Dans le domaine de l’ingénierie (par exemple l’aéronautique, l’automobile, la biologie, les circuits), les systèmes dynamiques sont le cadre de base utilisé pour modéliser, contrôler et analyser une grande variété de systèmes et de phénomènes. En raison de l’utilisation croissante de logiciels dédiés de modélisation par ordinateur, la simulation numérique devient de plus en plus utilisée pour simuler un système ou un phénomène complexe et raccourcir le temps de développement et le coût. Cependant, le besoin d’une précision de modèle améliorée conduit inévitablement à un nombre croissant de variables et de ressources à gérer au prix d’un coût numérique élevé. Cette contrepartie justifie la réduction du modèle. Pour les systèmes linéaires invariant dans le temps, plusieurs approches de réduction de modèle ont été effectivement développées depuis les années 60. Parmi celles-ci, les méthodes basées sur l’interpolation se distinguent par leur souplesse et leur faible coût de calcul, ce qui en fait un candidat prédestiné à la réduction de systèmes véritablement à grande échelle. Les progrès récents démontrent des façons de trouver des paramètres de réduction qui minimisent localement la norme H2 de l’erreur d’incompatibilité. En général, une approximation d’ordre réduit est considérée comme un modèle de dimension finie. Cette représentation est assez générale et une large gamme de systèmes dynamiques linéaires peut être convertie sous cette forme, du moins en principe. Cependant, dans certains cas, il peut être plus pertinent de trouver des modèles à ordre réduit ayant des structures plus complexes. A titre d’exemple, certains systèmes de phénomènes de transport ont leurs valeurs singulières Hankel qui se décomposent très lentement et ne sont pas facilement approchées par un modèle de dimension finie. En outre, pour certaines applications, il est intéressant de disposer d’un modèle structuré d’ordre réduit qui reproduit les comportements physiques. C’est pourquoi, dans cette thèse, les modèles à ordre réduit ayant des structures de retard ont été plus précisément considérés. Ce travail a consisté, d’une part, à développer de nouvelles techniques de réduction de modèle pour des modèles à ordre réduit avec des structures de retard et, d’autre part, à trouver de nouvelles applications d’approximation de modèle. La contribution majeure de cette thèse couvre les sujets d’approximation et inclut plusieurs contributions au domaine de la réduction de modèle. Une attention particulière a été accordée au problème de l’approximation du modèle optimale pour les modèles structurés retardés. À cette fin, de nouveaux résultats théoriques et méthodologiques ont été obtenus et appliqués avec succès aux repères académiques et industriels. De plus, la dernière partie de ce manuscrit est consacrée à l’analyse de la stabilité des systèmes retardés par des méthodes interpolatoires. Certaines déclarations théoriques ainsi qu’une heuristique sont développées permettant d’estimer de manière rapide et précise les diagrammes de stabilité de ces systèmes. / In the engineering area (e.g. aerospace, automotive, biology, circuits), dynamical systems are the basic framework used for modeling, controlling and analyzing a large variety of systems and phenomena. Due to the increasing use of dedicated computer-based modeling design software, numerical simulation turns to be more and more used to simulate a complex system or phenomenon and shorten both development time and cost. However, the need of an enhanced model accuracy inevitably leads to an increasing number of variables and resources to manage at the price of a high numerical cost. This counterpart is the justification for model reduction. For linear time-invariant systems, several model reduction approaches have been effectively developed since the 60’s. Among these, interpolation-based methods stand out due to their flexibility and low computational cost, making them a predestined candidate in the reduction of truly large-scale systems. Recent advances demonstrate ways to find reduction parameters that locally minimize the H2 norm of the mismatch error. In general, a reduced-order approximation is considered to be a finite dimensional model. This representation is quite general and a wide range of linear dynamical systems can be converted in this form, at least in principle. However, in some cases, it may be more relevant to find reduced-order models having some more complex structures. As an example, some transport phenomena systems have their Hankel singular values which decay very slowly and are not easily approximated by a finite dimensional model. In addition, for some applications, it is valuable to have a structured reduced-order model which reproduces the physical behaviors. That is why, in this thesis, reduced-order models having delay structures have been more specifically considered. This work has focused, on the one hand, in developing new model reduction techniques for reduced order models having delay structures, and, on the other hand, in finding new applications of model approximation. The major contribution of this thesis covers approximation topics and includes several contributions to the area of model reduction. A special attention was given to the H2 optimal model approximation problem for delayed structured models. For this purpose, some new theoretical and methodological results were derived and successfully applied to both academic and industrial benchmarks. In addition, the last part of this manuscript is dedicated to the analysis of time-delayed systems stability using interpolatory methods. Some theoretical statements as well as an heuristic are developed enabling to estimate in a fast and accurate way the stability charts of those systems.

