An evolving design philosophy for port structures in many seismically active regions reflects the observations that: -The deformations in ground and foundation soils and the corresponding structural deformation and stress states are key design parameters. -Conventional limit equilibrium-based methods are not well suited to evaluating these parameters. -Some residual deformation may be acceptable. Performance-based design is an emerging methodology whose goal is to overcome the limitations present in conventional seismic design. Conventional building code seismic design is based on providing capacity to resist a design seismic force, but it does not provide information on the performance of structure when the limit of the force-balance is exceeded. If we demand that limit equilibrium not be exceeded for the relatively high intensity ground motions associated with a rare seismic event, the construction cost will most likely be too high. If forcebalance design is based on amore frequent seismic event, then it is difficult to estimate the seismic performance of the structure when subjected to ground motions that are greater than those used in design. In this thesis a case study will be carried out on a typical port structure to show the performance evolution aspects and its comparison with damage criteria and performance grade in performance-based methodology.

Graduation date: 1985 / Best scan available for figures. Original is a black and white photocopy.

No description available.

In recent times, it was divulged that highly ordered honeycomb structured porous films from a variety of polymers could be fabricated by breath figures (water droplets) templating technique. In contrast to existing macroporous fabrication techniques, this technique is simple, more versatile and very cost effective. Amphiphilic block copolymers composed of a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic block were employed in this research to examine the process of porous film formation and the outcome of films generated using breath figure technique. A customized film casting system, established according to the casting parameters affecting the outcome of films was used to generate honeycomb structured porous films for the studies. The casting method best suited to generate highly ordered honeycomb structured porous films and the procedures to manipulate the size of the pores in films generated from amphiphilic block copolymers were also investigated and identified. Analyses into the formation process of the honeycomb structured porous films revealed that the airflow casting method where the cast of polymer solution was supplied with a flow of moist air was the most suitable method to generate highly ordered honeycomb structured porous films from amphiphilic block copolymers. Variations to the casting conditions of the airflow casting method such as the rate of moist airflow could only provide limited alterations to the size of pores on films generated. However, changes to the chemical system of the casting solution such as the concentration and the molecular weight of polymers in the polymer solvent was more prominent in manipulating the size of pores in the generated films. On the other hand, any extreme variations to either the physical conditions or the chemical system could devastate the hexagonal arrangement of pores in these films. In the synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers in this research, RAFT polymerization technique was used to generate the hydrophobic polymer block followed by the subsequent chain extension polymerization of the hydrophilic polymer block. The polymerization 'process, especially the hydrophilic chain extension polymerization, was investigated in details. It was established that there were significant dependence on the composition of the initial polymer block used, particularly the molecular weight and the type of chain transfer (RAFT) end group in the hydrophobic polymer chain. Incompatible RAFT end group and high polymer molecular weights of the initial block usually lead to slower rate of subsequent chain extension coupled with increased terminations. These copolymers generated were usually bimodal in molecular weight distributions and broad in polydispersity indexes. Honeycomb structured porous films generated from one of these amphiphilic block copolymers were assessed as scaffoldings for cell culture to regenerate cells. In particular, the effects of cellular attachments and proliferations on the honeycomb porous structures were investigated. The assessment of these honeycomb structured porous films indicated that not only were these films not cytotoxic but they also enhanced the quantity of cellular proliferation (2.7x) when used as cell culture substrate compared to standard non-porous polystyrene cell culture surfaces. Finally, this research had shown a simple way to generate a new class of highly ordered porous material that could be customized individually for a wide range of applications. The synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers to generate these films could be achieved by RAFT polymerization with a board selection of polymers choices according to applications. A porous cell substrate such as honeycomb structured porous films could enhance cellular growth when used as a cell culture substrate.

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1966. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves leaf 61). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Jeremy M. Firestone, School of Marine and Earth Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Eng. Sc.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 159-173).

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-80). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D. - Hydrology and Water Resources)--University of Arizona. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 404-429).

Report (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. M.S. 1993. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 81-83). Also available via the Internet.