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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Maryland, College Park, 2006. / Facsimile, authorized copy, from UMI/Proquest; UMI number 3222497. Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the internet.

This paper summarizes research on the structural perfomance of wood elements and assemblies exposed to fire and reviews methodologies available to predict performance. This reasecrh provides a wealth of information on topics such as how fast a flame spreads across the surface of wood, how much smoke is produced during combustion and at what rate does wood char and at what heat release rate.

For many years, inflatable structures and membrane enclosed structures have proved useful for a variety of purposes, such as athletic pavilions, exhibition spaces, coliseums, and kiosks. More recently, structures that combine highly pressurized inflatable arch members with light fabric membrane coverings have been considered for use as a variation of such structural systems. The United States Army has begun to investigate pressurized arch-supported membrane shelters that would be large, lightweight, and easily erected in a short amount of time. These shelters are proposed for a variety of purposes, including aircraft hangars, vehicle maintenance shelters, and medical aid stations. The specific contribution of this study was the creation and testing of scale models to obtain a better understanding of how these structures behave under wind and snow loading conditions. Three models were constructed, one at a scale of 1:100 and two at a scale of 1:50. The 1:100 scale model represented a proposed prototypical structure 200 ft long, 75 ft wide, and 50 ft tall, with multiple arches. Of the 1:50 scale models, one model represented a structure with the same dimensions as the 1:100 scale model and the other represented a single arch from one of the proposed prototypical structures. Both of the full structural models were wind and snow load tested. The single arch model was tested under full and partial snow loading. Data from the testing were collected, tabulated, and evaluated. The experimental results are discussed, conclusions are drawn, and recommendations for further research are presented. / Master of Science