La complexité des structures géologiques en Moyenne Durance rend difficile la caractérisation et l’évaluation du risque sismique dans cette région. La compréhension 3D des structures nécessite l’utilisation de techniques modernes de modélisation numérique pour réaliser des modèles 3D du substratum géologique qui soient cohérents à différentes échelles, pour effectuer des simulations des mouvements sismiques. Pour réaliser des modèles 3D géologiques, nous avons harmonisé des bases de données géologiques et géophysiques hétérogènes (forages pétroliers, sondages géotechniques, profils sismiques, profils géophysiques H/V, cartographie géologique haute et basse résolution, datations biostratigraphiques, ...) dans le géomodeleur 3D gOcad. La réalisation des modèles 3D permet de caractériser la géométrie 3D des principales structures tectoniques en Moyenne Durance, notamment la Zone de failles de la Moyenne Durance (ZFMD) ainsi que la géométrie haute résolution du substratum géologique de la vallée de Cadarache, notamment de son remplissage sédimentaire tertiaire. Notre étude permet de préciser la géométrie 3D de la ZFMD et son rôle sur les structures géologiques adjacentes. La ZFMD constitue une zone de transfert qui limite l’extension latérale et modifie la géométrie des plis et chevauchements. Les structures tectoniques en Moyenne Durance sont caractérisées par une déformation de type thin-skin. La tectonique salifère joue un rôle important dans cette déformation (niveau de décollement, formation et géométrie 3D des plis). A l’échelle de la vallée de Cadarache, l’étude géologique des affleurements couplée à l’étude géostatistique des sondages permet de réaliser une simulation en 3D de la répartition spatiale des faciès et de proposer un modèle sédimentaire 3D du remplissage tertiaire de la vallée. Il est caractérisé par une sédimentation en deux étapes : une première phase de remplissage par des apports détritiques importants en provenance du Sud-Est, liés au démantèlement du massif des Maures-Estérel, une deuxième phase de remplissage par des dépôts d’environnement fluviatile méandriforme à forte sinuosité et à dominante de sables. Enfin, l’imbrication multi-échelle des modèles 3D a permis d’expliquer la formation de la vallée de Cadarache dans le contexte géodynamique de la région de la Moyenne Durance au Tertiaire, et notamment sous l’influence de la compression pyrénéenne et de la ZFMD sur la région de la Moyenne Durance et sur la vallée de Cadarache. / The complexity of geological structures in Middle Durance region makes difficult the characterization and evaluation of seismic risk in this region. Understanding these structures in 3D requires to use modern techniques of 3D digital modelling in order to achieve the 3D geological models of the bedrock with coherence on different scales, to perform ground motion simulations. Building 3D geological models need to normalize heterogeneous geophysical and geological databases (oil boreholes, geotechnical boreholes, seismic profiles, H/V geophysical profiles, high and low resolution geological mapping, biostratigraphic dating,...) in the 3D software gOcad. The realization of 3D geological models allows to characterize the 3D geometry of main the tectonic structures in Middle Durance region, including the Middle Durance Fault Zone (ZFMD) and the high resolution geometry of geological bedrock of the Cadarache Valley, and in particular its tertiary sedimentary fill. Our study allows to specify the ZFMD 3D geometry and its role on the adjacent geological structures. The ZFMD is a transfer zone that limits lateral extension and changes the geometry of folds and thrusts. The Middle Durance tectonic structures are characterized by a thin-skin deformation. Salt tectonics plays an important role in this deformation (detachment level, training and 3D geometry of folds). At the scale of the Valley of Cadarache, outcrop geological study coupled with boreholes geostatistical study allows to perform a 3D simulation of the spatial distribution of facies and to propose a 3D sedimentary model for the Tertiary filling of the Cadarache Valley. It is characterized by sedimentation in two steps: a first step of filling by important detrital inputs from the Southeast, related to the erosion of the Maures-Esterel massif, a second step of filling by deposits of fluvial meandering sand-dominant environment with high-sinuosity. Finally, building multi-scale 3D models allows explaining the formation of the Valley of Cadarache in the geodynamic context of the Middle Durance region at Tertiary times, and particularly under the influence of the Pyrenean compression and ZFMD on the Middle Durance region and the Valley of Cadarache.

