants (IAE) couplé à des calculs CTMC (Classical trajectory Monte Carlo). Sur cette base, nous avons prédit les sections efficaces qui se sont trouvées être en bon accord avec les mesures, à l’exception de la double capture d’électrons. Par ailleurs les rapports de branchement de dissociation des CnN⁺ après excitation électronique sont bien reproduits en utilisant la distribution d’énergie interne des espèces calculées avec le même modèle IAE/CTMC. Ces expériences nous ont permis de construire des « Breakdown Curves » (BDC), véritables cartes d’identité des molécules qui permettent de prévoir, dans le cadre d’une fragmentation statistique comment va fragmenter un système dont on connait l’énergie interne. Avec ces BDC nous avons pu prédire et recommander des rapports de branchement pour des voies de sortie de processus physiques et chimiques d’intérêt astrochimique. Ces données seront insérées dans la base internationale d'astrochimie the Kinetic Data Base for Astrochemistry KIDA. Cette thèse a été réalisée dans le cadre de l’Ecole Doctorale Ondes et Matière (EDOM) à l’Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay (ISMO), à l’Université Paris-Sud Paris Saclay. / This thesis studies the aftermath of collision between singly positively charged Nitrogenated carbon species CnN⁺ (n=0,1,2,3) and neutral Helium atom at a velocity of 2.25 au. At this velocity, close to the velocity of outer electrons in atoms and molecules, several electronic processes take place and are near their maximum of probability such as ionisation (single, double, triple …), electronic excitation and electron capture (single and double). We looked at their cross sections and how their evolution with the molecule size. Following the collision the molecule can fragment, which leads to another interesting aspect, the fragmentation branching ratios. Collision experiments were done using a Tandem accelerator at Orsay that produced the CnN⁺ projectiles and a dedicated set-up, AGAT, to capture the flying fragments/intact molecule after collision according to their charge to mass ratio. Knowing the number of particles that are shot and the fact that our set-up allows no loss of fragments/intact molecule, we could get the probabilities of various fragments formed. Using these probabilities and a knowledge of the Helium jet profile used, we could measure their cross sections. The probabilities alone are sufficient to obtain the fragmentation branching ratios.The next step was to use a theoretical model to simulate the collision. We used Independent Atom and Electron (IAE) model coupled with Classical Trajectory Monte Carlo (CTMC) method to calculate the desired cross sections. A general good agreement was obtained, with the exception of double electron capture. The model could also predict, through the calculation of the species internal energy, the fragmentation branching ratios of cations CnN⁺ after electronic excitation. Also, the branching ratios were used to construct semi-empirical Breakdown Curves (BDCs), which are internal energy dependent dissociation branching ratios specific to each molecule, type, size and charge. With those, we could recommend products branching ratios to be used for various processes of astrochemical interest. The products branching ratios will be made available for a wider network of researchers under the international Kinetic Database for Astrochemistry (KIDA).This thesis was realized under the doctoral programme of Ecole Doctorale Ondes et Matiere (EDOM) with Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d’Orsay (ISMO) where the author was given an office and Université Paris-Sud where the author is formally enrolled.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1978 S73 / Master of Science

While worker flow analysis has grown in importance in many countries, Austria still lacks a specific longitudinal dataset as a prerequisite to perform similar analyses. For this reason, this article provides a coherent procedure to construct a longitudinal dataset based on the rotational panel structure of the Austrian quarterly LFS from 2004 to 2014. The procedure, which is available for researcher, is grounded on the discussion of several related and important issues inherent in constructing this sort of longitudinal data: First, it deals with the construction of the quarterly-matched dataset and the quality-of-measurement of several labour market variables. Second, the paper analyses non-response as a sample selection process, and shows that the selected (quarterly-matched) dataset causes biased estimates of worker flows. Third, the article proposes an iterative raking procedure to obtain survey weights as a bias-correcting device for any future analysis. Based on these adjustments, we present unbiased time-series of worker flows and transition rates, and conclude that the employment-unemployment margin is highly sensitive to economic shocks and that the Austrian labour market is additionally shaped by large movements within the participation margin. (authors' abstract) / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this work was to study the 208Pb(p,2p)207Tl quasi-free knockout process. The experimental data were measured at the National Accelerator Centre using incident polarised protons of 200 MeV. The two scattered particles, from the knockout reaction, were detected in coincidence and their energies were determined using a magnetic spectrometer and a solid state detector telescope. Cross section and analysing power energy distributions were extracted from the experimental measurements and these were compared with theoretical values for the Distorted Wave Impulse Approximation. The theoretical cross-section calculations predict the experimental cross-section distribution well for all combinations of distorting potentials and bound states that were investigated, both with regard to shape, as well as absolute magnitude. However the theoretical analysing power distributions did not agree with the experimental quantities. Therefore it is not clear whether the analysing power is a useful tool to extract information on the specifics of the quasi-free reaction mechanism. The spectroscopic factors were found to be consistent with the results obtained in previous studies, thereby inspiring confidence that the problem with the analysing power distribution is not ascribable to a possible deficiency in the experimental techniques exploited in this work. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om die kwasi vrye 208pb(p,2p )207TI verstrooingsproses te ondersoek. Die eksperimentele data is ingewin by die Nasionale Versnellingsentrum deur gebruik te maak van 'n 200 MeV gepolariseerde proton bundel. Die twee verstrooide deeltjies is in koïnsidens gemeet. Vir die metings is 'n magnetiese spektrometer en 'n vastetoestand detektorteleskoop gebruik. Die kansvlak- en analiseervermoë-energieverdelings is uit die eksperimentele data verkry en is vergelyk met die berekenings van die Vervormde Golf Impuls Benadering. Die teoretiese kansvlak berekening het die eksperimetele data goed voorspel, vir die verskillende parametrisering van potensiaal en gebonde toestande. Die berekeninge het goed ooreengestem met betrekking tot beide vorm en absolute grootheid. Die berekende analiseervermoë het egter nie goed met die eksperimentele data ooreengestem nie. Dit is dus nie duidelik of die analiseervermoë 'n handige instrument is om inligting oor die betrokke kwasi-vrye reaksie meganisme te bekom nie. Die spektroskopiese faktore was in ooreenstemming met resultate wat in vorige studies verkry is. Dit versterk vertroue dat die probleem met die analiseervermoë nie toegeskryf kan word aan die eksperimentele tegniek wat gebruik is nie.