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Orientador: Marcelo Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira / Banca: Edvaldo Assunção / Banca: Celso Pascoli Bottura / Resumo: Em alguns problemas práticos, por exemplo, no controle de vibrações de sistemas mecânicos utilizando acelerômetros como sensores, é mais fácil obter a da derivada do vetor de estado do que o vetor de estado. Esta dissertação mostra que plantas lineares e invariantes no tempo descritas pelas matrizes {A,B,C,D}, cuja saída é a derivada do vetor de estado, são não observáveis e não estabilizáveis com realimentação da saída, quando det(A)=0. A impossibilidade de rejeição de distúrbios constantes, somados à entrada da planta quando det(A) 6= 0, realimentando-se a saída com controladores estáticos, foi também demonstrada. Adicionalmente, são propostas novas técnicas de controle para uma classe de sistemas não lineares com incertezas variantes no tempo. Condições na forma de desigualdades matriciais lineares, em inglês Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs), para o projeto de sistemas de controle empregando realimentação derivativa estática da derivada do vetor de estado, que ao mesmo tempo estabiliza a planta e maximiza o limite de incerteza do termo não linear, são estabelecidas com base em funções quadráticas de Lyapunov. Posteriormente estendem-se as condições de estabilidade robusta para sistemas não lineares com incertezas variantes no tempo e incertezas politópicas, que podem também representar falhas estruturais. O projeto do controlador é realizado através de condições baseadas em LMIs que, quando factíveis, podem ser resolvidas facilmente utilizando técnicas de programação convexa. Essa metodologia permite a inclusão de restrições de desempenho no projeto, como por exemplo, na taxa de decaimento e na norma de ganho dos controladores, de modo a atender às restrições do projeto. São apresentadas análises e resultados considerando o sinal de controle nulo e empregando realimentação derivativa estática do vetor de estado... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In some practical problems, for instance in the control of mechanical systems using accelerometers as sensors, it is easier to obtain the state-derivative vectors than the state vectors. This dissertation shows that (i) linear time-invariant plants given by the state-space model matrices {A,B,C,D} with output equal to the state-derivative vector are not observable and can not be stabilizable by using an output feedback if det(A) = 0 and (ii) the rejection of a constant disturbance added to the input of the aforementioned plants, considering det(A) 6= 0, and a static output feedback controller is not possible. The proposed results can be useful in the analysis and design of control systems with state-derivative feedback. Additionally, a new procedure for the control of a class of nonlinear systems with time-varying uncertainties using static statederivative feedback is proposed. Conditions based on Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) for the design of robust controllers using state-derivative feedback, which simultaneously stabilizes the system and maximizes the uncertainty bound of the nonlinear term are proposed. Robust stability conditions for nonlinear systems with uncertainties and time-varying polytopic uncertainties, known as structural failures, are also presented. The controller design are based on LMIs which, when feasible, can be easily solved using convex programming techniques. This methodology allows the inclusion of performance constraints on the design, such as the decay rate and gain bounds in order to meet the design requirements. The dissertation considered cases where the control signal is equal to zero and with a state-derivative feedback. The elaboration of the theory for systems with n nonlinearities is illustrated through examples covering a single nonlinearity, with and without two polytopic uncertainties (and structural failures), and two nonlinearities... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:22:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-02-28Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:49:28Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 moreira_mr_me_ilha.pdf: 1357345 bytes, checksum: 0cd0261b936a9aacf1f408322f1ec3be (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Em alguns problemas práticos, por exemplo, no controle de vibrações de sistemas mecânicos utilizando acelerômetros como sensores, é mais fácil obter a da derivada do vetor de estado do que o vetor de estado. Esta dissertação mostra que plantas lineares e invariantes no tempo descritas pelas matrizes {A,B,C,D}, cuja saída é a derivada do vetor de estado, são não observáveis e não estabilizáveis com realimentação da saída, quando det(A)=0. A impossibilidade de rejeição de distúrbios constantes, somados à entrada da planta quando det(A) 6= 0, realimentando-se a saída com controladores estáticos, foi também demonstrada. Adicionalmente, são propostas novas técnicas de controle para uma classe de sistemas não lineares com incertezas variantes no tempo. Condições na forma de desigualdades matriciais lineares, em inglês Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs), para o projeto de sistemas de controle empregando realimentação derivativa estática da derivada do vetor de estado, que ao mesmo tempo estabiliza a planta e maximiza o limite de incerteza do termo não linear, são estabelecidas com base em funções quadráticas de Lyapunov. Posteriormente estendem-se as condições de estabilidade robusta para sistemas não lineares com incertezas variantes no tempo e incertezas politópicas, que podem também representar falhas estruturais. O projeto do controlador é realizado através de condições baseadas em LMIs que, quando factíveis, podem ser resolvidas facilmente utilizando técnicas de programação convexa. Essa metodologia permite a inclusão de restrições de desempenho no projeto, como por exemplo, na taxa de decaimento e na norma de ganho dos controladores, de modo a atender às restrições do projeto. São apresentadas análises e resultados considerando o sinal de controle nulo e empregando realimentação derivativa estática do vetor de estado... / In some practical problems, for instance in the control of mechanical systems using accelerometers as sensors, it is easier to obtain the state-derivative vectors than the state vectors. This dissertation shows that (i) linear time-invariant plants given by the state-space model matrices {A,B,C,D} with output equal to the state-derivative vector are not observable and can not be stabilizable by using an output feedback if det(A) = 0 and (ii) the rejection of a constant disturbance added to the input of the aforementioned plants, considering det(A) 6= 0, and a static output feedback controller is not possible. The proposed results can be useful in the analysis and design of control systems with state-derivative feedback. Additionally, a new procedure for the control of a class of nonlinear systems with time-varying uncertainties using static statederivative feedback is proposed. Conditions based on Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) for the design of robust controllers using state-derivative feedback, which simultaneously stabilizes the system and maximizes the uncertainty bound of the nonlinear term are proposed. Robust stability conditions for nonlinear systems with uncertainties and time-varying polytopic uncertainties, known as structural failures, are also presented. The controller design are based on LMIs which, when feasible, can be easily solved using convex programming techniques. This methodology allows the inclusion of performance constraints on the design, such as the decay rate and gain bounds in order to meet the design requirements. The dissertation considered cases where the control signal is equal to zero and with a state-derivative feedback. The elaboration of the theory for systems with n nonlinearities is illustrated through examples covering a single nonlinearity, with and without two polytopic uncertainties (and structural failures), and two nonlinearities... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Rate-dependent effects introduced during rapid and/or dynamic events have typically been oversimplified to compensate for deficiencies in present analyses. As load test results are generally considered as the basis of performance from which foundations can be designed, it is imperative that the analyzed load test data be as accurate as possible. In an attempt to progress the state of load test data regression, this dissertation addresses two common assumptions made during the regression process: (1) the statnamic damping coefficient is constant throughout the entire load test and (2) the concrete stress-strain relationship is linear-elastic. Also presented is a case study where the inherent features of a rapid load test proved useful in identifying the occurrence and proximity of a structural failure within a drilled shaft.

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