Cette thèse concerne l’analyse et le développement de schémas d’intégration numérique de la Dynamique des Particules Dissipatives. Une présentation et une analyse de convergence faible de schémas existants est présentée, suivie d’une présentation et d’une analyse similaire de deux nouveaux schémas d’intégration facilement parallélisables. Une analyse des propriétés de conservation d’énergie de tous ces schémas est effectuée suivie d’une étude comparative de leurs biais sur l’estimation des valeurs moyennes d’observables physiques pour des systèmes à l’équilibre. Les schémas sont ensuite testés sur des systèmes choqués de fluides DPDE, où l’on montre que nos deux nouveaux schémas apportent une amélioration dans la précision de la description du comportement de tels systèmes par rapport aux schémas facilement parallélisables existants.Finalement, nous présentons une tentative d’accélération d’un schéma d’intégration de référence s’appliquant aux simulations séquentielles de la DPDE / This thesis is about the development and analysis of numerical schemes forthe integration of the Dissipative Particle Dynamics with Energy conservation. A presentation and a weak convergence analysis of existing schemes is performed, as well as the introduction and a similar analysis of two new straightforwardly parallelizable schemes. The energy preservation properties of all these schemes are studied followed by a comparative study of their biases on the estimation of the average values of physical observables on equilibrium simulations. The schemes are then tested on shock simulations of DPDE fluids, where we show that our schemes bring an improvement on the accuracy of the description of the behavior of such systems compared to existing straightforwardly parallelizable schemes. Finally, we present an attempt at accelerating a reference DPDE integration scheme on sequential simulations

Cette thèse s’intéresse à la modélisation et à la commande de robots déformables, c’est à dire de robots dont le mouvement se fait par déformation. Nous nous intéressons à la conception de lois de contrôle en boucle fermée répondant aux besoins spécifiques du contrôle dynamique de robots déformables, sans restrictions fortes sur leur géométrie. La résolution de ce défi soulève des questions théoriques qui nous amènent au deuxième objectif de cette thèse: développer de nouvelles stratégies pour étudier les systèmes de grandes dimensions. Ce manuscrit couvre l’ensemble du développement des lois de commandes, de l’étape de modélisation à la validation expérimentale. Outre les études théoriques, différentes plateformes expérimentales sont utilisées pour valider les résultats. Des robots déformables actionnés par câble et par pression sont utilisés pour tester les algorithmes de contrôle. A travers ces différentes plateformes, nous montrons que la méthode peut gérer différents types d’actionnement, différentes géométries et propriétés mécaniques. Cela souligne l’un des intérêts de la méthode, sa généricité. D’un point de vue théorique, les systèmes dynamiques à grande dimensions ainsi que les algorithmes de réduction de modèle sont étudiés. En effet, modéliser des structures déformables implique de résoudre des équations issues de la mécanique des milieux continus, qui sont résolues à l’aide de la méthode des éléments finis (FEM). Ceci fournit un modèle précis des robots mais nécessite de discrétiser la structure en un maillage composé de milliers d’éléments, donnant lieu à des systèmes dynamiques de grandes dimensions. Cela conduit à travailler avec des modèles de grandes dimensions, qui ne conviennent pas à la conception d’algorithmes de contrôle. Une première partie est consacrée à l’étude du modèle dynamique à grande dimension et de son contrôle, sans recourir à la réduction de modèle. Nous présentons un moyen de contrôler le système à grande dimension en utilisant la connaissance d’une fonction de Lyapunov en boucle ouverte. Ensuite, nous présentons des algorithmes de réduction de modèle afin de concevoir des contrôleurs de dimension réduite et des observateurs capables de piloter ces robots déformables. Les lois de contrôle validées sont basées sur des modèles linéaires, il s’agit d’une limitation connue de ce travail car elle contraint l’espace de travail du robot. Ce manuscrit se termine par une discussion qui offre un moyen d’étendre les résultats aux modèles non linéaires. L’idée est de linéariser le modèle non linéaire à grande échelle autour de plusieurs points de fonctionnement et d’interpoler ces points pour couvrir un espace de travail plus large. / This thesis focuses on the design of closed-loop control laws for the specific needs of dynamic control of soft robots, without being too restrictive regarding the robots geometry. It covers the entire development of the controller, from the modeling step to the practical experimental validation. In