Ion mobility (IM) spectrometry is a gas-phase electrophoretic technique in which ions are separated on the basis of their relative mobility in the presence of a weak electric field gradient and a buffer gas. Ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) has the capability of separating ions based on m/z, size and shape, providing additional structural information compared to using mass spectrometry on its own. In this thesis, IM-MS has been used to investigate organic and organometallic complexes and identify reactants, intermediates and products in reaction mixtures. Collision cross sections (CCS) have been measured for three salen ligands, and their complexes with copper and zinc using travelling-wave ion mobility-mass spectrometry (TWIMS) and drift tube ion mobility-mass spectrometry (DTIMS), allowing a comparative size evaluation of the ligands and complexes. CCS measurements using TWIMS were determined using peptide and TAAH calibration standards with good intra-day and inter-day reproducibility. TWIMS measurements gave significantly larger CCS than DTIMS derived data in helium, indicating that the choice of calibration standards is important in ensuring the accuracy of TWIMS derived CCS measurements. The CCS data obtained from IM-MS measurements have been compared to CCS values obtained from X-ray coordinates and modelled structures. The analysis of small organic and organometallic molecules has been extended to investigations of the potential of IM-MS for reaction monitoring and structural studies of the components of catalytic cycles. Reaction mixtures of an organocatalysed Diels-Alder cycloaddition reaction have been monitored using IM-MS and high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility-mass spectrometry (FAIMS-MS). Reactant, product, catalyst and reaction intermediates, including an intermediate not previously detected, were identified and the catalyst and intermediates monitored over time. An organometallic catalytic cycle using a palladium catalyst has been analysed using IM-MS and the CCS of reactants, intermediates and products have been measured and compared to theoretical CCS calculations. Good agreement was observed between measured and calculated data. Species not amenable to electrospray ionisation were covalently bound to an ionisable tag containing a quaternary ammonium ion allowing the tagged molecules to be detected by IM-MS.

Thesis (MScEng (Electrical and Electronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The origin of chaff dates as far back as WWII, acting as a passive EM countermeasure it was used to confuse enemy radar systems and is still in use today. The purpose of this study is, firstly, to build up a knowledge base for determining chaff parameters and secondly, to calculate the theoretical Radar Cross Section (RCS) of a chaff cloud. Initially dipole resonant properties are investigated relative to dipole physical dimensions. This is extended to the wideband spatial average RCS of a dipole with application to chaff clouds. A model is developed for calculating the theoretical RCS of a cloud typically produced by a single, multiband chaff cartridge. This model is developed on the principles of sparse clouds with negligible coupling; the dipole density for which the model is valid is determined through the statistical simulation of chaff clouds. To determine the effectiveness of chaff clouds, the E-field behaviour through a chaff cloud is investigated numerically. From simulation results a model is developed for estimating the position and drop in E-field strength. It is concluded that though it would be possible to hide a target behind a chaff cloud given ideal circumstances, it is not practical in reality. Given the presented results, recommendations are made for future work. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die oorsprong van kaf dateer so ver terug as WOII. Dit was gebruik as ‘n passiewe EM teenmaatreël teen vyandelike radar stelsels en is steeds vandag in gebruik. Die doel van hierdie studie is eerstens, om ‘n kennisbasis op te bou vir die bepaling van kaf parameters en tweedens, om die teoretiese RDS van kafwolke te bereken. Aanvanklik word die dipool resonante eienskappe ondersoek relatief tot die dipool dimensies. Die studie word uitgebrei tot die wyeband ruimte gemiddelde RDS van ‘n dipool met toepassing op kafwolke. ‘n Model word ontwikkel om die teoretiese RDS te bereken vir ‘n tipiese kafwolk geproduseer deur ‘n enkele, multi-band kafpakkie. Die model is gegrond op die beginsels van lae digte kafwolke met weglaatbare koppeling; die dipool digtheid waarvoor die model geldig is, is bepaal deur statistiese simulasie van kafwolke. Om die effektiwiteit van kafwolke te bepaal, word die E-veld gedrag deur kafwolke numeries ondersoek. Vanaf simulasie resultate word ‘n model ontwikkel om die ligging van, en daling in E-veld sterkte af te skat. Daar word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat, alhoewel dit moontlik is om ‘n teiken agter ‘n kafwolk te versteek in ideale omstandighede, dit nie prakties is nie. Na aanleiding van die resultate verkry, is aanbevelings vir verdere werk gedoen.