addition to the theoretical studies, different experimental setups are used to illustrate the results. A cable-driven soft robot and a pressurized soft arm are used to test the control algorithms. Through these different setups, we show that the method can handle different types of actuation, different geometries and mechanical properties. This emphasizes one of the interests of the method, its genericity. From a theoretical point a view, large-scale dynamical systems along with model reduction algorithms are studied. Indeed, modeling soft structures implies solving equations coming from continuum mechanics using the Finite Element Method (FEM). This provides an accurate model of the robots but it requires to discretize the structure into a mesh composed of thousands of elements, yielding to large-scale dynamical systems. This leads to work with models of large dimensions, that are not suitable to design control algorithms. A first part is dedicated to the study of the large-scale dynamic model and its control, without using model reduction. We present a way to control the large-scale system using the knowledge of an open-loop Lyapunov function. Then, this work investigates model reduction algorithms to design low order controllers and observers to drive soft robots. The validated control laws are based on linear models. This is a known limitation of this work as it constrains the guaranteed domain of the controller. This manuscript ends with a discussion that offers a way to extend the results towards nonlinear models. The idea is to linearize the large-scale nonlinear model around several operating points and interpolate between these points to cover a wider workspace.

Atomistic modeling and simulation methods enable a modern molecular approach to bio-medical research. Issues addressed range from structure-function relationships to structure-based drug design. The ability of these methods to address biologically relevant problems is largely determined by their accurate treatment of electrostatic interactions in the target biomolecular structure. In practical molecular simulations, the electrostatic charge density of molecules is approximated by an arrangement of fractional "point charges" throughout the molecule. While chemically intuitive and straightforward in technical implementation, models based exclusively on atom-centered charge placement, a major workhorse of the biomolecular simulations, do not necessarily provide a sufficiently detailed description of the molecular electrostatic potentials for small systems, and can become prohibitively expensive for large systems with thousands to millions of atoms. In this work, we propose a rigorous and generally applicable approach, Optimal Point Charge Approximation (OPCA), for approximating electrostatic charge distributions of biomolecules with a small number of point charges to best represent the underlying electrostatic potential, regardless of the distance to the charge distribution. OPCA places a given number of point charges so that the lowest order multipole moments of the reference charge distribution are optimally reproduced. We provide a general framework for calculating OPCAs to any order, and introduce closed-form analytical expressions for the 1-charge, 2-charge and 3-charge OPCA. We demonstrate the advantage of OPCA by applying it to a wide range of biomolecules of varied sizes. We use the concept of OPCA to develop a different, novel approach of constructing accurate and simple point charge water models. The proposed approach permits a virtually exhaustive search for optimal model parameters in the sub-space most relevant to electrostatic properties of the water molecule in liquid phase. A novel rigid 4-point Optimal Point Charge (OPC) water model constructed based on the new approach is substantially more accurate than commonly used models in terms of bulk water properties, and delivers critical accuracy improvement in practical atomistic simulations, such as RNA simulations, protein folding, protein-ligand binding and small molecule hydration. We also apply our new approach to construct a 3-point version of the Optimal Point Charge water model, referred to as OPC3. OPCA can be employed to represent large charge distributions with only a few point charges. We use this capability of OPCA to develop a multi-scale, yet fully atomistic, generalized Born approach (GB-HCPO) that can deliver up to 2 orders of magnitude speedup compared to the reference MD simulation. As a practical demonstration, we exploit the new multi-scale approach to gain insight into the structure of million-atom 30-nm chromatin fiber. Our results suggest important structural details consistent with experiment: the linker DNA fills the core region and the H3 histone tails interact with the linker DNA. OPC, OPC3 and GB-HCPO are implemented in AMBER molecular dynamics software package. / Ph. D.

La modélisation par simulation des grandes échelles (Large-Eddy Simulation - LES) des processus physiques régissant la couche limite atmosphérique (CLA) demeure complexe de part la difficulté des modèles à capter l'évolution de la turbulence entre différentes conditions de stratification. De ce fait, l'étude LES du cycle diurne complet de la CLA comprenant des situations convectives la journée et des conditions stables la nuit est très peu documenté. La simulation de la couche limite stable où la turbulence est faible, intermittente et qui est caractérisée par des structures turbulentes de petite taille est tout particulièrement compliquée. En conséquence, la capacité de la LES à bien reproduire les conditions météorologiques de la CLA, notamment en situation stable, est étudiée à l'aide du code de mécanique des fluides développé par EDF R&D, Code_Saturne. Dans une première étude, le modèle LES est validé sur un cas de couche limite convective quasi stationnaire sur terrain homogène. L'influence des modèles sous-maille de Smagorinsky, Germano-Lilly, Wong-Lilly et WALE (Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity) ainsi que la sensibilité aux méthodes de paramétrisation sur les champs moyens, les flux et les variances est discutées. Dans une seconde étude le cycle diurne complet de la CLA pendant la campagne de mesure Wangara est modélisé. L'écart aux mesures étant faible le jour, ce travail se concentre sur les difficultés rencontrées la nuit à bien modéliser la couche limite stable. L'impact de différents modèles sous-maille ainsi que la sensibilité au coefficient de Smagorinsky ont été analysés. Par l'intermédiaire d'un couplage radiatif réalisé en LES, les répercussions du rayonnement infrarouge et solaire sur le jet de basse couche nocturne et le gradient thermique près de la surface sont exposées. De plus l'adaptation de la résolution du domaine à l'intensité de la turbulence et la forte stabilité atmosphérique durant l'expérience Wangara sont commentées. Enfin un examen des oscillations numériques inhérentes à Code_Saturne est réalisé afin d'en limiter les effets / Large-eddy simulation (LES) of the physical processes in the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) remains a complex subject. LES models have difficulties to capture the evolution of the turbulence in different conditions of stratification. Consequently, LES of the whole diurnal cycle of the ABL including convetive situations in daytime and stable situations in the night time is seldom documented. The simulation of the stable atmospheric boundary layer which is characterized by small eddies and by weak and sporadic turbulence is espacialy difficult. Therefore The LES ability to well reproduce real meteorological conditions, particularly in stable situations, is studied with the CFD code developed by EDF R&D, Code_Saturne. The first study consist in validate LES on a quasi-steady state convective case with homogeneous terrain. The influence of the subgrid-scale models (Smagorinsky model, Germano-Lilly model, Wong-Lilly model and Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity model) and the sensitivity to the parametrization method on the mean fields, flux and variances are discussed.In a second study, the diurnal cycle of the ABL during Wangara experiment is simulated. The deviation from the measurement is weak during the day, so this work is focused on the difficulties met during the night to simulate the stable atmospheric boundary layer. The impact of the different subgrid-scale models and the sensitivity to the Smagorinsky constant are been analysed. By coupling radiative forcing with LES, the consequences of infra-red and solar radiation on the nocturnal low level jet and on thermal gradient, close to the surface, are exposed. More, enhancement of the domain resolution to the turbulence intensity and the strong atmospheric stability during the Wangara experiment are analysed. Finally, a study of the numerical oscillations inherent to Code_Saturne is realized in order to decrease their effects

O aumento na complexidade das operações de sistemas de produção de petróleo e gás no mar e um fato concreto. Atualmente, a necessidade de avaliar o comportamento no mar destes sistemas requer a compreensão de fenômenos, até então, pouco explorados e que tornam imprescindível uma investigação apoiada em experimentos com modelos reduzidos. Resultados obtidos em tanques de provas, por sua vez, requerem metodologias que contam com a experiência do pesquisador e que, em muitos casos, não são encontradas de maneira detalhada o suficiente na literatura. Ou seja, muitas destas metodologias normalmente são encontradas, no entanto, não em nível para que pesquisadores iniciantes desenvolvam atividades experimentais minimamente pertinentes as eventuais tomadas de decisão ou confrontação com outras linhas de abordagem como a analítica e/ou a numérica. Portanto, e exatamente neste contexto que se insere a presente dissertação de mestrado, buscando descrever em detalhes a teoria e prática envolvida nos procedimentos experimentais para o estudo de comportamento no mar típico de uma plataforma padrão, perfeitamente adaptáveis a outras geometrias mais complexas de sistemas navais e oceânicos. Esses procedimentos envolvem desde o planejamento dos ensaios necessários, passando pelos cuidados durante sua execução, culminando nos métodos de análise dos resultados e formas usuais de documentação. Para facilitar o processo de compreensão, além do próprio texto, este trabalho também contemplou a construção de uma ferramenta matemática dedicada a condução das atividades acima, destacando-se a avaliação e obtenção de parâmetros a partir de ensaios de decaimento e o levantamento expedito das curvas de resposta em ondas regulares, transientes e irregulares. / The increasing complexity of o shore system operations for oil and gas production is a reality. Currently, the need to evaluate the seakeeping of these systems requires understanding some phenomena not yet explored and, for that reason, researches using experiments with small scale models become indispensable. Results obtained in model basins require methodologies that rely on the researchers experience and, most of the time, they are not found detailed enough in the literature. When many of these methodologies are usually found, however, they are not ready for beginner researchers to develop experimental activities minimally relevant to any decision and/or confrontation with other lines, such as the analytical and/or numerical approaches. Therefore, the context of this dissertation describes in detail the theory and involved practice in an experimental procedure for the study of seakeeping of a standard platform, perfectly adaptable to other complex geometries and naval systems. These procedures involve the planning of the necessary tests, through the care during their execution, culminating in the methods of result analyses and usual forms of documentation. In order to facilitate the process of understanding, the construction of a dedicated mathematical tool to conduct the activities described above is provided, emphasizing the assessment and quick obtaining parameters from decay tests, curves response in regular and transient waves, among many others.

Um tanque de provas do tipo reboque permite a realização de ensaios hidrodinâmicos com modelos em escala, sua presença é importante devido à possibilidade de obter características hidrodinâmicas que dimensionam a potência e qualidade do comportamento dos navios durante a sua operação, otimizando os projetos de forma particular ou geral, tanto para a navegação marítima, lacustre ou fluvial. O objetivo principal desta pesquisa é estudar e propor uma metodologia para o dimensionamento e concepção de um tanque de reboque para o Serviço Industrial da Marinha (SIMA PERU), principal estaleiro do Peru, de maneira que possa realizar os ensaios hidrodinâmicos correspondentes aos diferentes tipos de embarcações produzidas pelo SIMA PERU. Como propósito de estudo será desenvolvido uma análise de um tanque de reboque que permitirá ensaiar modelos de diferentes tipos de embarcações, levando em consideração as diferentes condições ambientais e climáticas relacionadas ao litoral peruano em toda sua extensão, isto é, uma condição marítima equivalente a uma escala Beaufort 5. Estas são as condições que foram requeridas para atuar na costa peruana. Será proposto um tanque de reboque com características próprias, baseado no razoável dimensionamento dos modelos reduzidos e nas necessidades e requerimentos de ensaio de acordo às recomendações apresentadas pela Conferência Internacional de Tanques de Reboque (International Towing Tank Conference- ITTC). / A towing tank allows hydrodynamic testing with scale models, their presence is important because allows to obtain hydrodynamics characteristics that they measure the power and quality of behavior during the operation, optimizing the designs in general or particular form of vessels for sea, lake or river. The main objective of this research is to study and propose a method for sizing and development of a towing tank for the Naval Industrial Service; SIMA - PERU, main shipyard from Peru, so it carry out hydrodynamics tests corresponding to different types of vessels produced by SIMA - PERU. The purpose of study will be developed analysis of a towing tank that will test models of different types of vessels, taking into account the different environmental and climatic conditions related to the Peruvian coast, in other words, sea conditions equivalent to a Beaufort \"5\". These are the conditions that were required to act on the Peruvian coast. Will be offered a towing tank with its own characteristics, needs and requirements based on the consistent sizing of reduced models and according to the recommendations made by the International Towing Tank Conference - ITTC.

This thesis primarily focused on the development of novel composite tubes by braiding. The objective was to use hierarchical scale technique, i.e., micro, meso and macro scales, with the transfer of information from one scale to another to develop novel braided composite tubes. This research was conducted and reported in three journal papers. The aim of the first paper was to predict plane elastic properties for E-glass/epoxy braided composite structures at different braid orientations, by analytical and finite element techniques. The lenticular shape has been used to describe the geometry of the tow. Modified lenticular geometric model was developed to improve an existing geometric model, in terms of tow parameters, thereafter, plane elastic properties from Chamis micromechanical model for E-glass fibre and epoxy matrix without any knockdown effects were used as benchmark to develop predictive models, namely; Lekhnitskii's methodology and braided unit cell meso-scale finite element model to account for the effects of tow geometry, undulations/crimp, cross-over and braid orientations on the plane elastic properties of E-glass/epoxy composite. The results showed agreement in trend between the predictive models, Chamis micromechanical model, and a similar existing model. However, the plane elastic properties were knocked down in predictive models by 30% in the E11 direction and 32% in the E22 direction, when compared with Chamis micro-mechanical model for largest ±65° braid angle, among the braid angles, considered. The aim of the second paper was to manufacture E-glass/epoxy braided tubes at different braid orientations by vacuum bag infusion technique, conduct internal pressure tests, and determine the hoop and axial moduli of the infused tubes. Lekhnitskii's methodology was also used to develop plane elastic moduli by experiment using microscopy results, and by calculation. The experimental elastic moduli of the infused tubes and the experimental elastic moduli from Lekhnitskii's methodology were used to compare the predictive elastic moduli for E-glass/epoxy braided structures by Chamis micro-mechanical model, and the braided unit cell meso-scale finite element model. The two were from another paper. Results showed a perfect agreement in trend between the experimental results and the predictive results. However, the values of the experimental results were close but lower than the predicted results. Optical microscopy was performed on braided tube cross-section to evaluate the level of crimp or undulation. This was done by the determination of tow centreline crimp angle and aspect ratio. Results show that when compared with the predicted crimp, there was an agreement in trend, although the experimental results were lower than the predicted. Also, the knockdown factor was evaluated and used to quantify the reduction in experimental elastic moduli when compared with the predicted. Results showed that the absences of crimp in the Chamis model caused a tremendous difference between it, other predicted models and the experiment results. The elastic moduli of Chamis were by far higher than all others, including other predictive models. The purpose of the third paper was to manufacture E-glass/epoxy braided tube at ±31°, ±45°, ±55°, ±65° braid orientations using vacuum bagging and resin infusion technique, to design and manufacture a rig for tube internal pressures experiment, to determine the hoop and axial stress performances of the tubes by internal pressure experiment, to compare experimental results with laminate analysis predictions to evaluate the effect of crimp on the internal pressure performance of the braided tubes. To use E-glass braided tow meso-scale unit cell finite element model to predict the tow critical stresses, and the optimum braided tube architecture, using tube hoop and axial failure stresses or strains. The tubes were manufactured and subjected to internal pressure test (2:1), to failure. Failure mode was by weeping and bursting. Hoop stress was twice the axial stress. The highest value of hoop stress was at the ±65° braid angle, higher than the hoop stresses at the ±31°, ±45°, and ±55 ° braid angles by 50%, 39%, and 28% respectively. Hoop stress increased with increase in braid angle. The experimental results were validated by laminate analysis predictions by Chamis micro-mechanical model and Lekhnitskii's methodology, and the trend of the laminate analysis prediction matched that of the experimental results. However, the predicted values were higher than the experimental results by 21%, 14%, 11%, 10% for the ±31°, ±45°, ±55°, ±65° braid angles for the Chamis micro-mechanical model and 5%, 7%, 7%, 5% for the ±31°, ±45°, ±55°, ±65 braid angles respectively for the Lekhnitskii's model, showing the severe effect of crimp in the experimental tube, mostly when compared with Chamis micro-mechanical model. Braided tow unit cell finite element model prediction, showed that tow axial stresses increased with increase in braid angle, while the tow transverse stresses decreased with increase in braid angle. The predictions showed that the tow critical stresses and the tube optimum braided architecture lie between the ±65° and 90° braid angles. The tow critical stresses are the stresses at which the tow decreasing transverse stress and the tow increasing axial stress causes the tube to fail.

Um tanque de provas do tipo reboque permite a realização de ensaios hidrodinâmicos com modelos em escala, sua presença é importante devido à possibilidade de obter características hidrodinâmicas que dimensionam a potência e qualidade do comportamento dos navios durante a sua operação, otimizando os projetos de forma particular ou geral, tanto para a navegação marítima, lacustre ou fluvial. O objetivo principal desta pesquisa é estudar e propor uma metodologia para o dimensionamento e concepção de um tanque de reboque para o Serviço Industrial da Marinha (SIMA PERU), principal estaleiro do Peru, de maneira que possa realizar os ensaios hidrodinâmicos correspondentes aos diferentes tipos de embarcações produzidas pelo SIMA PERU. Como propósito de estudo será desenvolvido uma análise de um tanque de reboque que permitirá ensaiar modelos de diferentes tipos de embarcações, levando em consideração as diferentes condições ambientais e climáticas relacionadas ao litoral peruano em toda sua extensão, isto é, uma condição marítima equivalente a uma escala Beaufort 5. Estas são as condições que foram requeridas para atuar na costa peruana. Será proposto um tanque de reboque com características próprias, baseado no razoável dimensionamento dos modelos reduzidos e nas necessidades e requerimentos de ensaio de acordo às recomendações apresentadas pela Conferência Internacional de Tanques de Reboque (International Towing Tank Conference- ITTC). / A towing tank allows hydrodynamic testing with scale models, their presence is important because allows to obtain hydrodynamics characteristics that they measure the power and quality of behavior during the operation, optimizing the designs in general or particular form of vessels for sea, lake or river. The main objective of this research is to study and propose a method for sizing and development of a towing tank for the Naval Industrial Service; SIMA - PERU, main shipyard from Peru, so it carry out hydrodynamics tests corresponding to different types of vessels produced by SIMA - PERU. The purpose of study will be developed analysis of a towing tank that will test models of different types of vessels, taking into account the different environmental and climatic conditions related to the Peruvian coast, in other words, sea conditions equivalent to a Beaufort \"5\". These are the conditions that were required to act on the Peruvian coast. Will be offered a towing tank with its own characteristics, needs and requirements based on the consistent sizing of reduced models and according to the recommendations made by the International Towing Tank Conference - ITTC.